So far, Gigabyte has released five motherboard models based on the AMD A75 chipset for the new AMD A-Series of CPUs with integrated graphics chip (“APUs”), with prices ranging from USD 100 to USD 130. Let’s take a look at the A75M-UD2H, a microATX model that is sold for USD 110.

First, let’s talk about the main differences between the models offered by Gigabyte. The A75-D3H and A75-UD4H models use the ATX form factor, while the A75M-S2V, A75M-D2H, and A75M-UD2H models use the microATX. The main difference among the microATX models is the number of video output connectors available on the motherboard. The A75M-S2V has only VGA and DVI-D connectors; the A75M-D2H has VGA, DVI-D, and HDMI connectors; and the A75M-UD2H adds DisplayPort to the mix. Also, on the A75M-UD2H, one of the SATA-600 ports was routed to the motherboard rear panel, to become an eSATA-600 port, and it has eight USB 2.0 ports, while the other microATX models have six.

AMD released two chipsets for the new socket FM1 platform, the A55 and the A75. Both are single-chip solutions. The A55 is an entry-level solution, supporting six SATA-300 ports, 14 USB 2.0 ports, and four x1 PCI Express lanes. The A75 is a high-end solution, with six SATA-600 ports, four USB 3.0 ports (making it the first chipset with an integrated USB 3.0 controller), eSATA port multiplier (“FIS-based switching,” which allows you to install more than one hard drive to a single SATA port) and the other features found on the A55. Click here to learn more.

click to enlarge
Figure 1: Gigabyte A75M-UD2H motherboard