ABIT KV7 (KT600): Budget Performance in a Small Package
by Evan Lieb on September 7, 2003 10:42 PM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
ABIT KV7: Stress Testing
We performed stress tests on the ABIT KV7 in these areas and configurations:1. Chipset and motherboard stress testing, conducted by running the FSB at 211MHz.
2. Memory stress testing, conducted by running RAM at 400MHz with one DIMM slot filled and at 400MHz with both DIMM slots filled, at the lowest memory timings possible.
Front Side Bus Stress Test Results:
As standard practice, we ran a full range of stress tests and benchmarks to ensure that the ABIT KV7 was absolutely stable at each overclocked FSB speed. These stress tests included Prime95 torture tests, which were run in the background for a total of 24 hours.In addition, we ran several other tasks: data compression, various DX8 and DX9 games, and apps, like Word and Excel. Moreover, Prime95 was running in the background. Finally, we ran our benchmark suite, which includes ZD Winstone suite, Unreal Tournament 2003, SPECviewperf 7.0, and Gun Metal Benchmark 2. While we were able to boot and run some tests at speeds as high as 220MHz FSB and at default voltage on the KV7, 211MHz was the highest achievable overclock without encountering any reliability issues.
Memory Stress Test Results:
This memory stress test is very basic, as it simply tests the ability of the KV7 to operate at its officially supported memory frequency (400MHz DDR) and at the lowest supported memory timings that our Corsair TwinX LL modules support:| Stable Dual DDR400 Timings (2/3 banks populated) |
|
| Clock Speed: | 200MHz |
| Fast Command: | Fast |
| CAS Latency: | 2.0 |
| Bank Interleave: | Disabled |
| RAS to CAS Delay: | 2T |
| RAS Precharge: | 6T |
| Precharge Delay: | 2T |
| Command Rate: | 2T |
Here, we see the KV7 performed decently with two, on par with other KT600 motherboards on the market. The reason you don’t see a Fast Command of Ultra mode is because the KV7’s BIOS did not allow from any mode but Normal and Fast. This may have contributed to the KV7’s somewhat slow stock performance in our benchmark suite. However, the difference would never be noticeable in any real world situation; it’s simply something of note.
Filling both available memory banks is more strenuous on the memory subsystem than testing one bank in single-channel mode, as it tests two DIMMs running 400MHz DDR at the most aggressive memory timings available in the BIOS:
| Stable DDR400 Timings (3/3 banks populated) |
|
| Clock Speed: | 200MHz |
| Fast Command: | Normal |
| CAS Latency: | 2.0 |
| Bank Interleave: | Disabled |
| RAS to CAS Delay: | 3T |
| RAS Precharge: | 6T |
| Precharge Delay: | 2T |
| Command Rate: | 1T |
In this scenario, we see that the memory modules we used needed quite a bit of relaxation operating in the KV7. This means that the KV7 was unable to operate at the fastest available performance timings located in its BIOS. nForce2 motherboards are somewhat notorious for their excellent multi-DIMM performance, so this is one area where the KV7 (and all KT600 motherboards for that matter) fall short. The real world performance is still quite small though, so we urge users not to base their purchases on these findings, but on the accumulation of our findings (stock performance, overclocked performance, price, etc.).
We tested all these memory timings using several stress tests and general applications to guarantee stability. Prime95 torture tests were successfully run at the timings listed in the above charts. We also ran Sciencemark (memory tests only) and Super Pi. None of the three stress tests created stability problems for the ABIT KV7 at these memory timings.
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Anonymous User - Sunday, September 21, 2003 - link
Hey morons - get a Life.To All Other human beings:
Does This Board unlock The Tbreds Multiplier wise?
