Foreword

Shortly before the end of gates, then still an i875P (Canterwood) mainboard from ASUS home flapped us: the P4C800 Deluxe. And so we set about us immediately, to take this Board for you more precisely under the microscope, so that we today can present also a motherboard with the i875P chip set you apart from the Intel Pentium4 3,0C with 800 MHz FSB. Considered first comparison and therefore the results of P4C800 Deluxe at least halfway can be, we use the D875PBZ Intel, which also has the i875P.

Just beforehand, it was said, however, that not all expired as smoothly as hoped, and we had to address with the one or other discrepancies with the motherboard, that you are otherwise not so used. But that we want to address once more at a suitable point.

Because some problems arose, and in particular the BIOS still a versions have quite Beta status seemed to want to we deal in this test with the theory of i875P (Canterwood), to give you an overview which has made changes Intel and what is the point and what impact these changes bring.

History

So far, Intel drove two tracks: who performance without if and but wanted, for which was the i850E chipset with support for PC1066 (16 bit) or PC4200 (32 bit) RAMBUS memory so far right. This was delivered by Intel but officially only with the ICH2, which USB 2.0 support in the southbridge in Intel as I (input/output controller hub) identifies, Miss left. Nevertheless, some manufacturers of this default combination put away to and 2.0 ports provided from the i850E simply with ICH4 and associated support 6 USB. Whether with ICH2 or ICH4 of the i850E the undisputed fastest chipset was so far and also the competition could change anything here.

For mass Intel provided so far for the i845 chipset series, which the Pentium 4 adapted itself to evolution and was supplemented on the basis of SDR the i845 to DDR SDRAM support SDRAM support single channel DDR 266 brand in the i845D. Then followed i845E/G and ultimately i845PE and i845GE, which each paired were delivered with the ICH4. The latter offered even support for single-channel DDR333 (DDR SDRAM). While Intel so fully put for the mass market on SDRAM, an alternative storage technology was in the high end segment so far used.

Intel i875P

This will change now with the idea of i875P. Intel positioned this performance on the i850E, but opts dual channel DDR400 (DDR SDRAM). In addition, a new I at the start, which brings some new features goes with him. The performance of i875P, which previously heard on the code name Canterwood, properly to account for, Intel has increased the frontside bus, the connection between the processor and memory controller/Northbridge, also 533 MHz to 800 MHz in time. The first Pentium 4 processor, which can be operated with this higher front side bus is along with the i875P presented 3,0C GHz Pentium 4. The “C” this points to a front side bus of 800 MHz and serves to better distinguish it from the previously fastest 3.06 GHz Pentium 4 with a 533 MHz fast frontside bus (FSB).

The i875P is however only the first one completely new chipset generation, which will provide support for dual channel DDR400, 800 MHz FSB. Like at Intel usual falls for the time being only the veil for the fastest product of the new family. Soon three more chipsets to be joined by, which are currently being developed under the code name of Springdale. The Springdale has here a great similarity with the Canterwood / i875P, but on an important feature missing: the Springdale is delivered without performance acceleration technology (PAT). What is this, is to be described in the following sections. But also the other new features in the i875P should be not left untouched.

Memory controller hub – 82875P

At the Northbridge of i875, the 82875P memory controller hub, which gives its name to the chipset, there are a total of five new features to the so far fastest chipset, the i850E. Namely: 800 MHz FSB support, dual channel DDR400 support, AGP 8 x support, performance acceleration technology (PAT) and – last but not least – communications stream architecture (CSA) for Gigabit Ethernet. With one exception, namely AGP 8 x, none of these features was so far on an Intel chip set for the desktop market. In addition to the already mentioned i850E and i845PE chipsets, which did not support AGP 8 x, there was still one more set of chip, which could work with Intel’s Pentium 4 with the E7205 (codename Granite Bay). However, this was conceived at home by Intel for the desktop computer. As a result of dual channel DDR 266 support has he created in advance of its release sensation, was able to convince then in the test but not really against i850E and RAMBUS. The suspicion of an artificial brake was obvious. Because with the advent of E7205, the development of i875P was well advanced and a too fast E7205 would probably strongly reduce the sales of the new chip set. To get to the point: AGP 8 x is even not so new, and has long among the repertoire for the competition, should be mentioned the following unspecified it.

