Budget solution with support for legacy interfaces
More recently, while studying the Asus Crossblade Ranger motherboard, we wrote that the most interesting models for AMD platforms FM2+ are compact motherboards of the lower price level, which allow to fully realize such characteristic advantages as a low price and the ability to create compact, but sufficiently productive (even for gaming applications) computer systems. Our today's heroine illustrates this approach to the maximum extent: this is one of the cheapest boards (both from MSI and from other manufacturers), nevertheless, based on the top chipset for the line. Of course, everything that could raise the price went under the knife in this case, but is it worth regretting it? In other words, what is the modern lower level? Let's try to get to know him.
Board configuration and features
The summary table of 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 |
| Processor 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 x SATA 6Gb/s |
| USB ports | 4 x USB 3.0 |
| Connectors on the rear panel | 1 x HDMI |
| Internal connectors | 24 pin connector ATX power supply |
| Form factor | microATX (226×216mm) |
| average price | |
| Retail offers | L-10564640-10 |
Form factor
 |
The MSI A88XM-E35 board is designed in a narrow microATX form factor (226 × 216 mm) and can be installed in a case that supports microATX or larger boards. Six standard holes are provided 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 board is based on AMD's top chipset - A88X, which differs from the earlier A85X only by supporting Kaveri processors. Actually, the errors in FCH just made the company switch 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 you to install only one DDR3 module per each of the two memory channels with a maximum capacity of up to 32 GB (after the availability of the corresponding modules). However, given the budget of the board and platform, you can not expect anything - in most configurations entry level and now only 8 GB of memory is used, which is easily obtained by installing two "running size" 4 GB modules. The issue with frequencies is more complicated: only DDR3-1866 is officially supported, and 2133 MHz is formally achieved only during overclocking, although this frequency is standard for several models AMD processors. It should be noted that with such a memory frequency, we did not have any problems using the most different modules, while on the Asus Crossblade Ranger, despite much more serious promises from the manufacturer, it was not possible to find at least one pair of modules that would operate stably at 2133 MHz. In general, the simpler - the more reliable :)
We also note 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 been a standard value for many modern modules, and XMP is not used here). are needed), and secondly, there is no flexible regulation of the supply voltage of the memory modules, so you will most likely have to select a workable value manually and “with a margin”, and there is no point in messing with “automatic”.
Expansion slots
As we have mentioned more than once, rich expansion options are unlikely to be in demand by users of this platform - a good (relatively) integrated video core is already in AMD APUs, and other expansion cards are becoming rarer and rarer in mainstream computers. However, there is a possibility that they will be needed. Yes, and a bunch of Athlon X4 (which does not have a video core) and a mid-range 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 ports 1.4 (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 drives or optical drives, the board provides six SATA 6 Gb / s ports, which are implemented on the basis of 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 the total number of ports: after all, the chipset supports eight, not six. However, this issue can be easily removed if we take into account that the company also produces the A78M-E35 board on the same PCB, based on the A78 chipset, which supports only six SATA ports. What else distinguishes these chipsets? 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 it suddenly turns out to be cheaper to buy the second one, you should do so.
USB connectors, serial and parallel ports
To connect various peripheral devices, the board provides four USB port 3.0 and eight USB 2.0 ports, which completely fits into the capabilities of the chipset. As expected in this situation, exactly half of the ports (2 + 4, respectively) are placed on 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 bar for bringing them out is not included in the kit, 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 this interface at the same time. In general, in aggregate we get a good option, at least for repairing an old computer, to which any obsolete peripherals are connected, which it is a pity to throw away - only Parallel ATA support is not enough :)
network interface
To connect to the local network segment, the board has a gigabit network interface based on the Realtek RTL8111G controller - practically the de facto standard for inexpensive boards.
Supply system
Like most inexpensive boards, this one has 24-pin and 4-pin power supply connectors. The processor voltage regulator on the board has five channels (three channels for powering the computing 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” things that have become commonplace.
