680i SLI is too expensive? Asus as the solution : P5N32-E SLI PLUS

[Ace-a-Rue]

you can't go wrong with the Areca card...i have one since october or september

[nvteleskier]

Great experience with the NF68 board. While waiting for my RMA from ASUS, (they sent me a new board), I put together the same components using the evga board. What a great experience! A-1 rev., P27 Bios.

I'm at 3.6GHz, 1800QDR, 450 X 8, all voltages at AUTO except vdimm at 2.1,
5-5-5-15 2T on my Ballistix.

I really struggled to get to 3.5 with the ASUS, using 1.55v for the vcore and NB at 1.5 or more to get stable. I think with the evga I'm at 1.45v vcore.

PM me if you're interested in a great deal on an ASUS board.

[Tutto]

I've been reading some reviews on the new Foxconn N68S7AA-8EKRS2H 680i motherboard with reports of quad cores reaching 450FSB but I can't find any links to purchase it. Is this board officially out and where is it available?

[Heidfirst]

that's probably just the reference board with Foxconn's name on it instead of eVga, BFG etc. - after all, they build the reference boards.

[HousERaT]

Anyone here "in the know" have any idea when we'll get a new bios? We've been on this beta bios for two months now.

[Ace-a-Rue]

I've been reading some reviews on the new Foxconn N68S7AA-8EKRS2H 680i motherboard with reports of quad cores reaching 450FSB but I can't find any links to purchase it. Is this board officially out and where is it available?

be careful with Foxconn...this happened to me with their 975X "AB" board back in august of 2006...an actual fire that must have shot up flames to about 12 inches into the air...luckily the board was on my bench and i was there right at the lucky time to kill the power:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...d.php?t=112317

[sanzaborn33]

the DFI 680i LT looks good ... but the best nforce kentsfield oc board is still EVGA's 680i and LT boards .. both can do 400+fsb .. however since it does kill RAM , i aint gonna try that

Hello! I just picked up an EVGA 680i SLI T1 board from the Egg. In regards to the RAM issue, I will be using 2 x 1GB sticks of Crucial Ballistix that require 2.2V for stock operation. Is 2.2V on the dimms of the EVGA 680i board a bad idea?? Am I looking to fry my memory using that voltage with the EVGA board??

Thanks for any input.

[Ace-a-Rue]

i think there are failure and success stories for this board all over the map with vmem

[sanzaborn33]

Oh boy. That's a little ennerving, seeing as how I really don't want to torch my Crucial sticks b/c the board ends up being tempermental with it's vdimm control. Gonna have to research this one much heavier than I expected...

[safan80]

I only have 2.2 volts going to the memory.

[nvteleskier]

Sanzaborn33,

If you look at the forums on the evga website, you'll find a notice regarding too much vdimm trashing memory. It's only 2.4v and above that's a problem and it will be a problem on any board with that much voltage.

I really love this board, it's so much easier to work with than the ASUS. It took me a total of about 20 minutes to get to 3.6 with my E6600 which I could never get to with my P5N32-E SLI Plus.

The new P27 bios seems to be terrific too! There are a lot of 680i owners doing 500+ FSB with the new bios.

Good luck, I'm running Crucial Ballistix at 2.1v, no problems, ORTHOs and OCCT stable for a lot of hours.

[Tutto]

For the time being, I'm staying with the Asus P5W64 PRO. It's running my Q6600 at 3.5GHZ @1.45 VCore and solid as a rock. Maybe later on, after the quad core problems are worked out, I'll give the 680i another try.

[Kristoferr]

Why you all complain about 680i FSB capability? Its good enought.
Of course i965 is better with its 500-600FSB but it does not have Sli.

My P5n32-e sli with 680i chipset does 490FSB 100% stable. Its good enought for this board.
I have friends with P5n-e (650i) and they all can do 490-500FSB.
All 680i boards can do at least 475FSB. you just have to know how to do it and your Cpu has to be able to do 500Fsb.

[Radical_53]

How much voltage did you need on your NB to do this? I found mine to need 1.5V for 400MHz, but at least nothing more for 440MHz+ (didn't try more so far).

