Asus A8R32-MVP: Board Layout

Asus has moved the Dual X16 A8R32-MVP to the Deluxe name. This is
reflected in the upgraded packaging with the upgraded Asus Sleeve and
inner box. The dark gray AI Life package also emphasizes the addition
of Stack Cool 2 for better overclocking and the 3-year Asus warranty.

The Asus A8R-MVP was the first board we reviewed that used the ULi
M1575 south bridge instead of the SB450. That meant full support for 4
SATA2 devices, and fully competitive USB performance with 8 USB 2.0
ports. Asus is continuing the use of the excellent ULi M1575
Southbridge on the A8R32-MVP Deluxe. This looks like a wise move, since
we will not likely see the updated ATI SB600 Southbridge until the
launch of the new AMD AM2 processors.
Since the A8R32-SLI Deluxe is an upgrade to the current A8R-MVP, the
best way to compare the two boards is to take a closer look at what has
changed in the upgrade.


Click to enlarge.
Those who complained that the Asus A8R-MVP was an ugly color will be
glad to see that Asus has moved to an all-black design for the
A8R32-MVP Deluxe. Asus has kept the passive cooling, which is good news
for fans of silent PCs. Beyond that, there are some refinements in the
board layout. The four SATA2 connectors off the ULi M1575 have been
turned to be parallel to the expansion slots - a better arrangement for
long cards - and the 2nd IDE has been moved from board edge to upper
right.
The only other layout change of any significance involves the PCIe
slots. Asus has spread the 2 PCIe slots to a distance of 2 slots
between the two x16 slots. This allows better video card cooling. It
also requires a slight rearrangement of the available slots, but the
total slots - 2 x16 PCIe, 1 x1 PCIe, and 2 PCI - remains the same.
If you look closely, you will see that the RD580 does not need a
supplementary 4-pin Molex connection like the earlier 480, and that
connector has been removed from the A8R32-MVP. We had no problems with
stability of 2 video cards, even with dual X1900XT video cards, so the
extra power connection is not necessary for stable dual video on the
A8R32-MVP.
The rest of the updates to the A8R32-MVP Deluxe are not so obvious at first look.

The 6-channel AD1986A HD audio codec of the A8R has been upgraded on
the A8R32 to the Realtek ALC 882 HD codec. The 8-channel Realtek is a
well-regarded High Definition codec that has performed well in recent
tests. Realtek has been upgrading their HD drivers frequently, and each
new version seems to improve the performance a bit more. You can find
more information on the Realtek ALC882 HD at their site.
The ALC882 has superb specifications, providing five 24-bit stereo DACs
and three 20-bit stereo DACs driving the multimedia features. All DACs
provide sample rates to 192kHz and up to 4 channels of microphone input
are supported. Signal-to-Noise ratio is specified to be greater than
103dB. Realtek features the ALC882 as a premium HD part.

Just above the Northbridge heat sink, you will see another addition to
the A8R32-MVP. In another move to "Deluxe", Asus has added a second
SATA2 controller to the A8R32-MVP. While both boards feature the 4
SATA2 ports provided by the ULi M1575 Southbridge, the A8R32 adds 2
more ports controlled by the well-regarded Silicon Image 3132. This
brings SATA2 ports to 6 on the A8R32-MVP.
Another addition that justifies the Asus move of the A8R32-MVP to the
Deluxe moniker is the addition of a second Gigabit LAN. Where the A8R
has just the slower PCI Gigabit Ethernet, the A8R32 adds a second
full-speed Gigabit LAN on the PCIe bus. This will be an important
addition for some buyers.

The A8R32-MVP provides a full compliment of rear IO connectors,
including both optical and coaxial SPDIF. The new connector to the
right of the SPDIFs is for an external SATA device. Two Firewire ports
are provided, but both are supported by an auxiliary slot bracket
included in the A8R32-MVP package or with header connections to case
Firewire ports.
The refinements to the A8R32-MVP Deluxe layout are subtle, but they
improve on the already excellent design of the A8R-MVP. Asus has a
reputation for paying attention to details in their board layouts, and
they do not disappoint with the A8R32-MVP.

February 17, 2006
February 16, 2006
February 15, 2006