The Motherboard that Sets a New Standard
Written: Jan 22 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Supports today-fast CPU including Hyper-Threading Technology, onboard features, BIOS, integrated sound system, 4GB Max-RAM
Cons: none
The Bottom Line: Supporting some of the fastest CPUs on the market today, it will make power and regular users quite happy. Costing about $100, this thing is loaded. Powerful.
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| paulphoto's Full Review: ASUS P4P800 Motherboard |
The cheapest way to upgrade a computer is to add more memory (RAM). If the CPU in that computer is slow, it may require upgrading, too. Having more RAM does not guarantee faster performance without a fast operating CPU. There are CPU-upgrade kits available that allow some older system to use newer processors. But the problem is that newer processors have evolved and improved greatly in terms of physical packaging and electrical provisions (such as Voltage-core flow, frequency ratio, clocking speed, etc.) that it requires an entirely new type of motherboard to manage such complex circuitry.
Ultimately, the computer is not going to improve much (or save money) by just adding more RAM to its system memory or upgrading CPU using the available kit. It is much better off to start a system upgrade with a brand new motherboard, because EVERYTHING depends on it.
As you may have read my review of the Pentium 4 2.8C GHz CPU, I mentioned that what differentiates a fast computer from a slow one is the processor; and it is the motherboard that makes that happen. The motherboard and its chipset dictate the efficiency of the entire computer system. The motherboard is the basic foundation of a good machine.
Similar to current CPUs using new technology, newer motherboards also make use of new technology that supports faster and better CPUs and system memory. Below lists a few features currently supported by newer motherboards:
- Fast CPU
- Newer, better and faster system memory: PC4400, PC4000, PC3200, PC2700 and PC2100 DDR SDRAM
- PCI support both 32- and 64-bit
- AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) for fast video card
- USB port (some support up to 8, front and rear panel)
- FireWire IEEE 1394 port, RJ-45 LAN, etc
- RAID port for additional IDE devices
- Hardware monitoring and management (warns of any hardware system failure)
- Integrated sound system (without the need to waste a PCI slot)
- Error-Checking and Correction (ECC)
There is another problem not widely discussed concerning the limit of HD drive capacity supported by older computer (and operating system). Any HD drives having capacity larger than 137GB require the use of a 48-bit LBA (Logical Block Addressing). Some older motherboards do not support 48-bit LBA (in their BIOS program). Combined with the support of a motherboard, operating system support of 48-bit LBA is also mandatory. If you use Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1 (SP-1), you are all set. For Windows 2000 Pro, you must have SP-3. Without these necessary requirements, using a HD drive with capacity larger than 137GB may result in data corruption or data loss.
To resolve this limitation, most vendors selling HD drives (with capacity larger than 137GB) include an SATA controller card (for PCI slot) to reroute it without using the regular IDE/P-ATA 40-pin cable from the motherboard. Such installation (hardware and software) requires some knowledge of the computer system, not to mention if the procedure will work properly; and more than often it does not.
These are some of the reasons why I need to upgrade my computer starting with the motherboard. And if you plan to build a new desktop PC, selecting the right motherboard is very important. A good motherboard should be able to support some key features like:
- Use the fastest CPU currently available on the market
- Use newer and faster system memory
- Handle larger HD drive capacity
- Support integrated system, such as S-ATA and P-ATA ports, AGP, ACPI, internal sound system, hardware monitoring management, LAN, FireWire, PCI slots, RAID ports, etc.
This brings us to the current topic of this review, that is, the ASUS P4P800-series motherboard. Having successfully built several computers using the ASUS motherboards (particularly, the P4P800, VM and Deluxe), I have come to realize and appreciate greatly the potential and useful features packed in this unique motherboard.
I like simplicity. I like to have a computer system that does not require many complex wiring-routes or the use of unnecessary PCI slots (such as, sound card, SATA controller card for additional HD drive, card for USB or SCSI, IEEE 1394 or RJ-45 for LAN communication, etc.). I want to build a computer simple enough that I can just hook up a few wires and cables, and be able to fire it up with just a few commands in its BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) setup program. I have found that the ASUS P4P800 motherboard provided such simplicity.
