The image on the left is the new 890GX while on the right we have the 790GX. Nothing really has changed on the top part of each block diagram if you focus your attention at the top part. Specs-wise, both northbridge chipsets have the same GPU specs and number of PCIE lanes but at the south-side is where all the difference can be found. The 890GX is paired with a new south bridge chipset which is named, SB850. Most notable changes are the following; doubled bandwidth between northbridge and southbridge link at 2 GB/s on each direction from 1 GB/s on the 790, new 2 PCIE 2.0 x1 lanes, 2 more USB 2.0 ports, and support for 6 SATA 6GB ports. If you take a good look at it, AMD is going for a little future-proofing with this new chipset. Let’s take a look how Asus made this release interesting.
Asus M4A89GTD Pro/USB3
Unlike the Asus’ Republic of Gamers AMD division, what we’re going to take a look into right now isn’t a Crosshair but don’t think of it less – it may not carry the ROG symbol but it packs a set of features similar to it with a much, much tamed design. The 790GX was also known for its core-unlocking, something that we’ll have to take a closer look on how it’s implemented on this one. As a matter of fact, even before the board was released, Asus was already the first to market this board with core-unlocking features defying AMD’s decision to remove ACC (Advanced Clock Calibration) for unknown reasons through switches on the board itself from its first few images.
Before I get carried away due to my excitement on what this has to offer, let’s checkout its specs and some of the new features this board is noted to come with.
True USB 3.0 Support
Realize the True Future!! - TRUE USB 3.0 Support!
Experience ultra-fast data transfers at 4.8 Gb/s with USB 3.0–the latest connectivity standard. Built to connect easily with next-generation components and peripherals, USB 3.0 transfers data 10X faster and is also backward compatible with USB 2.0 components.
True SATA 6Gb/s Support
The AMD® SB850 Southbridge natively supports next-generation Serial ATA (SATA) storage interface, this motherboard delivers up to 6.0 Gb/s data transfer rates. Additionally, get enhanced scalability, faster data retrieval, double the bandwidth of current bus systems.
Hybrid Switch - Core Unlocker
Unleash True Core Performance Intelligently
ASUS Core Unlocker simplifies the activation of a latent AMD® CPU—with just a simply switch. Enjoy an instant performance boost by simply unlocking the extra cores, without performing complicated BIOS changes.
Turbo Key II - Switch on the Potential, Turn up the Performance!
Enjoy superb performance by auto-tuning your processor to an extreme yet stable state. Simply activate a dedicated switch on the motherboard to unleash extra processing capabilities.
Turbo Unlocker - On Demand Real Time CPU Boost
Turbo Unlocker is the next evolution of an exclusive ASUS performance boost feature. All it takes is one click in the TurboV EVO interface and Turbo Unlocker automatically and dynamically adjusts each core frequency to speed up performance based on actual system load. Turbo Unlocker gets you in touch with more performance exactly when you need it.
GPU Boost - Instant iGPU Level Up!
GPU Boost overclocks the integrated GPU in real time for the best graphics performance. User-friendly UI facilitates flexible frequency and voltage adjustments. Its ability to deliver multiple overclocking profiles also provides rapid and stable system-level upgrades.
Yep, these are the new ones I’ve noticed from Asus’ Official website and the packaging of the motherboard, itself. The core unlocking is once again, not new but given that AMD has discontinued support for ACC which was the primary setting for unlocking extra cores from the processor, Asus created their own implementation. The rest of the specs are the usual Asus standards such as Express Gate, MemOK, EPU, etc. If you wish to take a look at the complete feature and specifications, head on to this link.
Packaging and Accessories
Unlike the ROG line of series where the board is very nicely presented, the M4A89GTD Pro/USB comes in packaged in a nice green box similar to the packaging used on the previous M4A79-T Deluxe that shows the main features on the front of the box and detailed information on these features at the back. It’s a simple flap-open packaging that uses a cardboard to separate the accessories from the motherboard itself.
The accessories are also pretty basic, enough to get one started. As always, you’ll have the Q-shield back plate, Q-connectors, sets of black SATA cables with locks for easy installation/removal, an IDE cable (AMD hasn’t dropped support, yet), a detailed manual and disc and probably the biggest turn-off for non-crossfire users; a PCIE switch card since the board isn’t equipped with automatic PCIE lane switching in case only 1 graphics card is used. If you’re running 2 graphics cards however, this won’t be an issue. Now that this is out of the way, let’s take a closer look at the board itself.
From this angle, you’ll see everything the M4A89GTD Pro/USB3 has to offer. The overall layout will compensate for the somewhat disappointing brown colored PCB. Black would have been a really nice thing to have on this design but it seems it is reserved for the cream of the crop – the Republic of Gamers series. Let’s take a quick look at each components and what this board has to offer.
