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MSI P4N SLI Review
[Abstract]
IntroductionMainstream versions of the nForce4 SLI has not only appeared for AMD solutions but for their Intel Edition counterparts as well. We've just completed our review of the ABIT NI8 SLI ...
[Content] PCDigitalMobileGame
Introduction
Mainstream versions of the nForce4 SLI has not only appeared for AMD solutions but for their Intel Edition counterparts as well. We've just completed our review of the ABIT NI8 SLI and we now take a look at an offering from MSI, the P4N SLI. MSI's approach to a mainstream nForce4 SLI Intel Edition is very much similar to how they made its AMD counterpart, the K8N SLI. Based off the superb P4N Diamond, MSI removes a few features here and there, repacks the board and you have yourself a budget friendly LGA775 motherboard with SLI functionality.
Unlike the AMD scene where the K8N SLI was designed to fill in the same segment as the nForce4 Ultra, NVIDIA currently has but one chipset to cater to the high-end Intel platform. With this move, the P4N SLI becomes a direct competition to Intel's own mainstream chipsets, the 915P Express and 945P Express although the nForce4 SLI Intel Edition is really in a class of its own. With cheap SLI capabilities within reach of the mass market, boards like the P4N SLI should be a hit with gamers, especially since they can channel their excess budget for other upgrades. However, there were a couple of hiccups with MSI's implementation of the K8N SLI and we're sure you'd like to know if the P4N SLI shares the same flaws, so let's get on with the review.
The MSI P4N SLI motherboard. |
The P4N SLI has the following bundle included in its packaging:-
2 x SATA data cables
1 x SATA power converter cable (dual plugs)
1 x 80-conductor Ultra ATA data cable
1 x floppy drive data cable
SLI high-speed digital link interface bridge
IEEE 1394a (2 ports) bracket
I/O shield
CPU Clip
SATA Driver Diskette
Driver CD
Quick user's guide
MSI P4N SLI Technical Specifications
| CPU Support | - Supports 90nm LGA775processor package
- Supports Intel PentiumProcessor Extreme Edition
- Supports Intel PentiumD Smithfield processors
- Supports Intel Pentium4 / Pentium 4 Extreme Edition processors
- Intel Hyper-ThreadingTechnology ready
| | Chipset | - NVIDIA nForce4 SLIIntel Edition SPP
- 400 - 1066MHz frontside bus
- NVIDIA DualDDR2 Memory Controller
- One x16 PCI Expresslink for graphics card.
- Supports ScalableLink Interface Technology (SLI) fordual PCIe x8 interfaces
- Supports up to four PCIExpress x1 lanes
- NVIDIA nForce4 SLIIntel Edition MCP
- Supports up to tenUSB 2.0 ports
- Supports four SATAII ports
- Dual-channel UltraATA-133 IDE controller
- Supports up to six PCIslots
| | Memory | - NVIDIA DualDDR2architecture
- 4 x 240-pin DIMMsockets support max. 4GB DDR2400/533/667 non-ECC memory
- Slot independantdual-channel mode
- NVIDIA QuickSync
- NVIDIA DASP 3.0
| | Storage | - NVIDIA nForce4 SLIIntel Edition MCP
- 4 x Ultra ATA33/66/100/133 (data transfer rate up to133MB/sec.)
- 4 x SATA II(Serial ATA II 3.0Gbps interface)
- NVIDIA MediaShieldTechnology
- Supports RAID 0,RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID 5,JBOD
- Supports RAIDMorphing
| | Audio | - Realtek ALC850 8-channel audio CODEC
- Coaxial, Optical S/PDIF out on back I/O port
| | Networking | - NVIDIA Gigabit LAN co-supported byMarvell 88E1111 PHY chip (Transceiver)
| | IEEE 1394 (FireWire) | - VIA Fire II VT6306 Host Controller
- 3 x 1394a ports @ 400 Mbps speed
| | I/O Interface | - 1 x Floppy connector
- 2 x Ultra ATA IDE connectors
- 4 x SATA connectors
- 10 x USB 2.0 ports (4 x rear, 6 x header)
- 3 x IEEE 1394a ports (1 x rear, 2 x bracket)
- 1 x RJ45 LAN port
- 8-Channel Audio I/O ports
- 1 x 9-pin serial port (bracket)
- 1 x parallel port (SPP/EPP/ECP)
- 1 x mini-DIN-6 PS/2 mouse port
- 1 x mini-DIN-6 PS/2 keyboard port
| | Expansion Slots | - 2 x PCIe x16 slots,PCI Express Bus specification v1.0acompliant
- 2 x PCIe x1 slots, PCIExpress Bus specification v1.0acompliant
- 2 x 32-bit PCI slots,PCI 2.3 compliant
| | Special Features | - D.O.T. Express (Dynamic Overclocking Technology)
- CoreCell
- Live Update 3
- DigiCell
- CoreCenter
| | PCB | - ATX Form Factor, 12"x9.6"(30.5cm x 24.4cm)
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Rear I/O panel with a full range of connectors. |
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