Gigabyte
MA790X-DS4 Motherboard
The GA-MA790X-DS4 is GIGABYTE's next generation, high performance platform based
on the new AMD 790X Chipset and support for the new AMD Phenom™ quad-core
processors, with the latest AM2+ platform support, integrated DDR2 1066 memory
controller, HyperTransport™ 3.0 technology links and 128-bit Floating Point
Units. The GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-DS4 also features support for PCI Express 2.0
as well as ATI CrossFireX™ with dual x8 connectivity for the ultimate gaming
experience. In addition to setting new records for blistering performance, the
GA-MA790X-DS4 is part of the GIGABYTE Ultra Durable 2 series of motherboards,
featuring top quality electronic components which provide optimized power savings,
ultra cooling and extended system durability.
AMD
790X Chipset
The AMD 790X Chipset is the system logic of the latest AM2+ (HyperTransport
3.0) platform from AMD that enables its next generation Phenom™ processors
with the leading CrossFireX™ solution. The AMD 790X Chipset, with optimized
next generation of PCI-E 2.0 graphics capabilities, providing outstanding
quality and performance for every PC users. Confidently manage and back-up
precious digital files, surf the Internet faster, and play the latest games
with technology designed today and ready for tomorrow.
AMD
Phenom™ Processors
The leading-edge performance and unparallel technology of AMD AM2+ Phenom™
processors have built its strength on the well-known AMD64 framework which
consisted next generation of HyperTransport 3.0 Technology, and integrated
DDR2 1066 memory controller, and 128-bit Floating Point Units. The AMD Phenom™
processors are an ideal choice for multi-media enthusiasts and intensive
multi-tasking environments to offer significant performance boosts and provides
an overall more energy efficient platform.
ATI
CrossFireX™ Technology
ATI’s CrossFireX™ boosts image quality along with rendering speed,
eliminating the need to scale down screen resolution to get high quality
images. CrossFireX™ allows higher anti-aliasing, anisotropic filtering,
shading, and texture settings. Adjust your display configurations, experiment
with the advanced 3D settings, and check the effects with a real-time 3D-rendered
previews within ATI Catalyst™ Control Center.
PCI-E
2.0 Graphics Interface
PCI-E 2.0 doubles the bus standard's bandwidth from 2.5 Gbit/s to 5 Gbit/s,
meaning a x32 connector can transfer data at up to 16 GB/s in each direction.
PCI-E 2.0 also features improvements to the point-to-point data transfer
protocol and its software architecture.
Related Video
Specifications
Processor Interface:
Socket AM2+
Form Factor:
ATX
Processors Supported:
AMD Athlon 64
AMD Athlon 64 FX
AMD Sempron
AMD Athlon 64 X2
AMD Phenom FX
AMD Phenom
Front Side Bus:
1000MHz (2000 MT/s)
2600MHz (5200 MT/s)
Northbridge:
AMD 790X
Southbridge:
ATI SB600
Memory Supported:
ECC
Dual Channel Supported
667MHz DDR2
800MHz DDR2
1066MHz DDR2
Number of Pins:
240-Pin
Number of Slots:
4
Maximum Memory Supported:
16GB - 64bit
Channels:
8 Channels
Audio Chipset:
Realtek ALC889A
LAN Type:
10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit
PCI Slots:
2
PCI Express X1 Slots:
3
PCI Express X16 Slots:
2 - (PCIe 2.0)
PS/2 Keyboard Connectors:
1
PS/2 Mouse Connectors:
1
Serial Communication Ports:
1
USB Ports:
10
FireWire Ports:
1 - 1394a
1 - mini
LAN Ports:
1
Audio Out Jacks:
2
IDE Headers:
1
FDD Headers:
1
Serial ATA Headers:
4
ATX Power Connectors:
1 24-Pin Connector
PC Power Connectors:
1 - 8 Pin
1 - 4 Pin PCIe
Fan Connectors:
1 x Power
1 x CPU
2 x Chassis
1 x Optional
S/PDIF Connectors:
1 - Coaxial
1 - Optical
Length:
12.000 in. (30.48 cm)
Width:
8.800 in. (22.4 cm)
Detailed Features
A Closer Look
Socket
This motherboard features a Socket AM2+ design.
