Msi 970 gaming firmware bios. Gaming device port - game port
When it comes to top gaming systems, the search for the necessary products in the computer components market is very narrow. In fact, the choice comes from 2-3 offers from the seller, because many representatives of the High-End segment are not able to satisfy all the requirements of a potential buyer. This article is dedicated to the MSI 970 GAMING Elite Motherboard, a high-tech device designed to provide a complete set of features for fans of the world's most productive games. The review, description, characteristics and reviews of the owners will help the reader to get to know this product better.
Marking Confusion MSI 970 GAMING
In the computer equipment market, a buyer may find that two completely different products from the manufacturer MSI are hidden under the same label, which are positioned in the top segment. In addition to the motherboard in question, the MSI GeForce GTX 970 GAMING 4G video card is under the same name. Having taken an interest in such a strange coincidence with a representative of the company, the reader learns that these products are designed to work in pairs. In fact, this is a common marketing ploy when one product promotes another, positioning it as the best solution for building a platform.
Many users in their reviews note that they built their gaming systems in this way, as the seller convinced them before buying that compatibility would be 100 percent guaranteed. It is up to the reader to decide whether to make a double purchase or not, but in this article there is a place to talk about a gaming video card.
First acquaintance with the base board
The MSI 970 GAMING motherboard comes in a huge black cardboard box with bright red trim. Its appearance tells the buyer that it is clearly not inside. The corporate logo of the company in the form of a dragon occupies the entire front of the display. On the back of the box short description all technologies that are involved in the production of the motherboard.
Judging by the reviews of the owners, it would be better to see the image of the motherboard itself on the box, since the presence of the necessary connectors is much more interesting than obscure functionality. In general, the description of the characteristics is rather strange - the phrases "Killer", "Military", "Multi", "Boost" do not carry any semantic meanings. Catchy names should be changed to detailed description the characteristics themselves.
Device package
Here the manufacturer tried his best to please the buyer. The package bundle of MSI 970 GAMING is very rich and interesting. In addition to the motherboard itself, the kit contains: two blanks for the rear panel of the case, disks with software, instructions for use and installation, an SLI bridge and a small sealed plastic bag. It is the contents of this package that delights all owners of this motherboard:
- stickers for signing SATA cables;
- branded sticker MSI Gaming Series for placement on the PC case;
- a huge sign on the doorknob with the inscription: "Sorry, I'm playing";
- a folded promotional leaflet with a picture of a dragon and a recommendation to purchase an MSI GeForce GTX 970 GAMING 4G video card to improve gaming performance (carefully cutting the dragon with scissors, many users placed its image on the wall, near the computer - it looks very nice).
Build quality and placement of elements
Not only technologists, but also designers clearly had a hand in the creation. As the owners of the device note in their reviews, the MSI 970 GAMING motherboard is made according to feng shui. All elements printed circuit board placed by sector. If we are talking about power elements - they are placed in one block and covered with a radiator. Contacts for connecting USB devices and power management are located in a row, under the south bridge. SATA connectors are also taken out in one block, and not scattered around the printed circuit board, like in budget devices.
There are complaints only to the PCI slots. Once again, the MSI manufacturer fails to grant the owner access to all ports at the same time. For example, two high-performance video cards (the same MSI GTX 970 GAMING 4G), in SLI mode, will simply close the PCI interfaces with their cooling system, so you can forget about connecting a TV tuner or RAID controller. I was pleased only with the PCIx1 connector, which has recently been used to connect high-speed SSD drives - its manufacturer has placed it above the PCIex16 bus.
Installation of basic accessories
Users will like the platform for installing the cooling system on the processor - it is completely devoid of power elements. Any cooler existing in the world can be mounted in this system. Overlockers will especially appreciate this in the MSI 970 GAMING motherboard. Flipping the PCB over reveals a passive cooling copper core for the CPU socket. Quite an interesting solution for owners of expensive cases, where there is a corresponding recess on the mounting base for motherboard to accommodate an additional cooler.
