DFI NF4 SLI-DR Expert – Can the best get better?
by Randi Sica on November 25, 2005 12:05 PM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
DFI NF4 SLI-DR Expert: Overclocking
The 3500+ Winchester used in this review had previously run at 500 MHz FSB with extreme stability on the SLI-D. This was illustrated here. To reach that plateau on the SLI-D, it was necessary to boot into Windows at 425 MHz FSB and then utilize ClockGen to escalate to 500 MHz FSB as the board would not boot into Windows at any setting higher than 425 MHz FSB.
In contrast, the Expert had booted into Windows all the way to 510 MHz FSB. At that point, ClockGen was used to rise to the CPU’s limit of 512 MHz FSB.
It is worth pointing out that the board is only the vehicle to allow you the ability to overclock your CPU. The CPU’s ability to overclock, whether aiming for a top overclock or HTT overclock, or even a top 1:1 memory overclock, will be the over-riding factor in one’s success. Other factors, including the integrated memory controller of the A64, also contribute to the processors overclocking abilities.
Case in point is the difference between the 4000+ San Diego and the 3500+ Winchester. The 4000+ would clock the FSB easily to 400 MHz on the SLI-DR Expert, but no further, whereas the 3500+ attained an additional 112 MHz FSB. Too many times, one will blame the board when in fact the CPU is the main contributing factor.
| DFI LP UT NF4 SLI-DR Expert Overclocking Testbed | |
| Processor: | AMD A64 4000+ San Diego core AMD A64 3500+ Winchester core |
| CPU Voltage: | 1.41V- 1.73V |
| Cooling: | Custom watercooling setup: Lytron 6848G4 Modular watercooling system feeding a Swiftech MCW6000 waterblock |
| Power Supply: | PC Power and Cooling Turbo-Cool 510 SLI |
| Memory: | 2x256MB Corsair CMX256A-3200LL BH-5 2x256MB G.skill PC4400LE 2x512MB Corsair CMX512-3200XL 2x1GB Corsair CMX1024-4000PT 4x512MB OCZ PC4800EL Elite Platinum Ed. |
| Hard Drive: | Hitachi Deskstar 7200RPM 160 GB SATA |
| Maximum OC: (Standard Ratio) |
246x12 (5x LDT) 2952MHz (+18.7%) |
| Maximum FSB: (Lower Ratio) |
512Mhz x 5 (2.5x LDT) (2561MHz, 2 DIMMs in DC mode @ 256Mhz 2.5-3-3-8 1T) (+156% Bus Overclock) |
Click to enlarge.
CPU-Z validation link
Compared to this reviewer’s experience with the original SLI-D, the Expert version is a superior overclocking platform. With DFI’s wide range of voltage options and overclocking settings, the board excels in assisting the enthusiast to get the most from any CPU. In the illustration of the Top Overclock, the 4000+ San Diego was used, watercooled, and had reached a highest clock of 2950 MHz in the original SLI-D. The Expert took this CPU to the same limit.The 3500+ Winchester used in this review had previously run at 500 MHz FSB with extreme stability on the SLI-D. This was illustrated here. To reach that plateau on the SLI-D, it was necessary to boot into Windows at 425 MHz FSB and then utilize ClockGen to escalate to 500 MHz FSB as the board would not boot into Windows at any setting higher than 425 MHz FSB.
In contrast, the Expert had booted into Windows all the way to 510 MHz FSB. At that point, ClockGen was used to rise to the CPU’s limit of 512 MHz FSB.
It is worth pointing out that the board is only the vehicle to allow you the ability to overclock your CPU. The CPU’s ability to overclock, whether aiming for a top overclock or HTT overclock, or even a top 1:1 memory overclock, will be the over-riding factor in one’s success. Other factors, including the integrated memory controller of the A64, also contribute to the processors overclocking abilities.
Case in point is the difference between the 4000+ San Diego and the 3500+ Winchester. The 4000+ would clock the FSB easily to 400 MHz on the SLI-DR Expert, but no further, whereas the 3500+ attained an additional 112 MHz FSB. Too many times, one will blame the board when in fact the CPU is the main contributing factor.
