[Archer]

http://www.techreaction.net/2010/08/...-a-step-above/

I want to know what you guys think. This is my first Intel review and the first Intel based board I have had my hands on in years.

Does it cover all the bases? I have 2 more coming up, one with an H55 to P55 comparison and the other an HTPC "AMD v/s Intel" battle. I want to get these things as good as I can without getting long winded.

[FACE]

I liked it. Lots of pictures/screenies and not very long winded at all....

[Archer]

Well I think I may get into some of this competitive Intel OC stuff. Honestly there is a lot more finessing to the Intel processors to get them to a really good OC whereas the AMD BIOS setting are a lot easier to work with. I can honestly say I can OC an AMD a lot faster and find its max for a predetermined voltage but with the Intel you can tweak until you forget you have a wife Then you get to play with memory which is pretty much the same but some settings work more noticeably with Intel than AMD and the other way as well.

[DrNip]

Sounds good and looks good. One thing though:

The low profile heat sink on the P55 chip allows for the use of full length video cards.

I've never ran into a mobo where I had problems with installing a full length GPU do too tall of a factory heatsink so I don't understand this statement.

[Kal-EL]

Alex wants more traffic at Techreaction?

[FACE]

Originally Posted by Archer

Well I think I may get into some of this competitive Intel OC stuff. Honestly there is a lot more finessing to the Intel processors to get them to a really good OC whereas the AMD BIOS setting are a lot easier to work with. I can honestly say I can OC an AMD a lot faster and find its max for a predetermined voltage but with the Intel you can tweak until you forget you have a wife Then you get to play with memory which is pretty much the same but some settings work more noticeably with Intel than AMD and the other way as well.

I thought that was the idea in the first place... I have been benching for all the wrong reasons!

Man, I am the polar opposite... I clock Intel with ease, but AMD clocking seems to be beyond me atm.... I am going to try and land a Thuban setup before I jump back on the AMD horse again though.. What I'd really like to play with is their HW hyperthread cores (Bulldozer?) to see how efficient they are compared to Intel's arch. I have a feeling those chips will be FAP worthy.

....oh, sorry for the H/J

[Hondacity]

nice review...

1. bios options ...vcore minimum voltage adjustment ? max vcore?
eg. vcore: 0.8v - 2.5v ( 20mv increments)

2. idle and load temps of components
eg. idle/load temp of upper vreg sectioin: 25c/90c
idle/load temp of southbridge 35c/200c

3. phases. 16phases....12phase for the cpu..2 phases for the imc/vtt 2 phases for the memory.
they're easy to identify...pics where they are at or at least pointing to where they are. backside
of the mobo you'll see there is a common area for the 12phases...and the 2 phases would be
separate

4. total capacitance for the cpu? a little too much but maybe you could count them

[DrNip]

Originally Posted by Kal-EL

Alex wants more traffic at Techreaction?

Can't call it.

[Archer]

Originally Posted by DrNip

Sounds good and looks good. One thing though:



I've never ran into a mobo where I had problems with installing a full length GPU do too tall of a factory heatsink so I don't understand this statement.

I have not either, lately but cards used to be a lot larger and this was a concern in the past. Some of the 3dlabs cards were huge and I mentioned it for us old timers.

Originally Posted by Kal-EL

Alex wants more traffic at Techreaction?

Well it is really for me. I am an arrogant bastard and I know there are a lot of Intel PPL here that can tell me what I may do better. Nothing like getting your parade rained on when you miss something.

[Archer]

Thanks for the input. A few of those are obvious misses on my part:(

Originally Posted by Hondacity

nice review...

1. bios options ...vcore minimum voltage adjustment ? max vcore?
eg. vcore: 0.8v - 2.5v ( 20mv increments)

2. idle and load temps of components
eg. idle/load temp of upper vreg sectioin: 25c/90c
idle/load temp of southbridge 35c/200c

3. phases. 16phases....12phase for the cpu..2 phases for the imc/vtt 2 phases for the memory.
they're easy to identify...pics where they are at or at least pointing to where they are. backside
of the mobo you'll see there is a common area for the 12phases...and the 2 phases would be
separate

4. total capacitance for the cpu? a little too much but maybe you could count them