ASUS TUF SaberTooth 55i

Introduction

ASUS motherboards have always been known to be one of the best. ASUS is also one of the only motherboard manufacturers that are constantly adding newer features, and are also constantly improving their motherboards. With these two key points in mind we can see why ASUS motherboards are known for being the most reliable.

We over at Bjorn3D.com are going to be looking at one of ASUS's newest additions to their motherboard line up. This motherboard is built upon ASUS's outstanding continuation of high quality and their attention to detail. This motherboard uses Intel's P55 chipset, like other motherboards based on the this chipset, the ASUS Sabertooth 55i motherboard can support any 1156 socket CPU. It can be configured to run either Nvidia's multi GPU configuration SLI, or ATI's multi GPU configuration Crossfire X. But like all other P55 based motherboards, this motherboard only supports Dual Channel memory.

ASUS has also added a few new features to this motherboard. One of the newest features this motherboard is using is a Ceramic coating over the heatsinks on the PCH (P55) and on the Mosfets heatsinks. ASUS added TUF capacitors and Mosfets. Also included is a memory fan holder that will help keep our memory cool during our overclocking endeavors.

UPDATE: We gotten a couple of emails that explains ASUS's newer features that are included into this particular motherboard. Which will make this motherboard an even sweeter deal for anyone needing a rock solid, highly stable, that has or contains some of the most up to date features I have seen.

E.S.P. is the automatic phase switch capability for the power phase to drop down to 4 phases when the CPU loading is low via EPU.  Note: This function will be disabled by force if T-Probe application is installed.

-Additionally as I understand it though for all hardware based switching whether it be the VRM switching or rest of the E.S.P switching components these are all hardware based and do not require software to receive their benefit. ( CPU , PCI , PCI-E and PCH )

T.Probe which offers the world’s only VRM per phase bank temperature balancing/loading hardware functionality – additionally is also hardware based and the software is only need under the even the user wants to see a graphical representation of the balancing and loading.

TUF Caps. & MOSFETs are specially sorted quality components which were fully approved for military usage. Although we already use high quality capacitors that go through extensive validation Sabertooth is about pushing pass the standards of acceptance and providing highest grade components in the range available to ensure the best in reliability.

Below is a little more detail on the Cera-Mix coating technology outside of the fact of additional diffusion/micro surface points provide better cooling due to better dissipation properties. Additional advantage noted below.

Anti-oxidant are normally coated by conversion coating such as anodizing to prevent rust and corrosion, which normally result in degraded performance/ reduced heat dissipation capability.

Ceramix coating however, does not have such limitation, rather, it even help with heat dissipation along with the overall design advantage of our StackCool3+ heatsink design which includes 2oz copper. This board is StackCool3+ design with 6 layer PCB.

ESD Guards components can be found behind each USB ports.  Yes, they are also on D and –E series, however, most motherboard does not have them on the rear I/O as the USB connectors are already foolproof.  Sabertooth 55i has both to provide double protection.

Below is some additional information in regards to the ESD Guards and there benefits. ( although ESD Guards are present on all our Xtreme Design board Sabertooth Take ESD and EMI protection further ).

Electrostatic Discharge Protection (ESD) When users walk on carpets and rugs, leave their cars, or remove some types of plastic packaging, there may be a buildup of electric static charge - sometimes as high as a few kilovolts. When contact is made to electronic devices at this time (especially computers), the accumulated electrical charge can then "jump" into the system through the fingers - creating either a system crash or other errors, or worse still - electrical damage to internal components. As depicted with the image below, the IC's damage was caused by electric static discharge.

The European Union (EU) was the first to require testing for static discharge tolerance and created a set of standards of protection through strict guidelines and rules (contact discharge of 4 kilovolts and air discharge of 8 kilovolts). In line with the commitment to provide the best possible customer satisfaction, ASUS has designed motherboards that surpasses the EU's strict static electricity standards and provide users with protection against such static discharge in the most commonly used scenarios - for example the front USB ports. Each USB port on the motherboard is protected against static electricity discharge - something which no other motherboard maker is yet to achieve. This highlights ASUS' true commitment towards consumers - not just in terms of performance, but also to help protect users against static electricity.

ASUS ESD Protection Overcurrent Protection for Safe Computing An overcurrent is a current that exceeds the amperage rating of the external device (flash memory, hard disks and etc.) or other active components in a circuit (e.g. ICs). When you connect an external device (e.g. external HDD) with a flawed circuit into your PC system, it might cause an overcurrent. Without adequate protection, an overcurrent can seriously damage components on the motherboard (e.g. ICs) or even the external device itself. ASUS' motherboards are designed with an installed circuit that acts like fuses and circuit breakers to detect an overcurrent condition when the current reaches a value that will cause an excessive or dangerous temperature rise in conductors - and in doing so, protecting your external devices, ICs and the safety of the users themselves.

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