This motherboard supports AMD® AM3 multi-core processors with unique L3 cache and delivers better overclocking capabilities with less power consumption. It features dual-channel DDR3 memory support and accelerates data transfer rate up to 5200MT/s via HyperTransport™ 3.0 based system bus. This motherboard also supports AMD® CPUs in the new 45nm manufacturing process.

The ASUS M4A89GTD Pro/USB3 motherboard comes packages in an green colored box with a lot of details on it showing off the new technology and compatible hardware. The first thing you might notice is the Xtreme Design Logo and the Hybrid Logo. The Xtreme Design stands for the board being designed with performance, safety, and reliability as the number one priorities. The Hybrid logo is because the M4A89GTD Pro/USB3 supports both the integrated graphics and discrete graphics cards with CrossFireX and with the right discrete card can also support Hybrid CrossFireX with the integrated video. Some of the other logos on the front show Windows 7 support, AMD CPU support, and the presence of the Memory OK button on the board. Flipping over to the back of the box we get a view of the board along with some more of the features which we will see more later in the review, including the Core Unlocker and Turbo Key II features.

The embedded Radeon HD 4290 on the Northbridge is HDMI 1.3 compliant, so it also supports higher bandwidth and greater color depth for future video standards. The onboard audio for the ASUS M4A89 GTD motherboard is provided by a Realtek ALC892 CODEC. This is a fully High Definition Audio 1.0 compliant CODEC that supports ten DAC channels that can split into 8 Channel Front Panel Audio simultaneous output.

When we flip the board 90 degrees counter clockwise we look at socket AM3, and also see quality Japanese capacitors and good Ferrite core chokes hidden under the massive passive cooler. There’s an 8-pin CPU fan header positioned really well. We like the 8-pin CPU [power header. When overclocking the processor we can easily draw much more current. So that little extra is certainly nice.

The Intel® X58 Express Chipset is one of the most powerful chipset designed to support the Intel® Core™ i7 Processors with LGA1366 package and Intel® next generation system interconnect interface, Intel® QuickPath Interconnect (QPI), providing improved performance by utilizing serial point-to-point links, allowing increased bandwidth and stability. It also supports up to 36 PCI Express 2.0 lanes providing better graphics performance.

Why choose when you can have both?
SLI or CrossFireX? Fret no longer because with the ROG Rampage III Extreme, you’ll be able to run both multi-GPU setups. The board features SLI/CrossFire on Demand technology, supporting up to four graphics cards in a 3-Way SLI or CrossFireX configuration. Whichever path you take, you can be assured of jaw-dropping graphics at a level previously unseen.

Competition in the motherboard space is tough and depending on the segment you are after the market can be extremely small which begs the question, who do you market to? Additionally, how do you go about reaching those people?  One approach is to be extremely vocal and create some very awe inspiring products.  Another option is to simply supply your target demographic with products they can use and let their voices spread the good word.  Asus has done quite well with the less obtrusive approach and while that might be an over simplification of their efforts, it would seem whatever they are doing it has worked quite well.

In this review we are looking at the ultra high end of motherboards from Asus called the Republic of Gamers Rampage III Extreme.  This is an X58 based board designed for the overclocker and hardware enthusiast.  The product also retains many consumer level features allowing you the ability to switch between safe and extreme settings with only a few minor adjustments.

ASUS’ EAH5550 Limited Edition graphics card is currently on offer with a 10% discount coupon on a shiny new Battlefield: Bad Company 2 game, and you’ve got two choices to EAH5500 to choose from: one loaded with a fan cooler and based on a low profile design, and another that’s totally based on a passive cooler. Powered by an ATI Radeon 5550 chip, the card handles most graphics quite smoothly. The user shouldn’t expect high end performance from the card, because it is outside of that price range. But the performance that the EAH5550 delivers is remarkably good, all things considered.

The most prominent feature of the card is the massive heatsink that it sports. This heatsink adds the ‘Silent’ to the card’s name, because it effectively cools the GPU without even a whisper. The added bonus of guaranteed cooling is also a plus – there are no fans that can stop spinning here. Despite the lack of fans, the card is still fairly large, and will take up a considerable amount of room in your PC case. It is, however, smaller than the run-of-the-mill card these days, which will also assist with air-flow in a properly put together PC box.

The EAH5550 sports 1GB of DDR 2 VRAM. This should be more than enough graphic RAM for any of the latest releases (StarCraft 2 requires only half of that as a recommended spec.) The GPU chip is also punchy enough to deliver solid performance. You might not get to set everything to maximum in your favourite game, but chances are you will be able to squeeze a hell of a lot out of this sweetly priced device, particularly if the system it is combined with is good.

