nForce4 SLI Roundup: Painful and Rewarding
by Wesley Fink on February 28, 2005 7:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
MSI K8N Neo4/SLI Platinum: Overclocking and Stress Testing
FSB Overclocking Results
| Front Side Bus Overclocking Testbed | |
| MSI K8N-Neo4/SLI | |
| Processor: | Athlon 64 4000+ (2.4GHz, 1MB Cache) |
| CPU Voltage: | 1.55V (default 1.50V) |
| Cooling: | Thermaltake Silent Boost K8 Heat sink/Fan |
| Power Supply: | OCZ Power Stream 520W |
| Memory: | OCZ PC3200 EL Platinum Rev. 2 (Samsung TCCD Memory Chips) |
| Hard Drive: | Seagate 120GB 7200RPM SATA 8MB Cache |
| Maximum OC: (Standard Ratio) |
235x12 (Auto HT, 2-3-2-7, 1T, 2.85V) 2820MHz (+18%) |
| Maximum FSB: (Lower Ratio) |
312x9 (2808MHz) (Auto HT, 2.5-4-3-7, 2.85V) (1:1 Memory, 1T, 2 DIMMs in DC mode) (+56% Bus Overclock) |
MSI has a much more limited range of overclocking controls than the top-performing DFI, but that doesn't seem to limit much the overclocking abilities of the SLI. The K8N Neo4/SLI continued the MSI tradition of top Athlon 64 overclocking by reaching a CPU speed of 312 (DDR624), just slightly short of the DFI record of 318. We would likely have been able to push the MSI even higher were it not for the limitation of a 2.85 top memory voltage, compared to 4.0V on the DFI.
At stock multipliers, MSI was also an excellent overclocker, reaching 235. This is just shy of the 238 reached by the DFI. All-in-all, the MSI was a great performer and extremely so in our testing. The MSI K8N Neo4/SLI was much easier to overclock than the K8N Neo2, which is a recent Editor's Choice among Socket 939 motherboards.
Memory Stress Test Results:
Our memory stress test measures the ability of the MSI to operate at its officially supported memory frequency (400MHz DDR), at the lowest memory timings that OCZ PC3200 Platinum Rev. 2 modules will support. All DIMMs used for stress testing were 512MB double-sided (or double-bank) memory. To make sure that memory performed properly in Dual-Channel mode, memory was only tested using either one dual-channel (2 DIMMs) or 2 dual-channels (4 DIMMs).| Stable DDR400 Timings - One Dual-Channel (2/4 DIMMs populated) |
|
| Clock Speed: | 200MHz |
| CAS Latency: | 2.0 |
| RAS to CAS Delay: | 2T |
| RAS Precharge: | 7T |
| Precharge Delay: | 2T |
| Command Rate: | 1T |
Using two DIMMs in Dual-Channel 128-bit mode, the memory performed in all benchmarks at the fastest 2-2-2-7 timings, at default 2.6V voltage.
Tests with 4 DS DIMMs on an AMD Athlon 64 system are more demanding, since AMD specifies DDR333 for this combination. However, most AMD Athlon 64 motherboards combined with recent AMD processors (the memory controller is on the AMD CPU) have been able to handle 4 DIMMs at DDR400.
| Stable DDR400 Timings - 4 DIMMs (4/4 DIMMs populated) |
|
| Clock Speed: | 200MHz |
| CAS Latency: | 2.0 |
| RAS to CAS Delay: | 2T |
| RAS Precharge: | 7T |
| Precharge Delay: | 2T |
| Command Rate: | 2T |
Tests with all four DIMM slots populated on the MSI K8N Neo4/SLI board required a 2T Command Rate with 4 DS DIMMs in two dual channels. This is the pattern seen on other top-performing Socket 939 boards, and is a limitation of the AMD on-chip memory controller. Additional voltage did not help and DDR400 with 4DS DIMMs still required a 2T Command Rate as we have seen on other nF4 boards. We are hopeful that the upcoming Rev. E Athlon 64 chips will at least allow a 1T Command Rate with 4 DS DIMMs.
