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BIOS
BIOS options on mATX boards are typically very spartan. The
presence of an IGP and the more limited cooling associated with an mATX platform
makes manufacturers nervous about allowing users the ability to customize
their clock/voltage settings. ATX boards are usually more tweaker-friendly
and the M3N78 Pro follows the norms, to an extent.
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Advanced options.
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There are few customizable settings in the Advanced BIOS menu.
However, the available options are are fairly flexible. CPU frequency can
be increased up to 600Mhz, PCI-E frequency can be locked, and both CPU and
memory voltages can be tweaked to high limits.
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Notable BIOS Adjustments
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Setting
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Options
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| CPU Frequency |
200Mhz to 600Mhz in 1Mhz increments |
| PCI-E Frequency |
100Mhz to 200Mhz in 1Mhz increments |
| Memory Frequency |
533/667/800Mhz (may depend on CPU) |
| Memory Timings |
None |
| CPU Voltage |
0.8000V to 1.6750V in 0.0125V increments |
| Memory Voltage |
1.978V to 2.490V in varying increments
(0.750-0.102V) |
| Northbridge Voltage |
1.213V, 1.313V, 1.409V |
| 1.2V HT |
1.309V, 1.425V, 1.525V |
| Video Memory Size |
64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB |
Northbridge and "1.2V HT" (which we assume is southbridge)
voltages are limited to only three settings and memory timing options are
non-existent — they aren't even displayed. We also weren't able to find
a HT multiplier setting; it usually needs to be lowered when overclocking.
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Hardware Monitor.
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The Hardware Monitor section is simple, yet offers plenty of
functionality. Fan speeds are reported from all three fan headers on the board,
and the 4-pin CPU and Chassis fan headers can be controlled via the Q-Fan
feature. The same three fan control profiles can be found on all Asus motherboards:
Performance, Optimal, and Silent. The CPU fan header can be set to either
PWM or DC voltage control, but there is no automatic setting. Be aware of
this if you plan to use a 3-pin fan in conjunction with this header.
EXPRESS GATE
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Express Gate menu.
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Asus Express Gate is a recently added feature that allows users almost instant
access to a web browser, photo viewer, chat client (Pidgin) and VOIP (Skype).
It is powered by Splashtop, an instant-on Linux desktop developed by DeviceVM.
Instead of waiting for up to a minute for the main operating system to boot-up,
Express Gate is available as soon as the system POSTs. It offers limited functionality,
but if you're in a hurry, it works well in a pinch. It can also be upgraded
with software updates.
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YouTube anyone?
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If the majority of your PC time is spent on the internet, you
should feel right at home with Express Gate. You can get a lot done on the web
— programs that live strictly online are becoming rapidly popular. Some
believe that the internet is the next great operating system — that as
long as you can get online, the choice between Windows, Mac OS X and Linux will
be moot. Either way, Express Gate is the fastest way on a desktop computer to
watch a movie trailer or a deranged Scotsman interview a young Hollywood starlet.
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