Specs and features:

Graphics Engine AMD Radeon HD 5550
Bus Standard PCI Express 2.1
Video Memory DDR2 1GB
Effective Memory Size 1024 MB
Engine Clock 550 MHz
Memory Clock 800 MHz ( 400 MHz DDR2 )
RAMDAC 400 MHz
Memory Interface 128-bit
Resolution D-Sub Max Resolution : 2048×1536
DVI Max Resolution : 2560×1600
Interface D-Sub Output : Yes x 1
DVI Output : Yes x 1 (DVI-I)
HDMI Output : Yes x 1
HDCP Support : Yes
Software ASUS Utilities & Driver
10% off Battlefield coupon
Dimensions 5.19 ” x 4.38 ” Inch

ASUS has two video cards in their GTX 460 line that share the TOP moniker. The first one which we have already evaluated here, the ASUS ENGTX460 TOP 768MB, has a factory boost of only 25MHz on the GPU frequency and a measly 80MHz boost on the memory. The ASUS ENGTX460 TOP 1GB on the other hand has a GPU frequency of 775MHz, a 100MHz over reference specifications. The memory also has a decent boost to 4GHz or 400MHz over reference. The 1GB of memory model also has a larger heatsink which takes advantage of three heat-pipes (vs. two.)

NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 460 1GB-GDDR5 graphics card empowers DirectX-11 video games to deliver unmatched geometric realism at the $200 price point. Based on the same Fermi architecture that powers their high-end GeForce GTX 480 model, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 delivers mid-range performance for gamers on a budget. The ASUS ENGTX460 DirectCU TOP comes armed with NVIDIA’s GF104 Fermi graphics processor, and packs seven Streaming Multiprocessors for a total of 336 CUDA Cores and 56 Texture Units. NVIDIA’s 1GB GTX 460 price tag ($220) fits in nicely between the $200 Radeon HD 5830 and $250 GeForce GTX 465, but could deliver even more performance for the value. On the following pages, Benchmark Reviews demonstrates how well a factory-overclocked GeForce GTX 460 performs against these other DirectX-11 video card products.

PC video games are still the best way to experience realistic effects and immerse yourself in the battle. Gaming consoles do their part, but only high-precision video cards offer the sharp clarity and definition needed to enjoy detailed graphics. Armed with ASUS Voltage Tweak functionality, this particular GeForce GTX 460 delivers a healthy helping of graphical power at an affordable price. The ASUS ENGTX460 DirectCU TOP/2DI/1GD5 model arrives with a factory overclock, but still has plenty of additional headroom for overclockers to drive out hidden FPS performance using the included ASUS SmartDoctor utility. Benchmark Reviews will test the ASUS GeForce GTX 460 TOP against some of the best video cards within the price segment by using several of the most demanding PC video game titles and benchmark software available: Aliens vs Predator, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, BattleForge, Crysis Warhead, Far Cry 2, Resident Evil 5, and Metro 2033.

ASUS has used an elegant theme for the ENGTX460 TOP 1GB. The heat shroud has a complex form fitting shape but is solid blue with the exception of four white racing stripes and the embossed sliver ASUS logo. Underneath the shroud we find that ASUS is using an aluminum heatsink and three 8mm heat-pipes. The memory modules however are not attached to the heatsink or even a heat spreader, disappointing. The heatsink shroud is also not attached to the PCI cover and the fan blows heat out on both ends. Which means the majority of heat coming from the video card will be dumped inside of the case, again disappointing.

The ASUS ENGTX460 TOP 1GB PCB is the standard 8.25″ long however since the heatsink protrudes out it ends up being 9.5″ long. The front of the video card has a mini HDMI connector along with two DVI ports. The tail end of the video card has the two six-pin auxiliary connectors pointed straight up.

Since Asus pioneered the humble netbook around three years ago, its Eee PC range has faced fierce competition from almost every other laptop manufacturer out there. From Packard Bell’s Dot machines to MSI’s Wind series, there’s a mind-exploding variety of netbooks to choose from.

Although most of these mini-machines appear identical on paper, there’s actually considerable difference between many of the models. From the incredible battery life of the Acer Aspire One D260, to the solid build quality of the Dell Inspiron Mini 1018, every netbook we see has its own strengths and highlights.

Even though it has the same internal specs as the Eee PC 1215N (Atom D525 CPU, Ion 2 graphics), the VX6 looks completely different. The glossy white lid emblazoned with the Lamborghini logo reminded us (appropriately) of the hood of an expensive Italian sports car. The sides are emblazoned in a subtle matte, chrome color that tapers against a rubberized matte black shade. Inside, the hinge area is one of the most attractive we’ve seen on a netbook, with chrome hinges and mirrored power and turbo buttons above the keyboard with a script Lamborghini logo sitting in the middle of the mirrored surface.

The touchpad and touchpad button have a sleek, trapezoidal shape and a dark mirrored surface, but we found that this area picked up fingerprint smudges. The webcam also sits against a mirrored, trapezoidal background. The palm rest is made of a matte black, rubberized material that was really comfortable on our wrists and attractive to boot. Even the bottom of the notebook has air vents that look like they belong on an expensive car, rather than a netbook.

Specifications

• 1.83GHz Intel Atom D525 dual-core processor
• 12.1 inch screen
• 1366 x 768 pixel resolution
• NVIDIA ION 2 graphics
• 3 x USB ports
• VGA
• HDMI
• 802.11 WiFi
• Bluetooth 2.1
• SD card slot
• Ethernet
• Multi-touch trackpad
• Windows 7 Home Premium