EVGA X58 Classified - Trophy Board
by Rajinder Gill on May 8, 2009 3:30 AM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
Specifications and Features
| EVGA X58 Classified | |
| Market Segment | Enthusiast and Extreme Benchmarking |
| CPU Interface | LGA-1366 |
| CPU Support | LGA-1366 Nehalem i7 Series of Processors |
| Chipset | Intel X58 |
| BCLK Speeds | 133~500 MHz in 1MHz increments |
| DDR3 Memory Speed | 800, 1067, 1333, 1600, 1867, 2133, 2400, 2667, 2933 Frequency Ratios |
| Uncore Frequency | Full i7 Processor IMC multipliers supported, Options available as per CPU |
| PCIe Speeds | Auto, 100MHz - 140MHz in 1MHz increments |
| Core Voltage | Auto, 1.00V to 2.24V in 0.00625V increments |
| CPU Vdroop Compensation | Enabled, Disabled |
| CPU Clock Multiplier | Dependant on Processor, all available multipliers supported |
| DRAM Voltage DDR3 | Auto, 0.70V ~ 3.39V in 10mV increments, 1.50V standard |
| DRAM Timing Control | tCL, tRCD, tRP, tRAS, + 17 additional timings + Chipset Configuration |
| DRAM Command Rate | Auto, 1T, 2T |
| IOH Voltage | 1.10V - 1.875V in 25mV increments |
| ICH Voltage | Auto, 1.05V ~ 1.825V in 25mV increments |
| CPU VTT (Uncore) Voltage | Auto, 1.17V ~ 2.17V in 25mV increments |
| CPU PLL Voltage | Auto, 0.60V ~ 2.70V in 75mV increments, 1.80V Base |
| IOH PLL Vcore | Auto, 0.60V ~ 2.70V in 75mV increments, 1.80V Base |
| QPI PLL Vcore | Auto, 1.10V ~ 1.875V in 25mV increments, 1.10V Base |
| IOH/ICH Voltage | Auto, 1.50V ~ 2.275V in 25mV increments, 1.50V Base |
| NF200 Voltage | Auto, 0.70v~1.075V in 125mV increments, then 1.20V~2.70V in 25mV increments. 1.20V Base |
| Memory Slots | Six 240-pin DDR3 DIMM Slots Triple-Channel Configuration Regular Unbuffered DDR3 Memory to 12GB Total |
| Expansion Slots | 4 - PCIe 2.0 x16, Supports up to NVIDIA 3-way SLI Technology + PhysX 1 - PCIe (1.x) x1 1 - PCI Slot 2.2 |
| Onboard SATA/RAID | 6x SATA 3.0Gbps Ports - Intel ICH10R Hot Plug and NCQ Support, RAID 0, 1, 5 RAID 0+1 Support and Intel Matrix Technology Support |
| Onboard IDE and Additional SATA | 2xJMicron JMB363 PATA (up to 2 UDMA 133/100/66 devices) 1 External eSATA port + 3 Internal JMB363 SATA Ports |
| Onboard USB 2.0 and IEEE-1394 | 10 USB 2.0 Ports - (8) I/O Panel, (2) via headers 1x 1394a Ports - (1) I/O Panel, (1) via header |
| Onboard LAN w/Teaming | Dual Realtek RTL8111C PCIe Gigabit Ethernet Controllers |
| Onboard Audio | Realtek ALC 889 - 8 Channel HD audio codec |
| Power Connectors | ATX 24-pin, Dual 8-pin ATX 12V |
| I/O Panel | 1 x PS/2 Keyboard 1 x eSATA 1 x SPDIF - Coaxial Out, 1 x Toslink Optical Out 1 x IEEE 1394 2 x RJ45 6 x Audio Out 8 x USB 2.0/1.1 |
| Fan Headers | 1 CPU + 4 Additional Headers |
| Fan Control | Full Fan speed Control Via BIOS |
| BIOS Revisions Used | IX58S21R |
Overall layout is excellent with everything accessible enough even when the board is fully loaded. The ECP panel allows remote positioning of power, reset, hex code, and PCI-E disable jumpers as well as VCore boost options in 0.1V steps totaling a maximum 0.3V overvolt on-the-fly. There are only four fan headers available (three with fan control via the BIOS) on the board, but positioning of each one is reasonably good and allows access in all configurations.
Slot layout is a big feature of the X58 Classified board, allowing multiple GPU configurations and a discrete soundcard to be used in tandem. When loaded fully, the NF200 provides the following lane allocation to the PCI-E slots: with three of the x16 mechanical slots loaded the lane allocation is 16x-16x-16x; with all four x16 slots loaded, the allocation is 16x-16x-8x-8x.
Realtek's ALC 889 fills the role of onboard sound here - nothing special, but it does work reasonably well in Vista. Hardcore gamers tend to veer towards the Creative Labs range or vendors like ASUS and Auzentech for alternative solutions. That said, the ALC 889 is clear enough and offers decent detailed audio in games and music, but lacks the wide midrange and bass punch of a dedicated soundcard. It is also a little low in maximum signal gain but not too bad compared to other onboard solutions. Microphones needing higher levels of gain or lower impedance headphones will lack a bit of clarity and overall volume when driven by the onboard Realtek solution.
