Gigabyte GA-F2A68HM-DS2 motherboard offers a powerful and reliable foundation for building desktop systems with excellent performance and features, particularly for users working with AMD A series and Athlon™ series processors. With its FM2+ socket and the AMD A68H chipset, this motherboard is ideal for entry-level gaming, home, and office PCs, as well as for light-to-moderate content creation tasks.

Performance and Memory Support

The GA-F2A68HM-DS2 supports 2 x DDR3 DIMM sockets, capable of accommodating up to 64GB of system memory, which is perfect for users needing efficient multitasking performance. The motherboard supports a wide range of memory speeds, including DDR3 2400(OC), 2133, 1866, 1600, and 1333 MHz memory modules, ensuring that users can achieve the best possible memory performance for their specific needs. Furthermore, it is compatible with AMD Memory Profile (AMP) and Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) memory modules, providing flexibility for overclocking and maximizing system performance.

Storage and Expansion

For storage, the GA-F2A68HM-DS2 comes equipped with 4 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors, supporting high-speed data transfer and RAID configurations including RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 10, and JBOD, which ensures both speed and data redundancy options for storage. However, it does not feature an M.2 socket, meaning users may need to rely on traditional storage devices for more expansion.

Graphics and Display

The motherboard features 1 x D-Sub port supporting a maximum resolution of 1920x1200 and 1 x DVI-D port supporting a maximum resolution of 2560x1600, ensuring excellent visual clarity for general use. The GA-F2A68HM-DS2 also supports AMD Dual Graphics technology and AMD Eyefinity technology, allowing users to run multiple monitors or combine discrete and integrated graphics for better visual performance in gaming or productivity applications. It also supports a maximum shared memory of 2 GB, which can be crucial for graphics-intensive applications.

Network and Connectivity

For network connectivity, the Realtek® GbE LAN chip provides a stable and fast connection with support for 10/100/1000 Mbit Ethernet speeds, ideal for general internet browsing, media streaming, and online gaming. The motherboard includes a variety of PCI slots: 1 x PCI Express x16 slot (running at x16), 1 x PCI Express x1 slot, and 1 x PCI slot, offering expansion options for additional cards such as sound, network, or storage controllers.

USB and I/O Ports

Connectivity is well-provided for with 2 x USB 3.0/2.0 ports and 4 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports on the back panel, along with additional USB headers for internal expansion. This ensures that you can easily connect all your peripherals, such as USB drives, printers, and keyboards. The motherboard also includes 1 x PS/2 keyboard/mouse port, 1 x RJ-45 Ethernet port, and 3 x audio jacks for high-definition sound input and output, including Line In, Line Out, and Mic In, making it an excellent choice for audio and multimedia use.

Audio and BIOS Features

The motherboard is equipped with the Realtek® ALC887 codec, providing high-definition audio with support for 2/4/5.1/7.1-channel audio setups and S/PDIF Out for digital audio connections. The BIOS on the GA-F2A68HM-DS2 is a dual BIOS system, offering a backup BIOS to ensure system stability. It is also equipped with UEFI BIOS that supports advanced features like Q-Flash, Xpress Install, and EasyTune for easier system tuning and installation.

Additional Features

This motherboard comes with Ultra-Durable™ 4 Plus Technology for enhanced durability, including anti-surge protection, solid capacitors, and low RDS(on) MOSFETs for better efficiency and longevity. The motherboard also supports ErP Lot 6, ensuring energy efficiency and compliance with environmental standards. AMD Eyefinity and AMD Dual Graphics technology further enhance the visual experience, allowing users to achieve optimal performance with multiple displays or integrated graphics setups.

Warranty

The Gigabyte GA-F2A68HM-DS2 motherboard comes with a 3-year warranty, ensuring long-term reliability and customer support.

With its comprehensive feature set, including DDR3 memory support, RAID storage, and dual graphics capabilities, the Gigabyte GA-F2A68HM-DS2 is an excellent choice for users looking to build a versatile and high-performance system without breaking the bank. Whether for gaming, office tasks, or multimedia use, this motherboard delivers dependable performance and flexibility.