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Intel’s 2nd generation Core i5 and i7 processors require a new motherboard socket and chipset. Asus’s P8P67 has the necessary LGA1155 socket, and is the cheapest of its three boards based around the P67 chipset (with Pro and Deluxe versions also available). This chipset eschews support for the new processors’ integrated graphics, instead being designed for those who want to use a dedicated graphics card.
If you want to overclock your new Intel processor, and you probably will given how easy it is to get extra performance from it, you have to buy a P67-based board. Now, we accept that overclocking and powerful graphics cards often interest the same people, but we don’t see why Intel has prevented overclocking on H67 boards – which include support for Intel’s HD graphics – especially as the integrated graphics are so capable.
Asus’s P8P67 has everything you’d expect from a modern board. There are two PCI-Express x16 sized slots, with the latter running at 4x speed, and sharing its bandwidth with the two PCI-Express x1 slots and the USB3 controller. None of which should cause any problems unless you’re using dual graphics cards (in SLI or CrossFire X) while transferring files via USB3.
There are no IDE headers on this board, so you’ll finally have to ditch any old IDE optical drives or hard disks. The chipset includes six SATA ports, two of which are SATA3, and all of which can be arranged into a RAID array. Asus has added a second controller with two more SATA3 ports.
The rear panel has six USB ports and two USB3 ports, plus there’s a USB3 header to add front ports. An optical S/PDIF accompanies the six minijack outputs. There’s also FireWire and two PS/2 ports for older input devices.
There’s also a built-in a Bluetooth receiver, and apps are available to easily allow your smartphone to control media playback, share an internet connection with your PC, sync files or even remotely control your BIOS settings and overclock your PC. We’re a little sceptical about the need for the last one.
Asus’s interpretation of the new EFI BIOS is the best we’ve seen. The initial screen lets you see your PC’s current status, with constantly updated temperature, voltage and fan speed bars. You can adjust your PC’s power settings here, and even drag-and-drop icons to set your boot priority list. More advanced settings consist of text-based lists with clickable buttons, though, much like other manufacturer’s efforts.
It’s early days, but the P8P67 is a well-designed P67-based motherboard. It has all the features you’re likely to need, and maybe a couple you probably won’t. With USB3 and SATA3, storage devices are well catered for, and the excellent BIOS is a boon for overclockers. Prices for P67 boards are certainly higher than we’d like. Still, this is our pick for the time being, but if you can hold off, we’ll cover more boards next month.