Cooling system
As expected, the company limited itself to a small heatsink on the chipset, and even that performs rather decorative functions. But apart from the chipset, nothing is cooled at all and in any way.
As for the fan connectors, there are three of them, which is a little more than typical for motherboards of this class. However, it should be borne in mind that, firstly, the third connector is not only not controlled, but even viewing the number of revolutions is not provided for it. Second, the CPU fan header 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 crave to install one on an inexpensive motherboard.
Audio subsystem
Again, as one would expect, support for analog audio is implemented on the principle "to be": the already old Realtek ALC887 codec is used, which was not a standard of high-quality sound even "during its lifetime". Formally, it supports 7.1 acoustics, but due to the presence of only three audio connectors on the rear panel, you can connect it only if both them and the front outputs of the case are used simultaneously. However, it seems to us that it is common for systems of this level to use a pair of inexpensive speakers, and nothing more, but if someone suddenly needs high-class acoustics, HDMI has been successfully used to connect it for a long time.
Total
So, what can we say about MSI's budget solution? This is an absolute minimum, yes, but in general ... In general, this is a sufficient minimum, not without some frills :) In any case, the needs of buyers budget computers the board completely overlaps, while leaving some freedom for further modernization. It will not be possible to get the performance of top 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 refuse, for example, from complete set video outputs, or even switch to much more “clamped” systems, such as AM1 (which, by the way, you won’t necessarily be able to save on when evaluating 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 completely useless), but they just need to purchase another board. For example, the same MSI also sells the A88XM Gaming model for only twice as much as the A88XM-E35 - the price of all these improvements in a crowd. But if you save on them, the difference is enough, for example, to buy an A8-7600 instead of an A4-7300 - it seems to us that extended comments are not required here :)
And the second potential area of application, where the board will come in very handy, was mentioned above - the use of equipment with outdated interfaces. The board is quite generously equipped with the latter: there are PCI, a couple of PS / 2 ports, and even serial and parallel ports. At the same time, high platform performance in these segments is also, as a rule, not needed, but the price of the solution is very even - if it weren’t so, it would be possible to replace the “antiques” with something more modern or, with a clear conscience, spend money on, for example , multicard with PCIe interface. But here is such a card as a third of our today's heroine, which also does not need detailed comments.
The board is provided for testing by the manufacturer
Previously, we provided an overview of the budget motherboard Gigabyte GA-F2A78M-DS2 for $70 for socket FM2+. Today we offer you to get acquainted with a high-quality board from ASUS, which is also released for AMD processors of the Kaveri, Trinity and Richland series, but costs 20 dollars 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, an expansion slot PCI Express x16, the ability to install the new line of AMD processors and use AMD CrossFireX technology.
Motherboard specifications
According to the official data of the manufacturer, the specifications of the ASUS A88XM-PLUS motherboard are as follows:
| Manufacturer | ASUS | |
| Manufacturer's official page | A88XM-PLUS (rev 1.03) | |
| Chipset | AMD A88X (Bolton D4) | |
| Processor socket | Socket FM2+ | |
| Supported processors | AMD A / AMD Athlon | |
| Frequency of used memory | 2400* / 2250* / 2200* / 2133 / 1866 / 1600 / 1333 MHz (*OC) | |
| Memory support | 4 x DDR3 DIMM slots supporting up to 64 GB of 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 Mbps) | |
| Sound subsystem | Realtek ALC887 codec | |
| 2 / 4 / 5.1 / 7.1 channel audio | ||
| S/PDIF Out | ||
| Food | 1 x 24-pin ATX power connector | |
| 1 x 4-pin ATX12V power connector | ||
| Fans | 1 x CPU fan header (4-pin) | |
| 2 x system fan headers (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 connecting two USB 3.0 (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 output connector | ||
| 1 x S/PDIF out | ||
| 1 x front panel connector block | ||
| 1 x CMOS reset 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's manual | |
| warranty brochure | ||
| disk with drivers and utilities | ||
| 2 x SATA cables | ||
| 1 x interface panel blank | ||
| 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 | 244 x 234 mm | |
| Price | 90$ | |
Packaging, design and internal layout
The ASUS A88XM-PLUS motherboard comes in a thick black cardboard box, on the main side of which the name of the device, the manufacturer's name, the chipset and the type of supported GPUs. Also, emphasis is placed on the new production concept 5X Protection, which includes 5 protective mechanisms, namely:
- Special fuses against overcurrent, short circuits and voltage surges.
