- NVIDIA nForce 790i Ultra SLI
- Core 2 Duo / Core 2 Extreme / Core 2 Quad
- DDR3 2000(OC)/1800(OC)/1333 Support for up to 2000 MHz SLI-Ready Memory with EPP
The fundamental problem with all 790I
09/03/2008
This review is from: EVGA 132-CK-NF79-A1 LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 790i Ultra SLI ATX Intel Motherboard
Pros:
First, this is a 790I board, which features DDR3 Support and SLI support. So, it is what it is.
Cons:
Nvidia's chipset level support has some serious issues. Out of a run of 15 boards, 4 were completely unusable after more then two months; 2 were basically DOA out of the box with random failures, lockups, and freezes. The same equipment works in other boards and configurations so it's clearly the boards. This high of an overall fail rate, almost 1/3, is simply not acceptable for a signature product at this price point, no matter what the perceived value is.
Overall Review:
The problems that follow the eVGA though seem to exist in every 790I solution we've worked with; the fail rate stays consistent, somewhere between 20-30%. So, the issue is clearly chipset related. In some cases, BIOS misconfiguration of RAM voltage can be the cause, but the chipset is so unbelievably finicky about the kind of ram it elects to use that it's a moot point. While not natively eVGAs fault, these boards are simply unacceptable. If you need to do SLI, then right now there are a plethora of 780I boards that work. I have a gut feeling Nvidia just hasn't figured out how to do DDR3 Memory controller; this is their first attempt at it, and it's a way to quickly find yourself pulling your hair out.
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- Christopher R.
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Verified Owner
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Owned For:
1 month to 1 year
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