help design the perfect board for merom.

[s e t h]

i started this thread on the basis that merom might actually turn out to be the better intel platform as opposed to conroe.

what do the expert think about this.

the main reason would be to help encourage a top enthusiast mobo manufacturer to take the mobile platform seriously.

if we all pitch in to help them decide what to make based on our thoughts it could make their risk in development substantially less.

i will try update this post with all the agreed best ideas as they crop up.

thank you all for your participation

edit: current spec.

I975X Crossfire,
bios
2.5V vdimm, unlockable up to 3.3 if possible
1.9V vcore max prefferably with a setting for vcore droop-free operation
Digital VRM
excellent temp/voltage monitor or marked measure points for vcore, vchipset, vmem etc
bios level downward multipliers
max bios FSB of 400+,
maximum bios tweaks with excellent updating and patching
features
3 usuable PCI slots even when using dual-slot cooled crossfire if space allows
no parallel or serial ports
2 x gigabit lan's with pci-e s-ata and network controllers
molex connector for the pci-e slots
hardware raid controller s-ata 2.5
onboard power/reset switches + POST/debug LCD
cmos button and jumper
all round best cpu/memory/gpu power delivery/overclocking basically :D
best quality pcb/traces/capacitors
cooling
no coldbugs on-board up to -200 degrees centigrade :eek:
adequate space between 16x pci-e lanes for serious cooling
no interfrence to core components $ cooling from capacitors/power/sata/usb etc cables
plenty space around cpu socket for massive insulation/cooling too
space to easily cool north and southbridge with chipset cooling mounting holes
heatsinks on mosfets and all other surface mounted components that might need it
no noisy fans
bundle
windows OC/monitoring software

[wwwww]

i started this thread on the basis that merom might actually turn out to be the better intel platform as opposed to conroe.

what do the expert think about this.

the main reason would be to help encourage a top enthusiast mobo manufacturer to take the mobile platform seriously.

if we all pitch in to help them decide what to make based on our thoughts it could make their risk in development substantially less.

i will try update this post with all the agreed best ideas as they crop up.

thank you all for your participation

I975X, Crossfire, 2.5V vdimm, 1.5V vcore, max bios FSB of 400+, 3 usuable PCI slots (i.e. not adjacent to PCI-e x16)...umm yeah

[IluvIntel]

everything that wwww has stated and NO useless parallel or serial ports cluttering the backplate... 2 x Lan's, hardware Raid controller (Sata 2.5 spec)
& Vcore of 1.6v for extremists...:eek:

[s e t h]

hey thanks people. i am going to send these ideas to an enthusiast manufacturer
so do we suspect that the merom might in fact be the real enthusiasts choice over conroe due to the higher multiplier and possibly longer upgrade path?
i mean we all know that the cheaper cpu's usually are the enthusiast choice especially if they are able to easily obtain the performance of the top of the line cpu's.

will merom own conroe in the end just like opteron ownz X2? < that is the question which really needs answering in order to convince the manufacturers.

[Waus-mod]

onbaord on/off switch :toast:

[krille]

onbaord on/off switch :toast:onboard reset

No placing power connectors in hard to reach places, same goes for SATA ports, USB connectors etc. Cables and connectors should not hinder/block PCIe and PCI slots (especially with SLI/CF and good cooling) or hinder massive CPU HSF. One should be able to plug and unplug these without having to remove graphics cards, HSF, etc. As mentioned, no crappy super loud chipset fan, it should easily be replacable and not block PCIe cards.

[Waus-mod]

well i dont give a :banana: about stock fans that are noisy... i want performance!

Just some 3.0v vdimm and some 1.8v a 1.9vcore that would be awesome.. so we dont need to mod that. Further good placed caps e.d. not within +/- 3cm next to the socket.. so massive insulation can be achieved!

Chipset mounting holes.. those would be great also!

