Asus M5A97 EVO Motherboard

[Miyamoto]

ASUS has just released in retail, built on one of the latest chipsets, 9-series from AMD, motherboard M5A97 EVO, which is a full-size entry-level product equipped with a new chipset AMD 970. In anticipation of release of AMD's set of new processors in the near future, the release of ASUS M5A97 EVO is a pre-emptive strike that will allow users to easily carry out further updates using their current AM3 processors, so that their systems will be ready and will be expected coming out AMD AM3 + CPU / APU . With a standard black-and-blue color scheme, M5A97 EVO tends to beat its competitors, offering several exclusive features not available to others.

This series has full compatibility with new processors from AMD Bulldozer series of eight-core manufacturing process socket AM3 + 32 nm, and we think ahead to that update when you are in sales, coupled with this we support CrossFireX. This time you can see the benefits of this motherboard by the hardware manufacturer ASUS, which always offers us different options in its range of motherboards, today is the turn of the M5A97 series EVO. AMD chip 970 the youngest of three new variants of the north bridge from AMD. All three have several new features to the 9-series chipsets, but most of the technology transferred from a previous 8-series chipsets, AMD.

Featured Highlight

• Dual Intelligent Processors 2 with DIGI+ VRM - Digital Power Design: The New Standard
• UEFI BIOS - Flexible & Easy BIOS Interface
• Auto Tuning - Auto System Level Up
• Quad USB 3.0 & 6 x SATA 6Gb/s Support - Double Access, Double Convenience
• Quad-GPU CrossFireX Support!

For this motherboard are quite functional and interesting features that only ASUS made possible in their designs, providing the user with a motherboard with excellent performance and substantial energy savings when using our equipment.

Intelligent Dual Processors 2 with DIGI + VRM : It has two chips: EPU (Energy Processing Unit) and TPU (Turbo V Processing Unit), responsible for providing accurately every OWN (Pulse-Width modulation), thus allows us to have the least loss of power at the time of overclocking, ensuring enhanced performance and energy efficiency.

Digi+VRM : Digi + VRM ASUS has implemented a programmable digital microprocessor to perfectly match the power of digital signal (SVID) and requests from the CPU, eliminating delays the conversion of the digital signal to analog.

TPU : The TPU chip provides precise control and advanced control voltage through the automatic tuning and TurboV functions.
Auto Tuning : This offers an easy to use and automatically optimize the system stable clock speeds, while TurboV allows unlimited freedom to adjust CPU frequency and to optimize performance in different work situations.

EPU : Chip through a simple switch allows for total optimization of energy throughout the system in automatic load sensing and moderating energy wisely, this also reduces fan noise and extends the longevity of components.

Auto Tuning : Programs to achieve extreme overclocking results automatically but stable, with a test function and stability.

[Miyamoto]

Unboxing

In the back of the box we find more information about features of the motherboard, as DIGI + VRM with a chart that tells us that when activated will get less spread spectrum (spread spectrum) and excellent stability in the system. It also shows the TPU and EPU technology: the first allows for better accuracy in the supply voltage and the second allows us to better energy efficiency in all elements of the motherboard, and the options of Auto Tuning and UEFI BIOS.

The layout of the motherboard ASUS M5A97 EVO is very good and has no obvious flaws that could affect the process of assembling a PC or reconfigure it. Due to the fact that the north bridge is not located in the center of the board, and the site is under power, closer to the edge of the motherboard has lost one expansion slot. Often, in its place can be arranged slot PCIEx1. Therefore, ASUS M5A97 EVO has six slots, not seven, as in most solutions of the form factor ATX. Northbridge and CPU power unit high enough cool radiators, which are attached to the motherboard using conventional latches.

AMD SB950 Southbridge supports six ports SATA 6.0 Gb / s with the possibility of RAID-arrays levels 0, 1, 5 and 0 +1 and fourteen ports USB 2.0, of which eight are external and six internal. Features disk subsystem controller supplemented JMicron JMB362, which supports two external ports SATA 3Gb / s (eSATA). Near the SATA connectors is a switch «TPU», which function is activated processor. Thanks to him, and built-in controller TPU even knows little about overclocking, users can improve system performance.

Expansion Motherboard ASUS M5A97 EVO represented by one full slot PCIEx16 (blue) and one slot PCIEx16 (black) with four lines of PCI Express 2.0, as well as two slots and two PCIEx1 PCI. Also from inland ports can note the presence of COM-port and interface IEEE 1394a, which is supported by the use of the controller VIA 6308P. The audio subsystem of the motherboard ASUS M5A97 EVO traditional for new solutions to the middle class is based on well-proven 8-channel Realtek ALC892. The audio subsystem of the motherboard ASUS M5A97 EVO traditional for new solutions to the middle class is based on well-proven 8-channel Realtek ALC892. To support a network connection is a Gigabit LAN-controller Realtek 8111E. Slots of RAM for high-end traditional solutions from ASUS.

