Hardware Preview: Gigabyte 890FX & 880G Motherboards

We've got our hands on the two latest AMD motherboards from Gigabyte. Featuring the latest AMD 880G and 890FX chipsets, one is designed to be all the motherboard you could ever want, while the other is a more modest micro-ATX offering. How do they look? Click to find out!

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/motherboards/2010/03/30/preview-gigabyte-890fx-880g-motherboards/1

 

"though we'll have to wait to see if the BIOS itself is as good as that of the 785G that preceded it: a tough act to follow."

I do hope Gigabyte haven't given in to AMD pressure and removed their Core Unlocking functions......

If they have, my current Gigabyte Mobo will be my last, and ASUS will be getting my upgrade purchase...

 

I do like the look of the UD7

 

have they got a 890gx matx version in the works?
I was set on the MSi 890gx matx but thats proved a flop

 

I don't know if you would call it 'pressure' from AMD anymore: AMD removed ACC from the SB850 southbridge, effectively killing core unlocking. Asus/Asrock implement their own design, so unless the rest of the manufacturers come up with their own, I wouldn't expect to see it in future motherboards.

 

Not sure if I read the article too fast or if I'm the only one who noticed, but the UD7 is only going to fit in huge tower cases where there are 8 expansion slots. The bottom-most PCI-E x16 slot sits below where the ATX standard motherboard size ends (indicated by the mounting-screw holes in the full board photo on page 1).

I don't see much of a point to this board if it's not going to fit in the majority of computer cases.

 

No 890GPA-UD3H? It sells right now for $10 less than the M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 and im sure it'll be a direct competitor

 

Did you read the article at all? Its the very high end offering with waterblock, extra heatpipes and more PCIe slots than you can shake a stick at. The people who buy very high end motherboards like this are much more likely to have a case that will hold everything comfortably. This board is aiming at a niche, and im sure they've looked at that niche and determined that the average watercooling overclocker who spends big money on high end boards has a big ass case to go with it.

 

Regarding the MB's size it's the first XL-ATX size with 4-way ATI CrossFireX design on AMD AM3 platform

 

Well , well , Yes !! Floppy is archaic but for some people is mandatory and can leed to the selection of this product from similar 890FX boards only for that reason. For example in my line of work the CNC machines accept the CAM program for a part ONLY through Floppy, For the IDE channel one of our machines accept programs through special disks like the old zip drives, guess what, it uses a IDE channel, modernizing the factory to work with a network will cost OVER 1.000.000 pounds . And we are not the only company with such problems. So in the designing department we are quite happy with shelf assemblied PC that can run 64-bit Solidworks with ease but cost below 1.000 (PC only not monitor and etc.) I have already placed an order for 4 6-core based machines on gigabyte board exactly because it has a floppy.

P.S. For those who think I exageratte things imagine that I will also have an ISA to PCI adapter installed in one of the previous machines because it will directly control a special lathe, the manufacturer of the lathe charged us 5.000 for this, still cheaper than 187.000 for upgrading and rewhiring the lathe's CNC.

 

This does look like a nice board.