800 MHz frontside bus

With the Pentium, a 64-bit-wide bus, which can deliver 4 packets per stroke 4 architecture ensures communication between processor and Northbridge. This we know to listen to the name frontside bus and is largely responsible for the overall performance of a computer. Because finally the processor can process only the data, once received. Here is so sprinkle place fisted. The more data to be transferred to the frontside bus can the better. Finally know you never what the future still can bring. The Pentium 4, the FSB was previously operated with single-cycle real either 100 or 133 MHz. Because 4 packets transmitted per clock, you here like to indicates a clock of 400 (4 x 100 MHz) or 533 MHz (4 x 133 MHz). Thus, following theoretical bandwidth for the bus of the Pentium 4 arise:

• FSB400: 64-bit bus width * 100 MHz bus clock * 4 packets / 8 = 3200 MB / s
• FSB533: 64-bit bus width * 133 MHz bus clock * 4 packets / 8 = 4200 MB / s

Since this is still not enough for a modern high-end processor according to Intel, you want to start fast bus now with a change to a 800 MHz. This would bring it to a bandwidth of 6.4 GB / s second. The i875P supports 800 MHz FSB fast.

• FSB800: 64-bit bus width * 200 MHz bus clock * 4 packets / 8 = 6400 MB / s

Dual channel DDR400

So that when a frontside bus bandwidth of 6.4 GB / s not the memory bus to the eye of a needle, is the i875PE with dual channel DDR400 support equipped, which it also to a theoretical bandwidth of 6.4 GB / s brings. To achieve this with RAMBUS, one would need RIMM1600 modules, which are technically currently still not feasible.

• GLE channel DDR SDRAM
• DDR266: 64-bit bus width * 133 MHz bus clock * 2 packets / 8 = 2128 MB / s
• DDR333: 64-bit bus width * 166 MHz bus clock * 2 packets / 8 = 2666 MB / s
• DDR400: 64-bit bus width * 200 MHz bus clock * 2 packets / 8 = 3200 MB / s

  Dual channel DDR SDRAM

• DDR266: 2 x 64-bit bus width * 133 MHz bus clock * 2 packets / 8 = 4256 MB / s
• DDR333: 2 x 64-bit bus width * 166 MHz bus clock * 2 packets / 8 = 5332 MB / s
• DDR400: 2 x 64-bit bus width * 200 MHz bus clock * 2 packets / 8 = 6400 MB / s

  Dual channel RDRAM (Rambus)

• RIMM800: 2 x 16 bit bus width * 400 MHz bus clock * 2 packets / 8 = 3200 MB / s
• RIMM1066: 2 x 16 bit bus width * 533 MHz bus clock * 2 packets / 8 = 4256 MB / s
• RIMM1600: 2 x 16 bit bus width * 800 MHz bus clock * 2 packets / 8 = 6400 MB / s

In dual channel mode is this parallel of and to two memory modules read or write. Can this storage throughput be hypothetically doubled. However, it must do so as far as possible identical memory disease are.

Performance acceleration technology

The performance acceleration technology is a for the time being exclusive features of i875P. It aims to processor using dual channel DDR400 RAM memory access when using a FSB800 (and only) speed up, without doing the memory itself more strongly to charged. But how does it work?

The principle behind it is actually simple. Previously, we must however know that access to the memory not only of the memory timings itself is limited. Rather the Northbridge also required some cycles to process read packets from memory and to provide, for example, the processor, or to store packages in the store. With PAT activate the Northbridge not 5 bars, now however needed, for example, to access the memory, but those only or 3. With PAT, two bars can be saved. The latency decline appreciably in this case. However, this means also a considerable overhead for the chipset.

Accordingly, only the fillet pieces on the wafer are suitable for PAT. Before a Northbridge so becomes a 82875P, it has to be taken in elaborate stability test about yourself. This work during the test with the Northbridge chip as such, the well-known green organic casing is placed only later around. Chips, which are not PAT, are used for an other Northbridge. Here comes the Springdale chipset in the game. He is lacking only PAT, but otherwise offers all the features of i875P. While i875P and Springdale Northbridge airplay from the same wafer come, and it actually is the same chip, become separated their ways with the existence or non existence of PAT stability tests. The i875 Northridge lands 1005 in one case, the Springdale Northridge, however, in a mechanically to incompatible pin FCBGA.

