Introduction

The early readiness of the ASUS P6T Deluxe X58 Express motherboard is proof of ASUS' technical prowess. ASUS already has full retail units of this motherboard ready for sale more than a month before the actual launch of the Intel X58 Express chipset and the Intel Core i7 processor. It is a certainty that the ASUS P6T Deluxe will be one of the few motherboards available for sale on launch date.

However, the P6T Deluxe does not look like a rushed job. As it is a pioneer motherboard for a new platform, it is obvious that ASUS went all out to make this motherboard the best one they could design. If they want to make a mark on launch date, they had better deliver their best work and it shows in the P6T Deluxe. Just take a look at the some of the features that this motherboard boasts of!

Intel X58 Express Chipset

The new Intel X58 Express chipset is the first chipset to support the new Intel Core i7 Express and Core i7 processors. It also features the new Intel QuickPath Interconnect that provides a much faster interface between the CPU and the chipset using serial point-to-point links. It also supports up to 36 PCI Express 2.0 lanes.

Triple Channel DDR3 Support

The ASUS P6T Deluxe motherboard supports three channels of DDR3 memory, with official clock speeds of 800 MHz, 1066 MHz and 1333 MHz. It also supports an overclocked speed of 1600 MHz.

SLI Support Too!

The Intel X58 Express chipset comes with native support for ATI's CrossFireX Technology, which allows you to link up to four ATI graphics cards in multi-GPU mode. This is great for those who use ATI graphics cards but bad for those who prefer NVIDIA graphics cards. Fortunately, the ASUS P6T Deluxe also supports NVIDIA's SLI technology. Great news for NVIDIA fans!

Although we initially thought that ASUS used the NVIDIA nForce 200 SLI Processor to provide SLI support in the P6T Deluxe, this is not the case. Instead, ASUS licensed driver support for SLI from NVIDIA. You will need the new Release 180 NVIDIA ForceWare driver to enable SLI on the ASUS P6T Deluxe. Other than that, there's functionally no difference between using the nForce 200 SLI processor or direct driver support.

For more details on SLI support on the ASUS P6T Deluxe, please take a look at the NVIDIA's Big Bang 2 Tech Report.

True 16+2 Phase Power Design

ASUS introduced their true 16+2 phase power design in the P6T Deluxe motherboard. What it really means is the VRM is designed with 16 power phases supplying the CPU with two additional power phases for the DRAM/QPI controller inside the CPU. Combined with the use of low RDS MOSFETs, ferrite core chokes and 100% Japanese conductive polymer capacitors, the 16+2 phase VRM design should ensure a longer lifespan, lower power loss and improved overclockability.

ASUS Express Gate SSD

This is great for those who wish to get online in a rush. The ASUS P6T Deluxe comes with built-in flash memory containing a Linux operating system with utilities like MSN, Skype, Google Talk, QQ and Yahoo! Messenger. It allows you to quickly surf the Internet, check your e-mails or message your friends. It only takes 5 seconds to boot up using the Express Gate SSD and get online!

ASUS EPU 6 Engine

The ASUS EPU 6 is the latest version of their power management utility. It is designed to reduce the total system power by adjusting the voltage and power phases of the CPU as well as the graphics card, memory, chipset, hard drives and even the CPU cooler and system fans.

ASUS Quiet Thermal Solutions

The ASUS P6T Deluxe comes with both the ASUS Stack Cool 2 as well as a passive chipset and VRM cooler. The ASUS Stack Cool 2 is a passive cooling solution based on a special PCB design that is designed to dissipate heat from the back of the motherboard. The P6T Deluxe also sports several passive heatsinks with copper heatpipes that effectively dissipate the heat generated from the hot chipset and VRM areas. Should you require additional cooling performance though, the P6T Deluxe comes with an optional fan that converts the passive cooler into an active one.

ASUS OC Palm

The OC Palm Edition of the ASUS P6T Deluxe motherboard comes with the unique ASUS OC Palm. This is essentially a PDA-like external device that allows you to monitor system temperatures and fan speeds, as well as overclock the motherboard in real-time! It can also be used with Yahoo! Widgets to display notifications on the weather, stock prices, web mail alerts, etc.

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