- Digital PWM controllers that are used in accordance with the DIGI+VRM concept.
- Japanese solid 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 feature.
On the reverse side there is a brief technical description 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.
In a set with motherboard go:
- Instructions for installing and operating the device;
- CD with drivers and proprietary software;
- Two SATA 6Gb/s cables;
- Scheme for assembling the board and connecting components;
- Cover for the back panel.
The appearance of the device is as follows. Motherboard ASUS A88XM-PLUS is made of dark brown textolite, on which elements of bright yellow color are located, 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. The location of the connection block for the remote panel with USB 3.0 ports has also 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 DDR3 RAM sticks. 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 possibilities of the board 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 such elements as:
- Block for connecting the front panel audio connectors;
- 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. RAM is installed 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 can support 64 GB of memory. However, in fact, maximum volume will be no higher than 32 GB, since there are no slats 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 bars.
The cooling system consists of two parts:
- Aluminum heatsink to dissipate heat from the chipset;
- Aluminum radiator for cooling the elements of the power subsystem.
The processor is powered by a 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 capacitors and chokes with a ferrite core. Voltage is supplied via 24- and 4-pin connectors.
Multi I/O capabilities are implemented 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 an 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 placed 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;
- 3x audio.
- 4 x USB 2.0;
The possibilities of organizing a cooling system inside the case are standard. There are three 4-pin connectors for connecting fans.
Overview of UEFI BIOS
The firmware of this motherboard is characterized user-friendly interface and the presence of 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 contains the most popular system setup functions. There is also a "Quick Note" feature that allows you to add marginal notes.
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. This section is also intended for overclocking components.
The settings for the features of the motherboard, disk and network subsystems are located in the "Advances" tab.
You can control 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 it, you can activate X.M.P profiles for RAM sticks, adjust the fans, set the time and date, select the speed mode, and specify the drive boot priority.
New technologies and proprietary utilities
This motherboard implements new technologies, under which released special utilities. Among them, we highlight the most useful.
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 you are bothered by the noise that comes from the fans, then it can be reduced. The ASUS Fan Xpert 2 utility is designed for this. This program allows you to control fans and configure the cooling system.
It is worth noting that AI Suite 3 is a software shell for working with the motherboard. Through a single interface, you can easily and accurately configure, overclock your computer and manage its parameters.
It is also worth noting the easy setup of RAM and the elimination of problems that may arise with system memory. This is what MemoryOK technology is designed for. 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 more complete and high-quality 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 an AMD processor and AMD graphics card and increase performance in games.
Advantages and disadvantages
Among benefits This motherboard is worth highlighting:
- Democratic price;
- The presence of a 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.
Flaws:
- Inconvenient connection of sound acoustics;
- No holes for fasteners on the right side of the board.
conclusions
The ASUS A88XM-PLUS motherboard can be called an acceptable option for building desktop PCs for study, office work and even for games at minimum settings, since it is 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 6 Gb/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.
Video review of the motherboard:
Enough time has passed since the announcement of the next generation of AMD Kaveri hybrid processors for users to appreciate all the benefits of new products. As practice has shown, the best option is to use the APU in configurations without discrete graphics 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 affordable prices. Today, your attention is invited to get acquainted with just such a product - a system ASUS board A88XM-PLUS.
