![[H]ardOCP](/images/blank.gif){kind=small}
- Date:
- Thursday , October 16, 2003
- Author:
- Keith Dugger
- Editor:
- Kyle Bennett
- Google +1
Shuttle AN50R
Embracing the new Athlon64/nForce3-150 coupling, Shuttle brings to market a 64-bit package in the AN50R.
BIOS
Shuttle chose the AwardBIOS for the AN50R and the main screen offers the ability to navigate to the features available in this BIOS.
The Advanced Chipset Features submenu offers configurable settings covering DRAM, CPU, AGP, and LDT (more on that in a second). Once stable voltage settings have been made, this is where enthusiasts will spend time fine-tuning these parameters.
The first option is the DRAM Configuration submenu. Don’t get too excited as the only option is the ability to limit the memory clock to one of the following: 100, 133, 166, and 200. In this BIOS implementation, the only other configurable RAM setting is voltage. Noticeably absent are the expected memory timings. The user can also adjust the CPU clock under the CPU OverClock in MHz submenu. The allowable range is from 200-250MHz with 200MHz being the default. This is a good range for an AMD-based system. Of note is the AGP OverClock in MHz submenu. This allows you to leave the AGP clock at the default of 66MHz or bravely push it all the way up to an enormous 100MHz high. Obviously, stability on that bus will be of concern, but the option is a nice addition.
Details concerning the new Lightning Data Transport, or LDT, bus could take up an entire review by themselves. Simply put, this bus is how the CPU communicates with the system and, according to AMD, pushing this bus out of specification is, in fact, overclocking or underclocking the entire system. It’s probably best to leave the LDT Downstream Width set to Auto as this will give you the widest path of 16-bits. The LDT Speed setting ranges from 1x to 4x with 3x being the default for the nForce3-150. As a matter of record, this multiplier sets the speed of the LDT bus and directly correlates with the CPU setting above. By taking the CPU clock and multiplying it with the LDT Speed, you will arrive at the LDT bus speed. As a note, this board would not even POST at 4x.
To push the system above recommended settings (um, overclocking), the various system components will usually require more juice. Fortunately, Shuttle’s implementation of the AwardBIOS gives access to meeting that requirement.
The CPU voltage by default is 1.50V (by setting this to Auto) and can be pushed down or up in a range of 0.800V – 1.700V. I have an opinion on this range based solely upon this board (and I’ll share it later), but of course, having access to more boards in the future will carve out the best range for the Athlon64. RAM voltage by default is 2.60V, but can be set up to 2.90V.
If one decides to really push that AGP bus much higher than 66MHz, then surely more power will be required. The default for AGP is 1.50V and can be pushed up to 1.80V. Finally, to push the LDT bus higher, the Chipset voltage can be set up to 1.90V and the LDT voltage can be set up to 1.50V. Again, experience here will dictate the true upper limits that these various components will need to achieve the best overclock.
Finally, the PC Health Status submenu will detail the current system specs such as voltages, temperatures, and fan speeds. The only adjustable option here is the Shutdown Temperature.