Well, at least the fact that most of the users usually save on and do not know what it threatens them with and why, in fact, this cannot be done. And it saves just because it does not have an understanding of what is the difference between a cheap and expensive motherboard, if the possibilities seem to be the same. Just about these things, in addition to the free-form review of P5E Deluxe from Asus, I will mention in passing in this article. Go.

Photo and a few words about the motherboard itself

It somehow happened that last year, for a number of reasons, I decided to change the motherboard and my choice fell on the P5E Deluxe from Asus. The price, of course, definitely bit and bit harder than usual, but I'm not used to saving on such things. Why? Because the motherboard is the basis of the entire computer. It is she who is responsible for the operation of buses and paths, for compatibility, expandability, speed and the absence of any type problems, i.e. for stability and the time period during which the computer will last, and so on and so forth. Again, in many respects, the possibility depends on the board, and for me personally this is very important, because, among other things, I trade in overclocking (i.e., overclocking). In short, according to the offered opportunities, everything in the description suited me, the reviews I read seemed to please me too and ..

This happiness looks like this when assembled (clickable):

What else is good - we almost do not kill the board and reset itself if the settings are incorrect. Again, if anything, he knows how to recover from external media, networks and, it seems, even simply duplicated by a second chip (I could be wrong).

What else is there .. And, well, of course, energy-saving technology. Payment due to built-in modules and software very cleverly manages the processor multiplier, voltages and everything else that saves a lot of electricity. Nice savings, honestly.

Speaking of technology. In normal motherboards of the middle or higher price segment, there is usually a set of various extremely pleasant technologies (software and hardware) that significantly expand the capabilities of the board, the quality and stability of its operation. I will give from the manufacturer's website which of them the P5E Deluxe has:

ASUS EPU is a chip that 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 effective use 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 turnover system fans, 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 processor and case fans depending on the load (heating of elements) of the system, ensuring silent operation.

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

ASUS Q-Shield is a handy I/O panel cover that protects your motherboard from static electricity.

ASUS AI NET 2 - tests network connections without booting 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 a separate file, which allows users to share overclocking settings profiles.

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

ASUS EZ Flash 2 - The EZ Flash 2 feature allows you to update the BIOS directly from the BIOS setup menu.

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

What is somewhat surprising is that almost all of the above is necessary and works. Unless I don’t use Q-Fan, because I have a reobas, with which I manually adjust the speeds of the coolers I need.

What made me doubly pleased was the built-in gigabit LAN card and .. attached external sound. In general, the board's package bundle is on top - here you have all 6 SATA cables and a turbine cooler and a chic blanking plate and what not. As for the sound, it looks like this (by the way, it's nice to glow with a blue inscription in the dark):

This card in terms of sound quality significantly surpassed the sound card I once bought from Creative. Such concern for users cannot but rejoice :-) You can also ask why I was glad about a gigabit network, if providers do not offer such tariffs yet? Well, at least because I'm sure that the transition from 100 Mb/s to 1 Gb/s is not far off, and, secondly, no one has yet canceled the local network. The newly purchased N16 (by the way, also from ASUS) perfectly supports gigabit speed, which is convenient when working with local and generally exchanging files on the network.

Okay, something I painfully signed a lot .. :-)
It's time to turn around, I guess.

Afterword and short summary

And so, actually about why expensive boards are needed and what exactly are the advantages of P5E Deluxe:

• high stability and low temperatures
• high quality and service life
• huge overclocking potential (and official support for a 1600 MHz system bus);
• good room for upgrade (two PCI-Express 2.0 x16 slots with the ability to implement ATI CrossFireX technology in x16 to x16 mode, as well as support for a huge number of processors);
• magic power saving (8-phase power stabilizer using EPU technology);
• a large set of ASUS proprietary technologies that expand functionality;
• 6 SATA connectors supporting 0, 1, 5, 1+0;
• wonderful cooling system (additional cooler included);
• "external" SupremeFX II audio board.

What to look for when choosing a purchase:

• the presence of the functions you need (obviously :-))
• price (too low price often (though not always) = average/low quality)
• "drawing" of the cooling system
• board soldering quality
• equipment
• availability of drivers for all operating systems and their updates
• bios updates available
• performance and stability reviews

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. Also, Intel is now claiming that the X48 only supports DDR3 RAM, but that's probably just marketing ploy, since the chipset description mentions frequency dividers for DDR2. Detailed comparison 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 OS can display the amount of memory no more 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 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 ports 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 end cap back panel ASUS Q-Shield cases 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.

