RD600 first look and general questions

at stock passive cooled NB temp for me is 50-55C in bios in 26-30C room temps open bench setup (but i had removed foam spacer and reapplied ceramique on NB core)

right now testing memory in memtest with NB at 1.36v and bios temp with active 60x25mm sunon 23.5cfm fan NB bios reads 45-48C.

I ran out of thermal probes right now, used them all on my Asus 680i striker extreme setup right now LOL... will see about pulling on probe to put on NB/SB on ICFX3200 soon :)

Oh, no need to quote my entire image too (you can edit the image out of your quoted text ;) )

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Originally Posted by eva2000

at stock passive cooled NB temp for me is 50-55C in bios in 26-30C room temps open bench setup

right now testing memory in memtest with NB at 1.36v and bios temp with active 60x25mm sunon 23.5cfm fan NB bios reads 45-48C.

I ran out of thermal probes right now, used them all on my Asus 680i striker extreme setup right now LOL... will see about pulling on probe to put on NB/SB on ICFX3200 soon :)

Oh, no need to quote my entire image too (you can edit the image out of your quoted text ;) )

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Well that sounds more of a normal temp then the one VR Zone got (20 degrees above yours And you problably have a little warmer roomtemp then they do to (Can't remember if they stated the rootemp in the review).

Somethings we have found but not reported yet:

NB heatsink needs reseating, this is why you see EVA and Bingo quoting lower temps as they have performed the mods needed.

To get 500fsb you need a lot of NB core voltage, we have tested for short periods at this voltage but do prefer the 470 or so limit around 1.5v or lower as this looks after the chipset a little better.

Sync in 266 mode is damn fast as it uses the 266 memory table...this will limit the max fsb the board will do..(here is your answer Stilt)

Adding a heatsink to the clockgen and lowering the voltage to it may allow 530fsb or more...this is still being tested though by beta testers and DFI.

It looks like straps are important on RD600 just as they are on 975, we will be investigating where the magic FSB positions are that give the best thruput on the NB.

More soon....its time to get back to crappy XMAS TV here in the UK ;)

T

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Originally Posted by Tony

It looks like straps are important on RD600 just as they are on 975, we will be investigating where the magic FSB positions are that give the best thruput on the NB.

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Merry Xmas Tony

Yeah seems to be the case with straps etc... still figuring out tweaks and doing some tests at 267FSB with manual 2T mem clocks at 541mhz 4-4-4-4 at 2.35v

temps and settings

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Under Load Digitech QM1538 Digital Multimeter measured psu rails as follows:

Rail = Smartguardian = DMM real
+12v rail = 12.09v = 12.26v
+5v rail = 4.89v = 5.10v
+3.3v rail = 3.28v = 3.368v

For DFI ICFX3200-T2R/G 12/23 beta bios (additions since 12/18 bios in bold):

Memory Clock Frequency: Manual
Current Memory Clock: N/A

Control CPU Frequency: Enabled
x CPU Frequency (Mhz): 267
NB FSB Strapping: 266
PCI-E Overclock: 100
Software Reset Clockgen: Disabled
Memory Overclocking: Enabled
Overclocked Frequency (Mhz): 541

CPU Vid Control: 1.25v
CPU VID Special ADD:
DDR2 Ram 1.8 Voltage: 2.35v
CPU VTT 1.2V Voltage: 1.36
NB Core 1.2V Voltage: 1.36v
NB PLL 1.8V Voltage: 1.83v
NB PLL 1.2V Voltage: 1.38v
NB PCI-E 1.2V Voltage: 1.34v
NB Core 1.2V convert from: 1.89v
SB Core 1.2V Voltage: 1.34v
Clockgen Voltage: 2.92v
GTL REF Voltage control: Enabled
CPU Core 1/2 GTL REF Volt: 48
North Bridge GTL REF Volt: 48
CPU PLL Setting Overide: 128
PLL Override loop count: Enabled
Conroe P-State Multiplier: x9
C1E Function: Disabled

CS Output Timing: Auto
CS Output Timing: Delay 1/4 clock
Dual channel Split Mode: AUTO
ADDR/CMD Driving Pre-AMP: Enabled
ADDR/CMD Driving Strength: 15
Clocking Driving Pre-AMP: Always
Clocking Driving Strength: 15
Address/Command Timing: 1T
Memory Timing Select: Manual

CAS Timing (TCAS): 4
Read RAS-CAS Delay (TRCDR): 4
Write RAS-CAS Delay (TRCDW): 3
RAS Precharge Time (TRP): 4
Cycle Time (TRAS): 4

