ASUS M4A Series to Spearhead Company's AM3 Motherboard Initial Lineup

[btarunr]

With motherboards based on AMD's newest AM3 socket surfacing from the likes of ECS and ASRock, market heavyweights such as ASUS have decided to pixellate their offerings on the internet. ASUS for one has two motherboards in the pipeline, under the M4A series. As the series name suggests, It's based on the AM3 socket (AM2+ was M3A) and based on AMD chipset. AM3 boards based on NVIDIA nForce chipset will be most likely called the M4N series.

Here are the initial offerings: M4A78 Pro and M4A79 Deluxe. The two are based on the AMD 780G and 790FX chipsets respectively. Both the motherboards use DDR2 memory. A complete range of AM2, AM2+ and AM3 socket CPUs are supported. Surprisingly neither support DDR3 memory, the one that makes AM3 stand apart from AM2+. The two are expected to be released in January, their prices are unknown at this point in time.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[btarunr]

Moar about the M4A79 Deluxe:

CPU Phenom (II) ™ X4 / Phenom (II)™ X3 / Athlon™ X2 / Athlon™ / Sempron™ processors (socket AM2+ / AM2)
Compatible with Phenom™ II / Athlon™ X4 / Athlon™ X3 / Athlon™ X2 (AM3 CPU)
Supports 45nm CPU
AMD® Cool 'n' Quiet™ Technology
Chipset AMD® 790FX / SB750
System Bus Up to 5200 MT/s HyperTransport™ 3.0 interface for AM3 / AM2+ CPU
2000 / 1600 MT/s for AM2 CPU
Memory 4 x DIMM, max. 16GB, DDR2 1066* / 800 / 667 MHz, ECC and non-ECC, un-buffered memory
Dual channel memory architecture
*Due to AMD CPU limitation, DDR2 1066 is supported by AM2+ / AM3 CPU for one DIMM per channel only. Refer to www.asus.com for the memory QVL (Qualified Vendors Lists).
**Due to OS limitation, when installing total memory of 4GB capacity or more, Windows® 32-bit operation system may only recognize less than 3GB. Hence, a total installed memory of less than 3GB is recommended.
Expansion Slots 4 x PCI Express 2.0 x16 slots, support ATI CrossFireX™ technology (@ dual x16, triple x16 / x8 / x8, or quad x8 link)
2 x PCI 2.2 slots
Storage SB750 Chipset:
- 1 x Ultra DMA 133/100/66 for up to 2 PATA devices
- 5 x SATA 3Gb/s ports with RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 and JBOD
- 1 x eSATA 3Gb/s port
LAN Realtek® 8112 Gigabit LAN controller featuring AI NET 2
Audio Realtek® ALC1200 8-channel High Definition Audio CODEC
- Supports Jack-Detection, Multi-Streaming, and Front Panel Jack-Retasking
- Coaxial / Optical S/PDIF Out ports at back I/O
- ASUS Noise Filtering
IEEE 1394 VIA® VT6315N controller supports 2 x IEEE 1394a ports (1 at mid-board; 1 at back panel)
USB 12 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports (6 ports at mid-board, 6 ports at back panel)
ASUS Unique Features ASUS Power Solutions:
- 8+2 Phase Power Design
- ASUS Anti-Surge Protection
ASUS Green Design:
- EPU
- ASUS AI Nap
Express Gate
ASUS Quiet Thermal Solutions:
- ASUS Fanless Design: Heat pipe solution
- ASUS Fanless Design: Stack Cool 2
- ASUS Q-Fan 2
ASUS EZ DIY:
- ASUS Q-Shield
- ASUS Q-Connector
- ASUS O.C. Profile
- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2
- ASUS EZ Flash 2
- Onboard Switch
Special Features 100% High-quality Japan-made Conductive Polymer Capacitors! (5000hrs VRM, over 57 years operation lifespan at 65。C)
ASUS MyLogo 2
AMD® OverDrive Support*
*Advanced cooling system is required when advanced overclocking functions of AMD OverDrive are enabled.
ASUS Exclusive Overclocking Features Intelligent overclocking tools:
- AI Overclocking (Intelligent CPU Frequency Tuner)
- Turbo V
- Turbo Key
Precision Tweaker 2:
- vCore: Adjustable CPU voltage at 0.0125V increment
- vChipset (NB): 16-step Chipset voltage control
- vDIMM: 36-step DRAM voltage control
SFS (Stepless Frequency Selection)
- FSB tuning from 200MHz up to 600MHz at 1MHz increment
- PCI Express frequency tuning from 100MHz up to 150MHz at 1MHz increment
Overclocking Protection:

 

[ShadowFold]

If they use DDR2, how are they AM3? I mean sure they support it but wasn't the whole point of AM3 to migrate over to DDR3?

 

[Easy Rhino]

will an AM3 board support an AM2 cpu?

 

[blueskynis]

If they support DDR2 then I don't see what separates M4A series from M3A series. They are the same?!

 

[[I.R.A]_FBi]

there are 2 controllers on AM3 cpu's

 

[ShadowFold]

will an AM3 board support an AM2 cpu?

Not if its a real one with DDR3. Not sure about these "AM3" boards that have DDR2..

 

[LittleLizard]

but if they have only ddr2, how are they going to market them as am3?

they are going to make the same thing as jetway did in newegg

 

[WarEagleAU]

These are AM3 with DDR2 support. I was hoping these would use DDR2/DDR3 or just DDR3. Doesnt look like it. I may wind up getting one anyways just cuz its new.

