Amd 970 vs 990fx: GIGABYTE Unveils New 990FX and 970-Gaming Motherboards for AMD FX

Detailed Comparison of Both Popular Motherboards

990fx vs 970, which of the two motherboards is best in terms of performance, durability, and value? AMD 990FX Chipset is designed to support up to 5.2 GT/s and has a Hyper Transport of 3.0.

They have a speedy interface and dual PCI Express with 2.0 x16 graphics. Furthermore, 970FX was introduced in 2002 and had a maximum CPU clock rate from 1.0 GHz to 2.7 GHz, which is very slow compared to 990FX.

Contents

• 990FX vs 970: A Quick Comparison Between Motherboards
• 990FX vs 970 Motherboards
  • – Fan Headers
  • – USB 3.0 Ports Through Expansion
  • – Audio Channels
  • – Clocking Speed
• ASUS SABERTOOTH 990FX Motherboard Review
  • – Pros
  • – Cons
  • – Memory Storage Capacity
  • – Memory Performance
  • – Internal Connections
  • – Back I/O Controller
• ASUS SABERTOOTH 970 Motherboard Review
  • – Pros
  • – Cons
  • – GPU Performance
  • – Memory
  • – Display Support
  • – Power Requirements
  • – Dimensions
• FAQs
  • 1. Will 990FX Work With Any ATX Version PSU?
  • 2. How to Overclock the 990FX Motherboard With PSU?
  • 3. Do 990FX and 970FX Support Windows 10?
  • 4. What Is the Warranty of the 970FX Motherboard?
• Conclusion

990FX vs 970: A Quick Comparison Between Motherboards

990FX vs 970 Motherboards

The main difference between 990fx vs 970 motherboards is the PCIe lanes each of them has. The 990FX motherboard has 42 PCIe 2.0 lanes, which means it has two slots on a motherboard with 42 lanes that support computer chips.

Similarly, the 970FX motherboard has 26 PCIe 2.0 lanes, which means it has two slots on board but with 26 lanes that support computer chips. Their HyperTransport speed also differs significantly. Let’s start the comparison now!

– Fan Headers

Winner: 990FX Motherboard

Both types of motherboards have fan headers installed in them. Fan headers are the connection points on a motherboard that controls the cooling system through fans.

Moreover, fans can also be connected straight to the power supply, but when connected to the motherboard, it gives much finer control over them through software.

However, 990FX has six fan headers, whereas 970FX has only five fan headers. This explains that 990FX is more effective in handling the system’s heating issues than the other motherboard.

– USB 3.0 Ports Through Expansion

Winner: 990FX Motherboard

The 990FX motherboard has the ability to add two additional USB 3.0 ports through the expansion method of the motherboard. This motherboard is designed in such a way that the user can modify various things from it. One of them is adding two additional USB 3.0 ports.

However, this is not the case with the 970FX motherboard. This motherboard does not allow the user to modify its USB ports. This means that users cannot add any 3.0 USB port even through expansion.

– Audio Channels

Winner: 990FX Motherboard

Each channel has a separate stream of audio information. More channels mean it can provide more realistic experiences, such as providing surround sound.

The 990FX motherboard is once again a winner of this comparison because it has eight audio channels in total, whereas the 970FX has only 7. 1 audio channels in total.

– Clocking Speed

Winner: 970FX Motherboard

Regarding the memory clocking speed of 990FX and 970FX motherboards, it is the latter that wins the competition. That is because the 970FX motherboard has a clocking speed of 2.5 GHz or 2500 MHz.

However, the clocking speed of the 990FX motherboard is 1866 MHz or 1.8 GHz. Therefore, this difference shows that if the user wants to buy a GPU for intense clocking, they should opt for a 970FX motherboard.

ASUS SABERTOOTH 990FX Motherboard Review

– Pros

• Good thermal capabilities.
• High-class components.
• Good SATA III connectivity.

– Cons

• Low USB 3.0 connectivity on rear I/O
• Only one graphics card connector

– Memory Storage Capacity

The memory storage capacity is the main advantage of the 990FX over the 970FX motherboard. 990FX has a storage limit of 32 GB, whereas 970FX has a storage limit of only 8 GB. Those should opt for this who wants to buy a motherboard with more primary storage capacities and expansion capacity.

– Memory Performance

This motherboard’s overall memory performance is amazing, as it has four slots and various other specifications. It has a DDR3 slot which has 240-pin DIMM. It has a maximum speed of 1866 MHz with a maximum capacity of 32 GB. Moreover, the motherboard’s memory is enhanced due to two memory channels instead of one. However, it does not support Error Correction Code (ECC) memory.

– Internal Connections

The 990FX motherboard is better than the 970FX motherboard because it has many new and upgraded features that others do not have. Some of the internal connections of this motherboard make it even more appealing for buyers. For example, in an audio section, it has a 1x SPDIF Out Header connection.

Furthermore, the motherboard has six four-pin fan headers or connectors. The Misc has only one Serial Header connector and one TPM Header connector. The storage consists of 8x SATA 3 connectors.

Additionally, this motherboard has a 2x USB 2 header and a 1x USB 3 Gen 1 header. Lastly, this motherboard’s overall power through internal connectors is because it has 1x 24-pin ATX Power and 1x 8-pin 12V Power.

– Back I/O Controller

The back I/O controller of this motherboard is an outstanding feature for those wanting to have great audio set up for themselves. This motherboard has six analog audio jacks and one optical SPDIF Out. Furthermore, it supports one RJ-45 network.

The audio storage contains two eSATA 3 space. The USB type that the Back I/O controller supports is eight USB 2 Type-A and four USB 3 Gen 1 Type-A.

ASUS SABERTOOTH 970 Motherboard Review

– Pros

• It has six USB 2.0 ports through motherboard expansion.
• MSI 970FX gaming motherboard has a Trusted Platform Module connector.
• It has two PCI-E X1 slots.
• Exceptional base clock limit of 1051 MHz.

– Cons

• Less storage capacity.
• Only two PCI-E 2.0 X16 expansion slots.
• Have no SATA 2 connectors.

– GPU Performance

This motherboard has outstanding GPU performance that has 1664 CUDA cores. Its base clock limit is about 1051 MHz, and the maximum boost clock limit is about 1279 MHz. It is best for people who want intense overclocking on their computers.

– Memory

Compared to the 990FX motherboard’s memory, this will be less attractive to some buyers. However, the memory clock speed of this motherboard is 7010 MHz which is far more effective than 990FX.

This motherboard also contains a 4 GB configuration that supports the GDDR5 interface. Furthermore, the interface width is 256 bits. Additionally, the bandwidth of the motherboard is 224 GB/s.

– Display Support

The display support of the 970FX motherboard is another attractive feature it has. The maximum digital resolution this board has is 4096 x 2160. Moreover, the maximum VGA resolution it has is about 2048 x 1536. Furthermore, there are up to four multi-monitor support systems on this motherboard.

– Power Requirements

Before purchasing this motherboard, one should know what the power requirements of this motherboard are. The 970FX board consumes 148W of power.

However, the minimum power required to sustain the load and make the motherboard work properly is 500W. It consumes less power than 990FX and offers great features as well. So, this could be a perfect option to choose.

– Dimensions

One must focus on the dimensions of the motherboard if one wants to build their own computer. Therefore, this motherboard’s height is 5.5″ / 141 mm. Its length is 11″ or 279 mm, which is smaller than the 990FX motherboard. The width of the motherboard is determined by its slots; it has a dual slot, just like a 990FX motherboard.

FAQs

1. Will 990FX Work With Any ATX Version PSU?

Yes, 990FX will work with any ATX version PSU. Moreover, all the ATX PSUs should work fine with 990FX. Maximum power needs to be at most 80% of the PSUs ability so as not to overtax the hardware.

There are various websites that will calculate the power and show the approximate power needs based on the chosen hardware.

2. How to Overclock the 990FX Motherboard With PSU?

If you plan to overclock any hardware, then make sure to have extra PSU power in anticipation of that. Some systems require 450 Watts; therefore, use 1000 Watt maximum PSU to make overclocking possible.

If that is the case, then overclocking the 6700k chip or 680 TI card is possible without any worry.

3. Do 990FX and 970FX Support Windows 10?

Yes, 990FX and 970FX motherboards support Windows 10. However, updated drivers are required to be downloaded. Download this by using ASUS. It is crucial to download an updated driver so that all of the motherboard’s features can work properly.

4. What Is the Warranty of the 970FX Motherboard?

The warranty for the 970FX motherboard is three years. Moreover, almost all the FX series motherboards have three years of warranty.

Conclusion

After reading the comparative review between the two products, 990FX vs 970, the reader will understand the distinct features between the two motherboards. The 990FX is better than the 970FX motherboard due to its various features.

