In previous reviews, we have already dwelled on ASUS solutions, which were based on the fourth-series Intel processor logic sets. To complete this series, let's talk about a high-end motherboard based on the Intel X48 Express chipset, which hit the market this spring. Formally, X48 belongs to a new generation of chipsets, but in practice there are practically no cardinal differences from its predecessor Intel X38 Express. Unless it is necessary to note the official support for the FSB frequency of 1600 MHz. In addition, Intel now claims that X48 only supports DDR3 RAM, but this is most likely just a marketing ploy, since the chipset description mentions frequency dividers for DDR2. A detailed comparison of X38 and X48 can be viewed at compare.intel.com. The same fact confirms that ASUS has motherboards based on Intel X48 Express with support for random access memory DDR2. In this review, we will focus on one of these boards in detail. Before you ASUS P5E Deluxe

Specification:

Manufacturer

	Intel X48 Express/ Intel ICH9R
Processor socket
Supported processors	Intel Core 2 Extreme / Intel Core 2 Quad / Intel Core 2 Duo / Intel Pentium Dual-Core / Intel Celeron
System bus, MHz	1600/1333/1066/800MHz
Supported Memory	Dual channel memory architecture; 4 x DDR2 DIMM slots supporting up to 8GB of memory; DDR2 operating frequency: 1200/1066/800/667 MHz 32-bit operating systems can display memory size no more than 4 GB **the frequency of 1200 MHz is reached only in overclocking mode
Expansion slots	2 x PCIe 2.0 x16* 3 x PCIe x1** 2 x PCI * Support ATI CrossFireX technology in x16 to x16 mode ** PCIe x1_1 (black) is for the included audio card.
Disk subsystem	Southbridge Intel ICH9R: 6 x SATA 3Gb/s with support Intel technologies Matrix Storage. Ability to create a RAID array 0, 1, 1+0, 5 JMicron JMB368 PATA controller: 1 xUltraDMA 133/100/66/33 Mbps with support for 2 PATA devices.
Sound subsystem	SupremeFX II audio card ADI AD1988B 8-channel High- Definition Audio codec, S/PDIF coaxial and optical input/output on the rear panel. Technologies: ASUS Noise Filter, AI Audio 2.
LAN support	Marvell88E8056 PCIe Gigabit LAN controller support AI NET2 technology.
	Main 24-pin ATX connector Optional 8-pin ATX12V connectors
Cooling	Radiators on bridges and a power stabilizer, united by heat pipes.
Fan Connectors	1 x for CPU fan 2 x for system fans 1 x for power supply fan
External I/O ports	1 x PS/2 keyboard port 1 x coaxial S/PDIF output 1 x optical S/PDIF output 6 x USB port ov 1 x IEEE 1394a port 1 x RJ-45 (LAN) port
Internal I/O ports	3 x USB connectors supporting 6 USB 2.0 ports 1 x FDD connector 1 x IDE connector 1 x S/PDIF Out 1 x CD input 1 x IEEE 1394a port Front panel connector Front panel audio jack
	16 Mb Flash ROM, DMI 2.0, PnP, AMI BIOS, SM BIOS 2.3, ACPI 2.0a Technology support: Multi-language BIOS, ASUS EZ Flash 2, ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
Proprietary technologies	Energy Saving Technologies - ASUS EPU (Energy Processing Unit) - ASUS 3rd Generation 8-phase Power - ASUS AI Nap Silent cooling - ASUS Fanless Design: Heat pipe - ASUS Fanless Design: Stack Cool 2 - ASUS Q-Fan 2 ASUS EZ DIY - ASUS Q Connector - ASUS Q-Shield - ASUS O.C. Profile - ASUS Crash Free BIOS 3 - ASUS EZ Flash 2
Equipment	6 x SATA cables 1 x adapter to 2 SATA power ports 1 x UltraDMA 133/100/66 cable 1 x FDD cable 1 x module with two USB 2.0 ports and one IEEE1394 1 x ASUS Q-Shield back cover 1 x Driver DVD Optional turbine fan Instructions and user manual
Form Factor Dimensions, mm	ATX 305x244
Products webpage	The latest BIOS and drivers can be downloaded from the support site.

Package

ASUS P5E Deluxe is packed in a black cardboard box. On the front side, in the lower left corner, there are logos of supported processor families. On the right, there is support for 45nm processors, a system bus frequency of 1600MHz, and ASUS EPU technology.

On the spread of the front, as well as on the reverse side, the proprietary technologies supported by the motherboard are described in detail. Let's say a few words about each of them.

ASUS EPU- this chip, which is used to control and adjust the power settings of the processor, which provides an optimal balance of performance and power consumption. Thanks to the voltage level management system on the processor, it provides full control of power consumption at any load level. In addition, it allows you to achieve the most efficient use of energy, up to 80.23%, when working with applications that are not demanding on processor resources.

ASUS 3rd Generation 8-phase Power - An 8-phase processor power module that can operate at temperatures up to 15°C cooler than traditional solutions. Lowering the temperature makes it possible to reduce the fan speed to ensure a quiet stable operation of the system and improve overclocking capabilities. 8-phase power reduces input/output voltage fluctuations, protecting the processor and power module and extending component life.

ASUS AI Nap - With AI Nap, users can instantly put their computer into power saving mode without leaving applications. During the absence of the user, the system will continue to operate silently, consuming a minimum amount of energy.

ASUS Fanless Design: Heat-pipe - heatpipes conduct the heat generated by the chipset to the heatsinks, which are located next to the CPU fan. As a result, the speed of the system fans is reduced, which guarantees quiet operation with good stability and long component life.

ASUS Fanless Design: Stack Cool 2 - expansion of the cooling system, thanks to a special printed circuit board, which contributes to the uniform distribution of heat from the heating elements.

ASUS Q-Fan 2- intelligently regulates the rotation speed of the processor cooler and case fans depending on the load (heating of the elements) of the system, ensuring silent operation.

ASUS Q Connector– modules that allow you to easily connect buttons and LEDs on the front of the case. As well as USB and FireWire connectors.

ASUS Q-Shield- A convenient cover for the I/O connector panel that protects the motherboard from static electricity.

ASUS AI NET 2- tests network connections without loading the OS. Remotely determines the correctness of the connection at the time the PC is turned on

ASUS O.C. Profile- allows you to save BIOS settings in CMOS or in separate file, which allows users to share overclocking settings profiles.

ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3- This function allows you to restore the BIOS from a USB flash drive containing the firmware file.

ASUS EZ Flash 2- The EZ Flash 2 function allows you to update the BIOS directly through the BIOS settings menu.

C.P.R.- restores the BIOS settings after an unsuccessful overclock, providing the ability to start the system.

Equipment

In the box with the motherboard, you can find a fairly rich set of components, which is not surprising for motherboards of this class. Note the presence of a separate sound card SupremeFX II on the 8-channel HDA codec ADI AD1988B, which should please fans of high-quality sound. Also included in the kit:

6 x SATA cables;
1 x adapter for 2 SATA power ports;
1 x UltraDMA 133/100/66 cable;
1 x FDD cable;
1 x module with two USB 2.0 ports and one IEEE1394;
1 x ASUS Q-Shield back cover
1 x DVD with drivers;
additional turbine-type fan;
instructions and user manual.

Layout

Let's talk about the layout of the motherboard. ASUS P5E Deluxe is soldered on an ATX form factor PCB (305 mm x 244 mm). No significant deficiencies were found. The only thing worth paying attention to is the horizontal arrangement of all SATA connectors and IDE.

The cooling system looks impressive. Radiators are installed on the north and south bridges, as well as on the power stabilizer and are interconnected by heat pipes. There is also a copper plate on the reverse side of the board, which helps to lower the temperature.

But, despite all the efforts of the ASUS developers, the cooling system during testing got quite hot, so the turbine fan in the kit is very handy.

The Intel ICH9R chip acts as the south bridge. This chip is not the newest, but this cannot be considered a disadvantage, since there are no cardinal differences between it and the ICH10R. The south bridge supports 6 SATA ports (red) located to the right of the chip itself. On these SATA ports, you can organize a RAID array of levels 1, 0, 5, 1 + 0. Above them is the only IDE connector controlled by the JMicron JMB368 PATA controller. And under the SATA ports in the lower right corner, you can see the front panel connector.

The ICH9R Southbridge supports 12 USB 2.0 ports, half of which are routed to the I/O panel, while the rest are internally connected. To reset BIOS settings instead of the usual jumper, a small switch is used, located to the left of the south bridge.

ASUS P5E Deluxe motherboard supports 7 different expansion slots:

Three PCI-Express slots x1: One black is for the included audio card.
Two PCI slots.
Two PCI-Express 2.0 x16 slots supporting ATI CrossFireX technology in x16 to x16 mode.

An internal IEEE 1394 port is located under the expansion slots. The VIA VT6308P controller that controls it is located to the left of the PCI-Express x1 slots.

The power stabilizer is eight-phase and supports ASUS EPU technology. Without the use of an EPU, all eight phases work even when the system is idle, when such power is not needed. When the ASUS EPU is running, it reduces the number of active phases based on the CPU load. The processor socket is surrounded by heat sinks, but they will not interfere with the installation of a large cooler.

The I/O panel has the following connectors:

optical S/PDIF output;
six USB ports;
IEEE 1394a port;
RJ-45 (LAN) port;
coaxial S/PDIF output;
PS/2 port for keyboard.

The ASUS P5E Deluxe motherboard uses AMI BIOS with a fairly large set of settings. The main parameters related to overclocking and fine tuning are summarized in the following table.

Parameter	Menu name	Range
Control processor technologies	C1E, Limit CPUID MaxVal , Vanderpool Technology, CPUTM, Execute Disable Bit, Intel SpeedStep
Processor multiplier	CPU Ratio Settings		1 and 0.5 for 45 nm models
System bus frequency
PCI-e bus frequency
Northbridge delay set	FSB Strap to North Bridge
Memory frequency		533-1066 1600* 1800*
Timings	CAS Latency, tRCD, tRP, tRAS, RAS to RAS, Row Refresh, Write Recovery, Read to Precharge
Sub-timings	READ to WRITE, Write to Read, Read to Read, WRITE to PRE, PRE to PRE, ALL PRE to ACT, ALL PRE to REF
Memory subsystem settings	DRAM Static Read Control	Auto, Enable, Disable.
CPU voltage
PLL chip operating voltage
	CPU GTL Voltage Reference
FSB signal level	FSB Termination Voltage
RAM voltage
Northbridge voltage		1.25V - 1.75V

Southbridge voltage

Voltage drop compensation function during load	LoadLine Calibration	Auto, Enable, Disable.
The function of reducing the background of electromagnetic radiation	CPU Spread Spectrum, PCIE Spread Spectrum

The main settings related to overclocking, such as setting timings and delays, frequencies and voltages on the main nodes, are located in the AI Tweaker tab.

You can configure processor technologies in the Advanced tab.

On the Power tab, you can monitor the following parameters:

voltage on the main lines of the power supply 3.3V, 5V, 12V and on the processor;
temperature of the motherboard and processor;
rotation speed of all five fans.

Proprietary technologies such as ASUS EZ Flash 2, ASUS O.C. Profile and Ai NET 2 can be found on the Tools tab.

We have tested overclocking capabilities this board. Mainly, the voltage on the processor, the northbridge and on the FSB bus was increased. The voltages on the remaining nodes were forcibly set to nominal values so that the BIOS would not change them on its own. The voltage compensation function on the processor (Loadline Calibration) was activated and the main memory timings were prescribed manually. When overclocking the bus with a quad-core processor to 1.6 V, the CPU PLL voltage rose.

As a result, we were able to increase the system bus frequency to 533 MHz when using a dual-core processor.

When installing a quad-core processor, the system bus frequency rose to 480 MHz.

Based on these figures, we can safely say that ASUS P5E Deluxe has a good overclocking potential, which, in principle, is typical for many motherboards based on Intel 4th series chipsets.

Testing

The following equipment was used to test the performance of the motherboard:

CPU	Core 2 Duo E6300 (LGA775, 1.86 GHz, L2 2 MB)
	Thermaltake Sonic Tower (CL-P0071) + Akasa AK-183-L2B 120mm
RAM	2x DDR2-800 1024MB PQI PC6400
video card	EVGA GeForce 8600GTS 256MB DDR3 PCI-E
HDD	Samsung HD080HJ, 80 GB, SATA-300
optical drive	ASUS DRW-1814BLT SATA
power unit	Chieftec CFT-500-A12S 500W, 120mm fan
	CODEGEN M603 MidiTower, 2 x 120mm fans for intake / exhaust

Results:

Based on the test results, we conclude that the "heroine" of our review does not differ in performance from other solutions of the same class.

The bundled SupremeFX II sound card based on the 8-channel HDA codec ADI AD1988B was tested in two modes.

Operating mode 16-bit, 44 kHz


Noise level, dB (A)
Dynamic range, dB (A)
Harmonic distortion, %



Intermodulation at 10 kHz, %
Overall score		Fine

Operating mode 32-bit, 192 kHz

Frequency response unevenness (in the range of 40 Hz - 15 kHz), dB		Very good
Noise level, dB (A)
Dynamic range, dB (A)
Harmonic distortion, %
Harmonic distortion + noise, dB(A)
Intermodulation distortion + noise, %		Very good
Interpenetration of channels, dB		Very good
Intermodulation at 10 kHz, %		Very good
Overall score		Very good

conclusions

Motherboard ASUS P5E Deluxe is a bright representative of the high-end class. The manufacturer positions it as the basis for high-end multimedia gaming systems. Also, this fee will good choice for lovers of overclocking, which is confirmed by the tests. Not to mention the large set proprietary technologies, which are implemented in this product, and an enviable bundle, typical for motherboards high level. Also, in the column of pluses of ASUS P5E Deluxe, it is worth writing down support for DDR2 RAM, since the main chipset manufacturers Intel and NVIDIA have clearly headed for the popularization of more expensive DDR3. The only thing that can repel potential buyers is the price of the motherboard, but do not forget that this indicator should be considered only together with the quality characteristic.

Advantages:

official support for 1600 MHz system bus;
excellent overclocking capabilities;
two PCI-Express 2.0 x16 slots with the ability to implement ATI CrossFireX technology on them in x16 to x16 mode;
8-phase power regulator with EPU technology;
a large set of proprietary ASUS technologies;
6 SATA connectors supporting RAID 0, 1, 5, 1+0;
additional cooler included;
"external" SupremeFX II audio board.

Flaws:

the need for additional cooling;
no PS/2 mouse connector.

We express our gratitude to the company PF Service LLC (Dnepropetrovsk) for the motherboards provided for testing.

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Once again, analyzing today's motherboard market, we come to the conclusion that today, when Personal Computer becomes a thing as necessary in every home as the TV, the most demanded segment of the market is its budgetary sector. It is understandable. For people who are buying home for the first time a thing that is not entirely clear to them, perhaps just an interesting toy, the desire to save money is quite reasonable. Moreover, the development of the PC has reached such a level that even the most inexpensive machine allows you to play and process both video and music, surf the Internet, work with text, tables, photographs, drawings, in general, do almost anything you want, for with just one exception. Since a budget PC is usually based on a motherboard with an integrated graphics core, you can’t play modern games on it. The maximum that such a machine can handle is with toys 2-3 years old. Meanwhile, for many users, even the most cutting-edge games are of little or no interest. But everyone wants to have a large and high-quality monitor. After all, the monitor is a window in electronic world. And who wants to look at the world through a cloudy and crooked glass? Therefore, for a home, even a bunch of "the most inexpensive and simple computer + a large and high-quality (read expensive) monitor" will look quite logical and reasonable. However, any, even the most best monitor will not reveal its full potential without the use of digital interfaces. To date, the most advanced is HDMI, and the most common is DVI. Until recently, only external video cards provided support. With the advent of AMD 6xx chipsets and NVIDIA GeForce 7xx the situation has changed dramatically for the better. The integrated video cores of these chipsets offered simultaneous support for both analog D-SUB and digital DVI and HDMI interfaces. However, both series of chipsets were designed for the AMD platform. Later, NVIDIA nevertheless introduced a modification of the GeForce 7100 chipset for Intel processors. However, all solutions with integrated video by Intel itself, which is so actively promoting the idea of a digital home, worked only with the outdated D-SUB analog output.

The situation changed somewhat only with the release of chipsets with integrated graphics Intel G33/35 Express. The differences in the functionality of these chipsets look somewhat ambiguous. Both support the new processors running at 1333 MHz bus speeds, and both have received much-needed support for DVI and HDMI digital outputs. G35 as an older solution is equipped with a more powerful graphics core GMA3500, which has hardware compatibility with API DirectX 10, support for Shader Model 4.0 and OpenGL 2.0. The GMA3100 graphics core included in the G33 chipset is only compatible with Microsoft DirectX 9.0c, Shader Model 2.0 and OpenGL 1.5. At the same time, the G33 supports the new DDR3 RAM standard, while the G35 does not. However, for now, DDR3 memory is too expensive, and its use is advisable only in the most expensive and productive systems. In the budget and mass market sectors, the DDR2 standard still reigns. Therefore, for the time being, the G35 chipset, which has a more productive and functional graphics processor, is still more attractive to the consumer.