Communications streaming architecture

On modern motherboards are finding more and more features, and so, for example, a connector integrated on the mainboard is now the must-have. On the basis of 100 Mbps you increased but now solutions on 1 GB Ethernet ports. Thus, a problem arises however: the 1 Gbit Ethernet adapter, more integrated on the mainboard will be connected through the PCI on the system. This in turn provides only a theoretical bandwidth of 133 MB / s, 1 GB Ethernet it brings however to a maximum transfer rate of 125 MB / s duplex or even 250 MB/s full duplex. The PCI would thus almost completely filled by the Ethernet communication or even too busy – barely usable bandwidth would be left over for plug-in cards.

One was already facing a similar problem: about 7 years ago, there were the video cards that were limited in the outsourcing of their textures in memory of the PCI. To work around the problem, you simply created the Acclerated graphics port (AGP), which was linked directly to the memory controller and brought it in the first version of AGP 1 x on a 266 MB / s bandwidth.

The same is true now with Gigabit Ethernet (GbE), which can be combined by means of cdf communications streaming architecture (CSA) directly with the Northbridge. The available bandwidth is here 266 MB / s. In this way have Gigabit Ethernet adapter not only significantly more bandwidth available, rather the latencies also fall, because the data now can save the way through I. However, can be operated Ethernet chip to the CSA, which has unfortunately also a price only Intel’s own Gigabit.

I/OController hub – 820801EB/ER

Also from the I/o Controller Hub (ICH) there is in conjunction with the new memory controller hub 82875P a revised version, which is connected with the hub interface 1.5 on the Northbridge. Compared to the ICH4, the ICH5 (820801EB) offers two more USB 2.0 ports, which are now a total of 8 ports available. Also managed Intel was the first manufacturer to integrate support native serial ATA in the southbridge. Native means here that the chipset can interpret command set the complete S-ATA, without having to rely on additional external chips as a translator from S-ATA on P-ATA. The luxury variant of I, the ICH5/R (820801ER), also provides the ability to create a RAID0 array with two S-ATA hard drives. This innovation was worth a separate detailed test for us.

Serial ATA

Intel’s S-ATA approach is more than just the integration of a simple S-ATA PCI controller in the Northbridge. Because with the ICH5 or the ICH5/R there are two basic modes for S-ATA and P-ATA controller. In the new “native IDE” dissolve mode that is supported by Windows 2000 or Windows XP currently among others, is finally on the idea, that IRQ14 and IRQ15 only by the disk controller uses may be. Thus they adopted also by the fixed idea that there are only a primary and a secondary hard disk controller. In native mode are now a total of four hard disk controller (2xP-ATA for a total of 4 devices and 2xS-ATA again 2 store) without restrictions available under Windows 2000/XP.

But also on older operating systems was conceived with a compatibility mode. Here show the disk controller, which however only two, the well-known IRQ14 and 15. There are two available either P-ATA controller for four hard drives, two S-ATA controller for two hard disks, or each a P-ATA and a S-ATA controller for a total of three devices available, where the latter either the S-ATA or P-ATA can be set as primary controller.

Trusted Platform modules

Actually Intel has made provision for the use of a trusted platform module (TPM) as it is used to TCPA, in the i875P chip set and also his little brother, the Springdale chipset, however we could locate even such a module not on our test circuit boards. It seems, so the first would like to be here not one. In addition Intel would like to use a TPM claims only on their business of mainboards, the end user at home shall for the time being not come to “Enjoy” a TPM chip.

A word about the D875PBZ Intel

At this point we would like to comment briefly on the D875PBZ Intel, which is also features and equipped with the ICH5R of the i875P. Positively were the six USB2.0 external led. 0 on ports and the onboard Gigabit LAN solution, which was realized by means of CSA.

On some features such as onboard sound, which the D875PBZ does not have, can the D875PBZ compete well with other mainboards and represents a full i875P motherboard, which might be quite interesting for some buyers.

