# Foxconn Shows Off Quad CrossFire Motherboard



## Jimmy 2004 (Jan 8, 2008)

Foxconn is showing off its impressive new Quad CrossFire motherboard at CES, which features no less than 10 slots - four PCI-E 16x, four PCI-E 1x and two standard PCI. The motherboard also has a watercooled northbridge and southbridge. I'll let the pictures say the rest.



 

 

 

 

 



*View at TechPowerUp Main Site*


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## technicks (Jan 8, 2008)




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## von kain (Jan 8, 2008)

and a socket 775?????


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## Weer (Jan 8, 2008)

They'd also have to make a very special case for that thing.


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## DOM (Jan 8, 2008)

NB/SN cooling  are you going to have to cut holes at the back of the case


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## Silverel (Jan 8, 2008)

Nice copper tubing, must be for water cooling. Definitely a custom case, for the uber-enthusiast!


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## trog100 (Jan 8, 2008)

foxconn are producing some nice stuff.. the water cooling for the chipset is probably needed with that many "heaters" in the case.. 

trog


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## Scrizz (Jan 8, 2008)

nice


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## Scrizz (Jan 8, 2008)

nice


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## error_f0rce (Jan 8, 2008)

On one hand it's pretty sweet, but on the other hand when you start needing 4 graphics card to run a game at the specs you want, it has to start making you wish they would just make 1 card to do it.  I know from a business aspect that might not make the money, but from a consumer perspective I'm getting a little fed up with "multiples".  This is like the next mach 3 razor for men, 3 blades, then 4, NO FIVE!!!

   Stop the madness!!!   Just make 1 good card that costs as much as 4.... please.... 

EDIT: btw, anyone know how work on multi-core GPU's is coming?


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## technicks (Jan 8, 2008)

Looks kinda like Tim from Home Improvement did it..


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## WhiteLotus (Jan 8, 2008)

error_f0rce said:


> On one hand it's pretty sweet, but on the other hand when you start needing 4 graphics card to run a game at the specs you want, it has to start making you wish they would just make 1 card to do it.  I know from a business aspect that might not make the money, but from a consumer perspective I'm getting a little fed up with "multiples".  This is like the next mach 3 razor for men, 3 blades, then 4, NO FIVE!!!
> 
> Stop the madness!!!   Just make 1 good card that costs as much as 4.... please....



i agree - at least with one card you can move forward technologically


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## snuif09 (Jan 8, 2008)

^damm ihave been saying that for ages(not on this forum) soon we have Nvidia Fusion
wit an extra vga at back of the card and 5 titanium vga's


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## erocker (Jan 8, 2008)

This is the board that Shimano has his hands on right now...


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## yogurt_21 (Jan 8, 2008)

erocker said:


> This is the board that Shimano has his hands on right now...



so new wr with 3870's in quadfire around the corner?


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## happita (Jan 8, 2008)

technicks said:


> Looks kinda like Tim from Home Improvement did it..


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## Disparia (Jan 8, 2008)

Not too shabby...

Could be more harder corer if they tried (dual Xeon)


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## Judas (Jan 8, 2008)

Now doesn't that look good?


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## erocker (Jan 8, 2008)

yogurt_21 said:


> so new wr with 3870's in quadfire around the corner?



I'm sure we'll see something soon.


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## Mediocre (Jan 8, 2008)

Anyone notice the red and black wire coming from the northbridge?

I bet its a TEC/LC system...judging from where those wires come out of (in-between die and NB heatsink...)


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## ShadowFold (Jan 8, 2008)

Now thats hot!! Literally  cant imaging how hot those get there right on top of each other. PCI slots FTL, why does it even have any lol


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## Ravenas (Jan 8, 2008)

Whoa! What a power house.


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## mdm-adph (Jan 8, 2008)

I'll take two, thank you very much.  (I WISH)


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## Silverel (Jan 8, 2008)

Mediocre said:


> Anyone notice the red and black wire coming from the northbridge?
> 
> I bet its a TEC/LC system...judging from where those wires come out of (in-between die and NB heatsink...)



I want to see a video of that getting fired up, and watching the lights in the expo center start to dim...

Seriously, when you need a TEC AND WC for the NB, it's getting pretty extreme. 

We need more nuclear power plants in America... like real ones...


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## kwchang007 (Jan 8, 2008)

I think 1000+ watts are going to be necessary for all these cards.  Imagine if you put in 4 3870 x2s.... Then to top it off cool everything with ln2....god that'd be crazy (yeah suicide run, but still crazy)


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## DOM (Jan 8, 2008)

kwchang007 said:


> I think 1000+ watts are going to be necessary for all these cards.  Imagine if you put in 4 3870 x2s.... Then to top it off cool everything with ln2....god that'd be crazy (yeah suicide run, but still crazy)



the 3870 x2s cant be 4 only 2


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## Deleted member 24505 (Jan 8, 2008)

Only rich boys need apply.


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## kwchang007 (Jan 8, 2008)

DOM_ATI_X800XL_PCI-E said:


> the 3870 x2s cant be 4 only 2



Oh....why this craziness then, people who want 4 cards can do 2x2.


