Gigabyte GA-EX58 Extreme - Living Review

[dikkiedirk]

Hi everyone.
I am a bit confused about this Hybrid Silent-Pipe Module. Is it just an additional option or are you really required to mount it?

[supershanks]

No it's optional

[Clunk]

If you don't want it then you might be better off with the UD5 or UD4P.

[Chris_Waddle]

I'm finally taking the plunge into the world of I7 and as I have a fully watercooled system at the moment, this is the board that I am looking at getting.

Regarding the chipset waterblock, you mention this is 3/8" ID. I am currently running a 1/2" system, do you think it would work on this block? I realise that there will be a slight pressure change at the chipset block, but would it cause much of a difference?

If I don't use it and use the hybrid pipe system, what are the temps like on the chipset when overclocking?

**edit** Doesn't matter thanks. Got one now. Mine actually arrived with the chipset waterblock set up for 10mm piping. No use at all. Will have to wait to see if they release alternative block later.

[nam]

this Mb due to it haveing water attachments , does the extreme need to be water cooled? or can the standard air setup do? and is this why the UD5 is out ,not much difference in price now well £30 at scan ..

just thinking with the passive donging cooler you get lol, the extreme may run cooler on air over the UD5 ..

[powel212]

Just wanted to show what mine is doing. Love this board.

GA-EX58-EXTREME
i7-950
cooler master Hyper N620 (Air only)
12G-1333RAM - 2Gx6
nVidia 9800 (gigabyte)

OC
CPU Clock Ratio [23x]
CPU@3.51Ghz
Step-153
RAM@1224

Under heavy load, (re-encoder 4 dexter episodes in GOM Encoder, xvid full size)
Time - 4:35min - All cores and hyperthreading CPU at 95%
CPU highest Temp - 78c

idle-cpu temp 43c/52c

This is the fastest I can get this chip and RAM to run on this board , as above. I would have thought I could get it to run 3.50Ghz at 21X/166step taking the ram to it's full potential 1333mhz but no success.

Anyone else have better results with the i7-950 running air?

Powel

[affiliate13]

Hi Powell212,
Welcome to the forums.
You should be able to get higher with the 950, i suspect the 12GB/1333 is what is holding you back.

Please add your system specs to you profile using the guide in my sig.

Then make up a quick BIOS template listing all your settings and we can take a closer look.

[powel212]

Thanks

I followed this guide to get 4Ghz
(link) wasn't allowed to post (hteeteepee://images.tweaktown.com/imagebank/Core%20i7%20920%20oc%204G%202008.12.12_%28ENG%29.p df

It was a bit hot for me though. 86c Under heavy load, 59c idle

So now running 3.60Ghz - 79c Under heavy Load, 49c idle

I love this board and chip. The RAM is forced to 1200 because it won't boot at 1333. Good enough. Re-encoding 4 dexter episodes simultaneously got 4:33min. Try that with a core duo.

Thanks again.

Powel

[powel212]

The guide suggests voltage

CPU-VCORE@1.4v
QPi-VTT voltage 1.515

But I did
CPU-VCORE@1.35v
QPi-VTT voltage 1.4v

I got the same performance but much cooler temps. 46c/73c instead of 50c/79c

Powel

[Clunk]

Welcome to the forums

Yes, the BIOS has matured a lot since I had the board, seems to be a well rounded performer now.