eVGA Classified SR-2 review with Quad SLI GTX 480 on LN2

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Specs and overview

An introduction to the EVGA Classified SR-2 (Super Record 2)

So first let me give you guys a little info on the eVGA SR-2 motherboard, it can be found under SKU code 270-WS-W555-A1 for a sheer sum of 599 USD.

Beaux has been working hard on compiling data and testing. This dual socket motherboard will be tested at three stages, air, liquid-cooling and liquid nitrogen.

We started with the article a month or two ago already, yet had to wait on the H2O blocks + some extra LN2 pots were needed for the LN2 tests as the man, the legend himself, will use six LN2 pots simultaneously, two for the CPUs, one for the chipset and four for the four GeForce GTX 480 graphics cards. In the last stages of the process a Xeon X5680 processor actually died a horrible death. Some of the SR-2 specs are:

  • Chipset: Intel 5520
  • CPU support: 2 x LGA1366 Xeon 5500 and 5600-series
  • Memory support: 12 slots: max 48GB DDR3 (1,333MHz)
  • Expansion slots: Seven 16x PCI-E 2.0
  • Sound: Intel HD Audio via Realtek ALC889 with 8-channel support
  • Networking: 2 x Marvell 88E8057 Gigabit Ethernet
  • Ports: 6 x SATA 3Gbps, 2 x SATA 6Gbps, 2 x eSATA 3Gbps, 10 x USB 2, 2 x USB 3, 2 x LAN
  • Dimensions (mm): 381 x 346

Though this motherboard has two LGA1366 processor sockets please bear in mind that it doesnt support Core i7 CPUs, only Xeon 5500/5600 series 'server' processors.

See, the standard Core i7 processors only have one active QPI link that communicates with the PCH. What we need is this, one QPI link needs to communicate with the chipset and the other with a 2nd CPU. Intel does offer processors with two QPIs enabled, and these thus are the server Xeon 5500 or 5600 processors.

For this setup we use two Intel Xeon X5680 processors, each with 6 cores totaling up to 12 threads. Giving this system twice the number of CPUs boils down to 12 physical cores and 24 hyperthreaded. A lot of software, including most benchmarks can't even deal with that many cores. In fact we have seen many issues with benchmarks not picking up that many threads/cores. It does look kind of cool though:

eVGA Classified SR2 motherboardclick to enlarge - and be flabbergasted

So we established that the motherboard is a dual-socket Intel 5520 chipset based server motherboard dressed up and tweaked for hardware enthusiasts, it supports 4-way SLI, has 8-phase PWM, support for up to 48GB DDR3 memory, USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gbps.

Here are some of its features before we dive into the product gallery explaining it all a little better.

Performance

  • Based on Intel 5520/ICH10R chipset
  • Supports Dual QPI Socket 1366 Intel Xeon 5600 and 5500 Processors

Memory

  • 12 x 240-pin DIMM sockets
  • Triple Channel DDR3
  • Maximum of 48GB of DDR3 1333MHz+

Storage I/O

  • 1 x UltraDMA133
  • 8 x Serial ATA 2x600MB/sec / 6x300MB/sec with support for RAID 0, 1, 5, 10, JBOD
    Integrated Peripherals
  • 8 Channel High Definition
  • 2 x 10/100/1000

Multi I/O

  • 2 x USB3.0 ports
  • 10 x USB2.0 ports
  • Audio connector (Line-in, Line-out, MIC)
  • FireWire 0

Form Factor

  • HPTX Form Factor
  • Length: 13.6in - 345.4mm
  • Width: 15in - 381mm

The sales price of this board is a blazing $599.99, but for what you get... that's money well invested. Also good to know is that this product comes with a Limited Lifetime Warranty with registration within 30 days of purchase.

eVGA Classified SR2 motherboard
click to enlarge

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