Row Cycle Time (TRC): 8
Refresh to Active (TRFC): 20
Bank to Bank CMD (TRRD): 3
Write Recovery (TWR): 5

Read-Write Command (TRTW): 3
Write-Write CS (TWTW_CS): 2
Write-Read Command (TWTR): 3
Write-Read CS (TWTR_CS): 2
Read-Read CS (TRTR_CS): 2
Read Data Transfers: 5

Memory Auto-Calibration
Read Data Transfer: Enabled
Read Strobe Delay: Disabled
Read Strobe Arrival: Enabled

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http://fileshosts.com/intel/DFI/ICFX.../cpuz_idle.png

It would be nice to see some sync 1t benchmarks if you guys can find the time. :)

Merry christmas to all BTW. Don't work too hard! :)

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Originally Posted by Revv23

It would be nice to see some sync 1t benchmarks if you guys can find the time. :)

Merry christmas to all BTW. Don't work too hard! :)

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Hey it's Christmas! You gotta play with yer new toys on Christmas ;) Keep em' comin' Eva...

Any of you that have the board, have you taken a temp reading using an IR temp gun of the clockgen?

Ceramique...and the temps for me dropped way the hale down...Stock NB voltage = 43C...1.79NB voltage =49/50C benching...with 90MM fan over memory and only part of stock NB...using E6700 so <400FSB is 'all' I need on water...no unrealistic NB voltage necessary for me at this time.

RGone...

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Originally Posted by RGone

Ceramique...and the temps for me dropped way the hale down...Stock NB voltage = 43C...1.79NB voltage =49/50C benching...with 90MM fan over memory and only part of stock NB...using E6700 so <400FSB is 'all' I need on water...no unrealistic NB voltage necessary for me at this time.

RGone...

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I bought a couple of small 50mm fans
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16835119052
supposedly quiet <23db but move about 9-10 cfm..I hoped to place one of these on the NB

BTW...is it hard to get the clips off the HS on NB to remove and reseat with ceramiques or AS5

Too easy to get off in my opinion...most Intel chipset sinks are beech to get the pressure off and wire clip under the retainer...those on NB of rd600 are quite limber and relaxed compared to the Intel sinks I have removed.


RGone...

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Originally Posted by nealh

I bought a couple of small 50mm fans
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16835119052
supposedly quiet <23db but move about 9-10 cfm..I hoped to place one of these on the NB

BTW...is it hard to get the clips off the HS on NB to remove and reseat with ceramiques or AS5

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Eva

You need to mail me, you are using a really old SPD on those dimms, I have updated files that may allow higher clocks now.

T

anyone know when we will be able to order these? Cant find dates anywhere???? :mad:

Eva and Tony, How would rate this board compared to the striker?

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Originally Posted by flesheatinvirus

Eva and Tony, How would rate this board compared to the striker?

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Really, too early to tell :)

Honestly, if anyone owning either board, can make a fully informed judgment within days or even weeks of the boards release, then it's clearly not enough time. Both Asus Striker and DFI ICFX3200 have so many settings to tweak and continuing bios updates that it would take time to form a full judgment.

Both boards are clearly not a set in bios and forget type of motherboard. But in time , tweaks and tips will be available so it will lessen the learning curve i'm sure :)

yup the difference is gonna be tight with certain processors and may just come down to personal preference and ability to run certain fsb's without fail. Already had the striker, great potential, a few design flaws such as the heatpipe sitting so close to the atx2 connector, the tagan psu's connector would just not sit square in that socket, it worked but the connection was not one that inspired confidence. The stock heatpipe solution also makes it a little more difficult to replace any individual heatsink, you have to remove the whole assembly and use better heatsinks all over for higher fsb oc's.

The striker will be better judged perfoprmance wise in a month or 2 I believe. As will the ICFX3200. Like all good wine they need time to mature..

Thats true its still way too early for an accurate call on either board as they both have a tremendous amount of potential that needs to be unlocked, reminds me of DFIs Ultra D when it first arrived on the scene which certainly had a slightly larger learning curve then most boards but ultimately was worth the effort. I was just curious of your initial impression of the RD600 after just having the striker. I have about a month to wait still before building another system and both of these boards look like what I need. I see DFI has not changed that passive Northbridge heatsink design which would indicate its not getting very hot though I swapped out mine on my Ultra D for a Copper Vantec Iceberg CCB-A1C which works much better. Again thanks for your input and time will certainly reveal the true potential of these boards.:)

unfortunately I don't have a rd600 yet. I did ask for a full price, paid for, full retail version, that's the best way to remain independant and objective, nda's are for those that have to have the board pre release and do serve as a buffer, but you have to be patient as the tester when an issue comes along, hoping that it'll be fixed berfore you drop results that are affected by it. Better just to wait for retail and buy one tbh, then you can highlight all the issues without worrying about drying up your supply of free samples. Having stuff pre-release always serves dollars and egos but there's too much of that happening now, at least this time the right industry insiders were chosen.

