Test Setup

 Performance Test Configuration
Processor(s): AMD Athlon 64 4000+ (2.4GHz) Socket 939
RAM: 2 x 512MB OCZ PC3200 Platinum Rev. 2*
(Equivalent to current OCZ OC4800)
Hard Drive(s): Seagate 120GB 7200 RPM SATA (8MB Buffer)
Video AGP & IDE Bus Master Drivers: NVIDIA 6.82 Platform
NVIDIA 6.70/6.66 Platform
ATI Catalyst Platform 5.10
Video Cards: MSI NVIDIA 7800GTX
NVIDIA 6800 Ultra
ATI X850XT Crossfire
Video Drivers: NVIDIA 81.85 Release
ATI Catalyst 5.10
NVIDIA nForce 78.01
Operating System(s): Windows XP Professional SP2
Direct X 9.0c
Motherboards: Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe
DFI LANParty UT RDX200 (ATI RD480)
ATI Crossfire AMD Reference Board
SiS 756 Reference Board
ASRock 939Dual-SATA2 (ULi M1695/1567)
Sapphire A9RX480 (ATI)
Jetway 939GT4-SLI-G (nForce4)
ULi AP9567A (M1695/M1567)
DFI LANParty nF4 SLI-DR (nForce4)
DFI LANParty UT nF4 Ultra-D (nForce4)
MSI K8N Neo4/SLI Platinum (nForce4)
*Samsung TCCD from OCZ and other Memory manufacturers is currently binned into several speed grades. Our test memory would be equivalent to current OCZ PC4800.

Tests used OCZ PC3200 Platinum Rev. 2 (current equivalent OCZ PC4800) which uses Samsung TCCD chips. All memory ran at 2-2-2-7 timing in all benchmarks.

We tested the Asus A8N32-SLI using both single and SLI MSI NVIDIA 7800GTX with NVIDIA video driver 81.85. Once we discovered the improved performance, we also ran a full retest of graphics and gaming benchmarks on the DFI LANParty nF4 SLI-DR for comparison. Resolutions in standard benchmarks were 1280x1024x32 unless otherwise noted. Some standard tests like 3DMarks and Aquamark set standard tests automatically to 1024x768 to force a consistent comparison. Gaming benchmarks were run at 1600x1200 with 4x Anti-Aliasing and 8x Anisotropic Filtering enabled wherever possible. SLI game benchmarks were also run with 4xAA and 8xAF where possible.

Results for the Asus A8N32-SLI are in red, while results for the retest of the DFI LANParty nF4 SLI-DR are color-coded orange. Results for the other boards are in blue. Other board tests used the 6800 Ultra for testing unless otherwise noted and are included for reference.

We added Quake 4, F.E.A.R., and Splinter Cell - Chaos Theory to game benchmarks in this review. Asus targets the A8N32-SLI at the gamer, and these recent games should provide a better picture of the Asus performance in the latest games. We will be adding Battlefield 2 and Call of Duty 2 benchmarks in future reviews. The benchmarks that we have been testing for these two games are not completely reliable for both single-video and SLI testing, so they were not usable in a review that compares SLI performance. As we find solutions to these issues, we will benchmark with these new games.

Memory Stress Testing General Performance
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  • GliderPilot - Monday, January 9, 2006 - link

    Well i have finally gotten my replacement board, and again i have a major issue with it. It seems that in some fit of wisdom, one of asus's underpaid engineers placed a heatpipe right in the way of the x4 PCIe slot. You might not have a use for them, but i certainly do. I have a PowerColor Theatre 550Pro x1 TV Tuner that is right now occupying an x16 slot. While i dont intend to do SLI, i would dearly like to have dual tuners without having to have one on pci, the other on PCIe
  • wbloon - Sunday, December 18, 2005 - link

    I'm not a big gamer. But I currently drive 2 monitors and with the new system want to drive at least 3 monitors and possibly a TV.

    So my question is can I drive two video boards but not in SLI mode, since it is my understanding that SLI will only drive one monitor.

    I understand that I could get away with a board like the DFI Ultra and have 16 lanes to one card and 4 lanes to another and that would probably meet my needs but I'd like stretch the envelope where ever possible because the future keeps coming despite my best efforts.

    Terry Clark
  • GliderPilot - Monday, January 9, 2006 - link

    unless you are gaming on both cards (which probably wont) having 4 lanes is more than sufficient. The bandwidth would be comparable to AGP4 in the downstream. This solution is about as future proof as it gets. To answer your question, yes this board basically has 2 full bandwidth X16 slots, what you do with them is up to you. Buying this board soley for the extra 16 lanes is really a waste of money, unless there is some other reason you like it
  • BibbidyBobidyBoo - Wednesday, December 7, 2005 - link

    I recently purchased this motherboard and an Antec NeoHe 550W PS and the combo worked great for about 5 to 10 min and then the computer spontaneously shuts down. The issue is with the PS not the MB. The Antec TruePowerII 550W PS works just fine. I believe the incompatibility is from the amount of current supplied on the 12V and 5V lines, it may match the ATX2.2 spec however it is not completely backwards compatible with this Asus MB.

    Beware this issue has also been noted on other Asus MB’s.

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/CustratingReview.asp...">Newegg Customer Reviews">http://www.newegg.com/Product/CustratingReview.asp...

  • JNo - Thursday, November 10, 2005 - link

    Can someone confirm to me that no single x16 video slot version of this Asus motherboard exists? I get the impression that none does. Also, anyone know if the latest zalman CPU coolers fit? Finally, I know most here wouldn't care for the Asus automatic overclocking results but for someone like me, can you please inform me, Wesley, as to how much of a boost does the inbuilt Asus overclocking facility provide please?
    Many thanks
  • Capt Caveman - Monday, November 14, 2005 - link

    Umm, this new chipset is for SLI, thus the chipset name x16 SLI. The pci-e video slot is already x16 on every single video slot socket 939 pci-e motherboard. Up til now, SLI motherboards had to split the x16 into two x8 pci-e graphic slots. Thus, you will never see a single slot video care motherboard using this chipset.

    And yes, it has been confirmed by current users that the Zalman coolers fit.

    Due to the fact that Asus's Overclocking Utilities lack a number of settings that are available in the bios, ie. memory settings, you'll only be able to get a small overclock before the system becomes instable. Overclocking via the bios is the only way to go to ensure a stable overclock.
  • qquizz - Sunday, November 6, 2005 - link

    Whatever happened to BF2 benchies?
  • huges84 - Monday, November 7, 2005 - link

    quote:

    We will be adding Battlefield 2 and Call of Duty 2 benchmarks in future reviews. The benchmarks that we have been testing for these two games are not completely reliable for both single-video and SLI testing, so they were not usable in a review that compares SLI performance. As we find solutions to these issues, we will benchmark with these new games.


    Quoted from page 7
  • DieLate - Sunday, November 6, 2005 - link

    Wesley, any chance of a measurement of northbridge & "stack cool" heatsinks? If you or someone else with one could measure how high off the motherboard they rise, that would be great.

    I'm hoping the Thermaltake Big Typhoon or Thermalright SI-120 would fit, as they have somewhere around 2" raised off the board (though the heatpipes might still hit the northbridge heatsink :( ).
  • DieLate - Tuesday, November 8, 2005 - link

    Nevermind.
    I have confirmed elsewhere the TT BT fits without any issues.

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