Asus P7P55D Deluxe Living Review

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Advanced Bios Tab

Main menu


CPU Settings Sub Menu




Active Processor Cores


North Bridge Chipset Confguration Ok there is no north bridge Remapping PCI Memory.


Onboard Devices Configuration Sub Menu


Front Panel Control


Realtek Lan1


Jmicron Sata/Pata Controller


Serial Port


USB Configuration Sub Menu


Legacy USB Support


PCI/PNP Settings

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Power Tab

Main Menu


APM Configuration Sub Menu


Hardware Monitor Sub menu


Boot Tab





Boot Device Priority Sub Menu


Hard Drive Sub Menu


Boot Settings Configuration Sub Menu


Security settings Sub Menu

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Tools Tab

Main Menu


Asus OC Profile Sub Menu
Always have liked this feature, especially the ability to save to usb, hard drives.

Start Overclocking Profile :-


Profile Utility


Drive Xpert Sub Menu


A1 Net


Asus Easy Flash

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TurboV
The TurboV and the associated software on the Support DVD, certainly open up some easy overclocking options.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9azlzx0HPY8[/ame]
See also Turbo Key for more.

Manual Mode


Advance Mode



Changing BCLK using Bus Speed Button on TurboV Remote

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Asus P7P55D Deluxe
0606
A1 Overclock Tuner
A1 Overclock Tuner Mode......:
Cpu Ratio Setting............:
Intel(R) SpeedStep(TM) Tech..: 
Intel(R) TurboMode Tech......: 
Xtreme Phase Full Power Mode.: 
BCLK Frequency...............:
PCIE Frequency...............:
DRAM Frequency...............: 
QPI Frequency................: 
Channel Interleave...........:
Rank Interleave..............:

DRAM Timing Control Sub Menu
1st Information
CAS#  Latency (tCL )...............:
RAS# to CAS# Delay (tRCD ).........:
RAS# PRE Tine (tRP)................:
RAS# ACT Tine (tRAS)...............:
RAS# to RAS# Delay (tRRD)..........: 
REF Cycle Time (tRFC)..............:
WRITE Recovery Tine (tWR)..........:
READ to PRE Time (tRTP)............:
FOUR ACT WIN Tine (tFAW)...........:
2nd Information
Timing Mode (CMDR).................:
Round Trip Latency on CHA (RTL)....: 
Round Trip Latency on CHB (RTL)....:
3rd Information
WRITE To READ Delay(DD)(tddWrTrd)..:
WRITE To READ Delay(DR)(tdrWrTrd)..:
WRITE To READ Delay(SR)(tsrWrTrd)..:
READ To WRITE Delay(DD)(tddRdTwr)..:
READ To WRITE Delay(DR)(tdrRdTwr)..:
READ To WRITE Delay(SR)(tsrRdTwr)..:
READ To READ Delay(DD)(tddRdtRd)...:
READ To READ Delay(DR)(tdrRdtRd)...:
READ To READ Delay(SR)(tsrRdtRd)...:
WRITE To WRITE Delay(DD)(tddWrTWr).:
WRiTE To WRITE Delay(DR)(tdrWrTWr).:
WRITE To WRITE Delay(SR)(tsrWrTWr).:

Dram Driving & SlewRate Control Sub Menu
CMD Driving Up Ctrl................:
CMD Driving Down Ctrl..............:
DQ Driving Up Ctrl.................:
DQ Driving Down Ctrl...............:

CLK SlewRate Ctrl A................:
CLK SlewRate Ctrl B................:
CMD SlewRate Ctrl .................:
CTRL SlewRate Ctrl.................: 
DQ SlewRate Ctrl ..................:


Dram Skew Control Sub Menu
Address Floating Control ..........:
DRAM CLK Delay Patch Location .....:

DRAM ODTO Delay on Channel A ......:
DRAM CLKO Delay on Channel A.......:
DRAM CMDA Delay on Channel A ......:
DRAM WDQS0 Delay on Channel A......:
DRAM TXDQO Delay on Channel A .....:
DRAM RXDQSO Delay on Channel A ....:

DRAM ODTO Delay on Channel B ......:
DRAM CLKO Delay on Channel B.......:
DRAM CMDA Delay on Channel B ......:
DRAM WDQS0 Delay on Channel B......:
DRAM TXDQO Delay on Channel B .....:
DRAM RXDQSO Delay on Channel B ....:


A1 Overclock Tuner Continued
CPU Differential Amplitude.........:
CPU Clock Skew.....................: 
CPU Voltage Mode...................: 
Voltage............................: 
IMC Voltage........................:
DRAM Voltage.......................: 
CPU PLL Voltage....................: 
PCH Uoltaqe........................: 
DRAM DATA REF Voltage on A.........: 
DRAM CTRL REF Voltaqe on A.........: 
DRAM DATA REF Voltaqe on B.........: 
DRAM GIRL REF Voltaqe on B.........:
Load Line Calibration..............:
CPU Spread Spectrum................: 
PCIE Spread Spectrum...............:
CPU Settings
CPU Ratio Setting..................:  
C1E Support........................:  
Hardware Prefetcher................:  
Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch.......:  
Max CPUID Value Limit..............: 
Intel (R) Virtualization Tech......:  
CPU TM Function....................:  
Execute-Disable Bit Capability.....:
Intel (R) HT Technology(I7 only)...: 
Active Processor Cores.............:  
A2OM...............................:  
Intel(R) SpeedStep(TI1) Tech.......:  
InteI (R) TurboMode  Tech..........:  
Intel® C-Start Tech +..............: 
*CState package limit Setting......:
*Only visible if + =[Enabled]

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Build Observations
The build highlighted a few things that weren't too apparent during the initial review. Some are good some not so.

1) Ram Slots - Like the X58 boards you need to insert ram in second pair of slots, the blue, not the black. The black are for use only if adding >2 modules.

It's probably as well as the first black slot can be somewhat obscured by the CPU fan. It is possible to fit the ram underneath it, by raising the fan a few millimetres higher, providing the ram has is of average height.


1) PCH Lighting
Remember I wondered about this white bit here? Removing PWM and PCH coolers



When I turned the PC on soon found the reason , it's a diffuser for the LED lights under the PCH:


2) TurboV Remote
Don't forget to plug the lead through the I/O Panel and into the motherboard header before mounting graphics card and CPU cooler. Even without these it's quite tricky if you have thick fingers, the cable between the I/O Panel and the socket, could do to be about 1" longer to enable easier fitting.



Turbov Cable plugged into and through I/O panel, nice neat job. To the right is the clear Cmos hole, the button is behind the hole, you need to stick something through it, to work it.


One thing I did discover which is great, there is a clear Cmos button on the TurboV remote see bottom right:


Close Up - Like the rear panel you need to poke something in the hole. On this that's quite a sensible precaution, to prevent accidental usage.



3) Rubberised fan retention clips
I mentioned in the review that the graphics card was close to the ram slots. This also means it's close to the cooler, especially if using a reasonably large tower. There is only about 1/4" gap between graphics card and the fan retention clips. So it's probably wise not to fiddle around in the case with the power on, or if you must stay clear of the graphics card.

Click picture to enlarge

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Intel I7-860
This arrived this morning, ordered yesterday, had to give one an outing .


