ASUS A8N32 SLI Deluxe - nForce 4 SLI X16 Unleashed

We certainly do evaluate and showcase our fair share of ASUS products here at HotHardware, and it's no great mystery because Asus is also typically one of the first out of the block with a new chipset technology.  The company's new A8N32 SLI Deluxe motherboard is no exception.  NVIDIA's new nForce 4 SLI X16 chipset has been out the door at NVIDIA for months now, but retail boards have yet to appear on the scene.  We've heard ABIT and others may have boards on the horizon, based on this new high-end NVIDIA chipset, but the A8N32 SLI Deluxe was the first to hit our test bench, and it looks like it will be the first to hit retail sometime this week.  NVIDIA has also launched the Intel version of the nForce 4 SLI X16, and we're also working with that board, dubbed the P5N32-SLI Deluxe, right now.

The new NVIDIA nForce 4 SLI X16 chipset takes the same basic feature set of the hugely successful nForce 4 SLI and expands upon its PCI Express lane configuration, offering two full X16 graphics slots for dual graphics SLI configurations.  This adds another 16 lanes to the chipset, as well as 16 additional 2.5G PCI Express SerDes (serializer/de-serializer) interfaces, which in turn adds to chip real-estate and pin count.  As a result, in this incarnation, the nForce 4 SLI X16 has become a discrete two-chip solution for north and southbridge functionality.  We'll give you more on the chipset later; for now let's run down what the ASUS A8N32 SLI Deluxe has to offer.

Specifications & Features - ASUS A8N32 SLI Deluxe NVIDIA's Latest NF4 - More Bandwidth

Processor •_Socket 939 for AMD Athlon 64FX / Athlon 64 /Sempron/Athlon 64 X2 •_AMD Cool 'n' Quiet Technology Memory •_Four 184-pin DIMM sockets •_Support 4 DIMM Dual DDR 400/333/266 non-ECC memory •_Support 4 DIMM up to 4GB Max. Chipset •_NVIDIA NF4 SLI X16 •_1GHz HyperTransport Link •_8GB/sec •_Integrated NV and NV Firewall NVRAID and Silicon Image SATA Controller NVIDIA nForce4 SLI X16 southbridge supports •_2 x Ultra DMA 133 / 100 / 66 / 33 •_4 x Serial ATA 3 Gb/s •_NV RAID: RAID 0, 1, 0+1, 5 and JBOD on Serial ATA drives Silicon Image 3132 SATA controller supports •_1 x Internal Serial ATA 3 Gb/s hard disk •_1 x External Serial ATA hard disk (SATA On-the-Go) •_Supports RAID 0, 1 NV and Marvell GbE LAN •_Dual Gigabit LAN •_Marvell(R) 88E8053 PCI-E Gigabit LAN controller NVIDIA nForce4 SLI X16 Southbridge built-in Gigabit MAC with external Marvell 88E1111 PHY supports: •_NV Firewall •_NV RIS (Remote Installation Service) •_NV ActiveArmor •_AI NET AI Life Features •_Stack Cool 2 •_SATA on the Go (External SATA on back I/O port) Special Features •_ASUS AI Cool-Pipe •_ASUS 8-Phase Power Design •_ASUS Fanless Design •_ASUS AI Overclocking (intelligent CPU frequency tuner) •_ASUS AI NET2 •_ASUS C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall) •_ASUS MyLogo2 •_ASUS Q-Fan2 •_Support two identical SLI-ready graphics cards (both x16 mode) •_ASUS EZ Plug •_ASUS two-slot thermal design •_ASUS Soft SLI Bridge •_ASUS PEG Link for dual PCI Express graphics cards Overclocking Intelligent overclocking tools: •_AI NOS™ (Non-delay Overclocking System) •_AI Overclocking (intelligent CPU frequency tuner) •_ASUS PEG Link - Automatically performance tuning for single/dual graphics cards Precision Tweaker: •_vDIMM: 8-step DRAM voltage control •_vCore: Adjustable CPU voltage at 0.0125V increment SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection) •_FSB tuning from 200MHz up to 400MHz at 1MHz increment •_Memory tuning from 400MHz up to 800MHz •_PCI Express frequency tuning from 100MHz up to 200MHz in 1MHz increments •_Overclocking Protection: •_ASUS C.P.R.(CPU Parameter Recall)

Audio •_Realtek ALC850, AC97 CODEC •_Jack Sensing and Enumeration •_Coaxial/Optical S/PDIF out interface Internal I/O Connectors •_6 x USB 2.0/1.1 •_1 x Floppy disk drive connector •_2 x IDE connector •_5 x SATA connectors •_1 x CPU / 2 x Chassis / 2 x Chipset / 1 x Power Fan connectors •_1 x GAME / MIDI connector •_2 x IEEE1394a connector •_1 x COM connector •_Front panel audio connector •_Chassis Intrusion connector •_CD / AUX audio in •_24-pin ATX Power connector •_4-pin ATX 12V Power connector •_4-pin EZ Plug power connector Expansion Slots •_2 x PCI-E x16 with SLI™ support at full x16, x16 mode •_1 x PCI-E x4 (Support PCI-E x4 or PCI-E x1 card) •_3 x PCI 2.2 Back Panel I/O •_1 x PS/2 Keyboard •_1 x PS/2 Mouse •_1 x Parallel •_1 x S/PDIF Out (Coaxial + Optical) •_1 x External SATA •_2 x RJ45 •_4 x USB 2.0/1.1 •_1 x Wireless LAN antenna jack •_1 x Wireless LAN activity LED •_8-Channel Audio I/O Package •_SLI bridge connector •_UltraDMA 133/100/66 cable •_IDE cable •_FDD cable •_SATA cables •_SATA power cables •_USB2.0 / Game port module •_COM port module •_IEEE1394 port module •_I/O Shield •_InterVideo WinDVD Suite (OEM version) •_User's manual •_Optional Fan (for Water-Cooling or Passive-Cooling only) Drivers •_ASUS PC Probe II •_ASUS Update •_ASUS AI Booster •_NV RIS (Remote Installation Service) application •_NV Firewall •_NV RAID •_Anti-virus software (OEM version) ATX Form Factor, 12"x 9.6" (30.5cm x 24.5cm)

We've also grown accustomed to ASUS delivering nicely appointed bundles with its "Deluxe" and "AI Life" branded boards, and the A8N32 SLI Deluxe's set up is pretty much cut from the same cloth.  There are an abundance of SATA data and power cables to enable various configurations, as well as various USB, Game Port, Firewire, and serial IO back-plate modules.  ASUS bundles WinDVD suite with the board along with the drivers and utilities disk.  In addition, you get an SLI bridge connector, but it looks like ASUS has had to go back to the flexible ribbon cable version with the A8N32 SLI Deluxe. This isn't quite as robust, in terms of staying fastened to the cards, as the rigid PCB version.  Unfortunately there wasn't much of an option here if you wanted to populate either of the two PCI slots in between the board's two PCI Express graphics slots.  Which brings us to another small shortcoming of the A8N32 SLI Deluxe, which we'll discuss shortly.