GIGABYTE GA-MA770-UD3 AM2+/AM3 Motherboard Review

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Memory Benchmarks

Memory Benchmarks

Lavalys Everest Ultimate v5.00​

Everest Ultimate is the most useful tool for any and all benchmarkers or overclockers. With the ability to pick up most voltage, temperature, and fan sensors on almost every motherboard available, Everest provides the ability to customize the outputs in a number of forms on your desktop. In addition to this, the memory benchmarking utility provides a useful tool of measuring the changes to your memory sub-system.

For both the stock and overclocked configurations, the memory sub-system was running in unganged mode, which means that the two 64-bit memory controllers in the Phenom II were operating independently of each other and thus two memory requests could be processed simultaneously, which provides faster performance in multi-threaded apps. The CPU/NB frequency was running at the default 2000Mhz for the stock configuration, and 2200Mhz for the overclocked setup. With a 47% memory clock difference (DDR2-800 vs DDR2-1179) between the stock and overclocked configurations, we are seeing a 10% to 30% performance improvement in bandwidth numbers. This is respectable, and that additional bandwidth make its presence felt in bandwidth starved apps like WinRAR. Surprisingly, our overclocked memory bandwidth numbers are actually higher than those we achieved with the ASUS M4A78T-E running at DDR3-1600. Quite a good showing for the dirt cheap Gigabyte MA770-UD3.

Due to the aforementioned similarity in the memory sub-system settings, the memory latency is effectively identical across the board. However, there was an unusual sweet spot at 3.2Ghz (16 x 200). There is no rhyme or reason for this anomaly, and it is only 1% lower than the other results, but we were able to repeat the results on numerous occasions.

ScienceMark v2.0​

Although last updated almost 3 years ago, and despite its rudimentary interface, ScienceMark v2.0 remains a favorite for accurately calculating bandwidth on even the newest chipsets.

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Effectively mirroring the Everest results, ScienceMark demonstrates a 30% improvement in overall bandwidth between the stock and overclocked configurations. The OC'ed results solidly surpass the best numbers we achieved on the DDR3-equipped ASUS 790GX board. Clearly, the lower-end AMD 770 chipset and DDR2 memory are no slouch when it comes to fully utilizing the Phenom II's integrated memory controller.

 

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System Benchmarks

System Benchmarks

SuperPi Mod v1.5​

When running the SuperPI 32MB benchmark, we are calculating Pi to 32 million digits and timing the process. Obviously more CPU power helps in this intense calculation, but the memory sub-system also plays an important role, as does the operating system.

An enthusiast favourite, SuperPi excels at revealing how the processing and memory sub-systems are performing and it can demonstrate the slightest performance variances. In this case, our overclocked configuration really shines in this benchmark, reducing the overall time by over five and half minutes. This represents an almost 28% performance improvement from a 30% CPU overclock, which is a very strong scaling result. In a benchmark in which every second matters, this a colossal gain.

PCMark Vantage x64​

The latest iteration of the popular system benchmark is PCMark Vantage from the Futuremark crew. The PCMark series has always been a great way to either test specific areas of a system or to get a general overview of how your system is performing. For our results, we simply run the basic benchmark suite which consists of a wide range of tests involving all the sub-systems of the computer.

Continuing the trend, a 10% performance gain is achieved in PCMark Vantage, which is quite respectable since it represents an improvement in <i>overall</i> system performance. Although this benchmark tests all important sub-systems, it is evident that nearly all the gains are isolated to the Memories Score and CPU-intensive Communication and Productivity sections.

Cinebench R10​

Developed by MAXON, creators of Cinema 4D, Cinebench 10 is designed using the popular Cinema software and created to compare system performance in 3D Animation and Photo applications. There are two parts to the test; the first stresses only the primary CPU or Core, the second, makes use of up to 16 CPUs/Cores. Both are done rendering a realistic photo while utilizing various CPU-intensive features such as reflection, ambient occlusion, area lights and procedural shaders.

As a heavily multi-threaded application, Cinebench reveals the processing power the triple-core X3 720 Black Edition chip . In this test, we see a roughly 23% performance improvement from a 30% increase in CPU clocks, which is actually slightly worse scaling than we are used to seeing in this program.

x264 HD Benchmark​

Tech Arp's recent development of the x264 HD Benchmark takes a 30 second HD video clip and encodes it into the x264 codec with the intention of little to no quality loss. The test is measured using the average frames per second achieved during encoding, which scales with processor speed and efficiency. The benchmark also allows the use of multi-core processors so it gives a very accurate depiction of what to expect when using encoding application on a typical full length video.

Proving once againt the undeniable gains achieved through OC'ing, our overclocked configuration is a full 27% faster than stock, which in this case equates to a respectable 3 frames per second improvement.

Lame Front End​

Unlike the DivX conversion program we just looked at, Lame Front End is not multi-threaded and only utilizes a single processor core. This will obviously limit performance but we should still achieve significant time savings going from the stock to the overclocked settings. We will be encoding a WAV rip of Santana’s Supernatural album and converting it to MP3 using the VBR 0 quality preset.

