After months of testing mostly expensive boards, we finally have one of the cheapest motherboards we’ve tested on the bench this year, the Gigabyte A620M Gaming X. Full platform features plus CPU overclocking (can overclock memory). But it has the basics covered – mostly.
This entry-level priced motherboard is designed to give you a fully featured platform to use the latest processors. Priced at under $120, this Micro ATX board supports the latest 7000 series (AM5) processors including 170W flagship class SKUs such as the Ryzen 9 7950X. It has 4 SATA ports, 1 M.2 socket, a low-cost audio codec, and 2.5 GbE (no wireless). But at this price, especially with this chipset, there is no PCIe 5.0 capable M.2 socket or PCIe slot, only PCIe 4.0.
Gigabyte has four motherboards with the low-end A620 chipset, all of which are Micro ATX boards like the Gaming X. If you want Wi-Fi, we have the Gaming X AX. The A620M S2H and A620M H cost less, but at the time of this writing there wasn’t yet US availability for all models. Lowering it is not recommended. Because the latter he two don’t even provide a heat sink for a paltry power supply.
Performance-wise, the A620M Gaming X was hit or miss, depending on our testing. If multithreading is heavily used, the A620M Gaming X could be average to below average at best. It was average to above average when the test was single or light threaded. This budget board was low on games, Procyon Office tests, and power usage. Overall, this motherboard won’t hold you back. However, to get the most out of your processor, you can tweak (reduce) the voltage to save power and prevent thermal throttling.
Even at $120, this board is our best motherboard list. However, that doesn’t mean the AM5 isn’t a viable option for those looking to get their hands on a cheap one. Before we get into all the details, here’s the full list of specifications for the A620M Gaming X, straight from Gigabyte.
Specifications: Gigabyte A620M Gaming X
| socket | AM5 |
| chipset | A620M |
| form factor | MATX |
| voltage regulator | 11 Phase (8x 50A SPS MOSFET for Vcore) |
| video port | (1) HDMI (v2.1) |
| (1) DisplayPort (v1.4) | |
| USB port | (1) USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps) Type-C |
| (1) USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) | |
| (2) USB 3.2 Gen1 (5Gbps) | |
| (2) USB2.0 (480Mbps) | |
| network jack | (1) 2.5GbE |
| audio jack | (3) Analog |
| Legacy Port/Jack | ✗ |
| Other Ports/Jacks | ✗ |
| PCIe x16 | (1) v4.0 (x16) |
| PCIe x8 | ✗ |
| PCIe x4 | ✗ |
| PCIe x 1 | (1) v3.0 x1 |
| DIMM slots | (4) DDR5 6400(OC), 128GB capacity |
| M.2 socket | (1) PCIe 4.0 x4 (64Gbps) / PCIe (up to 80mm) |
| SATA port | (4) SATA3 6Gbps |
| Supports RAID 0/1/10 | |
| USB header | (1) USB v3.2 Gen 1, Type-C (5Gbps) |
| (1) USB v3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps) | |
| (1) USB v2.0 (480Mbps) | |
| fan/pump header | (3) 4-pin (CPU, system fan) |
| RGB header | (1) aRGB (3 pin) |
| (1) RGB (4 pin) | |
| diagnostic panel | ✗ |
| Internal button/switch | ✗ |
| SATA controller | ✗ |
| ethernet controller | (1) Realtek RTL8125GB (2.5GbE) |
| Wi-Fi/Bluetooth | ✗ |
| USB controller | ✗ |
| HD audio codec | Realtek ALC897 |
| DDL/DTS | ✗ / ✗ |
| guarantee | 3 years |
What’s in the Gigabyte A620M Gaming X box
Besides the motherboard, the package includes some accessories. For this extreme budget board, you get two SATA cables and an IO plate on the back. I don’t even have a manual, folks. You should get that and the drivers online at his website.
Design of Gigabyte A620M Gaming X
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The Gigabyte A620M Gaming X sits on a dark brown 6-layer PCB with white lines/patterns meandering around the board. Only his VRM bank (for Vcore) on the left is covered with a heatsink. It’s attached to the board with thumbtacks, but that’s enough. This isn’t amazing for an entry-level board, but I want screws anyway. Those heatsinks need all the help the 7950X gets when it’s socketed.
