Foxconn 975X7AA-8EKRS2H Motherboard Review

The Foxconn 975X7AA was a real joy to have in the Ninjalane Labs, actually this is one of the few boards that we have reviewed that didn't give us a single issue during the entire benchmarking process. All of the benchmarks ran cleanly with very repeatable results even after the system was completely torn down and reassembled on a different test bench.

Feature wise the 975X7AA is right in line with many other high-end motherboards and the additional features offered on the 975X chipset really help the board to stand out. The most notable option is the pair of 16x PCI Express video card slots located in the middle of the motherboard. These video slots open up a wide array of options such as running dual PCI Express video cards and up to 4 monitors at once. Or, for the gaming enthusiast using ATI video cards the Crossfire technology option which allows you to link the cards together and enhance your gameplay.

Another nice feature is the active cooling option found on the Northbridge, while there are several cooling options available we find the heatsink and fan combo to be a simple and effective solution that is likely to lead to other more efficient options such as watercooling. Watercooling is relatively silent and works well in high heat situations such as overclocking. The only downside is that we have yet to find a "good" universal chipset cooler that not only works well but is easy to install on loop enabled motherboards such as the ones found on this board.

The last item we wish to discuss isn't really a feature but more of a "perk" and is the "Sexy" red PCB. The PCB is of course the centerpiece in any custom PC and while several companies have opted for the standard "bad ass" black option for their high-end products we find the "Sexy" red option to be a perfect option to finish the whole package off.

Now for the ever popular list of Good things and Bad things.

Support for Dual everything, (Core, Memory, Video)
Sexy Red PCB
External SATA connection
FOx One performance modifications
Dual video card support
ATI Crossfire support
Lots of overclocking options in BIOS

Actually nothing, its all good