Motherboard for the New Age
Written: Dec 21 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Intel Pentium 4 CPU Hyper-threading Tech, future Intel Prescott CPU, great BIOS, 6-channel audio, 8-USB
Cons: NONE
The Bottom Line: This motherboard, while ready for future components, at present sets a standard for the super motherboard of today and the near future.
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| paulphoto's Full Review: Asustek P4P800 Deluxe Motherboard |
The Asus P4P800 Deluxe is the first motherboard that I used for my new computer built from the ground up. I have been planning to get a new computer for almost a year now, searching for the right one. With this board, my search is over.
There is nothing wrong with my current computer. It all boils down to performance demanded by handling large data files and work speed. However, there is another reason. We had another very old computer that was primarily for my son to use for his education and educational software and games. It died beyond fixing about a year ago. Since then my son and I had been sharing computer. The problem now is that I need to use Windows XP Professional operating system for my work. But a number of educational games do not run on Windows XP. Therefore, getting a new computer will solve my problem altogether.
My current computer was built back in 1997. My brother in-law helped build it for me. All these years, it has gone through three new CD-ROM drives and two power supply units. But my computer kept working flawlessly. I have added a new video card, expanded its memory and put a bigger hard drive. It has gone through three versions of Windows operating system (Win 98/98SE/2000 and now XP). So when I started to build another computer, I wanted to make sure I would get the best components for my system that would last me another 5 to 7 years, like my current computer.
From reading all the opinions about the Asus motherboard posted here at epinions, it is clear that Asus has quite a reputation. I also visited their web site (http://www.asus.com), downloaded their information and documents. My research went further to see how other people think about the Asus P4P800 Deluxe motherboard by reading magazines and articles on the web. The results I found were very promising, especially with the awards that the Asus P4P800 Deluxe has received.
For me, it was then that the decision was a very easy one. The Asus P4P800 Deluxe will be the motherboard for my "super computer." Yes, this is my super computer. Because compared to my current computer that uses Intel Pentium II 350 MHz and 192 MB RAM, my Asus motherboard-based computer uses Intel Pentium 4 2.8 GHz Hyper-Threading Technology Processor and a main memory RAM of 1.0GB (using two Kingston 512MB memory cards).
Throughout the years, I became accustom and familiar with the design, schematics and operations of my computer. That experience asserted a boost of confidence about building this super computer on my own. One great advantage in a custom-built computer is that I get to choose all the best parts and components.
FEATURES and SUPPORTS
The Brain, the Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Quite frankly, one of my biggest reasons for using the Asus P4P800 Deluxe motherboard is the impressive big brain size it supports. The motherboard is equipped with a surface mount 478-pin Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) socket. It is designed to support the Intel Pentium 4 Processor (currently with speed up to 3.2GHz) with 512KB L2 cache on 0.13 micron process. Such CPU includes the Intel NetBurts micro-architecture with rapid execution engine, in particular the new Intel Hyper-Threading Technology that uses 800/533/400 MHz system bus. The motherboard also supports the future Intel Prescott CPU when it becomes available. Yes, this motherboard prepares its way to expand and grow well into the future. It also supports a Celeron Processor with processing speed up to 3.06 GHz.
For my computer, I choose the Intel Pentium 4 2.8C GHz with front side bus (FSB) operating at 800MHz with a 512K cache. This CPU is equipped with the new Hyper-Threading Technology. The advantage of the Hyper-Threading Technology is the improvement in system performance. It allows higher core frequencies for faster execution of integer instructions with data transfer rates of 6.4GB/s (gigabytes per second). The major highlight of the Hyper-Threading Technology is the support of Windows XP Professional and Linux 2.4.x or later versions.
One of the nice things about this motherboard is that the Hyper-Threading Technology can be activated or deactivated via the BIOS setup program. For example, if you prefer to use Windows 2000 Professional instead of XP, the Hyper-Threading Technology must be disabled in order to ensure system stability and performance. Therefore, the Hyper-Threading Technology is only useful to you if you plan to use Windows XP or Linux as your operating system. Otherwise, it would not be a good CPU to buy for your system, unless of course you intend to upgrade the operating system later on. Then the Intel P4 with Hyper-threading Tech and this motherboard are ready for that.
Chipset
The motherboard uses a chipset with Intel 82865PE for the north bridge and Intel ICH5R with RAID 0 support at the south.
