X79: Features Comparison Overview of 25 motherboards
Category : X79
Published by Marc Büchel on 22.11.11
Meanwhile all the big motherboard manufacturers have either released or at least launched their latest X79 motherboards. Within this article we focus on the different features and attributes which split into three separate categories. The goal is to provide an overview regarding all the different products that are available by now. Internal Connectors
First of all we talk about the internal connectors you find on the X79 motherboards. In this case we find PCI-Express and PCI slots as well as SATA-III and USB3.0 ports. Furthermore we tell you how many PCI-Express lanes support the individual PCI-Express slot. We also mention the chips the manufacturer put on their boards regarding SATA-III and USB3.0.| Motherboard | PCI-E x16 | PCI-E x1 | PCI | SLI | PCI-E Lanes | DIMM-Slots | SATA-III | USB3.0 |
| ASRock Extreme 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 way | x16/x16/x8 | 4 | 1, ASM1061 | 2, 2 x EJ168A |
| ASRock Extreme 4-M | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 way | x16/x8/x16 | 4 | 1, ASM1061 | 2, ASM1042 |
| ASRock Extreme 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 way | x16/x16/x8 | 4 | 3, 2 x ASM1061 | 2, ASM1042 |
| ASRock Extreme 7 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 way | x8/x8/x8/x8/x8 | 6 | 5, 3 x Marvell | 4, ASM1042 + Ti |
| ASRock Extreme 9 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 way | x8/x8/x8/x8/x8 | 8 | 6, 3 x Marvell | 4, ASM1042 + Ti |
| ASUS P9X79 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 way | x16/x16/x8 | 8 | 1, ASM1061 | 0 |
| ASUS P9X79 Pro | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 way | x16/x8/x8/x8 | 8 | 2, Marvell 9128 | 2, ASM + VIA |
| ASUS P9X79 Deluxe | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 way | x16/x8/x8/x8 | 8 | 2, Marvell 9128 | 2, ASM + VIA |
| ASUS P9X79 WS | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 way | x8/x8/x4/x8/x4/x8 | 8 | 2, Marvell 9128 | 2, ASM |
| ASUS Sabertooth X79 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 way | x16/x16/x8 | 8 | 3, ASM1061 + 9128 | 2, ASM |
| ASUS Rampage IV Formula | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 way | x16/x8/x8/x8 | 4 | 2, ASM1061 | 2, ASM |
| ASUS Rampage IV Extreme | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 way | x8/x8/x8/x8/x8 | 8 | 2, ASM1061 | 4, ASM |
| EVGA X79 SLI | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 way | x16/x16/x8 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| EVGA X79 FTW | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 way | x16/x16/x8/x8/x8 | 4 | 2, Marvell 9182 | 2, VLI VL800-Q8 |
| EVGA X79 Classified | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 way | x16/x16/x8/x8/x8 | 4 | 2, Marvell 9182 | 2, VLI VL800-Q8 |
| Gigabyte GA-X79-UD3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 4 way | x16/x8/x8/x8 | 4 | 4, 2 x Marvell 9172 | 2, 2 x FL1009 |
| Gigabyte GA-X79-UD5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 way | x16/x16/x8 | 8 | 4, 2 x Marvell 9172 | 2, 2 x FL1009 |
| Gigabyte GA-X79-UD7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4 way | x16/x8/x8/x8 | 4 | 4, 2 x Marvell 9172 | 2, 2 x FL1009 |
| Gigabyte G1.Assassin2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 way | x16/x16/x8 | 4 | 4, 2 x Marvell 9172 | 2, 2 x FL1009 |
| Intel DX79SI | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 way | x16/x8/x8 | 8 | 0 | 2, 4 x NEC720200 |
| MSI X79MA-GD45 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 way | x16/x16 | 4 | 0 | 2, 4 x NEC720200 |
| MSI X79A-GD45 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 3 way | x16/x16/x8 | 4 | 0 | 2, 4 x NEC720200 |
| MSI X79A-GD65 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 way | x16/x1/x8/x1/x8 | 4 | 2, ASM1061 | 2, 4 x NEC720200 |
| MSI X79A-GD65 (8D) | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 way | x16/x1/x8/x1/x8 | 8 | 2, ASM1061 | 2, 4 x NEC720200 |
| MSI Big Bang Xpower X2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | N/A | N/A | 8 | 4, 2 x ASM1061 | 4, 4 x NEC720200 |
| Page 1 - Internal Connectors |
| Page 2 - External Connectors |
| Page 3 - Features |
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External Connectors
In this part of the overview we mention the divers external connectors the motherboard manufacturers equip their boards with. Relevant are USB3.0, eSATA, FireWire, LAN and Audio connectors.| Motherboard | USB3.0 | eSATA | FireWire | LAN | Audio |
