It is rather strange to hear from owners of computer devices purchased in the budget segment about the superiority of products over competitors from a more expensive class. But this is quite real, especially when it comes to the Asus P8H67 motherboard. Its manufacturer is positioning in the multimedia segment, and the device’s functionality allows you to use the motherboard even for fans of resource-intensive dynamic games.
Foresight of Asus Technologists
The size of the mini-ITX motherboard has been known on the market for a decade, from the day VIA Technologies introduced the world's first mobile Barabone platform. However, no one dared to develop the miniature system further. Within the walls of the Taiwanese corporation, they decided to break all the rules and launch the Asus P8H67 universal motherboard, the characteristics of which can satisfy both gamers and ordinary users who prefer to use a computer as a home theater.
First meeting
Small-sized packaging with a motherboard will certainly attract the attention of any potential buyer. The box displays are quite informative, and the user can study the technical specifications without removing the device from the package. The Asus P8H67 motherboard has the usual package bundle, which all manufacturers on the market of such devices can boast of. In the box, the user, in addition to the main board and the interface plug, will find two SATA III cables and 2 antennas for amplifying the Wi-Fi signal.
With its appearance, the motherboard is more like a Lego designer, whipped up from all the components that are in the package. The miniature area of the printed circuit board forced the manufacturer to place connectors and components more compactly on the PCB. True, the reviews of the owners on this issue are contradictory, because the nearby components heat up faster.
Several device modifications
Asus P8H67 motherboard is presented on the market in three basic versions:
- For normal use (Pro). It is this modification that most buyers pay attention to, because in the price category of up to 6,000 rubles the choice is small among similar devices.
- For maximum functionality (Deluxe). The manufacturer emphasized the capabilities of the device, providing the board with multimedia functionality and mobility capabilities.
- To create a gaming platform (Evo). Potential buyers are attracted by an interesting system, on the basis of which not only a multimedia center can be built, but also a gaming computer with two video adapters.
All modifications have the same base, including the chipset and controllers, however, there are significant differences between them in the layout of the expansion cards and in the interface connectors. So, to provide the motherboard with enormous functionality, the manufacturer had to install the SO-DDR3 memory controllers, which are used in laptops, reduced in size.
Silence is the key to health
Yes, the manufacturer had to fight for every square millimeter of the printed circuit board, this is evidenced by the transfer of SATA III ports to its upper part and the location of two bridges in close proximity. Even the Asus P8H67 BIOS battery is perpendicular to the printed circuit board. But when studying the socket for the processor, the user will find that there is a lot of free space around the socket, and the batteries (solid-state capacitors) have a small height (not higher than the processor).
The manufacturer should pay tribute - he worried about installing a huge radiator as a cooling system, because the absence of rotating components of the cooler allows you to create a silent system. Proof of this is the installation of a reinforced plate for the processor socket, which is located on the back side of the motherboard. Judging by the reviews of the owners, no one had problems with passive cooling during the operation of the computer.
Graphics Accelerator Features
Asus P8H67 motherboard supports integrated graphics, however, for this the user will have to install the appropriate processor from the Intel Core I3 / I5 / I7 line with an integrated graphics core. On the interface panel, the owner will find digital and analog video outputs, so that there will be no problems connecting the monitor.
Special attention is paid to the presence of a gaming PCIex16 interface for installing a discrete video adapter. In their reviews, many users claim that they support all the video cards existing in the market, there is only one limitation - the overall device should fit in a small case of the system unit.
There is never much memory
There are a lot of negative reviews in the media about RAM support by the Asus P8H67 motherboard. Once again, Intel decided to save on a DDR3 controller and did not provide support for high-performance RAM modules. Working within the limits of 1066-1333 MHz, it will not be possible to achieve high performance in games (when the memory works simultaneously with the processor). As for the maximum volume supported by the chip, here is the complete order. For gaming solutions, the limit is 32 GB, and for other versions - 16 GB.
With storage media, things are much better. Firstly, the manufacturer did not abandon the old IDE interface, which pleased the owners of old optical drives and hard drives. There are also 6 SATA III controllers and one PCIex1 port on the board. Accordingly, the user can install many hard drives, including fast SSD-drives.
Device control panel
It will be more convenient for any user if the manufacturer provides some kind of shell for installing drivers and working with proprietary software - this is clearly easier than manually launching applications hidden in folders on an optical disk. With the convenience of installation, the Asus P8H67 M Pro motherboard is in full order. BIOS, drivers, utilities and programs have a special shell that runs independently from the disk and helps the user to cope with the task.
As for the BIOS itself, it is also equipped with its own graphical UEFI shell, which provides the user with complete control of input-output means. From the point of view of convenience, even the most demanding buyer is unlikely to find fault with the shell, because you can manage anything.
Finally
Asus P8H67 motherboard really attracts attention: its small size, huge functionality and gaming capabilities allow the product to be universal in the computer market. However, judging by the reviews of the owners, there are still flaws. Fans of demanding games will have to give preference to an inexpensive video card from an average gaming class, because the flagship cooling system simply does not fit in a compact case. In any case, the verdict is positive, because in the market, in fact, there is no alternative, so this platform has a great future.