Intel P965: Mid-Range Performance Sector Roundup
by Gary Key on October 20, 2006 9:00 PM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
Abit AB9 Pro: Feature Set
Abit has delivered a well optioned and performance oriented P965 board that sells for around US $145. We tested with the 1.5 beta BIOS release after having some issues with overclocking utilizing the 1.4 BIOS. Also, the 1.5 BIOS allows downward multipliers with the Core 2 Duo processors while further improving system performance and stability. Our issues with the BIOS revolved around its pinkish display color but more importantly the fact that Abit only allows the basic four memory timings to be changed (tCAS, tRCD, tRP, tRAS). For a board of this caliber we believe this is definitely a mistake. The ability to increase the CPU voltage to 1.725V and memory to 2.50V is impressive considering the offerings on the other P965 based boards. However, we wish the memory settings above 2.30V were available in .05V increments.
One area where Abit has constantly led all others is in the ability to overclock and monitor most system functions from Windows. Abit once again includes their excellent µGuru Windows utility that allows the user to overclock the system, change certain voltages, adjust fan speeds, and monitor hardware settings in real time without the need for rebooting. The OC Guru worked very well during our overclock testing and was a pleasure to use without resorting to the constant reboot procedure utilized by other Windows based utilities.
We also set the automatic overclocking to the Turbo setting and were greeted with a 7x288FSB setting for a CPU speed of 2016MHz that we would not consider turbo speed. Our memory was set to DDR2-800 but with 5-5-5-15 settings. This represents an 8% overclock of our component choices. Further information about this class leading utility can be found here.
| Abit AB9-Pro | |
| Market Segment: | Mid-Range Performance |
| CPU Interface: | Socket T (Socket 775) |
| CPU Support: | LGA775-based Pentium 4, Celeron D, Pentium D, Pentium EE, Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Extreme |
| Chipset: | Intel P965 + ICH8R |
| Bus Speeds: | 100 to 600 in 1MHz Increments |
| Memory Speeds: | Auto, 533, 667, 800 |
| PCIe Speeds: | Auto, 100MHz~200MHz in 1MHz Increments |
| PCI: | Fixed at 33.33MHz |
| Core Voltage: | Auto, Base CPU V to 1.7250V in 0.0250V increments |
| CPU Clock Multiplier: | Auto, 6x-11x in 1X increments if CPU is unlocked, downwards unlocked, Core 2 Duo |
| DRAM Voltage: | 1.75V ~ 2.50V in .05V or .10V increments |
| DRAM Timing Control: | SPD, 4 DRAM Timing Options |
| MCH Voltage: | 1.25V ~1.45 in .05V increments |
| ICH Voltage: | 1.50V ~1.70 in .05V increments |
| Memory Slots: | Four 240-pin DDR2 DIMM Slots Dual-Channel Configuration Regular Unbuffered Memory to 8GB Total |
| Expansion Slots: | 1 - PCIe X16 2 - PCIe X1 2 - PCI Slot 2.3 |
| Onboard SATA/RAID: | 6 SATA 3Gbps Ports - (RAID 0,1,5, 1+0,JBOD) - Intel ICH8R 2 SATA 3Gbps Ports - (RAID 0,1,JBOD) - JMicron JMB363 1 SATA 3Gbps Ports - Silicon Image 3132 1 e-SATA 3Gbps Ports - Silicon Image 3132 |
| Onboard IDE: | 1 ATA133/100/66 Port (2 drives) - JMicron JMB363 |
| Onboard USB 2.0/IEEE-1394: | 10 USB 2.0 Ports - 4 I/O Panel - 6 via Headers 2 Firewire 400 Ports by TI TSB43AB23 |
| Onboard LAN: | Gigabit Ethernet Controller - PCI Express Interface Realtek RTL 8168 |
| Onboard Audio: | Realtek ALC882D HD-Audio 8-channel CODEC |
| Power Connectors: | ATX 24-pin, 4-pin EATX 12V, 4-pin 12V Molex |
| I/O Panel: | 1 x PS/2 Keyboard 1 x PS/2 Mouse 1 x S/PDIF Optical In 1 x S/PDIF Optical Out 1 x Audio Panel 2 x RJ45 1 x eSATA 4 x USB 2.0/1.1 |
| BIOS Revision: | Award 1.5 |
Abit has delivered a well optioned and performance oriented P965 board that sells for around US $145. We tested with the 1.5 beta BIOS release after having some issues with overclocking utilizing the 1.4 BIOS. Also, the 1.5 BIOS allows downward multipliers with the Core 2 Duo processors while further improving system performance and stability. Our issues with the BIOS revolved around its pinkish display color but more importantly the fact that Abit only allows the basic four memory timings to be changed (tCAS, tRCD, tRP, tRAS). For a board of this caliber we believe this is definitely a mistake. The ability to increase the CPU voltage to 1.725V and memory to 2.50V is impressive considering the offerings on the other P965 based boards. However, we wish the memory settings above 2.30V were available in .05V increments.
