ASUS P8P67 PRO LGA1155 Sandy Bridge Motherboard Review

A Closer Look at the P8P67 PRO pt.2

The overall expansion slot layout and assortment is definitely well balanced. There are three mechanical PCI-E 2.0 x16 slots, two PCI-E x1 slots, and two legacy PCI slots.

Although this motherboard features three mechanical PCI-E x16 slots, the bottom-most slot can only operate at up to x4 mode. As a result, this model only supports 2-way CrossFireX and 2-way SLI. Sandy Bridge processors feature an integrated PCI-E controller that supplies 16 PCI-E 2.0 lanes, so
when installed on a P67-equipped motherboard, users have the option of running a single x16 or dual x8 graphics card configuration.

Those multitude of PCI-E switches are what ASUS use to split the 16 PCI-E 2.0 lanes coming from the processor across the two graphics-oriented PCI-E x16 slots.


The ASMEDIA AMS1085 is a x1 PCI Express to 32-bit PCI bridge, which is needed since the P67 PCH no longer natively supports PCI slots. The VIA VT6308P is a IEEE1394/FireWire controller. The JMicron JMB362 supplies the two eSATA/USB Combo ports on the rear I/O panel. Forgoing the usual Realtek controller that nearly everyone uses, ASUS have outfitted their P8P67 series with a high quality Intel WG82579V Gigabit LAN controller. This one of two NEC D720200F1 USB 3.0 controllers, the one that supplies the two USB 3.0 ports on the rear I/O panel.


On the rear I/O panel, ASUS have placed a PS/2 mouse port, PS2/ keyboard port, coaxial and optical S/PDIF connectors, Bluetooth module, two USB 2.0 ports, an eSATA port, two USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire port, a combo eSATA/USB 2.0 port, two USB 2.0 ports, a Gigabit LAN port, two USB 3.0 ports, and the six audio jacks.

Thanks to the Bluetooth 2.1 receiver and ASUS BT GO! utility, users can do novelty tricks like control and manage their systems from a smartphone, or even allow a system to connect to the internet using a smarphone's 3G data connection via the BT-to-Net functionality.


The rear of the P8P67 PRO features twelve back-mounted MOSFETs, but without the cooling system that we saw on the P7P55D Deluxe. Hopefully this new generation of FETs runs cool enough to not need them. We are glad to see that the PCH heatsink is held in place with proper mounting springs, screws and washers.