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ASUS Crosshair V Formula (AMD990FX) - first part of the puzzle for Scorpius

Joined
May 18, 2009
Messages
406 (0.07/day)
Location
czech republic
System Name AMD forever, AMD overclocker
Processor Athlon 3000+ Venice, Athlon x2 4600+ EE Windsor,x4 955 BE@3.9GHz AIR, X4 965 BE, x4 970 BE, x6 1090T
Motherboard Asus C5F-Z, Asus C5F, Asus C4E, Asus C4F, Asus RIIIE, Asus R4E, Asus M5F, Asus M6F, Asus M7H,
Cooling Corsair H100, Swiftech H220, CM Hyper 212, Xigmatek 1283 DK+Ultra Kaze, CM V6GT, Noctua NHD14
Memory Kingston Hyper X, 1600 A-Data 2000x, Corsair Dominator GT 2000 MHz, GSkill TridentX 2400MHz, HyperX
Video Card(s) HD3870 512MB GDDR4, HD5770 1024MB GDDR5, ATI HD4870, HD 6870 GDDR5, HD 7870,Radeon R9-270X
Storage 2x 320GB WD+Samsung, 1x 500 GB Samsung, SSD X-25, SSD HyperX, SSD Seagate, SSD Corsair GT
Display(s) BenQ 24" 24XL
Case HAF 922, Aspire X-Cruiser, benchtable Wroom
Power Supply Seasonic 500W and Seasonic 650W, Corsair AX 1200W, Zalman Goldrock 750, Galaxy OC edition 1200W
Software x64 win 7 and x86 Win XP SP3
Benchmark Scores you rather I do not want to see .. :-D !!!Thuban coming soon, new secret Gigabyte mobo too !!!
1-Preliminary and layout
ROG motherboards are the best of products ASUS. A dnes nastal znovu den „D“ pro AMD platformu a základní desky připravené i pro nové procesory AMD Bulldozer. And today is again the "D" day for the AMD platform motherboards, and ready for the new CPUs AMD Bulldozer. For the BD launch every AMD fan impatiently waiting, now we can to shorten waiting in my motherboard preview.For AMD BD is today presented the new AMD chipsets 970/990x/990FX. Already we will see no 990GX boards, would lack sense of when they actually function replace better Llano, the APU from AMD.
Already a few days before the NDA a few photos of this "gem" escaped, but managed to conceal it long enough. The motherboard should have reportedly offered in two versions: with the expansion card Thunderbolt or without it. Additional card Thunderbolt is actually a combination of LAN and sound card in one case.
Look at the diagram of the motherboard. Crosshair Formula contains the highest chipset, AMD 990FX, that combines the RD990 northbridge and SB950 southbridge. In contrast, the 890FX chipset is functionally no much has changed. What is completely new, full digital processor power. As we can see, also support memory frequency 1866 MHz (only in case of casting Bulldozer) and a black socket AM3 + with 942 pins. Newly chipset can support SLI and Crossfire! All the particulars of how it communicates the CPU and the bridge is evident from the scheme.



Now itself the motherboard. Let's look first at the packaging :).



But what is wrong? ROG restore to the old colors and also returned to quieter heatsink :rofl:
No, seriously, I had to make a small joke and show us photos first of Asus ROG boards Formula. Now you really look at the Crosshair motherboard V.





ASUS is green :)

As you can see, the motherboard looks really good. Has also changed the heatsink, which is very similary to heatsink of the Maximus Extreme IV, it was also recently totally separated from the southern bridge. Old motherboards have it connected via heatpipes. Strong segmentation of the VRM heatsink areas should dissipate heat more effectively than her sister last year Corsshair IV. At first glance you will notice other changes.
One of them is the AM3 socket +, is easier to distinguish from the AM3 is black. Also contacts for pin are diameters slightly higher. The reason is probably easier to handle with the processor and the correct insertion at the first attempt. If you are ever in the embedded processor shaking hand, you know what I mean. It is also a new attachment for the condenser. Box disappeared and instead we remained two sides. It has a reason for better heat dissipation of close to bottom. Dimensionally, however, nothing changed and the existing cooler for AM2 + / AM3 will fit. As overclockers would have pointed to the "clean" the area around the CPU socket. This will facilitate the stripping plates with plastic rubber. Here, ASUS thought well of overclockers.
Against layout boards do not object, its OK. Due to standard ATX size, could not even solve a combination of PCI and PCIe otherwise if we go in SLI or Crossfire, then we will use the first and third slot. PCI is located just between them, so would not conflict with each other to occur. Some people come to discuss the leaked photos of the location of the 'Start', 'reset', 'CPU Level Up. "In my opinion, they are placed correctly. Crosshair Formula IV, is still more the gameboard more than purely OC board and this mean which it allows to be placed in to PC case. Then it seems for my point of view the location of the buttons better than the example above near the memory slots. The Extreme version of it will certainly be different.


