msi p55-gd65 beware

[songokussm]

While doing my research for my next build, I found my board was not preforming according to advertised specification.

From msi's website:

Slots
• 2 PCI Express gen2 x16 slots
- If two graphics cards are installed at PCI_E2 & PCI_E4 slots, these two PCIE x16 lanes will auto arrange from x16/ x0 to x8/ x8
- supports ATI® Crossfire™ & NVIDIA SLI
• 1 PCI Express gen2 x4 slot
• 2 PCI Express gen2 x1 slots
• 2 PCI slots, support 3.3V/ 5V PCI bus Interface

what I am actually getting:
Slots
• 2 PCI Express gen2 x16 slots @ @x4/x8
• 1 PCI Express gen1 x4 slot @ x1 (its well documented these are version 1.1 lanes in reviews)
• 2 PCI Express gen1 x1 slots @x1
• 2 PCI slots, support 3.3V/ 5V PCI bus Interface

I made a picture to make it easier to understand.

I contacted msi and they said " our first revision of the p55-GD65 had a defect. Reply with your receipt and if your board is still under warranty it will be replaced" . its not under warranty.

I usually only buy 3 year warranty parts, but i must of made a mistake. this board only has 1 year warranty.

The 4x and x8 on the pcie 2.0 lanes don't bother me to much. Its the x4 slot running at x1. My raid controller can only do 150-200 mb/s. In the lower blue slot (pcie 2.0 x8) I get 400-520 mb/s.

 

[iluvdeal]

How did you check the speeds of the slots? I don't remember ever checking, always assumed it was as advertised. Thanks for the warning as I'll check mine tonight.

 

[songokussm]

test #1, stuck my video card in each slot (gtx 460) and ran gpuz.
test #2, stuck my raid controller in each slot and as ssd on my ssd.

My ssd is the patriot wildfire. It has 500 read and 400 write. So i could only test up to a pcie v1.1 @ x2 or a pcie v2.0 @ x1.

 

[coffeejunkee]

This is actually a known limitation on P55 chipsets.

From Wikipedia:
8 PCI-Express 2.0 slots (bandwidth limited to 250MB/s same as PCIe 1.0, normal PCIe 2.0 have 500MB/s bandwidth)

Might have been more honest to just call them PCI-E 1.0, but the spec is not all about bandwidth so I guess they can get away with it.

Warning is a bit late, but could help second hand buyers.

 

[songokussm]

its false advertisement. that x4 slot should run at x4 speeds given the proper configuration. It does not.

 

[N2gaming]

@OP, hi, I have the same mobo. What type of HSF do you use cause when I bought mine
a coulpe of years ago I bought a 'thermaltake' Silent 1156 and its just IMHO a pinch above a stock HSF.

I'm gonna be getting a new cpu soon (I hope) so I was needing some info on what large HSF to fit on that mobo...Thanks, Jake

 

[coffeejunkee]

its false advertisement. that x4 slot should run at x4 speeds given the proper configuration. It does not.

Sorry, I read a bit too fast. What MSI should have done is replace the boards of all affected customers free of charge as soon as they found out about this defect in the first revision, warranty or not. Shame on them.

 

[songokussm]

@OP, hi, I have the same mobo. What type of HSF do you use cause when I bought mine
a coulpe of years ago I bought a 'thermaltake' Silent 1156 and its just IMHO a pinch above a stock HSF.

I'm gonna be getting a new cpu soon (I hope) so I was needing some info on what large HSF to fit on that mobo...Thanks, Jake

I am using the COOLER MASTER Hyper 212. I have an i5 750 oc'ed to 3.8, fans running at 50%. i get 30c idle, and 60-65c load.

fan speed might me 37.5%. Can not remember. But its silent. 100% is to loud.

 

[N2gaming]

Thanks, songokussm

 

[Meaker10]

At least in the EU you can say since it's a known defect and their issue they are still under obligation to replace it warranty or no.