Motherboard ASUS 970 Pro Gaming/Aura Overview

Let’s start with the general technical characteristics:

Processors: AMD Sempron, Athlon, Phenom II, FX, Socket AM3 and Socket AM3 +
Core logic chipset: AMD 970 + AMD SB950
RAM: 4 x DDR3 for DIMM socket
Supported memory: up to 64 GB (unbuffered, non-ECC); dual-mode support, AMD A.M.P. and Intel X.M.P; support for DDR3 1066/1333/1600/1866/2133/2400 (OC) + MHz
Audio: Realtek ALC1150 (up to 8 channels)
Network: 1xIntel I211AT (10/100/1000 Mbit)
Expansion slots: 1 PCI Express x16 2.0 slot (PCIE2), physically as x16
1 x PCI Express x16 2.0 (PCIE4) slot, physically as x8
2 PCI Express x1 2.0 slots (PCIE1 and PCIE3)
2 x PCI slots
Graphics tandems support: AMD CrossFire; NVidia SLI
Disk subsystem: AMD SB950; — 6 SATA2 3Gb/s ports, support for ACHI, NCQ, RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0 + 1.
USB: AMD SB950:
— 8 ports USB 2.0/1.1 (2 connectors on the board for connecting 4 ports, 4 ports on the back of the board)
ASMedia ASM1042A:
— 2 USB 3.0/2.0/1.1 ports (1 socket for 2 ports)
ASMedia ASM1143:
— 2 USB 3.1/3.0/2.0/1.1 ports (A-type socketss on the back of the motherboard)
Sockets and other functionalities:
1x24-pin ATX
1x8-pin ATX 12V
6xSATA3 6Gb/s
1 socket M.2 NGFF 2242/2260/2280 (SATA3 and PCIe 2.0 x4)
2 socket s for CPU cooling fans (2x4-pin)
1 socket for connecting the liquid cooling system of the processor (1x4-pin)
3 socket s for additional fan (3x4-pin)
1 front case panel block
1 case audio socket block
3 USB 2.0/1.1 blocks for 6 ports
1 USB 3.0/2.0/1.1 block for 2 ports
1 block for COM port connection
1 block for connecting the TPM module
1 board control jumper strip block
1 CMOS reset jumper
Connectors and other functionalities on the rear panel:
1 universal PS/2 connector for keyboard and mouse
8 USB 2.0/1.1 ports
2 USB ports 3.1/3.0/2.0/1.1 (Type-A)
1 SPDIF socket
1 RJ-45 network port
6 audio sockets
I/O controller: ITE IT8721F
BIOS: 1 removable flash memory chip Winbond 25Q64FVAIQ 64 Mbit;
AMI EFI BIOS; support for multilingual interface localization
Dimensions, mm: 305x244
Form factor: ATX

Equipment

To the standard set of a pair of SATA cables (connectors for one are straight line, for the other – one connector is angular, latches are also included), instructions, a DVD with software and stubs on the case back panel, some more equipment was included: a rack with a screw for installing M.2 expansion cards, SLI bridge, a set of stickers for marking SATA cables and seven plastic ties for laying and fixing cables inside the system unit.

Cooling System

The board has three radiators: one on the processor’s power supply subsystem and one on the northbridge and southbridge of the core logic chipset. In normal operation, the heating level is quite moderate.

On the back of the motherboard there is a full-fledged metal power plate, which protects the board from deformation in case of installing a processor cooling system with large clamping force. The number of sockets for connecting fans is quite enough: they are six.

The motherboard can control both three- and four-pin (PWM) fans on both CPU_FAN* sockets and on the CHA_FAN1-CHA_FAN3 sockets. For three-pin fans on the CHA_FAN sockets, the speed control is maintained automatically, for CPU_FAN*, it is necessary to activate the «DC Mode» manually.

To configure the behavior of the fans, the BIOS has four options: Standard, Silent, Turbo and Manual (at user-defined levels from 40° to 90°C and from 60 to 100% of the fan speed).

At the W_PUMP socket, the minimum speed level is from «Ignore» and «100» to «600». Control goes at user-defined levels from 0° to 75°C and from 60 to 100% of the pump speed.