From below we look at a traditional backplate CPU cooling recently, the lower MOSFET. Positive is that the liabilities associated with the motherboard with screws, so no plastic pegs.
Now look at detailed pictures of the motherboard. I apologize in advance for the quality of photos, I've ever had, and invest in better camera and english learning course :rofl:




The first photo we see the pasives of the CPU mosfets, NB section. I was red framed the main voltage regulator, here is the ASUS Extreme Digi + (Chill). It is controlling the various phases. There are total 10 phases, of which 8 are for CPU and 2 for the remaining part uncore processor. Each phase has its own digital driver and in an emergency situation and the possible destruction of one phase others work still remaining. Furthermore, this switching phases used in the one function of the EPU. On the left side we see the memory slots (retail is going to have the opposite colored than my sample) in the left corner click the "Go button". This will be done by either the wrong post record safe profile memory (MEM OK) or when we are already in Windows, then a function of load profile over the OC hold the button. The function reaches into your BIOS settings in the "Go button file. Finally, at the bottom of the picture we perceive double the CPU power supply, and there is still 8pin and extra 4pin connector. This helps with hard OC, especially when overclocking with liquid nitrogen. Generally needed for Bulldozer harder supplied in extreme overclocking,higher than for Thuban. Recommend to watch this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w70... 8 fans! Board has support for RAID 0/1/5/10.
 
Joined
May 18, 2009
Messages
406 (0.07/day)
Location
czech republic
System Name AMD forever, AMD overclocker
Processor Athlon 3000+ Venice, Athlon x2 4600+ EE Windsor,x4 955 BE@3.9GHz AIR, X4 965 BE, x4 970 BE, x6 1090T
Motherboard Asus C5F-Z, Asus C5F, Asus C4E, Asus C4F, Asus RIIIE, Asus R4E, Asus M5F, Asus M6F, Asus M7H,
Cooling Corsair H100, Swiftech H220, CM Hyper 212, Xigmatek 1283 DK+Ultra Kaze, CM V6GT, Noctua NHD14
Memory Kingston Hyper X, 1600 A-Data 2000x, Corsair Dominator GT 2000 MHz, GSkill TridentX 2400MHz, HyperX
Video Card(s) HD3870 512MB GDDR4, HD5770 1024MB GDDR5, ATI HD4870, HD 6870 GDDR5, HD 7870,Radeon R9-270X
Storage 2x 320GB WD+Samsung, 1x 500 GB Samsung, SSD X-25, SSD HyperX, SSD Seagate, SSD Corsair GT
Display(s) BenQ 24" 24XL
Case HAF 922, Aspire X-Cruiser, benchtable Wroom
Power Supply Seasonic 500W and Seasonic 650W, Corsair AX 1200W, Zalman Goldrock 750, Galaxy OC edition 1200W
Software x64 win 7 and x86 Win XP SP3
Benchmark Scores you rather I do not want to see .. :-D !!!Thuban coming soon, new secret Gigabyte mobo too !!!
BIOS and BIOS settings
The new AMD boards, it seems, leaves the old ASUS Award BIOS interface and provides a graphical interface UEFI. This ASUS succeeded in my opinion is the leader of all the manufacturers who has UEFI, is their best concept.For fetishists :D, I made all printscreens almost any combination of BIOS and can be downloaded from the link below:

http://www.edisk.cz/stahni/09619/UEFI.zip_4.73MB.html

In UEFI we can move with mouse or keyboard and the old fashioned way. Not even the idea that keyboard died with new interface. I also originally prefered classical BIOS, but after the experience with the Maximus Extreme IV, I have got used UEFI quickly. Graphical administration is transparent, color tasteful, maybe just type fonts could be intensified. With new ASUS UEFI is able to take pictures simply by pressing the F12 key.




