Cool-n-Quiet Athlon 64 Motherboards

Table of Contents

AMD’s Cool ‘n’ Quiet for Athlon 64 reduces the working frequency and Vcore for reduce power consumption and heat when the processor is not under heavy load. Combined with an intelligent thermal fan setup, CnQ can be an easy way to make a quiet, very powerful PC. Unfortunately, only some Socket 754 and Socket 939 boards have CnQ support. Information about CnQ boards is spotty, and even AMD does not appear to have a comprehensive list. Here’s a start to SPCR’s own CnQ motherboards database in the Recommended section, with data compiled by Joachim Kluge.

  • April 7, 2005 – Major update by Joachim Kluge to reflect recent development and socket-939
  • Nov 15, 2004 – Updates and additions, thanks to Joachim Kluge
  • July 7, 2004 – Minor updates and corrections
  • June 25, 2004 – First published

Cool ‘n’ Quiet is a feature in AMD Athlon 64 that reduces the working
frequency and Vcore when the processor is not under heavy load in order to lower
the heat dissipation. This feature has never appeared in desktop CPUs before,
though it has been used in mobiles to save on battery power for a while under
the name PowerNow! for AMD and SpeedStep for Intel.
The power saving is quite significant – examples are shown in this
post
. When combined with an intelligent thermal fan control mechanism (either
built into the motherboard or external to it), C’n’Q can be an quick and easy
way to make a quiet, very powerful PC. It also reduces electricity consumption,
a worthy cause in our age.

C’n’Q requires BIOS support in the motherboard. Only a few early
socket-754 mainboards supported C’n’Q. The situation has become better with further
development of the platform. Especially the socket-939 platform offers now very
good support.

The information about C’n’Q-supported motherboards in the table
below was painstakingly compiled by by Joachim Kluge, who many of you
may know as jojo4u in the SPCR Forums. It came from many sources,
which are cited. Joachim is also responsible for starting the forum thread,
Athlon
64 power reduction: C’n’Q, Vcore, mobile, tools
, which contains extensive
information on the topic.

A few details to note:

