![[H]ardOCP](/images/blank.gif){kind=small}
- Date:
- Wednesday, October 20, 2004
- Author:
- Morry Teitelman
- Editor:
- Kyle Bennett
- Google +1
MSI 915P Neo2 Platinum
The 915P Neo2 Platinum is MSI’s premier of the Intel 915P chipset and DDR2. We put the 915P Neo2 through our usual benchmarks, stress testing, and BIOS tweaking suite and give you the results.
BIOS
For the 915P Neo2 board, MSI chose to base the BIOS around the popular AMI BIOS. The BIOS itself has been heavily customized for CoreCell integration and enthusiast use. Note that the BIOS version shown is version 1.4.
The Advanced BIOS Features menu has a variety of options relating to the boot configuration of the system. The system boot sequence can be set through the Boot Sequence submenu, with a total of 3 configurable boot devices available. Notice that attached USB devices show in the selection list.
The Advanced Chipset Features menu contains configuration options for chipset related functions, including memory timing and graphics port operation. Note that the listed PEG Port option controls the current status of the PCI-Express x16 graphics port.
All available memory related options become user configurable with the Configure DRAM Timing by SPD option set to Disabled. MSI chose to allow configuration of the following memory timing options: CAS Latency, RAS to CAS delay, RAS precharge delay, and active to precharge delay. For the above settings, numerically lower values force more aggressive memory operation.
The Integrated Peripherals menu contains options for controlling all board level integrated components, including the SATA and IDE RAID controllers. The VIA IDE RAID controller status is determined through the Onboard IDE RAID Controller option. The Onboard LAN Controller option sets the state for the Broadcom GigE NIC. The SATA Devices Configuration submenu contains configuration options for the ICH6R SATA ports. The ATA/IDE Configuration option determines how the SATA drives are treated on system boot up by the system, with the allowed options of Compatible, Enhanced, and Disabled. With the ATA/IDE Configuration option set to Compatible mode, the system only supports a maximum of 4 attached devices with SATA only, a SATA/IDE combination, or IDE only available. The Enhanced Mode option supports a maximum of 6 system devices. Note that the ATA/IDE Configuration must be set to Enhanced and the Configure SATA as option set to RAID for the Intel RAID boot BIOS to show on system startup.
The H/W Monitor menu contains options for configuring system response to CPU related catastrophic events, as well as a submenu option for system temperature and voltage statistics. The CPU Smart FAN Target Temp Select option defines a threshold temperature, above which the fan connected to the CPU fan header is run at full power. The CPU FAN PIN Select option allows for configuration of the physical CPU fan header layout, whether the fan header is configured in the traditional 3 pin configuration or the fourth pin is enabled. The PC Health Status submenu contains real time statistics on all BIOS monitored system temperatures, fan speeds, and voltages.
The Cell_Menu screen contains all options for configuring system FSB and voltage parameters, as controlled through MSI’s proprietary CoreCell dynamic overclocking chipset. The top of the menu shows the current CPU speed and memory frequency.
The High Performance Mode option is tied to a number of presets for various FSB and voltage settings, when set to Optimized mode. It also has an effect on the aggressiveness of the internal chipset timings. The Dynamic Overclocking option is the core of the CoreCell chipset, allowing for system adjusted overclocking. The highest option available is the Commander level, which allows for a massive 15% overclock. With the exception of the Adjust DDR Memory Frequency option, all other FSB and voltage related options do not have pop up menus associated with them. Instead, the options are configured using the + and - keys on the keyboard. The Adjust CPU FSB Frequency option controls the board CPU FSB, with a maximum allowed setting of 500 MHz. The Adjust DDR Memory Frequency controls the memory speed, with the options available corresponding to ratios based on the default 200 MHz CPU FSB. The 400 MHz option corresponds to a 1:2 (CPU:DDR) ratio, while the 533 MHz option corresponds to a 3:4 (CPU:DDR) ratio. Note that the adjusted CPU and memory speeds are listed below each respective adjustment option. The Adjust PCI Frequency allows for asynchronous setting of the PCI bus frequency, up to a maximum of 40 MHz. The Adjust PCI Express Frequency asynchronously controls the PCI-Express bus frequency, with a 133 MHz maximum value. The allowed maximum voltages really exceeded my expectations, with the CPU Voltage maximum available at 1.55v, the DDR Voltage a whopping 2.4v, and the Northbridge Voltage maximum at 2.2v. All voltages can be set in excess of 20% above standard voltages, allowing for a great degree of overclocking latitude.