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So far, ECS has announced three motherboard models based on the AMD A75 chipset for the new AMD A-Series of CPUs with integrated graphics chip (“APUs”), the A75F-A, a full ATX model, and the A75F-M and the A75F-M2, which are microATX models. Let’s take a look at the full ATX model.
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.
We are glad to see that ECS took our constructive criticism very seriously. In the past, their motherboards used 300 different colors, looking more like a parade float than a motherboard. The A75F-A has a very sober appearance, with colors that match and make sense. For instance, they used three different colors on the PCI Express slots to differentiate their speeds, but instead of using their favorite colors such as red, yellow, and orange, they decided to use gray, black, and white, making the motherboard look much better, and giving ECS products a more professional appearance. Still, there are some colors that don’t match. The white used on the USB headers is brighter than the white used on the PCI Express slots, memory sockets, and power supply connector. The gray used on one of the USB headers is of a completely different hue than the gray used on the SATA ports and first PCI Express x16 slot.
Figure 1: ECS A75F-A motherboard
