DFI X58 T3eH8 Ultra Motherboard
Test Setup & Overclocking
Published: 29th January 2009 | Source: DFI | Price: £281.74 |
Test Setup
Processor: Intel Core i7 920 (2.66Ghz)
Motherboard: DFI X58 T3eH8 Ultra
Memory: Corsair Dominator @ 8-8-8-24 1600Mhz
Graphics Card: NVidia GTX280
Power Supply: Gigabyte Odin 1200W
CPU Cooling: Stock Intel Cooling
Hard Disk: Hitachi Deskstar 7K160 7200rpm 80GB
Graphics Drivers: Geforce 180.60 CUDA
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate x64 SP1
Motherboard: DFI X58 T3eH8 Ultra
Memory: Corsair Dominator @ 8-8-8-24 1600Mhz
Graphics Card: NVidia GTX280
Power Supply: Gigabyte Odin 1200W
CPU Cooling: Stock Intel Cooling
Hard Disk: Hitachi Deskstar 7K160 7200rpm 80GB
Graphics Drivers: Geforce 180.60 CUDA
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate x64 SP1
To guarantee a broad range of results, the following benchmark utilities were used:
Synthetic CPU Test
• Sisoft Sandra 2009
• PassMark CPU test
• SuperPI 1m, 8m, 32m
Memory Test
• Sisoft Sandra 2009
• Everest 4.60
File Compression & Encoding
• Sisoft Sandra 2009
• 7-Zip File Compression
• River Past ViMark
Disk I/O Performance
• HDTach 3.0.4.0
• Sisoft Sandra 2009
3D / Rendering Benchmarks
• Cinebench 10
• 3DMark 05
• 3DMark 06
• 3DMark Vantage
3D Games
• Crysis
• Far Cry 2
• Company of Heroes
Overall System Performance
• PCMark Vantage
• Sisoft Sandra 2009
• PassMark CPU test
• SuperPI 1m, 8m, 32m
Memory Test
• Sisoft Sandra 2009
• Everest 4.60
File Compression & Encoding
• Sisoft Sandra 2009
• 7-Zip File Compression
• River Past ViMark
Disk I/O Performance
• HDTach 3.0.4.0
• Sisoft Sandra 2009
3D / Rendering Benchmarks
• Cinebench 10
• 3DMark 05
• 3DMark 06
• 3DMark Vantage
3D Games
• Crysis
• Far Cry 2
• Company of Heroes
Overall System Performance
• PCMark Vantage
Power Consumption
Power consumption is an aspect often forgotten when it comes to enthusiast motherboards but in todays climate, with rising utility bills special consideration needs to be taken when choosing you components as over a period of time, one components can prove to be much more expensive than another over its lifetime.
Power consumption was measured at the socket using a plug-in mains power and energy monitor. Idle readings were taken after 5 minutes in Windows. Load readings were taken during a run of 3DMark Vantage.
Overclocking
Using a respectable Vcore of 1.40v, the remainder of BIOS voltage settings were left in their stock state to ensure equality throughout the testing.
They say a picture says a thousand words and the above screenshot does just that. The overclocking on the DFI board is sublime, plain and simple. While many of the BIOS settings are confusing and perhaps daunting to some, NONE of the 'expert' settings were used to achieve this overclock. I just dialled in the CPU Vcore (1.4v), set the Bclk to 202 and the memory divider was adjusted to Bclkx8 (1616mhz). That's it. You really do not have to be an overclocking guru to get a lot out of this motherboard. However, with more time to familiarise myself with the settings and indeed time to experiment with the vast array of options available, this massive overclock could be increased even further.
DFI have once again proven themselves to be the no.1 choice for overclockers and with an exceptional package all that remains is to see how this board performs in our range of benchmarks. So returning the settings back to their stock state and disabling the Turbotech setting we started our suite of benchmarks...
Most Recent Comments
It's nice to know some things never change.
Amazing layout? Check.
Bulletproof? Check.
Incomprehensible BIOS options? Must be a DFI
Some great clocks coming out of that. Agree that the current high-end X58s are way too steep. Although the high-end 775 stuff was eye-watering too.
Thanks for the review.
Amazing layout? Check.
Bulletproof? Check.
Incomprehensible BIOS options? Must be a DFI
Some great clocks coming out of that. Agree that the current high-end X58s are way too steep. Although the high-end 775 stuff was eye-watering too.
Thanks for the review.
Just spotted a typo:
Probably wanna replace one of the "thats" with "not". Made for an awesome read though- day I can afford kit like this is the day I win the lottery lol.
while at first appearance appears very thick is that that daunting once you realise it is a multi language manual.
Probably wanna replace one of the "thats" with "not". Made for an awesome read though- day I can afford kit like this is the day I win the lottery lol.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by name='Kerotan'
Just spotted a typo:
Probably wanna replace one of the "thats" with "not". Made for an awesome read though- day I can afford kit like this is the day I win the lottery lol. |
its an amazing mobo, it looks pretty good, it has a lot of good points but i still dont know its price, also the asus / msi board results were as good as the DFI mobo, and sometimes even better and i expected more from it afterall DFI is pretty famous, but still its a great mobo
Although the results showed the boards to be fairly even (they are afterall all based on the same chipset and run at the same settings), when scoring the boards there are many more points to consider.
