The AMD 790GX Chipset Arrives – Asus M3A78-T Motherboard

A New Board, A New Chipset – Continued

Two things that AMD is touting with the release of the 790GX chipset is the Advanced Clock Calibration (ACC for short), and the new AMD Overdrive Utility.

The Overdrive Utility sports a new user interface (red and black, depending on your CPU), and allows you to overclock the sideport memory of the IGP.

The Advanced Clock Calibration enhances communication between the processor, the Northbridge and the Southbridge. Simply put, ACC works under the hood and tells components what to expect, whether it would be higher than normal settings for overclocking, or even lower settings than normal for underclocking. This is supposed to allow for higher overclocks and better underclocks as well.

The above chart tells us exactly where AMD sees this chipset fitting in. They are not introducing the board expecting it to be the top dog. It is suppose to be a part that is performance oriented, yet lacks some of the enhancements of the top FX chipset.

As I looked at this board and talked with AMD about it, the feeling I got was that this board is so versatile that any user really could be a target. Pricing for the board is supposed to be between $100-$150. The lower price will bring this board to the average Joe who is price conscious, or who is experiencing his first self- built computer. A price-performance conscious individual will see the board’s value as it performs very well with enhanced overclocking, and the price will not cause sticker shock. The power user may even be interested in this board for its no-frills approach and its overclocking ability. It really seems to be one of the most versatile boards out there…and it will not break the bank!