My favorite VLB board is the Asus VL/I-486SV2GX4. Rock solid!

Artex wrote:

My favorite VLB board is the Asus VL/I-486SV2GX4. Rock solid!

I agree,its one of the highend boards

Grab an EXP-4045 from DataExpert/ExpertBoard

It supports 128MB FPM DRAM (72-pin only)

It has 3 VLB slots

Socket 3

The manual is easily located, and I have their company info in a forum post elsewhere

It only does 512k of cache, but most 486 boards don't go over 512k unless you get a really late PCI one (As said, not what you're looking for)

DataExpert boards tend to be fairly good. The caps are fine on them, but one thing you need to be careful of is the NiCad batteries on them. They do have a battery header, so you can just throw a CR2032 holder on there without a non-charge or trickle charge circuit.

But aside from that it is a really fast, really capable Baby AT 486 board, and it will run an Am486-DX4-100-SV8B @ 120mhz with no issue. It is the board I use, and personally my favourite Socket 3 board.

cj_reha wrote:

Support for an AMD 486DX4-100 CPU Support for 64MB 72-pin FPM RAM Support for 1 MB L2 cache (optional, 256K can do me fine if ne […]
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Support for an AMD 486DX4-100 CPU
Support for 64MB 72-pin FPM RAM
Support for 1 MB L2 cache (optional, 256K can do me fine if needed)
At least two VLB slots
CR2032 battery socket

It only supports 512KB cache, but the motherboard I use in my 486 build (QDI V4P895GRN/SMT) hits every other point. Supports both the WT and WB AM486DX4-100 (Currently using a WT DX4-100 in mine), supports 64MB memory, has three VLB slots (But of course you don't want to use more than two at a time) and a CR2032 battery socket. I cannot comment on how performance or stability compares to other similar boards, as I've never had access to a similarly-specced board of different brand or model for comparison, although I imagine such info could be extrapolated from the 486 benchmark megathread.

I'm emphatically onboard with Artex and vetz. Hands down, the Asus VL/I-486SV2GX4, hits every bullet point on your list and comes with the additional bonus of having a PS/2 mouse port header. For me, that would be the first bullet point. It is the only VLB/ISA socket 3 board I am aware of which has a CR2032, 1024K support, PS/2 mouse support, and works with Am5x86-133/160 and POD83/100 CPUs in write-back mode.

Even if you have to pay a little more, it is worth it in my opinion. I have a setup built around this board with an Am5x86-160, VLB SCSI, VLB S3 Vision 968 graphics, 1024K, PS/2 mouse, and 64 MB of RAM. I was a little bummed that 128 MB would not work, but I have accepted this limitation. The other limitations might be that the POD83/100 doesn't work with VLB SCSI and with the CPU in write-back mode. The VLB SCSI card is the issue here. The Cyrix 5x86 may or may not have this limitation; I did not check. The Am5x86 will work in write-back mode with the VLB SCSI card.

🤣 these configs are for people who are upset at Intel for not calling the pentium a 586, and are pumping steroids into their Socket 3 machines so they can say the arguably cooler name 486.

or the even cooler name 5x86.

My retro computing umbrella consists of a DX4-100 @120mhz (AMD SV8B model) with 32MB of RAM and a kickass periph mix (Dual channel EIDE, S3 Trio32 2MB, and an SBAWE32)

That runs everything 8088 (With ALL cache disabled, the CPU clocked down on board, and the turbo button on in theory. There are also throttling programs) to Duke 3D.

Then I have a Slot 1 P3 machine 450mhz, runs everything CKeen to 2002ish games (Source engine, good luck) it has a GeForce 2MX, 384MB of RAM, and an SB Live!

I find it runs DOS games better in window, especially with the PCI sound card. Unfortunately it does not want to do 32-bit colours on Half-Life, it just flickers around a lot, and D3D crashes it. Any help?

I also have a P4 and Socket A machine, but they are both in DESPERATE need of good graphics cards, but they are both really good machines capable of most 2000-2006 gaming.

Oh dear, I think I've gotten off on a stary eyed tangent. oh well.