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Heinrich - Monday, February 28, 2005 - link
Wesley did you spend any time at all on this link, I consider this to be a serious issue
http://www.rhcf.com/sisubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/21...
Heinrich - Monday, February 28, 2005 - link
When I set up my MSI board I cannot get surround sound out of the optical digital cable except for DVDs. I verified this on a few web sites. Not why there is conflicting information but mine is real world experience with current drivers (did not use packaged CDs)
giz02 - Monday, February 28, 2005 - link
#28, 31 and 32...The onboard Creative Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit samples at 192 KHz instead of 96 KHz (like Realtek's ALC880/880D and 850) and features full support for Creative's EAX HD technology. Additionally, the soundcard has also passed Dolby certification for Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital EX and has an integrated Dolby interactive content encoder!
Snip from PCStats review:
http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=1...
Dice Dice baby.. (couldn't resist)
giz02 - Monday, February 28, 2005 - link
#41 I've got a TT WS0049 PS, so I should be good with the -5v.#43 I've already cancled my DFI SLI DR board. MSI here I come ($238 cdn... so it's cheaper too) :D
Wesley Fink - Monday, February 28, 2005 - link
#42 - The on-board nF4 LAN requires a PHY (Physical Layer) gigabit LAN to function properly, but is specified as PCIe. All 4 SLI boards implement PCI Express Gigabit LAN with the PHY chips (Vitesse or Marvel). If you check all 4 manuals you will see Gigabit PCIe LAN specified by all 4 for the on-chip LAN.#40 - From the MSI manual Audio specifications:
"Dolby Digital Encoder. 24-bit/96-192kHz audio quality. Up to 100db SNR. 7.1 channel H/W audio."
ChineseDemocracyGNR - Monday, February 28, 2005 - link
Wesley,"all 4 SLI boards implement PCIe on Gigabit #1"
I don't think the onboard LAN on the nForce4 chipset uses the PCI-E bus, are you sure about this?
Spacecomber - Monday, February 28, 2005 - link
Here's the address for a MSI forum note concerning the problem with the Creative onboard sound and power supplies without a -5 volt connection.http://diamondclub.msi.com.tw/eng/forum/viewthread...
And, if you take a look at the ATX12V Power Supply Design Guide, you can see that the lack of a -5 volt connection on many current power supplies should not have come as a surprise to MSI.
http://www.formfactors.org/developer/specs/ATX12V%...
Space
giz02 - Monday, February 28, 2005 - link
WOW! This is looking good...Manual available here:
http://www.msi.com.tw/program/support/manual/mnu/s...
Page 5-1 of the MS 7100 manual (At MSI)
CA0106
Brand new Azalia Spec
8 Channel & SPDIF audio effect
Page 5-8
After installing teh creative audio driver, you are able to use teh 2-,4-,6- or 8- channel and the SPDIF audio featre now..
Page 5-11
Decoder shows SPDIF Passthrough option!!!
I am not familiar with the old Creative Live 24 hardware or menu settings, but is this new?
giz02 - Monday, February 28, 2005 - link
BTW: If this is the case, I am canceling my DFI preorder (I've been waiting almost 1 month for this board to become available....)Good things may indeed come to those who wait! There is no better way to hook up to my Z5500's if the encode is supported!
giz02 - Monday, February 28, 2005 - link
#28, #31, I'd really like to know as well...#32, I guess this is brought up, because of this statement in the roundup (on the first MSI Page)
"The Audio also fully supports Dolby Digital encoding, which will matter a great deal to some users."
Anand, is this some sort of typo, or can the onboard solution in facte ENCODE dolby digital audio. The ENCODE assumes that it can take .wav audio and encode it to dolby digital and place it on any (analog/SPDIF Coax/Toslink) output (ala IntelHD and SoundStorm)
Let us know :D