Gigabyte GA-X38-DQ6: An early look at X38
by Gary Key on September 4, 2007 3:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
Memory Testing
The Sandra unbuffered scores on the Gigabyte board are around 4% better at stock speeds and 7% better in our overclocked scenario. In our SuperPI 1.5 benchmark that relies on low latencies for improved scores, we see where this advantage is apparent. We consider these results to be excellent as the X38 chipset, BIOS, and board are engineering samples and we fully expect to see further improvements in the retail boards.
Q6600 9x266 Memory Tests
We were able to set our timings to 4-4-4-12 at DDR2-1066 by increasing the memory voltage to 2.250V on the Gigabyte board and 2.275V on the abit board. In this particular test, our two boards are basically equal with write, latency, and copy tests favoring the X38 and read throughput going to the P35.
Q6600 9x400 Memory Tests
Like our stock scores, the two boards are basically equal with write, latency, and copy tests favoring the X38 and read throughput going to the P35. We set our memory timings to 5-5-5-18, bumped the memory voltages up to 2.275V and 2.350V, and equalized the memory sub-timings where applicable.
 |
| Click to enlarge |
The Sandra unbuffered scores on the Gigabyte board are around 4% better at stock speeds and 7% better in our overclocked scenario. In our SuperPI 1.5 benchmark that relies on low latencies for improved scores, we see where this advantage is apparent. We consider these results to be excellent as the X38 chipset, BIOS, and board are engineering samples and we fully expect to see further improvements in the retail boards.
Q6600 9x266 Memory Tests
 |
| Click to enlarge |
 |
| Click to enlarge |
We were able to set our timings to 4-4-4-12 at DDR2-1066 by increasing the memory voltage to 2.250V on the Gigabyte board and 2.275V on the abit board. In this particular test, our two boards are basically equal with write, latency, and copy tests favoring the X38 and read throughput going to the P35.
Q6600 9x400 Memory Tests
 |
| Click to enlarge |
 |
| Click to enlarge |
Like our stock scores, the two boards are basically equal with write, latency, and copy tests favoring the X38 and read throughput going to the P35. We set our memory timings to 5-5-5-18, bumped the memory voltages up to 2.275V and 2.350V, and equalized the memory sub-timings where applicable.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
26 Comments
View All Comments
RamarC - Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - link
THG is crap now. I'm surprised they haven't started 'reviewing' calculators (TI-35X, worth the extra $5?) or some other nonsense.Gamewise, I hope AT replaces HL2 with Bioshock to keep up-to-date. (Practically every video card can break 100fps on HL2.)
JarredWalton - Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - link
Working on Bioshock, although I don't know that I'll drop HL2. Completely different engines, people, even if they're both playable via Steam. Bioshock is Unreal Engine 3, remember, and I think we'll keep using Lost Coast until Episode 2 comes out. Bioshock unfortunately requires the use of FRAPS - or fortunately depending on your perspective? Anyway, it runs surprisingly well at max details and high resolutions... it's not a game that needs 100+ FPS by any stretch. I've played through some of it on an X1900 XT at 2560x1600 and found it to be acceptable, for example.I will be using Bioshock in future laptop articles for sure, as well as any system reviews. I would assume Gary and others will use it as well.
Dismalis - Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - link
I just REALLY hope that Gigabyte will release an X38 combo model with support both DDR2 and DDR3 memory... Just like GA-P35C-DS3R.Do you think that's going to happen?
mostlyprudent - Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - link
Gary,When you said "we found the stability, performance, and compatibility of this early engineering sample to be better than several retails boards we are currently testing" were you refering to other X38 boards, or P35 boards, or what?
JarredWalton - Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - link
Retail non-X38 boards. Probably some of the uATX stuff he's testing, as well as P35, judging by what else he's working on.Vidmar - Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - link
From the pictures we saw from Computex this board had an eSata connector on the back, but now I don't see one. Instead it looks like two firefire ports are there.I do love that they have six USB connectors on the back. It's the one feature that I appreciate on my LanParty nF4 Ultra-D.
I would also love to see a direct comparison between the DDR2 and the DDR3 (GA-X38T-DQ6) version of this board. I wonder if the x38 would make a difference in that area.
Thanks for the preview.
Jodiuh - Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - link
Actually, I think there's 8 USB ports! It's good to see my recent purchase of Abit IP35 Pro will serve my needs well into 2008 too. :D How much longer will we wait for the P35 roundup?strikeback03 - Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - link
Looks to me like there are 4 USB, 4 eSata, 2 RJ-45 and 2 Firewire.Vidmar - Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - link
Hmmm could be now that you mention it. I'm not sure that I could ever find a need for 4 eSata connections.Here is what the board looked like back at Computex:
http://www.anandtech.com/tradeshows/showdoc.aspx?i...">http://www.anandtech.com/tradeshows/showdoc.aspx?i...
Quite a few changes it seems. Gary/Jarred care to enlighten us as to which layout we can expect to see in retail?
Missing Ghost - Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - link
I think you're right.