by Doors4ever
02/21/2008 | 03:55 PM
What do you usually mean when you say “overclocker mainboard”? It is a mainboard that should know to increase frequencies and voltages, isn’t it? But what frequencies and voltages, in what intervals and with what increment should these be? I don’t think parameters need to be listed, because if we give it a little bit more though, they all become secondary. Yesterday overclocking to 200MHz FSB was enough, and today we are not happy if we can hit only 500MHz FSB. Today one parameter is important, tomorrow, there will be others, so we will not be able to list them all. Overclocker mainboard is a mainboard for overclocking fans, i.e. it should meet their demands to the utmost, but how and with the help of what parameters and features, is a less significant detail in this case.
<%BANNER[article]%>From this standpoint, a good or “normal” mainboard will be the one that will suit the needs of an average overclocker. In other words, it should be able to overclock easily and quickly. In fact, there is nothing complicated about it, it doesn’t necessarily have to support any unique “technologies” and bear numerous reviewers’ awards. There are a lot of examples, when the simplest mainboards, the youngest models in the product lineup coped perfectly well with overclocking objectives. Any mainboard may actually be a “normal overclocker” solution, although it is actually not exactly like that in reality.
Excellent overclocker mainboard should also meet the demands of extreme overclockers, computer enthusiasts and benchers. The basic set of features will not be enough by definition here. It should be a special highly robust solution developed with a lot of advanced features in mind. Designing a mainboard like that takes a lot of time and finances, so you will probably find them among high-end elite models. Fine tuning techniques applied to an excellent overclocker mainboard will ensure a higher performance level than a “normal” overclocker mainboard can offer, it is fit for record-breaking achievements and extreme experiments.
There is one more category that is often left out for some reason: commencing overclockers. Experienced overclockers are usually indulgent to them at best, while benchers-enthusiasts may act sort of semi-contemptuous. However, the interests of this particular user group should also be taken into account for the mainboard to get the title of the best overclocker product. There is nothing complicated about overclocking, as long as you understand the basic principles that never change, figure out BIOS fine tuning techniques and take into account the peculiarities of your particular CPU model and memory type. It is pretty simple, but you have to do some reading first, while you may want to get the results here and now. All the automatic overclocking tools are being developed specifically for users like that. Of course, you cannot get the same performance level as you would in case all parameters are set manually, not to mention the advanced mainboard options that allow sorting out the most optimal settings experimentally, but you can see the result immediately and without much effort.
It is a very hard task to design a mainboard that will meet the demands of all overclocker groups that is why very few manufacturers actually go for it. Developing and manufacturing a mainboard like that requires quite a bit of additional investments, but far not every mainboard should be an overclocker one. Office computers do not need to be overclocked, so most mainboards have very little of none of overclocking related features for the sake of keeping their end-price down. If a mainboard maker decides to design a mainboard with some overclocking friendly features, they usually implement some basic options. DFI, however, uses different approach. Instead of rolling out regular overclocker solutions or mainboards without any overclocking friendly options at all, they are focusing on the needs of overclocking fans and computer enthusiasts in every product they build.
You may think that this strategy is a faulty one, because far not every PC user gets down to overclocking and among those who do, the percentage of extreme overclocking fans is pretty low overall. So, it turns out that they narrowed down their efforts to a very specific user group instead of expanding their effort for a much broader audience. However despite all expectations, this approach resulted in a remarkable victory for DFI. Extraordinarily extensive overclocking friendly features of their mainboards distinguished their products from competitors. The company got a very active and dedicated fan base, so that even those guys who do not feel like going into overclocking just yet decided to go for a DFI mainboard just for the sake of it.
Even before we start discussing our today’s hero - DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R mainboard, we can say that it will not be suitable for a commencing overclocker. It is designed for computer enthusiasts and boasts a humongous set of options. So our today’s review will help reveal all these numerous unique features, will show if the board is suitable for a regular overclocker and can be used for “normal” non-extreme overclocking experiments as successfully as for extreme ones.
DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R mainboard comes in a small not very bright-colored glossy box. The front of it bears only the manufacturer’s name and mainboard model, while the reverse side contains the list of its technical specifications.
The back of the box lists only its basic features, so if you are looking for a more detailed list you should check out the table below:
The features of DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R are truly impressive. Like all other mainboards on Intel X38 Express chipset, it supports all contemporary LGA775 processors, up to 8GB of DDR2 memory, allows using two graphics cards in CrossFire mode and can accommodate the third one for physics calculations. Intel ICH9R South Bridge supports up to 6 SATA hard disk drives in a RAID array and an additional onboard JMicron JMB363 controller provides another two SATA and one PATA channel with up to two devices support. Realtek ALC885 codec is responsible for 8-channel sound. The mainboard is also equipped with two Gigabit network controllers: Marvell 88E8052 and Marvell 88E8053 connected to the PCI-E bus, while IEEE1394 support is implemented by VIA VT6307 controller. This is a pretty impressive list, now we have to see how well they managed to place all these components on the mainboard PCB.
At first glance it looks very nice. The PCB layout scheme is a great tool is estimating how optimal the location of the major components is, but it doesn’t give us any reasons for criticism, too:
Now let’s check out the major components of DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R in greater detail. First we will talk about the onboard cooling system. The chipset South Bridge is topped with a small aluminum heatsink.
However, the chipset North Bridge has none on top of it. The default cooling system is so tall that it is shipped dismounted:
We have already come across this cooling solution on other DFI mainboards, such as DFI LANParty UT NF680i LT SLI-T2R, for instance. The heatpipe goes through a grove in the base of aluminum heatsink and is covered with a thin copper plate:
The heat is dissipated by the heatsink itself as well as the thin plates sitting on the heatpipe. The only difference is the way this cooler is fastened. It used to be fastened tightly with four resilient metal wire-hooks, while this time it is clipped to the PCB with only two plastic studs:
Now, however, you shouldn’t fear any more that you may accidentally chip the side of the micro-chip when installing the heatsink. The Intel X38 chip is topped with the same heat-spreader as contemporary processors, and invites you to check out different thermal compounds and heatsinks for maximum efficiency:
You can fasten an additional cooling fan on the side of the chipset heatsink with two enclosed wire clips. Although it can hardly be called “fastening”. The fan seems to be just slightly pressed against the heatsink:
The clips can be installed on the opposite side of the heatsink, too, thanks to corresponding retention holes in the plates, which is very convenient. For example, we didn’t have any problems when we installed Zalman CNPS9700 LED CPU cooler, however there was very little room left between the cooler and the chipset heatsink, so that no fan would fit there. I have to admit that it is a definite drawback, as you may be simply unable to install any larger processor coolers onto DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R mainboard.
However, I have to be fair to the chipset North Bridge cooler and say that it is efficient enough for the hot X38 chipset. It is fairly rare that we didn’t have to bother with additional heatsink cooling even during extreme overclocking of a quad-core Kentsfield processor. We even suspected that the heatsink is not warming up too well because of the poor contact between the heatsink base and the chipset. However, our concerns were unjustified: even after we reinstalled the heatsink, there was no need for an additional fan.
In conclusion to our heatsinks discussion, we would like to say a few words about the cooling system used for the eight-phase digital processor voltage regulator circuitry. The massive aluminum heatsink is placed in such a way that it could be cooled with the airflow generated by the CPU cooler immediately ousting hot air outside the system case.
Overclocked quad-core processor on Kentsfield core does heat up a lot and the heatsink cannot remain cool anyway. However, its temperature is not even close to the scorching-hot PWM heatsink on the four-phase voltage regulator of abit IX38 QuadGT mainboard.
If we look at the top part of DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R mainboard, we should definitely point out the eight-pin ATX12V power connector located very close to the processor voltage regulator, very conveniently located 24-pin power connector and IDE connectors. Now let’s move on to the lower part of the mainboard PCB.
