X-bit labs

AMD Fan Kit: Phenom 9600 Black Edition CPU + DFI LANParty UT 790FX-M2R Mainboard (page 4)

Category: CPU

by Ilya Gavrichenkov

[ 01/22/2008 | 04:19 PM ]

Another brand name feature of this DFI mainboard is the original processor voltage regulator module that uses digital feedback and has no electrolytic capacitors. This circuitry uses high-frequency MOSFETs and thus can do perfectly well with only small ceramic SMT capacitors. As for the number of phases, this PWM is a seven-phase one: six deal with the processor core and the last one is responsible for powering the integrated AMD Phenom North Bridge.

I would like to point out that the processor voltage regulator circuitry of the DFI LANParty UT 790FX-M2R mainboard uses transistors with high operational temperatures, so proper cooling is necessary for them. That is why the voltage regulator is covered with a massive heatsink connected to the chipset North and South Bridge heatsinks with a heatpipe. Although mainboard makers use solutions like that left and right, DFI found a way to surprise us here. The thing is that besides the cooling system already installed on the board, they also bundle it with an additional Transpiper heatsink. Its smart retention mechanism and the use of heatpipe technology allow you to install this heatsink on either the VRM or on the chipset South Bridge. You may even put it outside the system case!

Moreover, another Transpiper retention allows attaching an 80-mm fan to it. However, don’t think that heat dissipation is a big issue for DFI LANParty UT 790FX-M2R mainboard. All components that heat up during work are cooled down perfectly well even without this additional heatsink. So, you should actually regard Transpiper as a nice bonus accessory that will please many enthusiasts with its non-traditional design and stress original thinking of DFI’s R&D team.

The developers certainly paid special attention to the convenience of the PCB layout. All connectors are very smartly placed, putting together a system with DFI LANParty UT 790FX-M2R mainboard in it should be easy and fast. Nevertheless, there are a few things that we would like to point out. For example, we were pretty upset to find the memory slots extremely close to the processor socket. It should prevent you from using the whole lot of massive cooling systems.

However, we are ready to forgive DFI engineers for this drawback, because we have come across extensive evidence that the manufacturer does care a lot for LANParty UT 790FX-M2R users. The main advantage of DFI LANParty UT 790FX-M2R over other similar solutions is the fully-fledged POST-code indicator, Power and Reset buttons. Moreover, these buttons have one more function: if you press and hold them simultaneously for a few seconds, you will be able to clear CMOS, which is often very useful during overclocking experiments.