The Test Center highlights noteworthy PC components that came through the lab so far this year. Manufacturers' ability to build components that support both quad- and dual-core hardware platforms continues to impress us.
Acer's latest Aspire Gemstone laptops come just in time for the holiday shopping blitz, targeting consumers with a range of entertainment-focused models.
It's been a busy quarter for shakeups in some of the industry's top channel companies. Here we look at several channel executives who have come and gone in the last few months.
Review: AMD 780G Chipset
4:04 PM EST Thu. Mar. 06, 2008
The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based chip maker launched the 780G earlier this week, and the Test Center evaluated the product. The chipset utilizes the latest Southbridge technology to offer the most connectivity options available today.
As an eighth-generation Integrated Graphics Processor, the 780G's high level of integration and scalability enables manufacturers to offer revolutionary performance and capabilities.
AMD touts a number of features in the 780G that are noteworthy:
- First AMD chipset with integrated digital DisplayPort output - Support for up to 12 USB 2.0 connections, 6 AHCI based SATA 3.0 Gb/s ports with eSATA capability - HD audio - Unified Video Decoder (UVD) - One x16 PCIe Gen 2 link - HT 3.0 - DVI/HDMI interface - Internal or external TMDS
We tested the 780G on a Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H motherboard which is loaded with all the features that take advantage of what the chipset had to offer, some of which are: four DIMM sockets supporting up to 16GB (ours had 2Gb); integrated High Definition 7.1 Audio; 10 Gigabit Ethernet connection; PCI Express x16 slot; 5 SATA 3Gb/s connectors supporting RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10; one eSATA 3Gb/s port on the back and four USB ports with support for eight more via the internal headers.
Installed in an Antec case with an Ultra 3X 1000 watt power supply, a 160Gb SATA HDD, running Windows Vista Ultimate with SP1, and measured with Passmark and PCMark Vantage benchmarking tools, our testing continuously concluded with results at the top of the charts, with every graphics test ranking the system in the top 10 percent of the scale. (The overall 2D graphics mark was 272.3 out of 300 and overall 3D graphics mark was an incredible 89.6 out of 90).
With support for full 1080p, High Definition video files played smoothly with the clarity that is expected of them -- all with integrated video. This chipset isn't just for gamers; it is also the perfect solution as a quiet, energy efficient media center (AMD specs power consumption as 42 watts at idle; our entire test system drew approximately 86 watts at idle).
AMD's 780G Chipset provides more display choices (including VGA, DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort) than any other chipset to come through our test center. It is also AMD's first integrated chipset with a DirectX 10 compliant graphics core.
The 780G also supports ATI Hybrid Graphics Technology (uniquely supported by Microsoft Vista. Not supported under the Windows XP operating system). This feature can provide significant performance boost to AMD-based systems by allowing an additional graphics card to be installed into the board and combining the processing power with the integrated card by enabling the ability for both discrete GPU and IGP graphics cores to render simultaneously in CrossFire mode. The chipset also can make due with a discrete graphics card with AMDs SurroundView, which supports up to four monitors.
The AMD Solution Provider Program offers system builders the opportunity to earn Reward Points by purchasing eligible AMD processors. When used in conjunction with a motherboard housing a 780G chipset, a powerful, economical multi-media (or gaming) system can be designed and delivered to meet any need.
