Today we are checking out a new motherboard from Gigabyte which goes by the name MA790GP-DS4H, which I guess really is more of a codename. This new motherboard is designed to support AM2+ processors using the AMD 790GX chipset, which I have to admit did not have us all that excited to begin with…
First of all, getting excited over a product designed for the AMD Phenom platform is hard enough. Now please do not get me wrong, we really do like the Phenom, but liking something and getting excited about it are two very different things.
The Phenom processors brought quad-core technology to the masses, which is something that we were excited about. Unfortunately when it comes down to performance, the Phenom X4 is just not as exciting as the Core 2 Quad processors. Still the Phenom platform does have one ace up its sleeve, though I am scared to even mention it as I fear it might scare everyone away. Therefore, I am not going to talk about the fact that this is an integrated graphics chipset ... oops!
If you made it to this next paragraph then yes it is true, the new Gigabyte MA790GP-DS4H motherboard does feature the AMD 790GX, which is an IGP (Integrated Graphics Platform) chipset. However unlike the dreaded Intel GMA (Graphics Media Accelerator) series, the 790GX actually packs a bit of a punch.
This is because integrated is an ATI Radeon HD 3300 series engine (RV610) supporting DirectX 10. Clocked at 700MHz it features 40 unified shader processors, supports SidePort Memory, and also features ATI Avivo HD as well as universal video decoder (UVD) units that decode and post-process high-definition video available on Blu-ray discs and HD DVDs.
The AMD 790GX chipset also features numerous innovations that further enhance both graphics and processor performance. Such innovations include the new SB750 south bridge chip which is projected to “unlock” maximum AMD Phenom processor performance and allow for better overclocking. Additional enhancements that AMD has done to its 790GX chipset include trimming of power consumption thanks to enhancements of the PowerPlay technology and some other tweaks.
In typical fashion Gigabyte has put their own spin on their 790GX motherboard, offering a range of impressive features. Incredibly this latest AM2+ motherboard costs just $140 US which is impressive given you would pay much more than this for an LGA775 motherboard offering a decent integrated graphics engine. Before we get stuck into the benchmarks, let’s take a moment to examine the MA790GP-DS4H in more detail...
