Motherboard ASUS A88XM- A As the name implies, it is based on the flagship AMD A88X chipset, with the key features of which we have already introduced you earlier. Due to the compact microATX format, as well as good equipment, in theory, this new product is perfect for assembling small-sized entry and middle-level home systems with AMD Kaveri series processors or with solutions from the AMD Trinity / Richland line. Separately, we note that its indisputable advantages include its quite affordable cost, which at the time of writing the review is an average of $ 70.
Since you can familiarize yourself with all the key features of the set of system logic and supported processors using the links above, we suggest going directly to the review of the motherboard, having studied in more detail all its advantages and disadvantages, if any.
See all prices for Asus + A88XM-APackaging and equipment
The processor is powered by a 3 + 2-phase scheme for computing cores and additional nodes. The converter itself is based on the ASP1206 digital PWM controller with a built-in DIGI + power management subsystem. All components of the processor power supply are highly reliable: Japanese solid-state capacitors and ferrite core chokes are used. The main 24-pin and additional 4-pin connectors are provided for the supply voltage.
Multi I / O capabilities are implemented using the ITE IT8603E chip, which controls the system fans, COM and PS / 2 ports, and provides monitoring.
In line with the 5X PROTECTION concept, ASUS A88XM-A's interface panel is made of high quality stainless steel with a chromium oxide coating, which makes it more durable. It includes the following ports:
- 1 x HDMI;
- 1 x DVI-D;
- 1 x D-Sub;
- 2 x PS / 2 for connecting a mouse and keyboard;
- 1 x LAN (RJ45);
- 2 x USB 3.0;
- 2 x USB 2.0;
- 3 x audio ports.
Such a layout of the interface panel can be safely called quite worthy for affordable solutions: there is not only a good set of video outputs, but also modern USB 3.0 ports. Additionally, we note the support for connecting peripherals with a PS / 2 connector, as well as the ability to bring the COM port to the PC interface panel using the corresponding connector on printed circuit board... As features, we note not the most convenient connection of multichannel speakers, as well as our desire to see more USB ports.
The possibilities of organizing cooling inside the system case of ASUS A88XM-A are quite standard. There are two 4-pin fan headers, one for cooling the CPU while the other is for the system turntable.
UEFI BIOS
ASUS A88XM-A motherboard uses a state-of-the-art UEFI GUI preloader that can be configured with a mouse. The UEFI BIOS home screen displays CPU temperature and voltage monitoring. Also in this section you can see the BIOS version, processor model and the amount of installed RAM.
All settings related to overclocking of the system are located in the "Ai Tweaker" tab.
The memory frequency multiplier allows you to set the speed of the connected modules in the range from 800 to 2400 MHz.
You can also access the memory latency adjustments as needed.
To increase stability during overclocking, the DIGI + digital power subsystem control settings can be used.
The settings required for overclocking and optimizing the system are summarized in the table:
|
Parameter |
Menu name |
Range |
|
|
System bus frequency |
|||
|
Chipset frequency |
|||
|
CPU multiplier |
|||
|
CPU Voltage Frequency |
|||
|
RAM frequency |
System Memory Multiplier |
||
|
RAM timings |
CAS Latency, RAS to CAS Delay, RAS Pre Time, RAS ACT Time, COMMAND Mode, Row Cycle Time, READ to PRE Time, RAS to RAS Delay, WRITE to READ Delay, CAS Write Latency, WRITE Recovery Time, FOUR ACT WIN Time , REF Cycle Time |
||
|
Permissible deviation from the set voltage on the processor |
CPU Offset Voltage |
0,00625 - 0,50000 |
|
|
VDDNB Offset Voltage |
0,35000 - 0,50000 |
||
|
Voltage on RAM modules |
1,35000 - 1,65000 |
||
|
Chipset voltage |
1,10000 - 1,22000 |
The "Monitor" section provides access to monitoring the temperature of the processor and chipset, as well as the rotational speed of the installed fans. Additionally, in this section, you can monitor the voltage on the processor core and on the + 12V, + 5V and + 3.3V power lines.
Unfortunately, the ability to monitor the voltage supply of memory modules is not implemented.
Separately, it is worth noting the ability to take screenshots in the BIOS and support for the Russian language.
Overclocking capabilities
In manual mode, by simply increasing the multiplier, we managed to achieve stable operation of the system at an AMD A10-5800K APU frequency of 4500 MHz and a voltage of 1.464 V, which is a good result for a high-quality motherboard.
Despite the declared support for the 2400 MHz frequency, even with the manual adjustment of the timings, the speed of the RAM modules was only increased to 2133 MHz. Perhaps this is due to the use of APUs of the AMD Trinity line, because the RAM controller in the solutions of the AMD Kaveri series has been significantly improved.
Testing
To test the capabilities of the mother ASUS boards A88XM-A used the following equipment:
|
Scythe Mugen 3 Rev. B PCGH Edition |
||
|
RAM |
2 x 4 GB DDR3-2400 TwinMOS TwiSTER 9DHCGN4B-HAWP |
|
|
Video card |
AMD Radeon HD 7660D |
|
|
Video capture device |
AVerMedia Live Gamer Portable |
|
|
HDD |
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST3500418AS 500GB SATA-300 NCQ |
|
|
Optical drive |
ASUS DRW-1814BLT SATA |
|
|
Power Supply |
Seasonic X-560 Gold (SS-560KM Active PFC) |
|
|
CODEGEN M603 MidiTower (2x 120 mm blowing / blowing fans) |
||
Test results
During ASUS testing The A88XM-A performed on par with the competition. Based on the results obtained, we can conclude about the high-quality performance of the board, the selection of effective components and good optimization of the BIOS settings.
Testing the audio path based on the Realtek ALC887 codec
RightMark Audio Analyzer Test Report
16-bit, 44.1 kHz
|
Noise level, dB (A) |
||
|
Dynamic range, dB (A) |
||
|
Harmonic distortion,% |
Very good |
|
|
Very good |
||
|
Very good |
||
|
Intermodulation at 10 kHz,% |
Very good |
|
|
Overall score |
Very good |
Operating mode 24-bit, 192 kHz
|
Frequency response (in the range 40 Hz - 15 kHz), dB |
||
|
Noise level, dB (A) |
Very good |
|
|
Dynamic range, dB (A) |
Very good |
|
|
Harmonic distortion,% |
Very good |
|
|
Harmonic distortion + noise, dB (A) |
||
|
Intermodulation distortion + noise,% |
Very good |
|
|
Interpenetration of channels, dB |
||
|
Intermodulation at 10 kHz,% |
Very good |
|
|
Overall score |
Very good |
The capabilities of the pre-installed audio subsystem based on the Realtek ALC887 audio codec will be quite enough for everyday use, due to the high sound quality. If you want to install a discrete sound card, then remember that if you have a video card with a dual-slot cooling system, you can only use the PCI slot.
conclusions
Summing up our acquaintance with the motherboard ASUS A88XM- A, a well-balanced solution with an affordable cost of about $ 70, it can be noted that it is quite capable of competing for the attention of buyers. Such a conclusion is quite easy to justify the presence of a large number of SATA 6 Gb / s ports, support for modern USB interface 3.0, compliance with the 5X PROTECTION concept, good capabilities for manual overclocking of the processor, as well as an overall high quality performance and support for a number of proprietary technologies and utilities.
However, it is quite obvious that the affordable cost almost always goes in parallel with a number of disadvantages and features. And if the first ones were not noticed in this case, then as the second ones it is worth highlighting the inconvenient connection of multichannel acoustics, the absence of holes for fastening screws on the right side of the motherboard, as well as the availability of only one PCI slot in the case of installing a two-slot video card.
As a result, the ASUS A88XM-A motherboard can be safely recommended for purchase due to its excellent price-to-equipment ratio, which is complemented by the absence of critical flaws. In our opinion, the most demanded this model may be in the segment of inexpensive multimedia centers and home PCs with one video card.
Advantages:
- reliable 5-phase digital power supply of the DIGI + VRM processor;
- improved hardware components and compliance with the 5X PROTECTION concept for more reliable and stable operation of the motherboard;
- support for a large number of SATA 6 Gb / s ports;
- support for AMD Eyefinity and AMD Dual Graphics technologies;
- support for a number of useful proprietary technologies and utilities (AI Suite 3, Ai Charger, Network iControl, USB 3.0 Boost, Disk Unlocker, Fan Xpert and others);
- good overclocking potential;
- affordable cost.
Peculiarities:
- lack of mounting holes in the corners of the right side of the printed circuit board;
| Subscribe to our channels | |||||
Low-cost solution with support for legacy interfaces
More recently, while studying the Asus Crossblade Ranger motherboard, we wrote that the most interesting from a practical point of view models for the AMD FM2 + platform are compact motherboards of the lower price level, which allow to fully realize such characteristic advantages as low price and the ability to create compact, but sufficiently productive (up to gaming use) computer systems. Our today's heroine illustrates this approach to the maximum extent: this is one of the cheapest motherboards (both by MSI and among other manufacturers), nevertheless based on a top-end chipset for the line. Of course, everything that could raise the price went “under the knife” in this case, but is it worth regretting? In other words, what is the current lower level? Let's try to get to know him.
Configuration and features of the board
A summary table of the characteristics of the MSI A88XM-E35 board is given below, and further in the text we will consider all its features and functionality.
| Supported processors | Trinity, Richland, Kavery |
| CPU socket | |
| Chipset | |
| Memory | 2 × DDR3 (up to 32GB) |
| Audio subsystem | |
| Network Controller | Realtek RTL8111G |
| Expansion slots | 1 × PCIe 3.0 / 2.0 x16 (version depends on processor model) |
| SATA connectors | 6 × SATA 6Gb / s |
| USB ports | 4 × USB 3.0 |
| Rear panel connectors | 1 × HDMI |
| Internal connectors | 24-pin ATX power connector |
| Form Factor | microATX (226 × 216 mm) |
| average price | |
| Retail offers | L-10564640-10 |
Form Factor
 |
The MSI A88XM-E35 is made in a "narrowed" microATX form factor (226 × 216 mm) and can be installed in a case that supports boards with a microATX form factor or larger. There are six standard holes for mounting the board, and the "front" edge will hang freely (this is a common problem with narrow boards).
Chipset and processor socket
MSI A88XM-E35 is based on AMD's top-end A88X chipset, which differs from the earlier A85X only in support for Kaveri processors. Actually, errors in FCH made the company move from FM2 to FM2 +, and the updated platform supports both new processors and any models of previous families for FM2.
Memory
The board provides two DIMM slots for installing memory modules, which allows installing only one DDR3 module for each of the two memory channels with a maximum capacity of up to 32 GB (after the corresponding modules appear on sale). However, taking into account the budget of the board and platform, you can expect nothing - in most configurations of the entry-level, only 8 GB of memory is still used, which is easily obtained by installing two 4 GB modules of the "running size". The issue with frequencies is more complicated: only DDR3-1866 is officially supported, and 2133 MHz is formally achieved only with overclocking, although this frequency is standard for several AMD processor models. It should be noted that with such a memory frequency, we did not have any problems when using a variety of modules, while on the Asus Crossblade Ranger, despite much more serious promises from the manufacturer, it was not possible to pick up at least one pair of modules, stably operating at 2133 MHz. In general, the simpler, the more reliable :)
Note also that the board supports memory with XMP profiles, but it is almost impossible to extract anything useful from this: firstly, the list of supported frequencies is limited (and 2133 has long become a standard value for many modern modules, and XMP is not here. needed), and secondly, there is no flexible regulation of the voltage supply of the memory modules, so the operable value will most likely have to be selected manually and "with a margin", and there is no point in contacting the "automatics".
Expansion slots
As we have already mentioned more than once, the rich expansion options are unlikely to be in demand by users of this platform - a fairly good (relatively) built-in video core is already in the AMD APU, and other expansion cards are found less and less in mainstream computers. However, there is a chance that they will be needed. And the combination of Athlon X4 (without a video core) and a mid-level video card is also quite justified, so MSI installed three different expansion slots on the board: PCIe x16 (2.0 or 3.0 depending on the processor used), PCIe 2.0 x1 and regular PCI ...
Video connectors
To connect monitors and other display devices on the rear panel of the board there are HDMI 1.4 ports (maximum resolution 4096 × [email protected] Hz or 1920 × [email protected] Hz), DVI-D (Dual Link - up to 2560 × [email protected] Hz) and VGA (D-Sub).
SATA ports
To connect storage devices or optical drives, the board provides six SATA 6 Gb / s ports, which are based on a controller integrated into the chipset. Naturally, all six support the ability to create RAID arrays of levels 0, 1, 5, 10, but the question is about the total number of ports: after all, the chipset supports eight, not six. However, this question can be easily resolved if we take into account that on the same PCB the company also produces the A78M-E35 board based on the A78 chipset, which supports just six SATA ports. What else makes these chipsets different? Official support for splitting processor lines into PCIe slots, which is still not used on this board. Thus, from the point of view of consumer characteristics, the A88XM-E35 and A78M-E35 are identical, and if the second one suddenly turns out to be cheaper, then you should do so.
USB connectors, serial and parallel ports
The board provides four USB 3.0 ports and eight USB 2.0 ports to connect all kinds of peripheral devices, which is entirely within the capabilities of the chipset. As expected in this situation, exactly half of the ports (2 + 4, respectively) are routed to the rear panel, and the rest are available in the form of combs on the PCB.
An interesting feature of the board, which may well please owners of outdated peripherals, is the presence of internal COM and LPT ports. Unfortunately, the kit does not include a bar for bringing them out, but in general it costs a penny and may already be available. By the way, the board is equipped with not one, but two PS / 2 ports, which allows you to connect both a mouse and a keyboard with such an interface. In general, in aggregate, we get a good option, at least for repairing an old computer, to which all outdated peripherals are connected, which it is a pity to throw out - only Parallel ATA support is lacking :)
Network interface
To connect to a local network segment, the board implements a gigabit network interface based on the Realtek RTL8111G controller, which is practically the de facto standard for inexpensive motherboards.
Supply system
Like most low-cost boards, this one has 24-pin and 4-pin connectors for connecting a power supply. The processor voltage regulator on the board is five-channel (three channels for powering the computational and graphics cores of the processor and two for the built-in north bridge). All components are inexpensive, but, nevertheless, MSI does not forget to mention the use of solid capacitors, black coils and other "Military Class", which has become commonplace.
Cooling system
As you might expect, the company limited itself to only a small heatsink on the chipset, and even that one performs rather decorative functions. But apart from the chipset, nothing is cooled at all.
As for the connectors for connecting fans, there are three of them, which is somewhat more than typical for motherboards of this class. However, it should be borne in mind that, firstly, the third connector is not only not controllable, but even viewing the number of revolutions is not provided for it. Second, the CPU fan connector does not support 3-pin fan control. However, processor coolers now cost a penny, and we have no reason to assume that a fan of rare hundred-dollar COs will be eager to install one on an inexpensive motherboard.
Audio subsystem
Again, as you might expect, analog audio support is implemented on the “just to be” principle: the old codec Realtek ALC887 is used, which was not the standard of sound quality “during its lifetime”. Formally, it supports 7.1 acoustics, but due to the presence of only three audio connectors on the rear panel, it can be connected only with the simultaneous use of both of them and the front outputs of the case. However, it seems to us that it is common for systems of this level to use a pair inexpensive speakers, and nothing more, but if suddenly someone needs acoustics high class, HDMI has long been successfully used to connect it.
Total
So what about MSI's budget solution? This is an absolute minimum, yes, but on the whole ... In general, this is a sufficient minimum, not without some frills :) In any case, the board completely covers the needs of buyers of budget computers, while leaving some freedom for further modernization. You won't be able to get the performance of top-end processors, but this is a general limitation of the platform itself. But attempts to save a little more are already able to force you to abandon, for example, a full set of video outputs or even switch to much more "squeezed" systems, such as AM1 (which, by the way, will not necessarily save money when assessing the cost of the entire system). It is clear that some buyers find it difficult to step on the throat of their own song and refuse beautiful and shiny heat pipes, multi-colored radiators, "advanced" network controllers and top audio codecs (however, part of the list is not entirely useless), but they just need to buy another board. For example, the same MSI sells the A88XM Gaming model only twice as expensive as the A88XM-E35 - the price of all these improvements in bulk. But if you save on them, the difference will be enough, for example, to buy the A8-7600 instead of the A4-7300 - it seems to us that extended comments are not required here :)
And the second potential area of application, where the board will have to be very appropriate, was mentioned above - the use of equipment with outdated interfaces. The board is equipped with the latter quite generously: there are PCI, a pair of PS / 2 ports, and even serial and parallel ports. At the same time, high performance of the platform in these segments is also, as a rule, not needed, but the price of the solution - very much - if it were not so, it would be possible to replace "antiques" with something more modern, or with a clear conscience to spend money on, for example , multi-card with PCIe interface. But there is such a map as a third of our today's heroine, which also does not need detailed comments.
The board was provided for testing by the manufacturer.
Earlier, we presented a review of the budget Gigabyte GA-F2A78M-DS2 motherboard priced at $ 70 for socket FM2 +. Today we offer you to familiarize yourself with a high-quality motherboard from ASUS, which is also released for AMD processors of the Kaveri, Trinity and Richland series, but costs $ 20 more. The price is not the only difference between this board and the previously presented competitor. ASUS A88XM-PLUS received many advantages, namely: the presence of SATA 6 Gb / s ports, a PCI Express x16 expansion slot, the ability to install new AMD processors and use AMD CrossFireX technology.
Motherboard specifications
According to the manufacturer's official data, the specifications of the ASUS A88XM-PLUS motherboard are as follows:
| Manufacturer | ASUS | |
| Official manufacturer page | A88XM-PLUS (rev 1.03) | |
| Chipset | AMD A88X (Bolton D4) | |
| CPU socket | Socket FM2 + | |
| Supported processors | AMD A / AMD Athlon | |
| Memory frequency | 2400 * / 2250 * / 2200 * / 2133/1866/1600/1333 MHz (* OC) | |
| Memory support | 4 x DDR3 DIMM slots supporting up to 64GB memory | |
| Expansion slots | 1 x PCI Express 3.0 x16 | x16 |
| 1 x PCI Express 2.0 x16 | x16 + x4 | |
| 1 x PCI Express 2.0 x1 | ||
| 1 x PCI | ||
| Disk subsystem | AMD A88X Chipset Supports: | |
| 8 x SATA 6Gb / s | ||
| RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, JBOD | ||
| LAN | 1 x Realtek 8111G (10/100/1000 Mb / s) | |
| Sound subsystem | Realtek ALC887 Codec | |
| 2/4 / 5.1 / 7.1-channel audio | ||
| S / PDIF Out | ||
| Nutrition | 1 x 24-pin ATX power connector | |
| 1 x 4-pin ATX12V power connector | ||
| Fans | 1 x CPU fan connector (4-pin) | |
| 2 x system fan connectors (4-pin) | ||
| Cooling | Chipset aluminum heatsink | |
| Aluminum radiator on the elements of the power subsystem | ||
| External I / O ports | 1 x HDMI | |
| 1 x DVI-D | ||
| 1 x D-Sub | ||
| 1 x LAN (RJ45) | ||
| 2 x USB 3.0 | ||
| 4 x USB 2.0 | ||
| 3 x audio ports | ||
| 2 x PS / 2 (for connecting a mouse and keyboard) | ||
| Internal I / O ports | 1 x USB 3.0 with support for two USB 3.0 connections (19-pin) | |
| 3 x USB 2.0, each supporting two USB 2.0 connections | ||
| 8 x SATA 6Gb / s | ||
| 1 x COM connector | ||
| 1 x LPT connector | ||
| 1 x TPM connector | ||
| 1 x front panel audio connector | ||
| 1 x S / PDIF out | ||
| 1 x Front Panel Connector Block | ||
| 1 x CMOS Clear Jumper | ||
| 1 x MemOK Button! | ||
| 1 x GPU Boost Switch | ||
| BIOS | 64 MB Flash ROM UEFI AMI BIOS | |
| PnP, ACPI 4.0a, SM BIOS 2.6, DMI 2.0, WfM 2.0 | ||
| Equipment | user guide | |
| warranty brochure | ||
| CD with drivers and utilities | ||
| 2 x SATA cables | ||
| 1 x interface panel cover | ||
| Form factor, | microATX, 9.6 inch x 9.2 inch (24.4 cm x 23.4 cm) | |
| Supported OS | Windows 7 32bit / 64bit Windows® 8.1 32bit / 64bit Windows® 8 32bit / 64bit Windows XP 32bit |
|
| Dimensions (edit) | 244 x 234 mm | |
| Price | 90$ | |
Packaging, design and internal layout
Motherboard ASUS A88XM-PLUS is shipped in a thick black cardboard box, on the main side of which the name of the device, manufacturer, chipset and type of supported GPUs... The emphasis is also placed on the new production concept of 5X Protection, which includes 5 protective mechanisms, namely:
- Special fuses against overcurrent, short circuits and overvoltage.
- Digital PWM controllers that are used in accordance with the DIGI + VRM concept.
- Japanese solid-state capacitors that can operate up to 5 thousand hours at temperatures up to 105 degrees Celsius.
- Reinforced interface panel, which is made of stainless steel and coated with chromium oxide. Such material does not oxidize, does not rust and lasts 3 times longer than usual.
- New ESD protection function.
On the reverse side there is a brief technical characteristics of the motherboard in the form of a diagram, as well as a list of supported technologies. Among the latter, the emphasis is on AI Suite III, Fan Xpert, Network iControl, USB 3.0 Boost.
The set with the motherboard itself includes:
- Instructions for installation and operation of the device;
- Disk with drivers and proprietary software;
- Two SATA 6 Gb / s cables;
- Scheme for assembling the board and connecting components;
- A cover for the back panel.
The appearance of the device is as follows. Motherboard ASUS A88XM-PLUS is made of dark brown PCB with bright yellow elements, which is typical for the corporate identity of ASUS.
The set of elements of this board is standard. However, the location of the TPM connector, which the manufacturer placed above the expansion slots, deserves attention. Also, the location of the connector for the external panel with USB 3.0 ports has been changed. It is now located on the lower right side of the board. Separately, it is worth highlighting the lack of connectors for mounting the motherboard on the right side. Given this nuance, it is necessary to approach the installation of the device with extreme caution so as not to break anything. There are 4 DIMM slots for installing RAM brackets for DDR3. The total amount of RAM can be 64 GB.
There are no electronic components on the back of the board. Note the presence of a powerful reinforcing plate, which is designed for mounting the processor and cooling system.
The card's possibilities for organizing the graphics subsystem are quite wide. The board has a PCI Express 3.0x16 slot, as well as PCI Express 2.0 x16 and PCI Express 2.0 x4. Also here, on the bottom of the board, there are elements such as:
- Front panel audio jacks;
- Front panel connection block;
- COM and LPT ports;
- Three USB 2.0 ports and one USB 3.0.
The storage subsystem is organized by SATA 6 Gb / s ports. Their location is as follows:
- 3 ports are perpendicular;
- 5 ports are arranged horizontally.
For RAM, this motherboard has four DIMM slots for DDR3 modules. All slots have latches on both sides. Installation of RAM is carried out according to the principle: 1-3rd slot or 2-4th. For ease of installation, pairs of slots are marked with different colors. Such a board will be able to support 64 GB of memory. However, in fact, the maximum volume will not exceed 32 GB, since there are no bars with a capacity higher than 8 GB.
It is worth noting a useful novelty - the Memory OK button, which allows you to select the necessary parameters for the slats.
The cooling system consists of two parts:
- Aluminum heatsink for heat dissipation from the chipset;
- Aluminum radiator for cooling the elements of the power subsystem.
The processor is powered according to the 4 + 2-phase scheme for computing cores and additional nodes. The converter is based on the ASP1106 DIGI + VRM PWM controller. Also, the power system includes high-quality solid-state capacitors and chokes with a ferrite core. The voltage is supplied via 24- and 4-pin connectors.
Multi I / O capabilities are realized thanks to the Nuvoton NCT6791D chip. It controls the operation of fans, COM, LPT and PS / 2 ports, and is also responsible for monitoring.
The audio subsystem is implemented by the 8-channel HDA codec Realtek ALC887. This codec supports 2/4 / 5.1 / 7.1 audio systems.
In accordance with the 5X PROTECTION concept, the following connectors are located on the stainless steel interface panel:
- 1 x DVI-D;
- 1 x D-Sub;
- 1 x LAN (RJ45);
- 2 x PS / 2;
- 2 x USB 3.0;
- 3 x audio.
- 4 x USB 2.0;
The possibilities of organizing the cooling system inside the case are standard. There are three 4-pin fan headers.
UEFI BIOS overview
The firmware of this motherboard is characterized by a user-friendly interface and a simplified mode, which is designed specifically for inexperienced users.
After booting into the UEFI BIOS, the My Favorites section will appear on the screen, which presents the most popular system setup functions. There is also a "Quick Note" function that allows you to add notes in the margins.
In the "Main" section there are language settings, time and date, security.
The "Ai Tweaker" section contains settings for computing modules, the built-in north bridge, as well as the processor control mode. Also, this section is intended for overclocking components.
The settings for the capabilities of the motherboard, disk and network subsystem are located in the "Advances" tab.
You can check the operation of temperature sensors and the fan in the "Monitor" section.
Finally, EZ Mode allows you to set the basic configuration of the motherboard. With its help, you can activate X.M.P profiles for RAM bars, adjust the operation of fans, set the time and date, select the performance mode, and specify the priority of loading drives.
New technologies and proprietary utilities
This motherboard implements new technologies for which special utilities... Among them, we will single out the most useful ones.
GPU Boost technology allows you to overclock the integrated graphics core using the ASUS AI Suite 3 utility. Therefore, despite the affordable price of $ 90, this board can be used to build a budget gaming PC.
If the fan noise is bothering you, you can reduce it. The ASUS Fan Xpert 2 utility is designed for this. This program allows you to control the fans and adjust the cooling system.
It is worth noting that AI Suite 3 is software shell to work with the motherboard. Through a single interface, you can configure as simply and accurately as possible, overclock your computer and control its parameters.
Also worth noting is the easy setup of the RAM and the elimination of problems that may arise with the system memory. The MemoryOK technology is intended for this. It is activated by pressing a special button on the motherboard. It also allows you to boot into the BIOS in case of errors.
The principle of operation of this button can be seen in the video:
AMD Eyefinity and AMD Dual Graphics technologies are designed to create a fuller and more detailed picture. Thanks to the first technology, two video cards can be connected to one motherboard. And the second technology allows you to create a more powerful tandem with the AMD processor and AMD graphics card and increase the performance in games.
Advantages and disadvantages
Among advantages this motherboard is worth highlighting:
- Democratic price;
- High-quality 6-phase power supply subsystem GPU DIGI + VRM;
- Improved element base thanks to the 5 Protection concept;
- The presence of the MemoryOK button, which allows you to solve problems with system memory;
- Availability of SATA 6 Gb / s ports;
- Support for AMD Eyefinity and AMD Dual Graphics technologies, as well as proprietary utilities USB 3.0 Boost, AI Suite 3, Fan Xpert, Network iControl, Ai Charger, Disk Unlocker;
- Good overclocking potential;
- Support for COM and LPT ports.
Disadvantages:
- Inconvenient connection of sound acoustics;
- Lack of holes for fasteners on the right side of the board.
conclusions
The ASUS A88XM-PLUS motherboard can be called an acceptable option for assembling stationary PCs for study, office work and even for games at minimal settings, since it was released for AMD Kaveri, Trinity, Richland processors and has the ability to overclock components.
It is also worth noting that this board fully reveals the capabilities of the AMD A88X chipset. It has USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and SATA 6Gb / s ports.
Additionally, it is worth highlighting the build quality of the board and its components, which are specially selected for the 5X PROTECTION concept and are fully protected from voltage drops, high temperature conditions, corrosion, oxidation and other negative factors.
Motherboard video review:
V recent times, due to the financial crisis and rising prices, when assembling a home computer, there are more and more solutions on the AMD platform. For a lower price, you can get enough performance for most tasks. And against this background, the platform on the FM2 + socket is confidently gaining popularity. Previously, it was chosen for assembling a multimedia computer, because an APU for this socket is a successful combination of a central and video processor, two in one, so to speak. And for today, on this socket, you can collect gaming computers on a limited budget, with a discrete graphics card. For example, on the Athlon 860K processor, a quad-core processor for socket FM2 + costs only about 5000 rubles. APU A8-7650K with GPU Radeon R7 on board will cost you a couple of hundred more expensive if you also want to save on a video card.
For a budget assembly, we will also choose a budget motherboard based on a flagship chipset AMD A88X... This chipset will allow us to overclock K processors.
Today we will consider one of the applicants who want to settle in your home computer. It will be a compact format motherboard ASUS A88XM-E.
Why exactly she? The fact is that budget motherboards always have some limitations: competitors may not have this price. HDMI interface(for a multimedia assembly, this is a big minus - do not connect to a TV or receiver), there may be no USB 3.0 output to the front panel (an unpleasant moment), there is often no PCI slot (there is no place to plug your old TV tuner into). The same motherboard has all this, but of course the limitations have not gone away: only 4 USB sockets on the rear panel, only two slots for RAM, inconvenient connection of 7.1 acoustics.
If you are interested, then let's get acquainted with the motherboard in more detail and in order.
Specifications
Chipset: MD A88X (Bolton D4)
Processor: AMD Socket FM2 + Athlon ™ / A- Series Processors
RAM: 2 x DIMM, Max. 32GB, DDR3 2400 (O.C.) / 2133/1866/1600/1333 MHz Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory
Graphics: HDMI maximum resolution 4096 x 2160 @ 24 Hz / 1920 x 1200 @ 60 Hz
DVI maximum 2560 x 1600 @ 60 Hz
RGB maximum 1920 x 1600 @ 60 Hz
Maximum memory usage 2048 MB
AMD Dual Graphics technology
Expansion slots: 1 x PCIe 3.0 / 2.0 x16, 1 x PCIe 2.0, 1 x PCI
Drive Ports: 6 x SATA 6Gb / s, Raid 0, 1, 10, JBOD
LAN: Realtek 8111GR, 1 x Gigabit LAN
Sound: Realtek ALC887-VD 8-Channel High Definition Audio CODEC
USB ports: 4 x USB 3.0 (two rear), 6 x USB 2.0 (two rear)
Rear Panel Connectors:
1 x PS / 2 keyboard (purple)
1 x PS / 2 mouse (green)
3 x Audio jack (s)
Connectors on the board:
1 x USB 3.0 connector for 2 USB 3.0 ports
2 x USB 2.0 connectors for 4 USB 2.0 ports
1 x CPU Fan 4-pin
1 x Chassis Fan 4-pin
1 x S / PDIF out
1 x 4-pin ATX 12V
1 x audio connector
1 x system front panel connector
BIOS: 64 Mb Flash ROM, UEFI AMI BIOS
Form Factor: mATX (22.6 cm x 18.8 cm)
Packaging and equipment
An ordinary compact box made of thick cardboard with color printing. Made in black and yellow colors. Despite the budget, compliance with the proprietary concept of ASUS 5X Prptection is declared, which provides for all kinds of protection (overload, corrosion, etc.) and high-quality components.
On the reverse side on English language all advantages and features, as well as supported technologies are described. Someone may be interested in AMD Dual Graphics technology and the ability to output images in 4K Ultra HD.
The complete set is minimal: a CD with software, instructions, a bracket for the interface panel and two SATA cables.
Appearance
Dark brown printed circuit board with dimensions 226 × 188 mm. Due to its compact size, the layout of the elements may seem inconvenient to some.
So, for example, the PCI Express × 16 slot is located close to the latches of the DIMM slots; when installing a video card with a backplane, the latches cannot be opened. The video card will cover a single PCI Express x1 slot.
Shoe for USB connection 3.0 sits on the bottom, not on the comfortable right edge.
Only two 4-pin contacts for connecting fans. But the original SATA ports are located - three horizontally and three vertically. Perhaps RAID creation arrays.
There is only one of the radiators - a small aluminum one for cooling the chipset, it is attached with plastic clips.
There are only two slots for installing memory sticks. If you can buy 16 GB slats somewhere, you can install 32 GB of RAM. You can put bars with a frequency of 2133 MHz or overclock to 2400 MHz. I would like to draw your attention: if you plan to use the built-in video core, it is better to install the memory in dual-channel mode.
Power is connected to the board through a 24-pin connector and an additional 4-pin connector. The power supply is built on a five-phase system 3 + 2, reliable solid-state capacitors are used.
The network controller is presented in the form of Realtek 8111GR, and sound system based on the Realtek ALC887 codec.
Now let's take a look at the interfaces of this motherboard. There are archaic PS / 2 ports for mouse and keyboard, three video interfaces: HDMI, DVI-D, and D-Sub. There are four USB ports, two of them are version 3.0. Gigabit LAN port and three 3.5 mm audio ports. To connect 7.1 acoustics, you will also have to use the audio output on the front panel.
You can expand the number of USB ports with additional brackets: 2 more USB 3.0 and 4 USB 2.0 can be connected to the motherboard. Plus it is possible to connect a COM port.
You can also expand the number of USB by purchasing the following controller:
The reverse side of the PCB is not worth a detailed examination, there is only a mounting plate for coolers.
BIOS
When entering the BIOS, we are greeted by a friendly UEFI interface, you can turn on the Russian language. The main screen displays all information about devices, temperatures, system fan speeds and drive boot priorities. It is possible to take BIOS screenshots: just insert a USB flash drive and press F12.
We will certainly be more interested in the capabilities of the Ai Tweaker tab. The memory frequency multiplier can be changed from 800 to 2400 MHz, and the memory latency can be changed.
To overclock the processor, we can change the multiplier, voltage, system bus and chipset frequencies.
In the Monitor tab, you can adjust the rotational speed of the system fans.
In the download tab there is an option to set a fast boot. At the same time, the initial stage of loading is really faster, but this naturally does not affect the speed of loading the OS.
And one more additional tab to run the utility BIOS updates... I took advantage of this opportunity, the site had a fresh version of the BIOS. The procedure is quite simple: download the new BIOS from the manufacturer's website, extract it from the archive, write it to a USB flash drive formatted in FAT. Next, we launch the utility in the BIOS, specify the file we need, and wait for the procedure to complete.
Assembly and test bench
A8-7650K APU was installed on the motherboard.
As a thermal interface, I used an unusual paste: HY710 with a declared thermal conductivity of 3.17 W / m-k. You will not find this in stores - the thermal paste was discharged from China, a special plastic spatula was included in the kit.
A compact cooler Zalman CNPS8X Optima was used for cooling - you will not find it in the CSN catalog either, although the cooler is quite efficient for its size.
The stand is open, the rest of the components are not so important, unfortunately the memory was available with only one bar, it is advisable to use the dual-channel mode with this processor.
The previously installed Windows 7 booted without problems, all drivers from the manufacturer's website and proprietary utilities were installed.
Utilities
It is worth dwelling on the proprietary software in more detail. ASUS AI Suite 3 consists of several tabs. The system fans speed control tab is remarkable in that it can pre-test the fans connected to the motherboard, determine their minimum and maximum speeds. You can use automatic modes, but you can configure everything manually.
The next tab allows you to enable the USB 3.0 Boost feature. The fact is that the motherboard supports the UASP protocol.
When you switch to accelerate mode, your drive is disconnected and reconnected, but unfortunately, speeds only increase when using the appropriate peripheral. There were no noticeable changes on my flash drive.
The most interesting tab allows you to overclock the processor from under the operating system. I’ll say this is a bad idea right away. At first everything goes well: you increase the multiplier and test it, but when the computer freezes, the values are not discarded, and upon loading the utility is automatically loaded with the latest values, which again leads to a freeze. You need to have time to turn off the utility at startup before the computer freezes.
Overclocking
On the ASUS A88X-PRO motherboard, this processor ran at 4.4 GHz. Here, the frequency was only raised to 4.0 GHz.
And it was the motherboard that was the limitation - the chipset overheated, the heatsink temperature on it rose above 86 ° C during overclocking. Most likely this is what caused the system to freeze.
The BIOS also allows overclocking processors with a locked multiplier. In this case, overclocking is possible. This processor worked stably with a bus frequency of 115 MHz.
Conclusion
When choosing a motherboard for the FM2 + socket, you should take a closer look at motherboards based on the A88X chipset. Model ASUS A88XM-E stands out from the competition for a minimal budget. Despite a number of compromises, this board has many advantages: a reliable component base, a variety of video interfaces, and ample overclocking capabilities for both processors and memory.
Pros:
Signature 5X PROTECTION concept
DIGI + VRM five-phase power supply system
Six SATA 6Gb / s ports
Availability of USB 3.0, including output to the front panel
Supports AMD Dual Graphics Technology
BIOS overclocking capabilities
HDMI connector
Branded utilities included
Low cost
Minuses:
Only two slots for RAM
When installing a video card, the PCI-E slot will overlap
Few USB connectors on the back
Chipset heatsink heats up during overclocking
Just two fan headers
Enough time has passed since the announcement of the next generation of AMD Kaveri APUs for users to appreciate all the advantages of the new products. As practice has shown, the best option is to use APUs in configurations without discrete video cards, namely as part of economical compact system units. As for the platform, these requirements are best met by microATX motherboards, which combine small size and sufficient functionality with an affordable price. Today, your attention is invited to acquaintance with just such a product - motherboard ASUS A88XM-PLUS.
This model is based on the older AMD A88X chipset and is equipped with Socket FM2 +, which provides compatibility with the latest Kaveri APUs as well as Trinity and Richland APUs. About all key features You will learn ASUS A88XM-Plus from today's review, but for now, I suggest that you familiarize yourself with the technical characteristics of the new product.
| Model | |
| Chipset | AMD A88X (Bolton D4) |
| CPU socket | Socket FM2 + |
| Processors | AMD Series A10, A8, A6, A4, Athlon |
| Memory | 4 DIMM DDR3 SDRAM 1333/1600/1866/2133/2200 * / 2400 * / (* - OC), 64 GB maximum |
| PCI-E slots | 1 x PCI Express 3.0 x16 1 x PCI Express 2.0 [email protected] 1 x PCI Express 2.0 x1 |
| PCI slots | 1 |
| Integrated video core (in the processor) | Radeon HD 7000/8000 / R7 Series |
| Video connectors | D-Sub, DVI-D, HDMI |
| Number of connected fans | 3x 4pin |
| PS / 2 ports | 2 |
| USB ports | 4 x 3.0 (2 connectors on the rear panel, AMD A88X) 10 x 2.0 (4 rear connectors, AMD A88X) |
| Serial ATA | 8 x SATA 6Gb / s (A88X) |
| RAID | 0, 1, 5, 10, JBOD (A88X) |
| Built-in sound | Realtek ALC887 (7.1, HDA) |
| S / PDIF | Optic |
| Networking capabilities | Realtek RTL8111G (Gigabit Ethernet) |
| Firewire | - |
| LPT | 1 (internal) |
| COM | 1 (internal) |
| BIOS / UEFI | AMI UEFI |
| Form Factor | mATX |
| Dimensions, mm | 244 x 234 |
| Additional features | GPU Boost Switch, MemOK Button !, AMD CrossFireX |
Contents of delivery
The packaging in which it is delivered motherboard A88XM-Plus, designed in a recognizable corporate style typical for most modern products ASUS.
The front surface of the box is not very informative, but its reverse side can tell about the configuration of expansion slots and the specifications of the "motherboard", as well as its key design solutions. For example, the new product is equipped with the function of increasing the speed of the integrated video core GPU Boost, advanced software capabilities for controlling the fans ASUS Fan Xpert 2, as well as a number of features united by the name 5X Protection, which increase the reliability of the motherboard.
The set of additional accessories offered with ASUS A88XM-Plus is extremely modest:
- I / O Shield back panel cover;
- two SATA 6 Gb / s cables;
- DVD with drivers and software;
- user guide;
- quick assembly instructions.
Design
The motherboard is made in the mATX form factor, but its dimensions differ from the standard, as a result of which the right edge will remain unlocked, so it is recommended to be very careful when assembling it yourself. To install DDR3 memory modules, the new product has four DIMM slots, the total amount of RAM can reach 64 GB. In case of overclocking, the MemOK! Function will come to the rescue, which, by pressing the button of the same name, will boot with secure UEFI settings.
Electronic components on the reverse side of the printed circuit board are completely absent; a powerful reinforcing plate is used in the mounting of the cooling system, which can withstand the weight of massive coolers.
The possibilities of the "motherboard" for organizing the graphics subsystem are quite wide: ASUS A88XM-Plus is equipped with a PCI Express 3.0 x16 slot and a PCI Express 2.0 slot. [email protected] connected to the system logic so that users can organize AMD CrossFireX configurations. To install expansion cards, the heroine of today's review has one PCI-E 2.0 x1 and one PCI.
The storage subsystem is represented by eight SATA 6 Gb / s ports connected to the system logic. Three connectors are perpendicular to the PCB, and the remaining five are horizontally oriented. This makes it easy to connect interface cables regardless of the chassis configuration. system unit.
On the back of the A88XM-Plus there is a place for:
- two PS / 2 connectors;
- video outputs HDMI, D-Sub and DVI-D;
- four USB 2.0 ports and a pair of USB 3.0;
- network socket RJ-45;
- three analog audio outputs.
The set of interfaces reveals the budget nature of the novelty: there is no S / PDIF port, the number of audio outputs is limited to three, and the outdated Realtek ALC887 chip is used as the audio codec. Due to the presence of the Realtek RTL8111G network controller, the motherboard can operate in Gigabit networks Ethernet, while there is no support for Wi-Fi, but for an inexpensive product, the presence of the latter is an attribute of luxury.
Of all the design solutions aimed at optimizing the overclocking process, the A88XM-Plus has only the GPU Boost microswitch, which enables the automatic overclocking function of the integrated video core. Therefore, users who are interested in the presence of hardware power and overload buttons, an LED indicator for POST codes, and so on, should take a closer look at the older ASUS models.
The chispet cooling system consists of a compact flat radiator. It copes with its duties perfectly due to the low power consumption of the system logic.
The heat from the power elements of the VRM is removed by a small cooler, its efficiency is quite sufficient not only in the normal mode, but also with moderate overclocking, however, one should not forget about the organization of ventilation inside the system unit.
Separate parts of the cooling system are attached to the motherboard with spring-loaded plastic latches, which, alas, are not able to provide a strong uniform pressure.
To connect fans, ASUS A88XM-Plus is equipped with three four-pin connectors supporting PWM rotation speed control. The power supply subsystem of the novelty is built on a six-channel scheme, field-effect transistors with low open channel resistance are used as power elements, and the DIGI + VRM chip plays the role of a PWM controller.
The voltage to the power subsystem is supplied through a four-pin connector, which does not at all contribute to an increase in the safety margin. So, the new product is hardly suitable for serious overclocking. UEFI Setup
The firmware for the A88XM-Plus motherboard is based on the AMI UEFI control microcode. The setup menu has an original user interface familiar from previous ASUS product reviews. Immediately after entering the firmware, the My Favorites section opens, which users can fill at their discretion with the most popular UEFI items. It is worth noting the Quick Note function, which allows you to make "notes in the margins", as well as the Last Modified option, which displays the history of the last changes.
The Main tab is used to set the date and time, configure security options, and display brief information about the installed components and the version of the control microcode.
Overclocking functions are concentrated in the Ai Tweaker menu. Here you can control the frequency of the reference generator, the multiplication factors of the computational modules and the built-in north bridge, as well as the operating modes of the integrated graphics accelerator and the RAM subsystem.
For memory modules, you can activate X.M.P. profiles by setting the Ai Overclock Tuner parameter to D.O.C.P.
In the manual tuning mode, frequencies up to 2400 MHz are available for RAM, and the DRAM Timing Control tab contains numerous timing settings.
The firmware of the novelty has advanced tools for automatic overclocking: enabling the OC Tuner option increases the speed of the computing cores, and GPU Boost, as the name suggests, allows you to raise the frequency of the integrated video core. For the latter, a mode of manual increase in productivity is provided.
Owners of the latest Kaveri APUs can take advantage of the TDP Configuration feature to limit heat generation.
The power management capabilities of UEFI Setup are quite varied.
The list of voltages, their ranges and step of change are presented in the following table:
| Parameter | Adjustment range, V | Step, B |
| CPU Offset Voltage | -0,375…+0,375 | 0,00625 |
| VDDNB Offset Voltage | -0,4125…+0,4125 | 0,00625 |
| DRAM Voltage | 1,35-1,7 | 0,005 |
| SB 1.1V Voltage | 1,1-1,2 | 0,01 |
| 1.1VSB Voltage | 1,1-1,4 | 0,1 |
| APU1.2V Voltage | 1,05-1,25 | 0,01 |
| VDDA Voltage | 1,8-2,1 | 0,1 |
In principle, the proposed tools will be sufficient for moderate overclocking, however, to set the voltages on the processor cores and the built-in server bridge, only one mode is provided - Offset, which allows you to specify the increase to the standard value. On the one hand, this allows the operation of energy-saving technologies to be maintained during overclocking, but it somewhat complicates the selection of the required voltage.
To manage fine-tuning of the power supply subsystem, the DIGI + VRM block of the Ai Tweaker section is used, where there are options responsible for countering voltage drops, adjusting overcurrent protection, operating frequency of power elements and disconnecting unused phases.
The settings for the numerous expansion options of the motherboard are concentrated in the Advanced tab, where users can configure the operation of peripherals, disk and network subsystems, as well as the integrated graphics accelerator.
There is a separate CPU Configuration submenu for configuring processor power saving features, hardware virtualization, virus protection and AMD Turbo Core technology.
The system monitoring and fan control functions are located in the Monitor section. It displays the readings of two temperature and three tachometric sensors, and also displays the voltages on the processor and main supply buses.
For three fans, the possibility of automatic rotation speed control is provided; for this, it is enough to select one of the three preset profiles. Advanced users can adjust the impeller operation independently depending on the processor temperature.
Additional features of the ASUS A88XM-Plus firmware include: the utility for updating the control microcode EZ Flash 2, the function for viewing information about RAM modules SPD Information, and in the O.C. Profile users can save up to eight sets of UEFI settings.
Finally, the setup menu has a graphical EZ Mode, which is useful for basic motherboard configuration. It can be used to set the date and time, activate X.M.P. profiles. for RAM modules, adjust the fans, select the speed mode, and set the order of initialization of boot devices.
Complete software
Along with the ASUS A88XM-Plus motherboard, buyers get a high-quality and multifunctional product Ai Suite 3, designed for overclocking, system monitoring and additional features. At the bottom of the window interface there is an information panel, which displays the current operating mode of the processor and the readings of the system monitoring sensors.
The software allows you to control the digital power subsystem, configure the operation of power-saving functions, set parameters for increased performance, and also activate automatic overclocking technologies.
To control the speed of rotation of the fans is used program module Fan Xpert 2, which allows you to flexibly adjust the operation of each fan, both in automatic and manual modes.
Additional features of Ai Suite 3 include USB utility 3.0 Boost, which accelerates the work with external drives by activating the UASP protocol, and the Network iControl subroutine, which allows you to control the bandwidth of a network connection depending on the type of traffic.
Since ASUS A88XM-Plus is an inexpensive model, it would be naive to expect outstanding overclocking results from it. In practice, our AMD A10-7850K APU managed to achieve stability only at 4300 MHz, while the slightest excess of it caused the system to freeze. To obtain such overclocking, the voltage on the computational cores and the built-in northbridge was increased by 0.075 V, and the Load Line Calibration options were set to High. The RAM modules operated at a frequency of 2400 MHz with delays of 10-12-12-31-1T in accordance with the X.M.P. profile.
An unpleasant feature of the overclocking process of the new product turned out to be incorrect display of Vcore in most diagnostic utilities. The exception was the proprietary software product Ai Suite 3, which showed true meaning voltage. However, judging by the acceptable temperature regime, the factors holding back the overclocking were flaws in the firmware, or flaws in the design of the power subsystem of the "motherboard". Let's hope that with the release of updated versions of UEFI, the situation will change for the better.
As for the overclocking of the integrated video core, ASUS A88XM-Plus allowed to increase the frequency to 1029 MHz. To do this, it was necessary to increase the APU1.2V Voltage by 0.15 V, which is responsible for powering the integrated graphics accelerator.
In terms of increasing the reference frequency, the novelty showed very modest results - only 15 MHz higher than the nominal. It seems that the whole point is in the use of the integrated video core, whereas with discrete graphics accelerators, motherboards for AMD APUs a priori achieve much better values.
Beginners and users who do not want to understand the intricacies of overclocking will be interested in the automatic overclocking functions. Activating the OC Tuner option in the UEFI setup menu raised the APU frequency to 4100 MHz, while the RAM modules were set to 1600 MHz with delays of 9-9-9-24-1T.
To accelerate the integrated video core, you can use the GPU Boost function, the inclusion of which raises clock frequency up to 960 MHz. Together with the automatic overclocking of computing modules, this will allow a noticeable increase in performance in games and application programs.
Test stand
To test the performance of the ASUS A88XM-Plus motherboard, a stand with the following configuration was assembled:
- processor: AMD A10-7850K (3.7 GHz);
- cooler:
- ASUS A88XM-Plus UEFI Setup 1102 dated 01/20/2014;
- ASUS A88X-Pro UEFI Setup 0802 dated 01/29/2014;
- Gigabyte G1.Sniper A88X UEFI Setup F8b from 02/06/2014;
- MSI A88X-G45 Gaming UEFI Setup V1.1B1 from 02/20/2014.
- AIDA64 4.20.2800 (Cache & Memory benchmark);
- Futuremark PCMark 8 v2.0.204 (OpenCL Accelerated);
- Futuremark 3DMark v1.2.250;
- Batman: Arkham City;
- F1 2012;
- Total War: Rome II.
Test results
In the Cache & Memory benchmark in the reading test, the novelty took the second place, yielding only to ASUS A88X-Pro, and also showed the lowest latency among all the participants. At the same time, when writing and copying data to RAM, the heroine of today's review gave way to system Gigabyte boards and MSI.
The results in the Futuremark PCMark 8 benchmark application show the level of performance in performing everyday applications. In the home use scenario, ASUS A88XM-Plus has the second result; when creating digital content, the board lagged slightly behind its older sister, while in the subtest imitating work in office applications, the new product deserved victory.
Testing in computer games took place in Full resolution HD at high, but not maximum quality settings. In this mode, ASUS A88XM-Plus provided high performance, so the poor performance in semi-synthetic 3DMark can be attributed to a sub-optimal firmware version.Energy consumption
To measure the power consumption of the test benches, we used the Basetech Cost Control 3000 device, which was used to estimate the peak power consumption values when passing the Prime95 stress test and the 3DMark graphics benchmark, as well as the average power consumption of the test benches when idle.
The novelty showed excellent energy efficiency in idle time, and became the second most economical with the maximum load on computing modules, while in games its power consumption turned out to be higher than that of system MSI boards and Gigabyte.conclusions
During today's acquaintance, the ASUS A88XM-Plus mainboard showed itself from the most positive side. The novelty has demonstrated an excellent combination of functionality, performance and workmanship. Unexpectedly, the motherboard showed a good margin of safety, although the overclocking results were somewhat more modest than those of best models for Socket FM2 + platform. Traditionally, ASUS products do not have the slightest complaints about the quality of the control microcode and software. In short, the A88XM-Plus looks great even against the background of more expensive motherboards, but at the same time it has a very affordable cost of about $ 90, thanks to which the novelty has every reason to purchase an inexpensive but productive system unit based on the Kaveri APU.