To build a simple computer, all we need are: 1) Motherboard, 2) CPU, 3) RAM, 4) Video card, 5) CD-ROM drive, 6) HD drive, 7) Floppy disk (FD) drive, 8) Computer chassis (case with power supply), 9) Modem card (for internet, optional), 10) Keyboard, mouse, speakers and monitor to complete the system, and 11) Sound card (if the motherboard does not support it).
This is exactly the list I gave to my uncle when he asked what was needed to build a simple computer. With the ASUS P4P800, item number 11 (sound card) is not needed, since it is supported by the motherboard.
Some people believe that a 3.5-inch floppy disk drive no longer belongs in a modern desktop PC. But I believe to the contrary. A 3.5-inch FD drive is the only and last method that can come to the rescue in case a HD drive fails to boot and the computer cannot read from a CD-ROM. With a bootable floppy disk, the partition boot sector or the Master Boot Record can be fixed, making the HD drive become bootable again, and thus saves valuable data in the HD drive and the frustration using other means. What use can a CD-ROM do for an unbootable HD drive? So I think a FD drive is still valuable. For me, it is extremely important to have one.
The Asus P4P800 Motherboard
The ASUS P4P800 motherboard is awesome. Its features and support system are similar to the P4P800-VM and the Deluxe version. I have posted a review of the Deluxe series in the previous month (http://www.epinions.com/content_121829559940). If you haven’t already read it, I would like to invite you to pay a visit after reading this review or quickly jump to that one and then back here. Therefore, to avoid any redundancy in this review, I will briefly mention the key features of the P4P800, and then concentrate on the hardware and software installation and system configuration, and, of course, its overall performance.
CPU/ The P4P800 features a 478-pin ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) socket that currently supports Intel Pentium 4 processors with Hyper-Threading Technology (HT Tech) with processing speed up to 3.2GHz as well as Celeron with similar speed. It also supports future Intel Prescott processor. For this computer, I use a Pentium 4 2.6GHz HT Tech processor with internal system bus FSB of 800MHz with a 512KB L2 cache.
Chipset/ The layout is based on an Intel (82)865PE chipset used on the north bridge and Intel ICH5R with support of RAID 0 on the south.
Internal System Bus/ For high-speed data transfer, it supports Front-Side-Bus (FSB) of 800MHz, 533MHz and 400MHz. This means that the motherboard supports any CPU with system bus that operates at 200MHz, 133MHz or 100MHz in clock cycle using a quad (4)-pump technique.
A matching internal system bus of the CPU and the motherboard is vital for a working computer. This chipset will work with any Pentium 4 processors with internal system bus operating at 800MHz, 533MHz or 400MHz FSB.
Memory/ For system memory, it supports PC3200, PC2700 and PC2100 dual-channel Double Data Rate (DDR) RAM up to 4GB using four (4) 184-pin DIMM slots. Any RAM card with capacity of 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB or 1024MB with system memory interface operating at 400MHz, 333MHz or 266MHz can be used. In my opinion, any RAM card with capacity of 64MB or 128MB can hardly belong in this motherboard. A 256MB RAM card should be the minimum memory used on it. A 512MB RAM is the standard system memory common on today’s computers.
Expansion Slots/ The P4P800 has five PCI slots to accommodate system expansion. Each slot supports both 32- and 64-bit. It has a separate AGP slot for high-speed video card. ASUS recommends that when installing a 64-bit PCI card, slot no. 3 should not be used, or it will interfere with the USB connectors.
Rear Ports/ For external input/output ports, the motherboard offers the following features:
- 1xParallel port
- 1xSerial port
- 2xPS/2 mouse and keyboard
- 4xUSB 2.0/USB1.1 port
- 1xRJ-45 port (LAN communication)
- 1xS/PDIF-out port
- Line In/Line Out/Microphone ports
Internal Ports/ If the rear ports are not enough, internal expansions are available:
- 2xUSB2.0/USB1.1 connector for 4 additional USB ports
- Chassis intrusion
- GAME connector
- S/PDIF out connector
- CD/AUX/Modem audio connector
- Front panel audio connector
- COM2 connector
Sound System/ Another nice thing about the ASUS P4P800 motherboard is that a “sound card” is integrated into the board system. This helps eliminate the need to get a separate sound card, which helps save money and one PCI slot. The ASUS P4P800 features a 6-channel sound system. This means that it incorporates a 5.1-channel Dolby Digital, DTS or ProLogic surround sound, depending on the source driver.