This model is based on the older AMD A88X chipset and is equipped with a Socket FM2 + connector, which ensures compatibility with both the latest Kaveri APUs and Trinity and Richland APUs. You will learn about all the key features of the ASUS A88XM-Plus from today's review, but for now, I suggest that you familiarize yourself with the technical characteristics of the novelty.
| Model | |
| Chipset | AMD A88X (Bolton D4) |
| Processor 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 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 x rear, 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 | Realtek RTL8111G (Gigabit Ethernet) |
| firewire | - |
| LPT | 1 (internal) |
| COM | 1 (internal) |
| BIOS/UEFI | AMI UEFI |
| Form factor | mATX |
| Dimensions, mm | 244x234 |
| Additional features | GPU Boost switch, MemOK! button, AMD CrossFireX |
Contents of delivery
The packaging, in which the A88XM-Plus motherboard is delivered, is designed in a recognizable corporate style, typical for most modern ASUS products.
The front surface of the box is not particularly informative, but its reverse side can tell about the configuration of the expansion slots and the specifications of the motherboard, as well as its key design solutions. For example, the new product is equipped with a function to increase the speed of the integrated video core GPU Boost, advanced software features for controlling ASUS Fan Xpert 2 fans, as well as a number of features, united under the name 5X Protection, that increase the reliability of the motherboard.
Kit additional accessories, offered together with ASUS A88XM-Plus, is extremely modest:
- plug for the rear panel of the I/O Shield;
- two SATA 6 Gb/s cables;
- DVD with drivers and software;
- user's manual;
- quick assembly instructions.
Design
The motherboard is made in the mATX form factor, but its dimensions are different from the standard, as a result of which the right edge will remain unfixed, so it is recommended to be extra careful when assembling it yourself. To install DDR3 memory modules, the novelty 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 allow you to boot from safe settings UEFI.
There are no electronic components on the reverse side of the printed circuit board, and a powerful reinforcement plate is used in the fastening of the cooling system, which can withstand the weight of massive coolers.
The capabilities of the motherboard in 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 PCI each.
The storage subsystem is represented by eight SATA 6 Gb / s ports connected to the system logic. Three connectors are perpendicular printed circuit board, and the remaining five have a horizontal orientation. This achieves the convenience of connecting interface cables, regardless of the configuration of the system unit case.
On the back of the A88XM-Plus there is room 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 budgetary 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 an audio codec. Thanks to the presence of the Realtek RTL8111G network controller, the motherboard can work in Gigabit Ethernet networks, 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, A88XM-Plus has only a GPU Boost microswitch, which enables the automatic overclocking of the integrated video core. Therefore, users who care about the presence of hardware power and reset buttons, an LED indicator for POST codes, and so on, should take a closer look at older ASUS models.
Chispet's cooling system consists of a compact flat heatsink. He copes with his 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 enough not only in 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 with support for PWM speed control. The power supply subsystem of the novelty is built according to a six-channel scheme; FETs with low resistance open channel, and the role of the PWM controller is played by the VRM DIGI + chip.
Voltage is supplied to the power subsystem through a four-pin connector, which by no means contributes to an increase in safety margin. So, for serious overclocking, the novelty is hardly suitable. UEFI Setup
The A88XM-Plus motherboard firmware is based on AMI's UEFI control microcode. The setup menu has the original user interface, familiar from previous reviews of ASUS products. Immediately after entering the firmware, the My Favorites section opens, which users can fill in at their discretion with the most requested UEFI items. It should be noted the Quick Note function, which allows you to make “marginal notes”, as well as the Last Modified option, which displays the history of recent changes.
The Main tab is used to set the date and time, configure security options, and display brief information about the installed components and version of the control microcode.
The functions responsible for overclocking are concentrated in the Ai Tweaker menu. Here is the control of the frequency of the reference oscillator, the multiplication factors of the computing modules and the built-in north bridge, as well as the modes of operation of the integrated graphics accelerator and the RAM subsystem.
For memory modules, X.M.P. profiles can be activated by setting the Ai Overclock Tuner parameter to D.O.C.P.
