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Asus F2A85-V Pro

Six Socket FM2 Motherboards For AMD's Trinity APUs
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ASMedia’s ASM1042 controller adds an additional pair of USB 3.0 ports to the rear panel of Asus' F2A85-V Pro, while a set of PCIe 2.0 pathway switches contributes a second graphics card slot for converting x16-x0 configurations to x8-x8. Asus uses the CPU’s remaining four lanes to add a third PCI Express 2.0 slot with lower bandwidth.

Though its layout appears familiar, a closer look at the F2A85-V Pro reveals better CPU power connector and front panel audio header placement. An even closer look reveals a few tiny buttons for the Asus-exclusive features MemOK, USB BIOS Flashback, and Asus DirectKey.

MemOK automatically underclocks poorly-programmed memory to at least facilitate boot-up into the UEFI for adjustment. USB BIOS Flashback gives you the ability to update the board's firmware with no other hardware installed. Finally, Asus DirectKey allows users to enter the UEFI at any time during motherboard initialization.

Asus is particularly proud of its Fan Xpert 2 feature, which facilitates control over and monitoring of the motherboard's fan headers. Attached coolers can be set to spin up or down automatically, or configured to operate at fixed speeds.

USB BIOS Flashback is particularly useful when purchasing a newer CPU and older motherboard simultaneously, since it circumvents the issue of hardware compatibility and a firmware mismatch. Previously, that might have required you to buy an older APU just to update the board's UEFI to properly recognize the new chip. On this platform in particular, BIOS Flashback isn't as necessary, though, since Socket FM2 and Socket FM2-compatible APUs are both new. This could change in the future if AMD maintains backward-compatibility with its next-gen architecture.

The secondary function of Asus DirectKey is that of a power button. Touching the DirectKey button when the system is already up and running in an operating system triggers a shut-down, and touching it while the system is off causes it to boot directly to UEFI. That function is increasingly practical as the window for hitting the Del key to enter the UEFI gets shorter with each new motherboard generation (and even more so with Windows 8).

We’ve noticed that AMD fans are more likely to be frugal, but perhaps the time has come to quit being frugal about cases? While a good case can last through several builds, many older designs lack space to connect SATA cables to the forward-facing ports common on modern motherboards. The F2A85-V Pro can be counted among these modern designs, with six of its seven internal SATA ports facing forward to allow increased card clearence.

The F2A85-V Pro has seven internal and one external SATA connector, but users will only be able to connect half of those out of the box. The installation kit includes four internal cables, though Asus also adds a pair of its quick-connecting cable extenders.

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Top Comments
  • 14 Hide
    cangelini , November 26, 2012 8:32 AM
    americanbrianWhy no GPU OC as has been requested many times? This platform allows easy GPU OC's as mentioned in your previous PD articles. You still have never posted your 1GHz+ clocked GPU results. I am also upset that you didn't run the gaming benches with the OCed RAM. I want to know how a PROPERLY configured setup like this could perform.8% gains approx from going to 1866 over 1600, does higher clocks after this have any effect?How does OCing the GPU part limit your CPU clock OCs? or is the heat not too bad ? So many questions unanswered....

    These sound like great ideas for a platform-oriented story. In fact, Thomas and I have discussed doing a piece on memory and Trinity. Maybe we could expand that to include an exploration of graphics and processor bottlenecks, too. Thanks for the feedback!
  • 14 Hide
    americanbrian , November 26, 2012 8:26 AM
    Why no GPU OC as has been requested many times? This platform allows easy GPU OC's as mentioned in your previous PD articles.

    You still have never posted your 1GHz+ clocked GPU results.

    I am also upset that you didn't run the gaming benches with the OCed RAM. I want to know how a PROPERLY configured setup like this could perform.

    8% gains approx from going to 1866 over 1600, does higher clocks after this have any effect?

    How does OCing the GPU part limit your CPU clock OCs? or is the heat not too bad ?

    So many questions unanswered....
  • 12 Hide
    cangelini , November 26, 2012 6:29 AM
    I fixed the typo earlier tonight guys, thanks.
Other Comments
  • 0 Hide
    buzznut , November 26, 2012 3:27 AM
    And I would penalize Asrock for the brown PCB. Its an otherwise nice looking board, but this is a trend I don't care for.
  • -8 Hide
    Cryio , November 26, 2012 4:16 AM
    Why, why do you keep posting Skyrim as being a DirectX11 title? It IS NOT. It's just DX9
  • 10 Hide
    Crashman , November 26, 2012 4:42 AM
    CryioWhy, why do you keep posting Skyrim as being a DirectX11 title? It IS NOT. It's just DX9
    Why don't you point to where you see that?
  • 4 Hide
    Sakkura , November 26, 2012 5:38 AM
    CrashmanWhy don't you point to where you see that?

    Sneaky, lol. Now he's going to be downvoted.
  • 8 Hide
    Crashman , November 26, 2012 6:00 AM
    SakkuraSneaky, lol. Now he's going to be downvoted.
    Not sneaky, I just see a lot of sniping in here. I checked the article and didn't find it, and I really need to find it before I can gripe at the person who made the final revisions to this article. His comment could be completely false for all I know...
  • 12 Hide
    cangelini , November 26, 2012 6:29 AM
    I fixed the typo earlier tonight guys, thanks.
  • -5 Hide
    abbadon_34 , November 26, 2012 7:06 AM
    Sounds like someone is owed an apology
  • 5 Hide
    Darkerson , November 26, 2012 7:18 AM
    buzznutAnd I would penalize Asrock for the brown PCB. Its an otherwise nice looking board, but this is a trend I don't care for.

    Penalizing a company over a PCB's color is asinine and petty. Even if you have a case with an acrylic window, do you stare into your PC all day and night? If so, that is trend I don't care for.

    There are much more important things to worry about, like quality, price, and features, to name a few...
  • 7 Hide
    Anonymous , November 26, 2012 8:20 AM
    cangeliniI fixed the typo earlier tonight guys, thanks.

    "Adoby Creative Suite"

    just one?

    :lol: 
    who cares, good job to crash and the rest of the crew . . .

    edit: i had to fix a typo . .oh karma!
  • 10 Hide
    cangelini , November 26, 2012 8:25 AM
    looniam"Adoby Creative Suite"just one? who cares, good job to crash and the rest of the crew . . .edit: i had to fix a typo . .oh karma!

    Heh, apparently, editing motherboard round-ups in a Thanksgiving food coma is not conducive to catching typos. Got that one as well--thanks looniam! :) 
  • 14 Hide
    americanbrian , November 26, 2012 8:26 AM
    Why no GPU OC as has been requested many times? This platform allows easy GPU OC's as mentioned in your previous PD articles.

    You still have never posted your 1GHz+ clocked GPU results.

    I am also upset that you didn't run the gaming benches with the OCed RAM. I want to know how a PROPERLY configured setup like this could perform.

    8% gains approx from going to 1866 over 1600, does higher clocks after this have any effect?

    How does OCing the GPU part limit your CPU clock OCs? or is the heat not too bad ?

    So many questions unanswered....
  • 0 Hide
    Someone Somewhere , November 26, 2012 8:32 AM
    Is it just me or is there no list of prices for the boards? There's relative price, and some board is worth $25 more than another (which is enough if you want to do half a page of simultaneous equations), but I can't find an actual list.
  • 14 Hide
    cangelini , November 26, 2012 8:32 AM
    americanbrianWhy no GPU OC as has been requested many times? This platform allows easy GPU OC's as mentioned in your previous PD articles. You still have never posted your 1GHz+ clocked GPU results. I am also upset that you didn't run the gaming benches with the OCed RAM. I want to know how a PROPERLY configured setup like this could perform.8% gains approx from going to 1866 over 1600, does higher clocks after this have any effect?How does OCing the GPU part limit your CPU clock OCs? or is the heat not too bad ? So many questions unanswered....

    These sound like great ideas for a platform-oriented story. In fact, Thomas and I have discussed doing a piece on memory and Trinity. Maybe we could expand that to include an exploration of graphics and processor bottlenecks, too. Thanks for the feedback!
  • 1 Hide
    silverblue , November 26, 2012 11:59 AM
    Also, a detailed look at the effects of undervolting Trinity. :) 
  • 7 Hide
    silverblue , November 26, 2012 12:08 PM
    buzznutAnd I would penalize Asrock for the brown PCB. Its an otherwise nice looking board, but this is a trend I don't care for.

    Well, in days gone by we'd have had green or gold boards. To be perfectly honest though, unless you're going to have a side window, you're not likely to care about the PCB colour. I'm far more interested in features and performance than the aesthetics, personally.
  • 5 Hide
    blazorthon , November 26, 2012 12:52 PM
    buzznutAnd I would penalize Asrock for the brown PCB. Its an otherwise nice looking board, but this is a trend I don't care for.


    I thought that the brown PCB meshed decently with the black and grey color scheme utilized by most of the rest of the board. Hey, at least it doesn't look like those ugly low end FoxConn boards :lol: 
  • -3 Hide
    bentonsl_2010 , November 26, 2012 2:08 PM
    CrashmanWhy don't you point to where you see that?


    Here is a relevant quote from a randomly-googled article:

    Longtime Elder Scrolls fans hoping Skryim would take full advantage of the PC's strengths: unfortunately we have to disappoint you. Game director Todd Howard says besides higher quality textures and bigger resolutions, it "looks the same" as on consoles, and it's "mostly a DirectX 9 game in terms of how the shaders work."

    He does note DirectX 11 support is a possibility down the line, however: "When it comes to DirectX 11 there are things they get us for free, like performance gains. You’re going to get performance gains out of it versus an older version. But the specifics DX11 does, like tessellation and all that kinda stuff, we aren’t taking advantage of that right now. That doesn’t mean we won’t in the future. We aren’t right now because we want to author it so it looks great.”

    On the bright side, the new engine means Skyrim looks quite lovely as is, just nothing mind-blowing, which it could be. No doubt the modding community will improve the situation before long, though.
  • 6 Hide
    blazorthon , November 26, 2012 2:38 PM
    Bentonsl_2010Here is a relevant quote from a randomly-googled article:Longtime Elder Scrolls fans hoping Skryim would take full advantage of the PC's strengths: unfortunately we have to disappoint you. Game director Todd Howard says besides higher quality textures and bigger resolutions, it "looks the same" as on consoles, and it's "mostly a DirectX 9 game in terms of how the shaders work."He does note DirectX 11 support is a possibility down the line, however: "When it comes to DirectX 11 there are things they get us for free, like performance gains. You’re going to get performance gains out of it versus an older version. But the specifics DX11 does, like tessellation and all that kinda stuff, we aren’t taking advantage of that right now. That doesn’t mean we won’t in the future. We aren’t right now because we want to author it so it looks great.”On the bright side, the new engine means Skyrim looks quite lovely as is, just nothing mind-blowing, which it could be. No doubt the modding community will improve the situation before long, though.


    He wasn't asking for proof of what DX is utilized by Skyrim, he was asking where in the article was it claimed that Skyrim used DX11.
  • 3 Hide
    unempit , November 26, 2012 2:42 PM
    It must be Monday...my first thought was how did they get 6 sockets on one motherboard... :) 
  • 1 Hide
    Onus , November 26, 2012 2:52 PM
    That 16C over ambient on the ASRock board is a little worrisome. That looks like the only real outlier in all the measurements. Was that at stock clocks, or with the OC?
    As far as performance goes, there doesn't appear to be any difference worth noting (which I'd expect).
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