Gigabyte Readies 990FXA-UD5 Socket AM3+ Motherboard

[btarunr]

Gigabyte's top-tier socket AM3+ motherboard lineup is shaping up in a big way, with a bleeding-edge GA-990FXA-UD7 at the top of the pile. Gigabyte has yet another motherboard to cater to fans of the AM3+ platform, the GA-990FXA-UD5. The UD5 features a more conventional-looking component layout, with the northbridge located where it usually is. You still get the 10-phase VRM from the UD7, the black Ultra Durable 3 PCB, but this board is designed for multi-GPU setups with up to 3 graphics cards: supporting 3-way SLI and CrossFireX.

Expansion slots include five PCI-Express 2.0 x16, of which three (slots 1,3,5) are PCI-Express 2.0 wired to the AMD 990FX northbridge, with electrical configurations of x16/x16/NC or x16/x8/x8. Slots 2 and 4 are electrical x4, wired to the SB950 southbridge. Other slots include a PCI-E x1, and a legacy PCI. Storage connectivity is similar to that of the UD7, with eight SATA 6 Gb/s internal ports, a power-eSATA, and a normal eSATA.



Other connectivity features include 8+2 channel HD audio driven by Realtek's ALC889A CODEC, FireWire, four USB 3.0 ports (two rear, two via header), a single gigabit Ethernet, and a number of USB 2.0 ports. Like most new Gigabyte boards, the UD5 features dual-BIOS with EFI-like extensions that let it boot from volumes greater than 2.2 TB in size. The GA-990FXA-UD5 from Gigabyte should target a market sweetspot price in the performance category of motherboards.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[Batou1986]

I really dig the idea to ditch all the crazy colored motherboard components, my ud3p looks like a box of nerds.
The heatsinks are nice too wonder how well they work, tho the new AMD HSF bracket scares me.

 

[TheLostSwede]

They're already on Gigabyte's website http://www.gigabyte.com/products/list.aspx?s=42&jid=10&p=2&v=26

 

[dickobrazzz]

ermm... and what about sli/3sli? i can`t see sli icon on motherboard

 

[[H]@RD5TUFF]

I really like the fact they have completely ditched the horrible baby blue and white color scheme! If it's like the last UD5 it will be a pretty solid board.

 

[Kitkat]

ermm... and what about sli/3sli? i can`t see sli icon on motherboard

they all do stop already. If it can crossfire it can sli the end. So what it dosnt say it on the board i repeat if it can crossfire it can sli


here is the link page too so u can read it

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3891#ov

 

[[H]@RD5TUFF]

they all do stop already. If it can crossfire it can sli the end. So what it dosnt say it on the board i repeat if it can crossfire it can sli


here is the link page too so u can read it

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3891#ov

That's not a true statment just because a board can do crossfire doesn't mean it can do SLI my 890FXA-UD5 can do crossfire but is not capable of SLI.

 

[jalex3]

this better be a fair bit cheap than the ud7 smaller pcb and all. looks good but i wish gigabyte didnt take this like the post screen off, power switches its not like this is a cheap board either.

 

[H82LUZ73]

they all do stop already. If it can crossfire it can sli the end. So what it dosnt say it on the board i repeat if it can crossfire it can sli


here is the link page too so u can read it

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3891#ov

Guys asking about sli itis BIOS or EFI programed to allow it.Also Thanks dude i`m downloading the user manual for this board

The ud5 890fx board is around $175 in Can-Us money so this could be my next board with some new memory easy upgrade.

BINGO Under Box contents
1x 2 way SLI bridge
1x 3 way SLI bridge
page 6 in the manual......

 

[GSquadron]

This board is so cool, but i think they better remove the ata connector
Also, why the pci-express slots are with different "catchers"?

 

[cavemanthreeonesix]

I guess it was just a typo on the ud7 preview where it said it came with the 850sb chip since this board is using the 950sb?

 

[nemesis.ie]

This looks like a better slot layout than the UD7 to me.

If it's cheaper and has more or less the same performance this may well be my next motherboard.

The main differences seem to just be a few connectors like coaxial digital audio and a USB3 header.

 

[faramir]

I really like the fact they have completely ditched the horrible baby blue and white color scheme! If it's like the last UD5 it will be a pretty solid board.

