nForce4 SLI Roundup: Painful and Rewarding
by Wesley Fink on February 28, 2005 7:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
Gigabyte K8NXP-SLI: Features and Layout
| Specification | Gigabyte K8NXP-SLI |
| CPU Interface | Socket 939 Athlon 64 |
| Chipset | nForce4 SLI (single chip) |
| BUS Speeds | 200MHz to 400MHz (in 1MHz increments) |
| PCI/AGP Speeds | Asynchronous (Fixed) |
| PCI Speeds | 100MHz to 150MHz in 1MHz increments |
| Core Voltage | Auto, 0.80V to 1.75V in 0.025V increments |
| DRAM Voltage | Normal, +0.1V, +0.2V |
| Chipset Voltage | Normal, +0.1V, +0.2V, +0.3V |
| Hyper Transport Ratios | Auto, 1x to 5x in 1x increments |
| LDT Bus Transfer | 16/16, 16/8, 8/16, 8/8 |
| LDT Voltage | Normal, +0.1V, +0.2V, +0.3V |
| CPU Ratios | Auto, 4x to 25x in 0.5x increments |
| Cool'n'Quiet MAX FID | Auto, 8.0 to 13.0 in 0.5x increments |
| DRAM Speeds | Auto, 100, 133, 166, 200 |
| Memory Command Rate | Auto, 1T, 2T |
| Memory Slots | Four 184-pin DDR Dual-Channel Slots Unbuffered Memory to 4GB Total |
| Expansion Slots | 2 x16 PCIe Slots 2 x1 PCIe 2 PCI Slots |
| SLI Setup | Movable PCB Card |
| Onboard SATA | 4-Drive SATA 2 by nF4 PLUS 4-Drive SATA by Sil3114 |
| Onboard IDE | Two Standard nVidia ATA133/100/66 (4 drives) |
| SATA/IDE RAID | 4-Drive SATA 2 PLUS 4-Drive IDE (8 total) Can be combined in RAID 0, 1 PLUS 4-Drive SATA by Sil3114 Sil3114 Raid 0, 1, 5 |
| Onboard USB 2.0/IEEE-1394 | 10 USB 2.0 ports supported nF4 3 1394B FireWire 800 ports by TI chip |
| Onboard LAN | Dual Gigabit Ethernet PCIe by Vitesse VSC8201 PHY PCIe by Marvel 88E8053 |
| Onboard Audio | Realtek ALC850 8-Channel codec with 6 UAJ audio jacks, CD-in, front audio, and coaxial SPDIF In and Out |
| Other Features | Gigabyte Dual BIOS |
| BIOS | Award 2/01/2005 |
The shipping Gigabyte BIOS for the K8NXP-9/K8NXP-SLI family provides a wide and useful range of adjustments for many features, with the notable exception of a very limited range of memory voltage adjustments compared to other boards in the SLI roundup. As is the Gigabyte custom in recent designs, Advanced Chipset Features (and Memory Timings) can only be seen when you hot press CTRL+F1 while in the BIOS. HyperTransport adjustments are also provided in the hidden Advanced Chipset Features menu.
There are no BIOS options for adjusting or controlling SLI. This is handled in the nForce4 platform drivers and the nVidia graphics drivers.
The Gigabyte K8NXP-SLI, like the sister K8NXP-9, was designed as a top-of-the-line nForce4 motherboard. As the flagship model, it sports all the top Gigabyte features.
We are pleased that Gigabyte uses the nF4 on-chip Gigabit LAN by supporting it with a Vitesse (Cicada) Gigabit PHY. Gigabyte then goes one step further by including a second Gigabit LAN on the PCI Express Bus. This second LAN is also removed from the constraints of the slower PCI bus as it resides on the much faster PCIe bus.
Audio is AC '97 2.3, supported by the popular 8-channel Realtek ALC850. The K8NXP-SLI9 includes a wide range of audio I/O provided to make the most of the 850 chip. This includes 6 programmable audio mini-jacks and coax SPDIF in and out - all on the rear panel.
A pioneering feature for Gigabyte has been their support of high-speed 1394B Firewire on their boards. This continues with the K8NXP-SLI with 2 ports capable of 800MB/s or Firewire 800. This is double the speed of 1394A for those looking for fast Firewire access.
From a feature, board layout, and BIOS options point of view, the K8NXP-SLI can be considered the twin of the K8NXP-9. The only real change is the replacement of one PCI slot with a second PCIe video slot. All the good things about the features and layout of the K8NXP-9 are still here in the K8NXP-SLI.
DFI LANParty nF4 SLI-DR: Overclocking and Stress Testing
Gigabyte K8NXP-SLI: Overclocking and Stress Testing
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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