As usual the BIOS of the D875PBZ offers not the rich options like the most other mainboards. Intel allows its buyers with the i875P although for the first time specifically using Burst-In mode the system to overclock, but only up to four percent. But also the BIOS of the D875PBZ is not error-free and had a strange quirk.

So, it was the case that the D875PBZ in conjunction with dual channel DDR333 on automatic memory timings as selected when manually delivered significantly better performance reasons not erklärlichen for us so far and as soon as possible timings. The performance by selecting ‘Auto’ when the memory timings in Quake3Arena under 640 x 480 and the settings of ‘Normal’ rose to just under 9 frames per second. What timings in the automatic selection are highly reduced, or whether in this case about the performance Accerleration technology (PAT) is enabled, which is not actually enabled according to Intel in dual channel DDR333, can be not tracked unfortunately.

The ASUS P4C800 Deluxe

Deliverables, and documentation

According to the motto “what you see is what you get” we give you a collection of the contents of a box of P4C800 Deluxe first once again:

• P4C800
• 3 x IDE cable
• 2 x SATA cable
• A floppy cable
• Driver CD
• Manual
• Quick Setup Guide
• Connection sticker
• AI features folder
• ATX bracket
• Jumper
• WinCinema
• Audio stickers for the keyboard

Even if some are wondering what happened such as additional USB, GamePort-, or FireWire modules, it is Variant of P4C800 our trial the Deluxe. Here, ASUS seems to have made some concessions. Because so much, all eight USB2.0 is anticipated,. 0 ports of ICH5 have not managed to be guided directly to the outside. FireWire was while being used, but led only to a single port to the outside.

With the audio stickers, you should attach the buttons of his PS / 2 keyboard, go down to use as a very special audio features of P4C800 Deluxe, to which we are closer in the next section.

The documentation of P4C800 Deluxe is usual good and so is discussed in the manual in addition to the Board on the BIOS, the sound configuration, and the software typical for ASUS. The manual fell at this time, however, that there is BIOS, even though it is again quite extensively at this point, where one or the other omits a few function and no explanation in the section on that. This can and will probably be that the BIOS has been further revised after the printing of manuals and some features have been implemented only later.

Facilities

Overall the P4C800 Deluxe can convince with its equipment, partly the idea came to us however, whether it not may be slightly different outline its priorities to ASUS would have to.

Important features such as onboard LAN, sound, FireWire, SATA RAID, USB2. 0 and AGP8x are available, but how were they implemented?

In the Ethernet adapter uses ASUS not Intel’s CSA solution, but on a chip made by 3com. The 3com 3C940 chip could hub (MCH) are thus not connected to the memory controller, but hangs at the P4C800 still at PCI bridge. Asus has gone this way certainly reasons because Intel CSA can be pay well and makes only little sense in the desktop market for the consumer.

Onboard audio realized ASUS using SoundMAX AD1985 chip and even if this solution does not especially gentle deals with the CPU resources, the SoundMAX drivers have some special features on Commons. ASUS summarizes these features as ‘ AI (artificial intelligence) audio’ together. Once make a a cable to the audio inputs / outputs connects, the chipset recognizes which device was connected, and gives the user the ability to change the selection itself, by a corresponding menu then. So to avoid possible errors when connecting. The SoundMAX driver enjoyed us anyway if their overview and the offered options.

In addition the P4C800 Deluxe has a so-called ‘ instant music’ function that allows the customer, even without having an operating system must be loaded, to use the PC as a CD player. For this purpose are the included stickers for the keyboard.

≪ blockquote > originally posted

This unique feature allows you to playback audio files even before entering the operating system. Just press the asus instant music special function key and enjoy the music!

FireWire provides about via VT6307 chipset Asus and, as mentioned above, only one port is led directly to the outside.

Asus has coloured each pairwise the four RAM slots, to the customer through this optical signal to connect, how the memory must be used to enable the dual-channel operation.

