Audio Performance

For audio testing, we use Rightmark 3D Sound CPU utilization test. This benchmark measures the overhead or CPU utilization required by a codec or hardware audio chip.

Audio Performance - Empty CPU

Audio Performance - 2D Audio

Audio Performance - 3D Audio

For a standard on-board codec, the Realtek ALC655 features low CPU utilization across the board. ULi has done a good job of integrating this chip into their design. However, performance and specifications are average at best, and you will not get audiophile quality from this sound chip. If your sound needs are modest, the 655 will do the job, but it should not be compared to HD audio, for example.

The ULi M1573/75, which will be featured in some ATI north bridge designs for A64, will feature Realtek HAD audio. We will test that ULi 1573/75 south bridge for performance as soon as one appears on the market.

USB, Firewire & Storage Performance Final Words
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  • Wesley Fink - Saturday, August 6, 2005 - link

    The 400 graph has been removed. After considering the questions here it is fair to say the ULi tests were not run under the same test conditions (due to no DDR Voltage controls and limited vCore adjustments) and should not be directly compared. The 242 remains since it was achieved with the same test conditions.
  • Wesley Fink - Friday, August 5, 2005 - link

    Yes, this is the only board using the FX57 in OC testing, but we will be testing with the FX57 in the future. Yes, that makes it an unfair comparison.

    It really was not possible to use our normal OC tests because the Reference board has no memory voltage adjustments at all. We stated this very clearly in the reviews. The option was to report very low results, or to make changes to the test to show how high the board could actually go in overclock (400 clock speed). We chose to show what the board could do on OC, but the results are not directly comparable to past results.
  • Lonyo - Friday, August 5, 2005 - link

    OCZ BOOSTER FFS!!!!
  • Aquila76 - Friday, August 5, 2005 - link

    So if you want to run SLI, you have to use that riser card, right? How exactly does that fit in a standard ATX case? The cards are 90 degrees from their normal position. I understand that this is a good board if you're going to use older AGP cards and want an upgrade path; but I would think they could make it a lot cheaper if they left SLI capability off as it seems rather pointless in this format.
  • kmmatney - Saturday, August 6, 2005 - link

    I thought the same thing, but yes, its just a prrof of concept - the retail board makers will implement it without the need for a riser card.
  • MarkB - Friday, August 5, 2005 - link

    I think it's more of a proof of concept for showing off the chipset's capabilities, instead of making a whole new reference board to house the 2 x8 pci-e slots.

    I doubt any retail board would use the riser approach.

  • Sunbird - Friday, August 5, 2005 - link

    Here is South Africa the ASRock 939A8X-m based in this ULi chipset has arrived at our local reseller last week.

    Its a mATX board and has SATA raid and all the other usual stuff. Near the bottom price range of the local market (aka cheap).
  • grug2k - Friday, August 5, 2005 - link

    The AsRock 939AX-M is NOT a ULi M1695 board. It's an old AGP-only board based on the ULi M1689 chipset.
  • lsman - Friday, August 5, 2005 - link

    Computex2005 show also has Jetway A695DAG, Chaintech S1695-2
  • WT - Friday, August 5, 2005 - link

    This board should be on the short list (hehe, so short there is only one name on it) of boards for the DIY builder looking to keep their current AGP card and move to PCI Express down the road. There are a lot of users that fit that description so this board makes sense in every way. The only downside will be whether the boards are actually produced by some quality vendors who are not stuck on the Nvidia bandwagon.

    My S754 setup is adequate for any game that I play, so I should be able to make another year on it. After that, S939 and a 3800+ x2 makes more sense, but after buying that, I won't have the $ left to splurge on a mid-high end PCI Express video card. My 6800 cost $295 when I bought it, so moving that to the S939 setup makes financial sense.

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