The ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe Wireless Edition, based on NVIDIA's nForce 590 SLI brings lifestyle and personal computing together. Boasting support for AMD's all-new Socket AM2 processors and up to 8GB dual channel DDR2 800 system memory, this board also features an explosive pair of dual PCI Express x16 slots running at full speed with SLI support to liberate graphics cards from the narrow bandwidth platform of x8 speed only. Other advanced features include 8 Serial ATA ports with RAID support, dual Gigabit LAN controllers and High Definition Audio for cutting-edge audio features.
Innovative ASUS AI Lifestyle features, such as AI Gear, an 8-Phase Power Design, Stack Cool2 and a purpose-built and designed heat-pipe for fanless operation enable the M2N32-SLI Deluxe to deliver ultra-powerful yet ultra-quiet computing. This talented motherboard is bundled with a unique Array Microphone and the WiFi AP Solo function for all the comforts of the digital life. Together with the extreme over-clocking potential, faster graphics performance and higher video quality are all available today, with raw power in reserve for the demanding applications of tomorrow!"
AMD LIVE! ReadyDeveloped for full-featured consumer multimedia desktop and notebook PCs, AMD LIVE! seamlessly connects, stores, distributes, accesses and enables digital media content in multiple rooms throughout the home and even on the go!
NVIDIA nForce 590 SLI ChipsetThe NVIDIA nForce 590 SLI chipsets are engineered for enthusiasts to deliver outstanding gaming experiences with two SLI-based full-bandwidth PCI Express x16 links for unrestricted graphics performance and NVIDIA LinkBoost technology automatically delivering additional GPU and MCP bandwidth. Take advantage of NVIDIA FirstPacket technology to prioritize gaming traffic for reduced ping times. Other advanced features include SATA 3Gb/s RAID, dual Gigabit LAN and High Definition Audio.
Ultimate Gaming Performance with NVIDIA SLI TechnologyNVIDIA SLI (Scalable Link Interface) takes advantage of the increased bandwidth of the PCI Express bus architecture and features intelligent hardware and software enabling a pair of GPUs to deliver earth-shattering, scalable graphics power, approaching twice the performance in certain applications.
8 Phase Power DesignThe ASUS 8-Phase Power Design protects the CPU and power module from the risk of excessively high power stress to greatly extend CPU lifetime and system stability. The highly-efficient design also generates less heat to ensure low ambient temperatures, while the vigorous power pump delivers serious overclocking potential.
WiFi-AP SoloBased on 54 Mbps IEEE 802.11g and backwards compatible with 11 Mbps IEEE 802.11b, the on-board WiFi AP Solo allows a new level of versatility for your PC, enabling it to create a complete wireless home network in either AP or wireless client mode. Users will be able to play LAN games, connect to the Internet, access and share printers, and use Skype from anywhere within range.
ASUS Array MicFeaturing advanced de-reverberation techniques to reduce echo effect on the speech engine, the bundled Superbeam Array Microphone eliminates interference and reverberations, and allows for enhanced experiences in speech-centric applications like Skype, online gaming, and video conferencing.
Pros: You really do get a lot of goodies for the price of this MB; lots of SATA connections, 2 wired LAN, built in wireless LAN with a magnetic based antenna (keep this away from your hard disk), tons of cables, along with a decent software package. I actually would have rated this at 4.5 if there was that option and the only reason I’m not giving it a 5 is because it was so hard to get setup. As with all Asus MB's I've owned (and its a high number), this MB is rock steady. There are tons of connections for Hard Disks and fans.
Cons: This MB left the factory a little premature and working around the BIOS glitches was tiring. At first power up the MB did NOTHING; fans came on but no video, no beeps, nothing; it did the same thing with the video card, memory, and processor removed completely. This was not a bad board, the problem was attributed to the slow rotation speed of a 10CM case fan! This was only found after re-assembling of the computer on a workbench where you need no case fans. Asus tech support gave me an RMA for this problem, which tells me they don’t know either. Next problem I encountered was a POST failure for memory (this happened to a lot of people) and I was using memory certified to work with this board! The fix is to install one module, then manually set the timings and voltage for the memory you are using, then you can install the dual channel module and it will work fine. Corsair has an excellent web site, which contains the BIOS settings used to certify their memory with various MBs.
Overall Review: (continued) Next, the sound was horrible (another complaint of a lot of people). This board actually has very good sound if setup properly, just make sure you have the BIOS setting for “Front Panel Support Type” set to HD Audio, not AC97, then install the latest drivers. There is also a problem with the MBs layout; if you use the PCI-E #1 for your video card then you have a “hot spot” since its located right next to the heat fins from the MB chipset. If you use PCI-E #2 and have a large video card…let’s face it, if you are looking at this MB, you are going to have a big video board…then you can no longer use SATA ports 1 and 2. Yes, Asus does give you right angle SATA cables; they still sit too high to properly seat my video board. Hardware installed was AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+, Corsair DDR2 800 (TWIN2X2048-6400C4), EVGA e-GeForce 7950 GX2, standard 610W power supply.