One of the things that make Asus products so enticing is simply the number of add-in features that you get with almost every level of product. I am not sure if all of these features would ever be used by one single consumer, but they are there and all of them work. These little extras can make it challenging to properly review an Asus board (they certainly take more time to test out properly) as most of these are not just simple software adds. With the launching of Asus’ X79 line up the feature list increased as Asus pushed more of the ROG line’s signature items down into the top level of the mainstream products. It makes for some very well rounded products. While we were busy testing out the normal feature set we also had to find ways to cover some of the new items like SSD caching and USB 3.0 Boost for both performance and ease of use. We have already told you about the features, let’s get into the performance numbers and see what we have with the Asus P9X79 Deluxe.
Value -Value is another very subjective topic. What is expensive to some might be a deal to others. You can look at this topic in multiple ways. One is raw price and the other is what you get for the money. Each is accurate and both are correct ways to look at price/value. We tend to look at features, performance and real-property when we discuss value. However, we also take into account the raw cash cost of the item. The Asus P9X79 Deluxe will set you back around $380 (although you can find open box and refurbs for under $350). This may sound like a steep price to pay for a single component on the surface, but you really have to take a look at what you are getting for that price. You are getting a very solid design with some excellent component choices. This is combined with Asus’ attention to detail for their UEFI BIOS and their AI Suite II software. It is also not that far off of the mark for other X79 boards that have less features to offer. It is also important to note that the “Deluxe” naming puts it very close to being an ROG board. According to Asus as they progress many of the current features of the ROG line will filter down into the mainstream boards and the deluxe models are the top of the pile for Asus’ mainstream performance line. Conclusion -In the end we found that the Asus P9X79 Deluxe is a very solid offering from Asus. It has a ton of features that are very functional. We were a little disappointed with the SSD caching and that someone decided to bury Google Toolbar and Chrome into the driver installer. Check out all of our thoughts on this in our conclusion video below. Discuss this in our Forum
