N00b's Guide to Conroe Based Performance Computing and OC Results

[NODES]

traitor..... first leaving AMD and then Nvidia...... i am ashamed *pretends to hide the fact that bobthemoo is tempted to do exactly the same*

it seems if u go Intel there is no other choice then go ATi aswell.

It seems like Nvidia is buddy, buddy with AMD...shame really...but what can you do...

 

[X0d1@k]

I think that this guide, when fleshed out, will be great for people like me, who have been out of the loop (happy with their system) but now want to upgrade to the next greatest and newest tech to come. I will be following this thread for the next 6 months to year. I cant believe ( as AMDroid) that i am looking forward to an Intel CPU. The fat lady is beginning to warm up her vocal cords....

 

[Super Nade]

Hang on folks, I'm a bit confused about the 975 support. Do you mean to say only those with rev 304 and above will support Conroe? What is the difference if any, between the 965 and the 975 (and the 985, if it comes out) ? The only issue with present motherboards seems to be voltage regulation, right? Can we expect other LGA775 boards with older chipsets being re-released with just this tweak and a bios update?

I would like a definitive answer on why older boards with the same socket don't/can't support Conroe? Is the fixable by a simple VMod?

Are any of you Intel guru's running NV cards solo? Any obvious drawbacks to preferring NV over ATi?

 

[greenmaji]

No.. revision 304 is a revision of the Intel badaxe motherboard (the revision that changed the VRM cictry to the VRM 11 standard needed for conroe)

Hardmods have not been documented (and would not be simple IMHO), But if someone finds the info I would like to at least look at it

there is no performance problems running any card solo.. its SLI that doesnt work well (NV chipsets stink and it takes a hacked bio's to use SLI on an Intel chipset, and the new updated file is closely held from what I've seen)

 

[infinitevalence]

Nade... dont worry your not the only one going Conroe... if the cash is there i will be looking to switch platforms to conroe later this summer. I really look forward to the lower heat output and more overclock potential that conroe looks to have when compaired to the X2/DC Optron. As is right now even with water cooling noise is becomeing a factor with my computer. The fans on the rad will spin up when my tempretures hit about 45c.... it would be reallly nice to have all the performance with out all the noise.

 

[Jame Gumb]

I'm a noob to Intel as well and I plan to switch to Conroe.

What mobo should I be getting and which one is best performing (linkage)?

All boards out are trash right now, regarding robust OCing features.

Asus:

Asus P5B Deluxe. It's not out either.
http://uk.asus.com/news_show.aspx?id=2477
http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/8776/016hu.jpg

Abit:

They have a new logo, and I've been reading they're in some transitional period as of late. I haven't heard jack from that camp regarding Conroe boards, has anyone?

DFI:

The purported Conroe board designer for that camp is Oscar Wu.

 

[crimedog]

Final clarification regarding conroe motherboard support

 

[Super Nade]

I hope to be armed with all the information I need to make an informed choice. In the process, I hope to help out other folks .

Interesting thing about the TDP and the VCore. From what I have seen on xtremesystems, the startup VID is about 1.3V? Can one of you guys with ES chips confirm this? If your ES chips are DTR, then I think we can add 0.2 V to the startup VID to arrive at a rough number.

PS*Can somebody point me to the Intel Tech docs?

 

[Super Nade]

Final clarification regarding conroe motherboard support

I read that thread. I'm still unclear about the 975 chipset, given what Gautam and green have said.

 

[crimedog]

no current 975 boards will work with conroe, except the badaxe. 975's that support conroe will be released in the future. 965 is conroe only but it's a value based platform, 975 will be the performance.

 

[Super Nade]

Performance as in more OC'ing options or just zillions of SATA headers and Gigabit Ethernet ports, USB ports etc?

 

[Ross]

I would like a definitive answer on why older boards with the same socket don't/can't support Conroe? Is the fixable by a simple VMod?

Hard mods are documented (for the Intel board at least), but they are certainly not "simple". It requires soldering SMTs and given the fact most people can't do a relatively easy Vdroop or Vddr mod without trashing a board, soldering SMTs to the board will be well beyond all except professional circuit board builders/repairers with the right equipment/skills. Might as well buy the correct board (with the right VRM to boot) instead of frying your board trying to make it work and having to buy a new one anyway

Point of the matter is DO NOT BUY A 975 BOARD now and expect it to work with Conroe at all. I'll still be leery after Conroe is released unless the specs specifically say it works with "Core" or whatever they plan to say.

