After a number of months of testing principally costly boards, we lastly have one of many least costly motherboards we’ve examined this 12 months on our bench, the Gigabyte A620M Gaming X. In comparison with different Ryzen 7000 boards we’ve checked out, it’s lacking a number of the options of the total platform, plus CPU overclocking (you’ll be able to overclock the reminiscence). But it surely has the fundamentals lined – principally.
Motherboards at this entry-level value are there to get you onto the platform with simply sufficient options so you need to use the most recent processors. This Micro ATX board prices underneath $120 and helps the most recent 7000 Collection (AM5) processors, together with the 170W flagship-class SKUs reminiscent of our Ryzen 9 7950X. It has 4 SATA ports, one M.2 socket, a finances audio codec, and a couple of.5 GbE (no wi-fi right here). However at this value, particularly with this chipset, you received’t get PCIe 5.0-capable M.2 sockets or PCIe slots, simply PCIe 4.0.
Gigabyte has 4 motherboards sporting the low-end A620 chipset, all of that are Micro ATX boards like our Gaming X. When you want Wi-Fi, there’s a Gaming X AX, and for those who’re making an attempt to spend the least quantity doable, the A620M S2H and A620M H will value much less, though US availability for availability for all fashions wasn’t out there but after we wrote this. I don’t suggest going any decrease than the Gaming X for those who plan to run high-end processors, because the latter two don’t even present heatsinks on the paltry energy supply.
On the efficiency entrance, the A620M Gaming X was hit and miss, relying on the check. If it was closely multi-threaded, chances are high the A620M Gaming X was common at finest to beneath common. If the testing was single or calmly threaded, it was common to above common. This finances board di effectively in gaming, Procyon Workplace exams, and energy use was low. Nonetheless, it was slower in Cinebench and Blender, amongst others. General, this motherboard received’t maintain you again a lot. However to get essentially the most out of the processor, some voltage tweaking (reducing) might assist to forestall thermal throttling whereas reducing energy use.
Even at $120, this board doesn’t make our finest motherboards checklist. Nonetheless, that doesn’t imply it isn’t a viable possibility for anybody seeking to get into AM5 on a budget. Earlier than we get into all the small print, here’s a full checklist of the A620M Gaming X’s specs, direct from Gigabyte.
Specs: Gigabyte A620M Gaming X
| Socket | AM5 |
| Chipset | A620M |
| Type Issue | mATX |
| Voltage Regulator | 11 Part (8x 50A SPS MOSFETs for Vcore) |
| Video Ports | (1) HDMI (v2.1) |
| (1) DisplayPort (v1.4) | |
| USB Ports | (1) USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Kind-C |
| (1) USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) | |
| (2) USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) | |
| (2) USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) | |
| Community Jacks | (1) 2.5 GbE |
| Audio Jacks | (3) Analog |
| Legacy Ports/Jacks | ✗ |
| Different Ports/Jack | ✗ |
| PCIe x16 | (1) v4.0 (x16) |
| PCIe x8 | ✗ |
| PCIe x4 | ✗ |
| PCIe x1 | (1) v3.0 x1 |
| DIMM Slots | (4) DDR5 6400(OC), 128GB Capability |
| M.2 Sockets | (1) PCIe 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps) / PCIe (as much as 80 mm |
| SATA Ports | (4) SATA3 6 Gbps |
| Helps RAID 0/1/10 | |
| USB Headers | (1) USB v3.2 Gen 1, Kind-C (5 Gbps) |
| (1) USB v3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) | |
| (1) USB v2.0 (480 Mbps) | |
| Fan/Pump Headers | (3) 4-Pin (CPU, System fan) |
| RGB Headers | (1) aRGB (3-pin) |
| (1) RGB (4-pin) | |
| Diagnostics Panel | ✗ |
| Inner Button/Change | ✗ |
| SATA Controllers | ✗ |
| Ethernet Controller(s) | (1) Realtek RTL8125GB (2.5 GbE) |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | ✗ |
| USB Controllers | ✗ |
| HD Audio Codec | Realtek ALC897 |
| DDL/DTS | ✗ / ✗ |
| Guarantee | 3 Years |
Contained in the Field of the Gigabyte A620M Gaming X
Together with the motherboard, the bundle consists of a few equipment. Within the case of this excessive finances board, you get two SATA cables and the rear IO plate. Not even a guide, people. You’ll must get that and the drivers on-line on the web site.
Design of the Gigabyte A620M Gaming X
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The Gigabyte A620M Gaming X sits on a darkish brown 6-layer PCB, with white strains/patterns meandering their manner across the board. Solely the left VRM financial institution (for Vcore) is roofed with a heatsink. It’s connected to the board through pushpins, but it surely will get the job achieved. This isn’t stunning for an entry-level board, however I’d prefer to see screws regardless. These heatsinks want all the assistance they will get with a 7950X within the socket.