| ASRock Extreme 3 | 2, 2 x EJ168A | 1 | 2 | 1 | ALC898 |
| ASRock Extreme 4-M | 2, 2 x ASM1042 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ALC898 |
| ASRock Extreme 4 | 2, 2 x ASM1042 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ALC898 |
| ASRock Extreme 7 | 2, ASM1042+Ti | 1 | 1 | 2 | ALC898 |
| ASRock Extreme 9 | 4, ASM1042+Ti | 2 | 0 | 2 | Creative Core3D |
| ASUS P9X79 | 4, ASM | 1 | 1 | 1 | ALC892 |
| ASUS P9X79 Pro | 4, ASM + VIA | 2 | 0 | 1 | ALC898 |
| ASUS P9X79 Deluxe | 6, ASM + VIA | 2 | 0 | 2 | ALC898 |
| ASUS P9X79 WS | 2, ASM | 0 | 0 | 2 | ALC898 |
| ASUS Sabertooth X79 | 4, ASM | 1 | 1 | 1 | ALC892 |
| ASUS Rampage IV Formula | 4, ASM | 2 | 0 | 1 | Supreme FX III |
| ASUS Rampage IV Extreme | 4, ASM | 2 | 0 | 1 | ALC898 |
| EVGA X79 SLI | 4, VLI VL800-Q8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | ALC898 |
| EVGA X79 FTW | 4, VLI VL800-Q8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | ALC898 |
| EVGA X79 Classified | 8, VLI VL800-Q8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | ALC898 |
| Gigabyte GA-X79-UD3 | 2, 2 x FL1009 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ALC898 |
| Gigabyte GA-X79-UD5 | 2, 2 x FL1009 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ALC898 |
| Gigabyte GA-X79-UD7 | 2, 2 x FL1009 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ALC898 |
| Gigabyte G1.Assassin2 | 2, 2 x FL1009 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Creative CA20K2 |
| Intel DX79SI | 2, 4 x NEC720200 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ALC898 |
| MSI X79MA-GD45 | 2, 4 x NEC720200 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ALC898 |
| MSI X79A-GD45 | 2, 4 x NEC720200 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ALC898 |
| MSI X79A-GD65 | 2, 4 x NEC720200 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ALC898 |
| MSI X79A-GD65 (8D) | 2, 4 x NEC720200 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ALC898 |
| MSI Big Bang Xpower X2 | 4, 4 x NEC720200 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ALC898 |
| Page 1 - Internal Connectors |
| Page 2 - External Connectors |
| Page 3 - Features |
Discuss this article in our forums. [pagebreak]
Features
At last we also mention critical features the boards come with. In this category we see the power design (VRM) or in other words on how many phases the power design can rely. Furthermore there are the functions that todays motherboard manufacturers provide you with via onboard buttons. Last but not least we tell you which motherboard uses which form factor.| Motherboard | VRM | Form Factor | Onboard Buttons |
| ASRock Extreme 3 | 5+1 | ATX | none |
| ASRock Extreme 4-M | 6+2 | mATX | Power / Reset / Debug |
| ASRock Extreme 4 | 6+2 | ATX | Power / Reset / Debug |
| ASRock Extreme 7 | 12+2 | ATX | Power / Reset / Debug |
| ASRock Extreme 9 | 16+2 | ATX | Power / Reset / Debug |
| ASUS P9X79 | 8+2 | ATX | none |
| ASUS P9X79 Pro | 8+2 | ATX | Power / Reset / Debug / clrCMOS / memOK |
| ASUS P9X79 Deluxe | 16+4 | ATX | Power / Reset / Debug / clrCMOS / memOK |
| ASUS P9X79 WS | 8+2 | CEB | Power / Reset / Debug / clrCMOS / memOK |
| ASUS Sabertooth X79 | 8+2 | ATX | memOK |
| ASUS Rampage IV Formula | 8+3 | ATX | Power / Reset / Debug / clrCMOS / memOK |
| ASUS Rampage IV Extreme | 8+3 | eATX | Power / Reset / Debug / clrCMOS / memOK |
| EVGA X79 SLI | 6 | ATX | Power / Reset / Temp Display |
| EVGA X79 FTW | 12 | eATX | Power / Reset / BIOS Select / Temp Display |
| EVGA X79 Classified | 12 | XL-ATX | Power / Reset / BIOS Select / Temp Display |
| Gigabyte GA-X79-UD3 | 8 | ATX | none |
| Gigabyte GA-X79-UD5 | 12 | eATX | Power / Reset |
| Gigabyte GA-X79-UD7 | 16 | XL-ATX | Power / Reset / BCLK+/- / Multi +/- / Gear / Debug |
| Gigabyte G1.Assassin2 | 8 | eATX | none |
| Intel DX79SI | 8 | ATX | Power / Reset / Debug / |
| MSI X79MA-GD45 | 8+1 | mATX | none |
| MSI X79A-GD45 | 8+1 | ATX | OC Genie / Direct OC / Debug |
| MSI X79A-GD65 | 10+2 | ATX | OC Genie / Direct OC / Debug |
| MSI X79A-GD65 (8D) | 10+2 | ATX | OC Genie / Direct OC / Debug |
| MSI Big Bang Xpower X2 | 20+2 | XL-ATX | OC Genie / Direct OC / Debug / Multi BIOS |
| Page 1 - Internal Connectors |
| Page 2 - External Connectors |
| Page 3 - Features |
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