Abit AW9D-MAX: When "Beta" MAX is a good thing
by Gary Key on September 8, 2006 3:10 AM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
Basic Performance
The performance of the board was exemplary in the majority of our tests. We found the board to be a very consistent performer and extremely stable up to its overclocking limit. Unfortunately, we do not know what the true limit of this board will be until we see the production level BIOS. As with recent Abit boards we will see significant BIOS tuning for the performance oriented crowd after stability or incompatibility issues have been resolved.
This board supports up to 2.65V on the memory that will allows for a great amount of overclocking headroom, though we would like to see additional .05V increments over 2.35V. The BIOS we tested only allowed adjustment of four memory timings but we expect to see additional options as the BIOS matures. We expect great things out of this board if Abit is able to release a production level BIOS for this board that keeps its current performance levels, addresses the issues we found in early testing, and is able to improve overclock levels.
Overclocking
We were really surprised by our overclocking results on this board with a beta BIOS. Like other recent boards we had to gradually increase the FSB speeds while adjusting voltages and memory settings in order to reach this level. Our retail E6600 was able to boot into Windows XP at 9x438 but we consistently had benchmark failures until we backed off to 9x431. While it would have been easy to take screenshots at this level with several popular benchmarks, our voltages and memory settings were outside of the range we would consider safe for air cooling over any length of time. We backed our settings down to 9x423 where we achieved a level that was consistent with a machine that would be safe running 24/7. In fact, due to improved memory latencies offering better overall system performance our ideal setting was at 9x416 with 3-4-3-10 memory settings on this board.
We were able to boot into Windows at 448 FSB with our X6800 set at an 8X multiplier, pass all benchmarks at 8x440, and could POST at up to 460FSB. We tried our E6300 and were able to run at a system stable setting of 7x448. Our board, BIOS, and memory combination did not allow us to POST past 460FSB. Overall the board was the equal of or better than the ASUS P5W-DH in overclocking. Since the memory remained at a 1066 strap during overclocking on the Abit board we found the general performance was slightly better than the ASUS past 416FSB.
Test Setup
Test conditions were maintained the same, as much as possible, over the platforms tested. For better comparison standard test results (1280x1024) were run with a single EVGA 7900GTX on all platforms. Our high resolution game tests were run at settings of 1600x1200 4xAA/8xAF with the EVGA 7900GTX card. We had planned on presenting 7950GX2 numbers but noticed several anomalies in our test results with the ASUS board. We will update our performance results once we have verified our test results with ASUS. Our X1900XT CrossFire setup ran fine on each board with the 6.8 Catalyst driver set and we will have test results in our full review.
All Core 2 Duo benchmarking used a Corsair PC-6400C3 2GB kit at 3-4-3 timings at 2.2V. In recent months the memory market has moved from a 1GB kit to a 2BG kit being the common memory configuration. Our new DDR2 test standard is 2GB. We tested with a retail E6600 and will follow up in our next 975X article with the E6700 processor utilized in our standard test bed configuration. All results are reported in our charts and color-coded for easier identification of results.
The performance of the board was exemplary in the majority of our tests. We found the board to be a very consistent performer and extremely stable up to its overclocking limit. Unfortunately, we do not know what the true limit of this board will be until we see the production level BIOS. As with recent Abit boards we will see significant BIOS tuning for the performance oriented crowd after stability or incompatibility issues have been resolved.
This board supports up to 2.65V on the memory that will allows for a great amount of overclocking headroom, though we would like to see additional .05V increments over 2.35V. The BIOS we tested only allowed adjustment of four memory timings but we expect to see additional options as the BIOS matures. We expect great things out of this board if Abit is able to release a production level BIOS for this board that keeps its current performance levels, addresses the issues we found in early testing, and is able to improve overclock levels.
