The motherboard's full name is 131-K8-NF44-AX. EVGA Corp. designed it to be compatible with central processing units (CPUs) from Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and graphics processing units (GPUs) from Nvidia. Any brand of memory will work with the board provided it meets type, speed, capacity and socket interface requirements. The K8-NF44 can only fit in computer chassis capable of housing boards with a 9.6-inch by 9.6-inch form factor.
Processors
The K8-NF44 is only compatible with certain AMD processors. The board uses processor socket 939, but not all AMD processors that fit into socket 939 are compatible with the board. According to the website Newegg, Athlon 64 X2, Athlon 64 FX and Athlon 64 processors that use socket 939 are compatible with the board.
Memory Type
The board has four memory slots, each capable of holding 512 MB of memory for a maximum capacity of 4 GB. The board uses only DDR SDRAM memory, or Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory. This means that memory operation is timed with the motherboard's clock cycle, and that the board allows the memory to make two data transfers per cycle. The board only accepts unbuffered, non-ecc memory modules that use a 184-pin configuration, according to the website Crucial.
Memory Speed
The board is not compatible with all DDR SDRAM speeds. Compatible speeds include PC-2700 and PC-3200. These are memory modules that operate at peak transfer rates of either 2700 or 3200 megabits per second (Mbps). While faster memory may work in the K8-N4FF, once installed, it will not exceed 3200 Mbps. PC-2700 and PC-3200 have transfer rates of 333 and 400, respectively. Thus, they are also known as DDR-333 and DDR-400.
Front Side Bus
The board uses a 1 gigahertz (GHz) front side bus. That is, it allows data to transfer between the processor and the motherboard at a rate of 1 billion cycles per second. However, the bus uses HyperTransport technology, which transfers data twice per cycle, according to the HyperTransport Consortium. This means that the K8-NFF makes 2 billion transfers per second.
Graphics
The board is compatible only with video cards produced by Nvidia. It comes standard with the Nvidia nForce4 SLI northbridge, which interfaces with two PCI express expansion slots. This means that the board allows users to install two Nvidia graphics cards at the same time. The website Tech-Hounds states that the SLI feature allows users to link the video cards together so they work simultaneously to perform rendering tasks, rather than taking turns.
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