The DFI board is not a board to run at stock settings, it isn't designed to do that, anyone who buys this board for that is only after e-peen glory and not using the board for what it was intended for - overclocking. In this area it excels. Therefore DFI have completed what they set out to do. The price they charge reflects the niche market they are aiming for. After all Lamborghinis arn't exactly in the same marketplace or have the same customer in mind as Diatsu.
If you want a board that covers all bases then the Gigabyte board, for me at least, is the better board.
For hassle free 'it just works', reliability then look no further than the Asus P6T.
The MSI, while not a bad board by any stretch of the imagination, offers nothing over the others for the price they are asking.
The DFI board is not a board to run at stock settings, it isn't designed to do that, anyone who buys this board for that is only after e-peen glory and not using the board for what it was intended for - overclocking. In this area it excels. Therefore DFI have completed what they set out to do. The price they charge reflects the niche market they are aiming for. After all Lamborghinis arn't exactly in the same marketplace or have the same customer in mind as Diatsu.
If you want a board that covers all bases then the Gigabyte board, for me at least, is the better board.
For hassle free 'it just works', reliability then look no further than the Asus P6T.
The MSI, while not a bad board by any stretch of the imagination, offers nothing over the others for the price they are asking.
DFI's X58 review! Gonna take my time reading this one. But yes, I love the flexibility the DFI bios offers, however sometimes, most of their settings seem rather redundant, or unnecessary.
But hey, the more there is to tweak, the double the fun.
-HypoG
But hey, the more there is to tweak, the double the fun.
-HypoG
Don't like it tbh. May sound outrageous, and I do respect the DFI history a great deal.
From the stats, I don't see a separation for any of these mobos. One will show a meager % over another, then on the next line-up it's beaten by one of the other mobos in another respect.
To this end, u could base a decision on price and ease of use. The bios is what it is, does it need to be overly expressive with the apparent limitations in what u can and can't do - probably not. w3bbo's above post iterates what for what.
The challenge I guess would be to get 4g+ from each of the mobos... that being done, which was the easiest (in terms of getting into the bios and changing things easily, getting out, and being stable equally easily) - if more than 2 of them can do that.. do u need the other features today ?
Bottom line for me, the big-arse sink out of the rear is a no-no, and £287 - no thanks.
Great review btw.
From the stats, I don't see a separation for any of these mobos. One will show a meager % over another, then on the next line-up it's beaten by one of the other mobos in another respect.
To this end, u could base a decision on price and ease of use. The bios is what it is, does it need to be overly expressive with the apparent limitations in what u can and can't do - probably not. w3bbo's above post iterates what for what.
The challenge I guess would be to get 4g+ from each of the mobos... that being done, which was the easiest (in terms of getting into the bios and changing things easily, getting out, and being stable equally easily) - if more than 2 of them can do that.. do u need the other features today ?
Bottom line for me, the big-arse sink out of the rear is a no-no, and £287 - no thanks.
Great review btw.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by name='w3bbo'
Although the results showed the boards to be fairly even (they are afterall all based on the same chipset and run at the same settings), when scoring the boards there are many more points to consider.
The DFI board is not a board to run at stock settings, it isn't designed to do that, anyone who buys this board for that is only after e-peen glory and not using the board for what it was intended for - overclocking. In this area it excels. Therefore DFI have completed what they set out to do. The price they charge reflects the niche market they are aiming for. After all Lamborghinis arn't exactly in the same marketplace or have the same customer in mind as Diatsu. If you want a board that covers all bases then the Gigabyte board, for me at least, is the better board. For hassle free 'it just works', reliability then look no further than the Asus P6T. The MSI, while not a bad board by any stretch of the imagination, offers nothing over the others for the price they are asking. |
, its hard to get a good opinion of it by the stock, if i understand right, but anyways good review man 
I think it's vital to test things at stock. That's what the public are buying.
Sexy. But sexyness comes with a chunky price tag too.
Yea...have to sell my entire c2d rig now in order to buy this mb.
Anyway this would be nice to have it in a next contest...
Anyway this would be nice to have it in a next contest...
Yea...have to sell my entire c2d rig now in order to buy this mb.
Anyway this would be nice to have it in a next contest...
Anyway this would be nice to have it in a next contest...
Quote:
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Originally Posted by name='VonBlade'
I think it's vital to test things at stock. That's what the public are buying.
|
Then again, u may expect that after the dust settles, a shoot-out between mobos may be reviewed.
EDIT: Seen the MSI X58 Platinum for £226 today, it's a bit of a difference.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by name='Rastalovich'
Taking this point up with Mr VonBlade. At the same time as agreeing that testing stock is vital, OC3D does have it's roots in an enthusiasts approach to hardware, whilst regular reviews may be found all over the 'net, I don't think I'm alone in wanting the testers to hammer the hardware if possible.
Then again, u may expect that after the dust settles, a shoot-out between mobos may be reviewed. EDIT: Seen the MSI X58 Platinum for £226 today, it's a bit of a difference. |
I agree with both sides of the arguement TBH
I deffinately want to see "the testers hammer the hardware"
but a quick look at base settings performance would not do any harm as some people only overclock to game and/or bench, leaving things at or close to base settings for a large percentage of the time.
CSS Valid
http://www.overclock3d.net/gfx/artic...164612695s.jpg
Take a look too see how it fairs here.