I liked the old color scheme where color-key was used to quickly determine what goes where. Those tiny silkprint signs on the PCB are only useful while board is outside the enclosure. Once it's in it becomes much more difficult to determine how to set up your memory for dual channel etc., without referring to the manual that you've misplaced who knows where long time ago

 

[Damn_Smooth]

It's weird that they split the CPU cooler bracket on this, and not the UD7.

Are they going to support SLI without bios hacking on this?

 

[Pjokerxp_]

why gigabyte is not using Watercooling on thier northbridge anymore like
x58a-ud7 rev1.0 on this picture here :

if that motherboard had water cooling ready on its northbridge chip I would greatly buy it...
am still looking for one with watercooled northbridge...

I must say that X58a-UD7 is the best motherboard that I have ever had in my entire 10 years of pc building.
the cooling method on the northbridge has entirely helped me alot...

Gigabyte... dont ditch this!

 

[erocker]

why gigabyte is not using Watercooling on thier northbridge anymore

Because it's deffinitely not necessary even while highly clocked.

 

[Pjokerxp_]

Because it's deffinitely not necessary even while highly clocked.

really how so? I see Alot of people customising their Pcs with watercooling on northbridge. so many people even my friend buy a watercooler Blocks for northbridges... and if my motherboards hasnt one i would buy a block for northbridge....\like this picture and many more people does it.

And here is another one...

I even had Asus motherboard X58 and I had to use fans on the northbridge! and that not good NOISY also Brings dust and heats up your GFX card if it is underneath northbridge..

and if my GA x58a-ud7 rev1.0 Dies on me, i would by another same exact one again! I LUV IT TO DEATH
now why do you say watercooling the northbridge is not necessary?

 

[Yellow&Nerdy?]

Looks like a really nice board, too bad it won't be in my price range. Not long until Bulldozer comes out.

 

[DanishDevil]

X58 is notoriously hot under overclocking. If the 990FX was as well, then they might release a UD7 with a watercooling block. Why are you expecting a waterblock on a UD5? And any aftermarket waterblock is going to perform better than the stock, so what's the point of your whining anyway?

 

[fochkoph]

Hmm, I wish the third PCI-E x16 slot wasn't limited to x8. Would've loved to run my setup x16/NC/x16 since I usually slap on heatsinks that consume at least three slots.

 

[largon]

A bit over kill imo. Hell I run my NB @ 3000+MHz without any problems... at the most its just luke warm to the touch.

What comes to the "3000+MHz"; you're talking about the NB integrated in your CPU, not the chipset on the motherboard.

 

[devguy]

Three more boards.

As I (and most of you) will never need more than dual Crossfire/SLI capability, I'm most interested in the UD3. Oddly, the other 990FX board doesn't have any VRM heatsink, and two of the 990FX and 990X are back to the typical Gigabyte color scheme.

Priced appropriately, the UD3 will be well considered. Although, I really wish the second PCIe x16 slot and first PCIe 4x slot were switched, so a dual slot card won't block the PCI slot (my sound card).

Edit: some cool options available in the Gigabyte BIOSes for AM3+ CPUs:

• Core Performance Boost
  Allows you to determine whether to enable the Core Performance Boost (CPB) technology, a CPU
  performance-boost technology. (Default: Enabled)
• CPB Ratio
  Allows you alter the ratio for the CPB. The adjustable range is dependent on the CPU being installed.
  (Default: Auto)
• Turbo CPB
  Allows you to determine whether to improve CPU performance. (Default: Disabled)

As all FX processors have their multipliers unlocked (CPU frequency, memory controller, memory divider), I've been wondering what the 'p' suffix for the high-end 125W model signifies. I wouldn't be surprised if it has something to do with allowing free adjustment of that CPB ratio.

 

[Jstn7477]

This board is so cool, but i think they better remove the ata connector
Also, why the pci-express slots are with different "catchers"?

It's because Gigabyte uses different PCIe connectors that have either half or 3/4 of the physical pins removed according to the lane count, even though the plastic part of the socket is still x16 length.

 

[mixa]

The only thing the board is missing is a nice buldozer inside
That will come soon anyway, seems like a good buy to me

 

[mav2000]

Very very nice board. Giga is really doing a great job with the board. Let's wait for the bios and see how that turns out