Initial impressions DFI NF4-SLI-DR-EXPERT

**MaxT** · 11-11-2005, 04:26 PM

So far so good. Very painless build.
Initial impression is much better than that of rdx200. This board is more stable, it posts all the time, it doesn't hang. Voltages seem more stable - they don't jump around as much. The temps are great. Even the onboard speaker is 3x louder than the one on the rdx.

The ballistix bandwidth is back up to what it should be, it was pretty low on the rdx200. SATA performance is even better with the same SATA drive. Basically, the board feels faster, snappier, and has less issues. And the BIOS is slightly better than the one on the rdx200.

I will be reporting my OC results here over the next few days.
Btw, my opteron runs at 24c idle at stock with TT Big Typhoon. I haven't taken the IHS off yet either.

**CRUSH-ER** · 11-11-2005, 04:44 PM

Btw, my opteron runs at 24c idle at stock with TT Big Typhoon. I haven't taken the IHS off yet either.

Overclocked or stock?

**Diverge** · 11-11-2005, 04:50 PM

i hope i have better results then the rdx200 too, with my ballistix. i went the same route as you MaxT - it's gotta be better with a more mature chipset

**Haltech** · 11-11-2005, 05:04 PM

Be careful! Looks as though OPB lost 2 chips with his new expert. He is saying faulty board.

**MaxT** · 11-11-2005, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by CRUSH-ER

Overclocked or stock?

stock so far...under full load it's only 28c. this is with hte IHS still on.

I'll see how it responds to OC. Typhoon seems to perform pretty well once the CPUs heat up.

**MaxT** · 11-11-2005, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by Diverge

i hope i have better results then the rdx200 too, with my ballistix. i went the same route as you MaxT - it's gotta be better with a more mature chipset

It already does. I am getting aorund 5k everest reads, vs about 4100 on the rdx200 at stock speeds.

**MaxT** · 11-11-2005, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by Haltech

Be careful! Looks as though OPB lost 2 chips with his new expert. He is saying faulty board.

that sux. Hopefully it's just an isolated case.

**dinos22** · 11-11-2005, 05:07 PM

nice you've got the 165 Opteron...what stepping is your one

**MaxT** · 11-11-2005, 06:23 PM

CCBWE 0541RPMW
haven't tried to push it yet. I have to reinstall windows right now, since this is the rdx200/3700+ SD installation.
I'll post my results here in a day or two.

**[XC] leviathan18** · 11-11-2005, 06:35 PM

MaxT did you lap the base of your TT BT???? perhaps if you do it you can lower you temp 3 or 4 degrees

can you tell me waht comes in the package please ????

**Ender17** · 11-11-2005, 06:35 PM

cool, keep us posted

**MaxT** · 11-11-2005, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by leviathan18

MaxT did you lap the base of your TT BT???? perhaps if you do it you can lower you temp 3 or 4 degrees

can you tell me waht comes in the package please ????

yep, it was lapped. 28c under full load, even at stock, is a pretty good temp for a dual core opteron

the package had:
1) board
2) backplate
3) audio module
4) 2 IDE round cables
5) 1 floppy round cable
6) 4 sata cables and 2 sata power adapter cables
7) manual
8) quick installation guide
9) raid drivers floppy
10) driver cd
11) SLI bridge
Think that's all.

**Avid6eek** · 11-11-2005, 07:16 PM

Here's a pic of my SLI-DR Expert in action:

Right now I've got an Opteron 170 running at 2.95Ghz with the stock heatsink/thermal paste. Just burning some things in. It isn't prime stable at those speeds, but then again I don't plan on using the stock heatsink. Just testing out different frequencies.

As has already been mentioned, the system build went very smooth and the OS/Driver installation was seemless.

**IvanAndreevich** · 11-11-2005, 07:26 PM

Nice, those 165's really rock

**end0** · 11-11-2005, 08:26 PM

Little off-topic but have you had any problems with that X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS Sound Card ? Ive got this board on pre-order and was thinking of picking up one of those sound cards when they come available in December.

**Avid6eek** · 11-11-2005, 08:30 PM

I just got the card about a week ago and just installed it today. So far everything has worked great, but I haven't done any gaming or anything with the system yet.

**Ub3r-L33ch** · 11-11-2005, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by Avid6eek

Here's a pic of my SLI-DR Expert in action:

Right now I've got an Opteron 170 running at 2.95Ghz with the stock heatsink/thermal paste. Just burning some things in. It isn't prime stable at those speeds, but then again I don't plan on using the stock heatsink. Just testing out different frequencies.

As has already been mentioned, the system build went very smooth and the OS/Driver installation was seemless.

Maybe I'm missing something, but you say you are using the stock heatsink. Doesnt that mean the heatsink that comes with the retail processor? In that picture it looks like an XP-120 or SI-120 or something similar... unless the retail heatsinks have heat pipes and such and I'm unaware of it.

**jetjaguar** · 11-11-2005, 10:21 PM

that is the stock fx57 heatsink

any hiints on how to make this board stable .. for some reason .. my cpu just isnt stable when i know it is on the sli-dr ..

super pi just crashes and i have to reboot .. same with sp2004 .. etc

**wtz54321** · 11-11-2005, 11:49 PM

Originally Posted by jetjaguar

that is the stock fx57 heatsink

any hiints on how to make this board stable .. for some reason .. my cpu just isnt stable when i know it is on the sli-dr ..

super pi just crashes and i have to reboot .. same with sp2004 .. etc

what's your overlclocking setting ?

**Scroatdog** · 11-12-2005, 12:08 AM

You don't have the 4 pin cable hooked up above the top PCI-E slot. So I guess it ISN'T needed???

If not, then GOOD !

Let us know, pls. And keep rockin' on!

**end0** · 11-12-2005, 12:14 AM

You'll also notice he's not running any graphics cards in the PCI-E x16 slots though either

**20AEGTI** · 11-12-2005, 12:40 AM

Originally Posted by end0

You'll also notice he's not running any graphics cards in the PCI-E x16 slots though either

I am running a 7800GTX OC on the board and don't have that plug occupied by a power connector. I am using the 8pin and 24pin connector with the PCP&C 850W PS though. Board seems fine to me so far and have had no real problems other than the system freezing at the windows install screen a time or two. Otherwise, I have messed around with it some and ran into the following results. This is just ho-hum messing with it and not completely finished. Did run it at 300FSB but the system was unstable. This overclock has been running fine but have not run prime95 or super pi yet. I will leave one running overnight to see what I get.

http://members.cox.net/jztumli/bench.PNG

Hopefully I will have sometime soon to tweak more but school is getting close to finals and project deadlines so I might not have a lot of time. I am sure I will squeeze it in though and double time it closer to the end.

20

**Scroatdog** · 11-12-2005, 01:03 AM

Originally Posted by end0

You'll also notice he's not running any graphics cards in the PCI-E x16 slots though either

Nice sarcasm, wise guy. He's NOT using it. So THERE

Thanks for the update 20AEGTI !

**end0** · 11-12-2005, 01:22 AM

Heh sorry Scoatdog

he's got the same PSU as me, PCP&C 850W SSI, very good PSU, I got the last one from our major supplier in Australia sorry DezzaBot

I wanted to know this question also about the extra mini-molex power socket, so with the 24PIN ATX and EPS 2.0 8 PIN 12V line I assume you don't need to use that connector then