ASUS P5N32-SLI Premium/WiFi-AP Edition nForce 590 Review - Page 1 of 6
Review by Kyle Kerley - November 20, 2006
INTRODUCTION
Whether or not Intel's Core 2 Duo was going to get any love from NVIDIA's nForce 5 platform was up in the air for a long time. It was finally decided that the boards would be made and ASUS put together the P5N32-SLI Premium/WiFi-Ap Edition, not sure when it or if it would be released to the public. Thankfully, they decided to let us have it and after using it for the last few weeks, I can honestly say that consumers are quite lucky to have access to this board. It's a real shame this board wasn't released much earlier. The nForce 590 is the cream of the crop when it comes to the nForce 5 series and ASUS took it even further with tons of frivolous extras both on the motherboard and in the shipping box. ASUS cut no corners with the P5N32-SLI Premium/WiFi-AP Edition motherboard and their extra work to make this the nForce 5 board to own paid off.
Apart from a few massive headaches (all but one of which had nothing to do with the motherboard at all), I have had nothing but an amazing and completely positive experience with this board. I just happened to get it up and running when all hell broke loose elsewhere unbeknownst to me. More on all that later though...
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
I was absolutely stunned when I saw the box. It's simple, but so powerful. The artwork is top-notch and it really gives an aura of professionalism and power. I want to put the box up on a high shelf so that everyone can see how classy my motherboard is. Sadly, I wasn't able to snap a picture that was able to really show how awesome this box is, but those below give a decent idea of how the external box, its flaps and the internal box look.
ASUS P5N32-SLI Premium/WiFi-AP Edition External Box
ASUS P5N32-SLI Premium/WiFi-AP Edition Top Flap
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ASUS P5N32-SLI Premium/WiFi-AP Edition Bottom Flap
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ASUS P5N32-SLI Premium/WiFi-AP Edition Internal Box
The "AI Lifestyle" badge on the box is what ASUS calls its suite of luxury features. As a side note: I really like the notion of what the AI Lifestyle stands for and along with that, I think it's got a very slick logo. Everything about this package screams extreme professionalism. If I was in the store on the fence between a number of boards – all base features the same – at the store, the packaging would get me every time. The following is from ASUS's page for the P5N32-SLI Premium/WiFi-AP:
"AI Lifestyle Series motherboards bring lifestyle and personal computing together. They provide better system performance for graphics-intensive applications such as 3D games and deliver cutting-edge audio features that dramatically enhance the quality of voice signal. Thoughtful design further allows quick and easy system setup. To create a peaceful environment, several new and improved innovations are included to reduce noise and temperature. Don't change your way of life for a computer. Instead let the ASUS Lifestyle Series improve the quality of your life."
This motherboard has been designed for all types of enthusiasts; from extreme overclockers to those who want the best performance money can buy at the quietest noise level money can buy: the P5N32-SLI Premium/WiFi-AP motherboard has got something for everyone.
ASUS P5N32-SLI Premium/WiFi-AP Edition
Click Image to Enlarge - 800x658 (209KB)
Besides having features that appeal to every power-user out there, ASUS certainly didn't skimp when in terms of stuffing that box full of all sorts of parts. Being the "Premium" edition motherboard, I was expecting to be pampered and, as the next page shows, I was not let down.