I have pre ordered the board now from a uk retailer so I'll have to wait. For me the attraction is the options, and the clean socket area for phase. Memory performance, well that's a a mixed bag on Conroe and real world applications are more important to me personally than benchmarks, games in particular, though we have to use them as point of comparison. Personally for my own interest I'll be putting under the hammer after the learning curve that our friends here are all helping with by providing tips, is how stable this board can run at with the higher multiplier cpus (x6800) in comparison to the striker and a couple of e6600's on phase.

regards
raja

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Originally Posted by OldGuy

Hey it's Christmas! You gotta play with yer new toys on Christmas ;) Keep em' comin' Eva...

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Merry Christmas OldGuy.. :) and to all..

ah.. a few days to go for this board.. :) patient is a virtue.. :)

Thank you guys for sharing.. :woot:

It says DDR2/DDR3 support. I was wondering if that applies for the ICFX3200 of DFI? Also, anyone know what is the A-Link Express?

ATI CrossFire™ Xpress 3200 (for Intel) - Specifications

DFI doesnt support ddr3

Has anyone tried a single or dual 8800 series graphics card with this board with success?

Sorry for the late coming but I just recently bought a Striker Extreme board and am waiting for it to arrive in the mail... I've been following this thread over the last few days and believe I've read all the pages but to be perfectly clear there isn't a place to actually purchase this board online yet? And if not, I know this is a very presumptuous question to ask but any ETA on the board being able to be purchased? I've had my last 2 boards be DFI and VERY VERY happy with them but I bit the bullet and got an Asus Striker this go round because I really needed a new comp and it was the best available at the time... but now reading through all the forums about the Striker and the 680i in general with data corruption and Sata and USB issues, I'm beginning to rethink my purchase and thinking of going with the DFI RD600 board since I've been happy with DFI the last few go rounds.
Only issue now is when this board will be ready to purchase... I have all the parts to build my new pc now EXCEPT for the mboard so I'm torn between sending the striker back when it gets here and waiting even longer for the RD600 to come out retail finally or go with a different Core2Duo board all together. I know it's a very personal opinion question to ask but what do you guys suggest? :confused:

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Originally Posted by mrt2

Sorry for the late coming but I just recently bought a Striker Extreme board and am waiting for it to arrive in the mail... I've been following this thread over the last few days and believe I've read all the pages but to be perfectly clear there isn't a place to actually purchase this board online yet? And if not, I know this is a very presumptuous question to ask but any ETA on the board being able to be purchased? I've had my last 2 boards be DFI and VERY VERY happy with them but I bit the bullet and got an Asus Striker this go round because I really needed a new comp and it was the best available at the time... but now reading through all the forums about the Striker and the 680i in general with data corruption and Sata and USB issues, I'm beginning to rethink my purchase and thinking of going with the DFI RD600 board since I've been happy with DFI the last few go rounds.
Only issue now is when this board will be ready to purchase... I have all the parts to build my new pc now EXCEPT for the mboard so I'm torn between sending the striker back when it gets here and waiting even longer for the RD600 to come out retail finally or go with a different Core2Duo board all together. I know it's a very personal opinion question to ask but what do you guys suggest? :confused:

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If you need to ask then it's too far off.... :rolleyes:

honestly Newegg should roll out 100 when Final Bios is done this week... hopefully sometime, and retail by mid january. God it's a long wait.

Tony a question about memory settings. I've got 4 sticks of fatbody that I can't wait to bench but this board does better at 1100-1200 with tight timings. Would it overall be better if I just went to 680i because fatbody does around 900's with tighter timings?

They are both good boards and its way to early for anyone to make any credible win on either board of this caliber, the bio options alone are incredible and will evolve better yet with time. I personally love DFI boards myself and the Striker is IMO a great one as well so I think you will not go wrong with the Striker. Combined with the right group of hardware that is a potentially awesome combo and you can always sell it later and buy the RD anyway so I think you are good to go.:)

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Originally Posted by 775911

DFI doesnt support ddr3

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Er, DFI are a Motherboard manufacturer, using the RD600 Chipset. It's the Chipset that supports the Ram.
FYI, RD600 has already been Proved to work with DDR3, but a Bios update to this board wont make it compatible. The architecture is slightly different, but the RD600 Chipset does apparently work with DDR3 on a slightly different Mobo PCB! ;)