GIGABYTE G1.Assassin 2
RRP: $399.99 | Website: http://www.gigabyte.com
Test Machine
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CPU= Intel 3960X
GIGABYTE GTX 570
Crucial C300
Corsair XMS 1600MHz 2GBx4
Corsair AX1200
Windows 7 Ultimate
T
he GIGABYTE G1 Assassin
2 is GIGABYTE’s top of the
line gaming motherboard for
the X79 platform.
When we look at this board,
we are really looking at a mix
of the X79-UD3 and X79UD5, with some hefty gaming
upgrades which give it the
high price tag. The Assassin2
boasts only 4-DIMMs, 3-Way
GPU support and this was
done without the use of
multiplexers such as used
on the UD3 and UD7 to
switch lanes for SLI. This
gives the G1 Assassin 2 a
nice eATX form factor with
enough room to change your
memory with a full size GPU
26 The OverClocker Issue 18 | 2012
in the first slot. The same
spacing was provided to the
UD7, but the UD7 is XL-ATX.
The G1 Assassin2 has the
gun heatsink, which many
have spoken unkindly about.
The board employs two USB
3.0 controllers from Fresco
Logic, and even provides a
front panel USB 3.0 bay so
that the user will be able to
use the internal header.
When we look at the VRM
on this board, it is identical
to the one on the X79-UD3
in that we have an 8+1
(VCore + IMC/VCCSA) phase
design employing a more
robust 3-MOSFET scheme,
in which there are 2x 25A
low-side FETs and one 50A
high-side FET per phase.
The VTT power is provided
by a 2 phase design located
south of the CPU, but here
GIGABYTE chose to use the
really nice spec 40A IR power
stages. GIGABYTE also gave
each set of 2-DIMMs one of
these power stages as well.
GIGABYTE employed a 6+2
phase IR digital PWM for the
VCC and VCCSA, and gave
two 3+2 phase IR digital
PWMs the job of managing
both VDIMM VRMs and the
VCCIO VRM. What is even
better for those users who
like the main benefit of
Digital PWMs which is the
user control, GIGABYTE has
implemented more Digital
PWM controls than we have
ever seen before. Make sure
to flash to BIOS F7 if you
already own this board, as it
will guarantee that the VRM
wont overheat, of course
when overclocking you need
to have airflow over the VRM
heatsink anyway.
The only X79 motherboard
to carry legitimate Creative
audio hardware and the
Bigfoot NIC is also the G1
Assassin 2. The Creative
hardware is what all the
users who buy this board