nForce4 Ultra Roundup: Charting the Mainstream

Winfast NF4UK8AA (Foxconn): Overclocking and Stress Testing

Overclocking

Front Side Bus Overclocking Testbed
Winfast NF4UK8AA
Processor:	Athlon 64 4000+ (2.4GHz, 1MB Cache)
CPU Voltage:	1.55V (default 1.50V)
Cooling:	Thermaltake Silent Boost K8 Heatsink/Fan
Power Supply:	OCZ Power Stream 520W
Memory:	OCZ PC3200 EL Platinum Rev. 2 (Samsung TCCD Memory Chips)
Hard Drive:	Seagate 120GB 7200RPM SATA 8MB Cache
Maximum OC: (Standard Ratio)	235x12 (Auto HT, 2-3-2-7, 1T, 2.9V) 2856MHz (+19%)
Maximum FSB: (Lower Ratio)	NO RATIO Settings Available 235x12 (Auto HT, 2-3-2-7, 1T, 2.9V) 2856MHz (+19% Bus Overclock}

It is really a shame that Foxconn Winfast does not provide any options for adjusting the CPU multipliers. At stock speeds, the Winfast NF4UK8AA was one of the better performing boards, and overclocking at stock multipliers was very good, reaching 235x12. Of course, you can't test 9x318 if multipliers aren't available, so the highest standard ratio overclock of 235 was also our highest bus overclock. We hope that Foxconn Winfast will address this oversight in an upcoming BIOS because the lack of multipliers makes this board one that no enthusiast would really consider for purchase.

We are convinced that the Foxconn can deliver a lot more than what we were able to test in this roundup, and we sincerely hope that a BIOS update will bring the Winfast into a more competitive position against the better boards in this roundup.

Memory Stress Tests

Our memory stress test measures the ability of the NF4UK8AA 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:	2.0
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 Foxconn showed that the board was stable at the same 2-2-2-7 memory timings used for 2 DIMMs, but with a 2T Command Rate required. This is the pattern seen on other top-performing Socket 939 boards. 2T was also required for 4 DS DIMMs with a new Rev. E processor and the improved memory controller.