If you want integrated RGB in your build, you’ll need to look elsewhere or add your own via 4-pin RGB and 3-pin ARGB headers. Fine tune your lighting with the Gigagbyte Control Center software and the in-suite RGB Fusion application. All in all, this looks like a budget committee. Regardless, most users will put it in a windowless case along with other visually discreet budget options.
Looking at the top of the board, we first see a single 8-pin EPS connector (required) to power the processor. Just below that is a small heatsink above his VRM bank on the left, with a brushed aluminum finish and light gray accents that match the board’s pattern. The heatsink is on the small side, especially considering the budget MOSFETs below, but it did well (albeit barely) in our testing.
Sliding right through the socket area, you’ll come across four unhardened DRAM slots with locks on one side (top). Gigabyte List supports up to DDR5-6400(OC). Weirdly, I had problems with the slower DDR5-5600 kit, but it ran fine in the benchmarks. However, when I stress tested with XMP enabled, the test failed within minutes. I installed the DDR5-6000 kit and used the EXPO profile and it worked in any situation.
The first (three) 4-pin fan headers are located directly above the memory slots. Each header supports PWM and DC controlled devices and outputs up to 2A/24W, so you can run multiple fans on the same header if needed. Don’t overload these headers. It can damage your motherboard. Moving down the right edge, we come across a 24-pin ATX connector that powers the board, a second fan header, and a USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Type-C port on the front panel.
The Gigabyte A620M Gaming X’s power delivery is probably the least capable (on paper) we’ve seen. I did not remove the VRM heatsink. Because it is secured with two thumbtacks and with the same pressure he tends not to attach a second time. We can see that the Richtek RT3674AE (X+Y+Z=6, 4+1) controller powers a total of eight 50A Infineon MOSFETs (not shown) in a team configuration for Vcore. There’s not a lot of 400A available, and these get hot, but enough to keep the processor running perfectly in most situations.
At the bottom of the board are the audio section and some capacitors dedicated to sound. You won’t find a Faraday cage or DAC or amplifier in this price range, but users can get the budget-class Realtek ALC897 chip/codec. , can be installed in the x1 slot on the bottom of the board. However, that would increase the cost significantly, so you’ll have to choose a better board at that point.
Two PCIe slots and one M.2 socket are located in the middle of the board. The top PCIe slot is connected through the CPU and runs at PCIe 4.0 x16 speeds. Meanwhile, a small x1 slot on the bottom of the board feeds a lane through the chipset and runs at PCIe 3.0 x1. Only one slot is available for expansion after the primary graphics slot, so you need to choose your hardware wisely.
Between the PCIe slots is one (and only one) M.2 socket. This socket connects through a processor, runs at speeds up to PCIe 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps), and features a small heatsink to help cool these warm-running devices. Some users may find one M.2 socket prohibitive, but at this price he has two other options. Again, if you’re looking for something PCIe 5.0 based, you should consider a (more expensive) board with a different chipset.
If you go all the way to the right through the chipset heatsink with pushpins attached, you’ll come across four SATA3 6 Gbps SATA ports (supporting RAID0/1/10). In the lower right corner is the 19-pin front panel USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) header. A few more headers are exposed at the bottom of the board. Here you’ll find common connections such as additional USB ports, RGB headers, and 4-pin fan headers. Below is the complete list from left to right.
- front panel audio
- SPI TPM header
- 4-pin RGB header
- 3-pin ARGB header
- (2) USB 2.0 headers
- 4 pin system fan header
- front panel
The A620M Gaming X’s rear IO is as sparse as you’d expect from a sub-$120 motherboard. You won’t get all the quick connections of the more expensive options.You’ll have to install the rear IO plate yourself, but at this price it’s to be expected. There are six USB ports, including 10 Gbps Type-C and Type-A ports, two 5 Gbps ports (blue), and two USB 2.0 ports. There is a traditional PS/2 port and a 2.5 GbE port for mouse or keyboard. On the left are HDMI and DisplayPort video outputs for integrated graphics, and on the far right is a 3-plug (3.5mm analog) audio stack. The 5 Type A ports on the rear IO are a concern for some users. Other than that, it’s pretty standard here.
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