Test Setup
The NVIDIA nForce4 SLI X16 chipset fully supports all AMD Athlon 64 processors in both stock and overclocked conditions.
We tested our 7900GTX video cards using NVIDIA 84.21 WHQL drivers and ATI X1900XT cards with Catalyst 6.3 to provide the latest video performance results. Resolution in all benchmarks is 1280x1024x32 unless SLI is enabled. Resolution in SLI and comparative X1900XT CrossFire benchmarks is 1600x1200x32 with 4XAA and 8xAF where applicable. 3DMark03/05 benchmarks use a "Standard Score" setup at the 1024x768 video resolution while 3DMark06 uses the "Standard Score" setting of 1280x1024.
The NVIDIA nForce4 SLI X16 chipset fully supports all AMD Athlon 64 processors in both stock and overclocked conditions.
| Performance Test Configuration | |
| Processor | AMD Athlon 64 4000+ utilized for all tests. |
| RAM | 2 x 512mb OCZ Technology PC4800 Platinum Edition Settings: DDR-400 at (CL2-2-2-5, 1T) |
| Hard Drive(s) | 2 x Maxtor MaXLine III 7L300S0 300GB 7200 RPM SATA (16MB Buffer) 1 x Maxtor MaXLine III 7L300R0 300GB 7200 RPM IDE (16MB Buffer). |
| System Platform Drivers | NVIDIA Platform - 6.85 |
| Video Cards | 1 x EVGA 7900GTX (PCI Express) for all non-SLI tests. 2 x EVGA 7900 GTX (PCI Express) for all SLI tests. |
| Video Drivers | NVIDIA nForce 84.21 WHQL |
| Cooling | Zalman CNPS9500 |
| Power Supply | Fortron Source FX700-GLN |
| Operating System(s) | Windows XP Professional SP2 |
| Motherboards | ASRock 939SLI32-eSATA2 (ULi M1695/1697) Abit AT-8 (ATI RD480/ULi1575) Asus A8N-SLI Premium (NVIDIA nForce4 SLI) Asus A8N32-SLI (NVIDIA nForce4 SLI X16) Asus A8R-MVP (ATI RD480/ULi1575) Asus A8R32-MVP (ATI RD480/ULi1575) ECS KA1 MVP (ATI RD480/SB450) EPoX EP-9U1697-GLI (ULi M1697) MSI K8N Diamond Plus (NVIDIA nForce4 SLI X16) |
We tested our 7900GTX video cards using NVIDIA 84.21 WHQL drivers and ATI X1900XT cards with Catalyst 6.3 to provide the latest video performance results. Resolution in all benchmarks is 1280x1024x32 unless SLI is enabled. Resolution in SLI and comparative X1900XT CrossFire benchmarks is 1600x1200x32 with 4XAA and 8xAF where applicable. 3DMark03/05 benchmarks use a "Standard Score" setup at the 1024x768 video resolution while 3DMark06 uses the "Standard Score" setting of 1280x1024.
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LoneWolf15 - Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - link
There are TV tuner cards based on ATI's Theater 550 chip, Powercolor makes one, details can be found here:http://www.powercolor.com/product_series_Theater.h...">http://www.powercolor.com/product_series_Theater.h...
Gary Key - Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - link
We are currently reviewing the Powercolor T55E-P03 for an upcoming HTPC article. I think the results against the PCI cards will be interesting. ;-)LoneWolf15 - Wednesday, April 12, 2006 - link
From what I've heard, there's little or no difference in performance. However, the Powercolor would be the card I'd consider for future-proofness.My only disappointment is it doesn't use ATI's Remote Wonder line of remote controls; they include an iR remote of their own choosing instead of the ATI RF model, IIRC.
nullpointerus - Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - link
Interesting, how? Better, worse, wierd, or just unspecified in a frustratingly vague kind of way? ;-)Gary Key - Wednesday, April 12, 2006 - link
Actual throughput was different than the PCI based card, not trying to be vague but I think the article we are putting together will explain it best, new benchmarks, software versus hardware, TV Tuners- single, dual, SD, and HD, single core CPU , dual core CPU, AMD, Intel, NVIDIA, ATI, MCE2005, Linux, PCI, PCI-E, USB, you know just the basics. ;-)
nullpointerus - Wednesday, April 12, 2006 - link
Cool, thanks. I'm looking forward to reading it.ceefka - Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - link
I don't quite get this one. I can imagine it would say something like 1394b can be had on a s939 Gigabyte board for less than $ 100,00 e.g. GA-K8NF9 Ultra. It seems Gigabyte is the only one with 1394b for s939.
Fact is though that there are few F800 devices out there. If you do have one of these, your mobo options are limited.
JarredWalton - Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - link
It should have been "can't be very large" of course. I'm a bit befuddled on how that slipped in there, because I know I corrected that once before. Must have accidentally pasted over the original text at some point.... Ah, well - fixed now regardless.Myrandex - Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - link
I agree too, there is no reason for manufacturer's to not include this. Firewire B devices will not be mass produced without the users with Firewire B ports. I have a Giga-byte s939 SLI mobo with Firewire B on there and I do want to purchase an external enclosure that supports the standard (along with A and USB), but I also wish we would get some highly OCable boards from the likes of Asus or Abit etc. that provides this feature for the future. And also I believe the article is wrong about the price difference being very large, or else you wouldn't see Giga-byte squeezing these into ~$100 boards with other manufacturer's at the same price point including only A (or no firewire at all).Jason
Duplex - Friday, April 14, 2006 - link
1394B to the people!!! Couldn't agree more!--
I also must give credit to MSI for including a parallel and serial port.
There aren't that many people with a printerserver or USB-printer at home (I think).