CPU Performance
Yes, we have to include these so you can reference just where the system ranges in performance. As you can see, it leads the comparable performance enhanced ATX motherboard by just a bit. These two systems are just flying!
Memory Bandwidth
Finally, you can see that there’s plenty of bandwidth to go around. This is important for overall available data when your system really needs. This would be tasks like compiling, encoding, and 3D renderings. Obviously, nearly 28 GB/s of data bandwidth is phenomenal.
Input/Output testing
Overall, the numbers are a bit more tuned bringing in higher averages than experienced in the last year. It could simply be due to some better tuned drivers, physical benefits of the hardware, or a combination of both. Either way, it’s a welcomed benefit and there is definitely no throughput issues with this board.
Overclocking Performance
The platform was obviously designed for the extreme gamer and enthusiast. so, of course we’re going to want to see what this little gem is hiding underneath the hood. Is it a Pinto, or is there a Shelby GT 500 engine underneath?
To see where the CPU Bus tops out, the Multiplier was dropped to 20X so that the CPU’s frequency doesn’t hit its max too quickly. It’s only a C0 Stepping 965 after all. Ultimately, the maximum overclock squeezed from the board was a 210 MHz CPU Bus due to thermal issues. My lowly Thermaltake V1 CPU Cooler wasn’t able to keep up with the climbing temps when under load. However, this surpasses the mid-range enthusiast motherboards which have all seemed to hit 190 to 200 MHz CPU Bus limits.
It was also at this point I realized that the stock Gene system consumed about 178 Watts at idle and 425 Watts at load. When overclocked, it consumed 227 Watts idle and 596 Watts at load. So, like all elite enthusiast systems, it gets hungry especially when overclocked. But, man is it fast!