EVGA nForce 4 SLI Mainboard Review

[Clay]

EVGA nForce 4 SLI Mainboard Review (http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/evga_nforce4_sli_edition_mainboard/index.shtml)

Steve Angelly has finished his review of an EVGA nForce4 SLI motherboard.EVGA 133-K8-NF41-AX MOTHERBOARD

The motherboard looks to be in the basic configuration and closely follows reference design except for one rather unique feature that I have seen only offered by one other board. This board has an extra PCI-Express (E) full-length slot making a total of 3 available. The two yellow full-length slots are x8 PCI-E for installing cards and activating SLI. The blue full-length slot is x16 PCI-E for use with a single PCI-E card. This method of enabling SLI is unlike most other SLI-capable boards which use jumpers or switching cards.

http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/evga_nforce4_sli_edition_mainboard/images/nvnews_evga_mobo_032.jpg (http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/evga_nforce4_sli_edition_mainboard/index.shtml)

This review has a wide variety of benchmarks thrown at it. Check it out and post back here with any questions or comments.

[BrianG]

For being relatively new at the motherboard game, EVGA has some very thoughtful design elements. The onboard power and reset switches are very cool and the three slot design for SLI vs. single card seems very effective.

The memory labeling is an interesting catch by Steve.

Nice review. I still think I am about a generation away for buying anything but Asus, but EVGA has a great start so far...

[|MaguS|]

Good Review. Many things covered in my impressions were covered in the review. I personally love the board. Im currently running at 267mhz HTT with 2,2,2,8 timings.

[MUYA]

Good stuff Steve u ole so and so :) Nice read.

[Gentle]

Overall, good sounding review.

Small edit needed on...

http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/evga_nforce4_sli_edition_mainboard/page_7.shtml

and

http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/evga_nforce4_sli_edition_mainboard/page_13.shtml

Where it mentions "LCD" it should be "LED" (unless that red glowing bit is really an LCD...).

Gentle

[OWA]

Nice board and review.

Good Review. Many things covered in my impressions were covered in the review. I personally love the board. Im currently running at 267mhz HTT with 2,2,2,8 timings.

I've been meaning to ask how you like it. That's good to hear.

[fuelrod]

Clay, great review. I just got this board as part of the combo deal and so far I like it a lot. I did notice in your bios screen shoots that your CPU was running at 51 and system1 temp (which I think is the case temp) is at 45. Do you believe these numbers? My CPU is at 47 and my system1 is at 39 which I believe to be 7 or 8 degrees on the high side.

Two things make me think the temperatures are not accurate: 1) my previous system (same case/cpu) never got that high 2) after I leave the computer off for a couple of hours, turning it on and immediately going to the bios my temps are at 44 and 37. I don't think the case or CPU is that high 10 secs after booting from a cold system.

Also, do you know what the system2 temp is reading? Again, good review.

[Clay]

Clay, great review. I just got this board as part of the combo deal and so far I like it a lot. I did notice in your bios screen shoots that your CPU was running at 51 and system1 temp (which I think is the case temp) is at 45. Do you believe these numbers? My CPU is at 47 and my system1 is at 39 which I believe to be 7 or 8 degrees on the high side.

Two things make me think the temperatures are not accurate: 1) my previous system (same case/cpu) never got that high 2) after I leave the computer off for a couple of hours, turning it on and immediately going to the bios my temps are at 44 and 37. I don't think the case or CPU is that high 10 secs after booting from a cold system.

Also, do you know what the system2 temp is reading? Again, good review.
Thanks but this isn't my review. I just posted it. :) Steve Angelly (Rytr) performed the review and I'm sure he'll answer your questions here soon.

[Rytr]

Thanks.

fuelrod, the temp right now read 46, 38, and 30C. I question the accuracy but have not yet got around to installing a probe. A digital readout on the base of the sink is 32C. I have another review going but as soon as I can I will check it out...I intended to during the review but just forgot to followup. :o
System2 appears to be system board temp.

[fuelrod]

Thanks but this isn't my review. I just posted it. :) Steve Angelly (Rytr) performed the review and I'm sure he'll answer your questions here soon.

My apologies to Steve :eek: , I should have paid more attention. Great review.

[Rytr]

Thanks! :D

I will try to find out about the temp readings. The Akasa cooler I am using has kept the temps under 40C on the same processor but on a Gigabyte board. So I don't think you are far off on the 8C estimate.

Clay does not claim me but I sometimes claim him. :D

MUYA you young whippersnapper, thanks. :D

[MikeC]

Great Review Steve. I have to admit I like the colors of the board. :D

Tomorrow is Muya's Birthday so that young whippersnapper remark has only a few hours left. ;)

[SH64]

Nice review Steve! the idea of single card slot itself makes the board worth its while... you dont know how much trouble i went through with the jumpers of the DFI SLI board when i wanted to switch back from SLI to single GPU.