The main difference between the Intel X38 Express chipset and its predecessor is the support of two second-generation PCI Express x16 slots. Moreover, the two graphics cards installed in them will work at their full speed of x16. The third PCI Express x16 slot, if available, belongs to the first generation and works at x4 only. DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R mainboard boasts the exact same configuration. Besides, it is also equipped with one PCI Express x1 slot and three PCU slots.
Intel ICH9R South Bridge supports six SATA ports and allows building RAID arrays of the following types: RAID 0, RAID1, RAID 0+1 and RAID 5. JMicron JMB363 controller provides another two SATA ports (yellow color) that also support RAID. The mainboard is equipped with a POST-indicator, Power On and Reset buttons (if the mainboard has power you can clear CMOS by pressing both of them at the same time). The front panel connectors are all color-coded. The mainboard rear panel carries PS/2 connectors for keyboard and mouse, IEEE1394, two RJ45 and six USB ports.
I have to say that DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R PCB layout is overall very nice and makes a very good impression. We haven’t mentioned two small aluminum heatsinks sitting on top of heated components and the mainboard’s ability to support six fans. If you counted eight fan connectors, you should keep in mind that two four-pin connectors next to the top PCI Express x16 slots are for additional graphics card cooling only.
There is nothing in the design of DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R that we could complain about, but there are a few things that strike us as questionable. For example, the FDD connector sits very low. Then, it could have been nice to have at least one eSATA on the rear panel. The IEEE1394 connector in front of the first PCU slot shouldn’t cause any inconvenience if you use an additional bracket for the case rear panel. But will the cables be long enough if you decide to have it connected to the front or top case panel? I believe that a dozen onboard jumpers are a little excessive, too. And of course, we have already mentioned the large North Bridge chipset heatsink.
Now that we have taken close look at the DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R mainboard and saw that the primary color scheme is green, the color of the bundles cables will no longer be a surprise to us:
Like every other mainboard, DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R comes with an I/O Shield panel. It also includes a tube of thermal grease for the chipset North Bridge heatsink, a card for even application of this grease, four additional jumpers and the sound module cable connecting it to the mainboard connector located right in front of the lower PCI slots.
The only thing missing on the Bernstein audio module is the optical S/PDIF, so you will have to purchase it separately, if you really need it. And the connection to the mainboard with a short cable is actually very convenient, as it allows you to place the module anywhere you want on the back panel without losing precious space.
Moreover, the DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R bundle also includes user’s manual, installation guide for the chipset North Bridge heatsink, a floppy disk with RAID drivers and a CD disk with other drivers and utilities. Among these utilities there is only ClockGen from CPUID.com web-site and SmartGuardian monitoring tool from ITE.
If we check out the available materials, we will get the impression that DFI offers at least four mainboard models on Intel X38 Express chipset. Besides the DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R mainboard we are talking about in this review, there should also exist DFI LANParty UT X38-T2R that differs from our today’s hero by the chipset cooling solution using Transpiper unit. Besides, both mainboards should also be available with DDR3 SDRAM support, and in this case their model name should end with T3R, not T2R. The user’s manual mentions some differences in bundled accessories and even contains pictures of DFI LANParty UT X38-T2R/T3R boards:
We didn’t fin any word on any mainboards other than the today’s DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R on DFI official website, however stumbled upon an unknown DFI LANParty DK X38-T2R. The photograph and technical specifications of this mainboard suggest that it is a slightly simpler model: different PCB layout, no IEEE1394 controller, no second network card, JMicron JMB368 controller only offers PATA support and the sound card is integrated onto the board.
It is really a pity, we didn’t find anything else, because the use of external Transpiper cooling module allows to give up a large heatsink on top of the chipset North Bridge, so DFI LANParty UT X38-T2R could have undoubtedly become a hit. And of course, DFI mainboards on Intel X38 Express chipset with DDR3 SDRAM support could also have enjoyed great popularity among computer enthusiasts.
