GIGABYTE Rolls Out 990FXA-UD7 Rev 3.0, with Updated Feature-Set

[btarunr]

GIGABYTE created UEFI-equipped revisions of most of its socket AM3+ motherboards with the advent of FX "Vishera" processors last year, but held back with its flagship motherboard for the platform, the 990FXA-UD7. The company released an updated revision of the motherboard, dubbed 990FXA-UD7 Rev 3.0, completely skipping "Rev 2.0." While the new board is essentially laid out similar to its predecessor, a lot has changed.

To begin with, its based on GIGABYTE's newer (though not latest) Ultra Durable 4 construction. A 10-phase high-amperage VRM powers the AM3+ socket, which appears to be ready for AMD's FX-9000 series CPUs for overclockers. The CPU VRM uses driver-MOSFETs, although not quite the PowIRStage chippery we find on Ultra Durable 5 motherboards. A thicker, chunkier heatsink is used to cool these driver-MOSFETs and the AMD 990FX northbridge. This cluster of heatsinks is connected to the one that cools the AMD SB950 southbridge over a heat pipe. The AM3+ socket is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots, which support up to 64 GB of dual-channel DDR3-2000+ MHz memory.



Expansion slots on the 990FXA-UD7 Rev 3.0 include four PCI-Express 2.0 x16 slots wired to the 990FX northbridge (x16/NC/x16/NC or x16/NC/x8/x8 or x8/x8/x8/x8); two additional PCI-Express 2.0 x16 slots (electrical gen 2.0 x4, wired to the southbridge); and a legacy PCI. On the storage connectivity front, you get six SATA 6 Gb/s ports from the southbridge, all assigned as internal ports, two internal SATA 6 Gb/s ports from a Marvell 88SE9172 controller, and a pair of eSATA 6 Gb/s ports from another Marvell 88SE9172. A pair of Etron EJ168 chips give the board a total of four USB 3.0 ports, two on the rear panel, two by header.

Other connectivity include 8-channel HD audio with optical and coaxial SPDIF (Realtek ALC889 CODEC), a gigabit Ethernet interface (Realtek 8111F), FireWire, PS/2 mouse/keyboard combo, and a number of USB 2.0/1.1 ports. Unlike its predecessor, the 990FXA-UD7 Rev 3.0 is driven by AMI UEFI BIOS, enhanced by GIGABYTE's dual-UEFI technology, which protects against failed BIOS updates. The new revision should cost the same as its predecessor, around the US $200 mark.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[natr0n]

I was wondering if any new boards would come out. I might get this or the asrock 990fx extreme9.

I very much dislike firewire ports though. =O

 

[btarunr]

This board definitely wins the beauty contest among AM3+ motherboards; though I wish it was an Ultra Durable 5/Plus product, and featured the latest UEFI setup program that debuted with Z87X series. It's neither.

 

[de.das.dude]

damn its hawt. my asrock board may have cost well, but its fugly :s

 

[DrunkenMafia]

Man my 990FXA-UD5 is nearly out of its 3yr warranty yet its still the most current AMD board, Intel have gone through about 4 different sockets since it came out. Lol.

 

[cdawall]

Is it 10 phase for the CPU socket or 8+2 like all other high end AMD boards? I don't see two phases sitting next to the chipset...It looks like a mildly updated 990FX board just to sell more units.

 

[de.das.dude]

Is it 10 phase for the CPU socket or 8+2 like all other high end AMD boards? I don't see two phases sitting next to the chipset...It looks like a mildly updated 990FX board just to sell more units.

how do you see that. i wanna know too.

 

[buildzoid]

Is it 10 phase for the CPU socket or 8+2 like all other high end AMD boards? I don't see two phases sitting next to the chipset...It looks like a mildly updated 990FX board just to sell more units.

it's 8+2 there is no controller being made that has more than 8 phases on one voltage branch and using a 5 phase controller combined with doublers while cheap makes the voltage unstable.

 

[cdawall]

how do you see that. i wanna know too.

You can count the phases on the board.

it's 8+2 there is no controller being made that has more than 8 phases on one voltage branch and using a 5 phase controller combined with doublers while cheap makes the voltage unstable.

I figured as much. Last time I checked GB was still using analog VRM's on the Intel side is this going to be another analog setup using a pair of 4 phase controllers making yet another 4+4+2 phase board?

 

[de.das.dude]

You can count the phases on the board.

how to do that? thats what i want to know.

 

[natr0n]

how to do that? thats what i want to know.

Those grey blocks they say r80 on them in a straight line.

 

[Jorge]

Technically there are no true 8-10-12 phase mobo VRM. Creating marketing of 4+1 or 4+2 designs is where they come up with the pseudo 8-10-12 phases.

