We tested the Bulldozer: FX-8150 and three 990FX motherboards on the test bench
Motherboards under Bulldozer
ASUS Sabertooth 990FX
Within the ranks of ASUS, the TUF (The Ultimate Force) family of sheets is perhaps even more special and special than the ROG series. When making TUF sheets, tuning is not the focus (it is also perfectly suitable for standard functions), but we get the best in everything else. The primary goal is reliability and longevity. The first and most important condition for this is the use of quality components and materials.
The components of TUF boards are "Military Class" certified. What it means? Crease-resistant performance in the harshest environments thanks to the use of robust TUF coils, solid-state capacitors and MOSFET components that meet independent partner-verified military-grade specifications. TUF coils, also known as metal alloy coils, are not made of ordinary iron, but of an alloy of various metals, so they can cope with a rated current of up to 25 A, which is 40 percent higher than the load capacity of a conventional component.
And the one-piece housing eliminates the emission of vibrating sounds, resulting in excellent characteristics and durability, even in extreme conditions. Of course, this is only half of the coin, they also need a proper power supply for reliability. This is also done by Digi + VRM for the Sabertooth 990FX, working with 8 + 2 phases. We’ve heard a lot about this, but it’s even complemented by ESP.
ESP Efficient Switching Power provides optimal power supply to key components. The system, which is found exclusively on this motherboard, provides power to the switch not only to the CPU, but also to other key components (video card, LAN, and USB 3.0). ESP significantly increases the efficiency of the system and reduces the heat produced. In addition, ASUS pays special attention to cooling for TUF tiles and uses a special ceramic-containing process.
The ceramic coating of the CeraM! X heat sink coating technology provides 50 percent more surface area for heat dissipation. Innovative ceramics efficiently dissipate heat from the system. The ceramic used instead of the traditional antioxidant layer dissipates more heat due to its microscopic, irregular - and therefore larger - surface. Better cooling always contributes to better system stability. TUF Thermal Radar is responsible for the control.
TUF Thermal Radar monitors the temperature of critical parts of the motherboard in real time and automatically regulates the speed of the fans so that the system maintains excellent stability and does not overheat. There are a number of sensors next to many parts of the motherboard, and it is even possible to monitor them individually. Thermal Radar automatically calculates the ideal fan speeds based on the various parameters specified by users for each component, so everything stays cooler and more durable.
Although we usually do not attach great importance to the matter, electrostatic protection can also "save lives". The Sabertooth 990FX does not ignore this question either. ESD Guards are unique protection of motherboard components against unexpected electrostatic discharges (ESD). Electrostatic discharges happen lightning fast, and their effects are often underestimated. ASUS exclusive anti-charge chip, protection circuits and I/O backplate offer 5 times better protection to extend component life. According to the information in the above paragraphs, it is not surprising that ASUS offers a XNUMX-year warranty on the motherboards found in the TUF family.
This model also measures 30,5 × 24,4 cm using the frames provided by the ATX standard, the color of the printed circuit board is the usual black. The area around the AM3 + socket is quite airy and tidy, the rib system extends beyond the power supply to the 990FX north bridge with the help of a heat pipe. In addition to black, the colors of green and brown are predominant on the sheet, thus providing a kind of military style to the product. We find the usual four DIMMs next to the socket, with DDR3 and dual channel support. The limit is 32 GB in terms of capacity and 1866 MHz in terms of clock speed.
Power is also provided with a 24-pin and an 8-pin power connector on this model. Beneath the RAM slots is the SB950 South Bridge, with an unadulterated TUF rib on it. The same is true for storage storage as with the M5A99X. The AMD SB950 provides native SATA 6 Gb / s ports, six in number, that support RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 modes. A JMicron JMB362 controller has also been added to the board, offering two additional SATA ports, a Power eSATA and an eSATA to its host. Each port is capable of speeds of 3 Gb / s.
The Sabertooth 990FX will not be a bottleneck for its owner either in terms of expansion rails. You get no less than four full-width PCI Express slots, of which black is limited to × 4 mode. It can also be used with three brown video cards, with × 16 / × 16 for two VGA systems and × 16 / × 8 / × 8 mode for three controllers, be it CrossFireX or SLI. We get a piece of a short, × 1 PCI Express, just like we get from the old PCI bus. We won't miss USB connectors either, the SB950 provides 14 2.0 ports (ten of which are on the back and four as pin pins on the PCB). In terms of USB 3.0, the ASMedia controller already mentioned for the M5A99X EVO is back, with four clips on the back and two pins on the PCB. LAN works with a Realtek 8111E, audio with a Realtek ALC 892 8-channel chip.
Sabertooth 990FX back section:
Key features summarized:
- TUF CeraM! X heatsink coating technology - Ceramic coating provides 50 percent more surface area for heat dissipation
- TUF Thermal Radar - Real-time temperature measurement and heat dissipation
- DIGI + VRM
- TUF components (metal alloy coils, capacitors and MOSFET components; military specifications)
- ESP [Efficient Switching Power] - Optimal power supply for key components
Specification table:
ASUS Sabertooth 990FX gallery:
