GIGABYTE 970-Gaming SLI (AMD 970) Motherboard Review

Introduction

Today we are going to take a look at an AMD motherboard, a refreshing change from the typical Intel focused content. While Intel releases new chipsets as often as Marvel Comics movies come out, AMD is more at the pace of the Star Wars franchise. There are advantages to each method. As AMD fans will attest, backward and forward compatibility is quite good on the AMD side of things, but the introduction of new technologies into older platforms can be a bit difficult. GIGABYTE and other vendors recently showed off a new series of AMD motherboards based on the 990FX and 970 chipsets and their main advantage over their predecessors is the addition of the latest storage and connectivity technologies.

GIGABYTE's new 970-Gaming SLI is aimed at the price conscious consumer who wants a lot of bang for their buck, but also wants something they can show off to their friends. The 970-Gaming SLI has a list of features I wouldn't expect to find on an AMD motherboard, including USB 3.1, M.2, SLI, and even an Intel NIC. AMD is still a good alternative to Intel if you are trying to keep things wallet friendly, and the 970-Gaming SLI is built to provide a more modern experience for AMD buyers. Let's take a look at what this motherboard has to offer.

Specifications

The GIGABYTE 970-Gaming SLI has an extensive list of features, including USB 3.0, USB 3.1, Intel NIC, x4 M.2 (20Gb/s), and SLI and CrossFireX support.

Pricing

The 970-Gaming SLI is available from many large retailers for $98.99.