In mode manual setting for RAM, frequencies up to 2400 MHz inclusive are available, 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 performance of the computing cores, and GPU Boost, as the name implies, allows you to increase the frequency of the built-in video core. For the latter, a mode of manual increase in productivity is provided.
Owners of the latest Kaveri APUs can use the TDP Configuration feature to limit heat generation.
The power management capabilities of UEFI Setup are very diverse.
The list of voltages, their ranges and the 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 enough for moderate overclocking, however, to set the voltages on the processor cores and the built-in server bridge, there is only one mode - Offset, which allows you to specify an increase to the standard value. On the one hand, this allows you to keep the work of energy-saving technologies during overclocking, but somewhat complicates the selection of the required voltage.
To control the fine-tuning of the power supply subsystem, use the DIGI + VRM block of the Ai Tweaker section, where there are options that are responsible for countering voltage drops, adjusting overcurrent protection, operating frequency of power elements, and turning off unused phases.
The settings for numerous motherboard expansion options 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.
System monitoring and fan control functions are located in the Monitor section. The readings of two temperature and three tachometric sensors are displayed here, as well as the voltages on the processor and the main supply buses.
Three fans have the ability to automatically adjust the rotation speed by choosing one of the three preset profiles. Advanced users can adjust the operation of the impellers independently depending on the temperature of the processor.
Among the additional features of the ASUS A88XM-Plus firmware are: the EZ Flash 2 control microcode update utility, the function for viewing information about SPD Information RAM modules, and in the O.C. Profile users can save up to eight sets of UEFI settings.
Finally, the setup menu has an EZ Mode graphics mode, which is convenient to use for a basic motherboard configuration. With it, you can set the date and time, activate X.M.P. for RAM modules, adjust the operation of the fans, select the speed mode, and also set the order in which boot devices are initialized.
Complete software
Together with the ASUS A88XM-Plus motherboard, customers get a high-quality and feature-packed Ai Suite 3 product designed for overclocking, system monitoring and implementation of additional features. At the bottom of the window interface is an information panel, which displays the current mode of the processor and the readings of system monitoring sensors.
The software allows you to manage the digital power subsystem, configure the operation of power saving functions, set parameters for increased performance, and activate automatic overclocking technologies.
The fan speed is controlled by software module Fan Xpert 2, which allows you to flexibly configure the operation of each fan, both in automatic and manual modes.
Among the additional features of Ai Suite 3 is the USB 3.0 Boost utility, which speeds up work with external drives by activating the UASP protocol, and the Network iControl subroutine, which allows you to control the network connection bandwidth 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, for our AMD A10-7850K hybrid processor, we managed to achieve stability only at a frequency of 4300 MHz, while the slightest excess of it led to a system freeze. To obtain such overclocking, the voltage on the computing 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 novelty was the incorrect display of Vcore in most diagnostic utilities. The exception was the corporate software Ai Suite 3, which showed the true value of the voltage. However, judging by the acceptable temperature conditions, the factors hindering 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 value. It seems that it's all about using the integrated video core, while with discrete graphics accelerators, motherboards for AMD hybrid processors 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 increased the frequency of the hybrid processor to 4100 MHz, while the RAM modules were set to 1600 MHz mode with delays of 9-9-9-24-1T.
To accelerate the built-in video core, you can use the GPU Boost function, which, when turned on, raises the clock speed to 960 MHz. Together with automatic overclocking of computing modules, this will allow you to get a noticeable increase in performance in games and applications.
test stand
To test the performance of the ASUS A88XM-Plus motherboard, we assembled a stand with the following configuration:
- processor: AMD A10-7850K (3.7 GHz);
- cooler:
- ASUS A88XM-Plus UEFI Setup 1102 from 01/20/2014;
- ASUS A88X-Pro UEFI Setup 0802 from 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 second place, losing only to ASUS A88X-Pro, and also showed the lowest latency among all participants. At the same time, when writing and copying data to RAM, the heroine of today's review yielded to Gigabyte and MSI motherboards.
