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Gigabyte GA-X48-DQ6 Review

Date: 2008-2-21

[Abstract]
   IntroductionMost of our readers would be very familiar with Intel's 3-Series core logic chipsets, the P35 and its high-end sibling, the X38. However, soon after Intel launched their desktop Pen...

[Content] PCDigitalMobileGame

Introduction

Most of our readers would be very familiar with Intel's 3-Series core logic chipsets, the P35 and its high-end sibling, the X38. However, soon after Intel launched their desktop Penryn processors last year, they also released a quiet update to the X38 chipset - the X48. Now, it seems to us that Intel has taken a stealthy approach to chipset announcements of late as there hasn't been any fanfare. And while the X48 chipset and motherboard product samples have been around since late September 2007, we're not really seeing these models updated on either Intel or their partners' websites.

Still, the X48 is real and its here. Initial rumors floating around the Net painted a picture that the X48 could be a special niche segment for the ultra-elite that removed DDR2 support, and instead would only support 1600MHz FSB with DDR3-1600 XMP memory, requiring a platform upgrade for the hardcore enthusiast.

Gigabyte GA-X48-DQ6 Review
Gigabyte GA-X48-DQ6 motherboard.

However, the reality is that there isn't much to talk about, which explains the silent rollout. In a nutshell, the Intel X48 chipset is just the X38 with official support for native 1600MHz FSB. And the chipset was incidentally launched in conjunction with the very exclusive and limited Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770, chip-zilla's first 1600MHz FSB processor. That's about it really. DDR2 support is still around as well, as is evident from the Gigabyte GA-X48-DQ6, one of the earliest X48 boards to have been spotted 'in-the-wild'.

Gigabyte GA-X48-DQ6 Technical Specifications
CPUSupport
  • Supportsall 90nm/65nm Intel LGA775processors
  • 45nm ready (Wolfdale & Yorkfield)
  • Quad-Core ready
Chipset
  • Northbridge:Intel X48
  • Southbridge:IntelICH9R
Memory
  • Supports fourunbuffered DIMM of 1.8 Volt DDR2 SDRAM
  • Max 8GB Dual-channel configuration up to DDR2-1200
Storage
  • Intel ICH9RSouthbridge
    • 6 x SATA 3.0Gbpsinterface
    • Intel MatrixStorage Technology
    • Supports RAID 0,RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID 5, RAID 10
  • GigabyteSATA2 (JMicronJMB363)
    • 1 x UltraATA33/66/100/133 (data transfer rate up to133MB/sec.)
    • 2 x SATA 3.0Gbps interface(eSATA)
    • SATA RAID 0, RAID1 and JBOD
Audio
  • Intel High DefinitionAudio (Azalia)
  • Realtek ALC889A HDAudio CODEC
  • Protected path contentencryption/decryption (Microsoft WLP 3.0 compliant)
  • Opticaland coaxial S/PDIF
Networking
  • 2 x RealtekRTL8111B PCIe Gigabit Ethernet
IEEE 1394 (FireWire)
  • TexasInstrument TSB43AB23 FireWire controller
  • 3 x 1394aports @ 400 Mbps speed
I/O Interface
  • 1x Floppy connector
  • 1 x Ultra ATAIDE connectors
  • 8 x SATAconnectors
  • 12 x USB 2.0ports (8 x rear, 4 x header)
  • 2 xRJ45 LANports
  • 3 x FireWire-400 ports (2 x rear, 1x header)
  • 1 xOptical S/PDIFOutput 
  • 1 x Coaxial S/PDIFOutput 
  • 8-Channel Audio I/Oports
  • 1 x Parallel port header
  • 1x COMport header
  • 1 xmini-DIN-6 PS/2keyboard port
  • 1 x mini-DIN-6 PS/2 mouse port
ExpansionSlots
  • 2 xPCIe x16slots,PCI Express Bus specification v2.0compliant
  • 3 x PCIe x1slots, PCIExpress Bus specification v1.1compliant
  • 2 x 32-bitPCI slots,PCI 2.3 compliant
Special Features
  • Gigabyte Dynamic Energy Saver technology
  • Gigabyte6-Quad Design
  • GigabyteUltra Durable 2
    • 100% Solid Capacitors
    • LowRDS(on) MOSFETs
    • Ferrite Corechokes
PCB
  • ATX Form Factor, 12"x9.6"(30.5cm x 24.4cm)


Gigabyte GA-X48-DQ6 Review
One of the most packed I/O panels on a motherboard with everything you every need, from digital and analaog audio, eight USB 2.0 ports, two LAN ports and even two different FireWire port sizes.






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