Well, let's take a closer look at this chipset. The ASUS P5E-VM SE motherboard will represent it to us.

Specifications ASUS P5E-VM SE

Initially, to get acquainted with the G35 chipset, it was planned to take the ASUS P5E-V HDMI motherboard for tests, as it most fully represents the functionality of this chipset. However, by coincidence, we ended up with an ASUS P5E-VM SE board in the lab, a simplified modification of the above model. For the end consumer, cheaper modifications may be even more interesting than those that are equipped to the maximum. Let's take a look at the comparison table specifications ASUS P5E-V HDMI and ASUS P5E-VM SE.

pay	ASUS P5E-V HDMI	ASUS P5E-VM SE
Supported processors	Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad, Intel Core 2 Extreme, Pentium 4, Pentium 4 Extreme Edition, Pentium D, Celeron D
QPB frequencies	1333/1066/800MHz
Chipset	Intel G35+ICH9R	Intel G35+ICH9
Memory slots	4 DIMM slots (two channels) for unbuffered non-ECC DDR2-800/667/533 MHz modules. Maximum total volume - 8 GB
Expansion slots	2 PCI Express x16, 1 x PCI Express x1, 3 x PCI 2.3	1 x PCI Express x16, 2 x PCI Express x1, 1 x PCI 2.3
Parallel ATA	1 channel UltraDMA 133 implemented on JMicron JMB368 controller
Serial ATA	6 ports implemented on a 3 Gb/s controller integrated into the chipset	4 ports implemented on a 3 Gb/s controller integrated into the chipset
	RAID 0, 1, 0+1, 5, JBOD
ethernet	Atheros L1 PCIe Gigabit LAN controller
Integrated sound	Realtek ALC883 8-channel (7.1) HDA codec
	12 ports (6 routed to I/O panel)
IEEE 1394	2 ports implemented on VIA VT6308P controller
System monitoring	Tracking voltages on components, fan speeds, processor temperatures (by built-in thermal sensor)
Overclocking options	Increasing the frequency of the system bus, processor, RAM (synchronously with FSB), voltage values on the components
	AMI BIOS on 8 Mb chip
Form Factor	ATX, 244x305 mm	MicroATX, 244x244mm
Estimated retail price, USD

As you can see, there are enough differences. Firstly, ASUS P5E-V HDMI is made in the ATX form factor, while ASUS P5E-VM SE has a Micro ATX format more familiar to solutions with integrated video. The older modification, due to its larger dimensions, offers a slightly different configuration and more slots for expanding functionality, as well as more Serial ATA ports. However, the main differences that you should pay attention to in the first place are in the video outputs. While the ASUS P5E-V HDMI offers a full suite of analog D-SUB (RGB) and digital HDMI and DVI, the back of the ASUS P5E-VM SE has the old D-SUB and nothing more. However, the difference in the cost of these products is also quite noticeable and amounts to about $30. If a person is building an inexpensive PC with a CRT-based monitor or an inexpensive LCD panel equipped with only a VGA input, the ASUS P5E-VM SE will be the preferred option for him. On the other hand, if such a system is assembled with the expectation of being able to connect to a TV with HDMI, ASUS offers a compromise solution - a modification of the P5E-VM HDMI with digital DVI and HDMI. True, for a compromise, the user will have to pay about $10. But back to the ASUS P5E-VM SE that came to us.

Packaging and equipment

ASUS adheres to the principle, which can be voiced as "each product has its own packaging." On the front side of the box, there are markings, logos of the chipset model and supported processors in large print. The back contains a general photo of the board and a description of the main features and functionality. That is, everything is clear and understandable. Taking such a box in hand, it immediately becomes clear that it is ASUS P5E-VM SE in front of you, and not some other product from countless modifications.

The package bundle is a bit fuller than what we are used to seeing in the boxes of budget products.

In addition to standard accessories such as:

80-wire IDE cable;
cable for FDD
Serial ATA cable;
an adapter from a Molex power plug to two SATA;
plug for the I/O panel on the rear wall of the case;
CD with drivers and proprietary software;
manual,

a set of branded Q-Connector connectors has been added, designed to facilitate the connection of system unit elements to the board, a disk with third-party software and a multilingual quick start guide, which also includes Russian. The latter can be very important for many.

Design and layout

The ASUS P5E-VM SE format is a full size Micro ATX. That is, the textolite base of the board is a square with a side of 244 mm.

So in terms of dimensions, ASUS developers were not constrained. Therefore, here we see the total number of DIMM slots, there are four of them, and the headers for connecting cables for IDE devices and floppy drives are located where they should be - on the right edge of the board in the center.

By the way, support for the IDE interface appeared thanks to the use of a discrete controller JMicron JMB368. Recall that Intel refused to support IDE even at the release stage of the eighth version of the ICH south bridge. In the upper right part of the textolite surface, we also see a block for connecting a COM port. Quite recently, we have already encountered such an absurd solution, but from a different manufacturer and on a board based on a different chipset. That is, in such an arrangement "for show" we observe a certain trend. However, despite the outdated interface, it is still in demand. And thanks to such a formal implementation, the wire to the COM port bracket will stretch through the entire board.

The switching voltage regulator of the processor is made according to a four-channel scheme, which is a standard for products for Intel processors.

However, some simplifications in the form of missing elements are noticeable in the scheme. instead of four field effect transistors On one channel, the manufacturer soldered three. But this circumstance should not cause any concern. This should be enough to power modern dual-core Intel Core 2 Duo and quad-core Core 2 Quad processors. And for "not hardcore" overclocking, this should be enough. By the way, with the bench processor Core 2 Duo E6400 overclocked by 50%, the MOSFET temperature regime remained practically unchanged and was 45 "C in the busiest modes.

Obviously, the northbridge of the Intel G35 chipset, which includes the RAM controller and the GMA3500 graphics core, turned out to be quite "hot". Despite the fact that ASUS developers have equipped this chip with a gigantic heatsink by the standards of Micro ATX format products, its operating temperature when blown by a processor cooler was 47°C.

The southbridge is cooled by a small heat sink whose operating temperature fluctuates around 38"C.

All measurements were made using a high-precision digital thermometer MASTECH MS650.

The room temperature at the time of measurements was 25.2 "C. Despite the fact that the radiators look like copper, they are actually made of aluminum alloy, and the copper effect creates a high-quality coating. You can easily verify this - just scratch the radiator a little with a needle.

For discrete slots, there is little soldering on the surface of the board. In addition to the mandatory PCI Express x16 for external video card, there are 2 PCIe x1 and one good old PCI slot. Pretty poor, right? At least one socket was replaced by a massive northbridge heatsink, which the developers prudently removed from the processor socket. In turn, in order to avoid problems with video cards equipped with massive cooling systems, PCI Express x16 is also prudently removed from the radiator.

The back panel of the ASUS P5E-VM SE does not look quite normal.

Here, in addition to the standard set, consisting of two PS / 2 ports for a mouse and keyboard, six two-pin inputs / outputs of a sound card and an RJ-45 network, we see six instead of the usual four USB 2.0, S / PDIF coaxial digital audio output, one port IEEE1394a and D-SUB analog video output. Under the latter there is a place, and even mounting holes were drilled, where the DVI digital output should have been, if it had not been abolished in this modification.

On the whole, the design of the ASUS P5E-VM SE is thought out quite well, and only the block for connecting the COM port "exiled" to the opposite edge of the board causes criticism.

test stand configuration,BIOSSetupand overclocking

The motherboard in question was tested with the following set of equipment:

processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E6400, 2133 GHz (8x266), 2 MB L2;
cooler: Scythe Ninja Plus with 120 mm fan at 1500 rpm;
RAM: 2 modules of 1024 MB, Apacer DDR2-800, 4-4-4-15 400 MHz;
hard drive: Seagate ST3160811AS, 160 GB, 3 Gb/s SATA, 8 MB Cache, 7200 rpm;
power supply: FLOSTON 560 W (LXPW560W).

The look and structure of the configuration utility for the ASUS P5E-VM SE basic I/O system based on the AMI BIOS v2.58 microcode are standard for ASUS products, but rather unusual for those who have not dealt with motherboards from this manufacturer before.

However, the interface is intuitive, and even a trained beginner can easily figure it out. Omitting a number of standard items for configuring various aspects of the board's functioning, let's turn to the JumperFree Configuration submenu, located on the Advanced tab.