  • There are known
    problems
    with socket-754 boards and 2+ DIMMS. You can find compatibility
    notes on some boards below. You can also ask in the forum if someone has a
    stable operation with 2 DIMMs. According to Aopen, 3 DIMM configurations are
    incompatible with C’n’Q.
  • C’n’Q sets the speed and the voltage to defined levels. If you are unsatified
    with these levels, please refer to this
    more detailed post.
  • Enabling C’n’Q in the BIOS may help to unblock multiplier and voltage adjustments
    with tweak utilities under Windows.
  • AMD has improved the Athlon 64 from time to time. For low power use it
    is best
    to get a 90nm core. On socket-939 there is the “Winchester” core
    available. The TDP is 67W and the OPN ends with -BI. If you can’t get a 90nm
    core, try to get at least the 130nm “CG-stepping
    core.
  • Given the ridiculously accelerated lifecycle of motherboards, it is very
    difficult to keep a product database such as this up to date. Products get
    revised, dropped or replaced, all without notice. Please help by posting any
    relevant information in this thread: Athlon
    64 power reduction: C’n’Q, Vcore, mobile, tools
    .
CnQ Mainboards
Socket
Size Chipset Notes Info Source Date
Socket-754 boards
Abit KV8 Pro 754 ATX VIA K8T800 reliable with 2 DIMMs since rev
1.1 / fan control down to 8V/ BIOS has no undervolting options
hardwareluxx.de 24.06.04
Abit NF8 series 754 ATX nVidia nForce3 250GB AMD, Abit-usa 30.03.05
Abit KV-80 754 ATX VIA K8M800 Abit-usa 31.03.05
Albatron K8Ultra-U
Pro
754 ATX ULi M1689 AMD 30.03.05
Albatron K8X800
Pro II
754 ATX VIA K8T800 hardwareluxx.de 24.06.04
Aopen AK86 754 ATX VIA K8T800 SilentTek able to stop fan at
idle / reliable C’n’Q only with one memory stick
C’t 24.06.04
Aopen AK86-L 754 ATX VIA K8T800 SilentTek able to stop fan at
idle / controls only 1 fan / reliable C’n’Q only with one memory stick
anandtech.com,
planet3dnow.de
24.06.04
Aopen AK89 Max 754 ATX nVidia nForce3 150 newest BIOS/ not officially supported
/SilentTek able to stop fan at idle / controls only 1 fan / Aopen: reliable
C’n’Q only with one memory stick
SPCR-Forum 22.08.04
AOpen S760GXm-SL
754 µATX SiS 760GX AMD 30.03.05
ASRock K8 Combo-Z 754/939 ATX ULi M1689 lowest C’n’Q voltage only 1.3V planet3dnow.de 30.03.05
Asrock K8S8X 754 ATX SiS 755 reliable with 2 DIMMs hardtecs4u.de,
planet3dnow.de
27.07.04
Asrock K8Upgrade-760GX 754 µATX SiS 760GX AMD 30.03.05
Asus K8N 754 ATX nForce3 250 fan control down to 4V C’t 30.03.05
Asus K8N-E Deluxe 754 ATX nForce3 250GB BIOS has no undervolting options
/ Qfan2 (not clear if able to stop fans)
hardwareluxx.de,
Asus
10.08.04
Asus K8N4-E Deluxe 754 ATX nVidia nForce4 4X Asus 30.03.05
Asus K8S-MX 754 ATX SiS 760GX Asus 30.03.05
Asus K8V / K8V-X 754 ATX VIA K8T800 Asus 30.03.05
Asus K8V Deluxe 754 ATX VIA K8T800 fan control able to stop fan
at idle / controls only 1 fan / reliable with 2 DIMMs
C’t, planet3dnow.de,
hardwareluxx.de
24.06.04
Asus K8V Deluxe
SE
754 ATX VIA K8T800 SPCR-Forum 30.03.05
Asus K8V-MX 754 µATX VIA K8M800 AMD 30.03.05
Biostar K8NBP 754 other nVidia nForce3 150 AMD 24.06.04
Biostar K8NHA-M 754 µATX nVidia nForce3 150 AMD 24.06.04
Biostar K8NHA-M
Grand
754 µATX nVidia nForce3 250 C’t 30.03.05
Biostar K8NHA-Pro 754 ATX nVidia nForce3 150 AMD 24.06.04
