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Layout and Features
Both the motherboards are built on the Micro-ATX form
factor, and therefore they are of compact size: ASUS - 244x244 mm, abit
- 244x220 mm.
We had no special complaints about the PCB design of the
board. Both the motherboards offer the integrated Intel's graphic core:
in the ASUS' board it is GMA X3500, and in the abit board - GMA 950.
Besides, the boards allow for using an external video card which is
installed into the PCI Express x16 slot. On the abit LG-95C board,
there are as many as two slots, one of which runs in the PCI Express x4
mode.
The configuration of the remaining ports is as follows:
on the ASUS board, there are two PCI Express x1 slots, and a PCI slot;
on the abit board - two PCI slots.
To cool the north bridge, both the motherboards use only
aluminum radiators without fans. On the ASUS board, there is a really
massive radiator, whereas the engineers at abit have confined with a
small needle-type radiator.
As regards the memory subsystem, ASUS P5E-VM HDMI uses
four 240-pin DIMM slots for DDR2 memory modules, with the overall
supported memory capacity being 8 GB.
The abit motherboard uses only two 240-pin DIMM (DDR2)
slots, with the overall supported memory capacity being 2 GB. The
i945GC chipset supports a dual-channel configuration, but the maximum
memory frequency is 667 MHz.
On ASUS P5E-VM HDMI, there is a south bridge ICH9R. This
chip supports six SerialATA II links, with the option to arrange a
RAID-array of levels 0, 1, 0+1. But to support the ParallelATA, there
is an additional JMB368 controller.
As regards the model abit LG-95C, it uses the ICH7 chip
which provides support for four SerialATA II ports. This chip provides
a native support for one ParallelATA link.
In the end, eight hard disks can be plugged in to the
ASUS board (six SATA II and two PATA), while six hard disks (four SATA
II and two PATA) to the abit board.
Then, the ASUS board supports 12 USB 2.0 ports, six of
which are on the rear panel, with 6 more plugged in with brackets
(missing in the package bundle). On the abit board, there are eight
ports, half of which are on the rear panel, with the other half
requires additional brackets (also missing in the bundle).
Note that ASUS P5E-VM HDMI uses a FireWire controller -
a VT6308P chip made by VIA. This chip supports two Firewire ports: one
integrated, with the other one additional (the bracket is missing in
the bundle).
Both the motherboards implement the High Definition
Audio subsystem, with similar ALC883 chips used as the codec.
Now a few words on the network support: the ASUS board
uses a high-speed network controller (Gigabit Ethernet) Atheros, while
the abit board - a 10/100 Mbit Realtek RTL8100C controller:
The board's rear panel is of the following configuration:
The trait of the rear panel of ASUS P5E-VM HDMI is in
the complete lack of LPT and COM ports. Instead of them, there are VGA-
and HDMI-outputs. The user can plug in a monitor via the DVI, for which
a special adapter is used (available in the package bundle). Besides,
on the panel there is a coaxial SP-DIF-output and a FireWire port. We
also note that the ASUS board supports one COM port via a bracket
(which is missing in the bundle). As regards the abit board, there is
one of COM ports and a LPT port on the rear panel. In all the other
respects, the configuration of the panel on abit board is fully
standard.
Here is a schematical component layout diagram of the
boards:
Now on to the BIOS settings.
BIOS
The BIOS of ASUS P5E-VM HDMI and abit LG-95C is based on
the AMI BIOS version.
Due to the more up-to-date G35 chipset, the ASUS board
offers a greater number of memory frequency multipliers:
But the kit of latency timings available for adjustment
does not depend on the chipset but solely on the board's developer. At
that, the ASUS boards is superior.
Now look at the system monitoring section.
The respective section of the abit board is pretty
scanty. In particular, the board keeps track of the CPU's supply
voltage only. On the other hand, there is nothing to complain about the
ASUS board: the quality of the system monitoring implementation is the
same as that on motherboards of a higher class.