For several years Gigabyte's VRM circuits on AMD and Intel enthusiasts mobos have been borderline for serious overclocking use. I informed Giga tech support about this 3+ years ago and they didn't believe me so I proved this to Gigabyte. When they were able to document the overheating and throttling of their VRM circuit, they told me it wasn't a problem because their mobo was only rated for 140w... After enough sources documented the issue in reviews, Gigabyte had no choice but to update their VRM to properly handle OC'ing needs seeing as though they promote their mobo for this activity.

While I do like Gigabyte's Ultra Durable mobos IMO the ~$200 price that Asus and Gigabyte products sell for retail is obscene. Asrock's 990FX Fatlity mobo is comparable and ~$50 less expensive. The Fatality 990FX has been discontinued but the Extreme 9 is an updated version of the Fatality 990FX. It appears to be good and less expensive than the similar Asus and Giga AM3+ mobos.

 

[MxPhenom 216]

You can count the phases on the board.



I figured as much. Last time I checked GB was still using analog VRM's on the Intel side is this going to be another analog setup using a pair of 4 phase controllers making yet another 4+4+2 phase board?

GB is using full digital on their Intel boards. have been since their z77 UP series.

 

[suraswami]

Technically there are no true 8-10-12 phase mobo VRM. Creating marketing of 4+1 or 4+2 designs is where they come up with the pseudo 8-10-12 phases.

For several years Gigabyte's VRM circuits on AMD and Intel enthusiasts mobos have been borderline for serious overclocking use. I informed Giga tech support about this 3+ years ago and they didn't believe me so I proved this to Gigabyte. When they were able to document the overheating and throttling of their VRM circuit, they told me it wasn't a problem because their mobo was only rated for 140w... After enough sources documented the issue in reviews, Gigabyte had no choice but to update their VRM to properly handle OC'ing needs seeing as though they promote their mobo for this activity.

While I do like Gigabyte's Ultra Durable mobos IMO the ~$200 price that Asus and Gigabyte products sell for retail is obscene. Asrock's 990FX Fatlity mobo is comparable and ~$50 less expensive. The Fatality 990FX has been discontinued but the Extreme 9 is an updated version of the Fatality 990FX. It appears to be good and less expensive than the similar Asus and Giga AM3+ mobos.

How is AsRock's support and warranty?

 

[ThE_MaD_ShOt]

I am running a 990FXA-UD3 and I truly love this board. I may think about picking up this UD7 just to build another Fx rig.

 

[cdawall]

Technically there are no true 8-10-12 phase mobo VRM. Creating marketing of 4+1 or 4+2 designs is where they come up with the pseudo 8-10-12 phases.

For several years Gigabyte's VRM circuits on AMD and Intel enthusiasts mobos have been borderline for serious overclocking use. I informed Giga tech support about this 3+ years ago and they didn't believe me so I proved this to Gigabyte. When they were able to document the overheating and throttling of their VRM circuit, they told me it wasn't a problem because their mobo was only rated for 140w... After enough sources documented the issue in reviews, Gigabyte had no choice but to update their VRM to properly handle OC'ing needs seeing as though they promote their mobo for this activity.

While I do like Gigabyte's Ultra Durable mobos IMO the ~$200 price that Asus and Gigabyte products sell for retail is obscene. Asrock's 990FX Fatlity mobo is comparable and ~$50 less expensive. The Fatality 990FX has been discontinued but the Extreme 9 is an updated version of the Fatality 990FX. It appears to be good and less expensive than the similar Asus and Giga AM3+ mobos.

The full digital boards are close to a try 8+2 design seeing how unlike an analog 4+4+2 design which uses a pair of 4 phase controller chips it uses a single 8 phase controller chip that internally splits 4 to 8 phases...

 

[eidairaman1]

didnt the Asrock 990FX Extrem Fatality Professional have more phases than this board

 

[Deadlyraver]

I love the dark theming of this motherboard. So otherworldly.

 

[natr0n]

didnt the Asrock 990FX Extrem Fatality Professional have more phases than this board

Yes 12, the new 990fx extreme9 has 12 as well.

 

[MxPhenom 216]

Its not all about the amount of phases though, also matters about the quality of the phases.

 

[cdawall]

didnt the Asrock 990FX Extrem Fatality Professional have more phases than this board

It also looks like it is based off of a 3+1 phase design. I wouldn't say having more phases is going to make that particular board overclock better.

 

[Madn3ss795]

Still waiting for the Am3+ Sniper board.

 

[cdawall]

Still waiting for the Am3+ Sniper board.

guess your planning on waiting a while.

 

[de.das.dude]

Those grey blocks they say r80 on them in a straight line.

but those coils are always in a straight line.

 

[itsakjt]

but those coils are always in a straight line.

The number of those coils = to the number of phases.

@Everyone- In the 2nd image, look at the ITE Super IO chip near the Southbridge. I think its burnt!