For those silly enough to run out and buy an untested mobo, the ATI RD580 mobos don't seem to be readily available in the U.S. on March 1st as advertised. Today 3-4-06 I see only two e-tailers with a few of the Asus A8R32 and of course they are price gouging like usual. I don't see any of the Asus or other brands of RD580 mobos at Monarch, Mwave, or other larger e-tailers so it looks to me like some gray market mobos were shipped to the two e-tailers to be the first kids on the block to have them. ther's also no listing for the A8R32 on pricegrabber or Dealtime.
I also see from the reviews that the A8R32 offers little performance advantage over the A8R-MVP and few of the voltage/BIOS issues have been resolved. With the foolish PCI slot locations and number on the RD580 chipset based Asus, Sapphire mobos it looks like these mobos are of little value to anyone. More not ready for prime time rushed to market crap for the sheep to buy.
I can't believe Asus would only put 1 PCI-E 1x slot on this board, and then place it so it's useless when a dual slot cooler video card is installed! Whomever designed this board should be smacked.
Wes, you say, "The Sapphire version is a virtual copy of the ATI Manta Reference design..."
I seem to recall (I could be wrong though) that Sapphire designs most or all reference boards for ATi, and if that is the case here then the above sentence might require some rewriting.
Why all the hoopla when AMD is moving away from Socket 939? Is this "NEW" thing going to support the new 940s too? Otherwise, how can you support the idea for the cost?
R580 is not just socket 939. It is also for socket AM2, in fact many mobo manufacturers are only bringing this chipset out for socket AM2 and are skipping 939.
Personally I'm skipping AM2 altogeather and getting the best 939 system later this year when prices are much lower and laughing all the way to the next AMD socket generation after AM2. Should be in 2008.
Since the RD580 is going to support AM2, it's definately a longer-term chipset. With all the recent hoopla regarding HDCP support, does the chipset itself need to be certified to enjoy HD output on Vista? If so, does the RD580 support it?
I want the Abit, but it's a shame the board is brown (brown is ugly). I want it in black like the Asus, with red or black slots. I can make the SATA external just by passing it through a PCI slot or a hole in the backplane.
After the long list of mobo problems with the RD480 chipset mobos, which appear to be mobo design issues, not RD480 chipset issues, I wouldn't touch an RD580 chipset mobo with a ten foot pole.
AFAIK Asus, Sapphire and other mobo makers have provided no solutions to the long list of problems on their mobos. It's as if the mobo makers have no clue or no interest in their customers? You can go to any mobo maker's website and any hardware review site and find documented problems on these mobos that are inexcusable yet there have been no fixes provided by any of the mobo makers. If a mobo maker can't produce a mobo with a stable Vcore voltage, standard BIOS Vcore voltage options, run standard industry certified PC3200 memory, etc. then they're in the wrong business.
You can be certain if they couldn't fix the problems on the RD480 mobos, they haven't fixed the problems on the RD580 mobos being rushed to market just before the AM2 socket mobos will be released. My guess is if the mobo companies keep dumping crap in to the marketplace, they are gonna kill the market as anyone with a clue isn't gonna buy one defective mobo after another and then have to trash it because it can't even function properly at the default settings of all current AMD mobos. Since PC professionals and hardware review sites have confirmed these problems, it ain't user installation issues, but in reality, mobo design issues. That's why a BIOS upgrade can't fix the problems on the RD480 / RD580 based mobos.
The RD480 had issues with supplying voltage to the x16 sklots in some Crossfire configurations. It was never really designed for dual slot - which was more an add-on. The RD580 was designed for dual slot from the ground up and is a very robust chipset.
I have an Asus A8R-MVP, and I've seen the huge variance in the vCore - even at stock. Other than that it's a good value board, but I'll avoid ati's chipsets from here on as a result - not because it's a bad chipset, but because I don't feel the board manufacturers have given proper time to the design.
Also on page 1: "The value is even greater when you consider than the ATI Crossfire X1900XT and Crossfire X1900XT are the fastest video solutions currently on the market and they are fully supported by the A8R32-MVP."
"...when you consider THAT the...", and you've listed the same card twice, "...Crossfire X1900XT and Crossfire X1900XT..." Maybe throw another "X" in there somewhere. :-)
Items corrected. Thank you. Wes was up late to get this article posted since my next motherboard review was delayed due to additional testing with a new bios. I deserve the flogging. :)
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24 Comments
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Beenthere - Saturday, March 4, 2006 - link
For those silly enough to run out and buy an untested mobo, the ATI RD580 mobos don't seem to be readily available in the U.S. on March 1st as advertised. Today 3-4-06 I see only two e-tailers with a few of the Asus A8R32 and of course they are price gouging like usual. I don't see any of the Asus or other brands of RD580 mobos at Monarch, Mwave, or other larger e-tailers so it looks to me like some gray market mobos were shipped to the two e-tailers to be the first kids on the block to have them. ther's also no listing for the A8R32 on pricegrabber or Dealtime.I also see from the reviews that the A8R32 offers little performance advantage over the A8R-MVP and few of the voltage/BIOS issues have been resolved. With the foolish PCI slot locations and number on the RD580 chipset based Asus, Sapphire mobos it looks like these mobos are of little value to anyone. More not ready for prime time rushed to market crap for the sheep to buy.
SOS, DD.
