This powerful and innovative motherboard supports both dual- and quad-core AMD Athlon and Sempron SoC (system-on-a-chip) APUs integrating Radeon? HD graphics and support for HD video playback. This revolutionary APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) combines high processing power, advanced MicrosoftR DirectX 11.1 graphics, and Fusion controller hubs (FCHs) in one small, efficient package. This SoC APU features up to single-channel DDR3 1600/1333 memory, SATA 6Gbit/s and USB 3.0 natively. AMD Athlon/Sempron APUs are the first multi-core x86 SoC with AM1 Series socket solution for entry-level desktops, improving performance by over 50 percent compared to the previous (‘Brazos 2.0’) generation of AMD APUs.
ASUS motherboards guard your PC with 5X Protection. We use quality components like DIGI+ VRM digital power design for precise APU power on demand, ESD units tested to strict standards that eliminate electrostatic interference, and resettable fuses around DRAM slots to prevent overcurrent and short-circuit damage. We also use corrosion-resistant back I/O shields, all examples of ASUS providing the best possible reliability and durability.
Voltage regulator modules (VRMs) are among the most essential motherboard components. A good VRM intelligently delivers APU power based on actual needs at any given time. ASUS was first with digital power design featuring faster sensing and response to deliver precise APU power on demand. This great accuracy reduces energy waste and of course improves system stability thanks to more consistent delivery.
Onboard resettable fuses prevent overcurrent and short-circuit damage. This extends beyond I/O ports to DRAM to safeguard system and device lifespan.
Electrostatic discharges (ESD) can happen suddenly, and their damaging effects are often underestimated. ASUS ESD Guards offer an active protective circuit design that ensures electrostatic discharges are properly grounded, providing greater component longevity.
ASUS high-quality solid state capacitors assure a 5,000-hour lifespan, equivalent to 2.5 times longer than traditional capacitors. All capacitors pass testing under temperatures as high as 105 degrees centigrade and meet Japanese industrial standards to provide excellent durability and enhanced thermal capacity.
ASUS motherboard back I/O panels are made from strong and corrosion-resistant stainless steel, which is bonded with a thin layer of chromium oxide to enhance anti-corrosive properties. Passing 72-hour spray salt endurance tests, ASUS stainless steel back I/O panels have a usage life three times longer compared to ordinary panels.
Media-renowned UEFI BIOS from ASUS provides the smoothest mouse-controlled graphical BIOS, and now features more intuitive functions to quickly take you to favorite BIOS pages and frequently-accessed settings through custom shortcuts. You can even write quick notes in-BIOS for future reference, view an activity log of setting changes and modifications, and rename SATA ports. EZ Mode has a whole new look, upgraded with extra-friendly capabilities like detailed fan controls, D.O.C.P profile settings, SATA information, and fast clock adjustment. Together, these perfect your BIOS experience.
Easily change the time and date in EZ Mode using the mouse.
Quickly apply D.O.C.P settings in UEFI BIOS EZ Mode, achieving better DRAM performance.
As demanded by the community, detailed fan controls come to EZ Mode so you can switch fan profiles for quick cooling and noise-level supervision.
Displays each SATA port details for you to easily recognize devices.
F4 or right click to add settings to My Favorites under Advanced Mode, which cuts time spent on searching and further speeds up system tuning.
Now you can customize your own shortcut log by pressing F4 or right clicking to create shortcuts to frequently-used settings. Instantly access them by simply hitting the F3 hotkey.
You no longer need to have a pen and paper notepad around. Quick Note works inside the BIOS so you can just type remarks and ideas to help you remember important settings info and save time on trial and error.
Always forget those important BIOS changes you did? This friendly function creates a tuning log to track your BIOS settings history, which can be saved onto a USB drive.
You can rename your SATA ports for easy identification, including by usage scenario. Get greater convenience and spend less time on finding the right devices when you want to change settings.
ASUS USB 3.0 Boost technology supports UASP (USB Attached SCSI Protocol) in Windows 8.1/8. With USB 3.0 Boost technology, a USB device's transmission speed is significantly increased up to 170%, adding to already fast USB 3.0 performance. ASUS software automatically accelerates data rates for compatible USB 3.0 peripherals without any user interaction.
ASUS facilitates USB 3.0 accessibility for both the front and rear panel. Experience the latest plug n play connectivity at speeds up to 10 times faster than USB 2.0. Our motherboards afford greater convenience with high speed connectivity.
ASUS provides SATA 6.0 Gb/s ports with enhanced scalability, faster data retrieval, and double the bandwidth of SATA 3Gb/s.
Thanks to ASUS Windows 8 hardware optimization, ASUS Boot Setting provides better flexibility in customizing your PC’s startup process. You can shorten system boot-up time to 2-seconds* for a smoother user experience under Windows 8, and even previous versions of Windows. Also, you can enter the BIOS directly with one click through a user-friendly interface, and quickly select your preferred system boot up method: either get to the OS in seconds or opt for regular boot up. Whatever your choice, settings are saved and persistent, with no need to choose every time you power on.
*On select models
ASUS AI Suite 3 offers a brand new user experience through a clearer and more attractive interface with support for larger monitors. It consolidates all exclusive ASUS features into one simple-to-use package, allowing you to supervise overclocking, energy consumption, fan speeds, voltages and more. This all-in-one app offers diverse and easy to use functionality, with no need to switch back and forth between different utilities.
Tap into the world's first real-time PC power saving chip through the AI Suite 3 utility. Get total system-wide energy optimization by automatically detecting current PC loadings and intelligently moderating power consumption. It can manually switch to Away Mode, so that you can download and stream content or backup data when away from your PC, which minimizes power draw to save money, creating a more efficient PC.
ASUS Fan Xpert intelligently allows you to adjust CPU and case fan speeds according to different ambient temperatures in diverse climate conditions and locations, as well as actual PC loading. Various preset fan performance profiles offer flexible fan speed controls to achieve a quiet and cool environment.
ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 allows users to restore corrupted BIOS data from a USB flash drive or support CD containing a BIOS file. This utility saves you the cost and hassle of buying a replacement BIOS chip.
Hands-On Video
Quickly update your BIOS from a USB flash drive before entering the OS. It only takes a few clicks, with no floppy disk or an OS-based flash utility.
Following up on popular 1080p full HD, 4K Ultra HD is the next big thing, and you’re ready for the upgrade thanks to integrated graphics that support up to 4096 x 2160 displays* via HDMI. That's four times the pixel count of 1080p (1920 x 1080), offering incredible visual clarity, detail, and realism.
* Please check the specifications of your AMD APU for capabilities. Video playback at 4096 x 2160 pixels may not be guaranteed.”