Page 45 - Computer Power User - February 2017

has the best chance of working optimally
out of the box.

Graphics Galore
They didn’t put “Gaming” in this
motherboard’s name for nothing. This
is the only AORUS board available that
supports up to 4-way SLI and CrossFire,
thanks to a 32 lane boost that comes
courtesy of PLX Technology’s PEX8747
chip, a PCIe 3.0 switching device that
provides users with the ultimate flexibility
in setting up their system. If you’re
Some people say they can tell everything they need to know about a motherboard by the rear I/O. On running 2-way SLI or CrossFire, the first
the AORUS Gaming 9, the I/O is just the tip of the iceberg.
and third PCIe slots will take the 16 lanes
from the processor and double it so that
both cards run on 16 lanes each. 3-way
life. GIGABYTE tells us that this is just DRAM, Unlimited multi-GPU setups let one card run at
one more area where the design of the There are four memory slots to the x16 and the remaining two at x8 and
AORUS Gaming 9 was dictated by a right side of the CPU socket and 4-way multi-GPU setups will let all
desire to ensure users have the flexibility these support dual-channel Non-ECC four cards run at x8 speeds. The chip is
to build their systems without limits. Unbuffered DDR4 memory, with specifically optimized for high-resolution
Traditionally, regardless of whether you XMP-profile-based overclocks as high as graphics applications and supports
choose air cooling or liquid cooling, you DDR4-4133, and beyond. Each DIMM packet cut-through, with a maximum
need to plug fans, and possibly a pump slot can handle a 16GB module, for a latency of 100ns, to all but eliminate the
or two, into the appropriate headers on total of up to 64GB of system memory. input lag that can result from running a
the motherboard. As we all know, not GIGABYTE has also validated more than multi-GPU rig.
every cooling device works well with 1,000 kits that span almost the entirety of Now, there are those of you who will
PWM (pulse width modulation) control, DDR4 vendors, ensuring your memory point out that even a pair of the fastest
and pumps perform best within a rather
strict set of minimum and maximum
rpm settings. On the AORUS Gaming
9, however, you can plug your CPU
fan(s), case fans, pump(s), or radiator
fans into a series of hybrid fan headers,
which let the motherboard automatically
enable the appropriate running mode,
either PWM or voltage. Each hybrid fan
header on this motherboard supports
up to 2 amps with built-in overcurrent
protection, which is particularly useful for
enthusiast-grade high-current fans. But
the fan headers don’t presume to know
everything; if you have other ideas about
how best to run your cooling subsystem
(perhaps you prefer to create custom fan
curves for each component?), you can do
that using GIGABYTE’s intuitive Smart
Fan 5 software. All told, there are seven
internal temperature sensors, two external
temperature sensors, and eight fan/water
pump connectors, all with GIGABYTE’s It’s bright and colorful, but don’t mistake the AORUS Gaming 9 for a toy, this thing runs like a supercar.
Hybrid Fan technology baked in.

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