However, when it comes to the intense overclocking of hardware devices, the 970FX mother is best at sustaining it. 990FX has a huge storage space of around 32 GB, whereas the 970FX board only has 8 GB storage.

It is recommended to buy a 990FX board for your computer because it is compatible with Windows 10 and advanced system software.

Furthermore, it is a new motherboard with many features that are not present in the 970FX motherboard. Therefore, the reader should now be able to purchase the best motherboard for their computer system. Thank you for reading!

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Why is Asus Sabertooth 990FX better than ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0?

• 533MHz higher RAM speed?
  1866MHz vs 1333MHz
• 1 more fan connectors?
  6 vs 5
• 0.9 more audio channels?
  8 vs 7.1
• Is there an S/PDIF out port?
• 2 more PCIe 2. 0 x16 slots?
  4 vs 2
• 4 more USB 2.0 ports?
  10 vs 6
• 2 more SATA 2 connectors?
  2 vs 0
• Years under manufacturer’s warranty 2 years more?
  5 years vs 3 years

Which comparisons are the most popular?

ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0

vs

ASRock 970M Pro3

Asus Sabertooth 990FX

vs

Asus Sabertooth 990FX R2.0

ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0

vs

ASRock 990FX Extreme3 ​​

Asus Sabertooth 990FX

vs

MSI 990FXA-GD80

ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0

vs

Asus ROG Maximus VIII Hero Alpha

Asus Sabertooth 990FX

vs

ASRock 970M Pro3

ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0

vs

Asus X99-Deluxe/U3.1

Asus Sabertooth 990FX

vs

MSI B350 Gaming Plus

ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0

vs

Asus ROG X370 Crosshair VI Extreme

Asus Sabertooth 990FX

vs

Gigabyte X399 Aorus Xtreme

ASRock 970 Pro3 R2. 0

vs

MSI Z77A-GD65 Gaming

Asus Sabertooth 990FX

vs

MSI 970 Gaming

ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0

vs

ASRock 970 Extreme4

Asus Sabertooth 990FX

vs

Asus Prime X370-Pro

ASRock 970 Pro3 R2 .0

VS

ASUS P8Z77-V Premium

ASUS Sabertooth 990FX

VS

ASUS CROSSHAIR V FORMULA-Z

R2.0 9000 9000 SITIIT 9000 SAITS 9000 SAITS 9000 SAIT0003

Asus Sabertooth 990FX

vs

Gigabyte X570 I Aorus Pro Wi-Fi

ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0

vs

ASRock B550 PG Riptide

Asus Sabertooth 990FX

vs

MSI 990FXA-GD80V2

Price match

User reviews

Memory

maximum memory

Maximum memory (RAM).

RAM speed

1333MHz

1866MHz

Can support faster memory which speeds up system performance.

RAM speed

2100MHz

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Asus Sabertooth 990FX)

The motherboard supports overclocking the RAM to a higher speed. By increasing the memory speed, we increase the performance of the computer.

memory slots

The more memory slots (DIMMs), the more RAM you can add to your computer. This is relevant for the upgrade, because. The memory bar can be installed in an empty slot, rather than replacing an already installed one.

DDR memory version

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Asus Sabertooth 990FX)

DDR (Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory) is the most common type of RAM. New versions of DDR memory support higher maximum speeds and are more energy efficient.

memory channels

More memory channels increase the speed of data transfer between memory and processor.

Supports Memory Error Code

✖ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0

✖Asus Sabertooth 990FX

Memory Error Code can detect and repair data corruption. It is used when necessary to avoid distortion, such as in scientific computing or when starting a server.

Ports

USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-A) ports

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Asus Sabertooth 990FX)

USB 3.2 Gen 2 supports speeds up to 10Gbps. It was previously known as USB 3.1 Gen 2. These ports use the older USB-A connector.

USB 3.2 Gen 1 (USB-A) ports

USB 3.2 Gen 1 supports speeds up to 5 Gbps. It was previously known as USB 3.1 Gen 1 and USB 3.0. These ports use the old USB-A connector.

USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-C) ports

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Asus Sabertooth 990FX)

USB 3.2 Gen 2 supports speeds up to 10Gbps. It was previously known as USB 3.1 Gen 2. These ports use a USB-C connector.

USB 3.2 Gen 1 (USB-C) ports

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Asus Sabertooth 990FX)

USB 3.2 Gen 1 supports speeds up to 5 Gbps. It was previously known as USB 3.1 Gen 1 and USB 3.0. These ports use a USB-C connector.

