Robilar

Yet again another motherboard

This one is special though...

Great review by Anandtech:

http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3508&p=12

Interesting analysis by Tom's Hardware:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...le,2094-3.html


Here is a link to the F9i bios (which I am currently running):

http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/7/...45ud3p.F9l.zip



F9i is the current beta bios release

http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/7/...45ud3p.F9l.zip



Bios release history: (excluding betas)

F9: Improve ITE8718 I/O chip compatibility

F8: Enhanced compatibilities of Dynamic Energy Saver Advanced

F7: 2009/01/13 Support ITE8718 KX

F6: 2008/11/14 Improve ET6 compatibility

F5: 2008/11/03 Update CPU microcode(Support Pentium 4/Celeron CPU)

F4: 2008/09/19 First release



Here is an excellent resource link at XS:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=205132

I won't try to re-create the amount of data but will summarize here.



The UD3R has set DDR2 Dual Channel World Record at 829.7Mhz

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=208542


Another world record 5094 Mhz with a Q9650

http://ripping.org/database.php?cpuid=851&wr=yes


One of the key things about this board is the Ultra Durable 3 designation. It is essentially a double thickness layer of copper sandwiched in between the PCB layers. Other motherboards use one ounce of copper, this board has two.


From the reviews out there, this has two practical functions:

It increases stability

It lowers the NB temps dramatically. I am testing the NB with a thermal probe and will compare to my other boards (P35, P45, X38 and X48).

I will also compare it directly against my Asus P5Q Deluxe (P45).

The board also has a dual 6 phase power design, Ferrite Core Chokes, Lower RDS Mosfets, and Solid Caps.

My board revision is 1.0. Also, it has screws rather than pushpins holding down the NB. Apparently both are available.



To prevent confusion, I have added the gigabyte chart with the 3 different models and their different feature subset.

Mine is the UD3P which is the top board of the group (and the only one to support crossfire).

Some reviews:

http://firingsquad.com/hardware/giga...5-ud3p_review/

http://techgage.com/article/gigabyte_ep45-ud3p/

http://www.motherboards.org/reviews/...ds/1829_1.html

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/162...iew/index.html

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum...rd-review.html


Couple of notes:

I removed the cooling on the mosfets and NB (to replace the TIM. I do this will all boards). the contact to the NB and mosfets is excellent. All of the chips are clearly imprinted in the thermal pad. the NB was well indented into the thermal crap they use as well. Also note, they added a foam spacer on the nb to prevent it from crushing the actual NB chip. Thoughtful and unusual to say the least. I didn't both with the SB as it rarely gets warm enough to matter.


For frame of reference, I've had a couple of Q9650 owners ask me for my settings:

F8 Bios

Advanced Bios Features:

Limit CPUID: disabled
No-Execute: disabled
C1E: disabled
C2/C2E: disabled
CPU Thermal Monitor: disabled
CPU EIST: disabled
Virtualization: Enabled (this can be disabled safely)
Initial display: PEG

Power management:

HPET: Enabled (either this or APIC can be used, its needs one or the other)

MIT

Robust Graphics: Auto
CPU Clock: 9x
CPU Host Clock: Enabled
CPU Host Mhz: 445
PCI Express Mhz: Auto
CIA2: Disabled

DRAM

Performance Enhance: Auto
XMP: Auto
GMCH Latch: Auto
System Memory Multiplier: 2.00B
DRAM Select: Auto

LLC: Disabled
CPU Vcore: 1.28 (with vdroop drops to 1.216 under load, will vary by chip)
DRAM Voltage: 2.1V (as recommended by Corsair)


Any other settings not mentioned are set to auto.

This config has been 100% stable for the last month and a half and easily passes 12+ hours of orthos, prime or OCCT.

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Robilar

Here is a 520 FSB teaser borrowed from the Hardware Canucks site.


Here are pics of the actual copper PCB layer as well as box and accessories.

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Robilar

Some more shots.

Interesting thing though (anyone else with the board please confirm).

The NB is now held down with screws. The board shown in the hardware canucks review was pushpins only and did not have a back brace.

This may be indicative of a revision of the board. Personally I am pleased that its not pushpin only as in my experience, they do not provide enough torque.

Also side note, this board comes with more manuals than I have ever recieved with a motherboard. I may actually have to read one of them for a change

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Robilar

Here are some bios screenshots:

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Robilar

Where this board will shine is the newer Quads, specifically the Q9550 and lower (The Q9650 is apparently a monster on this board as well. The XS thread has a number of members hitting 500 FSB with it). The high potential FSB will offset their low multi's.

mhsbrian

I've had amazing results with my quad on this board, just got it last week .

Here's where I've gotten with my Q6600 so far, my memory is holding me back though :/ my crucial RMA's haven't came back yet!

http://valid.x86-secret.com/show_oc.php?id=449736

*** EDIT****

Stable at 3.4ghz now, I'm kinda shocked, I'm using poor quality Apacer 6400 memory and I've gotten this far !

http://valid.x86-secret.com/show_oc.php?id=449739

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Lemmy

good luck with the testing ...

here's another extreme systems thread: boot @ 620FSB easy

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=205525

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By-Tor

610 FSB... wow...

Thanks for the info Robilar...

Right now it has a $20 off MIR at the egg..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128358

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Canon 40d Gripped ~ 20d ~ 10-22mm UWA ~ 24-105mm L ~ 70-200mm f/2.8 ISL ~ 50mm 1.4 ~ 430ex II Speedlite
Wife's 300d & 28-135mm
3D Mark 06: 23397
Super PI: 9.297 sec.

http://www.overclock.net/case-mod-wo...rk-spider.html

Robilar

Here is something interested I noticed.

My board has screws and a backbrace over the NB.

In two of the reviews (hardware canucks and tweaktown), their boards had pushpins for the nb. the other 3 review sites have boards matching mine.

Looks like they had a revision update release on the board (and quickly as it hasn't been out long).

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Robilar

Interesting side note on the board as well.

It took 12 minutes to format the drive for a clean install of XP.

Now this is a velociraptor but I did a clean install when I got the drive on my X48 board and it took at least twice as long.

I can't explain it (perhaps the AHCI controller is contributing to higher throughput?) but all I have to say on this is wow.