NVIDIA 680i SLI: Official 1333MHz FSB CPU Support Arrives
by Gary Key on July 20, 2007 12:01 AM EST- Posted in
- CPUs
Test Setup:
Test conditions were maintained the same, as much as possible, over the platforms tested. Our game tests were run at settings of 1280x1024 HQ to ensure our GPU was not a bottleneck during testing. All results are reported in our charts and color-coded for easier identification of results.
We utilize new drive images on each board in order to minimize any potential driver conflicts. Our 3DMark results are generated utilizing the standard benchmark resolution for each program. We run each benchmark five times, throw out the two low and high scores, and report the remaining score. All results are run at stock speeds for this article with memory timings at 6-6-6-15 1333-DDR3 for the ASUS Blitz Extreme, 4-4-4-10 1066-DDR2 for the ASUS P5K Deluxe and 3-3-3-6 1T 800-DDR2 for the EVGA 680i SLI motherboard. In order for our tests to be fair, we did upgrade to the latest BIOS releases for the ASUS P35 boards for comparison scores.
Our choice of software applications to test is based on programs that enjoy widespread use and produce repeatable and consistent results during testing. Microsoft Vista has thrown a monkey wrench into testing as the aggressive nature of the operating system to constantly optimize application loading and retrieval from memory or the storage system presents some interesting obstacles. This along with the lack of driver maturity or features (Hello NVIDIA) will continue to present problems in the near future with benchmark selections.
Our normal process was to change our power settings to performance, delete the contents of the prefetch folder, and then reboot after each benchmark run. This is a lengthy process to be sure, but it results in consistency over the course of benchmark testing. All applications were run with administer privileges.
| Standard Test Bed Vista Ultimate 64-Bit Test Configuration |
|
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Duo QX6850 (3.00GHz, 8MB Unified Cache) |
| RAM | OCZ Reaper PC2-9200 (2x1GB) TEAM Xtreem DDR3-1600 (2x1GB) |
| Hard Drive | Western Digital 150GB 10,000RPM SATA 16MB Buffer |
| System Platform Drivers | Intel 8.3.0.1013 NVIDIA 15.00 |
| Video Cards | 1 x MSI 8800GTX |
| Video Drivers | NVIDIA 163.11 |
| CPU Cooling | Tuniq 120 |
| Power Supply | OCZ ProXStream 1000W |
| Optical Drives | Plextor PX-760A, Plextor PX-B900A |
| Case | Cooler Master CM Stacker 830 |
| Motherboards | ASUS Blitz Extreme (Intel P35 DDR3) - BIOS 0702 ASUS P5K Deluxe (Intel P35 DDR2) - BIOS 0404 EVGA 680i SLI (NVIDIA 680i DDR2) - BIOS P30 |
| Operating System | Windows Vista Ultimate 64-Bit |
| . | |
Test conditions were maintained the same, as much as possible, over the platforms tested. Our game tests were run at settings of 1280x1024 HQ to ensure our GPU was not a bottleneck during testing. All results are reported in our charts and color-coded for easier identification of results.
We utilize new drive images on each board in order to minimize any potential driver conflicts. Our 3DMark results are generated utilizing the standard benchmark resolution for each program. We run each benchmark five times, throw out the two low and high scores, and report the remaining score. All results are run at stock speeds for this article with memory timings at 6-6-6-15 1333-DDR3 for the ASUS Blitz Extreme, 4-4-4-10 1066-DDR2 for the ASUS P5K Deluxe and 3-3-3-6 1T 800-DDR2 for the EVGA 680i SLI motherboard. In order for our tests to be fair, we did upgrade to the latest BIOS releases for the ASUS P35 boards for comparison scores.
Our choice of software applications to test is based on programs that enjoy widespread use and produce repeatable and consistent results during testing. Microsoft Vista has thrown a monkey wrench into testing as the aggressive nature of the operating system to constantly optimize application loading and retrieval from memory or the storage system presents some interesting obstacles. This along with the lack of driver maturity or features (Hello NVIDIA) will continue to present problems in the near future with benchmark selections.
