This time we have tested a middle-lower class motherboard but nevertheless an interesting model, Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3R. Gigabyte was always, at least when it’s comes to DS3 series of motherboards, known for simplicity and real good production quality.

As far as this model is concerned, there is enough space around CPU socket, so you can very easily mount any cooler. EPS 12V connector is positioned in upper left corner while 24-pin ATX connector for supplying components on motherboard is placed in upper right corner. For connecting HDD and new series of optical devices at disposition are six SATA II ports implemented in lower right corner along with PATA connector. Cooling of northbridge and southbridge, this time without cooling unit on power unit, is consisted of passive copper cooling system that isn’t connected with heat pipes. There was no overheating during test. Only true objection is nonexistence of cooling of voltage unit.

Voltage unit didn’t show itself as brilliant one, but that is expected from 6-phase unit. Voltage drop was in range from 0.015V up to maximum 0.025V (in case of exceeding 1.45V). Five R50 inductors with Low RDS (on) MOSFETs were responsible for that voltage drop and we are sure that situation would be much better if R80 inductors in 8-phase unit were used. Filtration of memory voltage is left to two 1R2 inductors and one 1R2 for northbridge. Power drop on northbridge could be less if one or maybe two additional inductors were implemented, but we could say that with existing setup we didn’t have problems. That’s because there was no need for higher northbridge voltage for achieving maximum FSB clock.

Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3R motherboard is equipped with two PCI Express x16 slots for CrossFireX multi GPU mode and between them are placed two PCI Express X1 slots. Along with all that, Gigabyte provided one additional PCI Express x1 slot located above first PCI Express x16 slot. If you are one of those users that are still using cards with older PCI 2.0 interface, you won’t be disappointed completely because of presence of two additional slots of this type. On back panel are placed even two IEEE 1394a ports and one coaxial S/PDIF Out and one optical S/PDIF Out connector.

BIOS on GA-EP45-DS3R motherboard is signed by AWARD. Through MB Inteligent Tweaker (M.I.T) section is possible to set clocks of certain components, memory latencies and voltages for most important items for overclock of whole system. Temperature and voltage displays can be seen in PC Health Status subsection where can be also set speed of fans attached to motherboard. Power unit of this model is literary “brutal” with maximum voltages that can be set for: CPU to 2.30V, memory to 3.040V, PLL to 2.810V and MCH to 1.73V. All we can advise you, is to forget on these maximum voltages if you don’t want your precious components to be blown to kingdom come.