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Got my Asus M5A99X evo up and running!

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trents

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
Just got my Asus M5A99x Evo installed and set up. I'm in the process of re-overclocking my trusty 960T CPU. Boy, I'm not impressed with Ausus' implementation of LLC. The old M5A97 nonevo I am replacing only had two choices for LLC, Auto and Enabled and Enabled gave a huge voltage shot to both vdrop and vdroop. The M5A99x Evo has a number of LLC choices but they all seem to give about the same extra push at both idle and under load: just about enough to exactly offset drop and only about .25v more than that on the droop. Doesn't accomplish much. What I was surprised about on the new board is how much bigger it is from front to back. I had to install an extra row of offsets for the back edge but at least it's supported well.

Soon, I'll post some pics of my case innards. Not only do I have a new board but I just got that Noctua D14 installed that I accidentlly won on ebay recently. What a big beautiful piece of workmanship that is!
 
just about enough to exactly offset drop and only about .25v more than that on the droop = "trents" when you describe the LLC that way it sounds about like what it should do. I can be mis-understanding, but the LLC on my CHV keeps the Vcore at about what I set the Vcore to in the bios; which is exactly as I expect it to do and especially at load. I do not expect LLC to keep Vcore greater than my Vcore setting in bios loaded or unloaded. Am I not understanding that as how yours is doing?
RGone...
 
I found my M5A pro and Sabretooth acted the same. I actually set mine to Ultra high to get that extra push when loaded so I could leave my idle volts lower.
 
I found my M5A pro and Sabretooth acted the same. I actually set mine to Ultra high to get that extra push when loaded so I could leave my idle volts lower.

Yeah, got mine set to ultra high. I don't see any difference between Ultra High and Extreme and very little difference between any of the LLC choices. RGone, I would like more separation between idle voltage and load voltage for the reason Johan45 expresses.
 
I've tried different BIOS versions on my Sabretooth, Trents but the spread is always about the same .025v. I might be wrong but I thought the Extreme had a higher offset. I tried it once and switched back cause I felt it went too high. But that was a while ago and I do suffer from youngtimers.
 
The M5A97 nonevo had a spread of >.75v. So I could set it at 1.425 in bios for every day computing but it would surge to over 1.5v under heavy load. The new board I have to set to 1.5 in bios and it stays steady at that with whatever vdrop compensation LLC is implementing under light computing. Under heavy load it will only go to 1.512v (right now I'm Priming with the 960T unlocked to 6 cores at a little over 4 ghz clock speed). This is with the Ultra High LLC setting.
 
Yeah, got mine set to ultra high. I don't see any difference between Ultra High and Extreme and very little difference between any of the LLC choices. RGone, I would like more separation between idle voltage and load voltage for the reason Johan45 expresses.

Yep, I thought that was what you were going to say. That is why most of the instructions for using CPU LLC are described with it being setup in Offset Vcore mode. I don't like that mode but once setup that way, I imagine you will see what it is you are looking to see. Which by the way is not the way LLC is designed to work on AMD mother.

Since Intel began to use Vdroop to compensate for the "overshoot" fo the VRMs kicking in and supplying Vcore under load there was a rumble. So finally the mobo makers brought about CPU_LLC and by its' name hints at the Load Line beinig Calibrated. Calibrated to what? The Vcore set in bios. The idea is that LLC keeps the VRM from over-shooting the Vcore too high when the VRM loads and begins output. In a manner of speaking the LLC is clamping the Vcore downward to keep the voltage from spiking too high and possibly damaging the processor with high Vcore spikes.

Based on that I would expect my Vcore not to show big over-spikes of voltage when the load comes on and off during stressing. And the voltage supplied to the cpu would not be very much greater than set Vcore in bios.
RGone...
 
I guess it depends on how you look at it and what effect you want.
 
I had to try it when I got home, I was off a bit earlier. On ultra it goes from 1.404 to 1.416 which is more in line with what you were saying Trents, on extreme it went from 1.404 to 1.452. like I said before it wad a huge jump.
 
Johan45, my Extreme is less extreme than your Extreme! He, He!

Well, under load my 960T unlocked to 6 cores at 4.0 ghz on 1.512v was only giving a max socket temp of 54c! That Noctua D14 I just got really pulls its weight! I'm guessing it reduced my temps by about 5c compared to the Corsair A70 (and with less fan noise) and the A70 was a very good air cooler in it's own right. For what it's worth, HWMonitor says the package power is 177W.
 
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I guess the Noctua was a good purchase then Trents. :thup: I do have a question that is off subject. Are the temps where Denubs may start being unstable and where they are considered safe the same for the Thubans?
 
I guess the Noctua was a good purchase then Trents. :thup: I do have a question that is off subject. Are the temps where Denubs may start being unstable and where they are considered safe the same for the Thubans?

Yeah, pretty much the same for Denebs and Thubans I think. For BD and PD add about 5c to both core and socket temp.
 
Here's the end product of several changes and mods I have made lately surrounding the motherboard failure event with my Asus M5A97 and replacement with the Asus M5A99X Evo. This included: 1. Replacement of the Corsair A70 cooler with the Noctua D14, cutting a hole in the right side panel and adding a fan to push a little air onto the backside of the CPU socket/VRM area, replacing the Antec Neo 450W PSU with a OCZ 750W (which I got for $35) and some better cable management.
 

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More. The close-up is of a 50 mm spot fan I attached to the NB heat sink. Don't know if you can see it. The case is a Cooler Master HAF912.
 

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Wow that Noctua is big 9" wide case and it looks like the door will barely fit on. Trents what kind of secret potion is in the goblet with the green slime balls in it?
 
Wow that Noctua is big 9" wide case and it looks like the door will barely fit on. Trents what kind of secret potion is in the goblet with the green slime balls in it?

My wife's "Beta". It's a little fish with big fins that's very ornery and has to live by itself.

Yep, the case is about 9" wide but part of that is spoken for by about a .75" of space behind the motherboard tray where you can route cables.
 
Man "trents" that is a neat job you did on that fan for the rear of the motherboard. Nothing short on craftsmanship there at all.
RGone...
 
My wife's "Beta". It's a little fish with big fins that's very ornery and has to live by itself.
I always found it interesting how a fish so pretty could get so nasty when it had another male in the bowl with it.
 
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