USB 2.0 ports

The more USB 2.0 ports, the more USB 2.0 compatible devices you can connect to your computer.

USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 ports

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Asus Sabertooth 990FX)

USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 was introduced in 2019. It supports speeds up to 20Gbps and uses a USB-C connector.

USB 4 40Gbps ports

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Asus Sabertooth 990FX)

This version of USB 4 supports very high speeds up to 40Gbps. Unlike USB 3.2, USB 4 can allocate bandwidth for video and data. These ports use a USB-C connector.

USB 4 20Gbps ports

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Asus Sabertooth 990FX)

This version of USB 4 supports speeds up to 20Gbps. Unlike USB 3.2, USB 4 can allocate bandwidth for video and data. These ports use a USB-C connector.

Thunderbolt 4 ports

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Asus Sabertooth 990FX)

Number of Thunderbolt 4 compatible USB ports. These ports support speeds up to 40 Gb/s, including a minimum PCIe speed of 32 Gb/s. This ensures that it can support two external 4K screens (or one external 8K screen).

Connectors

USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (via extension)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Asus Sabertooth 990FX)

The number of USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports that can be added using the USB connectors on the motherboard.

USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (via expansion)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Asus Sabertooth 990FX)

The number of USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports that can be added using the USB connectors on the motherboard.

USB 2.0 ports (pass-through expanders)

Number of USB 2.0 ports that can be added via pins (USB headers) on the motherboard.

SATA 3 connectors

SATA is an interface used to connect storage devices such as hard drives and Blu-ray discs. The native data transfer rate of SATA 3 is 6 Gb/s, which is twice as high as that of SATA 2. It can be useful to use an SSD, because it improves the speed.

fan connectors

These are the contact surfaces on the motherboard to which fans can be connected. Fans, of course, can also be connected directly to the power supply, but by connecting them through the motherboard, we get the ability to control devices through software.

USB 3.0 ports (pass-through expanders)

The motherboard has pins in the form of male connectors to which additional USB ports can be connected.

M.2 connector

M.2 is an interface used to connect various devices, mainly storage devices such as M.2 SSD. It is a revision of mSATA and supports much higher data transfer rates.

There is a TPM connector

✖ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0

✖Asus Sabertooth 990FX

Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is a component that greatly improves security. For example, it enables the creation of RSA keys in a secure environment, minimizing the risk of hackers.

U.2 connectors

U.2 is an interface used to connect various types of devices, mainly storage devices. It is equal in performance to M.2, but U.2 SSD drives are made in the format of regular 2.5″ SATA drives, and because of this they support much larger volumes than mSATA drives.

Expansion slots

PCIe 3.0 x16 slots

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Asus Sabertooth 990FX)

PCIe slots are designed to connect peripherals to the motherboard, mainly graphics cards, less often other cards: for example, sound and network. «x16» indicates the number of tracks. The more tracks, the higher the data transfer rate. PCIe 3.0 offers faster speed than PCIe 2.0 and better performance.

PCIe 4.0 x16 slots

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (ASRock 970 Pro3 R2. 0)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Asus Sabertooth 990FX)

PCIe slots allow you to connect various components to the motherboard, such as graphics cards and SSDs. The number of data lanes (determined by the number after the «x») determines the data rate. PCIe 4.0 provides transfer speeds of 16GT/s, doubling the bandwidth provided by PCIe 3.0.

PCIe x1 slots

PCIe slots are designed to connect peripherals to the motherboard, mainly graphics cards, less often other cards: for example, sound and network. «x1» indicates the number of tracks. The more tracks, the higher the data transfer rate.

PCI slots

PCI slots are designed to connect peripherals to the motherboard, mainly graphics cards, less often other cards: for example, sound and network. PCI technology has been superseded by PCI Express technology, which offers higher data transfer speeds, but there are still many cards using PCI slots these days.

PCIe 2.0 x16 slots

PCIe slots are designed to connect peripherals to the motherboard, mainly graphics cards, less often other cards: for example, sound and network cards. «x16» indicates the number of tracks. The more tracks, the higher the data transfer rate.

PCIe x4 slots

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Asus Sabertooth 990FX)

PCIe slots are designed to connect peripherals to the motherboard, mainly graphics cards, less often other cards: for example, sound and network. «x4» indicates the number of tracks. The more tracks, the higher the data transfer rate.