[Rytr]

Nice review Steve! the idea of single card slot itself makes the board worth its while... you dont know how much trouble i went through with the jumpers of the DFI SLI board when i wanted to switch back from SLI to single GPU.

I liked this setup as it made it very simple to go SLI with just plugging in the cards and activating SLI in the Bios. The rest was just following the on-screen directions and then making sure the correct box was checked in the Nvidia control panel for SLI. Going back to single card was even simpler. :thumbsup:

[Clay]

Clay does not claim me but I sometimes claim him. :D If you keep showing me up with great reviews like this then that might change. :angel: Nice job old man Dad. :D

[911medic]

Nice review! The board looks to be essentially the same as this one (http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2506), with a few minor differences (no beep speaker near the CMOS jumper, different Marvell LAN chip). They both feature the 3 full-length PCIe slots, a nice innovation.

[Rytr]

Overall, good sounding review.

Small edit needed on...

http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/evga_nforce4_sli_edition_mainboard/page_7.shtml

and

http://www.nvnews.net/reviews/evga_nforce4_sli_edition_mainboard/page_13.shtml

Where it mentions "LCD" it should be "LED" (unless that red glowing bit is really an LCD...).

Gentle

Corrections made...thanks!

[r7_bubba]

Hey Rytr (Steve),

During your exhaustive test of this eVGA motherboard, did you find that the chipset cooler to be noticely loud. Let's say, could you identify the noise (if any) of the chipset cooler above all the other fans in your system?

ThanX,

Ben

[Rytr]

Hey Rytr (Steve),

During your exhaustive test of this eVGA motherboard, did you find that the chipset cooler to be noticely loud. Let's say, could you identify the noise (if any) of the chipset cooler above all the other fans in your system?

ThanX,

Ben

A 40mm fan that turn high rpms usually are noticeably loud and I have seen two of the same type generate differing degrees of noise. I may have lucked out with this one because I cannot hear the fan run at 5 feet away.
When I had it off the chip I tested it and was surprised how quiet it was. It so happens that I had 3 other chipset fans and was able to check it against them. One was off a MSI, one off a DFI, and an Akasa 40mm. Of course, I do not know who manufacturerer of the fans are but the one off the EVGA along with the Akasa were the quietest...I could not hear them running at 5 feet away while the other two were easily noticeable.

[r7_bubba]

ThanX for the quick response. I was concerned about the chipset cooler on the eVGA board because it can't really be replaced with a passive solution. I know there are other 3rd party chipset heatsink/fan setups that have a low enough profile to not interfere a single vid card or the sli setup.

My friend bought an Asus A8N-SLI (no Deluxe/Premium) and the cooler that Asus supplies is definitely the loudest fan in the system and easily audible from 5 ft. away.

ThanX...I ordered the 7800GTX from eVGA that comes with this motherboard for free. I can't wait to set it up.

[BrianG]

ThanX for the quick response. I was concerned about the chipset cooler on the eVGA board because it can't really be replaced with a passive solution. I know there are other 3rd party chipset heatsink/fan setups that have a low enough profile to not interfere a single vid card or the sli setup.

My friend bought an Asus A8N-SLI (no Deluxe/Premium) and the cooler that Asus supplies is definitely the loudest fan in the system and easily audible from 5 ft. away.

ThanX...I ordered the 7800GTX from eVGA that comes with this motherboard for free. I can't wait to set it up.
Have your friend read this thread...

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=50923&highlight=a8n-sli+chipset+fan

[r7_bubba]

Have your friend read this thread...

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=50923&highlight=a8n-sli+chipset+fan


ThanX Brian,

Showed this to my friend and he's going to order it, although he already replaced the fan with a passive heatsink from Zalman. The original chipset fan on his Asus A8N-SLI wasn't loose as to produce rattling noises, but it was just loud. All we would hear was this high-pitched death cry coming out of his machine.

Cheers!

Ben

[BrianG]

ThanX Brian,

Showed this to my friend and he's going to order it, although he already replaced the fan with a passive heatsink from Zalman. The original chipset fan on his Asus A8N-SLI wasn't loose as to product rattling noises, but it was just loud. All we would hear was this high-pitched death cry coming out of his machine.

Cheers!

Ben
You're welcome...

Apologies to Rytr for the thread hi-jack...

[fuelrod]

Thanks! :D

I will try to find out about the temp readings. The Akasa cooler I am using has kept the temps under 40C on the same processor but on a Gigabyte board. So I don't think you are far off on the 8C estimate.

Clay does not claim me but I sometimes claim him. :D

MUYA you young whippersnapper, thanks. :D

Did you ever get a chance to verify the temps with a prob or anything?

[Rytr]

Sorry, I am working on a MSI P4N review and I completely forgot about checking the temps. I will try to get something on it tonight. Thanks for reminding me. :)