In case your construct requires built-in RGBs, you’ll must look elsewhere or add your personal through the 4-pin RGB and 3-pin ARGB headers. You possibly can tweak the lighting by way of the Gigagbyte Management Heart software program and the RGB Fusion software contained in the suite. General, this appears like a finances board. Most customers will put it in a case and not using a window anyway, together with different finances choices that don’t visually stand out.
Wanting on the prime portion of the board, we first spy a single 8-pin EPS connector (required) to energy the processor. Slightly below that may be a small heatsink that sits over the left VRM financial institution sporting a brushed aluminum end and light-weight gray accents that match the sample on the board. The heatsink is on the small aspect, particularly contemplating the finances MOSFETs beneath, but it surely labored out in testing (albeit barely).
Sliding proper previous the socket space, we run into 4 unreinforced DRAM slots with that lock on one (prime) aspect. Gigabyte lists assist as much as DDR5-6400(OC). Oddly, we bumped into points with our slower DDR5-5600 package, that will run by way of the benchmarks nice. Nonetheless, stress testing with XMP enabled brought about the check to fail inside a couple of minutes. We put in our DDR5-6000 package and used the EXPO profile, and so they labored in any scenario.
The primary (of three) 4-pin fan headers are simply above the reminiscence slots. Every header helps PWM and DC-controlled gadgets and outputs as much as 2A/24W, so you’ll be able to run a few followers on the identical header if wanted. Don’t overload these headers, or it might harm the motherboard. Shifting down the fitting edge, we run into the 24-pin ATX connector to energy the board, a second fan header, and a entrance panel USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Kind-C port.
Energy supply on the Gigabyte A620M Gaming X is maybe the least succesful (on paper) we’ve seen. That stated, it nonetheless dealt with our flagship-class Ryzen 9 7950X processor with out subject. We didn’t take away the VRM heatsink, as two pushpins maintain it on and these don’t are likely to mount a second time with the identical stress. We will see the Richtek RT3674AE (X+Y+Z=6, 4+1) controller that feeds eight whole 50A Infineon MOSFETs (hidden) in a teamed configuration for Vcore. The 400A out there isn’t a lot, and these do run scorching, but it surely’s sufficient to run our processor full out in most conditions.
On the underside portion of the board, we are able to see the audio part and some capacitors devoted to sound. You received’t discover a Faraday cage or any DACs and Amplifiers at this value level, however customers do get the budget-class Realtek ALC897 chip/codec. When you want higher sound, you should purchase a sound card and set up it within the x1 slot on the underside of the board. However as that will convey the fee up significantly, you need to in all probability simply go for a greater board at that time.
Two PCIe slots and a single M.2 socket are in the course of the board. The highest PCIe slot connects by way of the CPU and runs at PCIe 4.0 x16 speeds, whereas the small x1 slot on the underside of the board sources its lanes by way of the chipset, operating at PCIe 3.0 x1. With just one slot out there for growth after the first graphics slot, you’ll want to decide on your {hardware} properly.
Between the PCIe slots is the one (and solely) M.2 socket. This socket connects by way of the processor and runs as much as PCIe 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps) speeds, and it has a small heatsink to assist hold these warm-running gadgets cool. Some customers might discover the one M.2 socket prohibitive, however there are different choices round this value with two. Once more, for those who’re on the lookout for something PCIe 5.0-based, you’ll have to take a look at a (pricier) board with a special chipset.
Persevering with over the pushpin-attached chipset heatsink to the fitting edge, we run into 4 SATA3 6 Gbps SATA ports (supporting RAID0/1/10). Within the bottom-right nook is a 19-pin entrance panel USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) header. Throughout the underside of the board are a number of extra uncovered headers. You’ll discover the standard connections right here, together with extra USB ports, RGB headers, and 4-pin fan headers. Under is an entire checklist, from left to proper:
- Entrance panel audio
- SPI TPM header
- 4-pin RGB header
- 3-pin ARGB header
- (2) USB 2.0 headers
- 4-pin System fan header
- Entrance Panel
The rear IO on the A620M Gaming X is about as sparse as you’d anticipate for a sub-$120 motherboard. You received’t get the entire swift connectivity of extra pricey choices. You’ll want to put in the rear IO plate your self, however that’s anticipated at this value. There are six USB ports, together with 10 Gbps Kind-C and Kind-A ports, two 5 Gbps ports (blue), and two USB 2.0 ports. There’s a legacy PS/2 port for a mouse or keyboard and a 2.5 GbE port. On the left aspect are your HDMI and DisplayPort video outputs for the built-in graphics, whereas on the far proper is a 3-plug (3.5mm analog) audio stack. The 5 type-A ports on the rear IO shall be a priority for some customers. In any other case, issues are fairly normal again right here.
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