Several nice features supported by its BIOS program are 4MB flash RAM, AMI BIOS, PnP, ACPI, DMI2.0, SM BIOS 2.3, CrashFree BIOS 2, Multi-language BIOS, ASUS EZ flash, ASUS MyLogo2, ASUS Instant Music.
INSTALLATION
[Hardware/] The form factor of the P4P800 is an ATX type. Therefore, it is important to obtain a computer chassis that correctly supports it. We use a RaidMax 268 ATX typed case with power supply of 350 Watts. Note: Before handling any component during installation, you must ground yourself with an anti-static wrist strap or simply touch the metal chassis to discharge any electrons that may have built up on your hands.
Before mounting the board onto the chassis, we need to screw the nine spacers onto the mount case. This will separate the motherboard from the metal mount and prevent power surge that may cause short circuit and damage the motherboard.
Next, I install the Intel P4 chip. With the right orientation, it simply drops into the 478-pin ZIF socket, when the socket lever of the motherboard is in the up position (lifted). Once the CPU is in place, the lever can be pushed down to secure the chip. The heatsink and fan assembly can be installed next. The whole assembly sits perfectly on top of the CPU chip and the retention hooks lock in the retention holes on the board. The retention lever can be pushed down to lock the assembly in place.
The nice thing about this motherboard is that it comes with all the jumper caps set in the right position for a normal setup, and I don’t have to do anything other than hooking up the necessary cables to the corresponding components and devices.
The rest of the hardware installation involves inserting the RAM card onto the DIMM socket (be extra careful when pushing it into the slot) and the video card onto the AGP slot. Next, I connect the 4-pin and 20-pin power cables to the motherboard. The CPU fan cable needs to be connected to the power-supply socket located on the motherboard near the CPU base.
The RaidMax 268 computer chassis features two front USB ports. To make them accessible, I connect these two cables to the appropriate ports on the motherboard. The cables for the onboard speaker, reset and power-on buttons, as well as the hard disk drive LED, can be connected to the appropriate ports on the motherboard as well. All of these are explained in the manual, such as, where the ground, positive or negative leads go.
Finally, once the CD-ROM, hard disk and floppy drives are installed in the appropriate bays, I connect the IDE cables accordingly, with the Primary assigned to the HD drive and Secondary to the CD-ROM drive and the ribbon cable port (next to the main power slot) to the FD. At this time, I also connected power cables to these devices.
The RaidMax 268 chassis is equipped with two side fans. I connected their power cables to the cables from the main power supply unit. In addition, I added an intake fan at the rear panel to help increase airflow inside the chassis, while the two side fans suck out the warm air. It is not a bad idea to install additional fans to help cool off the HD drives. At this point, I closed the chassis cover and connected the mouse, keyboard, speakers and monitor. Hardware installation is done.
[Software/] Before performing software installation, I went through the BIOS setup program to verify that all the devices (CPU, RAM, HD drive, CD-ROM, FD drive, etc) were registered correctly on the motherboard. For example, in the sub-menu of the system information, it showed the CPU with Pentium version (P4) and its correct clocking speed (2.6GHz). It also showed the main memory (in this case, 256MB RAM). Similarly, other hardware devices were automatically detected: the HD drive was detected as Maxtor (6Y080L0) with correct capacity, CD-ROM drive as DVD/CD (Product ID), and so on.
There are a few other things that require correct setup before I can proceed with the software installation. One of them is the onboard IDE system operation mode (with options on Compatible/Enhanced). If the operating system to be installed on this machine is Windows XP or 2000, the mode must be set to Enhanced. Otherwise, it should be left at Compatible.