LFE is a single-threaded application that allows the ripping of a CD in a matter of minutes. It reveals perfect scaling, with a 29% performance gain from a 30% overclock. In practical terms, we were able to shave approximately 47 seconds off of this common task.

Photoshop CS3​

For the image editing portion of this review, we will use Photoshop CS3 in coordination with Driver Heaven’s Photoshop Benchmark V3, which is an excellent test of CPU power and memory bandwidth. This is a scripted benchmark that individually applies 15 different filters to a 109MB JPEG, and uses Photoshop’s built-in timing feature to provide a result at each test stage. Then it’s simply a matter of adding up the 15 results to reach the final figure.

The overclocked configuration completed the Photoshop test a full minute faster than at stock. This represents an almost 28% improvement in image-editing performance, which is closely inline with the 30% CPU overclock.

WinRAR 3.8.0​

The last of our real-life tests will be with the highly popular & multi-threaded WinRAR 3.8.0 tool, in which we take a 1GB batch of assorted files and archive them, timing the task until completion.

WinRAR is an frequently used utility, so any performance improvement can provide some appreciable time savings. Our overclocked Phenom II X3 system finished the compression task a solid 44 seconds faster than at stock, which is a worthwhile 20% performance improvement.

 

[MAC]

Gaming Benchmarks

Gaming Benchmarks

Futuremark 3DMark06​

The Futuremark 3DMark series has been a part of the backbone in computer and hardware reviews since its conception. The trend continues today as 3DMark06 provides consumers with a solid synthetic benchmark geared for performance and comparison in the 3D gaming realm. This remains one of the most sought after statistics, as well as an excellent tool for accurate CPU comparison, and it will undoubtedly be used for years to come.

In 3DMark06, the overclocked configuration boasts a solid 22% lead over the stock clocked system. This is an impressive improvement when you consider that it was achieved solely through an increase in CPU clock speed and memory bandwidth. Let's see if the gains are as prominent on Futuremark's latest gaming benchmark...

Futuremark 3DMark Vantage​

You asked for it, so we have finally included 3DMark Vantage, Futuremark’s latest release in their renowned line of 3D benchmarking software. This latest DX10-only 3DMark comes with a variety of presets, but for our tests will be use the standard Performance preset which is suitable for a much greater range of system specifications than the other more demanding presets.

In 3DMark Vantage, there is a 28% gain in the CPU score, but only a 10% increase in the overall score. This is to be expected since Vantage is a heavily GPU-dependent benchmark.

Can we expect similar results in actual games? Let's find out...

Far Cry 2​

Far Cry 2 is the hot new new first-person shooter from Ubisoft's Montreal studio, and the first game to utilize the new visually stunning Dunia Engine, which will undoubtedly be used by numerous future games. Using the included Benchmarking Tool, we ran the Long Ranch demo in DX10 mode at 1680x1050 with all settings set to very high.

Our overclocked configuration makes some impressive gains in Far Cry 2, with a 15% boost in average frame rates and a 20% increase in the all-important minimum frame rate.

World in Conflict​

One of the most visually stunning real-time strategy games in recent history, World in Conflict can really push systems to the brink, which is what we attempt by running the game in DirectX 10 mode at 1680x1050 with all settings maxed out. For this test we used the in-game benchmarking tool.

Clearly, processing power matters a LOT in World in Conflict, even when all the graphics settings are maxed out. There is a staggering 77% difference in the minimum framerate between the stock and overclocked configurations, and that's no fluke. There is also a solid 19% increase in the average framerate.

Left 4 Dead​

Left 4 Dead is the latest disorienting, fast-paced zombie apocalypse mega-hit from Valve. L4D uses the latest version of the Source engine with enhancements such as multi-core processor support and physics-based animation. We test here at 1680x1050 with in-game details set to their highest levels, with MSAA 4X and AF 8X. For benching, we used a pre-recorded 20 minute timedemo taken on the No Mercy campaign during The Apartments mission.

As always we end with Valve's multiplayer Zombie mega-hit. The Source engine is known for its strong CPU scaling, and the overclocked configuration achieved a significant 24% higher average frame rate then at stock.

 

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Voltage Regulation / Temperature Testing

Voltage Regulation

Our voltage regulation testing will focus on the various voltages and the differences encountered between what is selected in the BIOS and what is reported by a digital multi-meter (DMM). We have found five voltage read points on the motherboard so the vCORE, CPU/NB, NB, HT, SB, and vDIMM will be recorded with our DMM. The vCORE and CPU/NB will be read from the underside of the motherboard at the output side of the corresponding inductor. The remaining voltages will be read from points on the top of the motherboard. vDIMM will be read directly from a DIMM slot's VDD pin. The ground point used for all readings will be a screw hole. Here are a few photos showing the various read points used.