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## DOM (Jan 8, 2008)

kwchang007 said:


> Oh....why this craziness then, people who want 4 cards can do 2x2.


huh lol the 3870 X2  only has 1 CF thing and the 3870 have 2


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## kwchang007 (Jan 8, 2008)

DOM_ATI_X800XL_PCI-E said:


> huh lol the 3870 X2  only has 1 CF thing and the 3870 have 2



Oh that sucks.  Maybe they'll come out with one that can do it, or give us a new architecture that's just as good with one die.


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## btarunr (Jan 8, 2008)

Bah! this still doesn't come close to the Intel Skulltrail which has the same no. of PCI-E slots, has both CFX and SLI and takes in two CPU's and...whew...is in the E-ATX form-factor.

Did you see the power input?  24pin + 24pin + 8pin + 4pin(molex). This needs a redundant PSU. A totally impractical board. yuck. Intel did a much better job with the Skulltrail.


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## Easy Rhino (Jan 8, 2008)

technicks said:


> Looks kinda like Tim from Home Improvement did it..



MORE POWER!!!!!  *ape grunts*


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## a111087 (Jan 8, 2008)

error_f0rce said:


> On one hand it's pretty sweet, but on the other hand when you start needing 4 graphics card to run a game at the specs you want, it has to start making you wish they would just make 1 card to do it.  I know from a business aspect that might not make the money, but from a consumer perspective I'm getting a little fed up with "multiples".  This is like the next mach 3 razor for men, 3 blades, then 4, NO FIVE!!!
> 
> Stop the madness!!!   Just make 1 good card that costs as much as 4.... please....
> 
> EDIT: btw, anyone know how work on multi-core GPU's is coming?



We already using the latest technology, development takes time, time takes money, companies just sell what they have so they can keep developing ....
you can't just build a chip that can go no farther in development


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## WarEagleAU (Jan 8, 2008)

What are those two copper heatsinks they got on them chips between the first two PCIe x16 slots? Are those what yall are calling TECs? Cause all Im seeing (unless those are it) is water cooling tubing (copper!!!) for the NB/SB


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## Urbklr (Jan 8, 2008)

I read earlier today that that motherboard was in use by Shamino, and that the cooling system was hand-made, and that it was designed as a overclocker only mobo, as it probably wouldn't fit in many cases

And what chipset would it be using for Crossfire-X??...A P45 maybe??


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## zOaib (Jan 8, 2008)

TRI SLI AND QUAD FIRE X , i fidn all these silly , 2 gpus to do the work of one was a great idea but this is getting ridiculous , i mean why dont they spend all this time wasting making slots for more Willys on one mobo than making one vid card to have the power of four gpus , they need to kick out gpus that dont need this BS.


but it does look nice , i think i can fit that mobo in my UFO-U2 case easily ........... =P


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## a111087 (Jan 9, 2008)

WarEagleAU said:


> What are those two copper heatsinks they got on them chips between the first two PCIe x16 slots? Are those what yall are calling TECs? Cause all Im seeing (unless those are it) is water cooling tubing (copper!!!) for the NB/SB



no, TEC is thermoelectric cooler 
I think those two chips are for cards to communicate, like those on 3870X2


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## Urbklr (Jan 9, 2008)

The two chips do connect the cards, from what i read. They are only capable of 4x 8xPCI-e...And only PCI-e 1.0.


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## indybird (Jan 9, 2008)

First of all this is Madness! 4 HD 3870s would be quite a setup...how good do you think this would perform againsts a tri-Ultra setup?
Second, it looks like the watercooling will go out the I/O panel.
Third, there actually is a somewhat regular case out w/ 10 expansion slots: Thermaltake Xaser VI.
Lastly, it is actually possible to do quad-crossfire with 4x HD 3870s (Space-wise) right now thanks to the Sapphire Atomic HD3870 (Single slot cooler which cools better than the stock dual slot)

And theres mah two-cents.

-Indybird


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## [I.R.A]_FBi (Jan 9, 2008)

madness this is gpu wars!


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## [I.R.A]_FBi (Jan 9, 2008)

what chipset is this btw?


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## ShadowFold (Jan 9, 2008)

[I.R.A]_FBi said:


> what chipset is this btw?



Definatly 790FX


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## [I.R.A]_FBi (Jan 9, 2008)

for 775?


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## indybird (Jan 9, 2008)

Im thinking its an Intel P45, since those are the only known chipsets to have quad-crossfire support.

-Indybird


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## ShadowFold (Jan 9, 2008)

oh its intel... nevermind


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## imperialreign (Jan 9, 2008)

you'd have to mount that sucker in a media center (old desktop) style case, and cut louvers in the top just to vent the heat - only way I could fathom you'd keep that heat output under control . . . even with liquid cooling, ambient temps would be through the roof!


Nice to see ATI has proven they can do 4 cards before nVidia has.  I _doubt_ seriously we'd ever see something like this at the consumer level, though.


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## btarunr (Jan 9, 2008)

[I.R.A]_FBi said:


> what chipset is this btw?



