DFI nForce4: SLI and Ultra for Mad Overclockers
by Wesley Fink on February 5, 2005 9:30 AM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
Memory Stress Testing
Optimum tRAS
In past reviews, memory bandwidth tests established that a tRAS of 10 was optimal for the nForce3 chipset and a tRAS setting of 11 or 12 was generally best for nForce2. Since this was the first memory stress test of a production nForce4 board, tRAS timings were first tested with memtest86, a free diagnostic program with its own boot OS that will boot from either a floppy disk or optical disk. Bandwidth was measured from tRAS 5 to tRAS 11 to determine the best setting.
| Memtest86 Bandwidth DFI nForce4 with Athlon64 4000+ |
|
| 5 tRAS | 2191 |
| 6 tRAS | 2242 |
| 7 tRAS | 2242 |
| 8 tRAS | 2242 |
| 9 tRAS | 2141 |
| 10 tRAS | 2141 |
| 11 tRAS | 2092 |
The best bandwidth was achieved in the 6 to 8 range with this combination of nForce4 and the 4000+, so a mid-value tRAS of 7 was chosen for all tests.
Memory Stress Tests
Our memory stress test measures the ability of the DFI to operate at its officially supported memory frequency (400MHz DDR), at the lowest memory timings that OCZ PC3200 Platinum Rev. 2 modules will support. All DIMMs used for stress testing were 512MB double-sided (or double-bank) memory. To make sure that memory performed properly in Dual-Channel mode, memory was only tested using either one dual-channel (2 DIMMs) or 2 dual-channels (4 DIMMs).
| Stable DDR400 Timings - One Dual-Channel (2/4 DIMMs populated) |
|
| Clock Speed: | 200MHz |
| CAS Latency: | 2 |
| RAS to CAS Delay: | 2T |
| RAS Precharge: | 7T |
| Precharge Delay: | 2T |
| Command Rate: | 1T |
Using two DIMMs in Dual-Channel 128-bit mode, the memory performed in all benchmarks at the fastest 2-2-2-7 timings, at default 2.6V voltage.
Tests with 4 DS DIMMs on an AMD Athlon 64 system are more demanding, since AMD specifies DDR333 for this combination. However, most AMD Athlon 64 motherboards combined with recent AMD processors (the memory controller is on the AMD CPU) have been able to handle 4 DIMMs at DDR400.
| Stable DDR400 Timings - 4 DIMMs (4/4 DIMMs populated) |
|
| Clock Speed: | 200MHz |
| CAS Latency: | 2.0 |
| RAS to CAS Delay: | 2T |
| RAS Precharge: | 7T |
| Precharge Delay: | 2T |
| Command Rate: | 2T |
Tests with all four DIMM slots populated on the DFI nForce4 boards required a 2T Command Rate with 4 DS DIMMs in two dual channels. This is the pattern seen on other top-performing Socket 939 boards, but we hoped that higher voltage might allow us to eek out 4 DS DIMM 1T performance. However, additional voltage did not help and DDR400 with 4DS DIMMs still required a 2T Command Rate on the DFI nForce4 boards.
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bigtoe36 - Wednesday, February 2, 2005 - link
regarding the NF3 939 i hear NF3 may disapear soon so we may never see an AGP version of this board.Wesley Fink - Wednesday, February 2, 2005 - link
DFI has advised that the final nF4 product line will consist of 3 models. The information on page 2 has been revised to reflect the latest information.bigtoe36 - Wednesday, February 2, 2005 - link
The extra molex is to add extra power to the board especially when using 2 video cards.The chipset fan is very quiet and does work quite well. When stressed the chipset does get quite warm though but I have seen no instability on my boards here and all use stock chipset cooling.
The board will work with 20 and 24 pin ATX connectors.
The SLI bridge can only be sold with SLI boards, you will be able to but it seperately though.
jwix - Wednesday, February 2, 2005 - link
I've been waiting and waiting and waiting for this board. Finally, Anandtech posts this review late last night just as someone posts in the forum that the board is stocked at ZZF. I surf to ZZF. Indeed, the board is in stock. I quicky read the review then return to ZZF to buy. Board is out of Stock. *sigh* I'm betting the price of this board goes up before it goes down.LoneWolf15 - Wednesday, February 2, 2005 - link
A good review overall. Some questions I'd have liked to see answered though:a)As others have said, what is the 5.25" Molex power connector on the board for?
b)ATX power connectors - does the board require the 24-pin, or, like other boards, will a 20pin +4pin P4 connector run it just fine?
c) I'd have liked a little more detail on the maglev chipset fan, was it noisy, the design, etc. I'm being picky, but it's a new feature and all of us get annoyed when a northbridge HSF fails, especially if it's in a location where you can't replace it with just anything due to expansion cards.
d)Question on the SLI finger-board: It seems like it doesn't come with the non-SLI boards, if it doesn't, how useful is it to be able to convert this to SLI? I've not seen retailers selling them separately.
I like the boards. Only minor gripe is, I still need an onboard serial port, I use it for things like configuring a router now and again. Hopefully they include a backplate for it at least, though I'd doubt it.
Burbot - Wednesday, February 2, 2005 - link
#22: It would be a good idea to look back at history of industries. When was the last time a sprinter broke a record by 8%? Probaby in first days of organized sprint. When was the last time processor speed increased by 8%? Every A64 200MHz speedbump gave slightly bettter improvements. 8% is difference between 2.4 and 2.6 GHz Athlon FX. Does one demolish the other? Or it is "merely" a fair improvement? I side with the latter.I do not want to diminish DFI effort, but I'd reserve "demolished" to huge improvements, as in "that A64 machine demolishes my Duron box".
lsman - Wednesday, February 2, 2005 - link
#14. it provides extra current when under SLI mode so its more "stable"Aquila76 - Wednesday, February 2, 2005 - link
I've said it before, I'll ask for it again:SLI Mobo Roundup.
Please.
byvis - Wednesday, February 2, 2005 - link
The board is nice, but not outstanding, incredible, top performing, etc... Jesus AnandTech I have never seen you so biased. I hope that the benchmarks don't lie. Poor preview, poor...Wesley Fink - Wednesday, February 2, 2005 - link
ChineseDemocrcyGNR - Thank you for all your replies to reader's questions.#22 - Good analogy and a very accurate descrip-tion of breaking records at the top end. New CPU's are often hyped to the heavens and often they don't even do 8% more performance than the one they replace. Breaking new ground at the top is quite different than 8% in the middle.