Here are a number of settings used when overclocking the system. I must say that for a Micro ATX board based on a chipset with integrated video, the set of settings is quite wide. In addition to the standard ability to change the frequency of the processor bus, it offers the ability to change the clocking of the PCI Express bus and a wide range of coefficients for calculating the frequency of RAM.

In addition, the overclocker is provided with the widest options for adjusting the processor supply voltage,

DIMMs,

northbridge and southbridge chips.

Moreover, the limits of settings are so high that it would be appropriate to look at the board for hardcore overclockers.

RAM timings are configured in automatic or manual modes. Moreover, after selecting the manual mode, the four main delays will need to be set explicitly, the "Auto" value is not provided for them. But five additional ones can be configured separately and at will.

During testing, the board easily reached the limits of overclocking bench equipment. The RAM modules were overclocked from 800 to 1000 MHz DDR2, and core processor 2 Duo with stock values clock frequency 2166 MHz and 1066 MHz buses were overclocked to 1600 MHz via the bus without any increase in the supply voltage, which allowed the CPU to reach the 3200 MHz milestone.

Thus, we can say that ASUS P5E-VM SE has outstanding overclocking capabilities, which are not typical for such products. However, given the cost of this product, there is nothing phenomenal here.

Testing

We will compare the performance of the Intel G35 chipset with the competing NVIDIA GeForce 7100 chipset, which will be presented by the previously reviewed FOXCONN M7PMX-S motherboard.

Memory Subsystem

Let's start by checking the bandwidth of the memory subsystem, measured using the Cache and Memory Benchmark module of the Lavalys Everest v4.5 diagnostic utility.

With DDR2 RAM modules, the Intel G35 chipset controller works noticeably faster.

Complex tests

The most serious and "advanced" package for complex system testing today is the updated SYSMark 2007 package from BAPCO. The main feature of SYSMark 2007 is the fact that it uses only real-life and widespread applications to test the system. Those that run on their PCs every day and are used by millions of people around the world to work. The package consists of four scenarios, each of which includes a number of operations performed by a specific set of applications specific to a specific area of PC use.

In the overall standings, according to the results of the SYSMark 2007 package, the Intel G35 chipset is significantly faster than its competitor,

which is also clearly visible in each individual scenario.

This is followed by the popular PCMark 2005 test suite. Unlike SYSMark, it only simulates the work of real applications, but, nevertheless, at the moment it is able to give a quite adequate and comprehensive assessment of system performance.

Here again, the Intel G35 chipset is ahead, and in all respects.

In the following CINEBENCH 9.5 test suite, based on the professional software for creating 3D scenes - CINEMA 4D, Intel G35 with its GMA3500 graphics core is again ahead.

Mathematical and scientific calculations

The ScienceMark 2.0 program emulates computer-based scientific calculations such as determining the kinetic and potential energy of metal crystal lattice molecules at different temperatures, calculating nuclear and electron charges, and other complex mathematical calculations.

The only task performed by the Super Pi program is to determine the value of Pi (3.14) with high accuracy. That is, it is a mathematical problem in its purest form. In our case, the calculation was performed with an accuracy of 1 and 8 million decimal places.

Again, the Intel G35 chipset copes with mathematical calculations much faster.

Video, audio data encoding

For the next set of applications, which includes the tasks of encoding DVD video with the most popular codecs - DivX and XviD, as well as converting it into a format understandable by the vast majority mobile phones 3gp format, the Intel G35 chipset fits much better.

The same applies to the task of compressing an audio stream with the Lame 3.97 codec into MP3 format. The size of the original WAV file was 750 MB.

Image processing

Adobe Photoshop is the most popular and functional raster editor. To measure the performance of systems in this task, using the script, we processed five-megapixel photos in uncompressed TIF format (about 15 MB each) with more than 30 filters.

The Panorama Factory program is designed for stitching panoramic images from separately taken frames. The application is distinguished by a very high accuracy of stitching, but, as a result, a high resource intensity. Eight five-megapixel photos were processed.

Once again, the Intel G35 is noticeably faster.

Data archiving

WinRAR archiver is one of the most popular and effective data compression software.

Semi-synthetic gaming benchmarks

With 3D gaming graphics processing, part of the Intel G35 chipset GPU The GMA3500 performs noticeably better than its competitor.

In gaming applications, the GMA3500 is faster again.

Interface Bandwidth and Power Consumption

The speed characteristics of the USB and SATA controllers of the tested chipsets are almost identical.

The level of power consumption of systems based on the compared chipsets was measured using the power indicator of the FLOSTON LXPW560W power supply.

Interestingly enough, despite the dual-chip architecture, the more powerful graphics core and dual-channel memory controller, the Intel G35 chipset consumes power more economically.

Audio path quality

Testing sound path ASUS P5E-VM SE motherboard based on the Realtek ALC883 HDA codec was produced by RightMark Audio Analyzer 5.5 in 16-bit, 44 kHz mode using a sound card creative sound Blaster Audigy 4 SE.

The final rating "very good" for the sound implemented on the ALC883 codec is standard.

conclusions

The ASUS P5E-VM SE motherboard is an excellent quality product with a lot of advantages. This is a good bundle, thoughtful design, adequate cooling of the chipset, outstanding overclocking abilities and much more. However, there is one serious drawback, which was laid down at the product development stage - the lack of DVI and HDMI digital outputs. And if HDMI is not useful to everyone today, then every more or less decent modern LCD monitor is equipped with a DVI interface, and there is no doubt that the image will be better with a digital connection. Thus, one of the main advantages of the Intel G35 chipset in the P5E-VM SE modification was cut. Therefore, this board can be recommended for purchase only to those who are going to use it in conjunction with a CRT or the cheapest LCD monitor. Otherwise, the buyer should pay attention to the P5E-VM HDMI modification. Having paid about $30 for it, in addition to DVI and HDMI, the user will also receive additional functionality for modifying the ICH9 south bridge with the "R" index.

We thank FLOSTON for providing the Floston LXPW 560 W power supply.

We thank UltraPrice for providing the motherboard for testing.

The photos were taken in the TECHLABS studio, photographer Artem Kondratenko.

HDD Additionally

ASUS P5E64 WS Evolution	MSI P45D3 Platinum
Chipset	Intel X48	Intel P45
CPU	LGA775 Pentium 4 FSB 1333/1066/800/533MHz Celeron Conroe/Prescott FSB 800/533MHz Dual-Core Pentium4 Smithfield/Presler Quad-Core (Yorkfield/Kentsfield), Dual-Core (Wolfdale/Conroe) FSB 1600/1333/1066/ 800MHz HyperThreading
Memory	DDR3 800/1066/1333 1600/1800*	DDR3 800/1066/1333
1x UltraDMA/133 10x SerialATA(2xRAID)	1x UltraDMA/133 8x SerialATA(2xRAID)
2 IEEE-1394a Intel HDA sound 12 USB 2.0 2x Gigabit Ethernet
Price:	~350~370$ (Price.ru)	~185~205$ (Price.ru)

The release of the Intel P45 chipset has made user choice more difficult than ever, and has reduced the functional differences between high-end and mainstream Intel chipsets to a minimum. First, the most recent high-end X48 chipset officially supports the 1600 MHz QPB bus, while the P45 only supports the 1333 MHz bus. Nevertheless, the overclocking potential of the P45 is so great that various manufacturers quite calmly declare support for future 1600 MHz processors. Secondly, the X48 is equipped with various versions of the ICH9 southbridge, while the P45 works with the ICH10. But, despite the difference in numbers, the expansion options of both bridges are completely identical. And thirdly, the most important difference: the X48 chipset supports two PCI Express x16 v2.0 specification slots, each of which is allocated 16 lanes. The P45 chipset also supports 2 slots, and also v2.0 specifications. However, 8 bus lines are allocated to each of the slots. But since PCI-E v2.0 has twice the bandwidth of the previous specification, CrossFire on the P45 is nearly as fast. As a result, we conclude that the board based on the X48 chipset is necessary only for those users who use a video subsystem that includes three or more video cores (for example, two "dual" video cards in CrossFire). Another option is a system with more than two graphics cards. But this example is not so clear, because even on the Intel P45 chipset, manufacturers manage to produce boards with more than two PCI-E x16 slots (see the review of the ASUS P5Q Deluxe board with 3 PCI-E x16 slots). What should be the conclusion? Firstly, after the release of Intel P45 boards based on the X48 chipset become niche products. Secondly, any board based on the P45 chipset with two PCI-E x16 slots is quite suitable for CrossFire technology. Therefore, we quite rightly compare in this review ASUS P5E64 WS Evolution board based on X48 with MSI P45D3 Platinum board based on P45 chipset.

