![[H]ardOCP](/images/blank.gif){kind=small}
- Date:
- Wednesday, October 31, 2007
- Author:
- Morry Teitelman
- Editor:
- Kyle Bennett
- Google +1
ASUS P5E3 Deluxe
ASUS boldly steps in to the ring with their latest Deluxe series motherboard offering support for the newly introduced Intel X38 chipset and DDR3 memory. The board holds a lot of promise, but will it be enough to fend off the current top performers.
BIOS
ASUS chose to use an AMIBIOS style template for the P5E3 Deluxe. The BIOS used for testing as shown below is version 0503.
Accessed from the SATA Configuration link within the Main tab, the SATA Configuration submenu contains all configuration settings for the ICH9R controlled ports. The SATA Configuration option sets up system access to the controlled SATA ports. The Compatible mode option allows for a total of 4 active ports in IDE emulation mode, while the Enhanced mode setting allows for use of all 6 ports. The Configure SATA As option becomes accessible with the SATA Configuration set to Enhanced mode. This setting controls how the ports are configured by the system, including the AHCI and RAID functionality of the chipset. Note that the RAID boot BIOS will only show with drives connected to the onboard ICH9R’s SATA 2 ports.
The System Information submenu contains read-only settings detailing the current BIOS, CPU, and memory related speed and type configuration.
The Ai Tweaker tab contains all available overclocking related settings, including those related to speed, voltage, and memory timings. The Ai Overclock Tuner option allows for BIOS controlled overclocking, or full manual control. With the CPU Ratio Control option set to Manual, the Ratio CMOS setting becomes accessible. This option controls the base CPU multiplier, with the CPU FSB controlled via the FSB Frequency option. The FSB Frequency setting allows for a maximum CPU FSB speed of 800MHz. The physical CPU operating speed is calculated by multiplying the CPU Ratio Control and FSB Frequency setting together. The system memory speed is determined through the FSB Strap to North Bridge and DRAM Frequency settings. The FSB Strap to North Bridge option allows you access to memory ratios tied to specific FSB settings, while the DRAM Frequency option lists the actual memory speeds available based on a selected strap setting. The PCIE Frequency option controls the PCI Express bus speed, with a maximum 150MHz setting.
With the DRAM Timing Selectable (SPD) option set to Manual, all memory timing related options becomes user configurable, which include the following: command rate; CAS latency; RAS to CAS delay; RAS precharge delay; active to precharge delay (RAS# Active Time); RAS to RAS delay; row refresh cycle delay; write recovery delay; read to precharge delay; read to write delay; write to read delay; read to read delay; and write to write delay. Note that on the memory timings listed, the numerically lower setting forces more aggressive memory operation. The static read control and dynamic write control settings can be enabled or disabled only.
The Ai Clock Twister option controls the aggressiveness of the internal chipset memory related settings, while the Ai Transaction Booster option regulates how aggressively the BIOS attempts to overclock the system via a number of pre-configured settings. The CPU Voltage option allows for setting the CPU voltage to a maximum of 1.70V. The CPU PLL Voltage setting controls the power fed to the CPU power regulation circuitry, with a maximum of 2.78V allowed. The CPU Vtt voltage, listed as FSB Termination Voltage, can be set to a 1.50V maximum. The DRAM Voltage setting allows for a massive 2.78V through your DDR3 modules. The Northbridge chipset voltage can be set as high as 1.91V, while the Southbridge chipset voltage is capped at 1.20V.
The Advanced tab contains a series of submenus used for configuring various onboard devices and chipset related settings. The Advanced PCI/PnP Settings submenu contains system PnP related settings. Unfortunately, the BIOS does not allow direct control of the IRQ interrupt or pool assignment related settings.
The CPU Configuration submenu contains internal CPU related function settings which include the following: CPU multiplier ratio, C1E support, CPU Trusted Module function (CPU TM Function), Vanderpool virtualization technology, Execute Disable Bit, and CPUID value limit.
The Onboard Device Configuration submenu contains settings for configuring most of the integrated system devices, including the JMicron RAID controller, all LAN controllers, the IEEE 1394 ports, and the HD audio device. When the JMicron eSATA/PATA Controller setting is enabled the Controller Mode option becomes user accessible. This setting controls the operation mode for the JMicron controlled e-SATA ports, allowing for IDE, RAID, or AHCI based operation. Note that the devices connected to the JMicron controlled IDE port are not RAID or AHCI enabled.
The USB Configuration submenu contains USB port related configuration options and a submenu containing configuration options for individual USB device emulation. The USB Mass Storage Device Configuration submenu, used for configuring these emulation options, becomes user accessible with a properly detected USB device connected to the system. The Emulation Type option within this submenu allows for configuring device specific emulation modes for the system detected USB devices.
The Hardware Monitor submenu can be accessed via the Hardware Monitor link located under the Power tab. The submenu lists real-time BIOS collected statistics on all system monitored temperature, fan speed, and voltage settings. BIOS controlled automated fan configuration can be enabled via the Q-Fan Control options. The CPU Fan profile option offers the choice of several pre-configured operating modes for the CPU fan header. The Chassis Fan Ratio and Target Temperature options allow for end user setting of a target overall system temperature and fan speed setting. Note that the Chassis configuration settings affect all non-CPU fan headers on the board.
Using the Hard Disk Drives link from within the Boot tab, the Hard Disk Drives submenu displays a listing of all detected hard drive type devices configurable for system initialization. With the device properly connected and detected at system start time, a USB 2.0 type device will show as a viable device in this menu.
The Tools screen contains links to the various integrated ASUS specific BIOS tools, which includes a BIOS flashing utility and a profile load and save utility. The ASUS EZ Flash 2 submenu runs the proprietary ASUS EZFlash2 BIOS update applet. This application allows for flashing the board from BIOS update files from any connected system device, including properly detected USB 2.0 devices. The O.C. Profile Configuration submenu controls creation, storage, and load for up to 2 BIOS profiles. The Start O.C. Profile option allows for saving or loading customized BIOS profiles from a file. The interface is very similar in design to the EZ Flash 2 interface, with access to all attached system storage devices for save and load operations, including attached USB 2.0 devices.