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ASUS P5K3 Deluxe

ASUS jumps full force in to the latest Intel chipset with the P5K3 Deluxe board. Featuring support for the latest technologies, including a 1333MHz CPU FSB and DDR3 memory, this board brings a lot of performance potential to the table.

Introduction

ASUS is one of the favored computer component manufacturers by enthusiast and mainstream user alike. The company has worked long and hard to establish its reputation for high quality and high performance products, whose stability comes second to none. They continue to push this trend through the use of innovative solutions using the most cutting edge technology available, ensuring the end user the best out of the box experience available. Their latest motherboard exemplifies this trend.

The P5K3 Deluxe is among the fore runners in ASUS’ newest motherboard line designed around the new line of Intel chipsets. This board uses the Intel P35 chipset, which features support for the following technologies: LGA 775 type processors with a base FSB of 667MHz and above; DDR3 DRAM modules operating in Dual Channel mode up to 1066MHz officially; and PCI Express based x16 graphics cards. Unsurprisingly, the P5K3 Deluxe is a feature complete solution, requiring only the following components for an operational system: an Intel LGA 775 style processor, DDR3 memory, drives, and a PSU. The following components have been integrated in to the design of the P5K3 Deluxe: 6 SATA II ports (RAID 0, 1, 0+1 and 5 capable) on the Intel ICH9R controller; 1 ATA-133 IDE port, and 2 e-SATA port (RAID 0 and 1 capable) on the JMicron controller; 10 USB 2.0 capable ports (6 in rear panel, and 2 onboard headers supporting 2 ports each); 2 IEEE 1394 capable ports (1 in rear panel, and 1 onboard header); 1 Marvell Yukon GigE Ethernet port in the rear panel; 1 Realtek GigE Ethernet port in the rear panel; 1 Realtek 802.11g wireless Ethernet port in the rear panel; ADI 8-channel HD audio codec featuring an S/PDIF RCA component and optical output ports; and PS/2 port support in the rear panel.

Main Specifications Overview:

Detailed Motherboard Specification List:

Packaging

ASUS uses their typical unadorned black box design for the P5K3 Deluxe’ box, with the board name and supported technologies shown clearly on the box top. The following accessories are packaged in with the P5K3 Deluxe board: ATA-133 and floppy ribbon cables; SATA driver and dual ended power cables; the rear panel shield; rear brackets for USB 2.0 and IEEE 1394 ports; a clip-on cooling fan for the integrated heat pipe cooler; WiFi antennae; the Q-Connector modules; and the normal complement of manuals and drivers discs. Note that the included driver disk is a DVD-ROM disk, not a CD-ROM disk. The Q-Connector modules allow for an easy interface for connecting in to the motherboard headers. You simply plug in your front panel jumpers in to the white connector and the USB 2.0 jumpers in to the blue connector block, and then plug both blocks in to the motherboard headers. It makes for a much easier install for those typically hard to reach header areas.

Board Layout

ASUS did a superb job with the design and layout of the P5K3 Deluxe, with only a few minor placement issues around the lower region of the primary PCI Express x16 slot. ASUS decided to place the CMOS reset jumper and CMOS battery just under the PCI Express x16 slot, making access to either of those tricky with a card seated using an overly large cooling apparatus. The board name and revision are silk screened on the surface in between PCI slot 2 and the secondary PCI Express x16 slot. As shown, the board used for testing was a version 1.01G board. Continuing in their strive for excellence, ASUS chose to use high quality all metal solid state capacitors in designing the P5K3 Deluxe board.

While the area directly around the CPU socket looks crowded at first glance, ASUS chose to use low profile capacitors directly around the socket and placed the surrounding massive copper coolers adequately back from the socket area. Due to these design considerations, you should have no problem with CPU cooler mounting, no matter how massive your cooler is. The board uses the standard LGA775 4-hole style hold down mechanism for the CPU cooler. The board’s Northbridge chipset is located to the lower left of the CPU socket, covered by a large copper cooler. This cooler is held to the chipset via push-pins, and is part of an elaborate and highly effective heat pipe based cooling system. The heat pipe system terminates in 3 places – a low profile cooler on the Southbridge, and 2 massive copper coolers covering the CPU power circuitry above and to the right of the CPU socket. The CHA_FAN1 header is located to the upper left of the CPU socket, while the 8-pin ATX12V power connector is located to the socket’s upper right.

The onboard DDR3 memory slots are located directly below the Northbridge chipset, with the upper slot paralleled by copper heat pipes. While the heat pipes look a bit close for comfort to the upper slot, you should have not problem inserting or removing memory from that slot. The DDR3 memory slots themselves are arranged in a bi-colored 2-by-2 configuration, with Dual Channel mode enabled with modules in like colored slots between sets. The CHA_FAN2, CHA_FAN3, PWR_FAN, and chassis open alert jumper are located directly below the lower set of DIMM slots, along with the ATX 24-pin power connector and the onboard floppy port. The CPU_FAN header is located to the upper right of the DIMM slots, along the board’s edge.

The ICH9R Southbridge chipset, covered by a low profile copper cooler, is located below PCI slots 1 and 2. The Southbridge cooler is held to the chipset via push pins, and is one end of the board heat pipe cooling loop. In a questionable positioning decision, ASUS chose to place the CMOS reset jumper and CMOS battery just above the Southbridge. While you should not have too much trouble getting to these items normally, an overly large video card could pose access problems. Directly below the chipset are its 6 onboard SATA 2 ports. The SB_PWR LED, primary IDE port, CHA_FAN4 header, and front panel header are located to the lower left of the chipset. The LED illuminates with an active power source connected to the board. The 2 onboard USB 2.0 headers, as well as the IEEE 1394 header, are located above the front panel header.

In designing the P5K3 Deluxe, ASUS chose to include 2 PCI Express x16 slots, 2 PCI Express x1 slots, and 3 PCI slots. The front panel audio, SPDIF_OUT, and COM1 headers are located to the upper left of PCI slot 3. The CD_IN header is above and between PCI slots 1 and 2.

The P5K3 Deluxe’ rear panel includes the following ports: PS/2 keyboard port; 1 IEEE 1394 port; 6 USB 2.0 ports; 2 e-SATA ports; 1 Marvell Yukon GigE Ethernet port; 1 Realtek GigE Ethernet port; 1 Realtek 802.11g wireless Ethernet port; 6 analogue, S/PDIF RCA component, and optical output audio ports.

AiSuite

ASUS chose to include their newly redesigned AiSuite Windows based monitoring utility in with the board drivers. The version of AiSuite shown is 1.02.02. The AiSuite utility supports a variety of monitoring and configuration settings including real time display of system voltages, fan speeds, temperatures, CPU FSB and speed, as well as multiple supported overclocking methods. The NOS button allows you to activate the dynamic overclocking technology, which will manipulate system voltages and FSB speeds in order to push the system to the desired overclocking level when needed.

The AiBooster button gives access to the AiBooster interface, allowing for automated or full manual control of CPU FSB and multiplier, and system voltages.

The Performance screen allows for selection of a preconfigured overclocking level, where the system controls the voltages and various FSB settings, while the Advanced screen allows for full manual control. Note that for all voltage, CPU FSB and multiplier manipulation, supported options can be selected from a pull down master list.

Note that the AiBooster interface allows for selection and saving of pre-configured user profiles as well.

The Q-Fan button within the main AiSuite window allows for operational configuration of all fan headers through preset options.