MSI X79A-GD45 8D Review

👤by Richard Weatherstone Comments 📅09-09-12
Conclusion

The MSI GD45-8D presents an interesting proposition in that it gives those budget minded among us to sample the delights of the X79 chipset. Being the cheapest motherboard on test you would not believe it thanks to the feature rich components used, TRI SLI/Crossfire capability and 8DIMM support. The VRM however, was lacking and perhaps this is an area where cuts were made which could have had an effect on the overclocking results. These results, while far from disgraceful, were some 300MHz short of the best we have attained with our CPU so we know it wasn't a CPU limitation.

People who buy this board will not be looking to break world records however, they will be looking for a motherboard which offers good value in a market riddled with expensive, overpriced components. With this aim in mind I can safely say that the MSI GD45 8D has fulfilled its destiny in being an affordable choice which doesn't make too many compromises. It has most everything the average overclocker could want with a wealth of BIOS options. Gamers are catered for with full PCIe Gen 3 support and 8 channel audio. A host of other features should attract many buyers, not least the 8 DIMM slots which is rare on entry level platforms.



With the above in mind I would find it hard to recommend the GD65 over the GD45 as both boards look identical and for the most part are identical save for the extra USB and SATA ports available on the GD65 8D. So the MSI X79A GD45 offers most of the useful features the GD65 has at a lower price point making it a bit of a bargain. The MSI GD45 beats its nearest competitor too, the GIGABYTE UD3 in most tests and also weighs in cheaper. So, if you are on the lookout for an entry level motherboard, you should certainly take a look at the MSI X79A GD45-8D, a bargain basement motherboard that offers almost as much as one costing twice the price.

Pros:
+ Great value
+ Aesthetically pleasing
+ Excellent BIOS options
+ 3-way SLI/Crossfire
+ Quad Channel Memory
+ On-board Power and OC Genie buttons

Cons:
- Questionable 'brown' PCB under certain lighting conditions
- No USB 3.0 bracket
- Tall VRM heatsink may restrict CPU cooler choice



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