Biostar K8VHA 754 ATX VIA K8T800 C’t 24.06.04
Biostar K8VHA 754 ATX VIA K8T800 C’t 24.06.04
Biostar K8VHA Pro 754 ATX VIA K8T800 AMD 24.06.04
Chaintech ZNF3-150 754 ATX nVidia nForce3 150 no BIOS switch, activated by
default
hardwareluxx.de 24.06.04
DFI K8M800-MLV 754 µATX VIA K8M80 AMD 30.03.05
DFI K8T800Pro-ALF 754 ATX VIA K8T800 Pro AMD 30.03.05
DFI LANParty UT
nF3 250Gb
754 ATX nVidia nForce3 250 hardwareluxx.de,
SPCR-Forum
30.03.05
ECS 755-A2 754 ATX SiS 755 reliable with 2 DIMMs AMD,
hardtecs4u.de
27.07.04
ECS 755-M 754 µATX SiS 755 AMD 24.06.04
ECS 760-M 754 µATX SiS 760 AMD 30.03.05
ECS 760GX-M 754 µATX SiS 760GX AMD 30.03.05
ECS K8M800-M 754 µATX VIA K8M800 AMD 30.03.05
ECS K8T800-M 754 ATX VIA K8T800 AMD 24.06.04
Epox EP-8HDA3+ 754 ATX VIA K8T800 AMD, C’t, Epox 24.06.04
Epox EP-8HDA3I 754 ATX VIA K8T800 Epox 30.03.05
Epox EP-8HDA5+ 754 ATX VIA K8T800 Epox 30.03.05
Epox EP-8HDA5I 754 ATX VIA K8T800 Epox 30.03.05
Epox EP-8HDA5J 754 ATX VIA K8T800 Epox 30.03.05
Epox EP-8HDAI PRO 754 ATX VIA K8T800 Epox 30.03.05
Epox EP-8HMMI-A 754 ATX VIA K8M800 Epox 30.03.05
Epox EP-8KDA3+ 754 ATX nVidia nForce3 250GB reliable with 2 DIMMs hardtecs4u.de:1,2,
Epox
24.06.04
Epox EP-8KDA3+ PRO 754 ATX nVidia nForce3 250Gb Epox 30.03.05
Epox EP-8KDA3I 754 ATX nVidia nForce3 250 Epox 30.03.05
Epox EP-8KDA3J 754 ATX nVidia nForce3 250Gb Epox 30.03.05
Epox EP-8KDA7I 754 ATX nVidia nForce3 250 Epox 30.03.05
Epox EP-8NPAJ 754 ATX nForce4 4X Epox 30.03.05
Epox EP-9NDA3I 754 ATX nVidia nForce3 250 Epox 30.03.05
FIC K8M-800M 754 ATX K8M800 AMD 24.06.04
Fujitsu-Siemens
D1607
754 ATX VIA K8T800 fan control able to stop fan
at idle
C’t 24.06.04
Gigabyte GA-K8NS
Pro
754 ATX nVidia nForce3 250 reliable C’n’Q only with one
memory stick
hardtecs4u.de 30.03.05
Gigabyte GA-K8S760M 754 µATX SiS760LV AMD 24.06.04
Gigabyte GA-K8S760M 754 µATX SiS 760 AMD 30.03.05
Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M 754 µATX K8M800 AMD 24.06.04
Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M 754 µATX VIA K8M800 AMD 30.03.05
Gigabyte K8NNXP 754 ATX nForce3 150 no BIOS switch: activated by
default / reliable with 2 DIMMs
hardwareluxx.de,
C’t
24.06.04
Gigabyte K8NSNXP 754 ATX nForce3 250 no BIOS switch: activated by
default / reliable C’n’Q only with one memory stick
hardwareluxx.de 09.07.04
Gigabyte K8VNXP 754 ATX VIA K8T800 no BIOS switch: activated by
default
hardwareluxx.de 24.06.04
Gigabyte K8VT800M 754 µATX VIA K8T800 no temperature protection! AMD 24.06.04
MSI K8M Neo-V 754 ATX VIA K8M800 SPCR-Forum,
MSI
30.03.05
MSI K8MM-ILSR 754 µATX VIA K8M800 MSI 30.03.05
MSI K8N Neo series 754 ATX nForce3 250GB works with 2 memory sticks /
fan control down to 5V
SPCR-Forum:1,2,
MSI
24.06.04
MSI K8N Neo3 754 ATX nVidia nForce4-4X MSI 30.03.05
MSI K8T Neo series 754 ATX VIA K8T800 works with 2 memory sticks C’t, tomshardware.de,
SPCR-Forum,
MSI
24.06.04
MSI K8T Neo-V 754 ATX VIA K8T800 MSI 30.03.05
MSI K8TM-ILSR 754 µATX VIA K8T800 MSI 30.03.05
MSI MS-6741G 754 µATX VIA K8M800 AMD 30.03.05
MSI RS480M2-IL 754 ATX ATI Radeon Xpress 200P AMD 30.03.05
PC Chips W32 754 ATX SiS 755 AMD 30.03.05
Shuttle AN50R 754 ATX nForce3 150 reliable C’n’Q only with one
memory stick
hardtecs4u.de 24.06.04
Shuttle AN51R 754 ATX nForce3 250 reliable C’n’Q only with one
memory stick