Course, ASUS also relies on the ICH5 from Intel, but comes at the P4C800 Deluxe, not about the ICH5R (FW82801ER) to use, that function has the SATA RAID, but only the ‘normal’ ICH5 (FW82801EB). It seems odd because first of all, that one, although it has opted variant in the ICH5 against the RAID, one additional SATA RAID controller on P4C800 Deluxe installed: the promise of PDC20378. But no soft RAID has one two additional SATA connections, function, as it offers the ICH5R. Can you connect an additional IDE disk in the PDC20378 promise and so an array from a SATA and a PATA based hard drive, but how often this is done by the customer? The biggest advantage of promise PDC20378 certainly is that he can build up other than the ICH5R, a Raid1 array. This remains barred from the ICH5R. Thus, still its raison d’etre has found the promise RAID controller. Correctly ‘Deluxe’ would have become only it, if had been used both the ICH5R and the PDC20378 promise. There are rumors that a such variant still on the market is to come.

If you look at the past months, that Intel as well as the Mainboarhersteller put more and more to SATA and are interested to introduce it as soon as possible in the market shows.

Otherwise, provides the P4C800 Deluxe five PCI slots, and has a good layout, that the cabling is unnecessarily difficult. Fortunately ASUS P4C800 Deluxe as in the past at foregoes an active cooling of memory controller hubs. The Mount of Rentention is new, however, the module on the bottom of the mainboard. This fails massive very much than before. The function and use does not change however.

ASUS exchanges the BlueMagic PCI slot against a so-called ‘Asus WIFI Wireless connector’, which is specifically intended for WLAN cards. Which addon cards here expect us in the future of ASUS, remains to be seen.

Uncomfortable fell us on initially included, that no other USB or FireWire panels are supplied and this fact, is all the more worse that ASUS of only four of the eight possible USB2. 0 port leads directly to the outside. However, two ports for USB devices, is located on the Board so that the remaining four USB2. 0 ports on the back of the PC can be taken, the corresponding modules must be purchased but in addition. This also occurs for in terms of FireWire. A port was led to the ATX aperture, more two be guided a module not attached also to the outside.

Six USB2. 0 ports might have ASUS we believe quiet directly to the outside. Directly after the purchase, the customer in this respect is so that no advantage compared to the Board with the ICH4, from which all should of also only four of the six possible ports have led to the outside.

Under the new umbrella of AI (artificial intelligence), ASUS marketed a number of features that are partially new, partly but also already old known.AI audio we have already explained. When AI NET is programme first and foremost a diagnosis (virtual cable tester), which searches the network for errors in the cabling. Examines the connection at up to 100 meters and the program indicates even the removal of the damaged site. Whether the program keeps what it promises, we could not test unfortunately still in the short of time.

On AI overclocking we go a closer in the section of the BIOS.

The term AI BIOS almost ASUS already well known Festures such as ASUS Crashfree BIOS, ASUS Q-fan and the ASUS Post reporter together.

Children’s diseases

This section refers to the problems and inconsistencies that occurred during the test of P4C800 Deluxe. Therefore, it is in this section to inconsistencies in the BIOS.

We quickly discovered that the supplied BIOS probably deserves would have had the name ‘Beta’. So the AI lacked overclocking function completely and at some other options you had to doubt their effectiveness.

So ran the P4C800 Deluxe even with FSB800 and dual channel DDR400 with the fastest memory timings, not the performance, we as soon as in the D875PBZ to the reached here but far reaching possible timings. Unfortunately the D875PBZ at the fastest timing went through is not stable, however, we achieved a data transfer rate of 5047MB / s, for example, in Sandra The ASUS P4C800 is ‘only’ to 4890MB / s. We doubt that really the fastest timings were used, or but the timings on the bus have been reduced with this setting.

Also the performance acceleration technology (PAT) was operation, called to Asus ‘Memory Acceleration Mode’, also in the DDR333 and enable even when using a FSB 533 MHz CPU. According to Intel, this technology only in the use of DDR400 and a FSB800 CPU can be use. Does ASUS here intentionally not the guidelines or it shows that the BIOS has been customized still not 100% ig. It would be desirable, of course, if PAT remains can be activated in future BIOS versions! A comprehensible reason it not unlock, in our view does not exist.

HardTecs4U.de also found that in the current BIOS version the PCI clock with almost 37MHz is just under 4 MHz of the specification. Intention or mistake can and we do not want to judge at this point.