[Harshal]

The Power Circuits needs to be looked into. I know this are not "power hungry" chips, but Volt-Drops are not a good thing to happen when you buy any Board worth $200 or more... or is it:s??
I really like the suggestions, a killer in making.... :D

[nCrusader]

The droop is meant to be there, it's not an effect of a bad power circut.
But for sure, a setting for droop-free operation would be nice.

[freecableguy]

onboard POST code LEDs, Vcore up to 1.8v (for phase guys), no large caps/interference around CPU socket

[DaWaN]

Just the best powercircuit there is on earth.. :) Same cap's like the venus. Every memory timing that can be changed added in the bios / windows tool. A 100% precise volt monitor (my DFI's nF3 s754 was very good). Maybe a extra bios socket. Also the PCB must be topnotch quality and design to ensure the best FSB and memory overclocking. And also as little SMD components as possible on the back of the CPU socket. And some nice CPU mounting holes, chipset mounting holes (really missing that on intel platform). PCI-e s-ata and network controllers (I hate PCI contollers).

[Pressure]

It should also bring world peace and clean up my apartment everytime I press the ON button . . .

[DaWaN]

It should also bring world peace and clean up my apartment everytime I press the ON button . . .

Please keep the thread clean and nice......

Anyway Post led's are useful indeed, it alse could be nice if it uses a cmos reset button instead of jumper :) And also a molex connector for the PCI-e slots is also useful for midrange cards.

[Warship]

Marketing-Jessica from DFI appears when you click on the mouse.

[caligula]

* Digital VRM. Like the new Albatron mobo or the GeForce 7900s.
* Designated and marked measure points (for multimeter and maybe oscilloscope) for vcore, vchipset, vmem etc. I do not trust an 1.99USD chinese chip which acts like a voltage reader - and does it crappy.
* Lots of space around the cpu socket. You never get to know :D
* Some space between pci-ex 16/32x port and the others. For the 2-slot graphic cards which also need some room to get air from.
* SATA ports as far as possible from the pci/pciex slots.
* BIOS diagnostic code display. Guessing has nothing to do with science.
* Small coils. Come on guys, we're in the 21st century. I got tired of buzzing coils...
* Heatsinks on MOSFETs. It's a must.

[FunkyRider]

Merom can't clock its FSB as high as Conroe since it's Socket 480

LGA775 is made for higher FSB besides better power supply


And even if any manufacturer made these boards, you guys are gonna spend $999 to buy one cuz the quantity is too low :eek:

[s e t h]

http://flytek.sa3doc.co.za/screens/meromcache.jpg

"What hasn't been talked about too much is Merom's 4MB on-die L2 cache"
anandtech source (http://www.anandtech.com/tradeshows/showdoc.aspx?i=2715)

"Merom will be given a faster FSB on the Santa Rosa platform (most likely 800MHz or 1066MHz), but will otherwise remain unchanged from what launches later this year."
anandtech source (http://www.anandtech.com/tradeshows/showdoc.aspx?i=2715&p=2)

2.13 ghz conroe has 1066/4=266mhz bus, 2133/266bus=9 multi
2.16 ghz merom has 667/4=166mhz bus, 2166/166bus=13 multi

given these points merom should have a higher multiplier with lower cost.
add that to the fact that ultra tight timings rather than ultra high bandwidth is likely to suite this architecture better
the only remaining argument is availability of cpu's and mobo's
cpu's can usually found supplying the white-box notebook market
we therefor just need a quality motherboard and bios enabled lower multi choice
the board is not too complex.
switches, space, good bios, quality components, mounting holes - good testing and support :D
similar spec to any other benching/overclocking/enthusiast board (better would be nice)

then the final question becomes will the low wattage merom cores outpace the conroes in various cooling classes.

i have to say that this is indeed possible if you consider mobiles have a good history of extreme clocks

any further additions to this discussion?

[mursaat]

Trusty temp probes.

I mean not like DFIs, but anyway don't know if that is such a problem in Intel platforms, I've been AMD since the Thunderbird :D