EVGA X58 SLI Micro LGA1366 Motherboard Review

Specifications & Features

We presented the X58 chipset diagram in the ASUS Rampage II Gene mATX motherboard review just a short while ago so we won't be looking at it again here. Despite the small size of the EVGA X58 SLI Micro - being a mATX motherboard at only 9.6" tall - it packs almost all of the firepower the X58 chipset offers. Naturally there are going to be a couple short comings of the mATX board simply due to size.

The predominant items missing are expansion slots. Both PCI and PCI-E slots are limited, but this is the nature of the beast. If you want a smaller footprint, you will have to accept there just won't be the space for expansion cards. There is also only a single 10/100/1000 network connection at the rear I/O panel, and no legacy IDE controller onboard. Aside from the expansion cards, and single network connection, and the lack of an IDE channel, the X58 SLI Micro is pretty much everything a full size ATX motherboard is. Here is a complete list of specifications pulled from the EVGA web site, keep in mind that the EVGA web site isn't exactly bang on with the specs for this motherboard.

Performance	Based on Intel X58/ICH10R chipset Supports Intel Core i7 Processors 133 MHz QPI
Memory	6 x 240-pin DIMM sockets Triple Channel DDR3 Maximum of 12GB of DDR3 1600MHz+ (SZ1A BIOS)
Expansion Slots	2 x PCIe x16, 1 x PCIe x1 1 x PCI (32-bit PCI, support for PCI 2.1)
Storage I/O	0 x UltraDMA133 6 x Serial ATA 300MB/sec supports RAID 0, RAID1, RAID 0+1, RAID5, JBOD
Integrated Peripherals	8 Channel High Definition 1 x 10/100/1000
Multi I/O	1 x PS2 Keyboard 12 x USB2.0 ports (8 external + 4 internal headers) Audio connector (Line-in, Line-out, MIC) FireWire 1394A (1 external, 2 header)
Form Factor	mATX Form Factor Length: 9.6in - 243.6mm Width: 9.6in - 243.6mm

Features

Now that we are aware of what the board contains for specifications, here are some short blurbs about a few of the nicer features offered on the EVGA X58 SLI Micro.

Intel® Core i7 Support The Intel X58 chipset supporting Intel Core i7 and Xeon processors is designed for performance. With four physical cores in addition to four more virtual cores thanks to the return of Hyper-Threading, the Intel Core i7 is a multi-threading marvel and clock-per-clock; the fastest desktop processor available right now.	2-Way SLI and CrossFireX Support For the first time ever, the enthusiast is in the driver seat with the Intel X58 chipset. Having the choice of running either ATI CrossFireX, or NVIDIA SLI provides a freedom enthusiasts have never experienced. The EVGA X58 SLI Micro provides two 16X PCI-E slots allowing users to run two of their favorite video cards in a multi-GPU platform.
6 - Phase Power Design The EVGA X58 SLI Micro is ready for demanding CPU loads featuring a true 6-phase CPU PWM design. Each phase offers quality ferrite core inductors paired with lowRDS(on) MOSFETs. A single 8-pin EPS CPU power connector supplies power to the CPU and with the components chosen for the CPU PWM, temperatures should remain in check.	Individual Passive Heat Sinks Passive heat sinks are used exclusively across the EVGA X58 SLI Micro landscape. The CPU PWM, X58 chipset, and ICH10/R south bridge all use passively cooled aluminum heat sinks that do not connect to each other. This allows the ease of swapping individual heat sinks for water cooled components.
On-Board Power/Reset Buttons With increasing tech station and open air bench station use, onboard power and reset buttons are a feature users demand in today's high-end motherboards. Despite the limited real estate with the mATX design, the EVGA X58 SLI Micro is laid out to still allow both on-board power and reset buttons that function as onboard hard drive activity and power lights.	On-Board Diagnostics LED Readout EVGA offered this feature on their first ever in-house motherboard design and the tradition continues. On-board diagnostic LED readout offers the end-user an aid in troubleshooting POST issues. Again, despite the smaller footprint offered by the X58 SLI Micro, this important troubleshooting feature was not left out.
Right-Angled SATA Ports Right-angled SATA connectors may seem like a small feature but on a mATX motherboard they are crucial. Right-angled SATA ports offer improved cable management and aid in allowing large video cards to mount without interference. So not only do they allow for unabated GPU installation, they improve the end users ability to cleanly install the motherboard in the system without a wiring nightmare.	Modder Friendly Color Scheme Obviously color scheme of a motherboard is going to come down to personal taste, but when the EVGA X58 Classified was first introduced, the consensus was that the color scheme used was one of the best available at the time. It is nice to see the Classified trademark black and red color scheme carried over to the X58 SLI Micro. Featuring a dark PCB and a combination of black and red connectors, the X58 SLI Micro is primed for some impressive color matched installations.

We will now move on to have a look at the package, the accessories, followed by the X58 SLI Micro motherboard itself.