Specifications

	ASUS P5E64 WS Evolution	MSI P45D3 Platinum
CPU	- Intel Pentium 4 (Prescott (2M)/Gallatin/CedarMill) with bus frequency 1066/800/533 MHz; - Dual-core Intel Pentium D/EE (Smithfield/Presler) with bus frequency 800/1066 MHz; - Intel Celeron-D (Conroe-L, Prescott) with a bus frequency of 800/533 MHz; - Support for Intel Core 2 Duo/Quad (Kentsfield, Conroe) with bus frequency 333/1066/800 MHz; - Support for Intel Core 2 Duo/Quad (Yorkfield, Wolfdale) with bus frequency 1600/1333/1066 MHz; - Socket LGA775; - Support for processors with HyperThreading technology;
Chipset	- Northbridge Intel X48 (MCH); - Southbridge Intel ICH9R; - Communication between bridges: DMI;	- Northbridge Intel P45 (MCH); - Southbridge Intel ICH10R; - Communication between bridges: DMI;
System memory	- Supports DDR3 800/1066/1333/1600/1800* memory; - Power indicator;	- Four 240-pin DDR3 SDRAM DIMM slots; - Maximum memory capacity 8 GB; - Supported memory type DDR3 800/1066/1333; - Dual-channel memory access is possible; - Power indicator;
Graphic arts	- Four PCI Express x16 slots;	- Two PCI Express x16 slots;
Expandability	- PCI Express x4 slot; - Two Gigabit Ethernet network controllers;	- Two 32-bit PCI Bus Master slots; - Two PCI Express x1 slots; - Twelve USB 2.0 ports (6 built-in + 6 optional); - Two IEEE1394 ports (FireWire; one built-in + one optional); - Built-in High Definition Audio 7.1; - Gigabit Ethernet network controller;
Overclocking options	- Changing the FSB frequency from 200 to 800 MHz in 1 MHz steps; multiplier change; - Changing the voltage on the processor, memory, FSB, PLL and chipset (NB + SB); - ASUS AiBooster utility;	- Changing the FSB frequency from 133 to 800 MHz in 1 MHz steps; multiplier change; - Changing the voltage on the processor, memory, FSB and chipset (NB + SB); - MSI D.O.T technology; - Dual CoreCenter utility;
Disk subsystem	- 1 channel UltraDMA133/100/66/33 Bus Master IDE (Marvell 88SE6145; supports up to 2 ATAPI devices); - Support for the SerialATA II protocol (6 channels - ICH9R, with RAID support); - Support for SerialATA II protocol (4 channels - Marvell 88SE6145, with support for RAID 0,1,0+1 and JBOD);	- 1 channel UltraDMA133/100/66/33 Bus Master IDE (JMicron JMB 363; supports up to 2 ATAPI devices); - Support for the SerialATA II protocol (6 channels - ICH10R, with RAID support); - Support for the SerialATA II protocol (2 channels - JMicron JMB 363, with support for RAID 0.1, JBOD); - Support for SerialATA II protocol (1 channel - JMicron JMB 362); - Support for LS-120 / ZIP / ATAPI CD-ROM;
BIOS	- 16Mbit Flash ROM; - AMI BIOS with support for Enhanced ACPI, DMI, Green, PnP Features; - Technology ASUS EZ Flash 2; - Technology ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3; - Technology ASUS MyLogo 2; - ASUS OC Profile technology; - Multi-languages BIOS;	- 32 Mbit Flash ROM; - AMI BIOS with support for Enhanced ACPI, DMI, Green, PnP Features; - MSI POST diagnostic function;
Miscellaneous	- One port for FDD, one serial port, port for PS/2 keyboard; - STR (Suspend to RAM); - SPDIF out;	- One port for FDD, one serial port, ports for PS/2 mouse and keyboard; - STR (Suspend to RAM); - SPDIF out;
Power management	- Additional 8-pin power connector;	- Wake up from modem, mouse, keyboard, network, timer and USB; - Main 24-pin ATX power connector; - Additional 8-pin power connector; - Additional 4-pin Molex power connector;
Monitoring	- Tracking the temperature of the processor, system, voltage, rotation speed of five fans; - Technology Q-Fan 2; - ASUS EPU technology, AI Nap; - ASUS PC Probe II utility;	- Tracking the temperature of the processor, system, voltage, rotation speed of three fans; - GreenPower technology (+ GreenPower Genie support); - Smart Fan technology;
Size	- ATX form factor, 245mm x 305mm (9.63" x 12");

Package

Note that the box with the MSI board has a carrying handle.

Equipment

ASUS P5E64 WS Evolution
motherboard;
user manual on English language;
DVD disc with drivers and utilities;
eight SerialATA cables + two power adapters (four connectors);
a plug on the rear panel of the case (has a noise-insulating coating);
bracket with an additional FireWire port and 2 USB2.0 ports;
bracket with COM port;
ASUS logo sticker;
diagnostic module G.P.;

MSI P45D3 Platinum
motherboard;
English user manual + quick start guide;
two CDs with software and drivers (for XP and for Vista);
Utility CD Reserve copy+ user manual;
one ATA-133 cable, FDD cable;
four SerialATA cables + two power adapters (two connectors);
plug on the rear panel of the case;
a set of additional connectors;
bracket with two USB2.0 ports and one FireWire port;
bridge for CrossFire;

All drivers, utilities, and additional software for the ASUS board are included on one DVD. Additional software includes packages such as: Ulead Burn.Now, Corel MediaOne Starter, Ulead PhotoImpact 12 SE, CyberLink PowerBackup, WinZip 11, and Norton internet security. In addition, the ASUS P5E64 WS Evolution board comes with a rather thick user manual, which describes in detail all the features of assembling and setting up the system.

The user manual for the MSI P45D3 Platinum board is almost as long and, in addition, it is supplemented by a quick guide. All software is on three CDs: one for Windows XP, one for Vista, and the third contains a backup utility (it comes with a separate brochure). The ASUS board has slightly more standard components.

The rest is conditional equality.

Both boards come with a bracket with two USB2.0 ports and a FireWire port, as well as a set of connectors to make it easy to connect the board to the case buttons. The only difference between the configurations is that the MSI board has a bridge for CrossFire technology, while the ASUS board must have a G.P. diagnostic module. Why our board does not have it, we have not found out, but it looks like this:

Taking into account the retail prices of boards, we put the following marks for the bundle. ASUS P5E64 WS Evolution board is "4-" and MSI P45D3 Platinum is "5-".

Boards

Both boards feature massive cooling systems, solid expansion options, and powerful memory and northbridge power converters. However, the difference in class is visible to the naked eye: the ASUS board has 4 PCI Express x16 slots, while the MSI has only 2.

Note that all the main power connectors are located at the edges of the boards.

In addition, the MSI P45D3 Platinum board has an additional Molex connector near the north bridge. (/msi/power_conn3.jpg) Connecting cables to this connector is inconvenient. In addition, it is almost impossible to connect a fan to the SYSFAN4 connector when a video card is installed in the first PCI Express x16 slot. Also note that with a video card installed in the first PCI-E slot, there is no way to remove or install memory modules on both boards. Returning to the cooling system, we note that on the boards all radiators are interconnected using heat pipes:

The boards have four 240-pin DIMM slots for DDR3 memory modules, with a total memory support of 8 GB.

Let's talk in more detail about expansion slots. The Intel P45 Northbridge allows you to organize 2 PCI Express x16 2.0 specification slots, each of which is allocated 8 bus lines. That's exactly what MSI engineers did, plus they added two PCI Express x1 slots and two "regular" PCI bus slots.

As for ASUS, the engineers of this company installed an additional PEX8518 bridge manufactured by PLX Technology. As a result, the number of PCI Express lanes has been increased, which allowed the installation of two additional x16 slots that operate in PCI Express x4 mode. Note that the board also has a PCI Express x4 slot, which has a cut back wall. That is, you can also install a video card in it, but the latter should be very short. As on MSI, the ASUS P5E64 WS Evolution board has two slots for the "regular" PCI bus. Also, PCI Express lines were used to connect gigabit network controllers. The ASUS board has two such controllers: Marvell 88E8056 and Marvell 88E8001, but only 88E8056 uses the PCI-E x1 bus (88E8001 is connected to the PCI bus).

The MSI board has only one Gigabit Ethernet controller: Realtek 8111C, which uses one PCI Express lane.

Despite different southbridges, the board supports 6 SerialATA II ports, which are located near the southbridge.