The results in the Futuremark PCMark 8 test application show the level of performance when performing everyday application tasks. In the home use scenario, ASUS A88XM-Plus has the second result; when creating digital content, the board lagged behind its older sister a little, while in the subtest simulating work in office applications, the new product deserved to win.
Testing in computer games was conducted in Full HD resolution 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 non-optimal firmware version.Energy consumption
The Basetech Cost Control 3000 was used to measure the power consumption of the test benches. It was used to estimate the peak power consumption during the Prime95 stress test and the 3DMark graphics benchmark, as well as the average idle power consumption of the test benches.
The novelty showed excellent power efficiency in idle time, and became the second most economical at the maximum load on the computing modules, while in games its power consumption turned out to be higher than that of MSI and Gigabyte motherboards.conclusions
In the process of today's acquaintance, the ASUS A88XM-Plus motherboard 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 turned out to be somewhat more modest than those of the best models for the Socket FM2+ platform. Traditionally for ASUS products, there is not the slightest claim to the quality of the control microcode and software. In a word, the A88XM-Plus looks great even against the background of more expensive motherboards, but at the same time it has a very affordable price of about $ 90, thanks to which the new product has every reason to purchase an inexpensive but productive system unit based on the Kaveri APU.
Recently, due to the financial crisis and rising prices, when assembling a home computer, more and more solutions are based 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 surely gaining popularity. Previously selected for assembly multimedia computer, because the 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 with 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. A couple of hundred more will cost you an APU A8-7650K with a Radeon R7 GPU on board, if you also want to save on a video card.
For a budget build, we will also choose a budget motherboard based on a flagship chipset AMD A88X. This chipset will allow us to overclock processors with the K index.
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 is she? The fact is that budget motherboards always have some limitations: competitors at this price may not have an HDMI interface (for a multimedia assembly this is a big minus - not connected to a TV or receiver), there may be no USB 3.0 output to the front panel ( unpleasant moment), often absent PCI slot(not where to stick your old TV tuner). 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)
CPU: 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
Storage 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 on the back), 6 x USB 2.0 (two on the back)
Connectors on the rear panel:
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 to 2 USB 3.0 ports
2 x USB 2.0 connectors to 4 USB 2.0 ports
1 x CPU Fan 4-pin
1 x Chassis Fan 4-pin
1 x S/PDIF output
1 x 4-pin ATX 12V
1 x audio connector
1 x front panel system connector
BIOS: 64 Mb Flash ROM, UEFI AMI BIOS
Form factor: mATX (22.6 cm x 18.8 cm)
Packaging and equipment
The usual compact box made of thick cardboard with color printing. Made in black and yellow. Despite the low cost, it is declared to be in line with the ASUS 5X Prptection proprietary concept, which provides for all kinds of protection (overload, corrosion, etc.) and high-quality components.
On the reverse side of English language all the advantages and features, as well as supported technologies, are described. Someone may be interested in AMD Dual Graphics technology and the ability to display images in 4K Ultra HD.
The bundle is the minimum possible: a disk with software, instructions, a bracket for the interface panel and two SATA cables.
Appearance
The PCB is dark brown and measures 226 x 188 mm. Due to the compact size, the layout of the elements may seem inconvenient to some.
So, for example, the PCI Express ×16 connector is located close to the latches of the DIMM slots; when installing a video card with a backplay, the latches can no longer be opened. The video card will cover the only PCI Express x1 slot.
The USB 3.0 connector is located at the bottom, and not on the convenient right edge.
Only two 4-pin contacts for connecting fans. But the SATA ports were originally placed - three horizontally and three vertically. It is possible to create RAID arrays.
Of the radiators, there is only one - a small aluminum one, to cool the chipset, it is attached to plastic clips.
