Go ASRock!

[Waco]

Got an email from ASRock last night regarding my problems with running a Zambezi CPU at anything other than default settings in addition to it downclocking to 2.8 GHz under load.

 

They sent me a beta BIOS (version L1.62) and suggested I turn off the new option of "AMD Application Power Management". After disabling it turbo core no longer worked...but the board also no longer downclocks under load. It also enabled me to FINALLY change CPU-related settings without the damn thing failing to boot.

 

 

 

My enthusiasm lasted till I figured out that this board has HORRIBLE vdroop under load. With LLC set at the maximum of 1/2 and my CPU at anything from ~4.2 GHz to 4.8 GHz a vcore of 1.475 volts yields ~1.43 volts at idle and a horrible ~1.31 volts or lower under load. Obviously at higher speeds this results in a near-instant lockup.

 

 

So now I get to get on their case about something else - but at least I can play with it now!!! I have a very conservative overclock of 4.25 GHz (with the northbridge at 2.25 GHz...it's STUBBORN) now...it's about the highest I can go Prime95 and IBT stable with the vdroop this bad. It works out to ~1.28 volts under load - so for 4.25 GHz that seems pretty awesome! If they get this vdroop problem fixed I'm pretty sure I'll be able to get my CPU to at least 4.8 Ghz or so.

Edited October 26, 2011 by Waco

[medbor]

the vdroop is because you pwer circuits cant handle 500w

great to see you got it going!

[HarryTaco]

Glad you got your response Waco. Ima AsRock customer too. It means alot. Hope you get someting more out of them, out of your BD.

[Andrewr05]

Hmmm, wait for another bios (that may be able to tweak some settings and at least lower the droop), physically modify the board, get a different ASRock model all together or just get a differen brand?

 

 

What to do?

 

 

 

Either way I really ant to see what the BD chips can do when tweaked to the max.

[Waco]

I'm going to stick with being hopeful for now.

 

Initial quick OC: 4250 (250x17) with a 2.5 GHz NB clock and a 2.5 GHz HT clock:

[Waco]

4375 now, IBT 15 pass stable and ~30 minutes of Prime95.

 

Did a quick benchmark run - I think I'm going to try to get a return on this stupid thing after all.

 

Even at almost 1 GHz faster in raw clock speed it can't match the FPS I pull with my old Phenom II at 3.4 GHz.

 

http://3dmark.com/compare/3dmv/3595598/3dmv/3553389

Edited October 26, 2011 by Waco

[dr_bowtie]

that still could be just a very immature BIOS...

[Waco]

that still could be just a very immature BIOS...

I checked that...it's loaded with the newest AGESA microcode so performance is pretty much what it'll end up being bar some crazy good update.

[Andrewr05]

Even at almost 1 GHz faster in raw clock speed it can't match the FPS I pull with my old Phenom II at 3.4 GHz.

I almost feel bad for AMD, but this is exactly like Ferrari producing 1 model of car every 3-4 years (and hyping their latest as THE BEST) only to have it be slower and less agile than their previous model.

 

You don't start off by saying "OUR NEXT MODEL WILL BE FASTER", you have to actually have a prototype first that you can test on so you don't make an ass out of yourself.

 

 

Have AMD themselves even showed BD doing anything good?

[Waco]

I almost feel bad for AMD, but this is exactly like Ferrari producing 1 model of car every 3-4 years (and hyping their latest as THE BEST) only to have it be slower and less agile than their previous model.

 

You don't start off by saying "OUR NEXT MODEL WILL BE FASTER", you have to actually have a prototype first that you can test on so you don't make an butt out of yourself.

 

 

Have AMD themselves even showed BD doing anything good?

Well it's a multithreading monster...that's for sure.

[dr_bowtie]

I checked that...it's loaded with the newest AGESA microcode so performance is pretty much what it'll end up being bar some crazy good update.

 

thats not really true at all.....

 

if you remember the 1st Phenoms and the BIOS update for their current line of boards they were plagued with nothing but issues and very poor performance until a new chipset was released....it was bad and even though the CPU was less than perfect that line of boards sucked and no BIOS release really helped...The T-Force 560 actually went through quite a few BIOSs before one worked decent and it wasnt until a modded bios came out that the chip worked somewhat like it should....the BIOS is alot more about other things than just Micro coding to make a CPU work well....memory and latencies play an even bigger role here.

 

This is just Phenom all over again...the current chipset is very mature for the current CPU line but NOT for bulldozer prolly wont be nice until a few revisions possibly...

[Waco]

Yeah but look at it from my perspective...I spent good money to get higher performance. I expected to have to overclock to overcome the difference in IPC but having a 1 GHz faster clock rate and still not matching my old CPU is a lot worse than I expected.