The first item is a submenu of the ROG series "Extreme Tweaker". This is for a more detailed set of components. An interesting option is the "Extreme Load OC profile. It is used mainly for various validation and in general skewed clocking. Reason? In this profile, we have already shutdown all unnecessary ports and do not have to manually shut down already.



RAM can be selected in each step in the "DRAM OC Profile" to even the 2400 MHz!





standart DRAM multiplier is up to 1600 MHz (for Phenoms II)


http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/3023/080107211502.jpg[/img

Setings for CPU-NB and HT link freqency

[img] http://img804.imageshack.us/img804/9776/080107211517.jpg
CnQ etc



next RAM advanced setings


ther items refer to CPU settings LLC and CPU / NB LLC and set the PWM and VRM. This may increase the potential for extreme OC. Load Line Calibration is adjustable up to 5 degrees. Is ideal for overclocking to set a higher median value(medium to ultra high). Extreme is used for overclocking with LN2.


Here we see the rest of the settings such as the north bridge voltage, the HT bus, etc. Go to the next UEFI tab.


Main tab contains information about the BIOS and the date, processor, memory size, current date and time (it can be set here).


In the Advanced settings have other settings for the CPU, northbridge, SATA and USB connectors. We are here to look at options i iROG chip and LEDs. Some of the items will look in more detail.



"CPU Configuration" We will reduce the information processor and incorporates energy-saving features. In the "northbridge / memory configuration" contains another set of RAM and can also find here Unganged mode.







Monitor item





great fanspeedcontrol setup



The penultimate tab is the option "boot ". There is no need to imagine I would only draw attention to item "Setup Mode" on the second screenshot. Here you have to toggle between the UEFI Easy Mode and Advanced Mode.


ASUS EZ flash2 for update BIOS




Interesting are the SPD data memory, will open without CPU-Z in Windows, you can look at the specifications of RAM already in the UEFI!


Last one is "Go button file. Here, then, we set a profile, which to activate via the button at the board "Go button "to load. Of course, we can save up to 8 OC profiles in the BIOS settings.
 
Joined
May 18, 2009
Messages
406 (0.07/day)
Location
czech republic
System Name AMD forever, AMD overclocker
Processor Athlon 3000+ Venice, Athlon x2 4600+ EE Windsor,x4 955 BE@3.9GHz AIR, X4 965 BE, x4 970 BE, x6 1090T
Motherboard Asus C5F-Z, Asus C5F, Asus C4E, Asus C4F, Asus RIIIE, Asus R4E, Asus M5F, Asus M6F, Asus M7H,
Cooling Corsair H100, Swiftech H220, CM Hyper 212, Xigmatek 1283 DK+Ultra Kaze, CM V6GT, Noctua NHD14
Memory Kingston Hyper X, 1600 A-Data 2000x, Corsair Dominator GT 2000 MHz, GSkill TridentX 2400MHz, HyperX
Video Card(s) HD3870 512MB GDDR4, HD5770 1024MB GDDR5, ATI HD4870, HD 6870 GDDR5, HD 7870,Radeon R9-270X
Storage 2x 320GB WD+Samsung, 1x 500 GB Samsung, SSD X-25, SSD HyperX, SSD Seagate, SSD Corsair GT
Display(s) BenQ 24" 24XL
Case HAF 922, Aspire X-Cruiser, benchtable Wroom
Power Supply Seasonic 500W and Seasonic 650W, Corsair AX 1200W, Zalman Goldrock 750, Galaxy OC edition 1200W
Software x64 win 7 and x86 Win XP SP3
Benchmark Scores you rather I do not want to see .. :-D !!!Thuban coming soon, new secret Gigabyte mobo too !!!
Test configuration and software
ASUS Crosshair V Formula
2x 2GB DDR3 Gskill RipjawsX 2133MHz 8-9-8-24
AMD Phenom II x6 1100T BE (3300 MHz)
Noctua NH-D14
ASUS radeon HD4870 Matrix
HD WD 640GB black 7200rpm
Corsair AX1200 1200W
Wroom benchtable






The operating system was Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit. I then tested the benchmarks:
SuperPi, hyperpí, wprime y-Cruncher, CINEBENCH R10, R11.5 CINEBENCH, Fritzchess benchmark hexuspi, MAXM, WinRAR hwinfo benchmark Everest cache and memory, Geekbench, Passmark (CPU), 3.0 x264 benchmark, 3D Mark 06, 3D Mark Vantage.

