Introduction

On multiple occasions we have told you that motherboard manufacturers are having a harder time making products that are clearly different from each other. After all, they share common cores (chipsets) and support the same CPU ranges (well, usually). To combat this issue board manufacturers are building up feature sets for each product as well as common features to their internal line ups and even common features for their whole product range.

Many of these fall into the category of value added software or BIOS tweaks. However, one that often gets overlooked is component choices. Things like using a series of capacitors with a higher voltage tolerance or stronger voltage regulators. These type of "features" are not as sexy as an OC button or wireless overclocking, but they are often more important. ASUS seems to have learned this and often uses components that are rated much higher than needed.

Today we are taking a look at their Sabertooth X58 motherboard. This product boasts that it is built all with long life components that have been certified to U.S. military standards by a third party agency. Of course, in being an ASUS product that is not all you are getting; you are also getting a unique board level cooling system which has been coated by ceramics to improve cooling, and the usual laundry list of ASUS common features.

With a price tag of $189.99 at NewEgg,com and a 5 year warranty, it certainly raises the eyebrows. So, let's take a look at the Sabertooth and see if it can keep in step or if it will fall out on the march through our lab.