Click on image to enlarge​

Now that we have established where the read points are, let’s have a look at the results. These measurements were taken at stock system speeds and with Cool N' Quiet disabled in the BIOS. So without further ado, here are our extensive findings:

As a whole, the MA770-UD3 has excellent voltage output. For starters, there is little difference between what you select in the BIOS and what the board actually outputs. It is off by 0.02V at the very most. The CPU NB, NB, SB, and DRAM voltages are accurate and very stable, displaying effectively no variances between idle and load. The most noteworthy voltage is obviously the vCore, and not only is accurate but absolutely stable as well. To demonstrate just how perfect the vCore line is, let's take a closer look at the vCore's characteristics with a one-hour OCCT stress test.

Click on image to enlarge​

As you can see, the vCore line is straight as an arrow displaying zero variance even during load changes. This is a top-notch result from a budget motherboard, especially considering the hefty 3.65Ghz overclock and considerable 1.525 vCore.

Temperature Testing

Now it's time to see if the MA770-UD3's simplistic cooling system works as well it as looks. For this test we relied on our trusty digital thermometer for all temperature measurements. We set the system to its overclocked configuration, and then ran Prime 95 Blend for one hour. The temperatures were recorded at ten minute intervals throughout the one hour tests and the results averaged out. The ambient temperature was 23°C/73.4°F.

In the 'closer look' section, we mentioned that the northbridge heatsink had a fair bit of wiggle room and that it might impact cooling ability. The northbridge heatsink clocked in at a toasty 55°C/131°F, which suggests that it is making acceptable contact with the 770 northbridge, since otherwise the heatsink would run cool due to poor heat transfer. We would still like to see the mounting system improved, but as it stands the NB cooling solution appears to be doing its job. The itty-bitty southbridge heatsink ran quite hot, almost as if it was absorbing the heat generated by the GeForce GTX 280. The naked MOSFETs understandably ran hot too with 1.525vCore going thru them. Remember that none of the above components benefited from any direct air cooling, so all these figures essentially represent a worst-case scenario. In a regular case with some half-decent airflow, temperatures should be much lower.

 

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Conclusion

Conclusion

Affordable, budget, low-end...these are words that invoke unavoidable thoughts of poor performance, sparse features and uninspired design. While that might have been true in the days of yore, this motherboard puts all those worries to rest. This is mainly true because the GA-MA770-UD3 is not in fact a low-end motherboard; it is simply a mainstream model with a budget price. Despite being one of the least expensive AMD motherboards that you can buy, the specifications list reads like any mainstream motherboard. Granted, it doesn't have any eSATA ports but that is a moot point since eSATA adoption has been slow among consumers. We also can't begrudge this motherboard's lack of CrossFire support since the AMD 770 chipset was designed to only support one graphics card.

It most certainly is not perfect though. There are layout issues in the form of the poorly placed CPU power connector and USB headers. There are design issues in the form of a PCI-E x16 slot latch that is nearly impossible to reach, the presence of the antiquated 4-pin CPU connector and a wobbly northbridge heatsink. Last but not least, the BIOS has a mysteriously low 2.175V memory voltage limit and there is no support for Advanced Clock Control (ACC), which means that you can't try to unlock the extra cores and cache on AM3 processors. Are these deal breakers? Not when you look at the price tag and especially not when you consider the following: The GA-MA770-UD3 that we have reviewed is the rev 1.0, and Gigabyte have already released rev 2.0.. What's the difference? Well not only does this new version feature a proper 8-pin CPU connector and DDR2-1333 support, but most importantly it uses a brand new southbridge; the SB710. Why is this important? Well the SB710 brings with it one big party trick: Advanced Clock Control (ACC). Everyone agrees that ACC is one of the factors that makes AM3 processors exciting and it is a huge boon that this newer version supports this worthwhile feature.

Overall, the MA770-UD3 provides great Bang for the Buck in our opinion and as long as buyers are aware of its few quirks, it is easy to recommend to just about anyone planning to build a new AM2+/AM3 system...just make sure that you buy the rev 2.0 if you can.


Pros

- Undeniable value.
- Great performance.
- Solid overclocking capabilities.
- User-friendly BIOS.
- Very good connectivity.
- Decent software suite.
- Lots of fan headers.
- Newer version is out (rev 2.0) that fixes most of the cons listed below.


Cons

- PCI-E x16 slot clip/latch is very hard to reach when a dual-slot graphics card is installed.
- Wobbly northbridge heatsink.
- 2.175V memory limit in the BIOS.
- No support for Advanced Clock Control (ACC) (rev 1.0 only).
- Mediocre 4-pin CPU power connector & USB header placement.
- 4-pin CPU power connector instead of 8-pin (rev 1.0 only).
- Not enough voltage and temperature readouts (as always).
- Only 2 SATA cables provided.

Our thanks to GIGABYTE for making this review possible!​

GIGABYTE GA-MA770-UD3 AM2+/AM3 Motherboard Review Comment Thread​