Gigabyte GA-EP45-EXTREME Living Review

[Clunk]

The BIOS looks to be a massive improvement over the old type.

How are the increments? Same kind of thing as before or finer?

[supershanks]

i was talking about the vertical heatsink and brewing with it as in distillery...LOL

Supershank's Gigabyte Moonshine

How are the increments? Same kind of thing as before or finer?

Will add increments pretty smooth

1st shot over 500

up to x8

Vcore = 1.4125v (over the top will back
CPU Termination = 1.26v
CPU PLL = 1.56
CPU Ref1 = 0.755v
CPU Ref2 = 0.833
MCH Core = 1.26v
MCH Ref= 0.798v

[supershanks]

8x520@1:1 1040 5,5,5,24




For comparison 4,160Mhz 8x520

CPU is stable but ram is a bit flaky in prime just testing, took a bit of tweaking with the ram sub voltages



Bios Settings

GIGABYTE GA-EP45_EXTREME
MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
Robust Graphics Booster ...............: Turbo
CPU Clock Ratio ..........................: 8
Fine CPU Clock Ratio.....................:.0
CPU Frequency ...........................: 4,160Mhz
Clock Chip Control 
Standard Clock Control
CPU Host Clock Control..................: Enabled
CPU Host Frequency (Mhz) ............:520Mhz
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz) .........:104Mhz
C.I.A. 2
Advanced Clock Control [Press Enter]
CPU Clock Drive...........................: 800mv
PCI Express Clock Drive.................: 800mv
CPU Clock Skew (ps)....................: 100ps
MCH Clock Skew (ps)...................: 100ps
DRAM Performance Control
Performance Enhance...................: [Turbo]
Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.).....: Disabled
(G)MCH Frequency Latch...............: [Auto]
System Memory Multiplier ..............: 2.00B
Memory Frequency (Mhz) ..............: 1,040Mhz
DRAM Timing Selectable ................: Manual
Standard Timing Control
CAS Latency Time........................: 5
tRCD .........................................: 5
tRP'...........................................: 5 
tRAS..........................................: 24 
Advanced Timing Control [Press Enter]
tRRD...........................................:4
tWTR..........................................:4
tWR............................................:8
tRFC...........................................:50
tRTP............................................:4
Command Rate (CMD) ....................:Auto
Channel A
Static tRead Value.........................:Auto
 tRD Phase0 Adjustmen...................:Auto
tRD Phase1 Adjustment...................:Auto
 tRD Phase2 Adjustment .................:Auto
 tRD Phase3 Adjustment..................:Auto
Trd2rd(Different Rank)....................:Auto 
Twr2wr(Different Rank)...................:Auto 
Twr2rd(Different Rank)...................:Auto 
Trd2wr(Same/Diff Rank)..................:Auto 
Channel B
Static tRead Value.........................:Auto
 tRD Phase0 Adjustmen...................:Auto
tRD Phase1 Adjustment...................:Auto
 tRD Phase2 Adjustment .................:Auto
 tRD Phase3 Adjustment..................:Auto
Trd2rd(Different Rank)....................:Auto 
Twr2wr(Different Rank)...................:Auto 
Twr2rd(Different Rank)...................:Auto 
Trd2wr(Same/Diff Rank)..................:Auto 
{U]Motherboard Voltage Control{/U]
Voltage Type.………... Normal 
CPU
CPU Vcore….……….........................:1.3875v
CPU Termination…..... 1.200V*.......: 1.260v
CPU PLL…………………....1.500V*.......: 1.5600v
CPU Referen.…………....0.755V*.......: 0.800v
CPU Reference2………,,0.800V*.......:0.838v
MCH/ICH
MCH Core…………….....1.100V...........: 1.300
MCH Reference….…….0.800V...........; 0.758v
MCH/DRAM Ref.…......0.900V...........: Auto
ICH I/O……………….....1.550V............: Auto
ICH Core…………...……1.100V............: Auto
DRAM
DRAM Voltage ……....1.800V............: 2200v
DRAM Termination .…0.900V............: Normal 
Channel A Reference 0.900V............: Normal
Channel B Reference 0.900V............: Normal
[B]{U]Advanced Settings[B]{U]
Limit CPUID Max. to 3.....................: Disabled
No-Execute Memory Protect............: Disabled
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)................: Disabled
C2/C2E State Support....................: Disabled
x C4/C4E State Support..................: Disabled
CPU Thermal Monitor 2(TM2) ...........: Disabled
CPU EIST Function.........................: Disabled
Virtualization Technology................: Disabled
Note: * refers to 45nm CPU

[Chris_Waddle]

Looks nice. What diameter of pipes does the northbridge heatsink take for watercooling?

