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P5Q Deluxe Onboard Devices

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Asus P5Q Deluxe (Revision 1.03G)
Northbridge Intel P45 Express
Southbridge Intel ICH10R
Voltage Regulator Sixteen Phases
BIOS 0803 (06/25/2008)
333.3 MHz (FSB1333) 334.0 MHz (+0.20%)
Clock Generator ICS 9LPRS918JKLF
Connectors and Interfaces
Onboard 2x PCIe 2.0 x16 (Modes: One x16 or Two x8)
1x PCIe x16 with x4 transfers
2x PCIe x1
2x PCI
2x USB 2.0 (2 ports per connector)
1x IEEE-1394 FireWire
1x Serial Port header
1x Floppy
1x Ultra ATA (2 drives)
8x Serial ATA 3.0Gb/s
1x Front Panel Audio
1x CD-Audio In
1x S/P-DIF Out
1x Fan 4 pins (CPU)
4x Fan 3 pins (Chassis/Power)
1x Internal Power Button
1x Internal Reset Button
IO panel 1x PS2 (keyboard or mouse )
6x USB 2.0
2x Digital Audio Out (S/P-DIF optical + coaxial)
2x RJ-45 Network
1x IEEE-1394 FireWire
1x External SATA
6x Analog Audio (7.1 Channel + Mic-In + Line-In)
Mass Storage Controllers
Intel ICH10R 6x SATA 3.0Gb/s (RAID 0,1,5,10)
Marvell 88SE6121-NAA1 PCI-E 1x Ultra ATA-133 (2-drives)
1x External SATA 3.0Gb/s (RAID 0, 1 JBOD)
1x SATA Host for SteelVine Controller
Silicon Image Sil5723CNU SATA 2x SATA 3.0Gb/s (RAID 0, 1, Cascading)
Network
Marvell 88E8056-NNC1 PCI-E Gigabit LAN Connection
Marvell 88E8001-LKJ1 PCI Gigabit LAN Connection
Audio
ADI AD2000BX HD Audio Codec Eight-Channel (7.1 Surround) Output
FireWire
LSI L-FW3227-100 PCI 2x IEEE-1394a (400 Mbit/s)

The P5Q Deluxe makes one sacrifice compared to the Maximus II Formula in its controllers by putting the second Gigabit Network port on a PCI interface. PCI has a limit of one gigabit total bandwidth, rather than the bi-directional transfers of PCI Express. The saved PCI Express lane is instead routed to the x4-bandwidth third x16 slot, but that particular slot will drop to x1 mode whenever any other x1 slot is occupied.

Asus has tried to rid the back panels of its product line of legacy ports, but retains a single PS/2 port that is now color coded for use with either a keyboard or mouse. Either use had worked previously, but the company had simply failed to indicate that in its earlier color coding. Typists can keep their favorite old keyboards, and gamers can keep their favorite old mice, but you don’t get both.

Instead the focus is now on USB 2.0, with six ports supporting modern peripherals. Coaxial and optical connectors supply digital audio, while the other side of the port panel has six analog connections for full support of 8-channel (7.1 surround) output plus 4-channel (stereo microphone and line-level) input. Two Gigabit network ports (one with full bi-directional bandwidth), an IEEE-1394 FireWire port, and a single eSATA port fill the remaining space.

Marvell’s 88SE6121 provides the interfaces for the P5Q Deluxe Ultra ATA, eSATA, and internal SteelVine SATA port multiplier.

The Sil5723 SteelVine controller turns one port into two, while adding advance features such as drive cascading and hardware RAID 0/1 options. Everything attached to it appears as a single “SteelVine” drive to the chipset and OS, minimizing overhead.

Hiding between the P45 Express northbridge and rear panel analog audio ports, the Marvell 88E8056 gets full bi-directional bandwidth from its PCI Express x1 interface.

The second Gigabit Ethernet controller, a Marvell 88E8001, is limited to one gigabit combined bandwidth.

Formerly an Agere part, the LSI FW3227 IEEE-1394 FireWire controller makes the best of its PCI interface.

An ADI AD2000BX audio codec has advanced features such as support for EAX 4.0 sound effects, but only through software emulation. This is also true of lower-cost Creative products such as the X-Fi Xtreme Audio, however, and Asus feels confident enough in this codec that the company uses it in its latest audio riser card as well.

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alex_oneill2006 25/08/2008 13:23
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Wait, i think i missed the conclusion... what was the conclusion.....or am i just silly !?

Great review any who, i have been waiting for one of these. I would say go for the P5Q Deluxe!!!!!!!!11

iluvgillgill 25/08/2008 14:30
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the old E6xx CPU is not good enough to explore the FSB of the new P45 chipset. i seen better review then this in term of hardware. there should be at least a dual core 45nm processor and a 45nm quad processor.

sigh....tom's been lazy with hardware update!

spuddyt 25/08/2008 17:40
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I assume it is a mistake that says the P45 platinum from MSI has an X48 chipset?

DangerousD 30/08/2008 21:59
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so waht about a decent conclusion something like, are these boarfds worth the extra cash over a P35 chipset variant, everything tells me they offer little incentive over the P35, thoughts anyone?

Henrlk 07/09/2008 01:44
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Hello?
Uhm .. 45nm!?

I agree, test with a better (new) CPU(s) 45nm Dual/Quad.
That would be really interesting. This probably means alot to someone that owns the E6xx series CPU which i doubt someone buy if they buy a P45 board.

Anonymous 03/01/2009 01:47
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Methinks Tom has a bit of biassed attitude favouring Asus tbh

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