CMOS Reloaded
This by far was one of the best features I have seen implemented into a BIOS and wish that more companies would use something similar. Simply enough "CMOS Reloaded" as DFI has dubbed it, is a back up for your commonly used BIOS settings. So if you wish to set it up a particular way, or change the settings a lot and are a tweaker, the next time you reset your CMOS you can simply load up your old settings and start from there.
CMOS Reloaded allows the user to save up to four different settings and label them with 3 different lines of text. There are only 2 problems with CMOS Reloaded. The first is that settings you change while in the BIOS cannot be saved directly into it. You have to "Save and Exit" from the BIOS, and then reenter the BIOS and then save it to CMOS Reloaded. Although that isn't a big issue, it was a small annoyance, but it's a great step forward from having to redo ALL of your settings after overclocking the board just a little too much and having to reset. The second is that CMOS Reloaded doesn't save the time. I realize that after saving the CMOS and then resetting it later the time would be incorrect, but having to change the time back all the time gets tedious. However I don't really think that that is directly a problem with CMOS reloaded.
CMOS Reloaded saved me a bunch of time while tweaking the board to its limit, and hopefully it will get better and something similar will be implemented by more manufactures in the future.
Audio Subjective Listening
I wanted to use something with plenty of highs and lows, and good use of bass. I first listened to Hybrid's "Kid 2000" which consists mostly of a full string orchestra (providing highs) and beats (providing lows), with female vocals for this particular track. I found that there was no pops or clicks, but a bit of hissing with no audio at high volumes. Later on as I used the machine as my main computer for a while, I listened to many different audio tracks, and found the experience quite pleasant.
Test Systems
DFI LanParty NFII Ultra B (NVIDA nForce 2 Ultra 400) with version 3.13 drivers, AthlonXP 1700+ Thoroughbred CPU (clocked at 11x166 = 1.826 GHz and also clocked at 11x200 = 2.2 GHz), 1GB Corsair XMS PC4000 2-3-3-3-11, MSI Nbox 5900 Ultra (500 Core clock speed 950 Ram clock speed) with version 52.16 drivers, IBM IC35L020AVER07-0 Harddrive, Windows XP w/SP1 and all hot fixes, and Direct 9.0B
Asus A7N8x Deluxe Revision 2.0 (NVIDA nForce 2 Ultra 400) with version 3.13 drivers, AthlonXP 1700+ Thoroughbred CPU (clocked at 11x166 = 1.826 GHz and also clocked at 11x200 = 2.0 GHz), 1GB Corsair XMS PC4000 2-3-3-3-11, MSI Nbox 5900 Ultra (500 Core clock speed 950 Ram clock speed) with version 52.16 drivers, IBM IC35L020AVER07-0 Harddrive, Windows XP w/SP1 and all hot fixes, and Direct 9.0B
The test software will include:
HDtach 2.61
Comanche 4
Sisoft Sandra 2004 CPU and Memory benchmarks
Pifast
DBpowerAMP music converter
PCmark 2002
PCmark 2004
3Dmark 2001SE
Unreal Tournament 2003
Subsystem Testing - HDtach version 2.61
At 7.3 CPU utilization, it's pretty good for an HD as old as it is. 31mb average across the IDE.
Comanche 4: Good CPU heavy game, to see audio utilization.
Frames per second (Higher is better)
As you can see, there is only about a 2fps difference between with audio and without audio.
Sisoft Sandra 2004 is a very popular and free benchmark that is good for showing CPU power and memory bandwidth.
Sisoft Arithmetic Benchmark
Dhrystone: At stock speeds, the Asus board is faster, but after the OC the DFI pulls ahead slightly. However, both boards really are neck and neck, and both are within the margin of error.
Whetstone: At stock and OC'ed speeds, the A7N8x deluxe is ahead, but not by much. It's only by 1 or 2 points on both counts.
Sisoft Bandwidth Memory Benchmark
MB's a Second
Int Buffered: Stock speeds the DFI board is ahead. Oc'ed the A7N8x pulls ahead. More of the same, they both are within the margin of error.
MB's a Second
Float Buffered: The LanParty is slightly ahead at stock speeds, OC'ed both of them run the same.
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