Elite PC Titan FX: Setting New Standards in Gaming
by Wesley Fink on November 30, 2003 10:57 PM EST- Posted in
- Systems
Elite PC Titan FX: MSI K8T Master2-FAR Motherboard
| Motherboard Specifications | |
| CPU Interface | Socket-940 Athlon64FX/Opteron |
| Number of CPUs | One or Two A64FX or Opteron |
| Chipset | VIA K8T800 (North Bridge) VIA VT8237 (South Bridge) |
| Bus Speeds | 200 to 233 in 1MHz increments |
| AGP/PCI Speeds | No adjustment |
| Core Voltages Supported | Fixed |
| AGP Voltages Supported | Fixed |
| DRAM Voltages Supported | Fixed |
| Memory Slots | 4 184-pin Dual-Channel DDR DIMM Slots 2 DIMMs (2 x 512MB) Mushkin High Performance ECC Registered Memory installed provide 1 GB of DDR400 memory at 2-3-2-8 timings |
| Expansion Slots | 1 AGP 8X Slot 4 PCI Slot |
| Onboard Graphics | None — ATI 9800 XT installed |
| Onboard RAID | VIA SATA RAID 2 x 36.7GB WD Raptor SATA 1000RPM Drives Installed in Raid 0 configuration |
| Onboard USB 2.0/IEEE-1394 | SIX USB 2.0 supported through 8237 FireWire Controller on Audigy 2 |
| Onboard LAN | 100/1000 |
| Onboard Audio | AC '97 2.2 Audio disabled Creative Audigy 2 5.1 Digital Audio installed |
| Onboard Serial ATA | Two Standard SATA connectors 8237 Used by SATA RAID 0 |
The MSI K8T Master 2-FAR motherboard is a standard ATX motherboard designed for Workstation use. Elite PC chose this board to be able to provide outstanding performance with a single FX chip and future expansion with a second socket for dual Opteron processors. Since we have found the Opteron to scale very well with multiple processors, this is an excellent option if the single CPU version performs competitively. For more information on Opteron CPU performance with multiple processors, please see Part 2 of our Opteron review.
Since the MSI K8T Master 2-FAR is a stock motherboard, you can find more information on the board and BIOS upgrades at MSI's site. While MSI classifies the K8T Master 2 as a workstation board, the feature-set is comparable to a desktop board. USB 2.0, SATA RAID, 8X AGP, standard PCI slots, and ATA133 IDE are all standard features. The only major concession to providing Dual CPU support is that MSI could only fit 4 PCI slots on the K8T Master.
The Titan FX is equipped with 2 x 512Mb (1GB) of Mushkin High Performance ECC Registered memory. This very fast registered memory can perform at 2-3-2-8 timings, which is much faster than other registered memory that we have tested. The memory is based on Winbond CH5 memory chips. OCZ also provides a fast 2-3-2-8 registered memory based on the same chips. We plan to compare available Registered Memory for the Athlon64 FX/Opteron in an upcoming memory review. The Mushkin is one of the fastest registered modules that we have tested and is a good choice for the Titan FX.
The Titan FX uses the top-line Radeon XT with 256Mb of memory to fill the 8X AGP slot. Two of the four PCI slots available on the K8T Master-2 motherboard are filled with a Creative Audigy 2 sound card and the MSI TV@nywhere card. This leaves 2 available slots for expansion, though there is so much already installed on the Titan FX that there should be little need for additional expansion slots. They are there if you need them.
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tfranzese - Monday, December 1, 2003 - link
If you people actaully read the FX articles posted you would find that their HT links are still intact and the chip is multiple processor capable.Either way, if in the future it isn't, that doesn't mean that because you bought a single chip computer that because you have a dually board that you've been shafted. You're stupid if you think that. It probably saves ElitePC time and money to buy in bulk the MSI's and just use them for all their systems.
Doop - Monday, December 1, 2003 - link
Sorry if I sound ignorant but the Athlon FX is not multiprocessor compatible? So you buy this system then when you want to add a second processor you have to buy 2 and sell the Athlon FX?I may be wrong about that but I'm pretty sure...
KristopherKubicki - Monday, December 1, 2003 - link
I have both the MSI and Sony DVD writers. They are identical :) (roundup coming up soon!)Kristopher
destaccado - Monday, December 1, 2003 - link
well looks like elitepc is trying to save a few dollars already, the computer does not come with a sony dvd writer, it's msi (check their site) and on top of that it doesn't list the name brand for the power supply or the dvd-rom, also you can't even configure it with a second athlon fx although this might not be fair to fault them for since you may be able to over the phone........check reseller ratings....destaccado - Monday, December 1, 2003 - link
Wow after looking at reseller ratings I don't see how you guys can in good faith recommend them .....a 4.67 lifetime rating? That's pathetic even if it is 20 something odd reviews, obviously their customers don't care to rate them very high, or at all, and on top of that- according to their warranty on their website they reserve the right to simply pay for shipping in leau of on-site service so I'm guessing anyone who doesn't live in Az isn't getting a tech to their home and the service is definately not overnight.....It's ok though I understand you guys can't rip their pc and you gave me a good idea of the fx performance.....Anubis - Monday, December 1, 2003 - link
are we gonna see a test with 2 CPUs?? i like to see thoes scoresalso 300$ is a good deal because the dell XPX is that expensive and so are similar comps from Falcon NW and Voodoo PC as well as others that offer super high end gameing systems. compaired to a 6000$ FNW 3000$ is a steal
Oxonium - Monday, December 1, 2003 - link
That's the first thing I thought of when I saw this review. You CAN'T upgrade to dual Athlon 64 FX. The extra HT links are disabled. An upgrade to the Opteron 2xx series would be needed. I'm surprised that ElitePC went through all the trouble to use a dual board but doesn't offer an option to order dual processors on their configuration page. Strange.acemcmac - Monday, December 1, 2003 - link
How is 3000$ a "value" with ANY loadout? A fully pimped 875 rig will only run you 1500$ tops retail, and it will prolly be useful for top of of the line games just as long too...Shinei - Monday, December 1, 2003 - link
Yeah, it's gotta be the XT; there's no way it could be the beast that it is without it... Though even with a Pro instead of an XT that's still downright BRUTAL performance.What makes me curious is why they made the motherboard a dualie; AFX is basically a 14x Opteron chip, so it can't link up between processors... Unless they figured out how to re-enable those other two HT links?
Booja555 - Monday, December 1, 2003 - link
What GPU does it use? on page one you say ATIR 9800XT, on page 2 you say ATIR 9800Pro.Somehow I get the feeling that it's the XT, looking at all the other specs a pro would be an unecasary bottleneck.