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Black ATX motherboard with blue accents, silver CPU socket, four black RAM slots, multiple PCIe slots, six SATA ports

GIGABYTE

GIGABYTE GA-970-Gaming (rev. 1.0) AMD motherboard

SKU CH-QHX4-44FQK

ATX board for AM3+/AM3 CPUs with four DDR3 slots up to 32 GB, one PCIe x16 and two PCIe x1 slots, six SATA 6Gb/s ports, one M.2 connector.

  • CPU socketAM3+/AM3
  • ChipsetAMD 970
  • Form factorATX
  • South bridgeAMD SB950
  • Memory slot count4 × 240pin
  • Supported memoryDDR3 2000(O.C.)/ 1866/ 1600/ 1333/ 1066 * To support a DDR3
  • Supports AMD AM3+ and AM3 CPUs for flexible processor choice
  • Dual-channel DDR3 up to 32 GB across four DIMM slots
  • USB 3.1 Type-C port delivers 10 Gb/s data transfer
  • M.2 Socket 3 accepts 2242, 2260 and 2280 SATA or PCIe x2 drives
  • Killer E2201 Gigabit LAN optimises gaming traffic

Socket AM3+ Platform

The GA-970-Gaming (rev. 1.0) is an ATX motherboard built around the AMD 970 chipset and SB950 south bridge. It accepts AM3+ and AM3 processors, giving builders a path to run AMD FX, Phenom II or Athlon II CPUs on a single board. Four 240-pin slots support dual-channel DDR3 up to 32 GB, with speeds from 1066 to 2000 MHz when overclocked.

DDR3 1866 Upgrade Path

Moving to DDR3 1866 or 2000 MHz requires an AM3+ processor installed first, so the memory jump is only worth it when you also upgrade the CPU. The board adds a 10 Gb/s M.2 socket (2242, 2260, 2280) that handles both SATA and PCIe x2 drives, replacing slower SATA-only storage. Six SATA 6 Gb/s ports with RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 and JBOD give flexible array options for larger mechanical drives.

Build Integration

One PCI Express x16 slot runs at x16 (Gen 2.0) for a primary graphics card, while a second x16 slot and two x1 slots provide extra expansion room. Legacy PCI slots remain for older add-in cards. Rear I/O includes USB 3.1 Type-C, USB 3.0, Killer E2201 Gigabit LAN and Realtek ALC1150 audio with 115 dB SNR. UEFI DualBIOS and APP Center utilities handle firmware updates and tuning without extra software.

How it compares

Measured against everything we stock in Motherboards for AMD CPUs, at today’s prices. Recalculated every night.

Price $95.99
Cheaper than about 77% of the 1,906 comparable items (median $224.49).

New to this? Buying PC parts with Monero — what to check, what it costs to pay, and what is never asked for.

Specifications

Product
Brand nameGIGABYTE
Model nameGA-970-Gaming
Processor
CPU socketAM3+/AM3
ChipsetAMD 970
Memory
Memory slot count4 × 240pin
Supported memoryDDR3 2000(O.C.)/ 1866/ 1600/ 1333/ 1066 * To support a DDR3 1866 MHz (and above) memory, you must install an AM3+ CPU first.
Max supported RAM32 GB
Memory channelsDual Channel
Storage
SATA ports6 x SATA 6Gb/s
M.2 slots1 x M.2 connector (Socket 3, M key, type 2242/2260/2280 SATA and PCIe x2/x1 SSD support)
SATA and RAID support0/1/5/10/JBOD
Audio & video
Audio chipRealtek ALC1150
Sound channels2/4/5.1/7.1-channel
Connectivity
Ethernet controllerKiller E2201 LAN chip
Maximum network speed10/100/1000 Mbit/s
Ports & slots
PCIe x1 slots2 x PCI Express x1 slots (All of the PCI Express slots conform to PCI Express 2.0 standard.)
PCI slots2 x PCI Slots
PS/2 ports1 x PS/2 keyboard/mouse port
USB 3.1 ports1 x USB Type-C port, with USB 3.1 support 1 x USB 3.1 Type-A port (red)
USB 3.0 ports2 x USB 3.0
USB 2.0 ports6 x USB 2.0
S/PDIF output1 x Optical
Audio jacks5 x audio jacks (Center/Subwoofer Speaker Out, Rear Speaker Out, Line In, Line Out, Mic In)
Onboard USB headers1 x USB 3.0/2.0 header 3 x USB 2.0/1.1 headers
Power
Power connectors1 × 24-pin ATX main power connector 1 × 8-pin ATX 12 V power connector
Size & build
Form factorATX
Width and length12.01 in × 9.61 in
More details
South bridgeAMD SB950

Questions about this item

What size M.2 SSD fits the Socket 3 M-key connector on the GA-970-Gaming?

The M.2 slot accepts 2242, 2260 and 2280 form-factor drives in both SATA and PCIe x2 or x1 modes.

How do I enable DDR3 1866 MHz memory on this board?

Install an AM3+ processor first; the memory controller in AM3+ CPUs unlocks 1866 MHz and higher speeds, while AM3 CPUs cannot.

Which SATA ports should I use for a RAID 0 array with the AMD SB950 south bridge?

All six SATA 6Gb/s ports are wired to the SB950 and support RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 and JBOD configurations.

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