Our normal process was to change our power settings to performance, delete the contents of the prefetch folder, and then reboot after each benchmark run. This is a lengthy process to be sure, but it results in consistency over the course of benchmark testing. All applications were run with administer privileges.
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TA152H - Saturday, July 21, 2007 - link
I see this Asus Blitzkrieg Extreme, but what it is? It kind of gets thrown in there with no explanation, but I can't find anything that describes it, or any mention of it on Asus's website.Don't you think you should have at least mentioned what this thing is? I mean, I gathered it's a P35 DDR3 motherboard, but then so is the P5K3. So, obviously something is different, but no explanation is given.
Chunga29 - Sunday, July 22, 2007 - link
What's an ASUS Commando? Originally it was a P5B Deluxe plus $150. I would guess the Blitzkrieg is about the same: tuned for a bit higher OCing, but really just a more expensive mobo that isn't necessary for 99% of users.Review forthcoming, I'd assume, Gary?
TA152H - Saturday, July 21, 2007 - link
Show me someone with a Nvidia chipset for Intel processors, and I'll show you an idiot. Why would anyone in their right mind even consider a non-Intel chipset, except for real low power uses (which even Intel does for some of their motherboards, from SIS). Intel easily makes the best chipsets and more importantly they are the standard and almost as importantly are extremely well supported by the parent company.Nvidia is fine for a minor company like AMD that can't make a decent chipset, or hasn't chosen to, but for Intel that makes a much broader line of products, which are not only excellent but extremely well supported, Nvidia makes no sense at all. It's not only that, they don't manufacture their products, and now that Intel is moving their chipsets to more modern manufacturing processes, it's obvious they are taking them very seriously.
It's a good review though, just so everyone can see there is no point in Nvidia. Otherwise, there would be those lingering doubts.
ATWindsor - Saturday, July 21, 2007 - link
Theese are extremly seriuos problems with a motherboard, why not focus abit more on functionality and stability and less on overclocking in the reviews, so the users won't get theese nasty suprises?AtW
rjm55 - Friday, July 20, 2007 - link
nVidia can crow all they want about 1333 support, but the fact is their dhipsets don't support DDR3. With the new DDR3-1600, DDR3-1666, and DDR3-2000 low latency parts that have started shipping, nVidia has nothing to crow about. DDR2 has just become obsolete with these new DDR3 parts and nVidia can only handle DDR2. Guess these expensive boards will soon be on closeout at Newegg.TA152H - Saturday, July 21, 2007 - link
I agree, but they probably needed to do nothing to this part, just say it runs at 1333 MHz and thus is compatible with the newer products.Clearly they need a DDR3 chipset, but then again, what is the point of Nvidia chipsets for Intel processors anyway? It's not like Intel's aren't fantastic, or that they overprice them. I don't see any value-add to Nvidia in this space, they take too much power and offer essentially nothing. But, if they insist on staying, they need to get DDR3 out and fast. DDR2 is obsolete, and their chipsets thus are as well.
DigitalFreak - Friday, July 20, 2007 - link
ROFLMAO! You have become obsolete.Here's your sign.
Owls - Friday, July 20, 2007 - link
We lined up several 600i motherboards on the test bench, popped our QX6850 in each one, flipped the switch, and then took several deep breaths as board after board failed to run properly. A couple of boards would not even POST, a few worked fine, and some would boot into Vista and then act strange - not Britney Spears strange mind you; more like Paris Hilton behind bars. You just knew that QX6850 wanted to escape its confines and party all night long, but instead it was limited to a few whimpers and constant pleas for help from its socket induced hell.Get to the point. You don't get +1s for being funny in a professional article, what a joke.
gigahertz20 - Friday, July 20, 2007 - link
Go somewhere else then if you don't like a little humor in the articles. I thought it was funny and plus it's not like we pay to read Anandtech articles, so stop bitching about something you get for free.JKing76 - Friday, July 20, 2007 - link
I notice that this is not a micro-ATX roundup. I notice that a week has elapsed from the specific day we were told the roundup would start. And of course, everyone in the uATX Results thread has noticed that we've been jerked around for three months about this supposed review.