One area where Abit has constantly led all others is in the ability to overclock and monitor most system functions from Windows. Abit once again includes their excellent µGuru Windows utility that allows the user to overclock the system, change certain voltages, adjust fan speeds, and monitor hardware settings in real time without the need for rebooting. The OC Guru worked very well during our overclock testing and was a pleasure to use without resorting to the constant reboot procedure utilized by other Windows based utilities.
We also set the automatic overclocking to the Turbo setting and were greeted with a 7x288FSB setting for a CPU speed of 2016MHz that we would not consider turbo speed. Our memory was set to DDR2-800 but with 5-5-5-15 settings. This represents an 8% overclock of our component choices. Further information about this class leading utility can be found here.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
62 Comments
View All Comments
Gary Key - Saturday, October 21, 2006 - link
The DS4 will be reviewed. Gigabyte has stated they will not bring it into the US but we are still trying to convince them (really more like begging and calling our marketing rep at home on the weekends to beg some more) to release it in the States. The copper backplate can be removed off the DQ6 and I really did not see any benefit with it on in testing. It makes for a good rebate with the price of copper today. ;-)The AHCI issues stay the way they are at this time. It is frustrating to say the least. I was being a bit sarcastic in my statement but it is a little harder than it should be to enable AHCI on the ICH8R.
Ryan Norton - Sunday, October 22, 2006 - link
I'm in Taiwan, so the DS4 is all over the place :)Capt Caveman - Saturday, October 21, 2006 - link
Not sure if you live in the US or not but Gigabyte is not bringing/selling the DS4 to the US.Also, the copper backplate for the DQ-6, can be removed with a tworx(sp?) screwdriver. At XS, many just went to Home Depot and got longer screws for their HSF.
lopri - Saturday, October 21, 2006 - link
Excellent review that'll help potential buyers enormously. A couple things:1. Error in the chart (page 14): There is a discrepency between the chart (3-4-3) and the commentary (3-4-4) :)
2. In memory review Wesley always put tRP ahead of tRCD, while Gary does the opposite. It'd be nice to have a consistency for less experienced users!
3. Gary, did you test the P5W-DH with wirless module installed or without? I recently found out the wirless module could skew CPU/memory-sensitive benchmarks on this board big time. I'm not sure if my finding is true in general, but if it is, then the comparison between a board with such feature and a board without it can be unfair.
4. Can Sandra Unbuffered be really an indication of general performace? @400FSB, setting memory ratio 4:5 (DDR2-1000/4-4-3) boosted the score by a whooping 400~500 MB/s from the ratio 1:1 (DDR2-800/3-3-3), which never realized for other tests in a meaningful way. Oh this is about my own testing. :D
Thanks for the great review.
Gary Key - Saturday, October 21, 2006 - link
Thanks for the comments.1. The timing error is corrected. Jarred and I were editing at the same and we found out after the article went live that our saves to the final copy would overwrite each other. Bad timing for several other mistakes that have been cleared up now.
2. Wes is wrong. Just kidding, we will get on the same page. :)
3. I turned off the WiFi on the PSW-DH. The scores were even worse with it on. Not that they are bad but the board runs a little looser timings in order to overclock at the high end. DFI also does this with their boards targeted for the overclocking market.
4. Sandra Unbuffered can be an indication of performance in apps that are memory sensitive. This is not always the case but it is one of the better yardsticks available at this time.
Lothar - Saturday, October 21, 2006 - link
Do you plan on comparing the Gigabyte DS3 vs the S3 version for us to know if there are performance/overclocking issues with the S3?The only difference so far between the DS3 and S3 is "All Solid Capacitors".
Are there any other difference I'm missing?
The S3 is $110, and the DS3 is $150.
I have a hard time to justify paying an extra $40 for only "all solid capacitors"
The term is nothing but marketing to me so far.
I haven't seen any proof of a performance/overclocking issue between the two boards.
If you or anyone else plan on testing the differences or can provide something(Ex: any review link) stating otherwise, that would be great.
Nakazato - Monday, October 23, 2006 - link
In theory, cleaner power.... but aside from the theory, the onboard sound does start flaking out the higher you go. This has been true on 2/2 boards I've tried it on. So an add-in card is needed for the higher overclocks... 460+ish.goinginstyle - Monday, October 23, 2006 - link
No issue here with the Biostar board at 500FSB and the Realtek ALC-883. It sounds fine but a X-FI is still the way to go for gaming.Gary Key - Saturday, October 21, 2006 - link
Yes, the S3 will be in part two. :)
Lothar - Saturday, October 21, 2006 - link
The only other differences I found were RAID support and 2 extra USB ports...It's not worth the $40 price difference if performance and overclocking results are the same IMO.