In addition, the boards have additional controllers to support ParallelATA and SerialATA II. In particular, the ASUS board has one Marvell 88SE6145 chip (1 PATA; 4 SATA II):

Moreover, two SATA ports of this controller are located near the south bridge (black), and another pair of SATA ports are brought to the rear panel of the board. And on the MSI board, one JMicron JMB363 chip and one JMB362 chip are installed:

Moreover, the first controller supports 2 channels, and the corresponding ports are located near the south bridge. The second controller also supports 2 SATA channels, but only one is implemented on our board, external eSATA on the rear panel. Note that the JMB362 chip is deeply hidden under the radiator of the cooling system. Thus, the user can connect 11 hard drives(9 SATA II + 2 PATA), and the ASUS board has 12 drives (10 SATA II + 2 PATA). Further, both south bridges support 12 USB2.0 ports each. On the MSI board, 6 ports are located on the rear panel, and another 6 are connected using brackets (there is one bracket with two ports). On the ASUS board, the port configuration is exactly the same (there is also one bracket with two ports). In addition, the boards support serial bus firewire. For this, an additional controller is installed on them. On the ASUS board, this is the VT6308S chip manufactured by VIA, and on the MSI board, it is JMicron JMB381.

Despite the different chips, the boards support two ports each, and their configuration is similar: one is installed on the rear panel, the other is connected using a bracket (both boards have it). The boards implement the Intel High Definition Audio subsystem: the ADI AD1988B chip is installed on the ASUS P5E64 WS Evolution, and the ALC888 chip is installed on the MSI P45D3 Platinum board.

The back panel of the boards has the following configuration:

ASUS board supports optical and coaxial SP-DIF outputs; MSI - only optical. Also on the back of both boards is a FireWire port and a SATA II port (ASUS has two SATA II ports). In addition, you can notice the complete absence of LPT and COM ports. However, both boards support one serial port (COM), but implemented through a bracket (available from ASUS). A few words about the features of the boards. First of all, a more or less functional POST-diagnostics system is implemented on the ASUS board: the G.P. module must be included in the kit, on which there is a seven-segment indicator, the corresponding chip and a pair of "Power" and "Restart" buttons.

Note that a part of the rear panel of the MSI board is reserved for the radiator of the cooling system, and a button for resetting CMOS is installed under the radiator. In addition, the MSI P45D3 Platinum board has a couple more buttons for starting and rebooting the system.

Here is a schematic representation of the boards:

Note that there are a couple of important jumpers on the MSI board: JB1 and JB2, which are designed to force the setting of the starting FSB frequency, and are located near the PCI Express x1 slots. For all LGA775 processors, except for 1600 (QPB) MHz, these jumpers can be left untouched - the motherboard perfectly recognizes the processor and sets the desired frequency. And if you have a processor with a 1600 MHz bus, then the starting frequency can be set from the BIOS, or you can use these jumpers. Now let's talk about the BIOS settings.

BIOS

The BIOS of both boards is based on the AMI BIOS version.

Volume ASUS BIOS - 16 Mbps, MSI - 32 Mbps

The memory settings section of the ASUS P5E64 WS Evolution board is located on the overclocking functions page, and includes a very wide range of timings:

Note that the ASUS board did not start with A-Data 1600X (AD31600X001GU) memory. On the one side, given memory is not in the compatibility list and there are no claims against ASUS. But on the other hand, the compatibility list includes only 4 DDR3-1800 memory items, 3 DDR3-1600 memory items, and 4 DDR3-1333 memory items. This is extremely small, and in most cases the user will buy memory at random. As for MSI, the A-Data 1600X (AD31600X001GU) memory worked without problems. As for the MSI board, its memory tuning capabilities are no less powerful.

In addition, the MSI board allows you to change 1T and has a Memory-Z function.

Actually, the Memory-Z function has nothing to do with configuration, it is a function to display information about memory modules. And it is possible as an abbreviated version:

So extended:

An important parameter that affects performance is the setting of the memory frequency.

Now let's look at the system monitoring section.

Both boards display the current temperatures of the processor and the system, determine the current voltage levels and fan speeds (MSI - 3, ASUS - 5). The boards also have the function of adjusting the rotation speed of the CPU cooler and additional fans, depending on the temperature of the CPU and the system.

Both boards can also save and load BIOS settings as profiles (ASUS supports two profiles, MSI - 4).

To work with the BIOS, the ASUS board has a built-in EZFlash 2 utility:

Unfortunately, given function sees partitions on the HDD only in NTFS format. Let's look at the section on controlling the functions of Intel processors:

For the ASUS board, all functions are concentrated on one page, while for MSI they are scattered across sections. Also note the ASUS feature for displaying the BIOS in different languages:

Overclocking and stability

Before moving on to overclocking, let's look at power converters. The PWM of the ASUS board has an 8-phase circuit, in which 11 560uF capacitors and a pair of 270uF are installed. Immediately, we note that the power converter for memory modules, like the PWM of the north bridge, is made according to a 2-phase scheme. The MSI board's power supply module uses a 5-phase circuit with 11 820uF capacitors and four 470uF capacitors. The power converter for the memory modules and the northbridge, like those of ASUS, are made according to a 2-phase scheme.

Let's move on to the consideration of overclocking functions. On the ASUS board, all relevant functions are concentrated in the "Ai Tweaker" section,

And on the MSI board - in the "Cell Menu" section

Pay	ASUS P5E64 WS Evolution	MSI P45D3 Platinum
Changing the multiplier	+	+
FSB change	200 to 800 MHz (1)	133 to 800 MHz (1)
Vcore change	0.85 V to 1.9 V (0.00625 V)	0.96V to 1.94V (0.01V)
Change Vmem	1.5V to 2.78V (0.02V)	1.19 V to 2.77 V (0.01 V)
Change Vdd	1.25 V to 1.91 V (0.02 V)	0.728 V to 2.624 V (0.012 V)
Vsb change	1.05 V; 1.2V	0.7 V to 2.13 V (0.01 V)
Vtt change	1.2V to 1.5V (0.02V)	0.89 V to 2.47 V (0.01 V)
Change Vppl	1.5V to 2.78V (0.02V)	-
Change PCI-E	100MHz to 180MHz (1)	-

We note the following features of boards in the overclocking area. Firstly, ASUS and MSI programmers have added a function to highlight in a different color those parameters that (in their opinion) are beyond safe overclocking. Secondly, the ASUS board does not match the declared Vcore voltage range. The documentation states that the upper limit = 1.7 V, the BIOS indicates 2.3 V, and the real maximum Vcore = 1.9 V. A similar situation with the voltage on the north bridge: the real maximum Vcore = 1.91 V, and not 2.21V as specified in the BIOS. However, there is a note in the BIOS that in order to achieve this value, it is necessary to rearrange the OV_NB jumper, but it is not on our board. Also, the ASUS board lacks the ASUS NOS (Non-Delay Overclocking System) dynamic overclocking technology, which was implemented on almost all previous models from this manufacturer. A similar function is implemented on the MSI board and is called D.O.T, which allows you to overclock the system by ~ 73%.

conclusions

Let's start with the fact that the MSI P45D3 Platinum board costs about $200, while the ASUS P5E64 WS Evolution board costs ~$360. The difference in price perfectly demonstrates the class difference between the boards. In particular, the MSI board is designed for the average system, the owner of which uses a second video card or plans to do so. And the ASUS board is designed for those who need CrossFire technology with 3 or 4 video cores. This is the only argument in favor of the X48 chipset, and if CrossFire of this level is not needed, then X48 is not needed either. The fact is that the range of P45 motherboards is so large that you can find a product with the desired functionality. For example, if you need to use 4 video cards without CrossFire, then there are P45 boards with 4 PCI-E x16 slots. The impression from the boards themselves is as follows. The ASUS P5E64 WS Evolution board is made at the usual, very high level for this manufacturer. As regards the MSI P45D3 Platinum board, its characteristics are close to those of the MSI P45 Platinum we have already reviewed. However, in practice it turned out that the P45D3 Platinum overclocks the processor and memory with great difficulty. Moreover, there is a dependence of overclocking results on the BIOS version. Therefore, let's hope that all overclocking problems are associated exclusively with BIOS flaws.

