![[H]ardOCP](/images/blank.gif){kind=small}
- Date:
- Thursday , May 17, 2007
- Author:
- Morry Teitelman
- Editor:
- Kyle Bennett
- Google +1
abit AB9 QuadGT
abit’s latest Intel P965 based board, the AB9 QuadGT, touts full support for both ATI CrossFire dual card configuration and the latest quad core Intel processors. But will that be enough to ward off the other top performing P965 based boards?
BIOS
For the AB9 QuadGT, abit chose to use a Phoenix AWARDBIOS design for the BIOS implementation. The BIOS used in testing the board was version 1.0.
abit’s most obvious BIOS modification is the inclusion of specific screens for controlling their uGuru overclocking and system monitoring system. The uGuru Utility menu itself is divided in to 2 screens, the OC Guru screen and the ABIT EQ screen. All overclocking related options, including bus speed and voltage manipulation options are located within the OC Guru screen. The ABIT EQ screen contains all system monitoring and monitoring configuration options.
All CPU and memory related speed settings become user configurable with the CPU Operating Speed option set to User Define. The External Clock option controls the system base CPU FSB speed, with an upper maximum of 600MHz allowed. The Multiplier Factor option sets the CPU multiplier for unlocked CPUs. This option has no effect on multiplier locked CPUs. The physical processor speed is shown under the read-only Estimated New CPU Clock option, which changes based on the External Clock and Multiplier Factor settings real time. The DRAM module speed is determined through the N/B Strap CPU As and DRAM Spec. (CPU:DRAM) options. With the N/B Strap option set to the PSB1066 setting, you have the option of running your system memory at 533MHz (1:1 CPU:DRAM ratio), 667MHz (4:5 CPU:DRAM ratio), or 800MHz (2:3 CPU:DRAM ratio). With the N/B Strap option set to the PSB800 setting, the memory ratios map as follows: 533MHz (3:4 CPU:DRAM ratio), 667MHz (3:5 CPU:DRAM ratio), or 800MHz (1:2 CPU:DRAM ratio). The physical speed of the memory is listed under the read-only Estimated New DRAM Clock option, and is calculated by the BIOS real-time. The PCI Express Clock option determines the speed of the onboard PCI Express bus, with an upper limit of 200MHz available.
The Voltages Control submenu contains user configurable voltage options. Note that all voltage options available for user configuration become user accessible with the Voltages Control option set to User Define.
The CPU VCore voltage is configured through the CPU Core Voltage option, which allows for a massive 1.895V to be supplied to the CPU. The DDR2 Voltage option controls the supplied memory voltage, allowing for up to 3.00V with which to fry your system memory. Note that it is highly recommended to actively cool your DIMM modules when using above 2.2V. The CPU VTT 1.2V Voltage option configures the CPU threshold voltage, which is best set to at least 3/4 of the CPU voltage for maximum stability. This option allows for a more than adequate 1.50V maximum. The MCH 1.25V Voltage option controls the Northbridge chipset voltage, with a 1.70V ceiling. The Southbridge chipset voltage is split between 2 different settings, ICH 1.05V Voltage with a 1.20V maximum and ICHIO 1.5V Voltage with a 1.70V maximum allowed. The DDR2 Reference Voltage option sets the memory threshold voltage, with a positive or negative based percentage boost allowed only.
The Power Cycle Statistics option opens to the Power Cycle Statistics submenu, which lists total board usage and uptime.
The ABIT EQ screen within the uGuru Utility menu contains numerous submenus used for configuring system monitoring settings as well as real-time viewing of monitored statistics. From the top level menu, the LED Effect Control option controls the blink pattern of the under board LED via pre-set configurations. The ABIT EQ Beep Control option enables the issuance of a warning tone over the system speaker. The Temperature Monitoring submenu contains a listing of all monitored system temperatures, allowing for configuration of warning and shutdown triggers based on preset threshold values. The Voltage Monitoring submenu offers similar warning and system shutdown capabilities for monitored system voltages. The Fan Speed Monitoring submenu controls system warning and system shutdown events based on feedback from the numerous BIOS monitored fan headers.
The FanEQ Control submenu contains various other submenus for controlling the operation of the onboard fan headers. The onboard fan headers are split across 2 individual groupings, listed as submenus within the FanEQ Control submenu. Within each of the submenu groups are options for configuring the fans attached to the listed headers. The Reference Temperature option listed within the individual fan section determines the temperature used to dictate fan speed operation. The Control Temperature High and Control Temperature Low options are used to set the high and low temperature threshold for the fan header. The fan header voltage is set through the DC Fan Voltage High and DC Fan Voltage Low options for the 3-pin fan headers, and the Fan PWM Duty Cycle High and Fan PWM Duty Cycle Low options for the 4-pin headers. When the monitored temperature goes below the selected Control Temperature High setting, the fan header supplies the voltage configured within the DC Fan Voltage Low or Fan PWM Duty Cycle Low setting. Should the temperature climb above the Control Temperature High setting, the header voltage changes to the setting under the DC Fan Voltage High or Fan PWM Duty Cycle High option. By varying the power to the fan headers, the BIOS automatically controls the attached fan speed.