Also this seems to us to start this BIOS on the dual channel DDR400 operation in conjunction with a FSB800 CPU optimized to have been. As you can see in our benchmarks, performance lies on a Pentium4 with 533 MHz FSB and dual channel DDR333 unexpectedly far behind the performance of the D875PBZ in this mode, although the P4C800 from ASUS with the new Pentium4 of 3.0C with 800 MHz FSB and dual channel DDR400 before the Intel Board.

That we quite wrong to be seem with this presumption, confirmed a new BIOS that we received after the completion of our benchmarks. In this BIOS, for example, the AI was implemented overclocking function and performance in connection with a Pentium4 with 533 MHz FSB appears first tests according to have increased. For this reason, we will let give no final standings also P4C800 Deluxe, because the BIOS seemed too immature and we want to wait until whether ASUS makes here some optimization work, so that we will if necessary update the benchmarks, if performance improved as first suspect tests with a new BIOS.

BIOS and overclocking

Up to the already mentioned shortcomings in the BIOS, makes the AMI BIOS a surprisingly good figure and offers many setting possibilities. The BIOS in comparison to its competitors is even visually slightly spiced up by a shimmering blue navigation bar at the top of.

AI overclocking describes a BIOS feature that you want to make easier the overclocking. Instead of manually setting all, you select a percentage in the BIOS, the system is to be overclocked to and everything else takes over the motherboard. The system thereby can be overclocked to up to 30 percent. The system should remain still stable by automatic detection of the best settings.

This is the theory, in practice, this works overclocking but not unlike the manual. To choose a high setting, overclocking in the AI of the PC at boot hangs. The function is thus not alone looking the fastest yet stable settings. AI overclocking thus rather several options to one summarizes, without having the user thus has precise impact on the respective settings. You cannot detect which setting it is responsible, that the PC no longer boot, this flat-rate approach therefore. For newcomers in terms of Overclocking is a nice start certainly get something more out of the system. But outside, ambitious overclockers will make the option.

All important options, such as the FSB, the memory timings, the tension and anything else is to elicit the system slightly more power, are well integrated and can be adjusted manually deeply. The front-side bus can be selected for example, from 100 to 400 MHz in 1 MHz steps.

The BIOS provides even ACPI 2.0 support. ACPI 2.0 to allow a more flexible power management. ACPI 2.0 64-bit now also supports processor addressing and multi-processor systems. It is the power consumption of connected devices can be resolved, worduch the power consumption will be reduced further. ACPI 2.0 is backward-compatible with ACPI 1.0.

FSB review:

Audio Analyzer

• The audio Analyzer tests the quality sound chips. For this purpose, the line-out and line-in of the soundcard are connected via a loop-through cable so that the ‘Audio Analyzer ‘tool can compare the emitted and again recorded signal directly to a reference value. In this test was the version 4.3 to use.

• More information: RightMark.org
• Download: RightMark.org

P4C800 Deluxe ASUS seems much better to have managed as yet on the P4PE route of AD1985. At that time cut off this codec still bad. A good overall result is certified for him, however, on the P4C800 Deluxe.

Audio winbench 99

• Although the number ’99′ on an obsolete benchmark may indicate. But even today, the program carries out its service. The audio Winbench measures the load on the CPU in many different sound qualities. Thus, the result is a guarantee for the quality of the OnBoard codec. These are performing their job often rather poorly as a right and an imposition for each processor on slower PCs.

• More information: ZDNet.de
• Download: ZDNet.de

On the high CPU utilization has been however, nothing changed and so this fails with 13.6 percent again strong record.

Performance overview

Our processor tests found the performance rating for a longer application and because it has armed itself well, the time is ripe to assess the performance of boards with this rating in our opinion.

Following results approached were considered for application performance:

• 1024 X 768 x 32 applications
  • FlaskMPEG
  • MP3 Maker Platinum
  • PCMark2002 (CPU)
  • SETI@home version
  • WinACE 2.11

At the games, following results have been incorporated into the final evaluation:

• 1024 X 768 x 32 games form mini001.com
  • 3DMark2001 SE
  • Comanche 4
  • Quake 3 arena (max)
  • Unreal Tournament 2003 (Botmatch)

Accordingly all results of the above tests input into the overall evaluation. All individual results are available in the annex to this article in full version, and without limitation.