Both the boards support the feature for adjusting the
rotational speed of the CPU cooler depending on the temperature. ASUS
P5E-VM HDMI implements the Q-Fan2 feature:
On abit LG-95C, there is a similar feature - Smart Fan:
Besides, both the boards allow the user to leverage all
the technologies implemented in Intel's latest processors:
The kinship of the BIOS in ASUS P5E-VM HDMI to that of
higher-class boards has directly affected the abundance of features.
For instance, the board offers the OC Profile technology which allows
saving all the BIOS settings into memory and loading them on demand
(two independent profiles are implemented).
The BIOS version can be updated in a number of ways.
First, make use of the AFUDOS (DOS) and ASUS Update (Windows)
utilities, and in the latter case the POST image can be recorded into
the BIOS (for that, there is the MyLogo 3 feature). Secondly, the user
can resort to the EZ Flash 2 utility integrated into the BIOS. The file
with a new firmware can be located not only on a regular 3" floppy but
also on a hard disk or a USB flash drive.
Finally, the board offers support for the CrashFree BIOS
3 (restoring the damaged BIOS firmware with a CD or a flash disk).
The only point where we found a shortcoming is the
Multilanguages BIOS which looks as follows.
Overclocking and stability
Let's look and the power supply modules. ASUS P5E-VM
HDMI implements a 4-phase scheme with ten 560 mkF and three 271 mkF
capacitors. The abit LG-95C uses a 3-phase power scheme, in which there
are three 1800 mkF, four 680 mkF, and two 560 mkF capacitors.
We put it straight off that the abit board almost lacks
any overclocking tools. However, there is a respective section in the
BIOS; it displays the FSB speed but it can't be changed. Also, the
earlier BIOS versions, there used to be a feature for adjusting voltage
on the memory modules. But it has gone in the latest firmware.
As regards the ASUS board, it is all fine about it:
there are all the required overclocking tools in place.
| Board |
ASUS P5E-VM HDMI |
abit LG-95C |
| Multiplier adjustment |
+ |
- |
| FSB adjustment |
within 200 to 800 MHz (1) |
- |
| Vcore adjustment |
within 1.1 to 1.7 V (0.0125 V) |
- |
| Vmem adjustment |
within 1.8 to 2.44 V (0.02 V) |
- |
| Vdd adjustment |
within 1.25 to 1.71 V (0.02 V) |
- |
| Vsb/Vpcix adjustment |
1.05 V, 1.2 V |
- |
| Vtt adjustment |
within 1.2 to 1.5 V (0.02 V) |
- |
| PCI-E adjustment |
within 100 to 150 MHz (1) |
- |
Apart from the main overclocking tools, the ASUS board
offers support for a lot of secondary features, like "Clock
Over-Charging Mode",
"CPU Voltage Damper",
"Reference Voltage" for the CPU, and the north bridge,
as well as the "CPU PLL Voltage" which is meant for
fine-tuning the power supply of quad-core processors.
Now let's look at the practical results of overclocking.
The maximum stable FSB speed in the ASUS board is 466 MHz:
Now a few words on the ASUS NOS (Non-Delay Overclocking
System) mode in which overclocking is available on demand. Simply put,
the raise of FSB speed occurs at the time a resource-hungry application
(e.g., a game) starts up. On closing the application, the system
reverts to the rated frequency.
It allows overclocking the system with AI Suite which
includes tools for overclocking, monitoring, AI Gear, and AI Nap:
Performance tests
While determining the starting FSB speed, it turned out
that the abit board sets it at a very high precision, whereas the ASUS
board overstates it by 1.3 MHz.
In our test setup, we used the following hardware:
Note that we have switched to using the Vista operating
system. On the one hand, that is a call of the times (the year 2008 is
already there) and this OS offers more advanced (as compared to the XP)
tools for administration and control, which is a great advantage for
corporate users. On the other hand, we can't help noting the higher
system requirements of this operating system, which degrades the
already low operating speed of value systems. Nevertheless, developers
of chipsets concentrate their efforts at debugging drivers just for
Vista, to the detriment of XP. In the long run, that will end up in
that XP will be forced out by Vista.
