EP35 vs P35?

Noone's answering b/c noone knows what an EP-35 is!

P35 is a chipset, which whole lines of motherboards are based on.

EP-35 is only part of a model number for a specific (gigabyte) board.

Maybe next time ASK your question more clearly.

EX: Is there any real difference in energy saving between a Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3R and a GA-EP35-DS3R?

I'll assume you're referring to the Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS3R, some new motherboards like that can shut down some of the power mosfets/phases if they're not being used. However, if you're overclocking or a heavy user, the board can't shut down the extra phases. So you don't save anything, also some of them require you to install software which runs in windows, so if you don't install the software & keep it running 24/7 you won't see the minimal saving anyway.
 
SORRY. Didn't know if it was a new chipset or if it was just part of the model number and wanted to know if anyone knew anything about it. Didn't want to write a book about one question.

But will add more detail next time I post a question.

Thanks.
 
I presume you mean the Gigabyte EP35 series of motherboards. I recently purchased the GA-EP35-DS3R to match with an E8400 Wolfdale (Penryn) CPU.

I didn't care about the energy saving features (they don't work when the board is overclocked) but it was the same price as the P35 version and it guaranteed me to get the latest 2.1 version. The P35 board came in 1.0. 2.0 and 2.1 versions while the EP35 is version 2.1 only. I called Newegg to see what version their P35 MBs were but they couldn't tell me.

So far, I'm happy with both the EP35 and the E8400, which is running very well at 4 GHz.
 
Some of the regular Gigabyte P35 boards can be "upgraded" to Energy Saver status by installing the Dynamic Energy Saver software. Here's a clip from the GB website:

GIGABYTE Dynamic Energy Saver Models

X48 Models
GA-X48T-DQ6
GA-X48-DQ6
GA-X48-DS5

P35 Models
GA-EP35-DS4 / GA-P35-DS4 (rev. 2.1)
GA-EP35C-DS3R / GA-P35C-DS3R (rev. 2.1)
GA-EP35-DS3P / GA-P35-DS3P (rev. 2.1)
GA-EP35-DS3R / GA-P35-DS3R (rev. 2.1)
GA-EP35-DS3 / GA-P35-DS3 (rev. 2.1)

X38 Models
GA-EX38-DS4


Once you install the DES, the six LED's on your motherboard can be "turned on" to show CPU demand; otherwise those LED's remain dark after POST.
 
So basically the boards are the same? Like EP35-DS4 and just a normal P35-DS4? If someone bought a EP35-DS4 and just didn't install the software, would be just like buying a normal DS4?
 
I'm typing on this Gigabyte Ep35 (temp board) while I'm waiting for my RMA'ed abit and was just experimenting with some overclocks. Seems very solid and well built. I overclocked my q6600 to 3.4 with 0.2v+ for vcore (1.28 in CPU-Z) and it ran Prime95 2 hours blend test just fine.
If the energy feature is your concern it wont work if you do any overclocking as it will detect default settings and give you an annoying message when you boot up.
 
Didn't want to create a new post for this but does anyone know if the Zerotherm NV120 would fit on the Gigabyte EP35 board? Looks like the NB HS might be a little too tall. I can't seem to find the dimensions for the board to see if there is enough to clear the 128mm listed for the NV120 (128x95x150mm per the manual). I want to make sure I can point it towards the back of the case.

Thanks :)
 
So basically the boards are the same? Like EP35-DS4 and just a normal P35-DS4? If someone bought a EP35-DS4 and just didn't install the software, would be just like buying a normal DS4?


ya , i think so . there was a review comparing ep35-ds4 the other day . its the same as ds4 except the energy saver feature .
 
Bold highlights are mine.

From the Intel Document :
Voltage Regulator-Down (VRD) 11.0 - Processor Power Delivery Design Guidelines


7.1.3 Dynamic Phase Enabling (PROPOSED)
Light load efficiency and power loss improvements can be accomplished by adopting a
mode of operation known as dynamic phase enabling. In this mode, the VR controller
turns phases on or off as a function of current. At light load conditions, current can be
supported with a fewer number of phases; turning off the unnecessary phases will
reduce the FET switching power loss. During this mode of operation, the controller will
need to realign the phase timing to ensure proper firing at 360°/n (where n is the
number of ‘on’ phases). The figures below show roughly a 2% efficiency improvement
for each phase turned off during light load conditions.

The control algorithm for Dynamic Phase Enabling is resident in the VR controller. The
voltage regulator must remain stable and satisfy all load line and tolerance band
requirements when switching phases on and off. The controller must include features
that enable the design engineer to configure the current values where phases switch
on or off. This allows the VR design to be optimized for efficiency based on board and
component values. In addition, the controller must include hooks to enable validation
with the ability to configure the VR functionality in any phase configuration (forced
one phase on, forced two phases on, etc; auto mode with one phase on, auto mode
with two phases on, etc.).
This topic is essential as computers spend a majority of their time in low utilization
conditions. Improving the efficiency at light loads will reduce the energy used by the
computer, thereby lowering the user’s total cost of ownership and heat generation.

From: http://www.intersil.com/data/fn/fn6482.pdf

The ISL6334, ISL6334A is designed to be completely
compliant with Intel VR11.1 specifications. It accurately
reports the load current via IMON pin to the microprocessor,
which sends an active low PSI#
signal to the controller at low
power mode. The controller then enters 1- or 2-phase
operation with diode emulation option to reduce magnetic
core and switching losses, yielding high efficiency at light
load. After the PSI# signal is de-asserted, the dropped
phase(s) are added back to sustain heavy load transient
response and efficiency.

-----------------------------------------------

So, its all very simple really. :p

However I cannot find any reference to a PSI# interrupt/signal/pin on older C2D's ( Intel® Core™2 Extreme Processor X6800Δ and Intel® Core™2 Duo Desktop Processor E6000 and E4000Δ Sequences Data sheet ) so I wonder how/if (don't think so) it could work with with older C2Ds. A fact that Gigabyte fails to mention for some reason. But I am tired of this. As this technology matures it may turn out to save the world, atm .... "Wow ! Look mom, I saved 78 cents on the electric bill this week."

What you have to realize its the the CPU is going to draw whatever current it needs for whatever it is doing at the time. What this does is by removing some phases from the CPU voltage regulator is not reduce the current going to the CPU, the CPU needs what it needs, but just "simplifies" the CPU voltage regulation circuitry "on the fly" so that the inevitable losses due to nothing being 100% efficient (power loss in the un-needed mosfets is reduced eliminated) Its a pittance but a start, And actually fairly clever, you can have a big powerful supply automatically Un-supersize itself, like the Cadillac V8 engine that would shut down 4 cylinders at cruising speed. You still had the rotating mass and friction so the savings were not 50%, but it helped. Same deal.

You would probably save more by actually unplugging your monitor from the wall at nights so the parasitic standby/fast on power was not being used. Ditto the computer if your CMOS battery was in good shape. In a business setting this might be pretty decent but selling it to OCers/high performace computer users seems strange, go hug a tree if you need to and turn off unused lights.

I see no harm in having it and no disadvantage in not having it.
 
And if you overclock the software doesn't work anyway - so probably no benefit at all overclocked.
 
Didn't want to create a new post for this but does anyone know if the Zerotherm NV120 would fit on the Gigabyte EP35 board? Looks like the NB HS might be a little too tall. I can't seem to find the dimensions for the board to see if there is enough to clear the 128mm listed for the NV120 (128x95x150mm per the manual). I want to make sure I can point it towards the back of the case.

Thanks :)

DId it fit?
 
Don't the EP versions "officially" support 1600FSB and DDR1200 while the P versions are only 1333FSB/DDR1066?
 
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