DDR DIMM sockets: RAM Cards
The Asus P4P800 Deluxe has four slots for memory cards, supporting main memory up to 4GB of RAM. The board features a dual-channel memory architecture that supports system memory with PC3200/2700/2100 DDR (Double Data Rate) DIMM (Dual Inline Memory Module) type with FSB of 800/533/400 MHz and Memory Frequency of 400/333/266 MHz. The four slots are designed for use with 184-pin DDR DIMM memory cards. Working in dual-channel, they are grouped in two pairs with blue and black DIMM slots. Each slot can be used to install a card with memory capacity of 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB or 1GB. Therefore we have quite a selection to choose for our RAM card. However, if cards are installed in pair (in dual-channel), it is recommended that both are of identical type and size. This is the reason why I use two 512MB RAM cards.
Asus recommends a number of RAM cards that can be installed on this motherboard. Below lists a few brand names from different vendors. These are the PC3200 DDR400 memory modules.
1. Adata
2. Apacer
3. Corsair
4. Hynix
5. Infineon
6. Kingston
7. MICRON
8. PSC
9. Samsung
10. Transcend
11. TwinMOS
12. Winbond
Not all the RAM cards listed above are suitable for use with this motherboard, or at least recommended. In the User’s Manual, Asus lists each RAM card and its model number that has been tested and verified. I use the Kingston memory card (Model KVR400X64C25/512) simply because I have been very satisfied with Kingston product. Its price is quite competitive, too.
Compared to an SDRAM (Single Data Rate—SDR) with PC100 on my now old computer, the new DDR400 with PC3200 has evolved at a cosmological rate! This is amazing.
IDE Connectors
There are two dual-channel bus master IDE connectors (secondary and primary) that support Ultra DMA100/66 or PIO Modes 3 & 4 IDE devices, such as hard disk drive and CD-ROM drives. With this motherboard, it is possible to add more IDE connectors for additional hard drives, etc. This is done via a RAID connector with extra slot provided onboard this motherboard. It supports RAID 0, RAID 1 or RAID 0 + 1. Here we can set up a disk array configuration.
There is one connector slot for floppy disk drive.
I/O Supports
Rear Panel: This motherboard is loaded with input/output ports at its rear panel.
1xParallel port
1xSerial port
1xPS/2 keyboard port
1xPS/2 mouse port
4xUSB 2.0/USB1.1 ports
1xRJ-45 port (optional)
1xIEEE 1394 port
Line In/Line Out/Microphone ports
I have 3 different devices that use USB cable: film scanner, printer and a digital camera. Before this computer, using these devices was very frustrating because my old computer has only two USB ports at the rear panel. I used one USB port solely for my HP printer and the other one to alternate between my film scanner and a digital camera.
With this new computer, the inconvenience with my old computer has been lifted. Better yet, there are two internal connectors for USB 2.0/1.1 ports (a total of 4). With the right computer case, these two USB ports can be accessed from the front panel. When gathering all the parts and components to build this computer, I made certain that my computer case support these USB ports, access from the front panel.
Internal: In addition to these two internal USB connectors, other connectors are
CPU/Chassis/Power fan connectors
20-pin/4-pin ATX 12V power connectors
Chassis intrusion
1xIEEE 1394 connector
GAME connector
S/PDIF out connector
CD/AUX/Modem audio connectors
Front panel audio connector
COM2 connector
PCI Expansion Slots
The Asus P4P800 Deluxe motherboard has five 32-bit PCI expansion slots and one Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP). In case you need to install an additional LAN card for ethernet, SCSI card, USB card, or any other cards that comply with the PCI specifications, these five slots can be used.
Asus has specified some recommendations and restrictions on what slot can be appropriately used for a certain type of card. For example, slot number 3 cannot be used to install a 64-bit PCI card or it may result in an interference with the USB connector.
The motherboard also features a Wi-Fi slot (Wireless Fidelity slot).
Motherboard Size and Form Factor
This motherboard is an ATX type. The board itself measures 12 x 9.6 inches. Selecting the right case for it is critical. The case should have at least a couple of fans to help control the thermal flow. The Intel Pentium 4 processor comes with an especially design of heatsink and fan assembly that helps to ensure optimum thermal condition and the performance of the whole system. Nonetheless, it helps to have several fans to control and dissipate the heat on other vital parts.
Looking for a good quality case was also a challenge. In fact, it took me the longest time to decide what case to get. I eventually ended up getting a mid-tower ATX RaidMax A268 with 350W power supply.
INSTALLATION
Hardware
Like I said at the beginning, I built this computer from the ground up. Therefore, all the critical and necessary parts and components had to be gathered (such as, CPU, RAM card, motherboard, CD-ROM drives, hard disk drive, floppy disk drive, video card, modem card, keyboard, mouse, etc). Fortunately, I did not have to get a new monitor, at least not yet.
Putting all the components together may present a formidable challenge for an inexperienced builder. However, I must say the user’s manual that comes with the Asus motherboard is probably the best manual ever written. Installation procedure is discussed in complete detail—helpful hints are given; and there is no ambiguity. By closely following the manual, I can complete the assembly with no problem.
It may take sometime to study the schematics of the motherboard. But once digested, the whole procedure is quite straightforward, and the manual explains step by step how to install the CPU, the IDE cables, etc.
The Asus motherboard features a standby power LED. It lights up in green when the power cable is connected and the power supply switch turned on, indicating that the system has passed a power-on test; a sign of success to the builder. If there is no green light, then clearly something is wrong, such as power cables or jumpers are not connected correctly.
Really! Once you get used to the seemingly complexity of the motherboard there is nothing so frightening about it. In fact, at first I was scared about installing the CPU onto the board. And surprisingly that turned out to be the easiest one.
The retail CPU comes with the heatsink and fan assembly. Inserting the chip onto the board is very easy; it simply drops into the 478-pin slot (hence, ZIF—Zero Insertion Force). Installing the RAM card on the other hand requires some care. If the force (pressure) is not exactly pointed straight down but shifted to the side forcefully, you might break the base and/or destroy the DIMM slot. The rest of the connections are the main power (20-pin and 4-pin 12V) for the motherboard, the power to all the devices (CD-ROMS, HD and floppy), the CPU fan, the Chassis fan, etc. Hooking up the IDE connection cables is straightforward.
Software
I am particularly impressed with the BIOS setup program. The features can be overwhelming at first, because it shows everything about the system. Here the system can be programmed specifically to suit your preference. For this computer, I install Windows XP Professional combined with Linux 9.2 kernel. So there are several setup procedures that need to be done. For example, the Hyper-Threading Tech must be enabled. This feature is available only when a CPU with Hyper-Threading Tech is installed. If the computer needs to have a hardware intrusion protection, a password must be created.
A few other nice features in the BIOS setup program are Instant music, Asus EZ Flash (quick and easy update of BIOS settings), multi-language BIOS, etc.
The Asus P4P800 Deluxe BIOS setup program allows a quick boot-up directly from the CD-ROM drive without having to change the IDE primary cable for the device priority. This makes it easy for me to perform a fresh installation of my Windows XP on my old hard drive that was used on Pentium II Processor.
Just to list a few excellent features, there are options on the hardware monitor, such as controlling the heat flow in the system. Here the Asus P4P800 Deluxe can be configured to probe the heat and adjust the speed of the fan to control thermal flow. Such fans are for the CPU, Chassis and Power.
For CPU configuration, there are options on AI overclock setting to achieve a desired CPU internal frequency for stability and optimum performance. The frequency ratio of the CPU can be set as well as its VCore voltage, etc.
This motherboard does not need a sound card. With an enclosed CD-ROM (the support CD), the built-in Dolby Digital 5.1 channel surround sound can be activated. The software includes one of, I think, the best sound driver—SoundMAX—I have ever tried. After trying this software on my old PC speaker system, I have decided to get a high quality one to take advantage of this wonderful sound system. In fact, the motherboard features a 6-channel audio sound system. I am impressed!
In a retail package, the motherboard includes a CD-ROM with a DVD software application called WinDVD Suite. It includes
1. WinDVD software supporting 5.1-channel audio,
2. WinRIP for Audio-CD, MP3, WAV encoder that features 5.1-channel and surround sound effects, and
3. WinDVD Creator (Capture, edit, author and make DVD and/or VCD movies).
Final Word
There is nothing that I don’t like about this motherboard. I am very pleased with my super computer; I love it. It is extremely fast and quiet. It has everything I could ever want and need. Its performance so far has exceeded my expectation.
One nice feature that I did not mention previously is the IEEE 1394 port, which I will use in the near future. In fact, this feature had played an important part in my final decision between getting the P4P800 Deluxe and the P4P800. These two motherboards are quite identical except a few special features supported by the Deluxe version.
After trying out my computer, my uncle asked me to build one for him, using the Asus P4P800 motherboard and Pentium 4 2.6 GHz. I will post my review of the Asus P4P800 after thoroughly testing it.
The price difference between the P4P800 and its Deluxe version is not by much, only about $30. Unlike the Deluxe version, the P4P800 does not come with a WinDVD CD-ROM software application. And if you think you will need to use the IEEE 1394 port and other few fancy features, the P4P800 Deluxe should be an excellent choice. With all the wonderful features and capabilities, the P4P800 series is the best buy ever! I highly recommend this motherboard.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 133.99
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