Quote Originally Posted by Shintai View Post
And what would you call this?
http://images.dailytech.com/nimage/5...US_M3A_MVP.jpg
I call it Asus slowly realizing how to properly cool motherboards components. It seems to me that NB is not connected to the power circuitry at all which absolutely makes sense. Only thing I don't like and don't get are the heatpipes on the right side of NB ending between rams.(sandwich heater for rams? )

Don't make judgment based on one board. If I had to make an opinion on P35 by looking at DQ6 I would had to called it a power hog, which is not a case. See DS3 heatsink.
5W, no heatsink? Wrong again. In that case no southbridge would have it. And the VIA CPus stillawith a heatsink wouldn´t need it.
You don' necassary need heatsink for 4-5W SB. There are boards that don't have one. I think they use them just in case, they´re cheap anyway and might help with stability when non-stock voltages are applied.