Good design, good overclock, good pipe-The MSI P35 Neo2-FR overview

[Hans Gruber]

The biggest difference I see with Bios 1.6 vs. 1.1 is the lowest Vcore setting for my Q6600 was 1.225v on 1.1 vs. 1.275v on the 1.6 bios. I have a GO stepping quad core. The 1.6 bios undervolts the vcore slightly while the 1.1 bios overvolted the vcore significantly, 1.225v could register 1.625v on bios 1.1.

The ADATA memory was tested by many professional sites all achieveing well in excess of 1066Mhz. One review guarantees over 1000Mhz while another guaranteed at least 1066Mhz. The ram is called DDR2 800+ and it's ADATA's performance ram.

I really like the MSI board and flashing the bios with a memory stick is easy.

[heikis]

The biggest difference I see with Bios 1.6 vs. 1.1 is the lowest Vcore setting for my Q6600 was 1.225v on 1.1 vs. 1.275v on the 1.6 bios. I have a GO stepping quad core. The 1.6 bios undervolts the vcore slightly while the 1.1 bios overvolted the vcore significantly, 1.225v could register 1.625v on bios 1.1.

The ADATA memory was tested by many professional sites all achieveing well in excess of 1066Mhz. One review guarantees over 1000Mhz while another guaranteed at least 1066Mhz. The ram is called DDR2 800+ and it's ADATA's performance ram.

I really like the MSI board and flashing the bios with a memory stick is easy.

from 800+ adatas you can not be 100% sure that you get micron d9gmh. some of the 800+ modules are based on promos and maybe others too

[jon5]

When you hit 4ghz.
I'd luv to see some 3Dm06 cpu scores
and nuclearus multicore.

Here is a 3.905g score for ya. I could not get 4g too complete cpu test...
http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm06=4432304

[clon22]

Here is a 3.905g score for ya. I could not get 4g too complete cpu test...
http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm06=4432304

Your Cpu score is very high for 3.9ghz.
Wow!!
Very good results. 16.1k.

[Bl4ck^!]

Your Cpu score is very high for 3.9ghz.
Wow!!
Very good results. 16.1k.

well it's a quad , probably G0 that's the 3.9

[L'enFer]

Is there enough space around the socket to place on the motherboard a huge heatsink such as Scythe Infinity (or any other)? I think chipset cooling system is to close to CPU socket, isn't it?

[Bl4ck^!]

Is there enough space around the socket to place on the motherboard a huge heatsink such as Scythe Infinity (or any other)? I think chipset cooling system is to close to CPU socket, isn't it?

i have a Scythe Ninja Rev.B and it has enough room , Infinity will fit also.

[jon5]

Is there enough space around the socket to place on the motherboard a huge heatsink such as Scythe Infinity (or any other)? I think chipset cooling system is to close to CPU socket, isn't it?

I have a TRUE with 2 120mm strapped to it, no problem.

[jon5]

Your Cpu score is very high for 3.9ghz.
Wow!!
Very good results. 16.1k.

Thanks!! We had some cool weather here that allowed me to crank up the volts.

[L'enFer]

Thanks for the answers.

[[LCN]Knowledge]

Hey, hi all and happy new year =D

I just pulled the trigger with this board (Neo2-FR), C2D E6550, OCZ 2*1GB 800mhz.

I saw on the MSI website that this CPU is supported in BIOS 1.4 or higher.

As it seems that Bios 1.1 is the best for overclocking and with less vdroop, i would like to know if someone here have an E6*50 CPU using a Bios older than 1.4.

I guess i will have to stick with Bios 1.6 because it seems to be the best one besides 1.1

Thanks in advance!

[wyemarn]

Hey, hi all and happy new year =D

I just pulled the trigger with this board (Neo2-FR), C2D E6550, OCZ 2*1GB 800mhz.

I saw on the MSI website that this CPU is supported in BIOS 1.4 or higher.

As it seems that Bios 1.1 is the best for overclocking and with less vdroop, i would like to know if someone here have an E6*50 CPU using a Bios older than 1.4.

I guess i will have to stick with Bios 1.6 because it seems to be the best one besides 1.1

Thanks in advance!

How far have you gone with your E6550? Actually there is no difference between in terms of Vcore delivery to your CPU with bios 1.1 or 1.4. Bios 1.3 and lower allows the user to set the lowest Vcore 0.05V lower than the VID. For example my E6320's VID is 1.35V

Bios 1.6
Lowest Vcore setting - 1.35V
Idle Vcore - 1.32-1.33V
Load Vcore - 1.30-1.31V

Bios 1.1
Lowest Vcore setting - 1.30V
Idle Vcore - 1.33-1.34V
Load Vcore - 1.30-1.1V

I've tried Pent D 930, Pent Dual-Core E2140 and now E6320. The behaviour is the same so there is not much difference. Btw, you can try out beta bios 1.77 or performance bios P09 for overclocking.

