ASUS M5A99FX PRO R2.0 vs. GIGABYTE GA-990FXA-UD3? vs. GIGABYTE GA-970A-UD3P

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swiftleeo

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I'm looking to replace my ASRock 970 Extreme3 with one of the following motherboards mentioned in the title of the thread. However, from what I've read in the Newegg reviews, I'm starting to rethink everything. The ASUS has less bad reviews percentage wise but it also has less good reviews in numbers. The Gigabyte has over 800+ good reviews but it has around 300+ bad reviews. I try to take everything with a grain of salt but with those numbers how am I supposed to decide? So I decided i'd come on here and ask you.

1. Which has a better reputation (customer service wise and build quality)
2. If you happen to own one of these boards, what are the pros and cons (in your own words)?
3. Why are there so many RMA for motherboards in general? The ratio of working/non-working boards seems to be 50/50. I've never had a bad board but I've only bought the one I'm using now.
4. Considering they are both ATX boards, they should fit in a black/blue NZXT H440 correct?
5. Out of these three boards, which one would you personally go with?

I know the last is a 970 chipset but I'm only running a FX-6300 six-core so it should be fine, right?
 
Solution
Eduello
1. Both are great, but I have more experience with Asus and the build quality is very good.

2. My ASUS M5A99FX PRO R2.0 does well at everything and has a lot of useful features. Two cons: The CPU fans can only be controlled with PWM, so 3-pin CPU fans always run at 100%. Asus AI suite has lots of useful tools, but it constantly complains about dangerous temps/voltages (other programs, like HWMonitor, read everything correctly).

3. There really aren't that many, but think about it like this: If you receive a faulty board, of course you'll write about it on Newegg, but if you receive a working board, you might not write a review at all.

4. You are correct.
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dovah-chan

dovah-chan

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Coming from someone who used to own a GA-990FXA-UD3 I was not satisfied with it AT ALL. Very unstable board in general with hot VRMs. It was the reason I sold it and my FX 8350 to switch over to an i5 4670K and an MSI Z87-G45. I somewhat regret getting rid of the 8350 and it felt much more snappier than the 4670K. Bottom line I'd choose the M5A99FX instead (which was my original choice but the UD3 was on sale at the time so I bought it and I regret it)
 
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Eduello

Eduello

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1. Both are great, but I have more experience with Asus and the build quality is very good.

2. My ASUS M5A99FX PRO R2.0 does well at everything and has a lot of useful features. Two cons: The CPU fans can only be controlled with PWM, so 3-pin CPU fans always run at 100%. Asus AI suite has lots of useful tools, but it constantly complains about dangerous temps/voltages (other programs, like HWMonitor, read everything correctly).

3. There really aren't that many, but think about it like this: If you receive a faulty board, of course you'll write about it on Newegg, but if you receive a working board, you might not write a review at all.

4. You are correct.
 
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swiftleeo

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Personally I want to get the Asus M5A99FX because I've heard great things about ASUS as far as reliability but when you get into reviews it starts to get blurry. Is ASUS customer service any good because from what I've read it used to be, but it has gone downhill recently?

@Eduello Answer 3: That is true. I haven't written reviews for three quarters of what actually works. I haven't written any bad reviews because it all works but I see what your getting at. Also as far as the CPU fans go, my Hyper 212 Evo is PWM, but I have it at 100% at all times anyway. As far as it being quiet goes; It makes noise, but nothing bad. I have a box fan in my room to keep the room cool so that drowns out every other sound in the room.
 
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Dunlop0078

Dunlop0078

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If you have the good fortune of getting a customer service rep you can actually understand its okay but ASUS customer service has infuriated me a few times. That said i have the M5A99X EVO R2.O they are pretty much the same and i love that board i had to RMA my first one tho it was DOA.
 
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Eduello

Eduello

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I've never had to RMA any Asus products so I wouldn't know about the customer service. If you get the board, make sure to disable AI suite on startup, that way it won't bother you at all times. I'd still install it though, it makes moving files to your Smartphone really convenient: http://event.asus.com/2012/mb/M5A99_97_eventsite/Exclusive-Control-Features-1.htm
 
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