 

[LittleLizard]

These are AM3 with DDR2 support. I was hoping these would use DDR2/DDR3 or just DDR3. Doesnt look like it. I may wind up getting one anyways just cuz its new.

but what im trying to say is that there are a lot of am2+ and even some am2 boards that support am3 processor and is weird that they name a ddr2 board as am3 when they should name it am2 WITH SUPPORT for am3

 

[eidairaman1]

Not if its a real one with DDR3. Not sure about these "AM3" boards that have DDR2..

these are full Phenom 2 Support Boards, meaning no bios upgrade is needed, and i guess other tweaks.

 

[PCpraiser100]

I find these motherboards convenient, despite that it only supports DDR2 at the moment in the M4A or M4N family. The reason why I see it that way is because these are motherboards built for AM3, so Intel users can easily migrate to AMD processors without having to ask someone for a BIOS upgrade if unfortunate. This could also mean maximum stability too with some special features that may come with Phenom 2.

Any word of a 790GX mobo?

 

[cool_recep]

Why are there still IDE and Floppy ports?

Without these ports not only the manufacturing will be cheaper but also boot up time will decrease.

Foxconn made a great mobo which had none of these. (I know foxconn is not that good)

And please do not say "bios updates bla bla bla.." and "optical ıde drive BS"....

 

[LittleLizard]

Why are there still IDE and Floppy ports?

Without these ports not only the manufacturing will be cheaper but also boot up time will decrease.

Foxconn made a great mobo which had none of these. (I know foxconn is not that good)

And please do not say "bios updates bla bla bla.." and "optical ıde drive BS"....

because of the third world (like here )

 

[ShadowFold]

I hope IDE and floppy ports get phased out soon. I am so sick of having to maneuver around them. I haven't used IDE in years. I did use a floppy to flash my old P35 boards tho.

 

[PCpraiser100]

These are AM3 with DDR2 support. I was hoping these would use DDR2/DDR3 or just DDR3. Doesnt look like it. I may wind up getting one anyways just cuz its new.

I was expecting the same thing. I was hoping that there would be motherboards for AM3 that would have both DDR2 and DDR3 slots, so I would have a choice of smoothly moving into the DDR3 generation with no shame once DDR3 sets the gap when keeping up with certain apps.

 

[kenkickr]

I'm sure there is a premium to this board like any other Asus board but seeing Realtek on it when the M3A32-MVP and the M3A79-T Deluxe use Marvell for the giga Lan and ADI Soundmax for the audio I really hope the cost will be down. It sucks ADI got out of the sound chip market cause I think they made some very good onboard sound chips.

I wish too Asus would actually change up the board alittle. It looks almost exactly like a M3A32-MVP and M3A79-T besides the SATA placement and the heatsink.

 

[hat]

Yeah, IDE/Floppy has been dead so long they're like zombies. You can easily use a flash drive to flash any bios, and serial burners are way more convienent and are no more expensive than a modern IDE drive anyway.

 

[cool_recep]

Yeah, IDE/Floppy has been dead so long they're like zombies. You can easily use a flash drive to flash any bios, and serial burners are way more convienent and are no more expensive than a modern IDE drive anyway.

Nearly for every BIOS, there is Windows update application. You don't have to mess with DOS BS.

 

[KBD]

Nearly for every BIOS, there is Windows update application. You don't have to mess with DOS BS.

trust me, its a lot better to mess with DOS than with Windows based BIOS updates. There is much greater risk of a failed flash in Windows. For instance, Abit used to tell people up front that there is a 50% chance failure rate when using Windows flashing. That number may be different for other manufacturers but even if its a 10% chance why take the risk? Thanks but i'll pick a floppy or USB key DOS flashing any day of the week.

 

[eidairaman1]

Why are there still IDE and Floppy ports?

Without these ports not only the manufacturing will be cheaper but also boot up time will decrease.

Foxconn made a great mobo which had none of these. (I know foxconn is not that good)

And please do not say "bios updates bla bla bla.." and "optical ıde drive BS"....

if you dont use them Turn them off in the bios, its just like the other IO ports on the machine, to me Optical Drives still are quick on them thats why they are still being used, that floppy port is still a good means for bios flash programs because the windows environment is connected to internet and can get stuff loaded into it that causes adverse effects to any bios flashing, where in DOS/CMD Environment it is not connected and cant be really affected by external means, and code loading is separate from the HD. Also dos is quicker for bios flashing. There is also apparently still a demand for those ports to be there, so if you dont like seeing them, either turn off the ports in the bios or just get another board, but for the rest of us this maybe an excellent solution.

 

[kid41212003]

This will make your build alot cheaper, AM3 cpu (support DDR2/DDR3), with a native AM3 socket mobo that use DDR2.

And when DDR3 is cheaper, you can upgrade to a DDR3 mobo, and still able to keep the CPU.

The Phenom II that built for AM2+ socket only support DDR2.

 

[Hayder_Master]

this board useful for guys who they have an phenom x4 cpu with ddr2 sue , this board is good for step by step upgrade

 

[Rebo&Zooty]

no thanks, asus amd boards suck, horrible bios and driver support

 

[daemon886]

jsut an FYi i won this board, have since it was released, and i am running 8 gigs of patriot DDR3
memory OC'd to 2000, this suppoorts DDR3, not sure why people say it does not