CPU and RAM Power Subsystems

Visually, it seems that the processor power subsystem has 8 phases in total. But ASUS 970 Pro Gaming/Aura does not support AMD processors of FX-9 *** series with a 220 W thermal package – it is officially allowed to install processors with TDP not more than 140 W only.

The power converter is built according to the following scheme: 7 (CPU Core) + 1 (CPU NB Core). As power elements ON Semiconductor products are used: a bundle of one NTFMS4C09B and two NTFMS4C06B for each phase. At the same time one NTFMS4C06B of each phase is located on the back side of the board, as well as the IR3535M phase drivers from International Rectifier.

RAM power is built on a single-phase scheme. As an PWM controller, the Anpec APW8723 is used. Two NTFMS4C09B and two NTFMS4C06B are used as mosfets.

Other Element Base and Features

There are four memory slots, it is also allowed to install DDR3 modules with a total capacity of not more than 32 GB, there is support for XMP profiles and the installation of dividers for the following frequencies: 800, 1066, 1333, 1400, 1600, 1866, 2133 and 2400 MHz.

The guaranteed support only up to 1866 MHz is officially declared. 2133 MHz are also indicated, but this value is marked «OC», which means «overclocking» and their full working capacity is not guaranteed.

Under the 24-pin ATX power socket, there is a header for connecting two USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports (the old name is USB 3.0). Its operation is provided by a nearby ASMedia ASM1042A controller.

The disk subsystem is implemented on the basis of six deployed horizontally to the SATA3 card board surface, which is the maximum capacity of the AMD SB950 southbridge. No additional SATA controllers are installed on the board. It should be noted that the video card installed in the upper PEG slot can severely restrict access to SATA ports.

Also for the implementation of the disk subsystem the M.2 NGFF seat located under the core logic chipset radiator can be used.

A block of the system unit case control panel (power and reset buttons, operation indicators, system speaker), fan socket, motherboard switch, three blocks for connecting six USB 2.0/1.1 ports, TPM, COM and audio sockets’ blocks are located at the bottom edge of the board.

On the right edge of the board, ASUS engineers have placed the eight-channel audio controller Realtek ALC1150, hiding it under the cover with the inscription «SupremeFX». A set of capacitors on a liquid electrolyte is attached. The ITE IT8721F I/O controller, which is responsible for the operation of the PS/2 sockets on the back interface panel of the motherboard, system monitoring, fan speed control and a number of other functions, is located here as well. The ASUS TPU controller supports its operations.

Behind the audio sockets block, the ASMedia ASM1443 controller is located providing USB 3.1 Gen 2 interface operations on the rear interface panel. The Intel I211AT Gigabit Ethernet controller is moved to USB sockets location of the rear interface panel:

At the motherboard’s bottom the isolation of the audio path from the main part of the board with areas of textolite can be found. It is devoid of current-carrying layers and theoretically reduces the level of interference. Along the insulating strip red LEDs are placed.

Conclusions

If compared with ASUS M5A99FX Pro R2.0 or ASUS M5A99X EVO boards, the extremely similar behavior of ASUS 970 Pro Gaming/Aura in terms of overclocking the base frequency and RAM should be noted. It does not present any surprises, and overclocking is limited by the processor’s capabilities.

Speaking of the direct CPU overclocking, the novelty is clearly more comfortable than the versions of the ASUS M5A. Probably the main reason for that is the use of the 7 + 1 power converter circuit instead of 6 + 2. The superfluous phase is quite useful and causes a more comfortable temperature regime of the power converter and near-socket zone, which allows maintaining a stable supply voltage at the level of ~ 1.450 V.

Power consumption measurements have shown that under typical conditions with cooling the processor with an air cooler under long-term load protection works at 22.0-22.5 A of consumption from the 8 pin socket. If the system board cools down (or, correspondingly, is forced to cool) then the protection threshold can be moved up to 27-28 A (supply voltage 1.5 V and higher).

In general, against the background of experience with other ASUS motherboards, the ASUS 970 Pro Gaming/Aura looks better than the representatives of the ASUS M5A line.