Anonymous User - Sunday, September 14, 2003 - link
I am sorry if you are upset because I point out errors in your posts, #32. It is not that I think I am smart, it is that these things just pop out at me. In the sentence that begins with "Good lord," a comma should go between "forum" and "so" to separate the clauses. Hope this helps. Talk to you soon!Anonymous User - Sunday, September 14, 2003 - link
Man, can't you come up with anything new? Your posts all follow the same formula:Step 1: A sarcastic response to my post
Step 2: Repeat whatever I said in my post (i.e. state the obvious
Step 3: A useless suggestion
Your excessive use of sarcasm has reached the point of making me sick. I wonder if you're like this in real life... makes me feel sorry for the people around you. At the same time, I find it pretty funny too because I bet you really do think you're smart, and you're probably trying to prove it to everyone all the time. That was probably how this whole thing started. You wanted to prove me wrong for being "cold and rude" and show everyone who reads these comments how righteous you are, and by being sarcastic show them how "intelligent" you are. I'm sorry buddy, but we're no longer in high school; it takes much more than knowing how to use sarcasm to show you're intelligent. You probably didn't expect a response after patting yourself on the back for making your original comment, and now you're struggling like mad to try and save whatever face you have left. HAHA I hope that in your next post, you'll try and be a little more original, because quite frankly, you're getting pretty boring and predictable.
Oh yes, instead of making multiple posts, I'll just keep everything all in one post.
PUAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA You must be flaming mad because I'm so "stupid" and ruined your little plan.
And now everyone, here is Mr. Hypocrite once again:
"This is not my definition of professionalism, so I choose to discontinue my dialog with someone who cannot maintain a professional discourse."
Good lord, I don't want to insult anyone else in this forum so I won't question your sexuality, aight? Have a nice weekend!!!
BAHAHHAHAHAAHAA!!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous User - Sunday, September 14, 2003 - link
In response to your post as #28, I am flattered, but at the same time somewhat embarrassed, by the high regard in which you hold me. I appreciate it.While all of your posts are truly gems, I found your last as #30 to be particularly valuable. It is a significant improvement over your post as #29, where you chose to simply copy a sentence from a prior post of mine. Further, I am very pleased that I have been able to encourage you to desist from your use of vulgarity as your means of expression in a professional context.
As to what my point was, please reread my previous posts the next time you are looking for sentences to copy. Hope to hear from you soon!
Anonymous User - Sunday, September 14, 2003 - link
PUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!!!Anonymous User - Sunday, September 14, 2003 - link
This is not my definition of professionalism, so I choose to discontinue my dialog with someone who cannot maintain a professional discourse.Anonymous User - Sunday, September 14, 2003 - link
puhahahhahaa, couldn't resist, could you? To be totally honest now, I really look up to you and think you're really smart, so I'd love to continue responding to you and proving your initial point. I mean god, this is just so great, isn't it? I hope you keep responding. =)So um... what was your original point? Dude I totally missed it, if you could enlighten me please? I'm not as intelligent as you, so if you'd just remind me what it was, I'd be extremely grateful. Okay, I think that's about it, can't wait for your response. ;)
Anonymous User - Saturday, September 13, 2003 - link
I am sorry you misundertood my last post, #26. I meant that it was no fun because it was boring, not because I was impressed with your continued vulgarity. However, it is difficult to resist when I know you will just keep posting as long as I do, particularly when you prove my initial point with every message you write. Looking forward to your next post . . .Anonymous User - Saturday, September 13, 2003 - link
Aw, poor baby, so it's no longer fun for you? I guess it's no fun when the person you're being an asshole to gives you back the same treatment. I hope you had fun counting and numbering my sentences though... that must have been quite a task. I mean, I had trouble following along with your description of my mistakes, and I had the benefit of someone already numbering them out for me. Of course, I'm not as smart as you are, so maybe that's why I had difficulty. Anyhow, I hope you will stop being a hypocrite and actually *do* the things you will say you will (discontinue your dialog, for example). Oh, and uh, lighten up!!! =)Anonymous User - Saturday, September 13, 2003 - link
#24 As noted in my post as #22, I have continued to post because it was fun. It has now ceased being so. I am particularly taken aback by your use of vulgarity in what you acknowledge is a professional site. This is not my definition of professionalism, so I choose to discontinue my dialog with someone who cannot maintain a professional discourse. At the same time, I find it moderately amusing that you have adopted a sarcastic tone (e.g., "poor, hurt feelings" Evan) after having derided me earlier for posting sarcastically.Finally, I must confess that I find your posts difficult to follow because of your incorrect omission of commas. For your benefit, I want to point out that commas should go between "site" and "and" and between "comment" and "I" in the third sentence; between "hurt" and "anyway" in the fifth; and between "words" and "my" in the thirteenth. You also have omitted a word, a required conjunction, in the fourteenth sentence. Please take the time to make your posts more readable. Thanks. haha