Now, regarding the drivers. The new version of Intel's
graphic drivers has introduced certain changes to the operation of
integrated chipsets, and we have to note some special traits. Above
all, the new drivers have not brought any substantial improvements to
the 945GC chipset. For the G35, we note a higher image quality, as well
as more expanded functionality (Comanche does start up!). But the
higher quality has negatively affected the operating speed, which has
gone down to some extent. However, in the X2 test we can see a
substantial drop of performance. On the other hand, the image quality
is simply fantastic and is not inferior to NVIDIA chipsets (asteroids
on the screen are just asteroids and not dark spots as they used to
be).
As regards the selection of test applications, we plan
to introduce radical changes thereto. However, that does not apply to
the integrated boards whose performance is hardly enough for "ancient"
games. If we run Crysis or Company of Heroes on any integrated graphic
core, we get 100 - 200 frames per hour (not per second).
Let's first take a look at the results of synthetic
benchmarks.
Now on to the gaming benchmarks.
Another test - WinRar (Kb/s.; the more, the better)
We have also conducted a series of tests with an
external video card and found out that the performance in this mode
makes almost no difference from the operating speed of a system based
on P35. That holds true for both ASUS P5E-VM HDMI and abit LG-95C. The
latter is especially unexpected because the abit board is based on the
relatively "old" i945GC.
Final Words
First of all, we note that ASUS P5E-VM HDMI and abit
LG-95C fall within different sectors of the market and do not compete
against one another. It is very easy to determine the purpose of the
abit motherboard: that is a product for undemanding users who are not
into high operating speed (which is equivalent to support for Core 2
Duo processors). This board offers basic expansion options,
nevertheless the board offer a choice: to use integrated graphic core
or install an external video card. At the same time, the unique trait
of abit LG-95C is in two PCI Express x16 slots (you won't be able to
install two modern video cards because the slots are positioned too
close to one another). And perhaps at $60 it is the only option with
such functionality. We also note that this board is absolutely
non-typical for abit – it completely lacks any overclocking
tools.
As regards ASUS P5E-VM HDMI, all is fine with
overclocking in this motherboard. At all the other specifications
(expansion options, support for proprietary technologies), there are
also no complaints but one - the price: the board costs over $175! At
the same time, the full-featured ATX motherboard ASUS P5E-V HDMI (with
two PCI Express x16 slots) of which we talked in the beginning of the
review cost almost as much - $185 («Sunrise-PRO»;
early January, 2008). Needless to say, it is more advantageous to buy
an ASUS P5E-V HDMI because you will make more value for money and,
besides, the drop of prices for MicroATX versions is progressing much
faster.
On the other hand, the small-size ASUS P5E-VM HDMI is
the best solution for building a compact home-based entertainment
center with the option of plugging in two monitors. Using a single
monitor (or a TV-set), the user can watch HDTV-video, while the other
user working at the second monitor. In fact, the small size of the
board is its only advantage. On the other hand, ASUS P5E-V HDMI allows
for a simultaneous use of the integrated video core and an external
video card while plugging in four monitors! According to today's
prices, this motherboard costs merely $10 as cheap.
Now let's sum it all up:
Conclusion
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ASUS P5E-VM HDMI
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abit LG-95C
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Pros:
- high stability and good performance level;
- graphic core Intel GMA X3500 and one PCI
Express x16 slot;
- support for SerialATA II (6 links; ICH9R);
- support for one P-ATA link (JMB363);
- integrated 8-channel audio and Gigabit Ethernet
LAN controller;
- support for USB2.0 (12 ports) and IEEE-1394
(Firewire; 2 ports);
- support for HDMI.
Cons:
The board's specific features:
- well developed overclocking tools + good
results.
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Pros:
- high stability and good performance level;
- graphic core Intel GMA X950;
- two PCI Express x16 slots;
- support for SerialATA II (4 links; ICH7);
- support for one P-ATA link (ICH7R);
- low price!
Cons:
The board's specific features:
- overclocking tools missing.
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