The new improved BIOS :

This time ASUS BIOS gives us a completely renewed graphical interface that allows you to browse our mouse.

EZ mode : In this screen we have the following information indicates the time, the model of the motherboard, the processor you are using, the amount of memory frequency, date and language selection tab. You can have temperature data from the motherboard and processor, voltage and fan speeds connected to the motherboard.

Priority Home: Here you can select storage unit that we want to boot your system. To exit this screen, select the tab exit or press the Esc key on your keyboard to access the advanced menu.

Advanced Mode: This menu provides us with basic system information, change language options, date, time and security options, with which we can protect access to the BIOS setup by a password.

Advanced mode > Ai Tweaker : In this menu we find the options for overclocking, in yellow letters have the information of frequency: CPU, memory, NB and HT. The choice of Ai Overclock tuner has three modes. They are automatic where you can load the optimal settings for the system . Second manual where you can change the settings and overclock individually and last DocPad. Here you can se the relationship of the bus and memory parameters are adjusted to optimal values of work. The menu is very comprehensive and allows you to calibrate each of the securities or let it automatically make the chips on the motherboard.

Under the BIOS you can get in the Advance mode where you can configure options for the CPU and Cool'n'Quiet or virtualization, enable or disable devices, configure ports serial ATA, USB 3.0 activation. Core CPU option ON / Off allows you to manipulate the deactivation of processor cores.

Voltage Management for Overclocking :

One of the key features of the ASUS M5A97 EVO can be called a power system DIGI + VRM, which combines advanced power-saving features and improved overclocking potential. This is achieved through the use of several factors, such as the use of a voltage converter CPU PWM controller and a new generation of the existence of two separate hardware modules - EPU (Energy Processing Unit) and TPU (TurboV Processing Unit). That EPU provides comprehensive management functions depending on the size and nature of the load, thus achieving the effect of energy saving, reduced heating of components and overall system noise.

Module TPU, in contrast, can improve performance by overclocking the CPU and RAM modules in both manual and automatic modes. Of course, such technology existed before, but this concept DIGI + VRM combines all these functions into a single complex, whose work we'll check during the experiment to disperse. Another feature of the motherboard ASUS M5A97 EVO is the use UEFI BIOS as firmware. Note that the use EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface) has become commonplace for systems based on Intel Sandy Bridge, but on the motherboard AMD, we are increasingly met by the usual BIOS.

[Miyamoto]

Connectivity

The chipset is different HyperTransport 3.0, native SATA 6 Gb / s connection through SB 950. The essential difference, of course, is to support the new processors AM3 +, processors that have not appeared on the market, and are expected later this year. All 9-series chipsets have native support for DDR3-1866 memory, supporting the installed processors. Also available IOMMU, which allows you to create virtual machines to directly access the hardware capabilities, rather than offering a software interface with the hardware emulation. Although it is not supported on Windows at the moment, this feature is more designed for users Linux.

Chipset AMD 970 offers one PCIe 2.0 x16 slot for a graphics card, while the 990X allows the installation of two video cards in the mode of PCIe 2.0 x8.

990FX chipset supports two full PCIe 2.0 x16, with the ability to split into two separate PCIe 2.0 x8. Also available for an additional 4 slots, and the AMD SB950 Southbridge chipset provides extensive I / O functions, such as the six native SATA 6 Gb / sec. On the reverse side of the motherboard is ASUS M5A97 EVO series transistor circuit power can not be accommodated on the front, so the installation should be more careful. The motherboard ASUS M5A97 EVO, there are four fan connectors. Two 4-pin CPU cooler and case fans to support PWM-mode and two 3-pin for normal case fans. Like arsenal should be enough to create a good level of ventilation inside the case.

Conclusion

Motherboard ASUS M5A97 EVO has a rather stylish black packaging. On the front of the box, in the first place, is marked by a digital processor, power converter, which is made by technology DIGI + VRM, and the processor socket Socket AM3 + and performance on AMD 9 series. It also indicated support for proprietary technologies EPU and TPU, as well as interface USB 3.0. Motherboard ASUS M 5 A 97 EVO is a very functional solution that is designed to build productive configuration and has a fairly high overclocking potential. Last guarantee scheme powerful enough food and plenty of options in UEFI BIOS.

Also, is almost traditional for the company's ASUS, motherboard ASUS M5A97 EVO been quite successfully implemented function, which can be activated with just one switch. The functional aspect ASUS M5A97 EVO also at altitude. In particular, it encouraged the existence of two controllers USB 3.0, which support two external and two internal ports, as well as the presence of an additional controller SATA 3 Gb / s, which supports a couple of extra ports eSATA.

In fact, ASUS motherboards based on AMD 970, not counting the UEFI BIOS, fundamentally no different from similar models based on AMD 870, but in the light output processors Zambezi motherboard with Socket AM3 + look, yet more promising. Thus, it can be argued that in constructing the game configuration includes a single graphics card, ASUS M5A97 EVO is just a great modern version.