ASUS SABERTOOTH 990FX Review

👤by Alex Hull Comments 📅06-10-11
Conclusion

It is clear from the benchmarks then that ASUS’ pursuit of reliability and stability in this motherboard was not at the cost of performance. The SABERTOOTH was consistently fast and provided the best overclock we’ve seen from our Phenom II 1100T CPU. The board also boasts plenty of connectivity using the IO panel and front panel connectors as well as many options for multi-GPU setups being catered for. 8 SATA ports (and two eSATA) are ideal for this type of motherboard and the temperature monitoring is the best ever seen on the AMD platform, along with a massive 5 4-pin fan connectors and one 3-pin connector to cater for any cooling requirements. The styling is unique, and the raft of additions such as CeraM!X cooling technology and high quality chokes and caps just add to the high quality performance and finish of the SABERTOOTH.


An impressive and unique offering from ASUS


Like almost any product though, the SABERTOOTH does have some shortcomings, but they are minor. The lack of motherboard mounted power and reset buttons and no clear CMOS button on the IO panel seem like steps backwards in terms of functionality. There is no dual LAN as one might be accustomed to on a high end motherboard, though how useful that is in today’s market is debateable, and there is only a combined PS/2 keyboard and mouse connector. Again however, this really isn’t that important when we consider the potential users for a motherboard such as this. ASUS have also included only a moderate bundle (hardware and software) with the SABERTOOTH, most likely to offset the cost of the extra reliability-orientated features, but also in line with the entire design ethic of this product. In fact, it’s really difficult to find any significant problems with the SABERTOOTH at all.

ASUS have created the perfect high-end companion to the classic Crosshair line. The SABERTOOTH provides a rock-solid, top performing and reliable base to any AM3+ system and is ideal for users looking for a no-frills but still incredibly capable motherboard. This is the perfect motherboard for those looking for the highest performance, but who don’t need features for extreme overclocking (i.e. LN2 etc) or all the bells and whistles of the ASUS Crosshair V, but still have high demands for connectivity, reliability and design.

Pros
+ Top-notch performance
+ Solid construction
+ Excellent overclocking ability
+ Unique and original design
+ Fantastic thermal management
+ Generous 5 year warranty
+ Competitive price

Cons
- Lacks internal power buttons/external Clr CMOS
- Colour scheme may not be to everyone’s taste
- Moderate hardware and software bundle






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