p35 faceoff: Gigabyte vs. ASUS

[Babrbarossa]

Rob Williams from TechGagec compares the performance of three p35 based motherboards using both DDR2 and DDR3 memory. The boards used are: Gigabyte GA-P35C-DS3R (since it's the only Gigabyte p35 to allow both memory types), the ASUS P5K and the ASUS P5K3 (previously reviewed). For OCing, Rob found that the Gigabyte only reached 450FSB while the ASUS couterparts reached 475. He found that increased voltage did not improve this maximum- this is something that might be ameliorated with better NB cooling, although he didn't investigate the possibility.

When all said and done, I am going to rate the P35C-DS3R an 8 out of 10 on the Techgage scale. With what we've been delivered, I feel the board is about $20 more expensive than it should be, but I believe that's because of the combo RAM functionality, but functionality I can't see many people using. Even still, for the price, this is a stable board for regular consumers and enthusiasts alike. It doesn't offer explosive overclocking ability, but even at 450FSB, the board appeared completely stable. The ASUS P5K boards performed better in almost all of the tests, but they cost upwards of $60 more, but also include WiFi and slightly better overclocking ability. With those facts in mind, the ultimate decision is yours.

• Pros
• Stable board, good overclocking ability
• BIOS caters to the casual overclocker
• Fan-less operation
• Duo DDR2/DDR3... For those who find a use for it
• Complete package

• Cons
• Too few 3-Pin fan controllers
• One PCI-E 16x slot, so no Crossfire
• Mediocre FSB Overclock (450FSB)
• Board would be much more competitive at $20 cheaper

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