Starting from the upper left, we have a good view of the massive VRM heatsink which provides passive cooling to the 8+2 power phase which provides consistent, stable and clean voltage to the CPU and the memory controller which you would’ve known by now is integrated into the CPU die itself; and because of this voltage supply, the board itself is capable of delivering up to 140W to the CPU alone. Moving on we have four memory slots which can support up to 16GB of 2000 MHz DDR3-SDRAM, you’ll have to check the QVL (Qualified Vendor’s List) in the manual to see which memories were tested. One thing I’ve wondered though is why Asus inverted their implementation of the unique retention mechanism. To run the memory in dual-channel mode, simply install them on their respective colors but take note that using the blue slots may pose compatibility issues with some aftermarket heatsinks as far as clearance is concerned but it’s not really Asus’ fault, all AMD-based system has this problem due to its specification.
One of the unique feature of this board is the presence of a switch for unlocking cores which is very handy for users with open-bench systems, although I really find pressing the number 4 key on the POST screen the easiest way. Beside the core unlocker is the turbo key which triggers automatic software overclocking similar to the Level Up switch commonly seen on the ROG series. Next up we have the heatsink that cools down the SB850. The first thing I’ve noticed is the relatively small size of the cooler being held by flimsy pushpins which in my opinion, does not provide enough pressure but, it seems to be enough because even when tested, this part of the board doesn’t really get too hot to touch.
Here we have a nice view of the northbridge heatsink for the AMD 890 chipset which provides an excellent integrated video solution. This small footprint cooler is connected to the VRM heatsink via flattened heatpipes which really served its purpose because these 2 components did not get too hot to touch during my tests. The last picture provides a good angle of the VGA card which in my opinion is the biggest turnoff of this board if you plan to run with a single graphics card. Asus did not include automatic PCIE lane switching to the M4A89GTD so both slots are running on a fixed x8 configuration unless this card is installed in the first PCIE slot.
Among other things, there is a bit of another disappointment coming from the SATA port layout. There are only 2 angled ports on the side and these are primarily designed for optical drive usage. The main SATA 6 GB/s ports are not angled and may pose problems with extra long graphics cards on this area. At the back we have the standard I/O ports along with display, DVI and VGA connections for the integrated video solution so if you happen to buy one of these without a graphics card, you can still use it, no problem.
What I really love about AMD’s integrated solution is the inclusion of a dedicated video memory for the integrated video card in the northbridge chipset; unlike Intel’s approach where the integrated graphics card has to share the system’s available memory, AMD provides a much faster and better video performance because it has its own memory here, a 128MB GDDR3 running at 1333 MHz – now that is something. The last picture is a close up of the NEC chipset which provides 2 USB 3.0 ports capable of speeds up to 4.8 GB/s. This is where our short tour ends. Next up, we’ll see how this baby would perform.
Test Setup and Performance
I was informed earlier that the board would be tested with one of the most anticipated processor; AMD’s 6-core behemoth 1055T but unfortunately, the processor didn’t make it in time. Luckily, Asus had a very nice alternative at their disposal that will not only suffice but will also test the feature that have been highly regarded on this board – easy core unlocking. Even though I was a little dismayed, I’ve only seen a couple of AMD dual-core processors unlocked and those were not even first-hand experience and because of this, I get to see how easy it is to unlock these processors with the board.
As easy as pressing the number 4 on the splash screen during POST, the board restarts and detects if additional cores are available for unlocking – in my case, the Callisto sample became a Deneb with a touch of a button or more precisely, the Athlon became a Phenom, instant free upgrade. There were no manual configuration involved; there was no need to get into the BIOS or do hard modifications to the motherboard to get it working. Let’s check out how this board fares on popular benchmarks.
PCMark Vantage is a PC benchmark suite designed for Windows Vista offering one-click simplicity for casual users and detailed, professional grade testing for industry, press and enthusiasts. A PCMark score is a measure of your computer’s performance across a variety of common tasks such as viewing and editing photos, video, music and other media, gaming, communications, productivity and security.
CustomPC Media Benchmark utility is great software which makes use of open source programs that emulate real-world performance. The first test is how the system responds with multiple image editing and one big-ass panoramic view file courtesy of GIMP. Second test is video and audio encoding via Handbrake x.264 and the last one is a combination of both file compression via 7-zip and a playback of the HD video that was encoded earlier. This simulates how the system fares when it comes with multitasking performance and from what you can see here, there really isn’t much difference between a dual-core and quad core when it comes with single threaded application. However, when an extremely well-threaded application such as Handbrake is tested, the difference is just obvious.
Conclusion
I’ll keep the conclusion simple; it’s not hard to recommend the M4A89GTD Pro/USB 3.0 motherboard to recommend. The features and the performance are at par if not the best in the market. To sum up what I’ve come to experience with it, let’s point out the attributes and the obvious flaws.
Pros
• 6 GB/s SATA and USB 3.0
• Extremely easy and multiple methods of core-unlocking.
• 140W support for the latest and upcoming AMD processors
• Big-ass passive heatsinks for keeping the major components cool
• Overall layout of the components which provides easy access and cable management
Cons
• Minor motherboard layout issues (SATA ports)
• Brown-colored PCB and
• Lack of onboard power buttons and rear clear CMOS button.
