Gigabyte 6-QUAD GA-P35T-DQ6 Review - PAGE 11

Awesome review.

Just wondering, would the Scythe Infinity CPU cooler fit with all of Gigabyte's Crazy Cool heatpipe system?

Now, can you just explain this real quick, Im confused.

quote Neoseeker Article

But now comes a very frustrating portion of this BIOS, the System Voltage Control. In terms of overclocking, pushing up the Vcore to the processor or voltage to the memory helps. But what helps even more is how Gigabyte chose to hide the running reference voltages. We're not told anywhere at what voltages the memory, PCI-e, FAB, and MCH are running at. We are simply given the option to increase the voltage to those system devices by preselected presets. The CPU Vcore is the only one that indicates what the current voltage reading is. Here's what presets we can select from.

How does is help more to not be able to see the running reference voltages? What voltages exactly can you see, and what cant you see? Can you see the current Vcore and memory and chipset voltages? If not, what exactly do you see. Im just wondering because it looks like a great board, but if you cant see what voltage you are at, how can you tell how much to increase or decrease. That would become an issue.


Great read

To be honest, I haven't had the chance to play with the Scythe Infinity CPU cooler at all, so I don't really know if it will fir or not. But based upon what I've seen of the Scythe Infinity, I have to say that it would be a very tight squeeze.

Then comes that horrible consideration of bending fins, cutting fins, or using a different cooler all togeather.

As for the voltages, the VCore is the only displayed voltage of the whole lot at a modest 1.325 volts. Gigabyte for some reason elected to hide the rest of the voltages, though a quick spin through Google, checking for 'ddr2 voltage' and the like will yield those figures.

Just for reference;

DDR1 is 2.5V
DDR2 is 1.8V
DDR3 is 1.5V

All of these voltages are industry standard, though different modules like a little more juice.

On two related notes, I'll probably go out and pick up a Scythe Infinity for myself and do a cooler round up. Plus, I'm going to take an hour and build a reference table of stock voltages for articles. Could be handy.

Sweet dude, thanks a lot for getting back to me. So when you boot up with RAM, it automatically adjusts the BIOS to its designed voltage? i.e. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231065 that RAM will boot at 2.0 when first installed, or will it boot at 2.1? Or will it boot at 1.8, and then I would have to go into the BIOS and manually adjust the voltages to the "stock" 2.0?

No problem ;-) I try to respond to all of the comments posted to my articles A.S.A.P., and I would have replied sooner but have been a tad busy. But as for the memory . . .

The JDEC standard for DDR2 memory modules is 1.8 volts, but manufacturers could build and sell DIMMs that require 1.85V or 1.75V in order to function at the SPD timings and MHz rating those modules will accept. Such is the case with the G-Skill memory you referenced; it has a simple type of BIOS within it that tells the motherboard upon booting that it wants 2.0V, but that boot voltage is dependent upon the motherboard it's plugged into. Some boards will recognize the memory, read it, and adjust the memory voltages to what ever has been flashed onto those modules. Other boards will ignore the memory and simply boot the installed memory at the 1.8V JDEC standard (or whatever the manufacturer programmed into the BIOS). Usually (and I've experienced this far too many times), the first BIOS revision for some boards will have horrible issues with memory, the timings, and the voltages. Flashing to the latest stable BIOS revision will more often than not improve memory performance and compatability. But as for what the manufacturer states with their modules . . .

The Corasir DDR2 XMS2 PC 8500 memory we use for motherboard testing calls for 2.2V to run at 5-5-5-15/2T 1066MHz. But we run all of out DDR2 based motherboard tests at 4-4-4-12/2T 800Mhz 2.35V, and at 2.4V or 2.5V or higher for overclocking. If that memory is set to anything less than 2.35V when running Business Winstone or Content Creation, those tests will crash and it becomes quite the ordeal to quit the test and start over (those two tests take 45 minutes each, restarting the system 5 times to run, locked into running as it tells Windoze that it's a startup program).

So I'll go out on a limb and guess that you're interested in those specific G-Skill modules for a system build or upgrade. The best thing you can do in order to ensure optimal performance is reference some Neoseeker Memory Reviews to find the modules that would best suit both your performance hopes and your budget. When testing, William Henning (who conducts all of our memory, CPU, and a number of motherboard reviews) does a thorough job in finding the right voltages and best speed rating.

If you're looking for some really sweet DIMMs, then might I recommend the Corsair PC5400 modules; they're cheap(er) ($82.99 bucks USD), available at NewEgg, and overclock quite well. There's tonnes of options, but do peruse some Neoseeekr reviews to see what will work best for you.

Don't forget the motherboard reviews as the board can play a significant role in memory performance. Simply put; do your homework before you buy.

You could reference other sites . . . ugh . . . but you can remain confident that the content at Neoseeker is perhaps the best on the net ;-)

Well i like those Gskill for their overclocking warranty, and they use Micron D9 chips They have a great record for overclocking well, and I was planning on using them with this gigabyte board. But what worries me, is when I put the memory in, I wont know what my mem voltage will be so I dont know whether I need to up it .2 volts to its stock 2.0 to run at its timings, or whether it will boot at 2.0 volts and perform at the timings. is there any other way to check the voltage other than using the BIOS?

What do you mean you won't know what the memory voltage is? You can check within your BIOS. And, you can only hope (or research and know) that the memory you choose will boot up the first time with your motherboard. I had no problems with my G.Skill DDR2 800 (2.1v) booting up on my first boot.

quote Iceguy2003

What do you mean you won't know what the memory voltage is? You can check within your BIOS. And, you can only hope (or research and know) that the memory you choose will boot up the first time with your motherboard. I had no problems with my G.Skill DDR2 800 (2.1v) booting up on my first boot.

Well the problem is this. this board doesnt give u the running reference voltages for anything but the Vcore. So when you install the sticks of RAM, it'll either boot right up to 2.1, 2.0 volts like its rated for. or it might boot into the 1.8v default for DDR2 and then id have to manually add .2 volts to it. Since the BIOs wont tell me which voltage it booted at, were left in the dark.