| ASUS P5K3 Deluxe WiFi-AP Intel P35 Motherboard |  |
| Reviews - Featured Reviews: Motherboards | |
| Written by Ronald Tibbetts - Edited by Olin Coles | |
| Thursday, 17 January 2008 | |
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Final Thoughts:With Intel on the brink of releasing their faster 1600MHz FSB 45nm CPU "Penryn" and with affordable DDR3 right around the corner, there's definite appeal for motherboards like the P5K3 Deluxe that offer tough-to-beat features, performance on par with new chipsets, and have undergone long-term market testing. Regarding its overclocking capabilities, the P5K3 Deluxe offers "free upgrading" with the effortless ability to bring all 1066-FSB CPU's to 1333-FSB with a slight bump from the default 266FSB to 333 without any voltage increases. When encountering a failed overclock the P5K3 Deluxe does requires a cold boot to re-enter BIOS, however, ASUS' CPU Parameter Recall (C.P.R.) keeps your last BIOS setting allowing quick work of stability adjustments. ASUS' C.P.R. also makes the Clear CMOS jumper placement a non-issue. Nearly eight months on the market as of this review, the ASUS P5K3 Deluxe is a polished example of what a motherboard should be. Receiving several BIOS updates in that time make it by far the most "established" DDR3 based motherboard available today. The ASUS P5K3 offers excellent overclocking capabilities and rock solid performance that is on par or better than current X38/X48 motherboards while suffering none of the issues related to Intel's flagship chipset.
P5K3 Deluxe Conclusion:ASUS has loaded their familiar "AI styled" retail box with all the relevant information. Clearly showing the P5K3's features and supported technologies. The box is not overly large or awkward, none-the-less there is a sturdy plastic handle built right into the top of it for easy transportation. Regarding layout, the P5K3 Deluxe has a clean well laid design. Its aesthetic leaves nothing to be desired with a tasteful color scheme that also serves to help quickly identify each port and socket. However, the design is not without flaws as there are minor interference issues related to port placement. The P5K3 Deluxe uses high grade components such as all-solid caps and a sturdy 6 layered PCB. The sample I reviewed had zero noticeable defects; a testament to ASUS high level of quality control. As one of ASUS' top motherboards it's expected the P5K3 Deluxe will perform well. And perform well it does. Reaching DDR3-2000 speeds without breaking a sweat, the P5K3 Deluxe easily allowed both the CPU and RAM used here to attain their maximum overclock. Using the Benchmark Reviews Price Comparison site you can find some very good deals on the P5K3 Deluxe WiFi motherboard. NewEgg.com presently offers a great price on the P5K3 Deluxe for $219.99. I personally consider this a bargain keeping in mind all the features that come built into the design, such as integrated 8-channel audio, dual eSATA, dual GB LAN, and onboard 802.11g Wi-Fi. To sum it up, ASUS has developed and maintained a board that offers superb stability and performance with many levels of flexibility and an extensive feature set. Paired with high-speed DDR3 the P5K3 Deluxe is ready and waiting for the next generation of CPU's to take advantage of the ultra-high bandwidth it allows. Pros:
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