There are only two slots for installing memory sticks. If you can buy 16 GB sticks somewhere, you can install 32 GB of RAM. You can put strips with a frequency of 2133 MHz or overclock to 2400 MHz. I want to draw your attention: if you plan to use the integrated video core, then it is better to install the memory in dual-channel mode.
Power is connected to the board via a 24-pin connector and an additional 4-pin connector. Power is built on a five-phase 3 + 2 system, reliable solid capacitors are used.
The network controller is presented in the form of Realtek 8111GR, and the sound system is based on the Realtek ALC887 codec.
Now let's look at the interfaces of this motherboard. There are archaic PS / 2 ports for a mouse and keyboard, three video interfaces: HDMI, DVI-D, and D-Sub. There are four USB ports, two of which are 3.0. Gigabit LAN port and three 3.5mm 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: you can connect 2 more USB 3.0 and 4 USB 2.0 to the motherboard. Plus, it is possible to connect a COM port.
You can also expand the number of USB by purchasing this controller:
The reverse side of the textolite 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. On the main screen, all information about devices, temperatures, system fan speeds and drive boot priorities. It is possible to take screenshots of the BIOS: just insert a USB flash drive and press F12.
Of course, we are more interested in the capabilities of the Ai Tweaker tab. The memory frequency multiplier can be changed from 800 to 2400 MHz, and memory delays can be changed.
To overclock the processor, we can change the multiplier, voltages, frequencies of the system bus and chipset.
In the Monitor tab, you can adjust the speed of rotation of the system fans.
In the download tab there is an option to install fast loading. 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 launch 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 stand
APU A8-7650K was installed on the motherboard.
As a thermal interface, I used a not quite ordinary paste: HY710 with a declared thermal conductivity of 3.17 W / m-k. You will not find this in stores - thermal paste was ordered from China, a special plastic spatula is included.
For cooling, we used a compact Zalman CNPS8X Optima cooler - you won't 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 only with one bar, it is desirable to use the dual-channel mode with this processor.
Loaded without problems installed Windows 7, all drivers from the manufacturer's website and proprietary utilities were installed.
Utilities
It is worth dwelling on proprietary software in more detail. ASUS AI Suite 3 consists of several tabs. The system fan 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, or 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 boost mode, your drive is disconnected and reconnected, but unfortunately, speeds increase only when using the appropriate peripheral device. There were no noticeable changes on my flash drive.
The most interesting tab allows you to overclock the processor from under the operating system. Let me tell you, this is a bad idea. At first, everything goes well: you increase the multiplier and test it, but when the computer freezes, the values \u200b\u200bare not reset, and when loading, the utility automatically loads with the latest values, which again leads to a freeze. It is necessary to have time to disable the utility when loading before the computer freezes.
Overclocking
On the ASUS A88X-PRO motherboard, this processor worked at a frequency of 4.4 GHz. Here, the frequency was raised only up to 4.0 GHz.
And it was the motherboard that was the limitation - the chipset overheated, the temperature of the radiator on it during overclocking rose above 86 ° C. Most likely this is what caused the system to hang.
The BIOS also allows overclocking processors with a locked multiplier. In this case, frequency overclocking is possible. This processor worked stably with a bus frequency of 115 MHz.
Conclusion
When choosing a motherboard for socket FM2+, you should take a closer look at motherboards based on the A88X chipset. Model ASUS A88XM-E noticeably stands out among competitors for a minimal budget. Despite a number of compromise solutions, this board has a lot of advantages: a reliable component base, a variety of video interfaces, wide possibilities for overclocking both processors and memory.
Pros:
5X PROTECTION signature concept
Five-phase power system DIGI + VRM
Six SATA 6Gb/s ports
USB 3.0, including front panel output
AMD Dual Graphics Technology Support
BIOS overclocking options
Availability of HDMI connector
Proprietary utilities included
Low cost
Minuses:
Only two slots for RAM
When installing a video card, the PCI-E slot will be blocked
Few USB connectors on the back
Chipset heatsink gets hot during overclocking
Only two fan connectors