[sharpeyedman]

I just got this board after Christmas and Revision 1.1 came with bios 1.1.
I went on to overclock E6600 without flashing the bios. Well the board' s revision mattered to me more than the bios but I will have to flash the bios when new line of 45 nm processors come out. Anyways, I uped the fsb to 378.
378 X 9 = 3402 mghz vcore was @ 1.3 but It was not prime95 stable.
I ran more tests upping the voltage and It seems like my E6600 is stable @ vcore 1.3750 when running @ 3402 mghz. I wish bios had an option to change NB and SB voltages.
I am running my 2gb crucial ballistix PC8500 at 756 3-3-3-12 @ 2.1 vcore ( low speed cuz i prefer running RAM 1:1 with the processor)

As for the temperature, my room temp is around 75'F right now
and My E6600 running 3402mhz @ 1.375 vcore idling @ 32/33'c
and when under load (prime95 FTT) @ 57'c. I use Zalman 9700 led air cooler.

I am very satisfied with this board overall. price was only 100 bucks after $20MIR so I have no complaints.

[ownage]

I just got this board after Christmas and Revision 1.1 came with bios 1.1.
I went on to overclock E6600 without flashing the bios. Well the board' s revision mattered to me more than the bios but I will have to flash the bios when new line of 45 nm processors come out. Anyways, I uped the fsb to 378.
378 X 9 = 3402 mghz vcore was @ 1.3 but It was not prime95 stable.
I ran more tests upping the voltage and It seems like my E6600 is stable @ vcore 1.3750 when running @ 3402 mghz. I wish bios had an option to change NB and SB voltages.
I am running my 2gb crucial ballistix PC8500 at 756 3-3-3-12 @ 2.1 vcore ( low speed cuz i prefer running RAM 1:1 with the processor)

As for the temperature, my room temp is around 75'F right now
and My E6600 running 3402mhz @ 1.375 vcore idling @ 32/33'c
and when under load (prime95 FTT) @ 57'c. I use Zalman 9700 led air cooler.

I am very satisfied with this board overall. price was only 100 bucks after $20MIR so I have no complaints.

This board has NB and SB voltage options

Does someone use MSI Dualcoe center? I can't get it to work.

[sharpeyedman]

Thats Great news. I only had the board in hand for couple days. I must have missed it. Is is available in bios? which version? does bios 1.1 have this option as well? is it under cell menu? I have not installed and used MSI utilities yet such as dualcore

[NickS]

They both ahve it it's called mch voltage iirc.

[sharpeyedman]

it was right undeneath mem voltage i ust didnt know that i could just scroll down. thanks for reminding me

[wyemarn]

This board has NB and SB voltage options

Does someone use MSI Dualcoe center? I can't get it to work.

Same with me. Dualcore Center not working. Yup. NB is MCH and SB is SB Core. Default voltage for MCH is 1.25V and SB is 1.05V.

Currently I'm running at FSB 440 with all voltage options in lowest. I don't need to raise chipset voltages till I hit FSB500.

[clon22]

I remembered I downloaded a patch for corecenter somehwere here.
http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/sh...754798&page=17
No harm trying.

[[LCN]Knowledge]

I'm waiting for mine to arrive X), i guess i will have to throw in my old Pentium 4 in order to upgrade the BIOS to 1.4 or 1.6, Cuzz the E6550 wont work with 1.1 Bios i guess (but I wish it works).

[clon22]

I'm waiting for mine to arrive X), i guess i will have to throw in my old Pentium 4 in order to upgrade the BIOS to 1.4 or 1.6, Cuzz the E6550 wont work with 1.1 Bios i guess (but I wish it works).

I think it does...
I'm using bios 1.1 but on E4300 and Q6600G0.
You see the 1st pg..
the test was done on E6550 and v1.1...
http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/sh....php?t=1754798

[WSX]

why are these boards shipping with such an early BIOS v1.1, I ordered mine yesterday and if it comes with v1.1 it's going straight back to the etailer
and if they can't or won't flash it I'll look elsewhere, I'm waiting for the wolfdales to arrive, they need BIOS v1.6

are the BIOS chips on P35 Neo2-FR/FIR's soldered on or are they removable, tia

-

[clon22]

Soldered.

[naokaji]

I'm waiting for mine to arrive X), i guess i will have to throw in my old Pentium 4 in order to upgrade the BIOS to 1.4 or 1.6, Cuzz the E6550 wont work with 1.1 Bios i guess (but I wish it works).

it should work out of the box... the fsb, the multi and the voltage required by the e6550 are nothing extraordinary. 1333 fsb, 7 multi and 1,35 vcore. i mean thats all things we have seen from other cpu's as well.

[[LCN]Knowledge]

I think it does...
I'm using bios 1.1 but on E4300 and Q6600G0.
You see the 1st pg..
the test was done on E6550 and v1.1...
http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/sh....php?t=1754798

Oh, i saw that review, but i missed the CPU-Z screenshot showing BIOS V1.1

Thanks!, i guess i wont have problem if the board comes with that BIOS.