In the games, the behavior described by us already shows very nicely again. The P4C800 Deluxe can pull 3.0C with 800 MHz FSB on the front of the Pack in conjunction with dual channel DDR400 and a Pentium4 and lets the Intel D875PBZ behind, if only just. However, in conjunction with dual channel DDR333 and a FSB533 CPU the P4C800 at least in the BIOS coming with us to use version is 1002 behind the D875PBZ. This might look different again but with a new BIOS.

The previous leader, the P4T533 with RIMM4200, creates 95.8 percent of P4C800 performance with dual channel DDR400 and Pentium4 3.0C.

In the Anwednungsbenchmarks, this result looks similar to, but the i850E with Rambus is somewhat closer to the i875P here with 97.5. In the applications the P4C800 can pass also just on Intel D875PBZ, however one should not overestimate this duel in this review, since two boards certainly do some fine tuning to the BIOS is necessary and possible.

There are consequently no major deviations in overall performance. The i875P is clearly the fastest chip set and has with matching memory modules, who also fast timings, not to fear the i850E with Rambus. Intel itself had to it are therefore once again and pass by on his fastest until then chipset, which so far unfortunately denied other manufacturers remained.

Memory and performance

Because the performance erzeilte with the i875P significantly used memory and the operating mode is dependent on, have we angetestet below various constellations on their performance and short. As a platform, the Intel D875PBZ with quite early BIOS was this used.

Clearly, with dual channel DDR400, the measurement of the theoretical bandwidth is consequently the highest and therefore best value from. Compared to single channel DDR 266, the scoring range is more than twice as high.

Also the latency when accessing memory can fully convince thanks to the performance acceleration technology.

Also the 3DMark03 and Quake 3 drag a clear advantage from the high throughput and the low latency in the FSB800/2xDDR400 mode. There is however no trace of a doubling of performance like in the identified barriers.

FlaskMPEG and Unreal Tournament 2003 affect also the different storage modes, however the performance on a single channel breaks a long not as strong mode, as in the previously mentioned tests. All in all we can say that the i875P not necessarily must be operated memory with dual channel DDR400, however the change worth then on the basis of a fast RAMBUS Board hardly.

Conclusion

We want to forgive today still a final rating to P4C800 Deluxe. To do this, especially the BIOS made us still look too unripe. We will deal yet again in detail with the P4C800 in the next few days, wait and see whether in less time more BIOS versions in Vista and then accordingly revise our article on new findings and P4C800 Deluxe give any result.

On some slight back – such as the number of USB2. 0 ports and the accompanying modules – the P4C800 otherwise a solid impression, if ASUS knows how the BIOS continues to optimize and to clear inaccuracies, such as in the PCI clock, from the world. Chip, which certainly is a very good, is that ASUS uses no CSA, but the 3com a cost issue, however we have been signailisiert that there will probably be another variant of P4C800 with CSA and ICH5R. We want to now prefer not yet know how the price of this variant but then fails, because with just under 250 EUR, also the P4C800 Deluxe is not just cheap. This is because on the one hand but also of the price for the i875P, they also really good pay can Intel with $50 for the version without and with 53 dollars for the version with RAID. The i850E $40 and an i845PE chipset comparison currently costs only 28 dollars.

The i875P makes a very good impression and is enhanced with useful features, so that he will certainly find its buyer. Given the fact that the launch of the chipset only Intel and ASUS could make a mainboard review available, is still unclear when a really broad market with large volume is expected. Once the teething problems with the BIOS that occur certainly not only for ASUS and Intel, cleared from the world and possibly also cheaper variants are available, nothing in the way is actually a success of i875P.

But perhaps it is already back soon even competition in Intel? Before you access as a customer, it seems to be probably a good idea to wait for the performance of Springdale. Unofficially is rumored at the time that the Springdale about will be slower four percent, as the i875P. Whether he then before or just after the i850E is classified, remains to be seen. The future at Intel is however clearly the i875P and the Springdale, as they officially have FSB800 support.

