A8N SLI Motherboard(s) questions

[YorkieBen]

Can anyone tell me what the differences between the A8N-SLI SE (LN12575) and the A8N-SLI (Standard) (LN9153) are? I cant see any in the specs…

A8N SLI SE:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=311465

A8N SLI (Standard)

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=158981

In addition, the A8N Premium has a warning that it cannot be used in an upside down motherboard (eg as in the Silverstone TJ06 etc) due to the heat pipe

the A8N32-SLI (LN12107) doesnt have this warning - does this mean it is okay to use in an upside down orientation?

[YorkieBen]

okay... i was wondering because the Scan Chameleon has it and that uses the Silverstone TJ06 case

and it says that "3xs recommended base specification - The components choosen below are a fixed specification that cannot be changed. The 3xs team have verified these to be the best all round hardware for the intended use." when mentioning the motherboard

[DavidM]

I think i've got the model mixed up - i'll check on this.

(The model numbers are a bit confusing! )

[YorkieBen]

ttt

[FatalSaviour]

I would've thought that you wouldn't be able to install the A8N32-SLI motherboard in an inverted orientation either. This, as you know, is due to the heatpipe, and as far as I know, the laws of physics haven't changed in the past couple of months, to allow less dense substances to travel down naturally by themselves. Unless you want superheated/supermolten Southbridge, I wouldn't advise inverting either the A8N-SLI Premium or the A8N32-SLI.
I should be getting the latter on Friday...if it materialises, and I accidentally knock over a 21kilo case 180degs, I'll let you know if it spontaneously combusts.

[Lee H]

I personally would not use any "heatpipe" cooled motherboard in an inverted manner as it looks like these do not support the capillary action that some heatpipes do. However, the A8N32-SLI has additional fans that can attached to the cooling solution to aid performance.

As for the SLi-SE this looks to be a natural replacement for the SLi Standard model that has been out of stock for quite a while.

Best Regards,

[FatalSaviour]

Sli-SE = Standard Edition?
As for the A8N32-SLI, it does have a blower fan, but this attaches to the heatsink at the top of the heatpipe...if the motherboard is going to be inverted...then this will be at the wrong end of the motherboard?

[JonSt]

One of the benefits of the A8N32-SLi is that ut can supply 16x to both graphics slot, instead of the usual 8.

[project187]

so can the a8n-sli mate

[YorkieBen]

the a8n-sli can only give 16x to one pci-e slot or 8x in sli. However from what I have seen in reviews it makes little or not difference

I personally would not use any "heatpipe" cooled motherboard in an inverted manner as it looks like these do not support the capillary action that some heatpipes do. However, the A8N32-SLI has additional fans that can attached to the cooling solution to aid performance.

Lee, could you find out from the guys who make/test the Chameleon system if they use those little blower fans that come with the A8N32-SLI or if not what their solution is for the cooling... because as it stands everyone I have spoken to says not to use the A8N32-SLI with a Temjin TJ06 but Scan sell the Chameleon with it in?

thanks

[Lee H]

The Chameleon was sent out with the motherboard with the heatpipes but after a few tests and a few hours scratching their heads the systembuild team have now reverted to using the SLI-Deluxe model of motherboard which has active cooling on the chipset and does not have any of the issues related to the inverted mounting and heatpipe cooling

Best Regards,

[JonSt]

so can the a8n-sli mate

No, it can only supply x8 to each slot when in sli,it can supply x16 when using the one gfx. The a8n32-sli can supply x16 to each slot when in sli, hence the 32

[YorkieBen]

The Chameleon was sent out with the motherboard with the heatpipes but after a few tests and a few hours scratching their heads the systembuild team have now reverted to using the SLI-Deluxe model of motherboard which has active cooling on the chipset and does not have any of the issues related to the inverted mounting and heatpipe cooling

Best Regards,

I know when the Chameleon was first produced it had the A8N SLI Premium, and that Scan changed it to the A8N Deluxe. But now it says it is using the A8N32SLI Deluxe which is totally different, it uses heatpipes, there is no actively cooled version of the A8N32 mobos...

http://3xs.scan.co.uk/ConfigureSystem.asp?SystemID=394

[davidstone28]

You should definitely try and avoid using the mobo the wrong way up simply because of the length of the heatpipe. It *may* be fine but you're taking a big gamble. Applies to the Premium and the AN32.

I used a Zalman GPU heatsink upside down and although the GPU seemed fine, temps were much higher than compared to when it was the right way up. Also the heatpipes on that were much shorter. Ocing wasn't possible.

[Lee H]

I know when the Chameleon was first produced it had the A8N SLI Premium, and that Scan changed it to the A8N Deluxe. But now it says it is using the A8N32SLI Deluxe which is totally different, it uses heatpipes, there is no actively cooled version of the A8N32 mobos...

Yes, the A8N32 motherboard is used when the configurator selects any other case apart from the silverstone inverted ones. When 1 of these is selected, the systems department contact the customer informing them of issues regarding the cooling solution, and inform the customer of the solution by changing the board to the A8N-SLI Deluxe instead.

[MON]

Sli-SE = Standard Edition?
As for the A8N32-SLI, it does have a blower fan, but this attaches to the heatsink at the top of the heatpipe...if the motherboard is going to be inverted...then this will be at the wrong end of the motherboard?

inverted you mean fan at the top?????