hardwareluxx.de 09.07.04
Shuttle FN85 754 SFF nVidia nForce3 250GB AMD 30.03.05
Shuttle FX83 (1.5) 754 other K8M800 AMD 24.06.04
Soltek K890Pro-754 754 µATX VIA K8T890 AMD 30.03.05
Soltek K8AN-RL 754 ATX nVidia nForce3 150 no BIOS switch: activated by
default / reliable with 2 DIMMs
hardwareluxx.de 24.06.04
Soltek SL-K8AN2E-GR 754 ATX nVidia nForce3 250GB AMD 30.03.05
Soltek SL-K8AV2-RL 754 ATX VIA K8T800 AMD 24.06.04
Soltek SL-K8AV2-RL
754 ATX VIA K8T800 AMD 30.03.05
Uneec MK8V 2.0 754 other VIA K8T800 AMD 30.03.05
WinFast 760GXK8MB 754 µATX SiS 760GX AMD 30.03.05
WinFast K8S755M 754 µATX SiS 755 AMD 30.03.05
WinFast K8S760MG 754 µATX SiS 760 AMD 30.03.05
Socket-939 boards
Abit AV8 939 ATX VIA K8T800 Pro fan control down to ~60% hardwareluxx.de,
AMD,
hardtecs4u.com
24.06.04
Abit AN8 series 939 ATX nVidia nForce4 Abit-usa 31.03.05
Abit AX8 series 939 ATX VIA K8T890 Abit-usa 31.03.05
ASRock K8 Combo-Z 754/939 ATX ULi M1689 lowest C’n’Q voltage only 1.3V planet3dnow.de 30.03.05
Asus A8N-E 939 ATX nVidia nForce4 Ultra Asus 30.03.05
Asus A8N-SLI 939 ATX nVidia nForce4 SLI Asus 30.03.05
Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe 939 ATX nVidia nForce4 SLI AMD, hardtecs4u.de,
hardwareluxx.de
30.03.05
Asus A8V Deluxe 939 ATX VIA K8T800 Pro fan control down to ~60% hardwareluxx.de, AMD, Asus, hardtecs4u.com 24.06.04
Asus A8V-E Deluxe 939 ATX VIA K8T890 AMD, Asus 30.03.05
DFI nF4 Ultra-D 939 ATX nVidia nForce4 Ultra SPCR-Forum 30.03.05
ECS KV2 939 ATX VIA K8T800 Pro AMD 24.06.04
Epox EP-9NDA3+ 939 ATX nForce3 Ultra Epox 30.03.05
Epox EP-9NDA3+ 939 ATX nVidia nForce3 Ultra AMD 30.03.05
Epox EP-9NDA3J 939 ATX nForce3 Ultra Epox 30.03.05
Epox EP-9NPA+ (SLI) 939 ATX nVidia nForce4 Ultra/SLI Epox 30.03.05
Epox EP-9NPAJ 939 ATX nVidia nForce4 Epox 30.03.05
Foxconn NF4K8MC-ERS 939 µATX nVidia nForce4 SPCR-Forum 02.04.05
Gigabyte GA-K8N
Ultra-9
939 ATX nVidia nForce4 Ultra SPCR-Forum 30.03.05
Gigabyte GA-K8NF-9 939 ATX nVidia nForce4 AMD 30.03.05
Gigabyte GA-K8NS
Ultra-939
939 ATX nVidia nForce3 Ultra AMD 30.03.05
Gigabyte GA-K8NS-939
939 ATX nVidia nForce3 Ultra AMD 30.03.05
Gigabyte GA-K8NSNXP939 939 ATX nVidia nForce3 250GB AMD 30.03.05
Gigabyte GA-K8NSNXP939 939 ATX nForce3 Ultra AMD 24.06.04
Gigabyte GA-K8NXP
-9/-SLI
939 ATX nVidia nForce4 Ultra/SLI no BIOS switch: activated by
default
AMD, hardwareluxx.de:1,2,
C’t
30.03.05
Gigabyte GA-K8VNXP939 939 ATX VIA K8T800 Pro AMD 30.03.05
MSI K8N Neo2 series 939 ATX nVidia nForce3 (Ultra ) fan control down to 5V AMD, MSI, planet3dnow.de,
hardwareluxx.de
24.06.04
MSI K8N Neo4 series 939 ATX nVidia nForce4 (Ultra) AMD, MSI 30.03.05
MSI K8N SLI Platinum
/ K8N Diamond (MS-7100)
939 ATX nVidia nForce4 SLI AMD, MSI, C’t 30.03.05
MSI K8T Neo2 (MSI
6702E)
939 ATX VIA K8T800 Pro hardwareluxx.de,
MSI, AMD
28.07.04
MSI RX480M2 (7093) 939 µATX ATI Radeon Xpress 200P AMD, SPCR-Forum,
hardwareluxx.de
30.03.05
Shuttle FN95 939 SFF nVidia nForce3 Ultra AMD, hardwareluxx.de 30.03.05
Soltek SL-K890Pro-939 939 ATX VIA K8T890 SPCR-Forum 04.04.05
Soltek SL-B9D-FGR
( Qbic EQ3901-300P)
939 SFF VIA K8T800 Pro SPCR-Forum 30.03.05
Soltek SL-K8TPro-939 939 ATX VIA K8T800 Pro AMD 30.03.05
WinFast 755FXK8AA 939 ATX SiS 755 AMD 30.03.05

Comment on this article in the SPCR Forums

Silent PC Review is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *