ASUS Maximus Extreme - the Extreme Benchmarker's Choice?
by Rajinder Gill on December 10, 2007 8:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
Media Performance
We will take a brief look at general media performance with our test suite that includes Adobe Photoshop CS2 and Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0. We utilize the PC WorldBench 6.0 Test for measuring platform performance in Adobe's Photoshop CS2. The benchmark applies an extensive number of filters to the test image and heavily stresses the CPU and storage systems. The scores include the full conversion process reported in seconds, with lower numbers indicating better performance.
Our next test is one recommended by Intel, but the test itself appears to be fair and results are very repeatable. This test simply measures the amount of time required to fix and optimize 103 different photos weighing in at 63MB. We measure time in seconds, with lower times resulting in better performance.
Media Encoding Performance
We are utilizing Nero Recode 2 for our video encoding test. The scores reported include the full encoding process and are in seconds, with lower numbers indicating better performance.
Audio Encoding Performance
We will utilize iTunes 7.4 for our audio encoding tests, as it is one of the most utilized audio applications available due to the immense popularity of the iPod. As in previous articles, we are using an INXS Greatest Hits CD for testing, which contains 16 tracks totaling 606MB of songs. We use iTunes to convert our WAV files into an ACC compatible format. We utilize the 256kbps and variable bit rate option.
File Compression Performance
Another CPU crunching utility is WinRAR 3.70, which provides for computationally intensive file compression. Our test folder contains 444 files, 10 subfolders, and 602MB worth of data. The WinRAR test utilizes default settings and we defragments the hard drive before each test
Performance Summary
Yet again, the ASUS Maximus Extreme performs well in tests that do not depend on fast CPU/memory throughput. The latency/throughput penalty with DDR3 running at 1066 speeds does come into play in our Photoshop Elements and WinRAR tests. However, the overall differences between the boards are minimal.
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takumsawsherman - Tuesday, December 11, 2007 - link
This is not really true, as Firewire800 has been out for some time, and eSATA is still not widely available. As for the comment above yours, Firewire800 is used in many media applications, and won't likely be eliminated soon (digital camera backs come to mind). And this doesn't answer my proposition that for $350, Firewire800 rather than Firewire400 should have been included. Why bother with the slower interface when you are paying for a "premium" product?I am sure that some manufacturers will be happy to see Firewire800 die. Heck, I'm sure they'd be happy if there was never a Firewire400, and we all used USB 1.1. After all, it's cheaper by 2 or 3 bucks, and that's what matters to them. Meanwhile, despite claims of durability, eSATA is still a weak connector, which is why you will still see photographers taking shots tethered to a Firewire800 bus when they're on location for years to come, rather than a eSATA connection.
For $350, they can add Firewire800. Heck, the price is just shy of 1/3 of a fully assembled iMac that includes Firewire800. Just for the motherboard.
retrospooty - Tuesday, December 11, 2007 - link
"Firewire800 has been out for some time, and eSATA is still not widely available"Yes it is widely available. It has been on nearly every high end and many mid range motherboards for over a year. Also, every major external drive maker has eSATA models... Not many fw800 at all.
I am not trying to flame you or anything, but firewire 800 isnt going to happen, not like fw400 did. At the time fw400 was the best interface. Now we have eSATA for hard drives and USB 3.0 coming in a year or two. FW800 is dead Jim.... its dead.
takumsawsherman - Wednesday, December 12, 2007 - link
I still don't see any media-based hardware that has eSATA. Much more firewire on that front. In fact, besides Hard Drive enclosures, I have not seen anything at all with eSATA.And again, if it is dead, why bother putting FW400 in? I mean, might as well save the user $5 from their $350 and eliminate it. Or, give them FW800 like you should have.
strikeback03 - Wednesday, December 12, 2007 - link
I'd imagine it's there just so they can have a checkmark next to "Firewire" in the comparison sheets. The only Firewire device I have ever used is our microscope camera, which I believe was designed prior to USB 2.0.I wouldn't say the eSata connector is weak, but the lack of flexibility in the cables is an annoyance.
takumsawsherman - Wednesday, December 12, 2007 - link
Ok, well I still haven't used a eSATA device. I have used an external SATA enclosure, as MOBO makers decided to start out with external SATA connectors and I've used a FW800 device that also has an eSATA port (Newer Technology ministack v3), but of course, the Mac it is attached to does not have eSATA. I'm happy they included it, though.The point still remains that at $350 they give you the old generation firewire instead of the new.
retrospooty - Wednesday, December 12, 2007 - link
Are there any motherboards with fw800 built in (other than maybe MAC)? just curious.takumsawsherman - Tuesday, December 11, 2007 - link
OK, my post ended up as a reply to the wrong post. Sorry.retrospooty - Monday, December 10, 2007 - link
Yes, USB kb/mice work in dos mode via a bios setting. just enable it.Etern205 - Monday, December 10, 2007 - link
I'm taking about wireless. Are you talking about wireless or wired?If it's wired then yes you'll have enable usb support for DOS if you want to use it.
strikeback03 - Tuesday, December 11, 2007 - link
My Bluetooth keyboard works now, however when I first installed Ubuntu I had the BIOS setting disabled, and the keyboard never worked in GRUB thereafter. Was not until I reinstalled with the BIOS setting enabled that I got the keyboard working in GRUB.Works in the BIOS regardless of the setting.