Closer Look: Gigabyte X58

Motherboards haven't seen a lot of change in the past two years, and the GA-EX58-EXTREME looks extremely similar to past Gigabyte products. The biggest difference with this X58-Express product is that it updates the socket from LGA775 to LGA1366 in order to support the Intel Core-i7 series of processors. Additionally, the Dual-Channel DDR support that reigned supreme since the Pentium 4 days has also been updated to include Triple-Channel DDR3.

Intel may have introduced DDR3 support on their mainboards almost two years ago, but high costs paired with low adoption by manufacturers led to a reprieve for DDR2. That all ends now, as X58 is built for DDR3 only and Intel has no plans to allow DDR2 back into the game. This might seem like a move which slams the door in the face of mainstream enthusiasts wanting more value from their hardware, but the truth is that P45 and X48 chipsets will continue in production for many more months to come.

Moving to triple-channel DDR3 also adds momentum for 64-bit computing, but also optimizes current 32-bit systems. Windows XP for example, offers a 4GB maximum memory mapping space on the 32-bit variety of the O/S. Since most all PCI-E video cards available today offer at least 512MB of GDDR, it's theoritically impossible for someone to completely realize 4GB of system memory. In fact, only 2GB was available from our 4GB memory kit when we recently tested the Palit Revolution 700 Radeon HD 4870 X2 video card which has 2GB of video frame buffer of its own.

So when you start to replace 2GB (dual-channel) kits with 3GB (triple-channel) kits, there's more available memory and less waste than if the builder used a 4GB memory kit on their 32-bit O/S, and 3GB is going to be more affordable. Alternatively, the X58 chipset does not retire dual-channel memory mode, so enthusiasts who are already using their favorite DDR3 in one system can upgrade to the GA-EX58-EXTREME without purchasing additional memory; the drawback is that dual-channel mode only doubles memory bandwidth while triple-channel mode will (you guessed it) triple the original bandwidth. With support for single, dual and quad-bank DIMMs the EX58-EXTREME can utilize up to 24GB of DDR3 and keep any 64-bit O/S moving along nicely.

Some of the other features don't appear as outwardly obvious on the GA-EX58-EXTREME, such as Green LAN and Dynamic Energy Saver (DES) Advanced. I originally configured the BIOS to enable Gigabyte's Green LAN feature, which is disabled by default, but I came to learn the hard way that if nothing is plugged in (or turned on) to the RJ-45 port it will go into a deep sleep that cannot be recovered from without a reboot.

Gigabyte includes the high-definition Realtek ALC889A audio controller with DTS Connect capability on the EX58-EXTREME. This audio chipset may be integrated, but with a featured 106 dB Signal to Noise ratio over eight channels it is anything but low-end. Digital audio outputs arrive in two varieties: optical and coaxial S/PDIF connectors. Realtek's ALC889A with DTS Connect is meant to enable high quality full-rate lossless audio, and offer support for both Blu-ray and HD DVD.

One feature that seems to have been borrowed from the ASUS Striker II NSE nForce 790i SLI Motherboard we reviewed not long ago is the "Clr CMOS" button, which allows the user to clear the custom settings of their BIOS and start over from scratch. I found this function to be very useful, but not at all in a convenient area. I recommend that Gigabyte move this button away from the USB ports which are directly beside it, so that when you're reaching around the backside of the computer case to plug in a cable you don't accidentally reset you hard-earned overclock.

A total of eight High-Speed USB 2.0 ports populate the rear I/O panel, with another four available at the mainboard header connection. One IEEE-1394a Firewire port is also available on the I/O panel, but the Texas Instruments TSB43AB23 processor allows up to two more to be added using brackets connected to the motherboards header panel. Gigabyte includes one dual-port Firewire bracket, which leaves one more port available to your computer case's I/O panel if supported.

The remainder of the input/output panel is quite busy, with a wide assortment of ports and connections for everything that is connectable by today's standard. Dual Realtek 8111D Gigabit Ethernet LAN with Teaming functionality are supplied, with activity and link speed indicators at the corner of each RJ-45 port. With teaming functionality enabled the two single connections can operate as one for twice the bandwidth, which improves the overall throughput with lower CPU utilization and adds network fault tolerance to prevent downtime by transferring the workload from a failed port to a working port.

External SATA connectors are not part of the motherboards I/O panel, however Gigabyte has included one SATA expansion bracket with the GA-EX58-EXTREME motherboard kit. There are two eSATA ports available with a 4-pin Molex power connector between them for a total of two eSATA ports. In regards to standard SATA ports, the GA-EX58-EXTREME offers six (colored blue) from the Intel ICH 10R Southbridge good for RAID-0, 1, 5, and 10 along side two more sets of SATA-II ports from a pair of JMicron JMB322 'Smart Backup' controllers (colored white) which support RAID-0, 1, and JBOD.

One particular note of interest is the orientation of all ten SATA ports, which utilize transverse-mount connections to stem cables off to the side of the motherboard. This layout works extemely well for all modern video cards, especially the larger GeForce GTX 280 and Radeon HD 4870 X2 video cards which occupy multiple expansion slots. This is also a corrected design from the GA-EP45T-EXTREME which rendered four of the six SATA ports unusable with larger graphics cards.

Gigabyte makes it convenient for hardware enthusiasts to tweak the motherboard without having to reach for a power button, or even have the unit installed inside a computer case. By adding a reset and power button switch directly on the motherboard, overclockers can make quick changes and simply press the closest button. Because of the trials and tribulations I had with finding a stable overclock, these two buttons (along with the Reset CMOS button) came in very handy.

One particular feature the X58 chipset introduces in the marriage of CrossFireX and SLI support on the same motherboard. Gigabyte builds three PCI-Express 2.0 ports into the EX58-EXTREME: two 16x expansion slots (colored blue) and one 8x slot (colored orange). While most gamers would stop at two-way SLI or CrossFire, the third 8x slot allows you to combine three video cards for unmatched graphics power. For the first time ever (in my experience) Gigabyte has also included the necessary 2-way and 3-way SLI bridge connectors, although the CrossFireX bridge connector remains absent from this kit.

In the next section, I get into more detail as some specific features are examined on the Gigabyte GA-EX58-EXTREME motherboard. Please continue on to learn more about the Hybrid Silent-Pipe feature and Gigabyte's Ultra Durable 3 improvements.

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