This time there are links
Intel® Core™ i7-860 Processor (8M Cache, 2.80 GHz)
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Specification:

• Processor Number: i7-860
• # of Cores: 4
• Clock Speed: 2.8 GHz
• Intel® Smart Cache: 8 MB
• DMI: 2.5 GT/s
• Instruction Set: 64-bit
• Embedded: No
• Supplemental SKU No No
• Lithography: 45 nm
• Max TDP: 95 W
• 1ku Bulk Budgetary Price $284.00

Memory Specifications

• Max Memory Size (dependent on memory type): 16 GB
• Memory Types: DDR3-800/1066/1333
• # of Memory Channels: 2
• Max Memory Bandwidth: 21 GB/s
• Physical Address Extensions: 36-bit
• ECC Memory Supported: No

Package Specifications

• Package Size: 37.5mm x 37.5mm
• Die Size: 296 mm2
• # of Transistors: 774 million
• Sockets Supported: LGA1156
• Halogen Free Options Available: Yes

Advanced Technologies

• Intel® Virtualization Technology:Yes
• Execute Disable Bit: Yes
• Enhanced Intel® Speedstep Technology: Yes
• Enhanced Halt State (C1E): Yes
• Intel® 64: Yes
• Intel® Demand Based Switching: Yes
• Intel® Turbo Boost Technology: Yes
• Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology Yes
• Intel® Thermal Monitor 2: No
• Intel® Trusted Execution Technology: Yes

Fingers crossed it's a decent one

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Asus P7P55D Deluxe Roundup and Conclusion

In terms of price, the Asus P7P55D Deluxe is towards the top end of the P55 motherboards price range £159.33 Inc VAT / $219.99 Closest competition at that price are the GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD5 and the MSI P55-GD80 LGA 1156 Intel P55.

However, for that premium you get a lot of motherboard and a cartload of features. I'm very impressed with the former. The latter is a bit of a mixed bunch, varying from useful to indifferent, this however, really depends on the individual's perspective. I personally found the "TurboV" to be great, I could clear CMOS from my armchair , others may utilise it much more with the automatic and software based overclocking options.

Moving on to focus on the board, it has only two faults that I found, the first being that the position of the first PCI-e slot is pretty awful. There are no ram clips on that side, so the RAM slots don't really suffer, unless you want to mount a RAM cooler - I did and had to slide a piece of card between the graphics card and cooler to prevent shorts. Mounting a Large air cooler is also impaired by the closeness of the graphics card see Noctua NH-U12P. There's only a few MM gap between the fan retention clips and the PCB of the graphics card, so there's every possibility of shorting out the graphics card, if you accidentally knocked the card with the power on.

The second fault is with the over volting switches which can inadvertently be enabled (see link for details).

The board is a joy to overclock, the BIOS is very well thought out and extensive. I was puzzled at first by the alternate Vcore Offset mode until I tried it with Turbo Mode Gigabyte have since added Dynamic Vcore(DVID) which does the same thing, but Asus had it in the shipping BIOS, a very good feature and reflective of the quality of the BIOS. Overclocking really is restricted by CPU performance and variability rather than any board constraints.

The board runs very cool, I was also impressed when I added a second set of 4GB RAM and it ran without the need to change a thing. Though the memory controller is on the CPU, I found I was unable to do the same on the DFI LanParty DK P55-T3eH9

Since we received the board there has been issues with some Foxconn LGA 1156 with many manufacturers now switching to the LOTES LGA 1156 socket. The incidence of Foxconn burn outs is very small to the number of units sold, I've had no issues, even when running overclocked with the CPU over-volting switch enabled, or in any other testing. We've seen no indication of any plans by Asus to change, leaving them the only major manufacturer still using the Foxconn socket. Unless you plan on using liquid nitrogen, dry ice or Phase cooling with high voltages, I think the risk is pretty minimal.

Overall then, we have an excellent board with a feature rich package. The price isn't that unreasonable for what you get, I have no problem giving it a Highly Recommended Rating. The difficulty if your upgrading from an older system is what to go for, i5 or i7 or even X58 instaed of P55

Pros

• Good overclocking performance
• Excellent BIOS, with the innovative Vcore offset mode
• Works well in Windows 7
• Excellent overclocking failure recovery
• TURBOV Remote
• Removable BIOS Chip

Cons

• Position of first graphics slot, PCI-E 1
• Easy to accidently enable over volting switches
• Foxconn CPU Socket
• Price

[Clunk]

Excellent stuff mate, I can't wait to see how this shapes up

[Pastie]

Same here