Overclocking
| Abit AW9D-MAX Overclocking Testbed |
|
| Processor: | Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Dual Core, 2.4GHz, 4MB Unified Cache 1066FSB, 9x Multiplier |
| CPU Voltage: | 1.55V (default 1.3V) |
| Cooling: | Scythe Infinity Air Cooling |
| Power Supply: | OCZ GameXStream 700W |
| Memory: | Corsair Twin2X2048-PC2-6400C3 (2x1GB), 2.45V (Micron Memory Chips) |
| Video Cards: | 1 x EVGA 7900GTX |
| Hard Drive: | Seagate 320GB 7200RPM SATA2 16MB Buffer |
| Maximum OC: (Standard Ratio) |
423x9 (4-4-4-10, 1:1), CPU 1.575V, MCH - 1.85V 3806MHz (+58%) 416x9 (3-4-3-10, 1:1), CPU 1.575V, MCH - 1.85V 3743MHz (+56%) |
 |
| Click to enlarge |
We were really surprised by our overclocking results on this board with a beta BIOS. Like other recent boards we had to gradually increase the FSB speeds while adjusting voltages and memory settings in order to reach this level. Our retail E6600 was able to boot into Windows XP at 9x438 but we consistently had benchmark failures until we backed off to 9x431. While it would have been easy to take screenshots at this level with several popular benchmarks, our voltages and memory settings were outside of the range we would consider safe for air cooling over any length of time. We backed our settings down to 9x423 where we achieved a level that was consistent with a machine that would be safe running 24/7. In fact, due to improved memory latencies offering better overall system performance our ideal setting was at 9x416 with 3-4-3-10 memory settings on this board.
We were able to boot into Windows at 448 FSB with our X6800 set at an 8X multiplier, pass all benchmarks at 8x440, and could POST at up to 460FSB. We tried our E6300 and were able to run at a system stable setting of 7x448. Our board, BIOS, and memory combination did not allow us to POST past 460FSB. Overall the board was the equal of or better than the ASUS P5W-DH in overclocking. Since the memory remained at a 1066 strap during overclocking on the Abit board we found the general performance was slightly better than the ASUS past 416FSB.
Test Setup
| Abit AW9D-MAX Performance Test Configuration |
|
| Processor: | Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 (2.4GHz, 4MB Unified Cache) |
| RAM: | 2 x 1GB Corsair Twin2X2048-6400C3 Tested at DDR2-800 3-4-3-10 2.2V |
| Hard Drive: | Seagate 320GB 7200RPM SATA2 16MB Buffer |
| System Platform Drivers: | Intel - 8.0.1.1002 |
| Video Cards: | 1 x EVGA 7900GTX |
| Video Drivers: | NVIDIA 91.47 |
| CPU Cooling: | Scythe Infinity |
| Power Supply: | OCZ GameXstream 700W |
| Motherboards: | ASUS P5W-DH Deluxe (Intel 975X) Bios 1305 Abit AW9D-MAX (Intel 975X) |
| Operating System: | Windows XP Professional SP2 |
Test conditions were maintained the same, as much as possible, over the platforms tested. For better comparison standard test results (1280x1024) were run with a single EVGA 7900GTX on all platforms. Our high resolution game tests were run at settings of 1600x1200 4xAA/8xAF with the EVGA 7900GTX card. We had planned on presenting 7950GX2 numbers but noticed several anomalies in our test results with the ASUS board. We will update our performance results once we have verified our test results with ASUS. Our X1900XT CrossFire setup ran fine on each board with the 6.8 Catalyst driver set and we will have test results in our full review.
All Core 2 Duo benchmarking used a Corsair PC-6400C3 2GB kit at 3-4-3 timings at 2.2V. In recent months the memory market has moved from a 1GB kit to a 2BG kit being the common memory configuration. Our new DDR2 test standard is 2GB. We tested with a retail E6600 and will follow up in our next 975X article with the E6700 processor utilized in our standard test bed configuration. All results are reported in our charts and color-coded for easier identification of results.
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LoneWolf15 - Friday, September 8, 2006 - link
My MSI K8N Neo-4 Platinum came with eight SATA ports, FireWire, dual gig nics, and a full complement of every port and feature I can think of, as a top-of-the-line Socket 939 board.I bought it very shortly after first release --for $140 from ZipZoomFly. That was going on two years ago, but by then, top-of-the-line boards all had onboard sound, network, USB, and multiple hard drive controllers with raid capability. And while that price is two years ago, a $100 price hike for flagship boards (Intel, ASUS, Abit, and the like) isn't just inflation taking its toll.
Current mainboard prices truly are a joke. I think it is truly an attempt to capitalize on Intel's really cool new processor --the idea that we all want to run it badly enough that we'll pay beaucoup bucks for a new flagship board.
The review was good, but any company who thinks I'll spend $200-plus for a mainboard with only one PCI slot (blocked in a dual-vidcard scenario, so useless in that case) needs a major reality check. Abit did a lot right with this board, but that one slip makes this board utterly useless as an enthusiast product, IMO. The only way they could have rescued it was to put a real sound chip on the riser card instead of an ALC solution, and they failed that too.
yyrkoon - Friday, September 8, 2006 - link
You get what you pay for, and usually for ABIT boards thats stability / performance. Not to mention that RIGHT_NOW, this platform is the top perfomer. I also hav a problem with paying too much for current tech motherboards, however, you dont really have much of a choice, you can buy one now, at a premium, or you can wait 6 months, when the prices have come down alot.Look at ABITs top AM2 motherboard, it was in the $200usd range not long ago when released, but because of shipping issues damaging the boards, and bad publicity because of this, the boards are now down to around $150usd. Anyhow the ABIT AN9 32x (non fata1ity) has features comparable to this board, and some (mainly because of chipset) that are better. However, I think we all know which platform is preffered by enthusiasts at the moment. . .
LoneWolf15 - Saturday, September 9, 2006 - link
However, I think we all know which platform is preffered by enthusiasts at the moment. . .Yep, that'd be the ASUS Core 2 Duo boards. ;)
Seriously though, if I bought now (which I have no need to do, but for sake of argument) I could buy an ASUS board with all of Abit's features, great performance, and the PCI slots enthusiasts need for the same price. I really think that if Abit wants to regain lost market share, they either have to not miss silly things like this, or if they make that decision, to beat their competition in price. Failing to do either, I can't see why one would choose them.
Madellga - Friday, September 8, 2006 - link
True, but the difference is much smaller than the CPUs or GPUs. You need almost 100 bucks to go from E6400 to E6600. That's the mobo difference. And without a good mobo, you can't do 50% overclock - look at ASRock, for example: cheap but low overclock.Madellga - Friday, September 8, 2006 - link
Hi Gary,It seems most people didn't get your joke.
Nice review and thanks for posting VCore and MCH. I think it is essential in the current socket 775 platform to inform the readers about such settings.
I noticed also on the pictures that the board has only solid capacitors, like the Gigabyte DQ6/DS4/DS3 family. That's a good trend.
I use myself a SB Audigy 2 ZS and would be a pitty to give up using it.
This new board seems to be available for sale next week:
http://www.alternate.de/html/shop/productListing4C...">http://www.alternate.de/html/shop/produ...evel2=In...
This store is pretty reliable for delivery lead time (currently 3 working days).
I might give it a go with an E6600. I'm also thinking about a pair of 7950GT's and hacked drivers.....if the 7950GT price is around 250 bucks.
Doormat - Friday, September 8, 2006 - link
Any chance that this board selling for $225 or so would push the prices of other 975X boards down? I see the Asus P5W for $270+ everywhere and its just rediculus to spend that much money on a motherboard. I'm holding off on Conroe until motherboard prices go down..Madellga - Friday, September 8, 2006 - link
It is listed at 219 euros, above 270 dollars. I hope you guys can get it at a better price.yyrkoon - Friday, September 8, 2006 - link
Parts in Europe often cost more than in the states. Compared to US prices, Europe purchases seem to cost an additional 20-30% premium. I find it highly unlikely that this board will be more than $230-$250 USD, if so, it wont sell good for awhile (until the price comes down).Gambit2K - Friday, September 8, 2006 - link
What's the retail color theme? Black and red or Black and blue? Im hoping for red, it looks wicked.Gary Key - Friday, September 8, 2006 - link
The official color scheme will be blue and black. http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/products.php?c...">Abit Link