Gigabyte 990FXA-UD5 Motherboard Review
The Gigabyte 990FXA-UD5 is a high-performance motherboard designed for use with AMD processors. It comes with the AMD 990FX chipset and supports AM3+ processors, including the AMD FX series. This motherboard is aimed at enthusiasts and power users who are looking to build a high-performance system.
With all the hype surrounding AMD’s upcoming Bulldozer release, manufacturers have been scrambling to ship 990 and 970 chipset motherboards. However you look at it, AMD’s delay with the new CPU architecture has at least allowed them to get all the new models ready in preparation for the upcoming launch.
In this review, we will take a closer look at the features and performance of the Gigabyte 990FXA-UD5 to help you decide if it is the right motherboard for your needs.
Design
As usual, Gigabyte has their editions ready to fly and today we are looking at the 990FXA-UD5 see what changes this sleek and sexy motherboard compares to its predecessor, the 890FXA-UD5. The new board has some significant changes to let’s jump right to it and take a closer look at the Gigabyte 990FX-UD5.
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Features and closer look :
The 990FX looks very similar to its predecessor, the 890FX. There are no new innovations to the chipset to speak of. Still, if you look closely, the HyperTransport 3.0 processor link with the previous 5.2 GT/s of peak interconnect bandwidth from the 890FX gets an upgrade to version 3.1 and 6.4 GT/s of bandwidth on the 990FX.
There are no changes to the silicon, but perhaps the HyperTransport speed may have improved with the additional bandwidth. The Northbridge is a PCI Express 2.0 switch with 42 lanes of connectivity and the 990FX now supports Nvidia GeForce cards (though not all motherboard models will feature this).
This is a welcome sight, seeing AMD users were pretty much stuck with AMD/ATI graphic cards for some time. For more information, You may also read Intel Gigabyte Z77X Motherboard.
The SB950 offers additional PCI express lanes and all 6 of the serial ATA ports use 6Gbps of connectivity. The USB ports still feature USB 2.0 as the next generation has not been embraced, seeing as the I/O blocks have not changed either. Folks, there really is no cutting-edge differences on both the 990FX and SB950.
Conclusion
Gigabyte 990FXA-UD5 is a solid choice for those looking for a high-performance motherboard for their AMD-based system. The board features a robust power delivery system, a variety of expansion options, and a sleek design. The inclusion of Gigabyte’s DualBIOS technology and UEFI DualBIOS also add an extra layer of protection and convenience for the user.
However, it should be noted that the board does not have built-in WiFi capabilities and its BIOS may take some getting used to for those unfamiliar with it. Additionally, the board may not be the best option for those on a tight budget as it comes with a premium price tag.
Overall, the Gigabyte 990FXA-UD5 is a solid motherboard with a great set of features for enthusiasts and power users looking to build a high-performance AMD-based system. Its robust power delivery system, variety of expansion options, and DualBIOS technology make it a great choice for those looking for a stable and reliable platform.