![[H]ardOCP](/images/blank.gif){kind=small}
- Date:
- Tuesday , July 27, 2010
- Author:
- Morry Teitelman
- Editor:
- Kyle Bennett
- Google +1
MSI 890FXA-GD70 Motherboard Review
MSI's newest offering supporting AMD's line of processors comes in the form of the 890FXA-GD70. This board could potentially be a P55 killer, with its balance of features and performance prowess. How does it do in the HardOCP gauntlet and better yet, how well does it overclock?
BIOS
MSI designed the 890FXA-GD70's BIOS using an AMIBIOS style layout. Note that the BIOS shown below and used in testing was version 1.4.
From within the main BIOS screen, MSI offers system information through the use of popup windows triggered by pressing a specific function key. The F4 function key spawns the CPU Specification window. This popup window shows statistics on the active processor including physical speed, multiplier, number of total cores, and CPU voltage in addition to some internal processor specific id information. The F5 function key spawns the Memory-Z window, which displays manufacturer specified SPD memory timing settings for the system DRAM modules on a per module basis.
The System Information submenu contains display only information on the current CPU in use, BIOS version, and system memory configuration. This submenu is accessed via the link within the Standard CMOS Features menu.
The Advance BIOS Features menu houses system initialization settings including those tied to device boot sequence via the Boot Sequence submenu and the PCI Latency Timer configuration setting. A properly connected and detected USB 2.0 device can be selected as a boot device from within the Boot Sequence submenu.
The Integrated Peripherals menu houses settings controlling the operational states for most of the board's integrated devices, including the USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports, the IEEE 1394 ports, the Realtek LAN controllers, the JMicron SATA/IDE controller, and the Realtek HD audio controller. The On-Chip ATA Devices submenu contains the settings for configuring the AMD SB850 RAID controller. The AMD SB850 RAID boot BIOS displays on startup with the RAID Mode option set to RAID.
The H/W Monitor menu displays statistics on all BIOS monitored voltage, device temperatures, and fan speeds for connected fans. You also have the option of configuring several of the onboard fan headers for static or BIOS controlled temperature threshold based speed operation.
The Green Power menu contains real-time power usage statistics on the board itself, in addition to settings controlling the power phase configuration for several of the board subsystems. The Motherboard LED Control option configures the operation of the onboard LED banks which provide a visual display of the current board power phase settings.
The Cell Menu contains various submenus and options within the base menu for controlling performance and overclocking settings. The options for controlling the following internal features are available from within this menu: Cool'n'Quiet, which is similar in function to Intel's Speedstep technology, and enhanced Halt state support (C1E Support). The base CPU FSB value can be set to a maximum of 690MHz using the Adjust CPU FSB Frequency (MHz) option. The OC Stepping setting enables BIOS controlled overclocking, with the ability to set the time and speed interval for how the BIOS progresses. The Adjust CPU Ratio setting controls the CPU multiplier, with the maximum setting dependant on the CPU in use. Note that the physical CPU speed can be determined by multiplying the CPU FSB and CPU multiplier settings, and is shown as a display value under the Adjusted CPU Frequency (MHz) option. The Adjust CPU-NB Ratio setting defines the bus speed for the interconnect between the CPU and the Northbridge chipset, with a 10x multiplier maximum. The bus speed can be determined by multiplying the CPU-NB bus multiplier by the CPU FSB setting, shown in a display only option named Adjusted CPU-NB Frequency (MHz). The Unlock CPU Core setting allows for use of factory disabled cores by the user, depending on the CPU currently in use.
The CPU Specifications submenu contains statistics on the currently active CPU, with settings shown for processor speed, multiplier, cache, internal id, default voltage and active core settings. The CPU Technology Support submenu contains information about the various technologies supported by the in use processor.
The CPU Feature submenu contains all user configurable internal CPU settings, including: Cool'n'Quiet which is similar in function to Intel's Speedstep technology, enhanced Halt state support (C1E Support), and AMD virtualization technology (SVM support).
By setting the CPU Core Control option to Manual, you have access to manually disable all cores but the primary core on the in use processor. The OC Genie Lite setting controls an automated BIOS controlled overclocking mechanism, which works in tandem with the OC Genie Lite tab within the Windows based MSI Control Center application. The OC Dial settings control usage parameters for using the onboard OC Dial device. The dial itself activates with the OC Dial Function option set to enabled, with the OC Dial Step option controlling the speed interval between each dial turn for forward and backward speeds. The OC Dial RESET option allows for manual reset of the current OC Dial additive value. Note that the OC Dial additive value as well as the processor speed after OC Dial settings are applied are shown as display values under the OC Dial RESET option. The FSB/DRAM ratio setting determines the base memory speed. The memory speed is based on the setting of the CPU FSB, and is shown in via a display option named Adjusted DRAM Frequency (MHz).
The Memory-Z submenu contains a series of submenus, with 1 submenu listed per DRAM module installed in to the system. Each Memory SPD Information submenu contains statistics on manufacturer recommending memory timing and speed settings, which are instituted by the BIOS when the DRAM Timing Mode setting is left in Auto mode. Within the Memory SPD Information submenu is an additional submenu displaying X.M.P. settings available for the in use memory modules.
The Advanced DRAM Configuration submenu contains the following manually settable memory timing options, settable by combined channel or individual channel configuration: CAS latency; RAS to CAS delay (tRCD); RAS precharge delay (tRP); active to precharge delay (tRAS); read to precharge delay (tRTP); row cycle time (tRC); write recovery delay (tWR); RAS to RAS delay (tRRD); write to read delay (tWTR); row refresh cycle delay (tRFC); intra-module read to write delay (tRWTTO); intra-module write to read delay (tWRRD); intra-module write to write delay (tWRWR); intra-module read to read delay (tRDRD); and command rate (1T/2T Memory Timing). Note that enabling the DCT Unganged Mode option enables Dual Channel memory mode operation.
The HT Link Speed setting defines the HyperTransport bus speed, connecting the Northbridge and Southbridge chipsets. The bus speed can be determined by multiply the HT Link Speed and CPU FSB settings, with the physical speed shown through a display option labeled Adjusted HT Link Frequency (MHz). The board's PCI Express bus speed can be set to a maximum of 190MHz using the Adjust PCI-E Frequency (MHz) option. The CPU VDD Voltage setting controls the power fed to the CPU power regulation circuitry, with a 1.425V maximum allowed. Similarly, the CPU-NB VDD Voltage setting controls the CPU to Northbridge bus power regulation circuitry voltage, also with a 1.425V ceiling. The CPU Voltage can be set to a 2.496 maximum, enough to fry any processor. The voltage for the CPU to Northbridge interconnect, set via the CPU-NB Voltage option, is configurable for a 2.055V maximum. The CPU PLL Voltage setting controls the CPU internal clock circuitry voltage, with a 3.132V maximum. The CPU DDR-PHY Voltage setting is for configuring the voltage for the CPU memory controller, with a 1.83V ceiling. The board memory voltage can be configured for maximum operation at 2.485V, while the memory reference and power circuitry can be run at a 1.658V maximum. The Northbridge chipset voltage peaks at 1.393V, while the PCI Express bus voltage can be set to a massive 3.974V. The HyperTransport interconnect bus voltage is settable to a 1.83V ceiling. The Southbridge voltage can go as high as 1.58V.
The HT Link Control submenu contains upstream and downstream bandwidth settings for the HyperTransport interconnection bus. The best performance is had with both settings set to 16 BIT.
The M-Flash menu allows for direct BIOS updating and archiving. The current BIOS can be archived to a named file on an attached USB drive, or can be updated from a file on an attached USB drive.
The Overclocking Profile menu allows for the storage of up to 6 full BIOS images, with all BIOS settings captured as configured at the time of profile creation. The actual profile management functions are housed in the Overclocking Profile submenus, numbered 1 thru 6. The submenu settings allow for custom naming of profiles, creation, loading, and profile setting deletion. The OC Retry option in the main menu sets the number of times the system will attempt to initialize with the current BIOS settings before reverting to a safe mode type boot up.