Conclusion

ASUS P5E64 WS Evolution

Pros:

Four PCI Express x16 slots;
SerialATA II/RAID support (10 channels; ICH9R + 88SE6145);
Support for one P-ATA channel (Marvell 88SE6145);
Built-in 8-channel audio and two Gigabit Ethernet network controllers;
A wide range of ASUS proprietary technologies (PC Probe II, EZ Flash 2, CrashFree BIOS 3, MyLogo2, Q-Fan 2, etc.);
Additional set of AI Proactive technologies (AI Overclock, OC Profile, AI Net 2, etc.);

Minuses:

Not detected;

Board Features:

Excellent results of overclocking the processor and memory;

MSI P45D3 Platinum

Pros:

High stability and good performance level;
Two PCI Express x16 slots;
SerialATA II/RAID support (9 channels; ICH10R + JMB 363 + JMB 362);
Support for one P-ATA link (JMB 363);
Built-in 8-channel audio and Network Controller Gigabit Ethernet;
USB2.0 bus support (12 ports) and IEEE-1394 (FireWire; 2 ports);
Passive cooling system for the chipset and power module;
A wide range of proprietary MSI technologies (POST diagnostics, D.O.T., Memory-Z, BIOS profiles, etc.);
Power, reset and reset CMOS buttons;

Minuses:

Not detected;

Board Features:

CPU and memory overclocking results are below average;

The lack of reviews of motherboards based on the latest top-end Intel X38 chipset on our site is a rather serious omission. Our laboratory has been unsuccessfully trying to start testing such products for at least a month. However, until now, we have not been able to provide materials about these products for a number of objective and subjective reasons. For example, instead of this article, which opens a series of publications on motherboards based on Intel X38, there should have been a review of the ASUS P5E3 Deluxe motherboard, which has been tested in our laboratory for several weeks now. But, despite the fact that this board was successfully used by us in Penryn tests, we still do not have the opportunity to provide a full and substantiated report on its capabilities. The point is that our sample ASUS P5E3 has a number of problems that manifest themselves when overclocking the FSB and memory. In addition, the widely advertised ASUS Express Gate function turned out to be inoperable on our board. By now, we have already tried almost a dozen different beta versions of the BIOS, but we still haven't been able to achieve the trouble-free operation of all the declared features typical of ASUS boards. In the near future, we expect to receive a new P5E3 sample, on which we will try to confirm or refute the unflattering opinion that has developed so far about this motherboard.

In order not to further delay the already excessively long pause in motherboard reviews, we decided to look at other products based on Intel X38. Another ASUS product, the P5E motherboard, immediately came into view. It compares favorably with other offerings based on the Intel X38 in two ways. First of all, this is a relatively inexpensive product with a retail price of about $220, which is not much for a motherboard based on the X38 chipset. Secondly, this motherboard does not work with the new expensive DDR3 SDRAM, but with a much more common DDR2 memory, although officially Intel is extremely reluctant to talk about the universality of the chipset memory controller. Thanks to these features, ASUS P5E may well become a very common product, very popular among enthusiasts. Actually, to turn the P5E into a widely popular motherboard, only one thing is missing: the confidence that it can offer better performance and overclocking capabilities than the products based on the Intel P35 chipset that have already won an impeccable reputation. Actually, this article will be devoted primarily to finding the advantages of ASUS P5E, which will allow us to talk about the superiority of this platform over cheaper alternatives based on mid-range chipsets.

It would be logical to begin acquaintance with the motherboard based on Intel X38 by considering the features of the logic set itself.

advertising

Details about the Intel X38

The Intel X38 chipset was conceived by the developer as a new chipset designed for creating motherboards in the upper price range. In fact, this means that the X38 replaces the outdated i975X, which does not have official support for the promising 45 nm Penryn processors, and is equipped with a far from the most modern south bridge. At least that's what Intel thinks.

From our point of view, the situation is seen in a slightly different way. Due to its venerable age, the i975X has long been unattractive for enthusiasts who today opt for motherboards based on the Intel P35. the only forte of the i975X chipset, support for the PCI Express x8 + PCI Express x8 Crossfire mode is not really such a strong trump card. Firstly, the Intel P35 chipset is also capable of supporting Crossfire (although in the PCI Express x16 + PCI Express x4 scheme). Secondly, AMD today is unable to offer graphics cards as fast as NVIDIA. Therefore, the number of users interested in Crossfire is quite small. Based on the above arguments, we will also not compare the Intel X38 with the i975X, but will focus on comparing the new chipset for high-performance systems with the recently released

Taking into account the growing interest in gaming platforms built on several video accelerators, we suggest considering the ASUS P5E3 motherboard based on the Intel X38 chipset. If we compare all ASUS models, it turns out that ASUS P5E3 is almost the cheapest solution of this level. But support for "progressive" DDR3 memory implies that the buyer has the funds to purchase it. So, for example, if you are going to create a powerful gaming platform, you can also pay attention to the ASUS Maximus Formula motherboard we reviewed earlier, which works with DDR2 memory. Although the latter looks and is positioned as a more expensive solution, purchasing cheaper DDR2 memory will be able to offset the costs. Well, for those who are trying to keep up with all the trends in the digital world, there is a reason to appreciate the capabilities of ASUS P5E3.

ASUS P5E3 motherboard specification:

Manufacturer

	Intel X38/Intel ICH9R
Processor socket
Supported processors	Intel Core 2 Quad / Core 2 Extreme / Core 2 Duo / Pentium Extreme / Pentium D / Pentium 4 Support for 45nm CPU family
System bus, MHz	1600/ 1333 / 1066 / 800 MHz
Used memory	DDR3 1800* / 1600* / 1333 / 1066 / 800 MHz * - during acceleration
Memory support	4 x 240-pin dual-channel DIMMs up to 8 GB
Expansion slots	2 x PCIe2.0 x16 (both x16) CrossFire support 2 x PCI-E x1 2 x PCI 2.2
Disk subsystem	Southbridge ICH9R supports: 6 x Serial ATA 3.0 Gb/s SATA RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 support Optional Marvell 88SE6111 controller supports: 1 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66 1 x External SATA (SATA On-the-Go)
Sound subsystem	Realtek ALC 883 8-channel High-Definition Audio codec, coaxial/optical S/PDIF; ASUS Noise Filter
	Controller Agere L-FW3227 2 IEEE 1394a ports
	Gigabit Network LAN Controller Marvell88E8056 with AI NET 2 support
	24-pin ATX power connector 4-pin ATX12V power connector
Cooling	Heat pipe system on chipset and MOSFET VRM node
Fan Connectors	1 x CPU 3 x case fans
External I/O ports	1 x PS/2 keyboard port 1 x S/PDIF output (coaxial + optical) 1 x IEEE1394a 1 x External SATA 6 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports 1 x LAN (RJ45) 8-channel audio output
Internal I/O ports	6 x USB 1 x FDD 6 x SATA 1 x IDE 1 x IEEE1394a 1 x S/PDIF output 1 x COM CD audio input System panel connector
	8 Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 2.3, ACPI 2.0a, ASUS EZ Flash 2, ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
Overclocking options	Frequency change: FSB, PCI-Express, memory. Voltage change on: processor, memory, FSB, northbridge, southbridge, etc.
Proprietary technologies	ASUS EPU (Energy Processing Unit) ASUS AI Nap ASUS 3rd Generation 8-phase Power ASUS Fanless Design: Pure Copper Heat-pipe solution ASUS Q-Fan 2 ASUS Noise Filter ASUS Q Connector ASUS O.C.Profile ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 ASUS EZ Flash 2 ASUS AI Slot Detector ASUS MyLogo 3 ASUS AI Booster Utility ASUS C.P.R.
Equipment	Instruction and user manual ASUS Turbine Fan 6 x SATA cable 2 x SATA SATA power adapter 1 x UltraDMA 133/100/66 cable 1 x FDD cable 1 x ASUS Q-Connector (USB, System Panel, IEEE1394a) Remote control and IR receiver ASUS AI Remote DVD with drivers and software ASUS Q-shield
Form factor Dimensions, mm	ATX 12" x 9.6" 305x244
Products webpage	http://www. asus. com/ The new BIOS version and drivers can be downloaded from the official page.
average price	View in price. ua. View in price. ru.

All prices for ASUS P5E3

The ASUS P5E3 motherboard came to us for testing in a simple package, without its informatively filled outer part.

ASUS P5E3 motherboard package:

DVD with drivers and software; user manual in English, brief installation instructions, as well as instructions for AI Remote; ASUS Q-Connector adapters (system panel, USB, IEEE1394a); ASUS Q-Shield I/O panel blank; FDD cable, UltraDMA 133/100/66 cable;

two power adapters for SATA devices; six SATA cables;

ADDA AD4512LX-D03 turbine fan with hydrodynamic bearing;

remote control

(There are twelve buttons on the remote control. With AI Remote, you can launch and control various multimedia applications, put your computer into AI Nap sleep mode, switch ASUS AI Gear 3 modes, and more.)

USB port

The layout of the ASUS P5E3 motherboard is quite good. Among the shortcomings that will interfere with the assembly of the computer, one can note: the SATA and IDE slots deployed parallel to the board, which will be very inconvenient to connect to in small cases, as well as the fact that a long video card inserted into the top PCI-E x16 slot will impair access to the latches of the RAM slots. In addition, the COM port is located in the upper right corner, not very well for connection.

