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- Date:
- Wednesday, April 09, 2008
- Author:
- Morry Teitelman
- Editor:
- Kyle Bennett
- Google +1
MSI P7N SLI Platinum
While the MSI P7N SLI Platinum is squarely marketed as a budget board, its heart beats like that of a champion. Just how well can this nForce 750i SLI based board compete against its seemingly more powerful Intel brethren?
Introduction
MSI is well known and loved in the motherboard space for its years of producing quality and high performance products. Almost from its inception, the company has catered to the enthusiast crowd with technology and design wins making the overall overclocking experience easier and better for those so inclined. Their latest motherboard, while not the big kid on the block, nonetheless seems to pack a punch and upholds the MSI enthusiast catering traditions.
The MSI P7N SLI Platinum is the newest member of MSI’s NVIDIA based Intel line of boards.
Based on the NVIDIA nForce 750i SLI chipset, the board supports most current Intel LGA 775 processors, DDR2 memory operating in Dual Channel mode up to 800MHz officially, and dual card SLI graphics mode using matched NVIDA graphics cards. MSI designed the P7N SLI Platinum board as a feature complete solution, meaning that it requires a minimal number of components for full operation including an Intel LGA 775 processor, DDR2 memory, a video card, drives, and a PSU. The following ports are integrated in to the P7N SLI Platinum’s design:
2 ATA-133 IDE ports and 4 SATA II ports (RAID 0, 1, 0+1 and 5 capable) on the NVIDIA controller; 2 eSATA ports on the JMicron controller; 8 USB 2.0 capable ports (4 in rear panel, and 2 onboard headers supporting 2 ports each); 2 IEEE 1394 capable ports (1 in rear panel, and 1 onboard header); 1 x NVIDIA GigE Ethernet port in the rear panel; Realtek 8-channel HD audio codec featuring an S/PDIF optical output port; a BIOS reset switch in the rear panel; and PS/2 keyboard and mouse port support in the rear panel.
Main Specifications Overview:
Detailed Mainboard Specification List:
Packaging
MSI adorned the P7N SLI Platinum’s box with what appears to be an artistic rendering of a sci-fi inspired outer space battle between rival ships. The box art is very eye catching for sure, with the supported CPU and memory technologies clearly marked on the box front. The following components are packaged in with the motherboard: ATA-133 and floppy ribbon cables; SATA drive and dual ended power cables; the rear panel shield; rear brackets for USB 2.0, and IEEE 1394 ports; a dual port SLI connector; and the normal complement of manuals and drivers discs.
Board Layout
MSI obviously spent some time developing the layout of the P7N SLI Platinum, most evident in the board’s clean and spacious layout. In areas on the board where the components look a bit tightly packed, such as around the PCI Express x16 slots or the CPU socket, MSI used small form factor devices to compensate and create more space. While there is no clear serial number marked on the board, the board version is shown silk-screened on the surface between the secondary PCI-Express x16 slot and PCI slot 1. The board version used for test was a 1.0 revision. For board power control, MSI chose to use high quality aluminum solid-state capacitors throughout.
The CPU socket area is well laid out, with adequate space surrounding the socket and low profile power components used to maximize space available. The CPU cooler is held to the CPU via the standard LGA775 4-hole based implementation. The board’s Northbridge chipset is cooled via a large circular copper cooler, which is in the dead center of the board heat pipe cooling loop. The upper end of the heat pipe cooler terminates to the upper right of the Northbridge, in the form of a large thin finned copper heat sink covering the CPU power components. The SYSFAN1 header is located just above the Northbridge, while the CPUFAN1 header is to the lower right of the CPU socket. The 8-pin ATX power connector is to the upper right of the socket, along the board’s edge.
The onboard DDR2 memory slots are situated directly below the CPU socket and Northbridge chipset. The slots are arranged in a 2-by-2 bi-colored configuration, with Dual Channel memory mode enabled with DIMMs in unlike colored slots across sets. The heat pipe connection coming down off of the Northbridge chipset is routed away from the DIMM slots, so as to not interfere with DIMM interaction. Just below the DIMM slots are the SYSFAN2 header and 24-pin ATX power connector.
The Southbridge chipset is located just below the secondary PCI-Express x16 slot, cooled by a low profile copper cooler in the middle of the board heat pipe. To the lower right of the Southbridge are the onboard SATA 2 ports, which are set in to the board at a ninety degree angle. To the lower left of the Southbridge are the CMOS battery, the front panel headers, and the 2 onboard IDE ports. Just above the IDE ports are the onboard USB 2.0 and IEEE 1394 headers.
The board is designed with a total of 3 PCI-Express x16 slots and 2 PCI slots. The onboard floppy port is located along the outside edge of PCI slot 2, while the COM and SYSFAN3 headers are located above the slot. The trusted point module header is located just above the tertiary PCI-Express x16 slot. The heat pipe terminates with a low profile cooler covering the video port bridge chip in between the primary and secondary PCI-Express x16 slots. Above the bridge chip are the front audio header, the chassis intrusion header, the SPDIF header, and the CDIN header.
MSI integrated the following ports in to the P7N SLI Platinum’s rear panel: PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports; 1 IEEE 1394 port; 4 USB 2.0 ports; 1 NVIDIA GigE Ethernet port; 2 eSATA ports; and 6 analogue audio and S/PDIF optical output audio ports.
NVIDIA nTune
MSI chose to include several application utilities in with the P7N SLI Platinum board, including version 5 of NVIDIA’s nTune performance suite useful for Windows based overclocking and BIOS setting manipulation.
The Adjust Motherboard Setting link opens to a setting page which allows for configuration of the same voltage, clock speed, and memory timing settings allowed through the BIOS. The Adjust GPU Setting link similarly opens to a page allowing for NVIDIA video card setting manipulation of the graphics core itself.
The Tune System link display the Tune System page, which allows for automated overclocking. Via this program, the system automatically determines the overclocking sweet spot for the system based on the components selected for overclocking and stress tests the system for stability over the specified time period. The View System Information link displays a system information page containing a read-only view of most system settings. The Adjust Custom Rules link opens to the Adjust Custom Rules page. This page allows for setup of rules to control system performance settings based on system events occurring, such as monitored temperature threshold or program startup.
The Perform Stability Test page, accessed from System Stability link within the primary NVIDIA control panel interface, contains settings for initiating a system stress test. The stress test can be configured to involve the entire system or targeted sub-systems, useful in determining overall system stability and possible system bottleneck areas.
MSI Dual Core Center
In addition to NVIDIA’s nTune performance suite, MSI included their home grown Window’s monitoring and overclocking utility dubbed Dual Core Center. MSI includes version 2.0.1.6 of their utility with the board.
The main UI screen contains many useful options for both real time status on measured board items as well as selection of preset configurations for both overclocking and overall board operation. The list of radio buttons along the left side of the app list the included preset configurations that can be used with the board. MSI also includes a submenu for setting up user configured profile information, accessed by clicking on the User Profile button at the top of the app window. The D.O.T. (Dynamic Overclocking Technology) button and up and down arrow buttons on the right side of the app window control the included automated overclocking utility, allowing for an up to 10% automated system overclock.
The applet allows for manual manipulation of most BIOS settings related to temperature control, fan speed, voltage, and bus speed manipulation through the option buttons located along the bottom edge of the app. Note that the selections made in the various configuration windows are tied to a specific profile.