Intel Xeon E3-1230 V5 Review
Hardware
The Xeon, despite being a LGA1151 processor, requires a chipset of its own, the C232, and so we’ve borrowed an ASUS E3 Pro Gaming V5 motherboard for todays review.
If we had to take a guess we’d assume that ASUS know this is very much a niche product. The E3 Pro Gaming V5 is extremely affordable and, sadly, looks it. We can’t remember the last time we saw an ASUS motherboard that was so lacking in aesthetic appeal. If it had someone elses badge on it we wouldn’t be quite so surprised. Certainly ASUS have done as much as they can with the features, given the limitation of the C232 chipset, and the E3 Pro Gaming V5 comes with their Supreme FX audio, Sonic Radar II, Gamer Guardian technology and USB 3.1 connectivity. Because the Xeon E3-1230 V5 hasn’t got any onboard graphics there are no display outputs, which leaves the IO section looking like an old X58 offering.
BIOS
Without the ability to overclock the BIOS is stripped of nearly everything you’ve come to expect in an ASUS BIOS. It still is supremely easy to navigate and looks wonderful, but with so little to adjust it’s not somewhere that you’re going to be spending hours of your life.