[Kristoferr]

1.5V to 450FSB,

1.6V to 490FSB and
1,5V to 1.2Vht
1,7V to SB
max to CPU VTT

[Tutto]

Why you all complain about 680i FSB capability? Its good enought.
Of course i965 is better with its 500-600FSB but it does not have Sli.

My P5n32-e sli with 680i chipset does 490FSB 100% stable. Its good enought for this board.
I have friends with P5n-e (650i) and they all can do 490-500FSB.
All 680i boards can do at least 475FSB. you just have to know how to do it and your Cpu has to be able to do 500Fsb.

This might be true for the Dual Core CPU's but it is a major problem for those of us running Quad Core. I was lucky to get over 350 with any of the 3 boards I tried.

[sanzaborn33]

Sanzaborn33,
If you look at the forums on the evga website, you'll find a notice regarding too much vdimm trashing memory. It's only 2.4v and above that's a problem and it will be a problem on any board with that much voltage.

I really love this board, it's so much easier to work with than the ASUS. It took me a total of about 20 minutes to get to 3.6 with my E6600 which I could never get to with my P5N32-E SLI Plus.

The new P27 bios seems to be terrific too! There are a lot of 680i owners doing 500+ FSB with the new bios.
Good luck, I'm running Crucial Ballistix at 2.1v, no problems, ORTHOs and OCCT stable for a lot of hours.

Hey thanks for the input! I am still digging into the VMEM problems with these boards, despite all the good things (and bad) that I've read.

Curiously, are those Ballistix modules you have rated for 2.1V at the timings you are running or are you undervolting them? I know upon emailing Crucial about my particular modules that they suggested I use the recommended 2.2 V for 4-4-4-12 timings.

Cheers!

[Radical_53]

@kristoferr: Thanks for the info! I didn't have to raise the voltage for SB yet and my 1.2V HT only gets like 1.25V or so, at least for now that was plenty enough.
Maybe I'm lucky once and didn't get a crappy overclocker board...

[nvteleskier]

Sanzaborn33,

I have Ballistix which are DDR800 and at their ratings, 2.2v, but they run at 4-4-4-12@2.1 just fine.

I'm at 1800QDR X8, 1.5v vcore, everything else except vdimm on AUTO.

[espionix]

Well i phoned Scan to RMA my mobo, got the usual Have you tried MemTest, other RAM etc im to phone tomorrow when ive checked other ram.

Thing is, im sure it'll work fine with PC-5300 ram, but that doesnt mean theres a problem with mine, just means the board cant handle 2.4v of PC2-8500 =/

[Metroid]

A good review right here Check it out

Amazing board!!!!

[NinjaZX6R]

A good review right here Check it out

Amazing board!!!!

Good review. I wonder why plenty of xtreme members have gotten it past 500mhz and no reviewers seem to pass 475ish. Maybe we have a gift? lol

-Collin-

[theteamaqua]

i had more luck ocing on 8x multi than 9x multi

i couldnt boot past 3.7GHz with 9x, but i can do 3.9GHz with 8x, 3.8GHz seem stable for me

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...Shot0037-1.jpg

i did orthos over night and its 5hour stable .. so stable enuff for me i guess

yeah thats with 475fsbx8 (NOT 475fsbx9)

1.65v set in bios .... i dont even how much i get ...

[shimmishim]

i had more luck ocing on 8x multi than 9x multi

i couldnt boot past 3.7GHz with 9x, but i can do 3.9GHz with 8x, 3.8GHz seem stable for me

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...Shot0037-1.jpg

i did orthos over night and its 5hour stable .. so stable enuff for me i guess

yeah thats with 475fsbx8 (NOT 475fsbx9)

1.65v set in bios .... i dont even how much i get ...

eek! that voltage can't be right... a 0.1 volt droop!

[theteamaqua]

heres one with 1 hour

1.65set in bios ... wow droop .1v

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/Shot0042.jpg

if my temps r only 56, 57C small ftt @ 1.65v then hell yeah .. that means i have a good wc setup