PCIe x8 slots

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Asus Sabertooth 990FX)

PCIe slots are designed to connect peripherals to the motherboard, mainly graphics cards, less often other cards: for example, sound and network. «x8» indicates the number of tracks. The more tracks, the higher the data transfer rate.

Audio

Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Asus Sabertooth 990FX)

When a digital signal is converted to analog (for example, when playing sound through speakers or headphones), a certain amount of noise is carried in the signal. Higher SNR means less noise and better audio quality when converting.

audio channels

Each channel is a separate stream of audio information. The more channels, the more realistic the experience, such as surround sound.

S/PDIF out port available

✖ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0

✔Asus Sabertooth 990FX

S/PDIF is an interface used to transmit high quality digital audio.

audio connectors

The more connectors, the more audio devices (speakers, microphones) you can connect.

Memory

RAID 1 support

✔ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0

✔Asus Sabertooth 990FX

RAID is a storage technology that combines multiple disks in one array. RAID 1 is a technology of mirror duplication of information on disks. Provides increased data storage security, as if one drive fails, the data will be available from another drive.

Support for RAID 10 (1+0)

✔ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0

✔Asus Sabertooth 990FX

RAID is a storage technology that combines multiple disks in one array. RAID 10(1+0) is a technology for striping and mirroring information on disks. Has higher processing capacity and performance compared to a single drive. It also provides increased data storage security, as if one drive fails, the data will be available from another drive.

RAID 5 support

✔ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0

✔Asus Sabertooth 990FX

RAID is a storage technology that combines multiple disks into one array. RAID 5 is a disk striping technology. It has higher performance compared to a separate disk. It also provides enhanced data storage security, as if one disk fails, the data will still be available on the other, thanks to the use of non-dedicated parity disk technology.

RAID 0 support

✔ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0

✔Asus Sabertooth 990FX

RAID is a storage technology that combines multiple disks in one array. RAID 0 is a disk striping technology. Has higher processing capacity and performance compared to a single drive. The disadvantage is that if one drive fails, data will be lost on all drives.

RAID 0+1 support

✖ASRock 970 Pro3 R2.0

✖Asus Sabertooth 990FX

RAID is a storage technology that combines multiple disks into one array. RAID 0+1 is a technology of striping and mirror duplication of information on disks. It has higher processing capacity and performance compared to a single drive. It also provides increased data storage security, because if one drive fails, the data will be available from another drive.

Price comparison

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Which motherboards are better?

full review, features and reviews

The number of motherboards and other components is increasing every year more and more. Now the market has already become more clearly differentiated. Now you can clearly see the budget variations, multimedia and gaming. Manufacturers want to create an ever more perfect device that would conquer the market. But this is impossible, because users have different goals and desires.

Chipset

Based on the AMD 970 chipset, a large number of motherboards from top manufacturers have appeared. They are basically the same. The difference can be found in the appearance, parameters, interfaces. Despite the fact that the Socket AM3 + logic set has appeared a long time ago, this platform is still relevant, many gaming motherboards are built on it, which implement high performance.

Asus

The AMD 970 motherboard from Asus is named PRO GAMING/AURA. The manufacturer immediately made it clear to the buyer that he had a gaming product with high potential. Supplied in an ordinary cardboard box. The board itself was displayed in front, since it had a very attractive appearance.

There was a lot of information on the back. Some features, interface panel and supported technologies are shown. Inside the box there is a disk with «firewood» and software, instructions, a plug for the interface panel, a bridge for connecting several video cards, a set of stickers, ties and two wires with a SATA interface.

Appearance Asus

It’s hard to say anything about objectivity when you have such beauty in front of you. The board is made in the latest trends in gaming fashion. Black textolite with bright red elements. There is even a backlight, which they love to connect in cases with a transparent cover.

If you look closely, the AMD 970 motherboard from Asus is somewhat overloaded with components. One of the parties received a large number of slots. Radiators protrude strongly above the surface, and therefore there is a chance to hook them when mounted in the case.

Parameters Asus

It’s easy to guess that we have a pair of server and south bridges represented by AMD 970/SB950. The processor socket here is Socket AM3+, which is dictated by the crystal model. The board supports a number of processors at once, including the popular Phenom II, Sempron, FX and Athlon II.

It is possible to overclock the motherboard to improve system performance. As a result, the processor can operate at a speed of 4.7 GHz. This is a stable option for chips like AMD FX-9370. The system bus has also been boosted to 330 MHz, and the RAM can run at 2.1 GHz.

