Holy Moly GIGABYTE miniITX H55N-USB3 rocking d i5 655K@4.9GHz 3DMARK06 on air cooling

okay so it clocks memory great, great 32m performance... any downsides? sure pwm is not as strong as p55a-ud7... comparing the two i find max 32m is 5.15 for usb3 while ud7 reachs 5.3.. so if you want a subzero board then maybe this isnt your best option..

for a everyday board? amazing option i think... i can linx at 4000mhz cpu, 3.6 uncore and 1200 8-9-8-24 no problems, great clocks for 24/7 mini rig id think...

RTL short analysis

now onto RTL, pj contacted me about if I can push the RTL on this board because the size of the board is smaller. The theory goes something like, because the size of the board is smaller, the distance between the memory slots and cpu socket is reduced so the path is reduced and the RTL might be able to be tightened..

i compared against p55a-ud7 and found some interesting results..

at higher cas levels there is no difference but for cas5 and cas6 i found the ability to push both ram channels tighter in RTL by 1..

now this is a bit of a flawed assessment, it might be a bios issue, it might be something totally different, but it is definatly worth some further analysis.. theoretically at the same frequency, uncore, ram timings.. after tightening everything up he H55N-USB3 should beat the UD7 at tight ram timings because the RTL can be tightened slightly more...

something to think about

Quote:

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Originally Posted by youngpro

RTL short analysis

now onto RTL, pj contacted me about if I can push the RTL on this board because the size of the board is smaller. The theory goes something like, because the size of the board is smaller, the distance between the memory slots and cpu socket is reduced so the path is reduced and the RTL might be able to be tightened..

i compared against p55a-ud7 and found some interesting results..

at higher cas levels there is no difference but for cas5 and cas6 i found the ability to push both ram channels tighter in RTL by 1..

now this is a bit of a flawed assessment, it might be a bios issue, it might be something totally different, but it is definatly worth some further analysis.. theoretically at the same frequency, uncore, ram timings.. after tightening everything up he H55N-USB3 should beat the UD7 at tight ram timings because the RTL can be tightened slightly more...

something to think about

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With a stronger VTT PWM on the H55N things could have become interesting. Transient response on anything that pushes quicker access times is important.
If I get the time I might mod the board up and have a look see at what happens.

Later
Raja

i wanna see that mod raja common :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dinos22

i wanna see that mod raja common :D

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I'll try and find some time Dino. It should be possible to mod, but getting something real close to be effective is not going to be easy. If it works, you'll be the first to know ;)

Regards
Raja

I just checked, VTT on this board is two phase (probably 3 phase VCC, 1 phase IGP core and 2 phase VTT). So the OCP that kicks at higher VTT in might just be a mod needed on the board (need to check VDIMM too). I had initially thought it was a single phase supply for VTT and the other was for the IGP.

Later
Raja

hm okay thats some interesting insight there raj, if you do have any results please let them be known :)

thanks mate

Okay, I'm this close to purchasing it. It's either this or the GA-H55M-UD2H.

Will be paired with a i3 530.

:shrug:

Dino, any issues with the backplate on your Thermalright? Or are you using bolts?

hi mate

i just used the bolts for the Coolermaster cooler here. There are some small SMDs underneath so i decided not to use the cooler's backplate but this sort of cooler is not meant to go into a Mini-ITX setup anyway. GIGABYTE will have a chassis/cooler list supporting the case up on the website as well to help provide the info on the cases it will work with.

Dino

I have two of these boards coming along with what I think is a low vid i5 650 (bios sets 1.1) and an i655k, I can't wait.

any ln2 yet?

I ended up getting my HTPC set up and I was able to use a Venomous X on the H55N USB3 without crushing the IC's and circuitry on the back of the motherboard.

I ended up using the the socket 775 back plate and which now acts as a spacer and temps are great especially for air


http://i46.tinypic.com/of3nkk.png

nice :D

I am sure it will do 5Ghz on air or very very close, and then it will go under water:clap:

Sorry to bring up and old thread, but thanks for benching a mini itx board. This is still not common, but has pushed me into buying one (once I get the cash). I want 4ghz and oddly, a mini itx board will be my first set up to finally get it (I hope!).

Thanks for this review dinos22!

any chance of an amd one like that, or dose a NB and SB take up to much space u so u cannot put a real pwm on it

Quote:

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Originally Posted by [XC] Synthetickiller

Sorry to bring up and old thread, but thanks for benching a mini itx board. This is still not common, but has pushed me into buying one (once I get the cash). I want 4ghz and oddly, a mini itx board will be my first set up to finally get it (I hope!).

Thanks for this review dinos22!

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i dont think you will be able to run a 4GHz lynfield i7 on this board mate. The PWM is not able to handle the load past 3.7 for me as i said before so yeah very doubtful about that

Quote:

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Originally Posted by zanzabar

any chance of an amd one like that, or dose a NB and SB take up to much space u so u cannot put a real pwm on it

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i dont know about our AMD team wanted to do a mini-ITX. the intel one took long enough already :rofl::D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dinos22

i dont think you will be able to run a 4GHz lynfield i7 on this board mate. The PWM is not able to handle the load past 3.7 for me as i said before so yeah very doubtful about that




i dont know about our AMD team wanted to do a mini-ITX. the intel one took long enough already :rofl::D

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dinos22, if you don't mine one more question, do you think an i3 530 has a good chance at 4.4ghz or close to it (at least 4.2ghz)? I plan on getting this board in a month or two when finances are better and would love to break the 4ghz barrier like it wasn't even there! I'd rather save the cash over buying it 3 550.

If it does have a good shot, how much air cooling is truly necessary?....just off the top of your head. I'll be throwing this in a silverstone SG05, so clearance is an issue and I don't want to throw a corsair H50 in it.


I'm also up for a DDR3 AM3 mini itx board as well! I would have honestly gone that route, especially if gigabyte made it since they did so well with this board and the high end AM3 boards recently! 95W 1055T in that type of formfactor with a gtx480/ATI 5870 would be epic! :up:

my chip did 4.6GHz prime stable so i guess with a lesser cooler and less volts and noise it would easily run between 4.2-4.4

l0ud_sil3nc3 system ran 4.5GHz as well in this thread so that's definitely possible

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dinos22

my chip did 4.6GHz prime stable so i guess with a lesser cooler and less volts and noise it would easily run between 4.2-4.4

l0ud_sil3nc3 system ran 4.5GHz as well in this thread so that's definitely possible

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Thanks! It'll be hell trying to find a cooler that'll fit. There's the Thermalright AXP140 w/ (120x12mm fan) or Prolimotech Samuel 17 w/ 120x25or38mm fan. That'll be interesting!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dinos22

my chip did 4.6GHz prime stable so i guess with a lesser cooler and less volts and noise it would easily run between 4.2-4.4

l0ud_sil3nc3 system ran 4.5GHz as well in this thread so that's definitely possible

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http://i49.tinypic.com/9jzq1g.jpg

hahah dude i think the board is supposed to go inside the case not on top of it :D

:up: nice one

Looks like that new lian li case!

No pics of it under water? lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dinos22

hahah dude i think the board is supposed to go inside the case not on top of it :D

:up: nice one

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no I am sure it goes on top

check it out:stick:


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-277-_-Product

it is a mini itx test bench that lets you use a full size atx psu and a 5.25 drive along with one 3.5 hdd slot.

All I had to do to get the Venomous X on there was stack the mobo stand offs and then use the included socket 775 adapter but flipped upside down.

http://i46.tinypic.com/nb6kci.png

water coming very soon, I have a used XSPC 360 rad with 6 San Ace 120X38mm fans, along with Performance PC's uber modded 655 and an EK Supreme HF waterblock coming in the mail:D

haha sweet :D