The slots for installing memory modules are located at the processor level. On the one hand, this placement makes installation easy (the connectors are not blocked by the video card cooling system), on the other hand, in a small case (miniATX), they will not allow installing a DVD drive. Although, as practice shows, such motherboards are purchased by owners who have ATX-Tower cases available.
overlocker tool
Special attention deserves the basic input / output system (BIOS) MSI 970 GAMING. The motherboard is provided with a UEFI graphical shell, which is designed in the style of the manufacturer. As the owners note in their reviews, the control is very simple, you can configure any element of the system, but before proceeding with the settings, you should open the instruction manual and take the time to read it. First of all, it is recommended to save the current BIOS settings to a Flash drive, since the first steps with the setup rarely lead to positive results. And loading working settings is always easier than resetting the BIOS using a jumper on the motherboard.
Those who encounter such a device for the first time need to know one truth: the overclocking potential of the MSI 970 GAMING is not limited to the capabilities of the components. For example, the motherboard can freely overclock the processor to 5 GHz, but it is not a fact that the crystal itself supports this frequency. That is, you need to focus on the capabilities of devices, and the motherboard is just a tool.
Remote Control
The fact that the motherboard is designed to install an MSI GAMING gaming video card is also evidenced by the software supplied in the kit. Before entering the utility, the user is prompted to select the device to be configured: motherboard or video adapter. Quite an interesting combination solution from the manufacturer. As the owners note, the utility picks up the control of all top-end GeForce-based video cards.
In the process of using the software, the user will find that a large set of its functions are intended for testing and monitoring, but things are not going well with overclocking. If the video adapter (for example, GAMING 4G) can be overclocked by the graphics core, memory or shaders, then it is blocked with an increase in the frequency of the central processor (only from the BIOS). Do not despair, there are enough programs that can solve this problem.
Building a game system
The representative of the High-End class, the MSI GeForce GTX 970 GAMING video card, is based on the high-performance GM204 chip. The device has 1664 CUDA cores, 104 texture units, uses a 256-bit GDDR5 memory bus. Obviously, all of the listed characteristics hint at the gaming properties of the video adapter.
Not all potential buyers understand the company's policy regarding the MSI 970 GAMING motherboard, which is designed for the AMD platform. Logically, a Radeon video adapter from the same manufacturer should be recommended by the manufacturer. But within the walls of MSI, apparently, they thought differently. What will come of it, the user will find out after buying both devices, however, there is no negative in the media regarding the incompatibility of the motherboard with the MSI GTX 970 GAMING video card.
Finally
The new motherboard from the well-known manufacturer MSI marked 970 GAMING is definitely best solution for all lovers of overclocking. This is evidenced by the large functionality and the corresponding technologies. All installed elements without exceptions can be overclocked (though only in the BIOS menu). There are many overheating protection systems, and the chipset cooling system itself is implemented on highest level. The company's policy to promote the GTX 970 GAMING 4G gaming adapter for this motherboard is not entirely clear, because for an AMD-based device it would be worth offering a solution from Radeon. In any case, it is up to the user to decide which graphics accelerator to install, because the motherboard works with any video card.
It so happened that initially in the assortment of MSI, the Gaming motherboard series was represented only by Intel platforms and AMD with LGA1150 and FM2+ sockets, respectively. But in the summer of 2014, left without due attention until that time, AMD processors with the AM3 + socket still got their way. New motherboard MSI 970 Gaming was presented at the end of June 2014, and already closer to the New Year, it managed to reach the shelves of Russian retail. As you might guess from the name, the MSI 970 Gaming is based on the AMD 970/SB950 system logic. Key Features MSI 970 Gaming is the presence of a high-quality MSI Audio Boost 2 audio subsystem, a Killer E2200 gigabit network controller and compliance with Military Class 4 technical equipment standards. Let's take a closer look at this interesting product.
Packaging and equipment
As befits the entire Gaming line, the packaging of the MSI 970 Gaming motherboard is made using black, red and white colors. On the front of the package there is a stylized image of a dragon, as well as the most significant pictograms of the technologies present in this motherboard.
The back of the box is full of detailed descriptions. key features, which are endowed with MSI 970 Gaming:
- Audio Boost 2 The built-in audio subsystem, which is based on the flagship Realtek ALC1150 codec, includes Nichicon audio capacitors, a pair of amplifiers that support studio headphones with an impedance of up to 600 ohms, as well as gold-plated audio outputs on the interface panel and an audio path with LED backlighting for protection against electromagnetic interference.
- Qualcomm Atheros Killer E2205- a gigabit network controller that allows you to automatically detect game traffic and increase its priority in relation to other system traffic, guaranteeing minimal delays in the transfer of game data.
- OC Genie 4- automatic overclocking function, which is activated by pressing one button in the bundled software or via the BIOS.
- Multi-GPU support for AMD CrossFireX and NVIDIA SLI technologies to combine the computing capabilities of two video cards.
- Sound Blaster Cinema 2 - This technology significantly improves the sound quality in games and when playing multimedia files.
- Military Class 4- MSI 970 Gaming uses only high-quality components such as Dark CAP solid capacitors with a lifespan of up to 10 years and SFC chokes with ferrite cores.
- Gaming DevicePort - USB ports 2.0 and PS / 2, highlighted in red, have a threefold increase in gold plating, so they are more reliable and durable. They are also optimized for high polling rate devices (500 to 1000 Hz), reducing response time from 8 milliseconds to 1 millisecond.
In addition, on the back of the package there are brief specifications motherboard and interface panel connector card.
The MSI 970 Gaming package includes:
- MSI 970 Gaming motherboard;
- documentation, including user manual and system assembly instructions;
- plug on back panel;
- disk with drivers and proprietary utilities;
- SLI bridge;
- SATA 6Gb/s cables 2 pcs.;
- MSI metal badge;
- a sign on the door with the words "I" m sorry busy gaming "and" I "m not here".
Appearance and technological features
The MSI 970 Gaming motherboard is made on a black textolite. Form factor ATX motherboard, dimensions are 305x244 mm. The first thing that catches your eye upon a cursory examination of the MSI 970 Gaming's interior is black heatsinks with small red stripes. Such a play of colors undoubtedly gives the motherboard a spectacular appearance and design features recognizable for the Gaming series.
The arrangement of elements on the MSI 970 Gaming is made according to the classical scheme. The only exception is the 19-pin USB 3.0 connector located on the bottom. In addition to the power supply circuit of the processor, the AMD 970 northbridge and AMD SB950 southbridge are also equipped with heatsinks.
The MSI 970 Gaming motherboard comes with a standard metal plate for Socket AM3+. But if the user wishes to use cooling systems with a different type of fastening, then there is an opportunity to dismantle the complete plate.
The board's interface panel has eight USB 2.0 and two USB 3.0 connectors. In addition, there is a PC / 2 connector, S / PDIF, Gigabit LAN and a block of six audio ports.
The processor power subsystem is implemented on MSI 970 Gaming according to the 8+1 scheme. Eight ferrite chokes SFC are located directly under the cooling radiator, and one behind it. This power layout is made to supply the main voltages of the CPU Core and CPU NB Core.
In terms of processor support, the MSI 970 Gaming motherboard is able to "take on board" any of the AM3 and AM3+ processors with a TDP of up to 140W.
Slots for random access memory in the amount of four pieces support memory strips with clock frequency 1066/1333/1600/1866 and 2133 MHz. The maximum total amount of installed memory is 32 GB.
The motherboard is powered by the main 24-pin connector and an additional 8-pin power connector.
