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Gigabyte 990FX-Gaming AM3+ Motherboard Review

Automatic CPU Overclocking:

Gigabyte does not provide any automated or built-in overclocking profiles in the UEFI for the 990FX-Gaming motherboard. Overclocking presets are available using Gigabyte's EasyTune software, but these didn't work very well during our testing, and they rely upon the software being installed (which many users will hate). The Auto Tuning option was completely blanked out in the EasyTune software on our test system.

Given the target audience consisting of gamers who are likely to have a solid understanding of the hardware, this doesn't strike me as a major concern.

Manual CPU Overclocking:

Overclocking with AMD’s unlocked FX 8370 processor using the Gigabyte 990FX-Gaming motherboard was generally straightforward. We spent a significant amount of time testing various primary and secondary frequencies, multiplier ratios, voltages, LLC settings, and power states. All of those features were in sensible sections of the UEFI.

FX-8370-OC

The best balance for our CPU overclock was a 4.6GHz CPU frequency (23x200MHz) and 1.425V core voltage with Medium LLC. We also applied a 2.6GHz NB frequency with 1.30V NB voltage. Power features such as C1E, C6, and Cool & Quiet were disabled. Memory speed was maintained at 2133MHz.

Medium LLC applied a voltage drop of around 9-21mV when the CPU was under heavy load. We accounted for this in the voltage level that we keyed into the UEFI. The accuracy on Gigabyte's Bus Speed is not very good; the board applies 200.92MHz, instead of a flat 200.00MHz, which results in a CPU speed overshoot of 21MHz and also changes the RAM clock.

We were able to push to 4.7GHz using 1.45V, however this was too much of a thermal load for the AMD Wraith CPU cooler that we tested with. We are, however, confident that higher voltages levels will be stable on the Gigabyte motherboard if your cooling solution can provide adequate performance.

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17 comments

  1. Considering you used the new Wraith cooler from AMD, I’m surprised you didn’t include temps on your overclocking page. Maybe AMD told you not to? Kudos for including minimum fps though.

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  4. You can see temps over here: http://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/luke-hill/150-gaming-cpu-amd-fx-8370-w-wraith-vs-intel-core-i5-6400/9/

    The FX 8370 hit around 53C under OC load, but was loud in doing so.

  5. It’s okay, Luke. There’s a reason he’s accusing – oops, I mean suggesting – that you’re shilling for AMD.

    Notice he didn’t have a problem when you didn’t include temps on the reviews of the Asus Maximus VIII Impact ( http://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/luke-hill/asus-maximus-viii-impact-z170-motherboard-review/10/ )

    Or the MSI X99A SLI Plus ( http://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/luke-hill/msi-x99a-sli-plus-motherboard-review/10/ )

    Or the ASRock Z170 Extreme4 (http://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/luke-hill/asrock-z170-extreme4-motherboard-review/9/ )

    Or the MSI Z170A Gaming M7 ( http://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/luke-hill/msi-z170a-gaming-m7-motherboard-review/10/ )

    But hey, at least you included them on the Asus Sabertooth Z170 Mark 1, right? Oh, no, wait, that was just motherboard temps. ( http://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/luke-hill/asus-sabertooth-z170-mark-1-motherboard-review/12/ )

    But no. Clearly AMD told you not to include temps on this review.

  6. Gigabyte did a great job with the motherboard but how many PCB layers does it come with. In the audio picture there seems to be 2 squares where I normally see the PCB layer count. The USB performance is partly hampered by the OS used in the review. I believe the results would have been very different with windows 8.1 due to native uasp. Good motherboard for all of those looking to upgrade existing AM3+ builds.

  7. I own a MSI 970A SLI KRAIT EDITION, is working well, but i don`t think that is a good idea build AM3+ Motherboard this days, we will have Zen before 2017, i will update

  8. Graziano Schrödinger Lenzi

    I have this MB and AMD FX-9590 and I have no complain about cpu-related stability: at stock speed and all power features like C6, c&c, ecc it is really stable: Prime95 stress tests were really good and temperature never went in overheated zone, while other MBs did.

    The really bad, bad, bad issues are BIOS related: system is unable to use some manual settings. The same problem related to multiplier explained in this review occurred in DRAM settings: XMP profile work perhaps, but manual settings are as goods as comments: system doesn’t use manual DRAM voltage settings, I’m not even sure manual timigs are taken into consideration.
    Actually I’m using failsafe ram configuration because of that.

    Any other experience related?

  9. Haha!

  10. Yeah I have been having difficulty trying to overclock RAM. I can run at 1866 but trying for 2133 like in review. Going to try adjusting voltages and try 2 dimms instead of 4. I am using the same CPU as you. My Asus CHVF-Z was much better for RAM oc, but couldn’t fit 2 triple slot cards without blocking the motherboardcase connectors. It was also missing the nice reinforced Pcie slots and the M2 slot that comes with the G1. I’m very happy with it overall. Handles the 220W beast no problem.

  11. Graziano Schrödinger Lenzi

    Gigabyte sent me a beta firmware to help ram issues.
    Fact is, it works, BUT…
    Yeah, to run at 2133 you need to use 2 banks only. This is bad.
    And… I am able to run at 1600 x 4 banks, it is good, but when I set bios at 1866 it still runs at 1600.

    N.B.: related to temperatures, I put a 140 fan running at minimum, perpendicular to VRM heatsink, having air flowing thru heatsink: result is 10°C less in gaming.
    Is was worth the try.

  12. I changed the voltage and took out 2 sticks. Running stable at 2133. I ran 4 sticks with 2 different brands at 1866 no problem, on original bios. Don’t use the xmp profile. Make a custom one.

  13. just picked this MB up for $120 from Newegg +$10 rebate so $113 after rebate and shipping. I hope it gives my comp life until Zen comes out and is settled in..

  14. How did you get the fx 9590 to run on it; my system is a new build and says the cpu is incompatible with the mb?

  15. Graziano Schrödinger Lenzi

    It worked from beginning.
    Or BIOS has to be re-flashed, or CPU is not well mounted.

  16. Thanks Graziano, i’ll give them a try.

  17. I’m looking at doing a water cool loop with this mother board and would love to include the vrm and nb as they get ridiculously hot I find. Is it hard to remove the heatsinks covering those and would you know of any water blocks that would fit? having a near impossible time locating any. Spectacular review as usual!