Annex

Test system

The upgraded system was again used as a test system, and we therefore again test 3.06 GHz with Hyper-Threading, which is enabled for all benchmarks with the Pentium4 tested already by us. As graphics card we use a ultra (GeForce4 Ti4600) the ASUS V8460, which is powered by the NVIDIA Detonator 41.09. Still, as the operating system, we used Windows XP Professional. Here we left unchanged the integrated DirectX 8.1. Functions such as system restore and automated system updates have been disabled. In order to create a normal working environment, we have worked as a quality settings for the system interface with smoothed fonts, and the default Windows XP user interface. Because we want to create a basic comparison to motherboards with the respective used chipsets, all values that are been unless otherwise marked, determined in the benchmarks, taking into account the normal specifications of chipsets.

• Processor
  • Intel Pentium 4 3.06 GHz – 533 MHz FSB Hyper-Threading
  • Intel Pentium 4 3,0C GHz – 800 MHz FSB Hyper-Threading
• Motherboard
  • ASUS P4C800 Deluxe
  • Intel D875PBZ
• Memory
  • 2 x 256 MB Corsair XMS3200C2
• Graphics card
  • ASUS V8460 ultra (GeForce4 Ti4600)
• Peripherals
  • IBM Deskstar DTLA-307030
  • Philips PCCD048
• Driver versions
  • nVidia detonator 41.09
  • Intel inf driver 5.00.1009
• Software
  • Windows XP Professional
  • DirectX 8.1

Benchmarks

But in the second test with the new test system, there was a small change in the benchmarks, as lame 3.91 and Cinema 4 d too little of the chipset, but exclusively by of the CPU are dependent on and is set always identical results, which are therefore superfluous, if you would like to highlight just the differences of the mainboards. Are more suitable for comparing processors and are therefore there will continue to be used.

Hyper-Threading was enabled in all other tests, as already mentioned. So some applications that are optimized to Hyper-Threading may be (for example, Quake 3 arena) this somewhat slower, as if they were without Hyper-Threading, but nobody will renounce probably everyday Hyper-Threading if he has it, so we have enabled it in these benchmarks.

Here a small overview:

• Synthetic benchmarks
  • SiSoft Sandra 2003 Pro
  • Madonion PCMark2002
  • Madonion 3DMark 2001 SE
  • Vulpine GLMark 1.1
• Games
  • Epic Games Unreal Tournament 2003
  • NovaLogic Comanche 4
  • ID software Quake 3 arena
• Applications
  • Winace 2.11
  • MAGIX MP3 Maker Platinum 3.03
  • FlaskMPEG 0.6 with DiVX 5.02
• Audio benchmarks
  • RightMark Audio Analyzer
  • Audio Winbench 99

Who would like to understand the benchmarks in their home even once, will find much of the above listed test programs with us in the download section.

Synthetic benchmarks

SiSoft Sandra 2003

• SiSoft Sandra provides information about the system in abundance and is also able to check the most important components of the PC on their speed to. Most useful the so called “memory benchmark” turns out here, investigating the interplay between memory, chipset and processor. Here it depends on not only the memory clock, and the maximum memory bandwidth. Because all data on the processor are sent, Northbridge and frontside bus a similarly important role. The SiSoft Sandra version 2003 was Pro.

• More information: SiSoftware.demon.co.uk
• Download: ComputerBase.de

Contact the two boards at the front of the Pack with FSB533 and dual channel DDR333 as also with FSB800 and dual channel DDR400 and so even dual channel DDR333 Rambus in its place can have both.

We on the Intel D875PBZ at fastest memory timings 5047MB / s could reach a maximum, but the system in this State ran not more stable.

PCMark 2002

• The PCMark 2002 is a comparatively new benchmark, as the name says, designed to measure the overall system performance. For this, he performs a series of tests, which primarily call for the processor and memory. Also the hard disk is checked for their performance there. However, we have given to the publication of the subtotal. Thus, the PCMark provides us with 2002 just a score for the performance of the processor and the memory.

• More information: MadOnion.com
• Download: MadOnion.com

Similar evident in the PCMark 2002. Given the low clock rates, it is enough in the CPU result for the top. In memory of i875P boasts however resumed.