Even brand new 975 boards being released right now are not Conroe-ready. My working theory on this is that manufacturers were originally expecting to have til the end of the year to get Conroe 975 boards ready and probably already had non-Conroe 975s in the works when Intel stepped up the release date. My guess is that they will not offer Conroe-ready boards until the very last second in the hopes of unloading current runs/stock in the meantime. So, I am doubting very much we'll see any 975 Conroe boards before Conroe at all. 965s, maybe a little earlier since they will all be new boards and assuming manufacturers are not behind in production of them since they probably had to "rush".

965 (and presumably new 975) boards will have the ICH8R Southbridge in addition to the VRM 11 package. The ICH8R Southbridge looks like it's supporting a single IDE channel, so start replacing all your PATA drives soon Some new boards will have digital clock generators (not common/available at all now?). Those *should* achieve a noticeably higher stable OCs than PLL-based clock gens. Some will have more power phases (7-8 instead of 3-4). I am not sure on the 985s yet since there's not a lot of info on them.

Woodcrest (server) will be out in June, Conroe (desktop) in July, Merom (mobile) in August.

Interesting thing about the TDP and the VCore. From what I have seen on xtremesystems, the startup VID is about 1.3V? Can one of you guys with ES chips confirm this? If your ES chips are DTR, then I think we can add 0.2 V to the startup VID to arrive at a rough number.

PS*Can somebody point me to the Intel Tech docs?

I would've bought one 3 weeks ago had there been a board to run it in There's not much in the way technical documents for Core on Intel's site, definitely no thermal/mechanical specs yet. Those probably won't be out until S-Spec codes are released....or a little before. Most ES's I see are 1.19-1.29 or like 2.6V default, but who knows if CPU-Z is buggy.

 

[greenmaji]

Hard mods are documented (for the Intel board at least)

What part of "I want to check it out" you didn't understand Ross
Come on where is the linkage love

And performance = more FSB for me SN

 

[Schlotkins]

Any one know if the current set of coolers are going to work OK? I'm planning on going Conroe in July.

Thanks!

 

[greenmaji]

Any one know if the current set of coolers are going to work OK? I'm planning on going Conroe in July.

Thanks!

It's good old Socket-T.. nothing has changed socket wise, old coolers will do the trick

 

[Ross]

green, sorry, I didn't even see that you said that

Linkage to rev. 302 mods for Conroe support.

It's good old Socket-T.. nothing has changed socket wise, old coolers will do the trick

....and probably work a LOT better

 

[Shelnutt2]

DTR = desktop replacement? or does DTR mean something else? What do people mean by DTR chips?

 

[Super Nade]

DTR = desktop replacement? or does DTR mean something else? What do people mean by DTR chips?

Yes. That is correct. For example, the older AMD XP-M's were much loved chips. The way I see it, DTR's hold great overclocking potential. In my experience, the chips which achieve the max OC were the ones which had the lowest startup VID. There is no reason to posit otherwise. However, its the motherboard department which may cause problems. This may or may not be fixable with a BIOS mod. I was discussing this exact same issue with Gautam. My initial choice was to get the DTR version of the Conroe (Mermon), but he alerted me to the problems he was facing with his Dothan setup. So, a DTR may not always be the best option.


Excellent info Ross! I've added it to the main thread.

 

[Shelnutt2]

Yes. That is correct. For example, the older AMD XP-M's were much loved chips. The way I see it, DTR's hold great overclocking potential. In my experience, the chips which achieve the max OC were the ones which had the lowest startup VID. There is no reason to posit otherwise. However, its the motherboard department which may cause problems. This may or may not be fixable with a BIOS mod. I was discussing this exact same issue with Gautam. My initial choice was to get the DTR version of the Conroe (Mermon), but he alerted me to the problems he was facing with his Dothan setup. So, a DTR may not always be the best option.

Thank you for clarifying that for me.

 

[Ross]

DTR version of the Conroe (Mermon), but he alerted me to the problems he was facing with his Dothan setup. So, a DTR may not always be the best option.

That may yet be a board issue with Merom, but Gautam would definitely know before me. What I do know is that the AOpen is a desktop board designed for Yonah and it's been more or less problematic for OCs (limited BIOS, etc.), but it could definitely be the procs though.

When it comes to Intel, you absolute CANNOT short-change yourself on default FSB unless a bootstrap hack or multi-adjust will allow it to go much higher. Merom 667/800FSB, Conroe 1066/1333FSB. Remember what I said about FSB a couple posts up. DTR is fine and dandy unless the DTR is the exact same chip with a slower FSB and higher multi The Merom would need to clock **significantly** higher than Conroe to make it worthwhile and I guarantee it won't. Best scenario, it will clock just as well and you'll end up with a lot less FSB than you would on a Conroe. Stick with Conroe and forget the mobile option...it just make no sense in this case.