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Gigabyte GA-A75M-UD2H AMD A75 Socket FM1 Motherboard Review
Gigabyte GA-A75M-UD2H AMD A75 Socket FM1 Motherboard Review - PCSTATS
Gigabyte's GA-A75M-UD2H is an entry level motherboard with onboard graphics, excellent connectivity and a rather appealing low total system price tag.
 84% Rating:   
Filed under: Motherboards Published:  Author: 
External Mfg. Website: Gigabyte Jun 25 2012   Max Page  
Home > Reviews > Motherboards > Gigabyte GA-A75M-UD2H

Overclocking, BIOS, Test Specs

Overclocking Results:
stock max. oc
processor speed: 2.9 ghz 3.48 ghz
multiplier / bus speed: 29x 100mhz

29x 120mhz

if you're new to Overclocking and not sure what to do, check out these two excellent Guides for some pointers:
Overclocking the CPU and Memory
Overclocking the Videocard

Overclocking an AMD Fusion A8-3850 APU is somewhat complicated, the integration that makes the A8-3850 a wonderful mainstream CPU also makes it a bloody stubborn mule. Here's why; the A8-3850 APU is multiplier locked so it can only be overclocked by increasing the motherboard bus speed. Ordinarily this isn't a big deal, PCSTATS has overclocked countless multiplier locked processors this way.

What's different with the socket FM1 AMD A8-3850 APU is that the Northbridge, graphics and a few other devices are tied directly to the board's 100MHz bus speed. If we overclock the motherboard bus to 150MHz (for example), we're indirectly overclocking EVERYTHING that's tied to it. There are clear benefits to overclocking a CPU for sure, but the same isn't necessarily true for the northbridge, PCIe lanes or devices like hard drives.

To give this 2.9GHz quad-core processor a fighting chance at overclocking to its best, a sweet set of Crucial Ballistic DDR3-1600 memory was locked into the AMD A75 based Gigabyte GA-A75M-UD2H motherboard and set to run in DDR3-800 MHz mode. This way the memory won't hold things back when bus speed increases. A stock AVC Z7U7414001 heatsink was used to cool the CPU.


Socket FM1

AMD's Fusion A8-3850 APU operates with a 29x multiplier that cannot be changed, so PCSTATS set about overclocking the processor by increasing motherboard bus speed from it's 100MHz default.

In the BIOS, the Gigabyte GA-A75M-UD2H's bus speed was increased to from 100MHz to 115MHz, then 120MHz.... and at 125MHz the system crashed. Higher bus speeds were tried, but the best PCSTATS could squeeze from the 2.9GHz AMD Fusion A8-3850 APU was 3.48GHz (29x multiplier @ 120MHz motherboard bus speed).

Next up, a look at the BIOS and our test system specs.

BIOS Controls and Tweaks

Gigabyte kept the traditional BIOS for the GA-A75M-UD2H motherboard. The main overclocking controls for adjusting the CPU multiplier (and BCLK frequency) are found in the MB Intelligent Tweaker section.

The processors' IGP can be overclocked and tweaked to your hearts content, though in reality the best performance gains will come from dropping in a discreet videocard.

VGA clock speed can be adjusted if you'd like to try you hand at a little IGP overclocking.

The amount of memory allocated away from the system can also be controlled. The default is 512MB. The BIOS has extensive memory control options, timings can be set down to the individual clocks cycle, per channel.

With the BIOS covered, let's move onto overclocking and the PCSTATS motherboard benchmark suite.

Test System Specs

PCSTATS has relied on Crucial memory for its servers for years, so it was only logical to install 4GB's of Crucial Ballistix DDR3-1600 8-8-8-24 memory into the Gigabyte GA-A75M-UD2H motherboard test system. The storage device is super quick OCZ Vertex 2 SSD (120GB, SATAII). The effect on system-wide benchmarks is dramatic! Thanks to AMD, Crucial Memory and OCZ Technology for help outfitting this test platform.


Gigabyte GA-A75M-UD2H Motherboard

Details on how the socket FM1 Gigabyte GA-A75M-UD2H motherboard was configured for benchmarking - including specific hardware, software drivers, operating system and benchmark versions - is listed in the Test System Spec chart below. Please take a moment to look over PCSTATS test system configurations before moving on to the individual benchmark results.

