Seven 650i SLI Motherboards Compared
BIOS And Overclocking
As the P5N32-E SLI Plus approaches the high end in other features it also includes high end overclocking options. Nearly every voltage and clock speed is adjustable to 15%-50% beyond "safe and sane" levels.
| BIOS Frequency and Voltage settings (for overclocking) | |
|---|---|
| FSB Frequency | 100 - 750 MHz (1 MHz) |
| Clock Multiplier Adjustment | Yes |
| DRAM Frequency | 400-2600 MHz Data Rate |
| PCIe Clock | 100-200 MHz (1 MHz) |
| SPP-MCP HT Link Clock | 200 - 210 - 230 - 500 MHz (0.5, 1, 2 MHz) |
| CPU Vcore | 0.83125 - 1.90000 Volts (0.00625 Volts) |
| CPU FSB Voltage | 1.20 - 1.55 Volts (0.05 Volts) |
| Northbridge (SPP) | 1.20 - 2.75 Volts (0.05 Volts) |
| Southbridge (MCP) | 1.50 - 1.85 Volts (0.05 Volts) |
| Chipset Link Voltage | 1.20 - 1.95 Volts (0.05 Volts) |
| DRAM Voltage | 1.850 - 3.425 Volts (0.025 Volts) |
| CAS Latency Range | |
| tCAS: 1-7; tRCD: 1-7; tRP: 1-7; tRAS: 1-31; Command Rate: 1T/2T |
This wide voltage range has allowed some "professional overclockers" to achieve extremely high speeds from the P5N32-E SLI Plus, but at the risk of damaged hardware. It was only able to push this E6700 test processor to 3330 MHz at 1.50V, where many other boards have gotten this CPU to 3460 MHz at the same voltage. A volt meter reading confirmed that the processor voltage was indeed accurate. Trying for a higher bus speed at a lower multiplier would have been the next step, but the board's multiplier adjustment didn't work with this particular processor.
Accessories
| Accessories | |
|---|---|
| Documentation & Software | Motherboard ManualMotherboard Driver CD |
| Hardware | 1x 80-conductor Ultra ATA cable1x Floppy Drive Cable4x SATA Data Cable2x 4-Pin to 2-SATA power adapter cable1x IEEE-1394 FireWire breakout plate1x 2-port USB 2.0 Breakout Plate1x I/O Panel Shield1x SLI Bridge1x Asus Q-Connect connector kit |
The P5N32-E SLI Plus is only two Serial ATA cables shy of providing everything a builder could possibly use. It doesn't include the added software of Asus' less expensive P5N-E SLI, but Asus probably believes upper-midrange users will have their own preferred software solutions.
At approximately $190, the P5N32-E SLI Plus is so close to the $200 mark that Asus might have considered including the eSATA controller in this version and rounding up the price.
Current page: BIOS And Overclocking
Prev Page Asus P5N32-E SLI Plus: Mod Rod Next Page ECS NF650iSLIT-A: Cheap RideGet Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.
