![[H]ardOCP](/images/blank.gif){kind=small}
- Date:
- Monday , December 28, 2009
- Author:
- Morry Teitelman
- Editor:
- Kyle Bennett
- Google +1
DFI LANParty DK P55-T3eH9 Motherboard Review
As DFI’s newest member of it much vaunted LANParty series of motherboards, the DK P55-T3eH9 seems more than willing and able to step up to its legacy. But will this be the last ATX motherboard we see out of DFI?
BIOS
For the DK P55-T3eH9, DFI chose to use an AMIBIOS style template. The BIOS used for testing and shown below is version 8.00.15.
The IDE Configuration submenu, opened via the IDE Configuration link from the Main menu, contains settings for configuring the various onboard SATA and IDE devices. The Configure SATA as option controls the Intel P55 chipset’s operational mode. Note that the Intel RAID boot BIOS will only show on startup with drives connected to the P55 controlled SATA 2 ports and the Configure SATA as option set to RAID. The JMicron JMB363 controller state is configured via the JMicron 36x ATA Controller setting. The H/W RAID Configuration submenu configures the operational state of drives connected to the JMicron JMB322 controlled ports. Note that you are able to configure the drive operational mode directly from this screen, without need of going in to a separate boot BIOS. The options listed under the H/W RAID Mode Update section change depending on how many drives are connected to the tied ports, and what type of configuration the drives are set up for. The submenu itself supports setting drives in normal, RAID 0 and RAID 1 configuration.
The Genie BIOS Option menu is a centralized repository for all system device speed, timing, and voltage related settings. Using the O.C. Fail CMOS Reload setting, a user can force the system to load a particular BIOS profile on the event of a failed system boot. The system base clock setting is controlled using the CPU FSB Frequency option, with a 500Mhz maximum setting allowed. The CPU multiplier is set via the LRATION CMOS Setting option, with its maximum setting determined by the current CPU in use. The physical CPU speed is determined by multiplying the CPU FSB Frequency and Ratio CMOS Setting option setting. With the Intel SpeedStep setting enabled, the Turbo Mode option becomes user configurable. The Intel(R) TurboMode Tech option controls an internal CPU based overclocking mechanism, automatically setting the CPU ratio to a max+1 multiplier setting regardless of the Ratio CMOS Setting option selected. The Boot Up CPU Base Clock setting controls the board initialization base clock, with a maximum of a 255MHz setting available. This setting is interesting in itself, in that you can set the board to boot with a more stable setting, and then apply the desired base clock setting setup via the CPU FSB Frequency setting once initialization has completed. The QPI Frequency setting controls the QuickPath Interconnect bus speed, with the shown settings based on speeds at the default 133MHz base clock setting. Similarly, the DRAM Frequency option shows memory speeds locked at the default 133MHz base clock speed, translating in to ratio settings when a higher or lower base clock value is used. While the board supports a 1600MHz setting at a 133MHz base clock, I could not get the DDR3 modules to boot faster than 1333MHz at stock CPU speed settings. The DRAM Timing submenu link becomes visible with the Configure DRAM Timing by SPD option set to Manual.
The BIOS allows for manual configuration of the following memory timing settings: CAS latency(tCL); active to precharge delay (tRAS); RAS precharge delay (tRP); RAS to CAS delay (tRCD); write recovery delay (tWR); row refresh cycle delay (tRFC); write to read delay (tWTR); RAS to RAS delay (tRRD); read to precharge delay (tRTP), four activate window delay (tFAW); command rate; per channel round trip latency; and back to back CAS delay.
The CPU Configuration submenu contains operational statistics on the seated processor as well as options for controlling internal processor settings. The configurable settings include the following: CPUID maxval support, Intel virtualization technology support, Execute Disable Bit support, and Intel C-State support. For a supported processor, HyperThreading technology can be enabled or disabled using the Intel(R) HT Technology option. In addition, CPU cores can be selectively disabled using the Active Processor Cores setting.
The Voltage Control submenu contains all voltage related manipulation settings, as well as a list of the current voltages for select settings at the top of the menu. The O.C. Shut Down Free setting allows for the system to apply changed voltage and frequency settings without having to do a system initialization, as is required on most other boards. However, enabling this option could lead to more system instability than it’s worth. The CPU Voltage option determines the base CPU voltage, with a 2.00V maximum allowed. The Load Line setting configures the CPU Vdroop voltage using preset percentages, with 100% maximum value allowed. The Super VID setting gives a small boost to the CPU related voltage settings, which can add to overall system and voltage stability when pushing the system hard. The CPU Vtt Voltage setting allows for a maximum additive voltage of +0.697V to the base CPU Vtt voltage. The board DRAM voltage can be set to a maximum of 2.60V via the DRAM Voltage setting. The DRAM Vtt voltage, settable using the DRAM Terminal Voltage setting, can be set to a maximum of 0.15V over its default setting. The memory reference voltages, split in to 3 different settings per channel, can be set to a maximum of 0.15V over default voltage as well. The Chipset PLL voltage, set via the PLL Voltage setting, can be set to a 2.10V maximum, while the chipset voltage itself can be set to a 1.35V maximum using the PCH Core Voltage option.
The Advanced Settings menu contains several submenus with options for controlling the various onboard devices and subsystems.
The Hardware Health Configuration submenu contains a display of real-time operational statistics for the monitored board temperatures, voltages, and fan speeds. In addition, you have the ability to control the fan operation of headers, using a mix of direct manual settings and settable temperature thresholds.
The USB Configuration submenu contains USB port configuration settings, with an additional submenu displaying when a viable USB device is connected to the system. The USB Mass Storage Device Configuration submenu is used for configuring specific emulation options for the connected device. Specifically, the Emulation Type option controls the configuration of the device specific emulation modes.
The Advanced PCI/PnP Settings menu contains options for configuring PCI and Plug and Play related setting, including the PCI Latency Timer. The BIOS itself does not allow any configuration of the individual IRQ devices or DMA channels, unfortunately.
The South Bridge Chipset Configuration submenu, opened via the named link within the Chipset menu, contains configuration settings for several onboard devices, the Intel GigE controller (GbE Controller), and the onboard diagnostic LED display (Post Code).
The Hard Disk Drives submenu, located within the Boot menu, displays all hard drive type devices connected to the system at system initialization time including properly detected USB 2.0 type devices.
The CMOS Reloaded menu contains settings for configuring the BIOS profile manipulation tool. The CMOS Reloaded option displays the profile configuration tool window, with the ability to save or load from a total of 4 profiles. Note that the saved profiles are full BIOS setting backups, with profiles themselves being accessible using the include Auto Boost System tool from within Windows.