MSI 970 Gaming has a very interesting set of slots for expansion cards, including:
- PCI Express 2.0x1;
- PCI Express 2.0 x16 (works like x16);
- PCI Express 2.0x1;
- PCI Express 2.0 x16 (works like x8);
Thus, unlike other motherboards based on the AMD 970/SB950 chipset, where combining two video cards into multiGPU bundles is possible only according to the x16 + x4 scheme, MSI 970 Gaming offers us the possibility of organizing AMD CrossfireX and NVIDIA SLI according to the scheme x8+x8.
To connect drives and optical drives, the MSI 970 Gaming has six SATA 6 Gb / s connectors, which were implemented by the southern AMD Bridge SB950. This chipset also makes it possible to combine drives into RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10 arrays.
The audio section of the motherboard is separated by a special LED-backlit channel designed to shield the audio component from electromagnetic interference. The Realtek ALC1150 HDA audio codec, which is the basis of the Audio Boost 2 sound system, also supports progressive 7.1 format systems. High-quality audio capacitors from Nichicon are concentrated around the audio codec, and Creative Sound Blaster Cinema 2 software is responsible for software sound processing. All this set of technologies allows you to guarantee high sound quality on the MSI 970 Gaming motherboard both in games and when playing multimedia files.
If for some reason users can't get enough of the ten USB ports on the back of the motherboard, the MSI 970 Gaming is able to add a couple more USB 3.0 ports to the front of the PC case, and six USB 2.0 ports to the back of the computer.
The AMD SB950 southbridge heatsink, in addition to the cooling function, also bears the symbols of the Gaming series in the form of a corporate logo.
Of the most significant microcircuits present on the MSI 970 Gaming, it is worth highlighting the Fintek F71878AD, which is responsible for monitoring, the operation of system fans, and the functioning of the COM and PC / 2 ports.
Bandwidth allocation PCI-E bus four ASM1480 multiplexers from ASMedia are involved.
The CPU power converter is based on the uP1601P PWM controller.
Since the AMD 970 chipset itself does not support USB 3.0, the implementation of the latter in the amount of four pieces can be implemented by a pair of VIA VL806 controllers.
The network gigabit controller is implemented using the Qualcomm Atheros Killer E2205 chip.
BIOS Features
The UEFI BIOS of the MSI 970 Gaming motherboard has a proprietary ClickBIOS 4 shell with a colorful design. The menu is divided into six main sections: Settings, OC, M-Flash, OC Profile, Hardware Monitor and Board Explorer.
The "Settings" section contains the main parameters responsible for managing devices, choosing the boot priority and saving settings.
The "OS" tab has concentrated inside itself a lot of settings for overclocking the system, including changing the parameters of the processor and RAM.
If you do not want to overclock the processor, but only want to manually set the frequency of the RAM and its timings, then this option is also present in the BIOS of the MSI 970 Gaming motherboard.
The OC Profile tab allows you to not only save or load the desired setting profiles that you configure, but also import/export them to USB devices.
Using the "Hardware Monitor" section, you can track the main parameters of the motherboard and processor voltages, as well as set the fan operation algorithm using a graph.
Another interesting tab "Board Explorer" makes it possible to find out which components are installed in a particular slot or connector. As an example, look at the processor, when you hover over the motherboard socket, the BIOS shell reports that an eight-core AMD FX-8320E is installed there.
Proprietary utilities
The list of software on the official website for the MSI 970 Gaming motherboard, in addition to drivers and BIOS firmware, is small and consists of only 5 utilities:
- MSI Command Center - functional utility to monitor and configure the main parameters of the system;
- Live Update 6- update tool installed drivers, programs and BIOS;
- Super Charger- hardware-software technology that allows faster charging Apple tablets iPad, smartphones Apple iPhone and other mobile devices;
- Sound Blaster Cinema 2- a utility for the built-in codec Realtek ALC1150, which allows you to improve the quality of sound playback by software;
- fast boot- a utility to speed up the loading of the operating system.
