ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe - Page 1

As AMD64 processors are fast becoming more and more popular in gaming quarters and AMD introduces the 939 socket processors for CPU speeds lower than 3500+, end users are now looking for the best 939 socket motherboard to buy. Following on AMD's 64 bit architecture, ASUSTek released their new motherboard series for the AMD64 processors that utilize NVidia's new nForce4 MCP (Media and Communications Processor), offering a whole series of features implemented at the hardware level.

SLI support, PCI Express graphics support and secure network engine are some benefits that A8N-SLI users will enjoy. There are two versions of these motherboards, the A8N-SLI and A8N-SLI Deluxe. In this review, we put to the test the deluxe version of this motherboard armed with two ASUS Extreme N6600GT graphics cards operating in SLI mode. The million dollar questions are how do two 6600GT cards compare against one 6800GT card, and will their combined performance reach higher levels than those of the 6800GT?

- Features

The A8N-SLI Deluxe motherboard offers a wide variety of features that are not easily found in other, similar motherboards. It supports all nForce4 innovations, along with AMD's cutting edge technologies such as Cool'n'Quiet.

Supports AMD Socket 939 Athlon 64FX/Athlon 64, which are based on AMD's 64-bit and 32-bit architecture. These processors provide a dramatic leap forward in compatibility and performance.

The NVIDIA nForce4 Scalable Link Interface (SLI) technology allows two graphics processing units in a single computer. This technology takes advantage of the PCI Express bus architecture and features intelligent hardware and software solutions that allows multiple GPUs to work together and achieve exceptional performance.

NVIDIA introduces built-in NVFirewall, a high-performance firewall application and NVActiveArmor engine that provides advanced data packet inspection.

The A8N-SLI Deluxe supports AMD's Cool'n'Quiet technology that will automatically monitor and control VCore voltage, CPU speed and power and adjust it accordingly, depending on CPU demands.

HyperTransport technology increases the communications speed between integrated circuits in computers and networks, achieving 48 times faster communication. It is basically a high-speed, low-latency point-to-point link.

Double Data Rate (DDR) memory technology is supported, offering ultra-fast memory bandwidth

Next-Generation Serial ATA 3GB/sec is supported, providing twice the bandwidth of current Serial ATA products. Additionally, Serial ATA allows thinner and more flexible cables with lower pin counts and reduced voltage requirements. RAID controllers provide Dual-RAID functionality that allows you to select the best RAID solution.

The A8N-SLI Deluxe supports 8-channel audio through the onboard ALC850 CODEC with 16-bit DAC, a stereo 16-bit ADC, and an AC97 2.3 compatible multi-channel audio designed for PC multimedia systems.

The motherboards offers up to 10 USB 2.0 compatible ports, and 2 IEEE1394a (Firewire) ports.

	Apart from the AIAudio feature described above, ASUS uses several others AI Proactive features to further improve network and overclocking performance on this motherboard.
	ASUS Non-delay Overclocking System (AI NOS) will monitor CPU demands and overclock the system automatically, only when it is needed.
	AI NET2 will report all Ethernet cable faults and shorts. During the boot-up process, AI NET2 will check the cable's condition and report back all problems found.

The features list does not end here! There are more ASUS innovative features:

ASUS EZ Plug is a 4-pin auxiliary +12V connector that is used to ensure voltage stability on your motherboard and for other installed peripherals.
CrashFree BIOS 2 will protect you from bad BIOS flashing, with the ability to restore the BIOS to its original state from the installation CD.
Alternatively, with ASUS Post Reporter you can forget all those annoying, beeping sounds if something is wrong with your hardware. The A8N-SLI will inform you of any hardware failure with pre-recorded voice messages.
Asus QFan will adjust the fan rotation speed according to the system's temperature/load reducing noise and ensuring quiet, cool and efficient operation.
You can also turn your computer into a stand-alone CD player with ASUS InstantMusic, since you do not have to turn your PC on in order to use your CD/DVD player for audio playback.

You can see a full detailed specification table below: