11-Way P45 Motherboard Shootout

TP45 HP Onboard Devices

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NorthbridgeIntel P45 Express
SouthbridgeIntel ICH10
Voltage RegulatorFour Phases
BIOSP45BA710 (07/10/2008)
333.3 MHz (FSB1333)333.3 MHz (+0.0%)
Clock GeneratorICS 9LPRS926EGLF
Connectors and Interfaces
Onboard2x PCIe 2.0 x16 (Modes : One x16 or Two x8)
2x PCIe x1
2x PCI
3x USB 2.0 (2 ports per connector)
1x Serial Port header
1x Parallel Port header
1x Floppy
1x Ultra ATA (2 drives)
6x Serial ATA 3.0Gb/s
1x Front Panel Audio
1x CD-Audio In
1x S/P-DIF Out
1x Fan 4 pins (CPU)
2x Fan 3 pins (Chassis)
1x Internal Power Button
1x Internal Reset Button
IO panel2x PS2 (keyboard + mouse )
6x USB 2.0
1x RJ-45 Network
6x Analog Audio Jacks (8-ch out, Mic+Line In)
Mass Storage Controllers
Intel ICH106x SATA 3.0Gb/s
JMicron JMB368 PCI-E1x Ultra ATA-133 (2-drives)
Network
Realtek RTL8111C PCI-EGigabit LAN Connection
Audio
Realtek ALC888 HD Audio Codec7.1 + 2 channel Multi-Streaming Output

Nobody said they had to use all six : The Biostar TP45 HP “wastes” two of the ICH10 southbridge’s six PCI Express pathways by providing only two PCI Express x1 slots and two onboard PCI Express devices.

The TP45 HP doesn’t have any eSATA ports, but the closest competitor in this round-up doesn’t either. Competitor ASRock fakes it by putting a pass-through connector on the back. Biostar also leaves off any IEEE-1394 FireWire controller, but many buyers will never use that feature anyway. What really says “cheap” about the port panel is the lack of any digital audio outputs, even though the company provided all six analog audio jacks.

JMicron’s JMB368 provides one Ultra ATA header (supporting two drives) using a PCI Express interface. Ultra ATA doesn’t really require PCI-E speeds, but the wiring is simpler than PCI and the motherboard had lanes to spare.

PCI Express provides twice the needed bandwidth to Realtek’s RTL8111C Gigabit Ethernet controller for optimal performance.

Rated at 97db signal-to-noise ratio, Realtek’s ALC888 provides the TP45 HP motherboard with eight main channels (7.1 surround) and separate stereo headphone channels.

Thomas Soderstrom
Thomas Soderstrom is a Senior Staff Editor at Tom's Hardware US. He tests and reviews cases, cooling, memory and motherboards.
TOPICS
  • nickchalk
    Where are the lower price P45 M/B ?
    Asus P5Q pro is out for €110 and P5Q deluxe for €165 the price difference is about 70$ in Greece.
    Reply
  • nihility
    51 pages... You won't be upset if I read just the last 3 pages right?
    Reply
  • Proximon
    I suppose I can get some good from having read this. Did you get paid by the word? Maybe next time you could just put together a complete features chart so that we can have some convenient comparison? You know, so someone could go to a chart and see at a glance which boards had eSATA or firewire, or 8 USB.

    Reply
  • JPForums
    I'd rather have the overabundance of information than a lack of information. Presentation could use a little refining (I.E. comparison charts and the likes), but having the relevant information available at least is a good thing.
    Reply
  • the introduction and specifics are nice, the comparision isn't. so, why don't you test with an 8500 or qx9650? 6850 are outdated... and a mobo handling a c2d doesn't mean it can handle a quad too, see P5K for example (it stinks when it comes to a q6600).
    Reply
  • Crashman
    procithe introduction and specifics are nice, the comparision isn't. so, why don't you test with an 8500 or qx9650? 6850 are outdated... and a mobo handling a c2d doesn't mean it can handle a quad too, see P5K for example (it stinks when it comes to a q6600).
    Tom's Hardware wants the performance of current articles to reflect that of recent articles, so a "standard test platform" was chosen a while ago. It will get updated, but probably not before the new socket becomes widely available.
    Reply
  • zenmaster
    I would have liked to see something such as a P35 and an X48 as controls to help analyze the P45 Performance.

    In otherwords, What is the P45 Gaining me over the older P35.
    What would I gain by going to the X48. (Or Lose)
    Reply
  • Crashman
    zenmasterI would have liked to see something such as a P35 and an X48 as controls to help analyze the P45 Performance.In otherwords, What is the P45 Gaining me over the older P35.What would I gain by going to the X48. (Or Lose)http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/intel-p45-chipset,1961.html
    Reply
  • johnbilicki
    The first 17 pages were filled with nothing but junk from ASUS. Do us a favor: don't even bother featuring or *MENTIONING* anything for any reason from a company that refuses to RMA 200-400 dollar brand new motherboards with anything other then used and usually broken junk. It destroyed my enthusiasm for the article.
    Reply
  • dobby
    nickchalkWhere are the lower price P45 M/B ?Asus P5Q pro is out for €110 and P5Q deluxe for €165 the price difference is about 70$ in Greece.
    the p5q PRo is a p43 board, i should know i have one
    Reply