Of the listed utilities, the most interesting is the MSI Command Center program. The program interface is simple and intuitive. The MSI Command Center utility allows you to overclock the processor directly from the Windows OS environment, as well as control the fan speed.
Moreover, the setting and algorithm of the processor cooler is possible both in automatic and manual mode. Changing the applied voltage using the MSI Command Center is also available.
Working with memory settings, including module voltage, is available from the DRAM tab.
Another useful function of the MSI Command Center utility is the ability to create a RAMDisk partition inside the free amount of RAM, which can significantly speed up work with files loaded inside this virtual drive.
Proprietary "OC Genie" technology for automatic system overclocking is also included in the functionality MSI programs command center.
Specifications
CPU | Supports AMD®FXTM/ Phenom™ II/ Athlon™ II and Sempron™ processors for socket AM3/ AM3+, max.TDP - 140Wt |
AMD® 970 and SB950 Chipset |
|
RAM | 4 x slots for DDR3 memory modules, up to 32GB |
Expansion slots | 2 x PCIe 2.0 x16 slots 2-Way AMD® CrossFire™* technology supported |
Data store | .AMDSB950 |
The local network | Killer E2205 Gigabit LAN controller |
.AMD® SB950 Chipset .VIA VL806 chipset 4 x USB 3.0 ports (2 ports on rear panel, 2 ports available via internal USB connector 3.0)* * These USB 3.0 ports do not support the M-Flash recovery function. |
|
Realtek® ALC1150 Codec |
|
Connectors on the rear panel | 1 x PS/2 combo keyboard/mouse port |
Connectors on the board | 1 x 24-pin ATX main power connector 1 x 8-pin ATX 12V power connector 6 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors 3 x USB 2.0 connectors (6 additional USB 2.0 ports supported) |
Test bench configuration and testing
CPU | AMD FX-8320E 3.2GHz Vishera AM3+ (Turbo Core on - 4.0GHz) |
Cooling system | |
RAM | DDR3-2133 8Gb*2 |
video card | MSI GeForce GTX 970 Gaming 4G |
Power Supply | Thermaltake ToughPower XT 775W |
Drives | HDD SATA-3 1Tb Seagate 7200 Barracuda (ST1000DM003) SSD SATA-3 120Gb Kingston HyperX 3K |
ASUS PB298Q 29" (2560x1080) |
|
Thermal interface | Gelid GC-Extreme |
Operating system | Windows 7 x64 SP1 |
Other software | CPU-Z ROG 1.71.1, Prime95, Aida64, LinX 0.64 |
CPU and RAM overclocking
To study the overclocking capabilities of the MSI 970 Gaming motherboard, we used the BIOS settings. During testing, AMD Cool "n" Quiet and AMD Turbo Core technologies were disabled. After numerous attempts empirically with control testing for stability, it was revealed that the maximum frequency of the AMD FX-8320E Vishera AM3 + processor was 4600 MHz at a voltage of 1.504 V. Corsair VengeancePro RAM was subjected to a frequency of 2133 MHz with timings of 11-11-11-30-2T at a voltage of 1.704 V. With these parameters, the system was absolutely stable and easily passed the tests in LinX and Aida64 Cache & Memory Benchmark.
Conclusion
Motherboard MSI 970 Gaming fully justifies its name, as it is able to successfully correspond to a full-fledged gaming solution. The ability to install powerful eight-core AMD FX series processes and combine two video cards into a CrossFire / SLI bundle according to the x8 + x8 scheme will allow you to assemble a serious platform based on MSI 970 Gaming for modern games. And the presence on the board of such options as the MSI Audio Boost 2 audio subsystem and the Killer E2200 gigabit network controller will make gaming on the MSI 970 Gaming motherboard only more enjoyable.
