Read more.X399 with massive M.2 potential.
Read more.X399 with massive M.2 potential.
I'm sure that "16 Infineon (TDA21472) power stages" are impressive, especially when "run via an Infineon 8-channel (doubled, 8+0) IR35201 PWM controller". The thing is, although I've learned a heck of a lot about components over the years, I've yet to read even the first thing about power phases, what they are, what makes one configuration better than another, why I should care, let alone why TDA21472 or IR35201 (doubled, 8+0, no less) would mean anything to anyone.There are, wait for it, a whopping 19 power phases on this E-ATX board - 16 for the CPU and three for the SOC. And these aren't the cheap and cheerful kind. A closer examination reveals the MEG uses 16 Infineon (TDA21472) power stages run via an Infineon 8-channel (doubled, 8+0) IR35201 PWM controller.
(This comment is not particular to the MSI MEG X399, except in as far as it uses it as an example)
Why run the game tests at only 1080p? I can't imagine this being relevant to anyone using such high-end kit.
Perhaps an opportunity for Hexus to put up a primer on the more advanced technical jargon common these days?
@devBunny - like pistons in an engine, more phases = smoother power; this reduces the excess CPU voltage (and thus power usage) needed to ensure stability - or alternatively you can clock higher for a given voltage. Dividing the power across more phases improves efficiency by cutting down current peaks. Also with more phases at its disposal the PWM controller can operate the power components more often in their most efficient load ranges.
PWM controllers with lots of phases are pricey so phase doublers can be used, but as these are still not cheap some boards even forego using doublers and just double the rest of the power components instead. Outwardly these look like more phases, but as they operate simultaneously there's no improvement to current peaks, CPU voltage or load range, leaving only a minor improvement to efficiency and operating temperature.
Edit to add: the quality of VRMs on motherboards is more important than in the past because modern CPUs are simultaneously more efficient and power hungry. At idle they draw very little power, but having the power of many cores & threads means that full load they demand much more; catering to such a huge range efficiently requires more sophisticated power circuitry than in the past.
TLDR: more phases = less power wasted, better CPU stability/higher overclocks
Last edited by chinf; 06-09-2018 at 11:48 AM.
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