Intel X48


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## phanbuey (Jan 9, 2008)

imperialreign said:


> I _doubt_ seriously we'd ever see something like this at the consumer level, though.



right?!  thayve wasted time and developement to support something that 0.5-1% of the market will buy...

nVidia AND 3dfx proved that QUAD SINGLE anything doesn't really work (it terms of practicality), with the SLI'd 7950GX2 and the Voodoo 5 variations...  I mean, really, honestly, who could resist FOUR (netburst)PENTIUMs linked with an 800Mhz FSB!?! and it only takes half a kilowatt (or in this case, a full Kilowatt)!!!

Technology will keep moving forward.  Old-tech*4 isnt going to cut it, especially when it is this cumbersome.  wtf, mate... wtf.


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## tkpenalty (Jan 9, 2008)

Weer said:


> They'd also have to make a very special case for that thing.



They already have the armor + and the new lian lis...


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## Deleted member 24505 (Jan 9, 2008)

I think its pointless,a tech showcase is all.How many people are gonna be able to afford that with 4 card to put in it? Not forgetting the kw psu and qx97xx chip to run the four cards without bottlenecking.So its just a rich mans thing or a super benchers dream.


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## Disparia (Jan 9, 2008)

tigger69 said:


> I think its pointless,a tech showcase is all.How many people are gonna be able to afford that with 4 card to put in it? Not forgetting the kw psu and qx97xx chip to run the four cards without bottlenecking.So its just a rich mans thing or a super benchers dream.



Well, yeah 

I certainly can't afford something like this now, but if I ever win the lottery, there better be toys like this available for me to play with!

Though with that kind of money, probably just get one of the major manufacturers to custom build me a motherboard. Finally I could get what I want on one.


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## DaMulta (Jan 9, 2008)

I think there is a lot of single guys in the US. Making good money, and spending it on toys. I think there is a lot more of them than what people think.

(Maybe these people don't post on the Internets)


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## Deleted member 24505 (Jan 9, 2008)

I still think the market for people like us,is relatively small.Think of the mass numbers of pc's bought,mostly by "normal" people who dont overclock or spend loads tarting their machines up and spending lots on the newest spiciest hardware.


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## btarunr (Jan 9, 2008)

^Single guys that spend on toys.....like me ^^

Even that said, this is a hoorible board by design, the Intel Skulltrail looks better.


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## DaMulta (Jan 9, 2008)

Now I don't make that much, but I don't go out(maybe 1 time a month). So I don't drive and spend on gas or anything.

Now I do buy hardware, because it's fun. I'm glad this stuff is out there, and I would be one that might spend his hobby money(that I have a around set balance to monthly)on a good motherboard like this.

Hey if it's worth it you know...


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## Deleted member 24505 (Jan 9, 2008)

I'm not saying its a bad thing as such.If i had the dosh it'd be mine believe me.Just that its aimed at a relatively small market.


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## DaMulta (Jan 9, 2008)

So are ultra cards, and was the to hd2900 cards.

BUT it makes the company look good to the people that play with them.


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## error_f0rce (Jan 9, 2008)

a111087 said:


> We already using the latest technology, development takes time, time takes money, companies just sell what they have so they can keep developing ....
> you can't just build a chip that can go no farther in development



I appreciate what you're saying and don't disagree at all.  My only point was that I've become frustrated with the lack of progress and massive cost of GPU's.  I would like to see the same type of progress and price drops that CPU's have made since the release of the Conroe and the quad-cores (power-to-dollar ratio).  The development seems obviously lopsided, and of course CPU's are a greater cash cow than GPU's.... so it's _not _that I object to the way they are doing business, or that I expect instantly superior technology, as much as wishful thinking I guess.  I'd like to see a shift in focus from powerhunger, heat-spewing, multi-card GPU set up's, to something more efficient architecture wise.

EDIT: to sum it all up, let's start thinking more like the Japanese, than like Americans.  stop the bigger, faster, louder race, and start thinking smaller, more efficient, quieter.  also, anyone else notice how riduclously large this cards have become?


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## Disparia (Jan 9, 2008)

True, we should get smaller, more efficient.... SO WE CAN STICK MORE ON EACH CARD!!!1 WOOOOOOOO!!!!


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## mysticjon (Jan 10, 2008)

error_f0rce said:


> On one hand it's pretty sweet, but on the other hand when you start needing 4 graphics card to run a game at the specs you want, it has to start making you wish they would just make 1 card to do it.  I know from a business aspect that might not make the money, but from a consumer perspective I'm getting a little fed up with "multiples".  This is like the next mach 3 razor for men, 3 blades, then 4, NO FIVE!!!
> 
> Stop the madness!!!   Just make 1 good card that costs as much as 4.... please....
> 
> EDIT: btw, anyone know how work on multi-core GPU's is coming?



HAHAHA i know what you mean....whats next !! lol well women have razors that doesn't use razors hmm. this is sounding ridiculous but where ever the buisness is making more money then yeah...it seems that a hell of a lot of money is going into this "multi" multi-core cpu's, multi-video card setups...i don't really see an advantage or even a difference in multi-video card setups...but i guess its just for show off and who has more of what


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