| CPU |
Intel Socket 1366 Core i7 Processor Extreme Edition/Core i7 Processor
Supports Intel Turbo Boost Technology |
| Chipset |
Intel X58-Express / ICH10R |
| System Bus |
Up to 6400 MT/s |
| Memory |
6 x DIMM, Max. 24 GB, DDR3 2000(O.C.)*/1600/1333/1066 Non-ECC,Un-buffered Memory
Triple channel memory architecture
Supports Intel Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)
*Hyper DIMM support is subject to the physical characteristics of individual CPUs.
*Refer to www.asus.com or this user manual for the Memory QVL (Qualified Vendors Lidts). |
| Expansion Slots |
3 x PCIe 2.0 x16 (at x16/x8/x8 or x16/x16/x1 mode)
1 x PCIe x1
2 x PCI |
| Multi-GPU Support |
Supports NVIDIA 3-Way SLI Technology
Supports ATI Quad-GPU CrossFireX Technology |
| Storage |
Intel ICH10R controller
6 xSATA 3Gb/s ports
Intel Matrix Storage Technology Support RAID 0,1,5,10
Marvell 88SE9123-NAA2 PCIe SATA 6Gb/s controller
- 2 x SATA 6Gb/s ports |
| LAN |
Dual Gigabit LAN controllers 2 x Marvell 88E8056-NNC1 PCIe Gigabit LAN controller featuring AI NET2 |
| Audio |
Realtek ALC889 8-Channel High Definition Audio CODEC
- DTS Surround Sensation UltraPC
- BD audio layer Content Protection
- Supports Jack-Detection, Multi-streaming, Front Panel Jack-Retasking
- Coaxial / Optical S/PDIF out ports at back I/O |
| IEEE 1394 |
VIA VT6308 controller supports 2 x 1394a port(s) (one at mid-board; one at back panel) |
| USB |
NEC-D720200F1 SuperSpeed USB 3.0 controller
- 2 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports (at back panel)
Intel ICH10R Southbridge
- 8 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (4 ports at midboard; 4 ports at back panel) |
| ASUS Unique Features |
True USB 3.0 Support
True SATA 6Gb/s Support
ASUS Xtreme Design
ASUS Xtreme Phase
- ASUS 16+2 Phase Power Design
ASUS Exclusive Overclocking Features
- ASUS TurboV
ASUS Exclusive Features
- MemOK!
- ASUS EPU
- Express Gate SSD
ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution
- ASUS Fanless Design: Heat-pipe solution
- ASUS Fanless Design: Stack Cool 3+
- ASUS Fan Xpert
ASUS Crystal Sound
- ASUS Noise Filter
ASUS EZ DIY
- ASUS Q-Design: Q-Slot
- ASUS Q-Shield
- ASUS Q-Connector
- ASUS O.C. Profile
- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
- ASUS EZ Flash 2
- ASUS MyLogo 2
- Multi-language BIOS |
| Overclocking Features |
Intelligent overclocking tools
- ASUS TurboV
Precision Tweaker 2
- vCore: Adjustable CPU voltage at 0.00625V increment
- vChipset 31-step chipset voltage control
- vCPU PLL: 36-step reference voltage control
- vDRAM Bus: 49-step DRAM voltage control
- vNB-PCIe: 65-step chipset-PCIe voltage control
SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection)
- PCI Express frequency tuning from 100MHz up to 180MHz at 1MHz increment
Overclocking Protection
- ASUS C.P.R.(CPU Parameter Recall) |
| Back Panel I/O Ports |
1 x IEEE 1394a
2 x LAN(RJ45) port
8 -Channel Audio I/O
1 x PS/2 Keyboard (Purple)
1 x PS/2 mouse port (Green)
1 x Clear CMOS button
1 x Coaxial S/PDIF Output
1 x Optical S/PDIF Output
2 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports
4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports |
| Internal I/O Connectors |
2 x USB connectors support additional 4 USB 2.0/1.1 ports
1 x IEEE 1394a connector
1 x CPU Fan connector
1 x Power Fan connector
System Panel (Q-Connector)
2 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors (gray)
6 x SATA 3Gb/s connectors (blue)
3 x Chassis Fan connectors (1 x 4-pin, 2 x 3-pin)
Front panel audio connector
1 x S/PDIF Out Header
CD audio in
24-pin ATX Power connector
8-pin ATX 12V Power connector
1 x MemOK! Button
1 x Power on switch
1 x Reset switch |
| BIOS |
16 Mb Flash ROM , AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI 2.0, WfM 2.0, SM BIOS 2.3, ACPI 2.0a, Multi-language BIOS, ASUS EZ Flash 2, ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 |
| Manageability |
WfM 2.0,DMI 2.0,WOL by PME,WOR by PME,PXE |
| Accessories |
User's manual
4 x Serial ATA 3.0Gb/s cables
2 x Serial ATA 6.0Gb/s cables
ASUS Q-Shield
2 in 1 Q-connector
1 x Optional Fan for water-cooling or passive-cooling only
1 x ASUS 3-Way SLI bridge connector
1 x ASUS SLI bridge connector |
| Support Disc |
Drivers
Anti-virus software (OEM version)
ASUS Update
ASUS Utilities |
| Form Factor |
ATX Form Factor
12 inch x 9.6 inch ( 30.5 cm x 24.4 cm ) |
| |
Chart Courtesy of Benchmark Reviews
|
BmR Reviews: 
Comments
Why is this a con when this is not the fault of the motherboard but of the OS?