The lower power rails (such as PLL circuitry) are all supplied by linear regulators, which offer low noise and clean power into sensitive circuitry. This does result in a higher overall heat dump into the motherboard PCB, but such side effects are expected on a board that attempts to break down all potential barriers for achieving high processor clocks with subzero cooling. Included in the hardware bundle are SATA/IDE cables, USB/FireWire extension headers, the ECP panel, three different SLI bridges for multi-GPU setups, and SATA to Molex converter cables. Packaging is excellent and both of our boards arrived from overseas shipping locations without any component or motherboard damage.
EVGA's excellent E-LEET software is part of the Classified's repertoire. We think this software is the best OS tweaking utility currently available from a manufacturer. A simple and clean interface based upon the CPU-Z GUI allows software level control of voltages and bus speed manipulation with minimal system overhead. This means you will not be hindered in achieving maximum overclocks due to system loads imposed by unnecessary graphical fluff and light shows. All of our heavier overclocks were obtained using E-LEET, saving us a tremendous amount of time compared to the set and reboot process. Temperature monitoring is also offered, although it's curiously lacking a temperature report for the IOH, which given the need for active cooling would be an appreciated addition. If EVGA could devise a way to offer memory tweaking then E-LEET would be close to our personal favorite, abit's wonderful uGuru program. Of course, EVGA is still in business so we can let that slide for now.
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JackFoobar - Tuesday, May 12, 2009 - link
Yea, and Hechler & Koch in Germany hasn't shipped any US parts in 4 months. While it's unrelated to computers, it's a similar issue. Overseas shipments have been slacking since the election.C'DaleRider - Friday, May 8, 2009 - link
I suppose you can fix a 40mm fan to the sink, but has anyone tried a solution like the Antec Spot Cooler aimed at the sink instead? I've found the Spot Cooler to be a very flexible solution to difficult cooling problems.icingdeath88 - Friday, May 8, 2009 - link
Neat, good find. I'd never seen anything like that before. bet it would be kinda loud and whiny though.QChronoD - Friday, May 8, 2009 - link
I enjoy reading about boards like these, especially when you guys get to break speed records and all that.But would it be too difficult to put together a small writeup every few months on the new boards that have come out. I want to upgrade my old A64X2 system to an i7 920, but the damn motherboards are so expensive. I can find prices on boards easily, but its hard to find reviews about many of them from places that I trust to know what they're doing.
takumsawsherman - Friday, May 8, 2009 - link
Not only are the motherboards expensive, most don't seem worth it. I won't mention the fact that this $400 board doesn't even have Firewire 800. The $600 mac mini has this, and that includes a processor, graphics, and hard drive, and and enclosure. Oh wait, I just did.Rajinder Gill - Friday, May 8, 2009 - link
I'd have thought people who are still intent on Firewire do what you did - buy an Apple. I hardly think those that benchmark for fun are bothered about Firewire. In fact, I happen to know that most disable it in the BIOS. Others that care about any form of high speed interface are more concerned about the next step for USB. It's not the intended market of the board at all IMO.JAG87 - Friday, May 8, 2009 - link
QFT. What do you need firewire for? I always disable it together with onboard audio. If you need fast access to external storage you should be using eSata, plus USB 3.0 is coming and it will make firewire obsolete for good.Anyway my own opinion of the board having owned it since day 1, is that it's simply the best overclocking desktop board ever made. The only boards that have touched the same heights as the classified are some DFI boards. The difference with DFI is, you have to put up with ridiculous bioses that have settings which neither you are I have ever heard of before, and their support compared to EVGA.
I have a shitty C0 chip and I can clock it at 200x21 without touching any voltages on the board just vcore. It all depends on the chip, but the board itself can do 200 bclk at stock VTT, which is 1.2V for this board rather than 1.1V. If you don't have crazy IMC demands like Rajinder, you can leave every voltage at stock and still achieve 200 bclk. That's just amazing IMO.
takumsawsherman - Saturday, May 9, 2009 - link
Well, if you ever want to record music using your computer (Cubase, etc), good luck with USB-XLR interfaces. Unless you are using Firewire, be prepared to waste a lot of time recording over and over because USB falls off too quickly.Meanwhile, I'll take a Firewire 800 external drive interface over eSATA any day. They are far more durable when you are actually using the plug for it's intended purpose (plugging and unplugging and moving the drive, etc).
Then, of course, you can daisy chain your devices. It'd be one thing if this was a $150 board. But for $400 you should be getting the best of everything. Nothing should be second rate so that they can save $5.
erple2 - Sunday, May 10, 2009 - link
You're complaining that this board doesn't have some feature for an audience it wasn't intended for? Is it just me, or does that sound a little ... odd?I suppose you're also the type to complain that the necessary sound and video equipment to record a live concert doesn't fit into a Lotus Elise?
Honestly, you need to realize who the intended audience for this product is. This board is intended, rather strictly, for the overclocking crowd, not for the general public that wants to use some FireWire peripherals.
JackFoobar - Tuesday, May 12, 2009 - link
I seem to see this mentioned in every review on anandtech. What's the obsession with that interface? Nobody I know uses it unless they are apple people. I'd like the best of everything on the board too, but firewire isn't the best of anything. Why bother.