11-Way P45 Motherboard Shootout

By Thomas Soderstrom
published

EP45-DQ6 Software And Accessories

Gigabyte includes the latest version of its overclocking software EasyTune6, as well as several utilities and trial software with its EP45-DQ6.

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The Tuner menu has sub-menus for Frequency and Voltage which are far more detailed than any competing product we’ve noticed. Bus frequency and core voltage adjustments work, and are reported by CPU-Z.

Because our test system used a Gigabyte graphics card, EasyTune6 treated us with a graphics overclocking page.

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The “Smart” menu allows setting an automatic overclock level, which responds to CPU demand by increasing clock speed dynamically. Cruise took our FSB to 360 MHz and Sports to 372.7 MHz, but higher settings were too much for our CPU without manual voltage increases.

EasyTune6 also monitors temperature and voltage levels, with adjustable fan speeds and customized alerts.

Gigabyte DES is able to turn off voltage regulator phases in response to low-load conditions, working along side Intel EIST to reduce power consumption.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Documentation & SoftwareMotherboard Manual
Hardware Installation Guide
Motherboard Driver DVD
Hardware4x SATA Data Cable
1x 80-conductor Ultra ATA cable
1x Floppy Cable
2x eSATA Breakout Plates (2-port)
2x eSATA to SATA Data Cable
2x 4-pin to eSATA Power Cable
1x IEEE-1394 Breakout Plate (2-ports)
1x I/O Panel Shield

Gigabyte always sends its samples to us early, prior to availability of literature, but we’ve seen a manual and installation guide in vender photos. Other items include four Serial ATA cables and two dual-port eSATA breakout cables with adapter to ease data transfer.

Thomas Soderstrom
Thomas Soderstrom
Thomas Soderstrom is a Senior Staff Editor at Tom's Hardware US. He tests and reviews cases, cooling, memory and motherboards.
55 Comments Comment from the forums
  • 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