Everything is in order, as shown by practical testing, MSI 970 Gaming has overclocking potential. The board does an excellent job of overclocking not only the processor, but also the RAM. You can find the MSI 970 Gaming motherboard in Russian retail at the time of writing the review at an impressive price of 6500-7000 rubles. And this is perhaps the only thing that can stop the economical buyer.
Pros:
- 3 year warranty;
- support for AM3/AM3+ processors with heat dissipation up to 140 W;
- the ability to create CrossFire / SLI according to the x8 + x8 scheme;
- gigabit network controller Killer E2200;
- high-quality audio subsystem MSI Audio Boost 2;
- competent board layout;
- good overclocking capabilities.
Minuses:
- high price for a board based on the AMD 970 chipset;
- a small number of USB 3.0 ports;
- lack of modern connectors such as M.2 and Sata Express;
- lack of support AMD processors FX-9370 and AMD FX-9590 with 220W TDP.
key Features:
Supports AMD FX / Phenom II / Athlon II / Sempron processors for AM3+ socket
- Supports DDR3-2133(OC) Memory
- USB 3.0 + SATA 6Gb/s
- Audio Boost 2: Reward Your Ears with True Quality
- Killer Ethernet: Kill Your Lag
- OC Genie 4: Overclock in 1 Second
- Click BIOS 4: Easily Fine-Tune Your System
- AMD CrossFire Support
- Sound Blaster Cinema 2: Realistic Surround Sound Experience
- Gaming Device Port: Optimized with Triple Gold-plating for High Polling Rate Gaming Devices
Changes:
Correct SATA port definition.
- Improved memory compatibility.
- Updated AGESA code.
WARNING:
DON'T FLASH WHEN YOUR SYSTEM IS RUNNING FINE
- DON "T FLASH IF YOU DON" T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING
Flash AMI UEFI BIOS by MFLASH:
- Extract the BIOS-zip file that you have downloaded and paste it to your USB storage device.
- Press "delete" key to BIOS, select "M-Flash"
-Click" select one file to update BIOS and ME”
- Select USB storage that comes with the downloaded BIOS.
- Select BIOS which you want to update and press “Enter”.
- A warning message comes out “ Don`t remove USB drive or shutdown system” and then System will be reset to update BIOS after 5 seconds.
- If your motherboard is equipped with multi BIOS then system will pop up
- “Please set the multi BIOS switch to the target BIOS ROM then press any key to continue.” Otherwise it`ll proceed with next process.
- The system will start to update BIOS & ME
- After BIOS&ME update is finished, please press del key to enter BIOS setting menu to make sure that BIOS have been updated successfully.
Flash AMI UEFI BIOS by USB Disk Under DOS Mode
Download the BIOS that matches your motherboard and version number to your USB device.
- Extract the BIOS-zip file that you have downloaded and paste it to your USB storage device (Note: Make sure that your USB is bootable).
- Boot your system from a USB storage device
- When you get the DOS prompt, execute the following sequence:
- Reboot your system when prompted
- After bios update is done, C: prompt will appear on your screen.
- After system restart, Press del key to enter BIOS setting menu to make sure that BIOS have been updated successfully.
About OS Independent BIOS:
Although installing a newer BIOS version might add new features, update various components, or improve the device’s usability, this process is very risky, so the upgrade is recommended to be performed only when it is really needed.
in addition to that, this task should be performed by someone who has the knowledge to successfully complete the installation; regular users may fulfill it at their own risk.
When it comes to applying a new version without taking into account the computer’s operating system, the most commonly used method to flash the BIOS is by creating a bootable USB or CD containing the update file, and running it from DOS.
Still, regardless of the method used or whether the upgrade is performed by a regular or power user, it’s recommended that the new BIOS be applied in a steady power environment such as the one ensured by a UPS unit.
The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) is a very important software that loads the currently installed OS, and tests all of the system’s hardware components - so make sure you flash it correctly.
Bear in mind that failing to perform a successful installation could seriously damage your device, and the faulty BIOS resulted from the process might even render it unusable.
