AMD 785G Chipset Launch: ASUS and Gigabyte

Gigabyte also has several different 785G-based motherboards ready for the launch today. We have two of them in our labs, the ATX Gigabyte GA-MA785G-UD3H and the mATX Gigabyte GA-MA785GMT-UD2H. The two boards are similar overall but differ in a few key areas. First, let's take a closer look at the mATX GA-MA785GMT-UD2H.

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Gigabyte GA-MA785GMT-UD2H Motherboard Specifications & Features

Processor and Chipset Based on AMD 785G chipset AMD SB710 southbridge Supports AMD AM3 Processors Memory 4 x DIMM (Max. 16 GB combined) Support DDR3 1666 / 1333 / 1066 / 800 ECC, Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory Dual channel memory architecture     Expansion Slot 1 x PCI-Express 2.0 x16 1 x PCI-Express x1 2 x Conventional PCI slot     Video Integrated ATI Radeon HD 4200 GPU Hybrid CrossFire Support 128MB SidePort Memory - onboard DDR3 1333 Maximum shared memory of 512MB Storage 5 x SATA 3Gb/s ports (RAID 0,1,10,JBOD) 1 x eSATA 3Gb/s port 1 x UltraDMA 133/100/66 for up to 2 PATA devices 1 x Floppy Disk Drive connector     Audio Integrated Realtek ALC889A audio codec 8-channel audio Networking Integrated Realtek RTL 8111C LAN Supports 10Mb/s, 100Mb/s and 1000Mb/s     Internal IO ATX 24-pin power connector ATX 8-pin 12V power connector 3 x FAN connectors 1 x CD-in connector 1 x Front panel audio connector 1 x Front panel header 1 x Chassis intrusion switch connector 3 x USB 2.0 front-panel connectors 1 x IEEE 1394a connector 5 x SATA II connectors 1 x serial connector 1 x parallel connector 1 x IDE connector 1 x FDD connector 1 x S/PDIF In/Out Header

Back Panel I/O 1 x PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Combo port 1 x DVI-D 1 x D-Sub 1 x HDMI 1 x eSATA 1 x S/PDIF Out (Optical) 1 x IEEE 1394a 1 x RJ45 LAN 6 x USB 2.0/1.1 8 -Channel Audio I/O Accessories 1 x User's manual 1 x Quick install guide 1 x Driver & Utility DVD 1 x I/O Shield 1 x UltraDMA 133/100/66 cable 2 x SATA cable Special Features  - 100% Solid Capacitors  - 2 oz copper PCB  - 4+1 phase power design  - Dual BIOS chips  - Gigabyte Easy Energy Saver  - Gigabyte EasyTune   mATX Form Factor 9.6 inch x 9.6 inch (24.4 cm x 24.4 cm) click to enlarge

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The Gigabyte GA-MA785GMT-UD2H, the smaller of the two Gigabyte boards we have, is actually most similar to the ASUS M4A785TD-V EVO we just checked out in the previous pages. Just like the ASUS, the GA-MA785GMT-UD2H is packed with features including support for Hybrid CrossFire, DDR3 support and integrated 128MB SidePort memory. The most obvious difference between the two boards is the form factor, where the Gigabyte is a compact mATX board.

Taking a look at the specification sheet, you'll notice that the GA-MA785GMT-UD2H is nearly functionally identical to the ASUS, except that its smaller mATX frame means it has less expansion slots and is most noticeably missing the second PCI-E slot. While the Gigabyte and ASUS use different audio codecs and Ethernet LAN chips, they are functionally identical with essentially the same features. The one area where the two boards diverge in feature sets, other than their obvious size and expansion differences, is the Gigabyte's addition of an iTE IT8718 chip which allows for floppy disk drive support via a single FDD connector. This isn't exactly a killer feature, but some users might find it handy.

In terms of features, the Gigabyte GA-MA785GMT-UD2H is equally well equipped as the ASUS M4A785TD-V EVO. It also comes with a a fairly typical bundle including a IDE connector and two SATA connectors.