Test Setup

The Intel 955x fully supports dual core Pentium D processors and based upon our testing, the nForce4 SLI Intel Edition offers limited support in certain configurations. However, there were no issues with either board recognizing the two cores and four logical processors that are created with the Hyperthreading feature on this EE processor during testing. However, dual core really makes a difference in certain multi-tasking scenarios, as was demonstrated in the dual core performance preview. If you are interested to know how the two chipsets perform in a real world multitasking setup, please take another look at that review.

Both board's were also operated at DDR2-667 for the benchmarking suites, but the variations in the benchmarks against the standard DDR2-533 settings were within 2% both ways, so those numbers will not be published. We also found that certain benchmarks had scored better without Hyper Threading enabled, but in fairness, we felt that it was best to show consistent scores with this feature enabled as it is the main selling point of this processor model.

 Performance Test Configuration
Processor(s): Intel Pentium EE 840 (3.2GHz, 800FSB, Dual-Core, HT, 2x1MB L2) HT enabled for all tests.
RAM: 2 x 1GB Patriot Extreme Performance PEP21G5600+XBL
Hard Drive(s): 3 x Maxtor MaXLine III 7L300S0 300GB 7200 RPM SATA (16MB Buffer)
System Platform Drivers: Intel 7.2.1.1003
NVIDIA nForce4 SLI Intel Edition 7.13
Video Cards: XFX 7800GTX OC (PCI Express)
2 x MSI 7800GTX (PCI Express) for SLI Verification
Video Drivers: NVIDIA nForce 78.01
Operating System(s): Windows XP Professional SP2
Motherboards: Gigabyte GA-8I955X Royal
MSI P4 Diamond

Gigabyte GA-8I955X Royal: Overclocking General Performance & Encoding
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  • smn198 - Friday, September 23, 2005 - link

    Welcome Gary. Look forward to seeing more from you.
  • Gary Key - Friday, September 23, 2005 - link

    smn198,

    Thank you. I really enjoyed doing this article, working with Wes, and having the opportunity to share my experiences with the great members and visitors here at AnandTech. I certainly hope you will be seeing more from me. ;-)

    Sincerely,
    Gary Key
  • Evan Lieb - Friday, September 23, 2005 - link

    Welcome Gary, and have fun!
  • Ecmaster76 - Friday, September 23, 2005 - link

    Looks like it went up early.

    Good read though. At first I was like "Holy $#!+" when I saw the gaming benchmarks, but then they mentioned about the Gigabyte BIOS being effed up.
  • cryptonomicon - Thursday, September 22, 2005 - link

    DRAM Voltage Auto, 1.80V to 2.3V in 0.1V increments


    uh.. but isnt ram like 2.5-2.8v?
  • Pete84 - Friday, September 23, 2005 - link

    DDR2 runs at much lower vdimm than DDR.
  • cryptonomicon - Friday, September 23, 2005 - link

    ah yes of course..

    so much for active cooling then
  • BlvdKing - Thursday, September 22, 2005 - link

    I can't believe the Nforce 4 for AMD supports dual core but the Intel edition only has limited support and no support for the 820.
  • coomar - Wednesday, September 21, 2005 - link

    no a diamond can't beat a royal flush

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