On ASUS P5E3 motherboard Special attention deserves a cooling system on heat pipes. Heat pipes connect heatsinks on the south and north bridges, as well as on half of the phases of the power stabilizer. The remaining four phases have a separate radiator. Despite the relatively high class of the board, only a 4-pin ATX12V connector is used to power the processor.

The cooling system involves the installation of an active element - a turbine-type fan, on a radiator near the I / O panel. Apparently, this is why the whole system, although made of copper, still does not seem very massive. The small heatsink on the northbridge is adorned with a shiny metal cover with ASUS branding on top.

The cooling system is very securely and rigidly fastened due to persistent metal plates with reverse side motherboard ASUS P5E3.

The Intel ICH9R south bridge supports six SATA II ports, with the ability to form RAID arrays 0, 1, 5, 10. And to support IDE devices and one external SATA connector, an additional Marvell 88SE6111 controller is installed. The ASUS P5E3 motherboard has six internal USB ports, four of which are located in the lower right corner of the board, and two more near the external connector panel. In the right corner of the ASUS P5E3, there is a system panel connector, a standby power indicator and a BIOS reset jumper.

ASUS P5E3 motherboard has two PCI slots, two PCIE x1 and two PCIE x16 (PCI Express 2.0) slots, which can be used to combine AMD/ATI video accelerators in CrossFire x16+x16 mode. Other features of the board include the Marvell88E8056 gigabit network controller, the Agere L-FW3227 FireWire controller that supports two ports, as well as the Realtek ALC 883 8-channel HDA audio codec, the front panel connector of which supports connections in HDA and AC`97 formats.

The layout of the ASUS P5E3 board suggests the possibility of connecting to two USB ports, near the I/O connector panel, module wireless network ASUS WiFi-AP Solo, but this feature is not implemented on the tested model.

The VRM processor power regulator on the board is 8-channel and supports the energy-saving EPU (Energy Processing Unit) technology. The ASUS EPU chip takes full control of the processor load level and, depending on this, adjusts the power settings, achieving more efficient power consumption. In applications that are not demanding on processor resources, the technology saves up to 80.23% of energy by turning off four phases of the power stabilizer.

The following ports are displayed on the rear panel: One PS/2 for keyboard, six USB connectors, IEEE 1394a port, RJ45 connector for network connections, coaxial and optical S/PDIF, one External SATA port and six connectors for 8-channel audio output.

The ASUS P5E3 motherboard has four fan headers, one 4-pin for the CPU cooler and three 3-pin for case fans. All connectors are fairly evenly distributed over different parts of the board, which makes it more convenient to choose a place to connect the cooling.

Near all PCI slots, there are small indicators that indicate the incorrect installation of the device in the slot (AI Slot Detector technology).

The ASUS P5E3 motherboard uses a "multi-lingual" version of the AMI BIOS, with a large set of settings. The BIOS has a function to save user settings to a profile (ASUS O.C. Profile technology), and it also has a built-in EZ Flash 2 utility for flashing new versions and supports AI Net 2 technology, which helps to determine the location of a network cable break.

Overclocking settings are located in the "AI Tweaker" section:

Parameter	Menu name	Range
Processor Technology Management	C1E, Max CPUID Value Limit, Vanderpool Technology, CPUTM, Execute Disable Bit, Intel SpeedStep
Processor multiplier	CPU Ratio Setting
Strap frequency	FSB Strap to North Bridge	Auto/200/266/333
System bus frequency
PCI Express bus frequency
Memory divider		533/639/667/709/800/852/887/1066
Command execution delay	DRAM Command Rate
Timings	CAS Latency, RAS to CAS, RAS Precharge, RAS Active Time, RAS to RAS, REF Cycle Time, Write Recovery Time, Read to PRE Time
Sub-timings	Read to Write Delay (S/D) Write to Read Delay (S/D) Write to Read Delay (S), Write to Read Delay (D), Read to Read Delay (S), Read to Read Delay (D), Write to Read Delay (S), Write to Read Delay (D)
Acceleration of the memory controller	DRAM Static Read Control	Enable - enables acceleration
	DRAM Dynamic Write Control
Memory setup	AI Clock Twister	Auto, Moderate, Light, Strong
	AI Clock Skew for Channel A	Advance 350ps - Delay 350ps
	AI Clock Skew for Channel B	Advance 350ps - Delay 350ps
Setting sub-timings	Transaction Booster	Boost Level 0-8 Relax Level 0-8
CPU Voltage
Supply voltage of clock-setting circuits		1.5V - 2.78V
FSB voltage	FSB Termination Voltage	1.2V - 1.5V
	CPU Voltage Reference	0.63x, 0.61x, 0.59x, 0.57x
Voltage on memory modules		1.5V - 2.3V
Northbridge voltage	North Bridge Voltage	1.25V - 1.75V
Southbridge voltage	South Bridge Voltage
	Clock Over-Charging Voltage
Reducing the voltage drop on the processor under load	Loadline Calibration	Enable - enables the function
Processor power supply mode	CPU GTL Voltage Reference	0.67x, 0.65x, 0.63x, 0.62x
Northbridge power supply mode	NB GTL Voltage Reference
Reducing the background radiation of the system bus	CPU Spread Spectrum

In order to more accurately adjust the memory frequency in the BIOS, there are eight dividers, which for a 266 MHz system bus will correspond to a memory frequency of 533, 639, 667, 709, 800, 852, 887, 1066 MHz.

IN motherboard BIOS ASUS P5E3 boards can be configured with timings and sub-timings of DDR3 RAM. In addition, the current values of timings and sub-timings are shown on the screen, which is very convenient when setting up.

To carry out overclocking and improve system stability, the BIOS has a large number of settings that change the voltage on the main components in a very wide range and in small steps, which is determined by the implementation of the Precision Tweaker 2 technology. For convenience and better visibility, in the upper right corner of the screen, information is provided on the adjustment range of the setting, the step and the standard voltage of a particular component. In addition, for convenience during overclocking, voltage values of different levels are highlighted in different colors. So blue font indicates safe values, yellow indicates high, and red indicates critically high.

BIOS monitoring

In the Hardware Monitor window, you can monitor:
- the temperature of the motherboard and processor;
- speed of rotation of the processor cooler and three case fans;
- voltage on the processor and main power lines 3.3 V; 5 V; 12V.

For the CPU cooler and case fans connected to the CHA_FAN 1-2 connectors, you can use the Q-Fan automatic control function. The control range for the cooler is set by selecting a specific profile, and for case fans by determining the minimum speed and limit temperature in percentage (60% - 90%) (from 28ºС to 46ºС in 3ºС increments).

By carrying out a standard procedure for testing the capabilities of the system bus, we were able to increase its frequency to 495 MHz. But there is an assumption that an incorrectly working BIOS or some features of the instance that got to the test did not allow to reveal the full potential of the board.

Testing

The following equipment was used to test the capabilities of motherboards.

Some increase in performance in tests of a system with a motherboard ASUS board P5E3 was caused by the use of other faster DDR3 RAM. If we compare it with ASUS P5K3 Deluxe/WiFi-AP based on the Intel P35 Express chipset, which also worked with DDR3 memory, then the slight difference in the results is mainly due to the measurement error.

conclusions

The ASUS P5E3 motherboard can become an excellent basis for a high-performance gaming system with two AMD/ATI 3D accelerators combined in CrossFire x16+x16 mode and featuring PCI Express 2.0 support. ASUS P5E3 works with DDR3 memory, so the future owner should be ready to buy a rather expensive "RAM" as well. ASUS P5E3 motherboard has good opportunities overclocking and improving stability - I especially liked the implementation of settings with highlighting in different colors and indicating standard values, although system monitoring in the BIOS is completely standard.

ASUS P5E3 has an 8-phase power regulator with the much-advertised EPU power saving technology. The copper heatpipe cooling system, together with the fan, should be able to cope with the cooling of a productive and overclocked platform. The absence of an 8-pin connector for powering the processor indicates that ASUS P5E3 is positioned more as a gaming and multimedia offer, which is confirmed by the included AI Remote.

Advantages:

high performance; excellent overclocking capabilities; support for CrossFire x16+x16; PCI Express 2.0 bus support; 8-phase power stabilizer using EPU; 6 SATA connectors supporting RAID 0, 1, 5, 10; External SATA port on the rear panel; heat pipe cooling system with fan included; remote control ASUS AI Remote; built-in FireWire controller; 8-channel High Definition Audio.

Flaws:

No PS/2 mouse connector