So, if this release includes useful changes, hit the download button, get the package, and update your BIOS version. Otherwise, check with our website as often as possible, so that you don't miss the release that you need.
It is highly recommended to always use the most recent driver version available.
Try to set a system restore point before installing a device driver. This will help if you installed an incorrect or mismatched driver. Problems can arise when your hardware device is too old or not supported any longer.
Every gamer in his life at least once, but must build his own PC. And then a series of difficult choices arises at once, and sometimes one cannot do without reliable advice. After all, in gaming computer everything must be thought out, since it must work, in most cases, at full capacity. Even such a trifle as an incorrectly chosen or placed cooler- can lead to equipment failure or simply to an uncomfortable game.
The hardest part, according to most, is choosing what everything focuses on and what makes everything work (besides BP) - motherboard. There are many of them, but due to various criteria, you can stop at one thing.
This article will not consider all possible options, only MSI 970 Gaming.
So, as many could already understand, a PC with this motherboard will have a base AMD. CPU socket, that is socket, embedded type AM3/ AM3+ and compatible with processors Athlon II, Sempron, Phenom II, as well as a more interesting and tempting option for choosing a processor - AMD FX. Chipset AMD 970 with southbridge SB950 .
The maximum allowable RAM is 32 GB. The frequency varies depending on the modules themselves up to 1866 , but since the fee game, frequency can be increased before 2133 , which will slightly increase the performance of the assembled system. Obviously, this model supports the operation of modules in dual-channel mode.
SupportPCI- Express3.0 missing, as well as on all MPs with a socket under AMD. There are many reasons for this, but this is not about them. Video cards work great withPCI- E 2.0 , and therefore there is no point in getting upset - an insignificant loss. Unfortunately for lovers Nvidia, MSI did not put mode hereSLI , means to set two GTX does not seem possible. Good, there is CrossFire .
Some gaming privileges endowed with this system board. For example: two specializedUSBexit to connect such devices. It can also be included here upgraded network adapterkiller 2200 , which automatically prioritizes internet connection speed during games with online gameplay.
Some of the components that get on our test stand make us study them very thoroughly, since each component in their composition is implemented in a new way or has undergone significant changes since the last acquaintance. However, there are other situations where a new component is so familiar that you have to work hard to find these very changes that the manufacturers talk about in their presentation slides.
We will not be mistaken if we say that all users interested in hardware should be familiar with the AM3 + platform from AMD, and if not personally, then in absentia. This platform is a true long-liver of our time. Everything would be fine if only the platform did not change, we can say this is an ideal option, but there is also a thorough stagnation in the ranks of processors for AM3+.
So series processors FX are still based on the architecture announced back in 2012 ... Interestingly, AMD is very successful in moving in two other directions, these include solutions entry level for socket FS1b and, of course, A-Series mid-level computing accelerators for the FM2+ platform, but everything is quiet in the enthusiast segment. Of course, there is a little movement, but it takes place along a well-trodden path, around the already mentioned Vishera architecture based on 32-nm technology, which is a little alarming today.
An example of such movements is the recently presented to the public three new variations on the Vishera theme, we meet the FX-8370, FX-8320E and FX-8370E. And if the first of the three operates with almost completely similar characteristics, then the second two attract attention with the letter “e” in their name, by the way, it is responsible for the TDP indicator, which is optimized for new products and is already more interesting 95 W.
As they say, there is no smoke without fire, so a little before the announcement of new processors, MSI introduced the motherboard to the public 970 GAMING. The board is the first representative of the AM3+ platform in the GAMING series, based on the AMD 970 chipset and using the SB950 southbridge. It looks like this is a pre-targeted option for future owners of the FX-8320E and FX-8370E. Let's check out what the aforementioned novelties are capable of. I suggest starting with the motherboard.