PCSTATS Test System Specs
test system
processor:

intel core i7 3820
(32nm)

intel core i5 2500k
(32nm)

amd fusion a8-3850
(32nm)

amd fx-8150 (45nm)*
amd Phenom II X6 1090T
(45nm)

Intel Core i7 920
(45nm)
Clock Speed: 36 x 100MHz = 3.6 GHz 33 x 100 MHz = 3.3 GHz 29 x 100 MHz = 2.9 GHz 18 x 200 MHz = 3.6 GHz*
16 x 200 MHz = 3.2 GHz
20 x 133 MHz = 2.67 GHz
Socket: Socket LGA2011 Socket LGA1155 Socket FM1 Socket AM3 / AM2+ Socket LGA1366
Motherboard: - Intel X79 -
Gigabyte GA-X79-UD5
Gigabyte GA-X79-UD5H-WB

- Intel Z77 -
Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD5H-WB
Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD3H
ECS Z77H2-A2X

- Intel Z68
Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD5-B3
Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3
Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3-iSSD

- Intel P67 -
Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD7
Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD4-B3
Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD4
ASUS P8P67 Pro
MSI P67A-GD65
ECS P67H2-A

- Intel H67 -
ASUS P8H67-M Evo
Biostar TH67XE
ECS H67H2-M
Intel DH67BL

- AMD A75 -
Gigabyte GA-A75-UD4H
Gigabyte GA-A75M-UD2H
Biostar TA75M+

- AMD 990FX
Biostar TA990FXE*
Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD7*
ASUS Crosshair V Formula*

- AMD 890FX
Gigabyte GA-890FXA-UD7
ASUS Crosshair IV Formula
Biostar TA890FXE
MSI 890FXA-GD70
- AMD 790FX -
Gigabyte GA-MA790FXT-UD5P

- AMD 785G -
MSI 785GM-E65

- Intel X58
Gigabyte G1.Assassin*
Videocard:

Gigabyte GV-N470SO-13I (Geforce GTX470)

*Gigabyte GV-N470SO-13I (Geforce GTX470)
ASUS ENGTS250 DK
(Geforce GTS250)

Memory: x32 - 4GB / x64 - 4x4GB Corsair CMZ16GX3M-4X1600C9 DDR3-1600 9.9.9.24

2x 2GB Crucial Ballistix DDR3-1600 8.8.8.24

2x 2GB Corsair XMS3-1600C8

3x 2GB Corsair TR3X6G1600C8D DDR3
Memory Speed: DDR3-1600 DDR3-1333 DDR3-1333 DDR3-1066
*DDR3-1333
DDR3-1333
Hard Drive: 120GB OCZ Vertex2 SSD (3GB/s SATA II)

120GB OCZ Vertex2 SSD (3GB/s SATA II)
Intel SRT Tests: 74GB Western Digital Raptor WD 740 & 20GB Intel Larson Creek 311 SSD

74GB Western Digital Raptor WD 740 (3GB/s SATA II)
*120GB OCZ Vertex2 SSD (3GB/s SATA II)

Optical Drive:

Plextor PX-B310U Blu-Ray

ASUS BC-1205PT-BD

Power Supply: NoFan P-400A (400W)

Seasonic SS-760KM (760W)

PC Power & Cooling TurboCool 750W

Heatsink: Zalman CNPS11X Performa Heatsink

Intel Reference LGA1155 Heatsink

AMD Reference Heatsink

AMD Reference Heatsink

Intel Reference LGA1366 Heatsink

Monitor (1080p):

ASUS MK241 24" HD LCD

Software Setup: Microsoft Windows 7 Ultiimate 32-bit & 64-bit
Intel INF 9.2.3.1020
nVidia 285.62

Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate x32/x64
Intel 9.2.0.1025
nVIDIA 266.58

Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate x32/x64
AMD Catalyst 8.86RC2
nVIDIA 266.58

Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit
AMD Catalyst 9.12
nVIDIA Forceware 195.62

Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate
Intel INF 9.1.0.1012
nVIDIA Forceware 182.08

Benchmarks: System Benchmarks: Sysmark 2012, SYSmark 2007, PCMark Vantage, SiSoft Sandra 2011
Gaming B/M: 3DMark 11, 3DMark Vantage, 3DMark 06

< Previous Page © 2023 PCSTATS.com Next Page >

 

Contents of Article: Gigabyte GA-A75M-UD2H
 Pg 1.  Gigabyte GA-A75M-UD2H AMD A75 Socket FM1 Motherboard Review
 Pg 2.  AMD Fusion Platform - AMD A75 Chipset
 Pg 3.  360-Degree Motherboard Gallery: Gigabyte GA-A75M-UD2H
 Pg 4.  — Overclocking, BIOS, Test Specs
 Pg 5.  Sysmark 2007 Motherboard Benchmarks
 Pg 6.  SiSoft Sandra: CPU Motherboard Benchmarks:
 Pg 7.  Sandra: Memory Motherboard Benchmarks:
 Pg 8.  PCMark Vantage Motherboard Benchmarks
 Pg 9.  3DMark 11 Motherboard Benchmarks
 Pg 10.  3DMark Vantage, 3DMark06 Motherboard Benchmarks
 Pg 11.  IGP vs. IGP DX11 Gaming: 3DMark 11, Stalker, Heaven 2.0
 Pg 12.  IGP vs. IGP Synthetic Gaming: 3DMark 06, 3DMark Vantage Benchmarks
 Pg 13.  IGP vs. IGP Synthetic Gaming: Call of Juarez, Crysis, FEAR
 Pg 14.  IGP vs IGP Motherboard Benchmarks: PCMark Vantage
 Pg 15.  System Power Draw and Final Conclusions

 
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