Chipset
The MA790X-DS4 motherboard is based on the AMD 790X Northbridge chipset
and the AMD SB600 Southbridge chipset. It supports AMD Phenom FX, AMD
Phenom, Athlon 64 X2, Athlon 64 FX, Athlon 64 and Sempron Processors,
with Hyper-Transport Technology and 1000/2600MHz (2000/5200 MT/s) Front
Side Bus support.
Memory
Expansion
The MA790X-DS4 provides 4 DIMM sockets using Dual Channel 240-pin DDR2 with
a total capacity of up to 16GB-64bit. You can install DDR2 667/800/1066MHz
Memory.
PCI
Express 2.0 Support
PCI Express Base 2.0 specification doubles the interconnect bit rate from
2.5 GT/s to 5 GT/s in a seamless and compatible manner. The performance
boost to 5 GT/s is by far the most important feature of the PCI Express
2.0 specifications. It effectively increases the aggregate bandwidth of
a 16-lane link to approximately 16 GB/s. The higher bandwidth will allow
product designers to implement narrower interconnect links to achieve high
performance.
IDE
The MA790X-DS4 includes built in IDE facilities that support Ultra ATA 33/66/100/133.
Serial
ATA Support
The MA790X-DS4 supports the Serial ATA technology through the Serial ATA
interfaces. Doubles bus bandwidth which provides blazingly high disk performance,
up to 3.0Gb/s. (6) Six internal SATA connectors with RAID 0, 1, and 0+1
solutions. (2) Two external eSATA connectors with RAID 0, 1, and 0+1 solutions.
Customer Reviews and Rating
Customer Rating:
4.5
Customer Reviews:
7
Have an opinion on this product that you would like to share? If so, please take a few moments to write your rating and review.
Value
4.6
Features
4.3
Quality
4.6
Performance
4.4
Sort By:
Reviewer:
ol Coot on
Jul 02, 2008 Customer Rating:
5.0
Value
5.0
Features
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
So far so good. Bought it for the 790 chipset and has not let me down yet. Running AMD 9850 quad, 2 x 2gb corsair xms , Palit 8800 gt 1gb video plus all the other stuff. Have full tower case, NZXT Zero, so cooling is NOT a problem. Great board so far
Reviewer:
Anonymous
on
Apr 24, 2008 Customer Rating:
5.0
Value
5.0
Features
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Sorry read others posts about this board and how many GPU's it could handle. The 9870 X2 has 2 GPU's in it and thus making two slots into Quad GPU's. Essentailly you can use 4 GPU's just not 4 separate cards.
Reviewer:
big daddy on
Feb 14, 2008 Customer Rating:
4.0
Value
4.0
Features
4.0
Quality
4.0
Performance
4.0
hi there
this board is exactly as advertized,it doesnt run more than 2 graphics cards and the reviewer doesnt claim that it does.the 2 people blabbing about running more than 2 graphics cards with insanely atrotious spelling or the other fool that couldnt read saying that the reviewer claimed the board would run more than 2 cards,should try learning to read first ,then spell second.
great product and good review as well,kudos
Reviewer:
Anonymous
on
Feb 08, 2008 Customer Rating:
4.5
Value
5.0
Features
4.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
4.0
love this board everything i exspected and more, only thing wish it could hold more graphic cards but not complaining!!
Reviewer:
bynxw on
Dec 28, 2007 Customer Rating:
4.5
Value
5.0
Features
4.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
4.0
Purchased this board with Phenom processor in November to replace older model ASUS. Great price and value! Very easy to work with and runs great. BIOS was a little tricky to set up initially, but overall very easy to use.
The AMD 7-Series Chipsets
are designed for AMD Phenom™ true quad-core processors and next-generation
graphics. Performance, scalability, and personalization are coupled with an innovative
and efficient design incorporating new technologies.
Phenomenal
Performance
Achieve enthusiast-class performance with AMD true multi-core and ATI CrossFireX™
technologies, featuring HyperTransport™ 3.0 technology. Get the performance
you need for immersive gaming, rich multimedia, and mega-tasking with the
AMD 7-Series Chipsets.
Enables
Next-Generation Graphics
Expand your graphics bandwidth with PCI-E® Gen 2.0 for mind-blowing
action with next generation ATI Radeon™ Graphics. The AMD 7-Series
Chipsets come loaded with up to 42 available PCI-E lanes to turbo charge
your performance at extreme resolutions.
Superior
Scalability
Thrill to new levels with exhilarating quadraphonic gaming for an out-of-this-world
experience. Both the AMD 790FX Chipset and AMD 790X Chipset deliver ATI
CrosFireX™ technology with support for quad graphics. Get DirectX®
10 capability today, plus the upgrade flexibility for high-performance gaming
to suit your individual needs.
Ultimate
Control
The AMD 7-Series allows you to personalize your experience with state-of-the-art
overclocking* capabilities, along with advanced system monitoring and amazing
control options. The AMD OverDrive™ utility includes settings for novice
to enthusiast users – tune your system in real-time for serious overdrive
action.
Exceptional
Power Efficiency
The AMD 7-Series Chipsets offer exceptional efficiency and advanced chipset
power management for optimal platform performance. Designed to be agile,
the chipsets route power to the components that need it.
CROSSFIREX™
New ATI CrossFireX™ multi-GPU technology takes your gaming experience
to the next level with more scalability, performance and compatibility.
The technology combines the awe-inspiring capabilities of multiple ATI
Radeon™ graphics cards and an ATI CrossFireX ready motherboard to meet
the hard-core demands of your alternate reality. New ATI Radeon™ HD graphics
cards are designed with an internal ATI CrossFireX™ Bridge Interconnect
system to simplify installation. Experience stunning visual realism in
today's demanding 3D games with uncompromising image quality, especially
on HD.
Compatible
Cards: Radeon HD 3800 Series Cards
Before you buy - make sure your motherboard is compatible with this memory. For example, DDR Memory won't work with motherboards designed for only DDR2, SDRAM or RDRAM memory, and vice versa. Only use the memory speed recommended by your motherboard's manufacturer. Please read the specifications carefully or call us for expert advice.
Know Your BIOS! With today's rapid pace of
design advancement, new product updates come fast and furious. This is
especially true of board-level products, like Motherboards, Video Cards, GPU
Processor Cards, and other main edge connector products. The good news is
that manufacturers have designed in the ability to easily update your
product BIOS, which is sometimes important for full compatibility. So before
installing or combining components, it is always a good idea to check your
product's current BIOS revision against the manufacturer's website, to
determine if an update is needed, or advisable. The manufacturer's
documentation will guide you through this process if it is necessary.
However, remember that most products are designed to be plug-n-play out of
the box!
But
What Is BIOS?
Most electronic devices,
from computers to MP3 players have software embedded in their hardware.
These are programs that tell the device how it will function - from basic to
advanced functions - so that it knows how to start, and perform the most
simple and complex tasks it was designed for. We call this software the BIOS
(sometimes also called Firmware). In computer jargon, BIOS stands for "Basic
Input/Output System", but in reality, there is very little "basic" about it.
In your computer's motherboard for example, it tells your computer how to:
start up; communicate with hardware components, such as hard drives and
video; how to move data in and out of memory; and even talk to your USB
connected devices. Without your BIOS, your device is JOOL (just out of
luck!).
Keep in mind that changing a PC's BIOS
settings incorrectly can cause the PC to malfunction. If this happens, a
BIOS reset is usually available, and will need to be performed to return the
BIOS to the default "factory settings." This is usually activated by a
jumper on the motherboard. [Warning: always read
your motherboard or system manual thoroughly, before upgrading your BIOS, or
making BIOS setting changes!] Though normally, most incorrect
settings should have no negative affect on your PC, but please follow each
step explicitly since some can.
Remember: It is recommended that you reboot
after each individual BIOS setting change to ensure that your system
functions normally. If you make numerous changes before rebooting, and your
system will no longer boot, you won't know which change is responsible for
the failure.
Updating Your BIOS
Before you consider updating your BIOS, be sure you need to - not every
update will be needed or even benefit you. Also be sure you are up to
the technical challenges you will face. Changing the version of BIOS
stored in your computer or motherboard is not the kind of activity
recommended for novice users. To perform this successfully, you need
to be comfortable and familiar with your BIOS settings, and be able to
download and apply the BIOS Update without issue. For this reason, it
is best to let professional computer technicians do this work for you, if or
when it is needed. However, if you know what you are doing, it is a
fairly easy task.
Before Updating BIOS, consider the
following:
The reasons for updating your BIOS -
frequently, updating is unnecessary
Identifying your BIOS chip - if
replacing is the approach required
Replacing your BIOS chip - this requires
significant care, and can void your warranty
Locating your latest BIOS version -
required for any update
Flashing your BIOS - make sure you have
a UPS!
Live update - great for minor or quick
updates - again a UPS is vital - a partial update can make your system
inoperative
Configuring your new BIOS settings -
read the manual! twice for good measure!
Understanding
Computer Memory
Because memory is such a crucial element of our computer's performance,
we all understand that we need it in generous supply. However, questions
remain about what kind of memory is best, what functions each memory serves
and which memory is used for notebooks and PCs.
Click Here for more information
that will answer your many of your questions.
How Much
Memory Do You Really Have?
When you look at the specifications for a computer, it will display the
installed memory, and typically the maximum memory that can be installed.
However, while these are real values, they represent a potential useable
memory depending upon the installed operating system, and other factors. The actual useable memory may be different
(lower) from these values.
The reason is simply that a computer may have a limitation in the operating
system (such as Windows 32 bit versions), or configured to use shared memory,
which reduces the amount of RAM that is available to the CPU by using
some of it for other purposes, such as for video memory. In some
cases, you can control the maximum useable memory through system settings,
by upgrading from a 32 bit to a 64 bit version of Windows XP or Vista, or by upgrading to a video card that has internal onboard video memory.
But always
remember, that the amount of memory that your system reports, is not always
the amount of actual installed memory. For example, if you have 4GB
installed, 32 bit versions of Windows will typically report 3.2GB due to a
limitation of Windows itself. Also note that different Windows
programs report available and maximum memory differently, which can be
confusing. If you find that you need more
memory, we suggest expanding your system memory, since this is the most
effective performance increase, and the one that is easiest to perform .
PCI
Express 2.0 - High End Graphics Have Arrived
PCI Express Base 2.0 specification doubles the interconnect bit rate from
2.5 GT/s to 5 GT/s in a seamless and compatible manner. The performance
boost to 5 GT/s is by far the most important feature of the PCI Express
2.0 specifications. It effectively increases the aggregate bandwidth of
a 16-lane link to approximately 16 GB/s. The higher bandwidth will allow
product designers to implement narrower interconnect links to achieve
high performance while reducing cost.
A number
of optimizations and improvements have been made to the protocol and software
layers of the PCI Express architecture in the PCI Express Base 2.0 specification.
These include:
Dynamic
link speed management – to control the speed at which the link is operating
Link bandwidth
notification – to notify software (operating system, device drivers,
etc) of changes in link speed and width
Capability
structure expansion – to expand the control registers to better manage
devices, slots and the interconnect
Access
control services – optional controls to manage peer-peer transactions
Completion
timeout control – to define a required disable mechanism plus related
optional enhancements
Function-level
reset – optional mechanism to reset functions within a device
Power
limit redefinition – to redefine slot power limit values to accommodate
devices that consume higher power
* The above
values are for physical, not usable memory.
The amount of
memory that your system reports, is not always the amount of actual installed
memory. For example, if you have 4GB installed, 32 bit versions of Windows will
typically report 3.2GB due to a limitation of Windows itself. Also note
that different Windows programs report available and maximum memory differently,
which can be confusing. If you find that you need more memory, we suggest
expanding your system memory, since this is the most effective performance
increase, and the one that is easiest to perform.
Contents of package may vary from those pictured and stated here,
due to changes in manufacturer's specifications or merchandising.
Please check the product information carefully, items not included
may no longer be required.
Manufactured by:
GIGABYTE Warranty provided by:
GIGABYTE Limited Warranty:
12 months parts;
12 months labor
Mfg Part No:
GA-MA790X-DS4 UPC No:
818313004635 Box Size:
( Length:
13, Width:
11, Depth:
4 )
Shipping Weight:
2.4500 pound(s)
Click here for full warranty and support information
Limited Warranty: A full text version of the limited warranty
may be obtained by mailing a self addressed, stamped envelope to the
address below and requesting the warranty for item number:
G452-2350
TigerDirect.com
Warranty Information
7795 W. Flagler St. Suite 35
Miami, FL. 33144
0
Item Total
$0.00
Need help browsing our website? Call 1-800-800-8300
(
7 reviews)
Gigabyte
MA790X-DS4 Motherboard
Processor Interface:
5.0
4.0
Know Your BIOS!
Dynamic
link speed management – to control the speed at which the link is operating