AI Suite II
This software is no longer needs no introduction. It is here with us for almost a year and including combination of the best what previously ASUS supplied for us as individual utilities for overclocking, monitoring and adjusting fan speed and saving profiles, the EPU.
















And there is already a classic menu for overclocking, which is known as your shoes :p. I must say that this is probably the best OC utility with which I have encountered in practice. I miss the only option to save directly to your BIOS, which last year had Crosshair Formula IV.






Part of the fan speed setting, the perfect thing. Here ASUS clearly points because in addition works flawlessly!

 
Joined
May 18, 2009
Messages
406 (0.07/day)
Location
czech republic
System Name AMD forever, AMD overclocker
Processor Athlon 3000+ Venice, Athlon x2 4600+ EE Windsor,x4 955 BE@3.9GHz AIR, X4 965 BE, x4 970 BE, x6 1090T
Motherboard Asus C5F-Z, Asus C5F, Asus C4E, Asus C4F, Asus RIIIE, Asus R4E, Asus M5F, Asus M6F, Asus M7H,
Cooling Corsair H100, Swiftech H220, CM Hyper 212, Xigmatek 1283 DK+Ultra Kaze, CM V6GT, Noctua NHD14
Memory Kingston Hyper X, 1600 A-Data 2000x, Corsair Dominator GT 2000 MHz, GSkill TridentX 2400MHz, HyperX
Video Card(s) HD3870 512MB GDDR4, HD5770 1024MB GDDR5, ATI HD4870, HD 6870 GDDR5, HD 7870,Radeon R9-270X
Storage 2x 320GB WD+Samsung, 1x 500 GB Samsung, SSD X-25, SSD HyperX, SSD Seagate, SSD Corsair GT
Display(s) BenQ 24" 24XL
Case HAF 922, Aspire X-Cruiser, benchtable Wroom
Power Supply Seasonic 500W and Seasonic 650W, Corsair AX 1200W, Zalman Goldrock 750, Galaxy OC edition 1200W
Software x64 win 7 and x86 Win XP SP3
Benchmark Scores you rather I do not want to see .. :-D !!!Thuban coming soon, new secret Gigabyte mobo too !!!
Overclocking with retail x6 1100T, benchmarks

At overclocking at new 990FX chipset motherboard I was very curious, specially if I was available to only a beta BIOS. Crosshair IV series and no only it unpleasant strange, when the load under certain circumstances, the basic hopping bus clock from 200 MHz to 202 MHz and it could cause instability in the limit bars. If you was set for example 240 MHz bus and the 17x CPU multiplier, then you flew in the load frequency between 4080 MHz to 4114 MHz. It is more than 30 MHz CPU at maximum CPU clock is slightly already value what causes instability.
To my amazing, here I did not similary produce and holds it, what it really set! Perfect, so it should look, Shamino sure doing it job very well. Too bad that is not available yet Bulldozer CPU, I would wonder at his options at this board. Thuban have also led to great and I managed stable in 64-bit system just beyond 4200 MHz - exctly 4214 MHz.



It should not be a problem with the stability of the memory frequency 2000 MHz.And I got up to 2062 MHz with a timing of 8-9-8-24-37-1T at 1.675V voltage relaxed mind.



Lets time to benchmarks result
So I tested the basic setup with AMD Turbocore enabled and with beta BIOS. RAM, I was set at 1600 MHz, 8-8-8-24-37-1T. In the case of OC setting, processor running at 4214 MHz, 1926 MHz RAM with 8-9-8-24-37-1T and uncore at 2890 MHz.























So, from my point of view is this board very good, I had no problems with using, layout looks good and performance is simillary as C4E. But for this board will be better Bulldozer. THubans are at the limits. Whats better, seems potential of overclocking limit for RAMs and NB a bit. And VRM setings is new great for extreme values of stability.

Heh, FlanK3rs AWARD:up::rofl:
 
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