FIRST LOOK: SiS 755FX for Socket 939 Athlon 64
by Wesley Fink on December 16, 2004 12:05 AM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
Overclocking: Winfast 755FXK8AA
Front Side Bus Overclocking Testbed | |
Default Voltage | |
Processor: | Athlon 64 4000+ (2.4GHz, 1MB Cache) |
CPU Voltage: | 1.50V (default 1.50V) |
Cooling: | Thermaltake Silent Boost K8 Heatsink/Fan |
Power Supply: | OCZ Power Stream 520W |
Memory: | OCZ PC3200 EL Platinum Rev. 2 (Samsung TCCD Memory Chips) |
Hard Drive: | Maxtor 160GB 7200RPM SATA 8MB Cache |
Maximum OC: (Standard Ratio) |
221x12 (5x HT, 2-2-3-10) 2652MHz (+11%) |
Maximum FSB: (Lower Ratio) |
233* x 11 (2563MHz) (5x HT) (1:1 Memory, 2 DIMMs in DC mode) (+17% Bus Overclock) |
At first, we were really excited that we could reach 300FSB with no vDIMM adjustments at all. However, several things did not make sense, and as we dug deeper, we discovered that the highest real speed we could achieve on the Winfast was 233 FSB. You can choose higher settings, but they are not real FSB overclocks. Foxconn did further testing on the 755FXK8AA and confirmed that the highest setting possible on this board is 233. Any higher settings would require an updated clock generator. Foxconn is looking at possible revisions to the Winfast, but 233 is the current OC limitation, and this will likely remain the case on this motherboard. Future redesigns of the board may bring additional FSB options.
It would be unfair to make too much of the 233 FSB limitation of the 755FX because that would overlook the incredible stability of the board at 233. At that overclock, the Winfast is completely stable. 233 is also a high enough overclock to confirm a working PCI/AGP lock. As you will see in the later performance data, the 755FXK8AA is very fast, so it makes you wish for more in the overclocking capabilities.
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nserra - Thursday, December 16, 2004 - link
The sis chipsets are very good, with the right bios configuration and drivers will do well. At least my ME and XP installation is already 3 years old and didn’t have to reinstall them because of problems.The biggest Sis problem is that the mobo maker’s dont use good quality components on the (sis) boards, at the same level of the intel based ones. When every one says intel is the best, or that sis sucks, etc... Take that into account OK.
I noted the Soltek comes on top too many times, I wonder why is that, especially over the other ones, maybe they are socket 754 based?
#6 I had the same problem you have, and now it is solved. The startup time is really fast, not as fast as the ME, but good :)
jmke - Thursday, December 16, 2004 - link
Why is DOOM3 (opengl) in the DX9 gaming category? ;)Gnoad - Thursday, December 16, 2004 - link
Any word on if it would be capable if running above 233 if a program like clockgen was used?Calin - Thursday, December 16, 2004 - link
I have bought a ECS K7S5A with SIS 735 chipset. It is still working, and is going good (except a very long startup time in WinXP).I won't stay away from SiS chipsets, especially at that price point for a mainboard
FFS - Thursday, December 16, 2004 - link
Ooops...missed t in "Switzerland" Sorry...
FFS - Thursday, December 16, 2004 - link
Good article... hope to see more boards in retail...Competition is very good.
SiS 755 was very good... in reviews...
But we never could find any SiS mobo in the shops (at least in Swizerland)
But I just do not trust SiS after I had way too many problems with SiS 648 (also was very good in reviews at it's time)
But check this out:
nSISt on nVIDIA
I a not a fun of nVIDIA although nF3 Ultra looks very atractive to me (nF4 not, since I have already good 6800GT AGP board...)
Well, too bad that Intel do not make chipsets for AMD... :)))
Poser - Thursday, December 16, 2004 - link
In the article he wrote, "The board is also a 3-phase design, instead of the 2-phase that we often see on boards designed to a price point" which made me wonder -- what's the difference? Both in a technical sense, and in a performance sense. Does the number of phases a board uses have any influence on what's the best power supply to mate it with, or am I wandering off in the wrong direction entirely? Anyone have a good link where I could dig a bit deeper?esun - Thursday, December 16, 2004 - link
Wow, this board looks like an excellent value. Here's hoping that they'll fix those minor problems, and perhaps I'll pick one up myself.Saist - Thursday, December 16, 2004 - link
just wanted to comment that I picked up ECS's 755-A2 board some time back and it is now pretty much the value board that I pick when someone doesn't want to shell out $100+ for a mother board. I'm pretty much pleased to see that SiS is continuing this with the 755FX. Hopefully it will mean a Socket 939 A64 will be joining the 3 current 754 boards.