Table of Contents
The X79G is a budget motherboard for socket 2011. It’s basically the minimum viable configuration for a simple home PC.
The first revisions hit the market back in 2019 and, despite the extremely basic configuration and some shortcomings, the model is still being produced. Over time, many revisions have been released, and you can find this board under various brands: Atermiter, Envinda, Machinist, etc.
Specifications
| Model | X79G v1.6 |
|---|---|
| Socket | LGA 2011 |
| Chipset | C602 |
| Supported Processors | Intel Core i7 (3000, 4000 series, Sandy Bridge-E/Ivy Bridge-E) Intel Xeon E5-1600 v1/v2, E5-2600 v1/v2, E5-4600 v1/v2 (Sandy Bridge-EP/Ivy Bridge-EP) |
| Supported Memory | 4 x DDR3 DIMM (dual-channel) with ECC and non-ECC support Maximum capacity: 64 GB |
| Sleep Mode (S3) Support | No |
| Expansion Slots | 1 x PCI-e x16 1 x PCI-e x1 |
| Storage | 1 x SATA 3.0 3 x SATA 2.0 1 x M.2 (NGFF\NVME, Gen 3.0 x4) |
| Fan Connectors | 1 x CPU cooler (4pin) 1 x Case fan (3pin) |
| PS/2 Ports | 2 (mouse + keyboard) |
| USB 3.0 Ports | - |
| USB 2.0 Ports | 6 (+ front panel support) |
| Network | Gigabit LAN (RTL8111H) |
| Audio | 5.1 channel (ALC662) |
| JLPC\Debug header | Yes |
| Extra | COM port header |
| Form Factor & Dimensions | mATX 235 x 185 mm |
| Approximate Price | AliExpress: $30 - $45 (Check Price) |
Since this board targets the very bottom of the price segment, don’t be surprised by the modest I/O. You only get one SATA III port; this is compensated a bit by the presence of a dual‑format M.2 slot, but the lack of USB 3.0 is something you’ll have to accept or solve by using the single PCIe x1 slot for an expansion card.
Even if your particular revision has a USB 3.0 header for the front panel, it will still run at USB 2.0 speeds. The only benefit is that you can at least hook up more ports.
The power delivery is typical for boards of this level: a total of 7 phases, 6 of which are dedicated to the CPU. Each phase uses two MOSFETs. On our sample these are QN3103M6N (68 A / 6.3 mΩ) as the high‑side and QN3107M6N (110 A / 2.6 mΩ) as the low‑side, but you may encounter versions with other MOSFETs. The manufacturer doesn’t publish exact VRM capabilities, but judging by the small heatsinks and general experience, you shouldn’t install CPUs with a TDP higher than ~100 W without adding extra airflow over the VRM.
Otherwise, the board doesn’t really stand out from the countless other inexpensive LGA2011 options. Standard components are used and soldering quality is average.
Revisions
One defining trait of this model is the huge number of different revisions with no coherent changelog.
At a minimum, the X79G exists in the following revisions: 1.21 / 1.3 / 1.41 / 1.51 / 1.6 / 2.0 / 3.0 / 3.01, and there may be a few rarer variants. Even boards with the same revision aren’t guaranteed to be identical. Over time, a lot has changed: the total number of SATA ports and how many of them are SATA3, the number of USB ports, whether the M.2 slot supports different operating modes, the audio and LAN chips, and more. The manufacturer shuffled these parts around seemingly at random until things settled into what we see on the latest version of the board, which apparently is the X79G v1.6 (versions 2.0 and 3.0 actually came out earlier).
Although the main silicon (chipset, Super I/O, etc.) stayed the same, this many undocumented tweaks didn’t help the model and only added confusion.
BIOS Capabilities
The X79G uses a typical Chinese BIOS template based on AMI APTIO 4. The firmware has no fancy interface or mouse support.
Regardless of board revision and stock BIOS version, the functionality is roughly the same: you can adjust memory frequency (up to 1866 MHz), and on some versions it’s possible to overclock unlocked CPUs up to around 3.9 GHz. Secure Boot is present in most builds (its operation hasn’t been fully tested). There is no access to memory timings by default. Flashing a modified BIOS unlocks timing controls, memory overclocking up to 2133 MHz, plus higher CPU overclocks.
The main problem with X79G BIOSes is that, because of the huge number of revisions, it’s impossible to say for sure which BIOS build will be compatible with a specific board. We recommend flashing modified firmware only if its version matches the original one (as shown on the BIOS splash screen).
Nothing technically stops you from trying other versions, but for this kind of experiment you really should have an SPI programmer on hand.
| BIOS version | BIOS date | Board rev | Ram Timings | ReBAR | Unlocked CPU OC | Secure Boot | Notes & Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X79GA00A | 07/17/2019 17:13:01 | 1.21 | + | - | + | + | Stock version + mod (timings, CPU and RAM overclocking) [Download] |
| X79GA00C | 12/21/2019 16:27:40 | 1.21 | + | - | + | + | Stock version + mod (timings, CPU and RAM overclocking) [Download] |
| X79GA00E | 03/30/2020 17:34:17 | 1.21 | + | - | + | + | Stock version + mod (timings, CPU and RAM overclocking) [Download] |
| X79GA00K | 12/14/2020 14:52:01 | 1.3 | + | - | + | + | Stock version + mod (timings, CPU and RAM overclocking) [Download] |
| X79GA00J | 09/23/2020 14:33:11 | 1.3 | + | - | + | + | Stock version + mod (timings, CPU and RAM overclocking) [Download] |
| X79GA00O | 08/25/2022 14:20:38 | 1.51 | + | - | + | + | Stock version + mod (timings, CPU and RAM overclocking) [Download] |
| X79GAOOR | 04/01/2024 14:24:15 | 1.6 | + | + | + | - | Mod version only [Download] |
| X79GN002 | 11/19/2020 16:55:33 | 2.0 | + | - | + | + | Mod version only [Download] |
| X79GN006 | 12/28/2020 11:15:03 | 3.0 | + | - | + | + | Mod version only [Download] |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I connect the front panel?
Which memory slots are primary?
The green slots (the ones farther from the CPU). The black slots are secondary and should be populated last.
Where can I find drivers for this board?
The page with current drivers for socket 2011 boards is located here.
Where is the BIOS chip located?
To the right of the chipset heatsink.
Conclusion
The X79G is a completely ordinary model for its price segment that has somehow managed to stick around on the market. There’s nothing special here, but if you’re shopping at the very bottom of the price range and aren’t willing to raise your budget, it’ll do the job. Yes, you’ll have to live without fast USB, without proper sleep mode, and with some quirks of Chinese firmware, but if those things don’t scare you off, you’ll end up with an inexpensive system that offers decent enough performance for the money.
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Senior Hardware Specialist proving you don't need top-tier gear to game. Expert in smart upgrades and budget-friendly PC restoration.