It's a con.
I don't see how it is different to have 4GB RAM + 1GB GPU or 3GB RAM + 1GB GPU. In the end your CPU will only address 4GB memory so in the dual channel config you are wasting 1GB. Assuming a 2GB GPU in dual channel configs you will get 4GB RAM + 2GB GPU= 2GB RAM + 2GB GPU which means you will waste 2Gb of RAM (assuming the OS will keep favouring GPU memory over RAM). In triple channel you would get 3GB RAM + 2GB GPU = 2GB RAM + 2GB GPU.
If the OS decides to cut off the extra 1GB from the GPU then you still end up with 3GB RAM and 1GB GPU in both configs.
Not a con.
My rating is subjective, and it is my own. As I say at the beginning of the Conclusion page: Please do not base your purchases solely on our conclusion.
You stated that 6 of 32 PCIe lanes are borrowed from graphics for USB 3.0/SATA-6G support. However, Intel?s X58 IOH supports 36 PCIe lanes, of which 32 are required for 16x/8x/8x triple-SLI/CFX. I?m not sure why the motherboard would reserve six lanes, since only four are used by the ASUS U3S6 PCI-E 4x expansion card. It appears that the graphics performance of this motherboard may not be crippled after all. Although I?m still not sure what happens in the 16x/16x/1x configuration, since an extra lane is required.
If it is an enthusiast board as you say, you'd expect rookies to buy a simpler solution, no? Complication not really a con here!
The X58 IOH has: 36 PCIe lanes, 4 PCIe lanes linking to the ICH10 southbridge, and a QPI link to the CPU. Unless ASUS are insane, the SATA3 and USB3 controllers would use 4 PCIe lanes from the IOH, leaving a full 32 PCIe lanes for graphics (16 + 16, or 16 + 8 + 8). The PCIe 1X slot, the 1X lane for 16 + 16 + 1 mode, and PCIe lanes for the gigabit LAN would be provided by the ICH10.
#2. Windows client(Non server variants), use to support PAE for memory reasons, but drivers ALSO need to correctly support the feature otherwise memory/data corruption can happen. MS decided too many companies couldn't make decent drivers and disabled extended memory for non-server versions.
#3. Who uses 32bit OS's anymore? That's like using dial up when you have access to FIOS.
(2) Am I correct to assume that the ASUS motherboard will not support SATA-III Raid 0 ?
(3) Which gives the most bang-for-the-buck: the Crucial RealSSD-C300 with a SATA-III controller (the Marvell SE128 on the Gigabyte motherboard), or the Intel SSD 80GB with a SATA-II controller (the Marvell SE123 on the ASUS motherboard) ?
(4) And finally, if I go with the Gigabyte board, I am thinking about going with the Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD5 as opposed to the ?UD7... as I am an architect using CAD and GIS and not a gamer and thus don?t see the need for advanced cooling. Any problems with this decision ?
2) You are correct.
3) Crucial is faster for sure, but I think the OCZ Agility or Corsair Nova are the best bang for the buck.
4) I would use P55 and not X58. My company has built many CAD/CAM systems, and you want to spend your money on a very fast HDD or SSD, decent video card, and plenty of RAM. P55 does a better job with memory and CPU performance than X58... clock for clock.