Reviews of Asus

Asus 970 PRO GAMING/AURA is an excellent gaming option that has won the trust of users. First, it’s about the manufacturer, who uses quality materials for their products. Secondly, these are initially good declared parameters. Thirdly, an attractive appearance does its advertising business.

Users noted a reliable digital power subsystem, an interesting backlight, which, although it turned out to be useless to many, still looks pretty. The interface panel has all the necessary slots, a sound card with special technologies that improve the sound. Buyers liked the presence of bundles of video cards not only for AMD, but also for NVIDIA models. As a result, there are so many advantages that the disadvantages are leveled and it is extremely difficult to find them.

MSI

Released a couple of variants based on AMD 970. One was shown back in 2012, the last one was released relatively recently. It’s worth talking about it, because unlike the first one, it belongs to gaming models.

Supplied «motherboard» in black and red packaging. There is nothing on the front other than the model. Behind the information is more: special technologies, availability of interfaces, features. Inside, in addition to the motherboard, all the necessary documentation, drivers and utilities for it fit. There is a blank panel, a pair of SATA cables and bridges for a pair of video cards. In addition, there is a metal company badge and a plate on the door as a gift.

MSI Appearance

The MSI 970 Gaming looks just as cool as its predecessor. Red components are visible on the black textolite. Large heatsinks can be seen around the perimeter of the AMD Phenom II x4 970 processor. Each component has its place, so connecting to them is easy to find intuitively.

The interface panel has all the necessary connectors, including four pairs of USB 2.0 and another pair of USB 3.0. Combined slot for keyboard and mouse, slot for Internet connection, etc. The power subsystem is built on an 8 + 1 scheme.

MSI Parameters

Like the previous version, this one works on the AMD 970 chipset paired with the SB950 southbridge. Supports a large number of processors, including Phenom II, Sempron, FX and Athlon II. The board has four slots for DDR3 RAM.

The overclocking potential of the board is high. It allows you to increase system performance in BIOS settings. The maximum frequency of the chip reaches 4.6 GHz, the voltage shows 1.500 V. The speed of the RAM rises to 2.1 GHz.

Reviews of MSI

Users have left positive reviews for MSI 970 Gaming. This was due to the support for AMD Phenom x4 970, with a low heat dissipation rate, and a good audio system. Customers noted the convenient location of the components on the board and the stable operation of the chipset.

GIGABYTE

This motherboard came in a colorful box. The model is listed on the front, more info on the back. Here are the main advantages of this option over others. There are some useful accessories in the box. In addition to documentation and driver disks, the developers put two SATA pairs at once, an adapter for the G-Connector, system buttons and indicators. As a gift there is a sticker with the manufacturer’s logo.

Exterior GIGABYTE

GIGABYTE GA-970-Gaming is another gaming motherboard that stands out for its appearance. It is very similar to the previous two. Again we have a black textolite, on which there are components with a bright red color. There is a matte finish that helps hide copper lines. There is an aluminum heatsink near the CPU socket. To prevent AMD Phenom x4 970 from overheating, the dissipation area has been increased, and additional ones have been installed next to the main radiators.

Interface panel full. There is a place to connect a keyboard or mouse, three pairs of USB 2.0 and two USB 3.0. USB 3.1 appeared, which are implemented as type A and C connectors. An Internet cable is immediately connected, you can synchronize the operation of the acoustics.

Fan connectors are immediately visible on the board, which are represented by four-pin slots and two three-pin ones. Interestingly, you can adjust the speed of the fans if they are placed on the 4-pin slot. If you install a cooler on a 3-pin one, then the voltage at this connector is 12 V, and additional adapters and potentiometers are needed to control the speed of rotation.

GIGABYTE Parameters

A special UEFI software has been developed to monitor the operation of the AMD 970 chipset. It has many sections in which this or that information is located. Here you can try to overclock. Overclocking in this case is represented by a simple adjustment. The application has an option for automatic overclocking. We managed to raise the frequencies up to 4 GHz, if we consider crystals of the FX-8320 type.

There are several modes that allow you to increase the operating frequency by certain values. In light mode at 100 MHz, on average — at 200 MHz and in extreme mode — at 300 MHz. Such a step is unlikely to lead to the release of one of the components. There are more refined parameters and their improvements. But for them you will have to dig more in the settings. Overall, as usual, AMD 970 can be overclocked to 4.4 GHz.

Reviews of GIGABYTE

This is a good system platform that has received more positive reviews. Users missed the successful arrangement of elements on the board, the quality of their implementation.