When the EVBot debuted, I wasn't sure if I wanted to buy one.  I've been using Eleet successfully for quite some time, as a number of you know.  Changing settings in the BIOS is also very easy with the EVGA X58's and P55's.  So, why use this device?  Well, the one thing that did appeal to me is that the EVBot does not require software to use while benching, which actually reduces time to get benches going, and avoids messing up resources by opening and closing programs prior to benching.  I wasn't really aware of the purpose of the Opt Booster until I had a chance to look over the features, so I'm very interested in testing out this feature at a future date. However, I still decided to get the EVBot, and so far, I really like it. There were more options in the menus than I expected, but we'll get to that later.
 
I'd like to cover a dismissal I see from a lot of people regarding the EVBot.  Specifically, "Overclocking in the BIOS is best.  This is just a gimmick."  Well, this statement is both true and false.  It's true, because setting everything in the BIOS is better.  For the majority of overclockers, this is absolutely the best advice, as you will find more stability when booting up at your desired speeds.  However, it's false because these people have clearly never learned how to get the most out of their system.  If you take a look at the top benchmark scores in the world, do you really think they boot to those settings?  Setting your overclock in the BIOS only goes so far.  Eventually the motherboard will no longer post, or Windows will not boot.  This is where top overclockers begin to rely on software tools like Eleet or SetFSB to boot into Windows at a lower overclock, then use these tools to overclock to those rarefied heights in the overclocking world.  Only recently have motherboard manufacturers begun using tools that overclock at a hardware level to help its customers outperform the competition.  EVBot is the newest tool in this new generation of overclocking gadgets.  
 
Before I begin, I'd like to point out that EVGA bears no responsibility for what is in this guide.  My words and opinions are my own and should not be construed as any official statement or guide from EVGA.  
 
So, let's begin by unboxing the EVBot and taking a look at what comes with it.  If you have any questions regarding your EVBot, or need technical assistance, registering the EVBot at EVGA will help EVGA Technical Support help you faster and better.  I included a few pics so anyone looking for a serial number or part number could see where they're located on the box and the EVBot unit:
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot1.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot2.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot3.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot4.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot5.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot6.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot7.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot8.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot9.jpg

 
The Disc contains the user manual, the Windows Firmware flashing Utility for both the X58 and P55 boards, and a number of helpful links to EVGA Web pages:
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot10.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/evbotcd.png

The User Manual contains a lot of helpful information, including a feature and button layout, firmware flashing directions, and a color coded guide to locating where to install the cable to your motherboard or GTX285 Classified:
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot11.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot12.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot13.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot14.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot15.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot17.jpg

 
Here's a quick pic of the cables that came with the unit.  3 red cables for the video cards and 1 black cable for the motherboard, cleanly packaged:
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot18.jpg

 
Now that everything has been removed, it's time to install this bad boy.  First, you need to figure out which motherboard you have.  Then take a look at the installation guide to find the pins you'll plug in the black motherboard cables.  These pictures are of the EVGA Classified E760:
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot19.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot20.jpg

 
And from the darkness, we 'ave a contendah!
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot21.jpg

 
So, that's what you should expect when you open up your EVBot.  Time to take a look under the hood and check out the menus.

Time for the Clocks menus.  With the possible exception of the Voltages menu, this is going to be the place you spend most of your time for overclocking the motherboard.  I don't really want to go into overclocking theory here, but I will explain the settings a little bit. I will point out that you cannot use the EVBot solely for all overclocking settings.  There are many settings that must be set in the BIOS, saved, and rebooted to be used.  This rules out using the EVBot for settings such as RAM timings and straps, MCH Strap, PWM and VTT frequencies.  However, once those have been set in the BIOS, there's plenty of fun to be had with the EVBot.
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot27.jpg

 
First of all, this is the CPU Host Frequency.  People also call this the bclck, short for "base clock."  For those familiar with Socket 775 motherboards, you'd think of this as the Front Side Bus, or "FSB," although they are significantly different.  This setting is primarily what you'll be using for overclocking.  In order to calculate your CPU speed, you'll need to multiply the CPU Host Frequency with your CPU Multiplier.  For example, a CPU Host Frequency at 200mhz with a CPU multiplier of 21x equals 4200mhz, or 4.2ghz.  If you are unclear on how this works, please take a look at these guides:
 
shansmi's How To OC the i7 guide.
linuxrouter's Memory Frequency Guide.
 
There are, of course, other good guides on the web, but these guides will more than help you get started.
 