This motherboard supports a RAID 0 for additional HD drive using a new generation 7-pin Serial ATA (S-ATA) cable that can allow data transfer up to 150MB/s (compared to the regular Parallel-ATA, or P-ATA, with data transfer at top rate of 133MB/s). In the IDE configuration, it is possible to enable both supports. I only set it to support P-ATA, since no additional HD drive using S-ATA as RAID was used.
In the System/Frequency and Voltage, the CPU can be set to operate in manual or auto. I decided to have it operate in manual mode so I could set the external frequency to achieve the maximum FSB cycle at 800MHz (with 200MHz for external frequency, of course). The Performance Mode can be set to Auto, Standard or Turbo. I set it to Auto. Next, if the CPU is equipped with HT Tech, options on Enabled/Disabled are available. It is important that if Windows XP Service Pack1 or Linux ver. 2.4.x (or higher) is used, HT Tech can be enabled, to take advantage of its fast processing speed. Otherwise, it should be set to disabled. I have been experimenting with this option a number of times, and I will discuss more on this later.
Another important configuration is the voltage drop across the CPU and other devices, such as DRAM or AGP card. It is important that the CPU Vcore voltage is not overdriven, with maximum at 1.6000 volts, to avoid damaging it. To be safe, at first, I set the auto mode on the V-drop for the CPU and DRAM. I also disabled the CPU Vcore offset voltage. The AGP voltage was set at minimum (1.500 volts) in auto mode.
Now, I can proceed to install Windows 2000 Pro. Since the Maxtor HD drive is a new unformatted one, and the computer cannot find a bootable sector on it, it searches for the next bootable device (CD-ROM drive) to start the system. The machine can be configured to boot directly from the CD-ROM drive via its BIOS’s Boot Device Priority.
After having successfully installed Windows 2000 Pro, the next step is to activate the sound system on the motherboard, using the support CD-ROM that came with it. In that CD-ROM, there are loads of features, such as, Intel Chipset Info Update Program, Intel Application Accelerator Driver (but requires running Windows XP SP1), AD1985 Audio Driver and Applications, USB 2.0 Driver, Interface 3Com Gigabit Driver, PC Probe, BIOS Install Update, and more. I only needed to install the sound driver (SoundMAX) and PC Probe. Of course, at this point the video graphics should be installed as well, using its support CD-ROM, in order to configure the screen resolution and settings.
I think it is important, or at least helpful, to install the PC probe driver. Here the program monitors the entire computer system and its vital components (fan speed, CPU temperature, system voltage, etc) and reports any failure that may have occurred. In other words, the PC probe driver helps keep the system in check.
Performance
In terms of system performance, I think all the components have to work together in harmony, and that includes software and hardware. The following lists all the components that make up this nice operating machine:
- Pentium 4 2.6GHz HT Tech, FSB 800MHz 512KB L2 cache
- Kingston 256MB DDR 400 RAM
- Nvidia geForce 64MB MX440 8x AGP video card
- Sony DVD/CD-ROM drive (Secondary Master)
- Lite-On LDW-411S DVD/CD-RW Burner (Secondary Slave)
- Mitsumi 3.5-inch floppy disk drive
- Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 80GB HD drive (Primary Cable Select)
- Diamond SupraMax Pro 56K v.92 modem (PCI slot #1)
Since this computer is not intended for any heavy duty (mainly for kids educational games, web surfing, DVD movies, Audio CDs, text editor, etc.) some of the modest components, such as, RAM and video cards, are quite suitable. Of course, we can always add more memory and put a faster and more sophisticated video card when needed. For now, it will do just fine. My uncle is no computer geek, and, therefore, the machine is quite fit for his general use.
The machine is quite fast and very responsive; though I had to “tweak” it a little bit, using its BIOS setup program and made some necessary corrections. The Windows 2000 Professional is installed on the machine as the main operating system.
When I first started testing this computer, I had it run with the processor overclocked and with its Hyper-Threading Technology enabled. With this setting, the machine was unstable even for some simple tasks; it hang (froze) regularly. Initially, I thought it was the processor that was not performing correctly. But it turned out that Hyper-Threading Technology was the main factor. ASUS specifically stated that HT Tech should be used with either Windows XP SP-1 or Linux 2.4.x (or higher) or the system would be unstable. Well, that turned out to be true. So I disabled the Hyper-Threading Tech and run the processor at normal clocking speed. I also set the CPU Vcore at 1.5000 volts and clock it at regular cycle. Now the system is running very smoothly and stable.
To experiment further with the processor, I started to overclock it again, this time, using Auto setting with the increase (in percentage) provided in the BIOS setup program. The system is very responsive and stable. Multitasking was handled with ease. Startup and shutdown time is also quick, and, for Windows 2000, that is impressive.
Finally, I decided to have the system run in auto mode: the CPU is in Auto, clocking speed in normal cycle, voltage drop across all the devices are in auto mode. Therefore, there are a number of ways of fine-tuning the system and still have it operate at its optimum performance. With a processing speed of 2.6GHz, the system is quite fast, and for normal multitasking, overclocking doesn’t seem necessary.
This motherboard is very reliable. Once the system is correctly configured, it works like a charm. The MAXTOR HD drive is also awesome. Information loads up instantly. Operating system is very stable and responsive. The system never hangs or crashes; and it appears that Asus makes its point with the use of Hyper-Threading Tech that it only works with Windows XP SP-1 or Linux 2.4.x OS.
The integrated sound system is also excellent. I have it run with Windows Media Player and WinDVD and WinRIP audio sound system. With the onboard SoundMAX driver, audio can be configured to suit a specific type of speakers. Virtual surround sound, Pro Logic or Dolby Digital with 5.1 channel can benefit greatly from this motherboard. Watching DVD movies is quite a pleasure.
Comment / Recommendation
My very own computer was built using the ASUS P4P800 Deluxe with Pentium 4 2.8GHz as its processor and 1024MB RAM in dual-channel, running with Windows XP Professional SP-1 and Red Hat Linux 9 (kernel version 2.4.20) in dual-booting system. I have also built another machine using the P4P800-VM with Pentium 4 2.4GHz HT Tech. With the experience I gather from these three versions, the P4P800-series motherboard is definitely a killer:
1. P4P800 (chipset 865PE)
2. P4P800 Deluxe (chipset 865PE)
3. P4P800-VM (chipset 865G)
All three are equipped with outstanding integrated sound system and a variety of supports. The Deluxe series is perhaps the most equipped motherboard, with several enhanced supports for FireWire (IEEE 1394 port) and additional IDE configurations including RAID 0, 1 and 0+1. And most important, all three are very reliable and highly capable. That is why this motherboard really sets a new standard.
There is an extremely helpful review of the P4P800-VM written by Jon, the LEAD in Computer Hardware (epinions member: opinionated3). Anyone interested in this series should read that review for further information.
Any one of these three motherboards will perfectly suit your need demanded by today’s high performance for a desktop PC. All three are reasonably priced. The Deluxe series is a little bit higher, because it is more equipped.
I am not a big fan of overclocking the processor; I tend not to drive my system over the edge. I like to play it safe. Nevertheless, the Asus P4P800 is quite capable for that, and I think it is among the best one suitable for such demand from power users. Reviews of the P4P800-VM and Deluxe version can be found at:
A review of Asus P4P800-VM by opinionated3:
http://www.epinions.com/content_124206812804
My review of Asus P4P800 Deluxe
http://www.epinions.com/content_121829559940
The bottom line is that the ASUS P4P800 motherboard is affordable, yet highly capable.
And if you prefer to overclock your system, you might want to check a review on a different and more expensive motherboard reviewed by nad_master:
Gigabyte GA-8KNXP (chipset 875P)
http://www.epinions.com/content_124514897540
For information about overclocking the Pentium 4 2.6GHz processor used in this machine, you may want to check out a review by epinions member ivplay at:
http://www.epinions.com/content_125282586244
If you are interested in a higher, faster CPU, such as the Pentium 4 2.8GHz, please visit my review at:
http://www.epinions.com/content_123746291332
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 102
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