DFI UT P35-T2R: Tweakers Rejoice!
by Rajinder Gill on October 18, 2007 2:00 PM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
Even More BIOS Settings
PERFORMANCE LEVEL
Leaving this function set to Auto works very well within the FSB limits of the board for normal everyday use. For maximum performance and benchmark runs, we took a look at possible manual setting ranges.
Performance Level settings with the 266/667 strap/divider-
Level 5 is usable up to ~ 410FSB
Level 6 up to 475FSB using 2GB of RAM with quad-core CPUs
Performance Level settings with the 333/800 strap/divider-
Use level 7, this is good up to ~ 495FSB with the quad-core CPUs. Dual-core CPUs can use this strap/divider combination for benchmarking in excess of 500FSB if the CPU is capable of these FSB rates.
TRD PHASE ADJUST-
This BIOS function is best explored by more advanced tweakers and benchmarkers; our own findings are as follows.
Options for this function are between AUTO and ENABLED
Default for all phases is AUTO (this sets the current PERFORMANCE LEVEL in the DRAM page).
AUTO is best used for all phases when using the 266 chipset strap and associated dividers. The 266 strap is generally quite aggressive and does not allow lowering of Performance Level phases. Users can safely stay at AUTO without sacrificing large amounts of performance. For crazy tweakers, read on...
There are five phases of the Performance Level (TRD) cycle per channel;
'ENABLED': Sets the corresponding phase of the TRD cycle to -1. If we set a Performance Level of 7 in the DRAM page, using ENABLED for any of the phases will set the Performance Level of the selected Phase to 6, i.e. TRD -1 for the corresponding phase and channel.
Both channels have independent phase adjustments, and the maximum advantage of setting a phase to ENABLED occurs when the same phase from both channels is set to ENABLED simultaneously. (Check the 333/800 BIOS profile for a possible usage combination).
Using the 1333 strap has an immediate impact upon memory latency, which can be overcome in part by using a higher FSB level on a lower multiplier for an equivalent CPU MHz speed (assuming we stick to using the same strap). By manipulating combinations of the TRD phases together for both channels it is possible to reclaim some of the memory latency and bandwidth loss without the need for a large increase of FSB. The lowering of TRD phases is especially useful for 4GB overclocking with the 333/800 strap/divider and benchmarking at high FSBs with dual-core CPUs, again using the 333 strap.
PERFORMANCE LEVEL
Leaving this function set to Auto works very well within the FSB limits of the board for normal everyday use. For maximum performance and benchmark runs, we took a look at possible manual setting ranges.
Performance Level settings with the 266/667 strap/divider-
Level 5 is usable up to ~ 410FSB
Level 6 up to 475FSB using 2GB of RAM with quad-core CPUs
Performance Level settings with the 333/800 strap/divider-
Use level 7, this is good up to ~ 495FSB with the quad-core CPUs. Dual-core CPUs can use this strap/divider combination for benchmarking in excess of 500FSB if the CPU is capable of these FSB rates.
TRD PHASE ADJUST-
This BIOS function is best explored by more advanced tweakers and benchmarkers; our own findings are as follows.
Options for this function are between AUTO and ENABLED
Default for all phases is AUTO (this sets the current PERFORMANCE LEVEL in the DRAM page).
AUTO is best used for all phases when using the 266 chipset strap and associated dividers. The 266 strap is generally quite aggressive and does not allow lowering of Performance Level phases. Users can safely stay at AUTO without sacrificing large amounts of performance. For crazy tweakers, read on...
There are five phases of the Performance Level (TRD) cycle per channel;
'ENABLED': Sets the corresponding phase of the TRD cycle to -1. If we set a Performance Level of 7 in the DRAM page, using ENABLED for any of the phases will set the Performance Level of the selected Phase to 6, i.e. TRD -1 for the corresponding phase and channel.
Both channels have independent phase adjustments, and the maximum advantage of setting a phase to ENABLED occurs when the same phase from both channels is set to ENABLED simultaneously. (Check the 333/800 BIOS profile for a possible usage combination).
Using the 1333 strap has an immediate impact upon memory latency, which can be overcome in part by using a higher FSB level on a lower multiplier for an equivalent CPU MHz speed (assuming we stick to using the same strap). By manipulating combinations of the TRD phases together for both channels it is possible to reclaim some of the memory latency and bandwidth loss without the need for a large increase of FSB. The lowering of TRD phases is especially useful for 4GB overclocking with the 333/800 strap/divider and benchmarking at high FSBs with dual-core CPUs, again using the 333 strap.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
30 Comments
View All Comments
Acanthus - Thursday, October 18, 2007 - link
Although all of the tweaking options provided are nice, it literally does no better than Asus P5K Deluxe or the Gigabyte P35-DQ6.Furthermore with X38 boards on the way, im not seeing a whole lot of incentive for this $300 motherboard.
Just my $.02
retrospooty - Thursday, October 18, 2007 - link
This board has hit 672mhz FSB, far FAR higher than any other other board ever, including early samples of X38. Not likely to be matched until the DFI X38 comes out.http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php...">http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php...
This link shows it at 666mhz, I cant find the 672mhz one at the moment, but its on the same forum, by the same guy with the same golden CPU.
cmdrdredd - Thursday, October 18, 2007 - link
Not usable 24/7WHO CARES!?
retrospooty - Thursday, October 18, 2007 - link
Well, it still goes alot higher than the others you mentioned, it is absolutely the best overclocking motherboard available. - that was what I responded too, obviously its not the one for you.Acanthus - Thursday, October 18, 2007 - link
That is from the DFI labs... with a beta board... on supercooling...and volt mods... on a dual core CPU that doesnt stress the PWMs...Anandtechs results even using phase dont approach those results.
retrospooty - Friday, October 19, 2007 - link
No, that is not from DFI labs, that is an independant dood, and CPU's that hit that high FSB are pretty rare.Whatever man, you can poo poo it all you want. It is the best OC mobo out there, and goes higher and takes it farther than any other. It may not be the one for you though.
Raja Gill - Thursday, October 18, 2007 - link
You need to remember that this board was compared at stock settings, not OC'ed, things change up top...;), not to mention we could not get the board to crash..regards
Raja
Acanthus - Thursday, October 18, 2007 - link
Its the same chipset, its not going magically increase in a non-linear fashion.The P5K and DQ6 hit the same maximum overclock.
MadBoris - Thursday, October 18, 2007 - link
It makes sense that article takes a different approach, customers of this board or tweakers in general, will really appreciate the fine details.Personally, in the last ten years I have gotten to a place where I am very comfortable not pushing for the last 100 - 300 mhz. The meager tangible return is not worth all the extra voltage or potential stability issues that often come up later in the life of the HW due to creep, dust, aging paste, etc. I get a nice stress test capable OC, then back it up a notch. I won't win any 3dmark awards that way though but am very satisfied with stability when a new product stresses HW in ways not stressed before.
One thing for sure with this board, I wouldn't want to lose the CMOS, then have to remember all my settings after a year.
Nice board and good article, $300 is too much though for a MB for me. It's definitely elite.
retrospooty - Thursday, October 18, 2007 - link
Its alot of reading, but that is because the DFI is alot of motherboard. I have had it since it was first released and loving every minute of it. I have a C2D 6750 running at 8x500 fsb for a sweet 4 ghz on water at DDR2 1000 4-4-4-10 timing, man is it sweet.There are sooooo many bios tweaks to get better performance, or stability at high overclock - its definitely not for beginners... worth every penny of the $300 I spent.