Socket 939 Chipsets: Motherboard Performance & PCI/AGP Locks
by Wesley Fink on June 2, 2004 12:01 AM EST- Posted in
- CPUs
VIA PCI/AGP Lock
When VIA introduced their K8T800 PRO chipset, they also introduced a new feature for VIA - the ability to fix the AGP/PCI frequency for overclocking. This is a feature that enthusiasts had come to enjoy on earlier Intel and nVidia chipsets, and many enthusiasts were staying away from VIA chipsets until this feature was also implemented on VIA chipsets.The addition of the PCI/AGP lock is, to our way of thinking, a critical feature for VIA to compete with both nVidia and Intel for enthusiast buyers in the motherboard market. We applauded VIA's move to the PCI/AGP lock in our launch review of the K8T800 PRO. While we found this feature did work on the VIA Reference board, it didn't work very well. The feature also worked on several K8T800 PRO Reference boards that we have tested, but we also realize these are highly optimized and verified before we ever see these Reference Boards at AnandTech.
We figured that we would be seeing working competitive PCI/AGP locks on shipping K8T800 PRO chipsets, but that has not really materialized. In fact, we are very disturbed at the chaos that seems to surround the VIA implementation of the PCI/AGP lock at the manufacturers that we have talked with here at Computex. Some have proclaimed the feature is so unstable that they will not include it in VIA K8T800 PRO boards, while others say the feature is actually broken in the majority of the chipsets that they are currently receiving from VIA.
VIA themselves acknowledge that there is a problem with the AGP/PCI lock feature on the K8T800 PRO chipset, though they state the feature does work for limited overclocking in shipping chipsets - and will be quickly and completely fixed as soon as they can determine the factors that are causing the instability and inconsistency in the current PCI/AGP lock. The fact that VIA still does not know what exactly is wrong with the PCI/AGP lock on K8T800 PRO does not bode well for a quick fix.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
20 Comments
View All Comments
Wesley Fink - Friday, June 4, 2004 - link
#12 and #19 -We received the 2nd motherboard less than 24 hours before leaving for Computex, and did not sleep so first test results could be carried with us to Taiwan - so we could post when NDA expired while we were at Computex. The article was written in-between visiting booths 8000 miles from home - to bring you coverage of the show. Right now I am in Zhongshan, China and will not return until late next week.
We will test 4 dimms when we review the first SHIPPING 939 boards - when we return from China. I rarely have Reference boards and a stock test bench with me in mainland China.
SpaceRanger - Thursday, June 3, 2004 - link
What bothers me, is that days later, questions still go unanswered. Not cool Anandtech. Your reputation is slipping.daveshel - Thursday, June 3, 2004 - link
Do the enthusiasts reading this article agree that we tend to upgrade motherboards more often than processors? Not true for me.FacelessNobody - Wednesday, June 2, 2004 - link
Another factor I'd like to see included in this roundup is RAID performance. Based on this review, I like the nForce3 250 more, but I've heard that VIA is ahead in their SATA RAID implementation. With the two chipsets so close, RAID performance could easily be a determining factor, not to mention one that means more to me (and probably others) than PCI/AGP locks.Eidolon - Wednesday, June 2, 2004 - link
if nVidia isn't going PCI-Express until Q3 or Q4, who is doing it like this or next month? VIA and SiS?HolgMan - Wednesday, June 2, 2004 - link
Will there be any Socket 940 Boards with either nForce3-250 or K8T800 Pro?Wesley Fink - Wednesday, June 2, 2004 - link
#10 -nVidia is showing PCI Express boards for Athlon 64 Socket 939 at Comdex. While the PCI Express boards are an unannounced product, nVidia says we may seen these as early as 3rd quarter.
MemberSince97 - Wednesday, June 2, 2004 - link
# 12 Very good point...SpaceRanger - Wednesday, June 2, 2004 - link
I saw 4 DIMM slots, but they didn't go into how stable and at what speeds these boards were capable of running with all 4 DIMM slots filled. Anyone know?Nyati13 - Wednesday, June 2, 2004 - link
#9 That is because the most important parts of what used to be a 'Northbridge' are now in the CPU itself, which leaves much less for the motherboard chipset to do.
Jeremy