Ecmaster76 - Wednesday, March 1, 2006 - link
Seriously though, when is the performance review coming (back) ?DigitalFreak - Wednesday, March 1, 2006 - link
I can't believe Asus would only put 1 PCI-E 1x slot on this board, and then place it so it's useless when a dual slot cooler video card is installed! Whomever designed this board should be smacked.Palek - Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - link
Wes, you say, "The Sapphire version is a virtual copy of the ATI Manta Reference design..."I seem to recall (I could be wrong though) that Sapphire designs most or all reference boards for ATi, and if that is the case here then the above sentence might require some rewriting.
breethon - Monday, February 27, 2006 - link
Why all the hoopla when AMD is moving away from Socket 939? Is this "NEW" thing going to support the new 940s too? Otherwise, how can you support the idea for the cost?Aelius - Monday, February 27, 2006 - link
Did you even bother reader it?R580 is not just socket 939. It is also for socket AM2, in fact many mobo manufacturers are only bringing this chipset out for socket AM2 and are skipping 939.
Personally I'm skipping AM2 altogeather and getting the best 939 system later this year when prices are much lower and laughing all the way to the next AMD socket generation after AM2. Should be in 2008.
Orbs - Monday, February 27, 2006 - link
Since the RD580 is going to support AM2, it's definately a longer-term chipset. With all the recent hoopla regarding HDCP support, does the chipset itself need to be certified to enjoy HD output on Vista? If so, does the RD580 support it?DanaGoyette - Monday, February 27, 2006 - link
I want the Abit, but it's a shame the board is brown (brown is ugly). I want it in black like the Asus, with red or black slots. I can make the SATA external just by passing it through a PCI slot or a hole in the backplane.Missing Ghost - Monday, February 27, 2006 - link
That DFI board looks like the most perfect board ever!ariafrost - Monday, February 27, 2006 - link
Or can you not access the ABIT page (should be page 4) of this article? It just takes me to the "bottom line".bupkus - Monday, February 27, 2006 - link
Try the Abit link on page 3. The page 4 link on the drop down list is broke.Gary Key - Monday, February 27, 2006 - link
The links have been fixed. Thank you.Beenthere - Monday, February 27, 2006 - link
After the long list of mobo problems with the RD480 chipset mobos, which appear to be mobo design issues, not RD480 chipset issues, I wouldn't touch an RD580 chipset mobo with a ten foot pole.AFAIK Asus, Sapphire and other mobo makers have provided no solutions to the long list of problems on their mobos. It's as if the mobo makers have no clue or no interest in their customers? You can go to any mobo maker's website and any hardware review site and find documented problems on these mobos that are inexcusable yet there have been no fixes provided by any of the mobo makers. If a mobo maker can't produce a mobo with a stable Vcore voltage, standard BIOS Vcore voltage options, run standard industry certified PC3200 memory, etc. then they're in the wrong business.
You can be certain if they couldn't fix the problems on the RD480 mobos, they haven't fixed the problems on the RD580 mobos being rushed to market just before the AM2 socket mobos will be released. My guess is if the mobo companies keep dumping crap in to the marketplace, they are gonna kill the market as anyone with a clue isn't gonna buy one defective mobo after another and then have to trash it because it can't even function properly at the default settings of all current AMD mobos. Since PC professionals and hardware review sites have confirmed these problems, it ain't user installation issues, but in reality, mobo design issues. That's why a BIOS upgrade can't fix the problems on the RD480 / RD580 based mobos.
Wesley Fink - Monday, February 27, 2006 - link
The RD480 had issues with supplying voltage to the x16 sklots in some Crossfire configurations. It was never really designed for dual slot - which was more an add-on. The RD580 was designed for dual slot from the ground up and is a very robust chipset.matthewfoley - Monday, February 27, 2006 - link
Agreed.I have an Asus A8R-MVP, and I've seen the huge variance in the vCore - even at stock. Other than that it's a good value board, but I'll avoid ati's chipsets from here on as a result - not because it's a bad chipset, but because I don't feel the board manufacturers have given proper time to the design.
matthewfoley - Monday, February 27, 2006 - link
It was up for a day or so then nothing. I'm guessing it will reappear on launch date.matthewfoley - Monday, February 27, 2006 - link
Now there isn't even a page on this review for the Asus A8R32-MVP. What's the deal? NDA?Gary Key - Monday, February 27, 2006 - link
The article has been updated. Sorry about Page 1 missing for a moments.DigitalFreak - Monday, February 27, 2006 - link
Now if they would get rid of the stupid Master Card requirement for high end Crossfire setups, I'd buy one.DeanO - Monday, February 27, 2006 - link
1st page - "The bargain-priced A8R32-MVP" should be "The bargain-priced A8R-MVP"Googer - Monday, February 27, 2006 - link
It's hardly bargain priced at $200+ (according to froogle).http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=A8R32-MVP&...">http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=A8R...a:en-US:...
DeanO - Monday, February 27, 2006 - link
Another one on page 2 - "competitive UDB performance" should be "competitive USB performance"Guuts - Monday, February 27, 2006 - link
Also on page 1: "The value is even greater when you consider than the ATI Crossfire X1900XT and Crossfire X1900XT are the fastest video solutions currently on the market and they are fully supported by the A8R32-MVP.""...when you consider THAT the...", and you've listed the same card twice, "...Crossfire X1900XT and Crossfire X1900XT..." Maybe throw another "X" in there somewhere. :-)
Gary Key - Monday, February 27, 2006 - link
Items corrected. Thank you. Wes was up late to get this article posted since my next motherboard review was delayed due to additional testing with a new bios. I deserve the flogging. :)