The Epox EP-5P945 Pro motherboard PCSTATS tested is a value-oriented alternative for those of you looking to build a machine on a budget. Built on the passively cooled Intel 945P Express and Intel ICH7 chipsets, the EP-5P945 Pro has a basic feature set and a nice collection of expansion options. It's a good no-frills kind of motherboard, and especially well suited for the upcoming Celeron processor which is based on the Core 2 Duo architecture.

When equipped with a good mid-level videocard the Epox EP-5P945 Pro is more than adequate for 2D applications and desktop programs. If you primarily use your computer for work; surfing the 'net, sending email, using Microsoft Office and similar Windows XP/Vista based applications it will handle the tasks well enough. Game handling is good but don't get too carried away because the EP-5P945 Pro does not support ATi CrossFire or nVIDIA SLI despite having two physical PCI Express x16 slots.

With the ability to run a maximum of 4GB of DDR2-667/533/400 memory, the EP-5P945 Pro is not exactly a powerhouse but is sufficient for 2D workstation style work. 2-4GB should be sufficient for Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium if you plan on running Microsoft's latest OS.

All in all, PCSTATS found the Epox EP-5P945 Pro to be a well paced mainstream motherboard when it comes to office oriented applications and productivity software. Compared to P965 Express based motherboards in benchmarks like SYSMark2004 or Business Winstone 2004, the Epox EP-5P945 Pro motherboard stands up satisfactorily. It is certainly not as fast as boards based on the P965 chipset, but doesn't trail by much.

We're not sure how much the Epox EP-5P945 Pro retails for, but from the chipset and features it's aimed, we're pretty confident the motherboard is aimed at the entry level market. If you're looking to build a low cost computer but need decent performance the Epox EP-5P945 Pro offers a very competent solution.

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