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karioskasra - Saturday, November 26, 2005 - link
Agreed. The nb fan on the dfi sounds like a cat getting mauled. It's enough to make you go water just for the quiet.karioskasra - Saturday, November 26, 2005 - link
I'm calling for dual cores to be included in the standard test setup.Bozo Galora - Saturday, November 26, 2005 - link
newegg has them in stock - 2 billsdecptt - Friday, November 25, 2005 - link
I wanna ask the author.Have you tested 4x1GB yet?
Can it see 4GB or can't it?
What timing do you use?
RSica - Saturday, November 26, 2005 - link
I did not test with 4x 1GB sticks because I only have 2 in my possession for reviewing. I did in fact as mentioned run 4x512MB sticks at 2T with no problem whatsover for testing.Future reviews will very well see x2 A64's included but I'm not sure what the timetable will be for their inclusion.
Again, thank you for your comments !
Randi
cryptonomicon - Saturday, November 26, 2005 - link
i think the article said that it couldn't pass 1T for 4x1gb, but it can run it (at 2t).SignalPST - Friday, November 25, 2005 - link
Thanks Randi for the very detailed review of the Expert.I was wondering, with the new layout of the RAM slots and CPU, is it possible to populate all 4 RAM slots and still be able to fit the thermalright XP-120 without problems?
tjr508 - Friday, November 25, 2005 - link
Bravo to DFI for using decent power supplies and such, but why is the SIL 3114 such a dissapointment? Does any desktop user need SATA2 at this time? Does anyone need DDR2 as opposed to high quality DDR (not this board but in a couple months). This whole idea of "futureproofing" drives me crazy. It may be nice if people saw mobos they liked and baught them to keep them in a closet for a couple years, but I believe most people buy their systems within a week or so. I can understand buying a 3000+ and maybe sticking in a $30 fx57 in three or four years, but you can do that with any board on the market pretty much. Adopting future standards before they can provide reasonable performance improvements will alter your financial experience far more than your computing experience. Then again I would have to blame the consumers more so than the companies as their tactics are obviously making them money. I would love to know how many SLI boards out there have one video card attached to them as well as how many unsued SATA channels there are out there. I just think it is dissapointing that in today's market its hard to find an extra feature you want without paying for five more that you don't.Tanclearas - Friday, November 25, 2005 - link
I had to double-check that I was indeed still reading a review at Anandtech.Since when is the max FSB of a motherboard determined using any memory ratio other than 1:1?
How many other boards reviewed at AT were booted into Windows at a certain FSB before being cranked up?
Why the change in CPU from previous tests (using a 3500 rather than 4000)?
What is with the graph for Futuremark that compares the different component scores of the same board? What is the point of graphing those numbers?
Where is the comparison to the A8N32-SLI? I'm pretty sure that's the benchmark board right now for enthusiasts.
I didn't even finish reading the review.
RSica - Friday, November 25, 2005 - link
Good Morning :)_The object of the testing was to not only find the max 1:1 clockability of the board (310Mhz), but to find it's ability to reach the HTT limits of 2 different CPU's in our possession which certainly necessitates using a divider.
-This board booted into Windows at 510Mhz HTT. Having come from an extensive overclocking background, it is recognized that the fact a board will not boot into Windows at a specified speed does not necessarily mean the board/CPU will not function at an increased HTT speed. In this case, to determine the maximum HTT the Expert and 3500+ Winchester could attain the use of the Popular overclocking program ClockGen, and it only resulted in an additional 2Mhz HTT.
There are many readers that indeed take great interest in the overall top HTT overclockability of a board.
- The change in CPU's was merely to find the boards ability to overclock the HTT to it's maximum. This gem of a 3500+ was known to have reached an HTT of 500Mhz previously. The 4000+ has a maximum HTT of 400Mhz. Of course for all tests other than the Extreme Overclocking section, the 4000+ was utilized fror straight up comparisons.
-I have updated the gaming performance graphs which includes comparison to the A8N32-SLI
I'll update the other graphs as time allows.
I thank you wholeheartedly for your comments, Randi :)