Final thoughts, HEXUS.awards and HEXUS.right2reply
In evaluating ASUS's M2R32-MVP, we're in a position where we can cast our minds back to our Xpress 3200 shootout in which we took the A8R32-MVP for a spin. We recommended that board, so what about this one?
Well, first things first, the board we tested was a production sample (as opposed to a retail sample), so some of our criticisms may not actually apply to what hits the shelves and warehouses. However, the fundamentals will remain.
ASUS's intention here was to bring a Radeon Xpress 3200 product into its AM2 lineup. They've done that, and they've made a functional, pretty well laid out board that performs overall how we'd like it to. However, in a number of areas the board appears to be less appealing than its Socket 939 predecessor. It's not got any real VRM cooling and it doesn't have as much internal hard disk connectivity. Further, its BIOS isn't (at the moment) as tweakable, making it slip behind the Sturgeon reference board. Cool 'n' Quiet problems continue to plague ASUS's AM2 boards too, it seems.
On the flip-side, despite its deficits in tweakability, stock performance is, in most tests, better than Sturgeon. CrossFire works just fine, should dual-GPU be a route you're looking to take.
All things considered, the appeal of this board will rest with its retail price. If it squares up to nForce 570 SLI boards, then it could be one of the forerunners of ATI powered AM2 systems. One to keep an eye on.
The M2R32-MVP passed our lab testing (including a 13-hour burn-in session) satisfactorily, and so we're giving it a HEXUS.labs certification.
HEXUS Right2Reply
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