The board arrived to us in a standard-sized package, but compared to the boxes from top solutions, it was a little slim :). In the design, like other solutions from the GAMING series, dark tones with the image of a dragon are used everywhere. A prominent inscription clearly points to the 970 GAMING model, and a couple of printed campbricks speak about the technologies used and the type of processors supported. The reverse side contains a more detailed description, it is a slightly shortened version of the official page dedicated to this board.
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On the one hand, the delivery set does not please with abundance, there are a couple of SATA cables and a plug on the rear wall of the case. Everything else is the paper side of the issue and the manufacturer has gone a little wild in it, here: user manual, disk with drivers and software, stickers on SATA cables, and the nameplate on the case and the plate on the door make the board a little closer to elite products.
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The board is made in a full-fledged ATX form factor. Belonging to the GAMING series does not let you forget about yourself, the black color and a pair of red stripes on the radiators - everything is the same as on the previously discussed one. Interestingly enough, within its lineup, the manufacturer does not visually break down solutions related to completely different platforms.
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The interface panel has a large number of USB connectors, there are ten of them, but only two of them are in USB 3.0 format. Next, a PS / 2 port for a mouse or keyboard, one LAN connector, six miniJack audio connectors, an optical S / PDIF output, a BIOS reset button, that's probably all. It may seem that something is missing, but this feeling is due to the lack of video outputs, which are not needed for these processors.
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Near the socket space of the AM3+ is surrounded by a pair of heatsinks, but they are at a considerable distance and not so massive, so installing even large cooling systems should not be a problem. During testing, we installed the sturdy Noctua HD-15 with a bang.
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The board has four connectors for DDR3 RAM. The manufacturer claims support for memory operating at up to 1866 MHz, and with the help of overclocking functions, this threshold can be increased up to 2133 MHz. The maximum supported memory capacity is 32 GB, which is completely similar to the boards of the competitive platform from Intel.
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The configuration of the expansion slots is very, very interesting, there are only a couple: Two PCI E 2.0 x1, two PCI, and two full-size PCI Express 2.0 capable of operating in 8x + 8x mode when using multi-tandem graphics systems. The presence of PCI slots can be useful for users to install specific expansion cards, we admit that now this slot is becoming less and less common ...
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The audio path is based on the 7.1-channel Realtek ALC1150 codec. Here, as on other boards in the series, the principle of isolation from the main part of the printed circuit board is used, a pair of amplifiers is installed, in the presence of which there is support for headphones with a resistance of up to 600 Ohms, and audio capacitors from Nichicon are also used in the component base. Additionally, the Creative Sound Blaster Cinema 2 software is responsible for the software part of the question.
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On the right side of the board there are six SATA 6 Gb / s ports, each of them originates from the AMD SB950 south bridge and supports RAID arrays of standards 0, 1, 5 and 10. Note that thanks to the south bridge, fourteen USB 2.0 ports are implemented on the board , six of them are internal. All USB 3.0 ports are based on the VIA VL806 controller, and since we are talking about controllers, we mention that the LAN interface is implemented on the already familiar Qualcomm Atheros Killer E2205 with the functionality of prioritizing game traffic.
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Three completely separate radiators are responsible for cooling the board. Each of them consists of their aluminum alloy and covered with black matte paint. There are no heat pipes even in the one that is designed before the power system, but at the same time, the radiators have significant fins and are not monolithic bars. Let's see how they perform in testing.
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The processor power system is based on the uP1601P PWM controller. Recall that for processors on the AM3 + platform, two main voltages are supplied: CPU Core and CPU NB Core, so the power system works according to the 4 + 1 principle, but since a double element base is used to get the CPU Core, we end up with a more interesting bundle 8 +1. In addition, we note that the element base of the board uses components that have passed military certification and have been awarded the Military Class 4 standard according to the marking from MSI.
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Entering the board's UEFI menu, even after testing an array of boards on the Intel Z97 chipset, you feel at home. Here, a completely identical arrangement of menu sections is used, their names are also similar to those that we saw on the previously reviewed
