Strengths: Stability/functionality right out-of-the-box

Weaknesses: No Clear CMOS switch; bizarre PCI slot arrangement

Summary: For the new Core i7, this MoBo has been the most recommended by professional reviewers, who note that there are always problems out-of-the-box with virtually any MoBo (and some honorably note the sad state of the MoBo industry that allows this to take place)...but not with this one. With the latest BIOS, Asus have finally redeemed themselves somewhat, creating a MoBo that actually works just by plugging in the components and turning it on. And lest ye did not know, in the last couple of years that has become an impossibility...especially for those of us who bought nVidia 790i boards and were subject to that fiasco for months. For the first time since 2005, this MoBo has allowed me to "just plug 'n go"...no muss, no fuss. With 790i, one spent weeks trying to find the voltages that would allow your southbridge to recognize your SATA HDDs, for example. Not with this one! I love it, and I read that overclocking it is easy (haven't tried that yet).