The biggest problem I found with Asus's try at this was it was only for small diameter piping. To up it to the 1/2" piping I use meant using some crappy plastic adapters. I ended up ripping off the NB & SB cooling on that.

[supershanks]

3/8" know what you mean I'm on 1/2" myself, don't particularly feel like buggering about myself. It does look a more substantial block than Asus, I from what I saw on Clunks maximus thread

[supershanks]

Whilst the Voltage controls have many options, The CPU Termination & Dram Voltage are linked in the bios to other voltages as shown here:-

So As you Alter CPU Termination (Vtt)
The GTL Refs Change:-
CPU Reference (CPUGTLREF1)
CPUReference2(CPUGTLREF2)
MCHRef(MCHGTLREF)

Changing Dram Voltage Updates
Dram Termination
Channel A Reference
Channel B Reference
MCH/Dram Refererence

However the "normal" settings shown below (Left Hand Column) in the bios are misleading. implying :-
1.20v vtt should be linked/associated with :-
CPU Reference (CPUGTLREF1) = 0.760v
CPUReference2(CPUGTLREF2) = 0.798v
MCHRef(MCHGTLREF)............= 0.760v

and

vdimm = 1.80v
with
Dram Termination =0.90v
Channel A Reference = 0.90v
Channel B Reference = 0.90v
MCH/Dram Refererence = 0.90v



Trying to run with these gave me some cpu stability but memory stability was awful.

I got the best results by looking at the Stock voltages:-


[URL="http://www.images.clunk.org.uk/reviews/ga-ep45-extreme/bios/stockv-l.jpg"][/

Here you can see that the default VTT = 1.26v Not 1.20v
and Vdimm = 2.00v not 1.80v

So to resynchronise the sub voltages to the actual stock vtt & vdimm :-

CPU Termination (VTT)
Using 1.260v As the Stock VTT in bios , I set the GTL Refs to their defaults:-
CPU Reference (CPUGTLREF1) = 0.760v
CPUReference2(CPUGTLREF2) = 0.798v
MCHRef(MCHGTLREF)............= 0.758v

Dram
Set Vdimm = 2.00v
Changed all to 0.90v:-
Dram Termination =0.90v
Channel A Reference = 0.90v
Channel B Reference = 0.90v
MCH/Dram Refererence = 0.90v

Gave me:-


I was able to get much more stable clocks, whilst all I need to tweak is the CPU Termination (Vtt) and the Dram Voltage.

AS you can see scaling back to the Normal Values shown in bios vor CPU Termination & Dram Voltage the settings are lower voltages.


GTLRef is down 0.40v
Dram is down by 0.1v

So far this ties in with my overcloacks.
This Is my OCCT Stable 470x9
The voltage is at 2.2v you can see the Dram sub voltages initialised as above have scaled ok as do the CTT & GTLRefs.


Hopefully you might find some sanity with this
luck

[supershanks]

Air Cooled - 4,230Mhz 9x470@2.40B 1128Mhz 5-5-5-20


Benches


Stability
On Air Max Temps 64 & 63C.


Bios Settings

GIGABYTE GA-EP45_EXTREME
[u]MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
Robust Graphics Booster ...............: Turbo
CPU Clock Ratio ..........................: 9x
Fine CPU Clock Ratio.....................:. +0.0
CPU Frequency ...........................: 4,230Mhz
Clock Chip Control 
Standard Clock Control
CPU Host Clock Control..................: [Enabled] 
CPU Host Frequency (Mhz) ............: 470Mhz
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz) .........:104Mhz
C.I.A. 2
Advanced Clock Control [Press Enter]
CPU Clock Drive...........................: 700 mv
PCI Express Clock Drive.................: 700mv
CPU Clock Skew (ps)....................: 0ps
MCH Clock Skew (ps)...................: 0ps
DRAM Performance Control
Performance Enhance...................: [Turbo]
Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.).....: Disabled
(G)MCH Frequency Latch...............: [Auto]
System Memory Multiplier ..............: 2.40B (5:6)
Memory Frequency (Mhz) ..............: 1128Mhz
DRAM Timing Selectable ................: [Manual] 
Standard Timing Control
CAS Latency Time........................: 5
tRCD .........................................: 5
tRP'...........................................:  5
tRAS..........................................:  20
Advanced Timing Control [Press Enter]
tRRD...........................................:4
tWTR..........................................:4
tWR............................................:8
tRFC...........................................:55
tRTP...........................................:4
Command Rate (CMD) ....................:
Channel A
Note:+ = (SPD Values)
Static tRead Value.........................:Auto (8)+
 tRD Phase0 Adjustmen...................:Auto (0)
tRD Phase1 Adjustment...................:Auto (0)
 tRD Phase2 Adjustment .................:Auto (0)
 tRD Phase3 Adjustment..................:Auto (0)
Trd2rd(Different Rank)....................:Auto (8)
Twr2wr(Different Rank)...................:Auto (8)
Twr2rd(Different Rank)...................:Auto (7)
Trd2wr(Same/Diff Rank)..................:Auto (9)
Channel B
Static tRead Value.........................:Auto (9)+
 tRD Phase0 Adjustmen...................:Auto (1)
tRD Phase1 Adjustment...................:Auto (0)
 tRD Phase2 Adjustment .................:Auto (1)
 tRD Phase3 Adjustment..................:Auto (1)
Trd2rd(Different Rank)....................:Auto (8)
Twr2wr(Different Rank)...................:Auto (8)
Twr2rd(Different Rank)...................:Auto (7)
Trd2wr(Same/Diff Rank)..................:Auto (9)
{U]Motherboard Voltage Control{/U]
Voltage Type.………... Normal 
CPU
CPU Vcore….……….........................:1.39375v
CPU Termination…..... 1.200V*.......: 1.260v
CPU PLL…………………....1.500V*.......: 1.560v
CPU Referen.…………....0.755V*.......: 0.760v
CPU Reference2………,,0.800V*.......: 0.798v
MCH/ICH
MCH Core…………….....1.100V...........: 1.320 v
MCH Reference….…….0.800V...........; 0.758v
MCH/DRAM Ref.…......0.900V...........: 1.000v
ICH I/O……………….....1.550V............: 1.50v
ICH Core…………...……1.100V............: 1.10v
DRAM
DRAM Voltage ……....1.800V............: 2.20v
DRAM Termination .…0.900V............: 1.00v
Channel A Reference 0.900V............: 1.00v
Channel B Reference 0.900V............: 1.00v
[b]{U]Advanced Settings[b]{U]
Limit CPUID Max. to 3.....................: [Disabled]
No-Execute Memory Protect............: [Disabled]
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)................: [Disabled]
C2/C2E State Support....................: [Disabled]
x C4/C4E State Support..................: [Disabled]
CPU Thermal Monitor 2(TM2) ...........: [Enabled]
CPU EIST Function.........................: [Disabled]
Virtualization Technology................: [Disabled]
Note: * refers to 45nm CPU

[supershanks]

The new bios see (Benny Lodewijk - F5E) Adds to Advanced Memory Timing Options
with Dimm 1&2 Clock Skew control for each Channel.



Options:-
+800~-700ps

[supershanks]

Gigabyte Post Error Codes
Well for those of us with the Post LEDS here's what the poat codes errors mean. (Taken from Pages 109~112 of the GA-EP45-EXTREME (rev. 1.0) Manual Copyright G-B-T Technology Trading GMbH)

[supershanks]

Virtually every motherboard comes with a hardware monitoring/overclocking programme for window. Nearly all of them are a waste of time and hard drive space. One of Abit's outstanding features is their Guru utility, I've yet to see any other manufacturer come close

The software packaged with the Gigabyte EP45 is Easytun6

CPU Tab


Memory Tab


Tuner Tab1
Now it's getting interesting
Frequency Tab - Change FSB etc.,

Voltage Tab

You can save & load settings. Unlike Guru bios isn't updated, but definately a big step in the right direction.

Graphics Tab
Tune ATI or NVIDIA Cards


CIA2 Tab
CIA is the auto clocking feature.


Monitoring Tab


So whilst not yet in the Abit Guru league , this is at least worth installing and the voltages tab in particular will bring a smile to every tweaker