Both the front page and the back page detail proprietary technologies supported by motherboard. 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 an even distribution of heat from 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 a separate file, which allows users to exchange 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 SupremeFX II sound card based 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 layout 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 and IDE connectors.

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 x1 slots: 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.

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

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 other 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.

Coming in a set sound card SupremeFX II 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 rating		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 rating		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 become good choice for lovers of overclocking, which is confirmed by the tests. It is impossible not to mention a large set of proprietary technologies that are implemented in this product, and an enviable bundle, typical of high-level motherboards. 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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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 pay attention to the ASUS Maximus Formula motherboard we considered 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 digital world, there is a reason to evaluate the capabilities of ASUS P5E3.

Motherboard specification ASUS boards P5E3:

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 controller Marvell 88SE6111 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 connector system bar
	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	The new BIOS and drivers can be downloaded from the official page.
average price

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 on English language, short instruction 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 loop,
• cable UltraDMA 133/100/66;

• two power adapters for SATA devices;
• six SATA cables;

• ADDA AD4512LX-D03 turbine fan with hydrodynamic bearing;

(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.)

• ASUS AI Remote IR receiver that connects to USB port, and a battery.

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 the ASUS P5E3 motherboard, the heat pipe cooling system deserves special attention. 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 the persistent metal plates on the back of the ASUS P5E3 motherboard.

The Intel ICH9R Southbridge supports six SATA II ports, with the ability to form RAID 0, 1, 5, 10. And to support Device IDEs and one external SATA connector, an optional 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 slots ( PCI Express 2.0), with which you can 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 signal about incorrect installation devices into a 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 setting	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 with a small step, which is caused 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, step and standard voltage one component or another. 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 apply the function automatic control Q Fan. 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.

CPU	Intel 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

Some performance gain in system tests with the ASUS P5E3 motherboard was due to the use of another 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;
• 4-pin CPU power connector.

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

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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 function turned out to be inoperative on our board. ASUS Express gate. 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. In fact, there is only one thing missing to turn the P5E into a widely popular board: confidence in what it has to offer. better performance and overclocking capabilities than 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.

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Details about the Intel X38

The Intel X38 chipset was conceived by the developer as a new chipset designed to create top-end motherboards. price range. In fact, this means that the X38 is replacing the rather outdated i975X, which does not have official support for the promising 45 nm Penryn processors, and is not equipped with 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 now choose 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 does not have the opportunity to offer such high-speed graphic cards like 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

The results in gaming applications have the same picture as in 3DMark "06, except for the game Doom 3, famous for its love for the memory subsystem. It is in this application that the advantage of the older model is clearly visible - still something "wrong" is going on with the settings memory of this motherboard.

conclusions

The times of "top" motherboards, which differ from cheap analogs in color scheme, gold or platinum coating of radiators and cost of $150, are long gone. And if for exclusivity 7-8 years ago some bonus was put in the box, for example, in the form of a screwdriver, now manufacturers may well charge us 200-300 dollars, leaving only with system board and a standard set of cables. You can't say the same about ASUS products - the delivery package is top notch as always, and the functionality corresponds to the price, which also depends on the positioning of the chipset. In this case, the cost of solutions based on Intel X38 will not be small by definition - the chipset itself is top-end, which means that boards based on it at a price of less than $200 will not appear soon. Unless after the release of the next flagship of Intel - X48, which will be officially presented this spring. Then yes, it will be possible to think about buying, and then for the sake of building a powerful CrossFire system, which with the Radeon HD 3870 is not so productive.

Now regarding each of the considered products. The ASUS P5E3 Deluxe board, as befits a high-level solution, is well-equipped, has extensive BIOS options for fine-tuning the system, and powerful CO. The eight-channel power supply scheme of the processor will allow you not to worry about the high-quality power supply of the overclocked quad-core CPU. An interesting technology using the EPU, designed to save power with a low load on the processor, has not yet been run-in, so we won’t focus on it too much - there is, and that’s okay with it. The only negative in all this is the final cost of the finished system, because DDR3 memory modules are still quite expensive.

Model P5E3 came out somehow unbalanced, expensive and not very functional. A rich kit, extensive BIOS capabilities and an 8-phase processor power scheme have a positive effect on the board's assessment, but just one network controller and an eSATA interface somehow do not associate with a price of $250. And if extra equipment is really required in exceptional cases, then how can one explain the use of a 4-pin ATX12V auxiliary power connector instead of the 8-pin EPS12V that has already become familiar to expensive solutions? If ASUS P5E3 is used at face value, then this drawback will in no way affect the stability of the system, but for an enthusiast and overclocker this may become a problem.