As with any of these settings, you'll press the EVBot "Up" and "Down" buttons to change the value for the settings, click the "OK" button once to enter the setting, then a second time to confirm and set your desired speed.
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot28.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot29.jpg

 
Next is the PCI-E Frequency.  This can be important to opening up the overclocking on your board, so a PCI-E overclock to 105mhz, will likely be needed to get over a 200mhz CPU Host Frequency.  The higher you can raise it, the more overhead you can have for overclocking.  This can also potentially improve video card performance, but it's not guaranteed, and if you do get increased performance, it isn't usually by much.  However, by raising the PCI-E Frequency, you run the risk of either causing peripherals to go "missing," such as your NIC, or causing your hard drives to disappear at startup.  This lasts only until you lower your PCI-E Frequency and start over.  Moderation and careful testing is recommended, but this is definitely a setting you will want to play around with when you hit a wall.  In my opinion, this is a setting you should initially set in BIOS, rather than use the EVBot, although I have yet to test any serious overclocking with the EVBot and this setting.
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot30.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot31.jpg

 
CPU Clock Skew can sometimes be a fun setting to play around with.  The CPU Clock Skew sets the latency for the CPU to the domain controllers so that the CPU and domain controllers stay in harmony.  On Socket 775 boards, this setting was very important, as overclocking the FSB can cause the skew to become unbalanced between domain controllers (think of domain controllers as kind of an information node), causing there to be a higher latency on the other domain controller, which can induce instability.  For example, as the FSB gets higher and higher, the latency between the CPU and one of the domain controllers will get smaller, but the speed between the CPU and the other domain controller will remain the same.  By altering the CPU skew, you can either advance or delay the latencies between the CPU and the domain controllers so that the latencies are pulled back in line.  Doing so, can greatly enhance stability.  Some boards need postive skew, others need negative skew.  You'll just have to play with this setting to find out.
 
However, unlike the Socket 775 boards, the Socket 1366 and 1156 boards do a lot of the skew balancing at bootup through the CPU's Integrated Memory Controller ("IMC"), which makes this setting less important.  By setting the clock gens at bootup (now you're thankful for that P55 double bootup, right?), the boards really do most of the work for you.  Once you start significantly overclocking the board, however, you may need to adjust the skew, as you are no longer using the skew set at boot.  Basically, don't really worry about this setting unless you're heading well over a 200mhz CPU Host Frequency, overclocking past your boot settings, and planning on using sub-zero cooling.  That doesn't mean you shouldn't experiment if you don't meet those qualifications, but this setting will not greatly affect your overclock.  If you'd like a place to start for 1366 i7's, consider a +300ps skew at first, as that seems to be a good place to start.
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot32.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot33.jpg

 
CPU Amplitude, or CPU Differential Amplitude, is another setting similar to CPU Clock Skew.  This setting is normally also set by the board at bootup through the IMC.  Whereas CPU Clock Skew affects the various frequencies between the CPU and domain controllers, CPU Amplitude affects the differential mode gain, which can combat against common mode "noise."  If I understand this correctly, this setting can further fine-tune the CPU Clock Skew signal by controlling the voltage to the clock gen, which can mitigate noise on the skew frequency.  Again, this was a setting that could affect stability on Socket 775 boards, but is much less important on the 1366 and 1156 boards.
 
I could explain this a bit more technically here, but really all you need to know is that CPU Amplitude is, like CPU Clock Skew, something you don't really need to mess with unless running higher than 200mhz, running well outside your boot settings, and running under sub-zero cooling.  This is another setting you'll need to experiment with, as a higher amplitude can help, but a low amplitude can sometimes positively affect your overclock.  Again, it comes down to experimenting with your board and CPU to determine if this setting helps you.
 
Note:  If you google this term, there's really not a lot about it.  You may come across a thread on the DFIclub website, regarding a DFI X38 board and several posts by Raja, discussing CPU Differential Amplitude.  Raja has since informed me that the information in that thread is somewhat less than accurate.  Instead, the CPU Differential Amplitude is actually more in line with my description above.  Remember, do not equate the importance of CPU Amplitude on the Socket 775 boards with its use on the Socket 1366 or 1156.
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot34.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot35.jpg

 
Now it's time to cover the most unique feature of the EVBot:  The Opt Booster!

As we reach the final Motherboard option, the H/W Monitor is pretty much exactly what you'd expect.  Unfortunately, it's not quite as useful as you might hope for.  I'll explain the contradiction in a moment.
 
The H/W Monitor displays information on your CPU temperature, the Vreg temperature, your CPU vcore voltage, and your CPU speed.  However, the only way to get this information is to have Eleet running and polling to the EVBot.  So, if you're running a benchmark, you will need to have Eleet running in the background to use this feature, which is usually not what you want.  However, it is still a useful tool and gives you the information you need.   So, let's show you how to access the information:
 
First, you'll want to go to the last feature in the Motherboard section, H/W Monitor.  
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot59.jpg

 
Once you get in this menu, you'll notice that it remains blank.  After a few seconds, it will either update to your speeds, or it will ask you to run ELEET.
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot60.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot61.jpg

 
At this point you'll need to open up Eleet.  You'll need to update to the latest version of ELEET, or v. 1.06.5, at the minimum.  If you don't have the latest, you will not have access to the polling option needed for the H/W Monitor.  To check what version you have, look on the first tab in Eleet and the area I've circled.  You can always find the latest update for EVGA ELEET by logging into your profile at the EVGA Forums, and then going to http://www.evga.com/eleet/.
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/eleet1.png

 
On this next screen we see.....oh....looks like there's a potential 2 extra cores grayed out.  Hmm....I wonder what that could be for.....
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot62.png

 
Finally, we get to the screen we need.  Here on the "Option" page, we see a new option for "Poll HW Monitor to EVBot."  Check this box and we should be good to go.
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot63.png

 
I added some CPU-Z tabs to for a more accurate comparison....
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/eleet3.png

 
And here's what pops up on the EVBot.
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot65.jpg

 
Perfect. 
 