The BIOS of DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R mainboard is based on Phoenix-Award micro-code. It can be reflashed upon boot-up using a traditional floppy disk or from Windows with Winflash utility version 192 (the most current).
The options available in the first sections are pretty standard. The only thing we were pretty surprised with was the absence of an option to disable the IEEE1394 controller. Not that it is a very frequently used option, but why not disable this controller if it is not needed? Finally, if it is really hard to do in the BIOS, they could have added one more jumper to the board. However, we were very pleased to see that DFI joined those mainboard makers who enable USB keyboard and mouse support by default.
The first BIOS section that we should definitely dwell on is PC Health Status. At first glance it looks quite OK, though unfortunately we can control the rotation speed of only three fans out of six that can be connected to the board. Besides, fan rotation speed adjustment will not work if the fan uses a three-pin connector.
The CPU temperature according to DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R mainboard is reported as being too low. In fact, you can correct the reported parameters with the help of DFI’s unique Adjust CPU Temp option. However, how much higher should we set the CPU temperature reporting data if the difference with CoreTemp numbers in idle mode is over 20ºC (!) and in burn mode less than 10ºC? This makes us doubt the correctness of other monitoring data reported by the board.
No other mainboard out there can compete with Genie BIOS Setting section of DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R. The list of parameters that can be adjusted is impressively long:
The mainboard allows adjusting the processor clock frequency multiplier and FSB frequency from 200MHz to 700MHz, and the Target CPU Clock information string will immediately report the resulting CPU frequency. The memory frequency adjustment is also organized in the same convenient way. We select the desired FSB:Mem ratio from the list and Target DRAM Speed will report the resulting frequency.
The list of available dividers is quite extensive. Besides the ones you see on the screenshot above there are also 400/800 and 400/1066.
The parameters related to processor, memory and voltages are singled out in individual sub-sections. The simplest and most common-looking one is the CPU Feature section that doesn’t reveal any surprises:
However when we get into the next section called DRAM Timing, the list of available parameters can no longer fit into a single screen:
Actually, this is not all. Just look at the Clock Setting Fine Delay parameter. If you select it you get access to another long list of options:
The options of the Read Delay Adjust parameter also had to be put onto a separate page. These are truly phenomenal settings options, I should say!
DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R mainboard has everything you need in terms of voltage adjustment for successful overclocking experience:
Processor Vcore can be changed using two different parameters and the result will be different even if you set the same voltage. CPU VID Control parameter allows sending from 0.44375V to 1.6V voltage with an extremely low increment of 0.00625V. if you use this parameter the mainboard will maintain the set voltage in idle as well as burn mode. CPU VID Special Add allows raising the voltage by up to 30% with a small increment of 0.23-0.24%.
In this case power-saving technologies work as they are supposed to and in idle mode the CPU will drop not only its frequency but also its voltage. It is very convenient. The only thing missing is Target CPU Voltage string that could report the current processor Vcore in real time so that we didn’t have to check out multiple settings until we find the most optimal one.
Other voltages that can be adjusted are the following:
Note that the voltages from PC Health Status section have been repeated at the bottom of the screen. It allows to save some time switching between the sections and at the same time keep everything under control – another excellent example of how greatly the developers care for their users.
Winding up the discussion of DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R BIOS settings we should definitely say a few words about CMOS Reloaded page:
It allows saving four full BIOS profiles with detailed descriptions and loading the desired profile quickly and easily when needed. Moreover, the mainboard saves the latest settings profile after each successful boot-up, so you will always be able to get back to the recent successful settings even if you never saved them manually. These are very useful features when you are trying to find the most optimal overclocking settings, taking into account that the board may not always detect immediately if it has been over-overclocked. It is much faster to clear CMOS after the failed boot-up and get back to the last saved profile instead of waiting for the board to figure it out and offer the exact same thing to you.
This is where we could praise unbelievably extensive fine tuning options DFI has to offer its users, however, it is also where they have made one of the biggest omissions, I would say. The thing is that neither the user’s manual bundled with the DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R board, nor its two electronic versions available on the CD disk mention a word on the BIOS settings. Moreover, if you can guess the meaning of some parameters by their respective names, the others may remain a total mystery to you. For example, we don’t need to run any benchmarks to say that Enhance Data Transmitting optimized data transfer speed and “Fast” setting here is better than “Normal”. But what does the T2 Dispatch parameter stand for and what’s the difference between Exit Setup Shutdown Mode 1 and Mode 2?
I can point out much more examples like that and you have to really be a genius to figure out all the numerous parameters of the Genie BIOS Setting section. The user faces a real challenge: it’s like filling out a crossword, only here the words are already available and you have to come up with definitions. DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R mainboard BIOS already gives us all the parameters and their values and all we need to do is figure out what this parameter stands for and how it works. All parameters are connected with one another, just like the words in a crossword. If you put in the wrong word, you will not be able to get the next one, the same here: if you set one parameter wrong, you will get a non-working or unstable system. The only difference is that crosswords are made for leisure and entertainment, while BIOS parameters are important for the stability and proper functioning of the computer system.
After pointing out DFI’s meticulous attention to small things that should make working with their mainboards an easy and pleasant experience, we have been taken aback by the complete absence of any documentation on the BIOS settings. We often complain about not very detailed description of the BIOS functions in other manuals, but this time there was simply nothing. It was especially frustrating, since DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R offers a considerably more extensive list of options and settings than any other mainboard and we come by some of these parameters for the first time.
There is one more potential hazard resulting from such a broad range of adjustable parameters. How deep into detail should one go to ensure that the board will run stably during overclocking? Can the board set some of these parameters automatically to their optimal values if we only change a few manually and leave the rest at defaults? In other words, can a mainstream overclocker work with DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R mainboard or it will only fit extreme experienced users who can spend days studying its features and options? Our practical experiments should help answer these questions.
We tested DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R in an open testbed with the following configuration:
We started experimenting with Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 processor (1.86GHz, 266MHz FSB, 2MB, Conroe-2M rev.B2). As we know from our previous test sessions, it can be overclocked to 490MHz FSB. So, when we set all corresponding parameters accordingly, our system worked stably and reliably. Although we discovered one strange thing, which we have only seen on Foxconn P35AX-S mainboard before: the mainboard set its own Performance Level for each of the channels:
On Foxconn P35AX-S mainboard we had to clear CMOS and reset all parameters fresh to level out the Performance Level settings. On DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R even replacing a CPU didn’t help, however, extensive setting options did help indeed. It turned out that ASUS mainboards were not the only ones that allowed changing Performance Level directly. DFI boards also do. If the proper Performance Level value is selected in the mainboard BIOS, the board sets it automatically for both channels.
After that we continues our tests with Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 (2.66GHz, 266MHz FSB, 8MB, Kentsfield rev.B3) processor. It can hit 4.3GHz and DFI LANPARTY LT X38-T2R did ensure that we achieved this result, however, again we witnessed a few strange things happening. Last year when we tested DFI LANParty UT NF680i LT SLI-T2R we noticed that it was extremely sensitive to 7-zip program. The board would pass all the tests, but not this one: we would see an error message after a few seconds into the tests. The situation was fixed by raising the voltages a little bit. DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R also picked a “non-favorite” program: CPU-Z utility. It would hang almost 100% of the time after launch.
We suspected that it is the “dirty” OS that does the trick, because we have been testing other mainboards on it before. Besides, we noticed that we were still using an older CPU-Z version 1.42. However, nothing helped fix this very strange problem: we updated the CPU-Z to newer 1.43 version, reinstalled the OS and played with the voltages. The only thing we noticed is that the system wouldn’t crash if you let it run for a while before launching CPU-Z. And we had to do it quite a few times, because we were monitoring our memory frequency settings through it. MemSet utility does recognize correct memory timings, but is often wrong when it comes to frequency. And this is not DFI’s fault: we saw it do exactly the same thing on other mainboards, too.
We criticized abit IX38 QuadGT mainboard for limited number of available memory dividers that didn’t get any bigger since the times of abit IP35 Pro. Namely, when we overclocked Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 to 3.4GHz with the x9 multiplier, in order to emulate overclocking of a popular Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 at 378MHz FSB abit the board allowed setting the memory frequency to 945MHz, however, it was not enough, while 1134MHz was way too high. DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R didn’t have any problems like that: we could set the memory to intermediate value of 1008MHz. that is why for our comparative analysis we used the results obtained from ASUS Blitz Formula mainboard working in the same conditions.
Enhance Data Transmitting and Enhance Data Addressing parameters of DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R mainboard were set to Fast. They, however, have very little influence on performance. For example, when we set Enhance Data Transmitting to the maximum Turbo value, the board wouldn’t boot, while the difference between the Normal and Fast settings was minimal. When we got to Performance Level, we had to do some thinking, though. The lower was the Performance Level, the high was the performance, but in Auto mode the board would set very high values: 9 for one channel and 10 for another. If we set Performance Level = 6 manually, DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R wouldn’t boot, so we had to stick to 7, while ASUS Blitz Formula allowed dropping Performance Level down to 5.
Besides Performance Level, the mainboards set all memory timings automatically. The screenshot on the left stands for ASUS Blitz Formula, and the one on the right – for DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R:
ASUS Blitz Formula (left) and DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R (right)
Other than that, the mainboards were tested with identical parameters: Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 processor was overclocked to 3.4GHz (378x9) and the memory was running at 1008MHz.
DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R managed to outperform the competitor only in the copy speed test of the Everest suite, as this parameter depends a lot on secondary timings. In all other tests ASUS Blitz Formula proves faster or the two boards run neck and neck with one another, if the results do not depend a lot on the memory speed. Taking into account how rich the fine tuning features of DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R mainboard are, we can assume that adjusting some parameters in certain ways may push Performance Level down a bit more and increase the performance. However, the absence of appropriate documentation and huge number of available settings to play with didn’t let us find the right options to tweak in a reasonable amount of time. The board also couldn’t handle this talk on its own, so I guess we will have to leave it up to computer enthusiasts this time.
If you remember our overclocker mainboard classification we discussed in the beginning of this review, you will see that DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R will not be among the universal solutions. ASUS Maximus Extreme will be one of those: it will help a commencing overclocker to achieve some noticeable results, offers rich options to an experienced overclocking fan and will not disappoint a computer enthusiast. However, DFI didn’t intend to please everyone with their solution. However, they definitely made their target user group – extreme overclockers – very happy: the mainboard offers phenomenally broad range of adjustable options and settings.
At the same time our tests proved that you don’t have to be a genius to overclock processors successfully on DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R, although it would be nice to be one, of course. You can only change the main parameters and leave the rest to the mainboard or for later and you will still be able to easily overclock your system and improve the performance noticeably.
Of course, DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R mainboard is not absolutely impeccable, like any other board out there. Luckily, these are minor drawbacks and their importance depends mostly on the needs of each particular user. For example, some of you may be unhappy about too tall heatsink on top of the chipset North Bridge, because it may prevent you from installing a large CPU cooler. Some of you, however, may be very pleased with it, because it is highly efficient and doesn’t require additional fans that will inevitably contribute to the overall noisiness of the system.
The only indisputable drawback that we can point out at this time is the absence of any documentation on the basic as well as extensive BIOS features. The developers certainly know everything about their BIOS settings, but I believe they should share this valuable info with us, too. However, I believe that enthusiasts and extreme users will be able to turn this drawback into an advantage boasting in the forums that they were able to figure out the meaning of various parameters, determine its effect on the system performance and stability.
All in all, we can conclude that DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R is an extremely successful product. The only user group we wouldn’t recommend this solution to, is commencing overclockers, who may lose all interest in this exciting activity if they get lost in complicated BIOS settings DFI LANParty LT X38-T2R has to offer.