Gigabyte F2A85X-UP4 Review – Are PowIRStages Needed with Trinity?
by Ian Cutress on December 14, 2012 12:00 PM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
- Gigabyte
- FM2
- A85X
Metro2033
Metro2033 is a DX11 benchmark that challenges every system that tries to run it at any high-end settings. Developed by 4A Games and released in March 2010, we use the inbuilt DirectX 11 Frontline benchmark to test the hardware at 2560x1440 with full graphical settings. Results are given as the average frame rate from 4 runs.
Performance under Metro is consistent with most other motherboard testing.
Dirt 3
Dirt 3 is a rallying video game and the third in the Dirt series of the Colin McRae Rally series, developed and published by Codemasters. Using the in game benchmark, Dirt 3 is run at 2560x1440 with Ultra graphical settings. Results are reported as the average frame rate across four runs.
While it seems that the Gigabyte takes the top spot in single and dual GPU for Dirt 3 and then bottom for tri-GPU and NVIDIA, all results are within the margin of error to other FM2/A85X motherboards, except that dual GPU result. Unfortunately I cannot attribute why there would be so much discrepancy, especially when in other tests this type of variation is not shown.
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SodaAnt - Friday, December 14, 2012 - link
I've never been sure why motheboard manufacturers continue to insist on skinning their main windows software instead of just using the default interface options, which in my opinion would go a long way to making their software not look like it was released for windows XP.Flunk - Friday, December 14, 2012 - link
I always figured that they did that so the software looked like a 6th grade computer project. That way you know that they have to be good at hardware, otherwise who would buy it with such ugly software?arthur449 - Monday, December 17, 2012 - link
That's the best rationale I've heard yet.DanNeely - Friday, December 14, 2012 - link
Should 6 SATA cables really be counted as a plus? With the exception of first time builders doesn't everyone already have a huge number of excess cables from older stuffed into their parts box?JonnyDough - Sunday, December 16, 2012 - link
Agreed. It might be a bit of a PITA to order cables, especially for first time builders but it would be great not creating more garbage. I think we're disposing of enough already, don't you? Just consider that you can't go anywhere on earth without finding trash on the shore.arthur449 - Monday, December 17, 2012 - link
Either way, we don't have as many as we do power cables.klmccaughey - Sunday, December 30, 2012 - link
I think the Sata ports make it a very interesting buy. With onboard sound/video that makes it an interesting option for a server / media server.I bet there are a lot of people (especially Anand readers) that have a second computer they user as server / bittorrent downloader / backup station all in one. I have one right next to me and had this board been around when I built it I would have been sold on it.
I use this 'server' as a 4TB Raid5 backup station, it's plugged into one of my monitors so I can use it as a media station to watch stuff while I, um, work ;)
I have been buying Gigabyte motherboards exclusively for about 8 years now. The reason for that is they are generally really reliable and overclock well. I build quite a lot of systems and they have not once let me down.
Another use it for your HTPC or media PC.
Their BIOS though is a bit annoying, but any time I contact their support they know what they are talking about and actually get back to you. ASRock would be my next choice.
PA Systems1 - Friday, July 5, 2013 - link
As I now understand SATA, it requires an SATA 3 cable to get SATA 3 functionality. It is a good thing this mobo has 6 of those cables as I'm going from a build of SATA II to SATA III. Being so way behind the curve I don't have ANY of those updated cables. 6 cables is very generous and I'd thank Gigabyte for that should I choose this board. It's still a tossup between this one, MSI, Asrock or the higher priced ASUS V-Pro boards. I'm reading all these reviews very closely. There isn't any other board I've seen so far that offers 6 SATA cables. Anandtech is as comparable or better than Toms Hardware in providing in depth reviews and helpful information.jameserlay - Friday, December 14, 2012 - link
Last paragraph, wouldn't it make more sense if it said "peace of mind" instead of "piece of mind"???PA Systems1 - Friday, July 5, 2013 - link
So we must give the writer/editor a piece of our mind. I've seen worse mistakes.