Now that we have this section covered, I'll do a little overclocking demonstration a bit later, but I want to finish the features by briefly showing you the GPU section.

As I said in the beginning, I'm not going to do an overclocking guide here.  There are longer, more in-depth, and better guides on the EVGA forums for this sort of thing.   
 
Instead, I'm going to simply demonstrate a small overclock to speeds and settings I already know is a stable overclock FOR MY SYSTEM (YMMV).  You must also remember that unlike BIOS overclocking, you cannot change the RAM divider in Windows.  If your divider is too high, you can end up running out of room to overclock, as the RAM speed will be too high and crash or lockup the system.  Your overclocking experience with your system will undoubtedly be different than mine, and you may need to do far more voltage manipulating to achieve your desired overclock.  Please do not consider these settings as a guide or safe to try for your system. 
 
So, with that disclaimer out of the way, let's be about it.  First up is to remind us where my speeds are at - 3351mhz at a 160mhz bclck, at 1.22vcore voltage.  Let's try a minor overclock to 3603mhz at a 172mhz bclck, at 1.2375vcore voltage.  We need to first check our speeds: 
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/eleet3.png

 
Ok, with that confirmed, let's move on to changing the settings.  First I want to change the voltages.  Here, I know that I only need 1.2375v. vcore (I can actually use much lower, but this is for demonstration purposes) to achieve a higher speed, so I'll increase the voltage:
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot22.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot23.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot24.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot66.jpg

 
I just raise the vcore using the "Up" button, click "OK," where it asks me to confirm, which I do.  It asks me to wait, then says "ok," indicating that I've successfully raised the voltages.  We're done here.
 
Time to move to the Clocks.  First, I hit the "C," or the cancel button, twice to go back to the Motherboard menu.  Select the Clocks menu and head to the CPU Host Frequency menu:
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot27.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot28.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot29.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot67.jpg

 
As above, once you get to the CPU Host Frequency menu, change the bclck to 172mhz by pressing the "Up" button several times, click the "OK" button to select, then click the "OK" button to confirm, wait a second for the clocks to update, and we're there. 
 
Now, we just want to confirm that we've got the clocks correct:
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot68.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/bot69.png

 
Well, congratulations to me.  I successfully overclocked this system to 3.6ghz.
 
Now, if I plan on benching at this speed in the future and want to come back to this speed and voltages, I don't really want to go through all the menus again.  So, what I'll do is save this to one of the profiles on the EVBot.  You can choose up to 4 profiles to save and load profiles.  With the latest firmware, P02, the profiles are handled directly through the 4 Profile buttons on the EVBot. 
 
First, here's the profile buttons located at the middle of the EVBot:
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/profile1.jpg

 
Now, we'll click Profile 1 to bring up the option menu, and we'll start by saving the profile:
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/profile2.jpg

 
Just click your way through the menu using the "OK" buttons:
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/profile3.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/profile4.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/profile5.jpg

 
We have successfully saved that profile.  Now, we can quickly and easily load the profile when we want to do some benching.  Now, "how's that?" you say?  Well, here's how you load the profile:
 
Start by clicking the Profile button, which, in this case, is Profile 1.  Now just head to the Load menu.
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/profile6.jpg

 
Like before, just use the "OK" button to get through the menus:
 
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/profile7.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/profile8.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh102/nordicjedi/profile9.jpg

 
And now the settings are loaded, and I can get on with my benching.  I would highly recommend taking very high overclocks in steps when using profiles, rather than try to suddenly jump 600mhz-1000mhz at once.  If you need to daisy-chain your profiles, do it, but it will lead to fewer random crashes prior to benching.
 
We've come to the end of the features on the EVBot.  I won't, however, leave you without my impressions on this impressive overclocking tool in my last post.  

wow great review thanks!

awesome job nordic, if only i could OC that well LOL.  all them voltages still confuse me as to what helps with what conditions.  back with my 680i i was able to figure it out real easy.

moose517

awesome job nordic, if only i could OC that well LOL.  all them voltages still confuse me as to what helps with what conditions.  back with my 680i i was able to figure it out real easy.

Again, read this guide (and the comments) religiously:

http://www.evga.com/forum..hive/tm.asp?m=100494809

Thanks Raja, I understand these settings much better thanks to you.  Next time I try some serious overclocking, I'll see whether any of this helps.

Nice. Great writeup Nordic! I'll think about getting one whenever I get a 4 way SLI.
 
Got my E762, now I need an EVBot and I'd LOVE some 285 classifieds.

Yes, that's certainly doable using the EVBot.  The change may take a second, but it's pretty close to instant.