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Roundup: Four 790FX Socket AM3 Motherboards
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1. 790FX Is Still The King

More than just a relic of AMD’s original Spider platform, the 790FX remains the company's only real enthusiast northbridge. The newer SB750 southbridge offers modern peripheral performance too, while DDR3 support via AMD’s latest on-die memory controller is the latest performance trend.

The big reason you'd choose a 790FX over the more “modern” 790GX is its 38 PCI Express (PCIe) 2.0 pathways, which can be configured as two x16, four x8, or a mix of single x16 and two x8 sets, with six pathways to spare. As with the 790GX, AMD’s third-generation HyperTransport interconnect links the 790FX to the AM3 processor, so the only two things more “modern” about the 790GX are its onboard Radeon HD 3300-series graphics core, which enthusiasts don’t want anyway, and its release date.

We have to suspect that most AMD enthusiasts haven’t considered shifting over to AM3 yet because of the lack of top-range clock speeds for DDR3-supporting processors (plus the fact that half are triple-core models, while the other half are quad-cores with cut-back cache).

AMD will release updated models soon, but we can’t give you the speed or the date (Ed.: Here's a hint: check back tomorrow). Until then, many are choosing the Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition for its excellent reputation in overclocking, since most programs can’t take advantage of all four cores of the slower-clocked Phenom II X4 910.

Socket AM3 Processors
Model

Frequency

L3 Cache

Voltage

Model #

Socket

Phenom II X4 910

2.6 GHz

6 MB

0.875-1.425V 

Tray: HDX910WFK4DGI

AM3, AM2+, AM2

Phenom II X4 810

2.6 GHz

4 MB

0.875-1.425V 

Tray: HDX810WFK4FGI;

PIB: HDX810WFGIBOX

AM3, AM2+, AM2

Phenom II X4 805

2.5 GHz

4 MB

0.875-1.425V 

Tray: HDX805WFK4FGI

AM3, AM2+, AM2

Phenom II X3 720 BE

2.8 GHz

6 MB

0.850-1.425V 

Tray: HDZ720WFK3DGI;

PIB: HDZ720WFGIBOX

AM3, AM2+, AM2

Phenom II X3 710

2.6 GHz

6 MB

0.875-1.425V 

Tray: HDX710WFK3DGI;

PIB: HDX710WFGIBOX

AM3, AM2+, AM2

2. Socket AM3 Motherboard Features Comparison

One of the great things about high-end AMD motherboards is that enthusiasts can get top features at mid-market prices. Today’s 790FX Socket AM3 models are all available for under $200, whereas similarly-featured LGA 1366 parts typically cost over $300.

790FX Socket AM3 Motherboard Features

 

Asus
M4A79T Deluxe

DFI LANParty DK
790FXB-M3H5

Gigabyte
MA790FXT-UD5P

MSI
790FX-GD70

Northbridge

AMD 790FX

AMD 790FX

AMD 790FX

AMD 790FX

Southbridge

SB750

SB750

SB750

SB750

Voltage Regulator

10 Phases

5 Phases

10 Phases

5 Phases

BIOS

0902 (03-26-2009)

306 (03-06-2009)

F4 (03-13-2009)

V1.1 (03-13-2009)

200 MHz Base Clock

200.7

200.0 (+0.0%)

200.9 (+0.45%)

200.0 (+0.0%)

Clock Generator

ICS 9LPRS477CKL

ICS 9LPRS477CKL

ICS 9LPRS477CKL

RTM880N-793

Internal Interfaces

PCIe

4 (2x x16 or 4x x8)

3 (x16/x16/x4)

2 (x16/x16)

4 (2x x16 or 4x x8)

PCIe x1

0

0

3

1

Legacy PCI

2

3

2

2

USB 2.0

3 (6 ports)

3 (6 ports)

2 (4 ports)

2 (4 ports)

FireWire

1

0

1

1

Serial Port

1

1

1

1

Parallel Port

0

0

1

0

Floppy

1

1

1

1

Ultra ATA-133

1 (2-drives)

1 (2-drives)

1 (2-drives)

1 (2-drives)

SATA

5

6

10

8

4-Pin Fan

1

1

2

1

3-Pin Fan

3

5

3

4

FP-Audio

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

CD Audio

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

S/PDIF I/O

Output Only

None

Both

Output Only

Power Button

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Reset Button

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

CLR_CMOS Button

Jumper Only

Jumper Only

Yes

Yes

Diagnostics Panel

None

2-Character

None

2-character

I/O Panel Connectors

PS/2

2

2

2

2

USB 2.0

6

6

8

7

FireWire

1

0

2

1

Network

1

1

2

2

eSATA

1

0

0

1

CLR_CMOS Button

None

By Jumper

None

None

Digital Audio Out

2

2

2

2

Digital Audio In

0

0

0

0

Analog Audio

6

6

6

6

Mass Storage Controllers

Chipset SATA

6x SATA 3.0 Gb/s

6x SATA 3.0 Gb/s

6x SATA 3.0 Gb/s

6x SATA 3.0 Gb/s

Chipset RAID Modes

0, 1, 5, 10, JBOD

0, 1, 5, 10, JBOD

0, 1, 5, 10, JBOD

0, 1, 5, 10, JBOD

Add-In SATA

None

None

JMB363 PCIe to
2x JMB322 Hub,
4x SATA 3.0 Gb/s*

JMB362/JMB322
1x eSATA 3.0 Gb/s
2x SATA 3.0 Gb/s*

Add-In RAID Modes

None

None

0, 1, JBOD

0, 1, JBOD

FireWire

VT6315N PCIe
2x 400 Mb/s

None

TSB43AB23 PCI
3x 400 Mb/s

VT6315N PCIe
2x 400 Mb/s

Gigabit Ethernet

Primary LAN

RTL8112 PCIe

88E8056 PCIe

RTL8111DL PCIe

RTL8111DL PCIe

Secondary LAN

None

None

RTL8111DL PCIe

RTL8111DL PCIe

Audio

HD Audio Codec

ALC1200

ALC885

ALC889A

ALC889

3. Asus M4A79T Deluxe

Features and Layout

Four PCIe 2.0 slots and an eSATA port make the M4A79T Deluxe an enthusiast part, but the single Gigabit Ethernet port separates it from other high-end boards.

We’re not going to second-guess Asus’ design decisions, but the reason AMD originally pushed four-slot 790FX motherboard designs was for four-way CrossFireX support. The configuration is possible on the M4A79T Deluxe, but only with single-slot cards such as the Radeon HD 4850 with reference-design cooling.

Electronic switches allow the M4A79T Deluxe to automatically configure its x16-length slots as dual x16, quad x8, or single x16 and dual x8 pathways. A fifth switch for each secondary slot allows it to use alternative pathways when an x1 card is installed.

An internal feature “missing” from the M4A79T Deluxe is any third-party hard drive controller. Asus instead directs one of the chipset’s SATA 3.0 Gb/s ports to I/O-panel eSATA, resulting in five internal ports. Two of the ports face forward, which could be problematic for some older case designs that have a hard drive cage blocking access.

Three of the remaining ports that face outward from the surface are ideally placed for nearly any mid-tower case, but some full-towers will require extra-long SATA cables to reach the upper bays. Any dual-GPU card could cover up these ports in the center black slot, but the blue slots are the proper places for a pair of Radeon HD 4870 X2s. Single-GPU cards typically used in three- and four-card configurations are short enough to prevent conflicts.

Power, fan, Ultra ATA, and USB port interfaces are all in acceptable locations, but a quick look at the bottom rear corner provides reason for a few complaints. Front-panel audio (off-white) and FireWire (red) connectors are far too difficult to reach with cables coming from upper-bay front-panel ports, while the floppy header—usually required only for adding AHCI or RAID drivers during Windows XP installation—is too far away from a standard case’s external 3.5” bay.

BIOS

A list of voltage and frequency ranges can be found in the overclocking comparison of this review.

The Asus Ai Tweaker menu contains many basic and a few advanced-clock and voltage controls.

DRAM timings are found within an Ai Tweaker sub-menu.

EZ Flash 2 allows updating BIOS from non-bootable media, while Asus OC Profile stores custom BIOS settings for future use.

Accessories

Two CrossFire bridges and a short SATA cable add value to a traditional accessory kit. However, the outdated floppy cable is gone. Good riddance, we say.

4. DFI LANParty DK 790FXB-M3H5

Features and Layout

DFI’s high-end LANParty DK 790FXB-M3H5 comes at a decidedly mid-market price, lacking a fourth graphics-card slot and a FireWire controller that competing models offer.

DFI uses the reduced number of x16 slots as a good way to spread these farther apart for enhanced graphics cooling. The top-two slots are locked with x16 pathways, while the third slot uses four of 790FX’s six left-over PCI Express 2.0 links to provide the same bandwidth that previous-generation x8 slots do. The third slot should offer adequate performance for cards up to the single-GPU Radeon HD 4870, while Radeon HD 4870 X2 users will prefer the two x16 slots.

DFI takes a symbolic lead over Asus in Ultra ATA and especially floppy header placement (for anyone who still uses those legacy interfaces), but the lower drive cage of some older case designs could block its forward-facing SATA ports. However, forward-facing ports allow cables to slip under the end of long expansion cards.

DFI is the only company in today’s line-up to provide a method for clearing custom BIOS settings from outside of an already-built system. A jumper on the rear panel is a little more cumbersome than a button would be, but it greatly reduces the likelihood of accidental engagement.

Great layout choices include a front-panel audio connector at the centerrather than at the bottomof the rear edge, which is far enough below the top x16 slot to prevent collision with over-sized graphics coolers.

We have no layout complaints for the LANParty DK 790FXB-M3H5, but one minor caveat concerns the eight-pin CPU power connector. Since it is around 1.5" below the top edge, attaching the power connector may pose problems for builders who prefer to wrap this cable around the back of the motherboard tray from bottom-mounted power supplies.

BIOS

Voltage and frequency ranges for the LANParty DK 790FXB-M3H5 can be found in a comparative chart in this article’s overclocking section.

DFI’s Genie BIOS has all the most important frequency controls, but some of the labels might appear unfamiliar to users of other brands.

A fairly broad selection of DRAM timing controls are found in a Genie BIOS submenu, but the voltage sub-menu is slightly less elaborate.

Accessories

DFI still provides a round Ultra ATA cable, but the LANParty DK 790FXB-M3H5 lacks any floppy cable. DFI also includes four replacement jumpers with easy-grip tabs.

5. Gigabyte GA-MA790FXT-UD5P

Features and Layout

Knowing that a pair of dual-GPU graphics cards is the most popular method for configuring four-GPU CrossFireX, Gigabyte reduced its x16 slots to only two and added other features instead.

For a slightly lower price than the competing Asus model, Gigabyte buyers get four extra SATA ports, dual-Gigabit network controllers, and an extra FireWire port. Buyers lose the ability to run more than two graphics boards, but also lose the higher price that accompanies Asus’ 10 electronic PCIe pathway-selector switches.

That makes the UD5P a more cost- and space-efficient design for single or dual graphics card configurations, all the way up to a pair of Radeon HD 4870 X2s. Gigabyte even cut away a portion of its northbridge sink to make room for full-length PCIe x1 expansion cards in the top slot, which is a great place for a discrete audio card upgrade. Ironically, the most likely add-in here would be Asus' Xonar.

What’s old is new again, at least when it comes to adding convenience to the MA790FX6-UD5P layout. For example, the ports that hardly anyone uses—legacy serial and parallel—have been moved to the bottom rear corner where they can be more easily accessed with a rear-panel breakout plate. Meanwhile, IDE and floppy connectors are both found above the centerline of the board’s front edge, for easier cabling to upper bays of full-tower cases.

Gigabyte knows that builders no longer rely on slot brackets to connect USB and FireWire breakout cables, so it moved these headers forward for easier cabling to front-panel ports. The front-panel audio header resides in front of rear-panel jacks for a similar reason.

We have no layout complaints, but builders should be aware that all four of the MA790FX-UD5P's add-in SATA ports (white) share a single PCIe pathway through the JMicron JMB363 controller, for a maximum combined throughput of 250 MB/s. That’s far short of the 1,200 MB/s combined bandwidth that four 3.0 Gb/s ports are theoretically capable of supporting.

BIOS

A comparison of frequency and voltage range for today’s motherboards can be found in this article’s overclocking section.

Gigabyte's M.I.T menu provides a fairly large selection of clock and several voltage controls.

The DRAM Configuration sub-menu contains all popular timings, along with several not-so-popular sub-timings. “Automatic” mode is not available for individual settings, but two columns to the left of these show what would have been used in Automatic or SPD mode. The less-initiated can simply copy values from one of these two columns into each manual register as needed.

Accessories

Our MA790FXT-UD5P sample arrived white-boxed without a manual or DVDs, but Gigabyte did include the cable pack. With no eSATA ports on the motherboard’s I/O panel, Gigabyte includes a SATA to eSATA breakout plate with four-pin power, a four-pin-to-two-drive SATA power adapter cable, and two eSATA to SATA data cables. Gigabyte is also the first of only two companies in today’s comparison to include a floppy cable, as associated drives are still useful for adding AHCI or RAID drivers during Windows XP installations.

6. MSI 790FX-GD70

Features and Layout

MSI’s 790FX-GD70 is the only motherboard in today’s review to properly support up to four double-thick graphics cards, so long as the case in which it is mounted has adequate space beneath the motherboard’s bottom edge. Thus, this model perfectly follows AMD’s original “Spider Platform” concept while updating several components.

MSI gets our vote as the most feature-packed 790FX Socket AM3 motherboard, and the added features might even provide better value. Flexible graphics support gives it an edge over the similarly-priced Gigabyte model, while the more-expensive Asus competitor comes up one network and three SATA ports short. Yet we’re certain some buyers who already have their hearts set on the Gigabyte model will counter that two PCIe x16 slots are enough, since the four-GPU limit of CrossFireX can be reached with two Radeon HD 4870 X2 graphics cards.

It’s still important to remember that the 790FX northbridge supports only two x16 cards to begin with, as MSI uses electronic switches to change from dual x16 to quad x8 pathways based on card detection. Yet, bandwidth-doubling PCIe 2.0 mode makes x8 mode more than adequate for any single-GPU card, and using “only” two dual-GPU cards will allow the board to return those two slots to x16 mode.

Located next to the power and reset buttons on the motherboard’s bottom edge, a round knob labeled “OC Dial” allows overclocking on the fly without resorting to a software utility. A BIOS setting enables it and also allows users to choose how far each “click” will push the base clock.

A Port 80 diagnostics display goes unnoticed beneath the forward edge of the 790FX-GD70’s third PCIe x16 slot, where it would be covered by nearly any secondary graphics card. That’s unfortunate because it might be really handy in deciphering which component has reached its limit for anyone who turns the OC Dial too far.

Two (blue) SATA ports operate through a port multiplier on a single SATA pathway. The parent controller also adds an eSATA port to its bandwidth-limited PCIe x1 interface. Placing a long double-thick graphics card in the second x16-length slot will at least partially block access to these ports, but we probably wouldn’t use them anyway.

Connectors along the bottom edge are even more difficult to use. Issues begin at the bottom-rear corner with front-panel audio and FireWire headers that are a difficult reach for the cables of upper-bay jacks, followed by a floppy header that’s so far away from the external bay of most mid-tower cases that builders can only hope the cable will reach after being folded under the board.

BIOS

A comparison chart of voltage and frequency settings can be found in this article’s overclocking comparison.

MSI Cell Menu opens to basic clock management and MSI’s new OC Dial mode settings. Scrolling down reveals voltage controls.

The 790FX-GD70 Advanced DRAM submenu has the greatest number of settings we’ve seen in a Phenom II motherboard. Users who are unfamiliar with a setting or otherwise feel it's not worth altering will be pleased to find automatic mode for individual timings.

The 790FX-GD70 stores up to four custom BIOS configurations as user profiles.

Accessories

Two CrossFire bridges plus a quick-connector kit add to the basic installation package and MSI even includes a floppy cable as a favor to Windows XP users. Included but not shown are the motherboard driver and HDD Backup utility DVDs.

7. Test Settings
Test System Configuration
CPU

AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition
(2.80 GHz, 6 MB Cache)

RAM

Kingston KHX16000D3ULT1K3/6GX
2.0 GB modules, used in pairs
Underclocked to DDR3-1333 CAS 8-8-8-24

Graphics

Zotac GeForce GTX260² 896MB
576/999MHz GPU/Shader, GDDR3-2484

Hard Drive

WD VelociRaptor WD30000HLFS
0.3 TB, 10,000 RPM, 16 MB Cache

Sound

Integrated HD Audio

Network

Integrated Gigabit Networking

Power

Coolermaster RS850-EMBA
850 W, ATX12V v2.2, EPS12V

Software

Operating System

Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate x64 SP1

Graphics

Nvidia Forceware 182.08 WHQL

Chipset

Catalyst Chipset 03.00.0699


Our best DDR3 memory was shipped in triple-channel kits, so we divided these into dual-channel kits for Socket AM3 compatibility. AMD supplied the processor.

Western Digital’s 10,000 RPM 300 GB VelociRaptor kept load times low and write performance high.

Today’s benchmark suite has several 64-bit updates, but readers should look for additional improvements once all of our editors have reached a consensus towards standardization.

Benchmark Configuration

3D Games

Call of Duty: World at War

Patch 1.1, FRAPS/saved game
High Textures, No AA / No AF, vsync off
Ultra Textures, 4x AA / Max AF, vsync off

Crysis

Patch 1.2.1, DirectX 10, 64-bit executable, benchmark tool
Test Set 1: High Quality, No AA
Test Set 2: Very High Quality, 8x AA

Far Cry 2

DirectX 10, Steam Version, in-game benchmark
Test Set 1: High Quality, No AA
Test Set 2: Ultra High Quality, 8x AA

World in Conflict

Patch 1009, DirectX 10, timedemo
Test 1: High Details, No AA / No AF
Test 2: Very High Details 4x AA / 16x AF

Audio/Video Encoding

iTunes 8

Version: 8.1.0.52 (x64)
Audio CD ("Terminator II SE"), 53 min
Default format AAC

Lame MP3

Version: 3.98 64-bits (07-04-2008)
Audio CD "Terminator II SE," 53 min.
wave-to-MP3

TMPGEnc 4.6

Version: 4.6.3.268
Import File: Terminator 2 SE DVD (5 Minutes)
Resolution: 720x576 (PAL) 16:9

DivX 6.8.5

Encoding mode: Insane Quality
Enhanced multithreading enabled using SSE4
Quarter-pixel search

Xvid 1.2.1

Display encoding status = off

Mainconcept Reference 1.6.1

MPEG2 to MPEG2 (H.264), MainConcept H.264/AVC Codec, 28 sec HDTV 1920x1080 (MPEG2), Audio: MPEG2 (44.1 kHz, 2 Channel, 16-Bit, 224 Kbp/s), Mode: PAL (25 FPS)

Productivity

Autodesk 3ds Max 2009

Version: 11.0, Rendering Dragon Image at 1920x1080 (HDTV)

Grisoft AVG Anti-Virus 8

Version: 8.0.134, Virus base: 270.4.5/1,533, Benchmark: Scan 334 MB Folder of ZIP/RAR compressed files

WinRAR 3.80

Version 3.80, WinZip Commandline Version 3.0, Compression = Best, Dictionary = 4,096 KB, Benchmark: THG-Workload (334 MB)

WinZip 12

Version 12.0, Compression = Best, Benchmark: THG-Workload (139 MB)

Synthetic Benchmarks and Settings

3DMark Vantage

Version: 1.02, GPU and CPU scores

PCMark Vantage

Version: 1.00, System, Memory, Hard Disk Drive benchmarks, Windows Media Player 10.00.00.3646

SiSoft Sandra

Version 2008.5.14.24, CPU Test = CPU Arithmetic / Multimedia, Memory Test = Bandwidth Benchmark

8. Benchmark Results: 3D Games

Asus takes the win at medium settings in Call of Duty: World at War, but falls to the middle when game details are increased.

The M4A79T Deluxe stays slightly ahead through both Crysis detail levels.

Asus repeats its performance at medium settings in Far Cry 2, falling slightly behind Gigabyte at higher details.

Taking the top position in World in Conflict helps the M4A79T Deluxe secure its overall gaming lead.

9. Benchmark Results: A/V Encoding And Productivity

Gigabyte and MSI battle for the audio encoding-performance title in iTunes.

The MA790FXT-UD5P continues its audio encoding battle through Lame, this time matched by the M4A79T Deluxe.

Asus wins in both DivX and Xvid, but H.264 encoding resulted in a four-way tie.

The 790FX-GD70 and M4A79T Deluxe take an equal number of wins in our productivity suite.

10. Benchmark Results: Synthetic

Futuremark's metric leans toward Gigabyte, with wins in both 3DMark and PCMark Vantage.

Most of the real-world benchmarks showed little difference between boards, making the somewhat-noticeable leadership in Sandra Arithmetic noteworthy for DFI and Asus.

All four motherboard reported dual-channel mode enabled, at DDR3-1333 CAS 8-8-8-24 1T timings, yet Sandra showed a significant difference in memory bandwidth. This appears to be a software issue, since Asus’ score increased noticeably each time we retested it while others didn’t exhibit similar behavior.

11. Overclocking, Power, And Heat

All of the motherboards in today’s comparison provide frequency ranges that exceed by far any realistic expectations of stability and most voltage ceilings are far beyond any realistic expectations of reliability. Experienced overclockers know not to shoot for the limit at first, but instead determine the maximum supported speed and required voltage by making small changes and retesting repeatedly.

BIOS Frequency And Voltage Settings (For Overclocking)

 

Asus
M4A79T Deluxe

DFI LANParty DK
790FXB-M3H5

Gigabyte
MA790FXT-UD5P

MSI
790FX-GD70

CPU Ref Clock

200-600 MHz (1 MHz)

200-700 MHz (1 MHz)

200-500 MHz (1 MHz)

200-600 MHz (1 MHz)

CPU Multiplier

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

DRAM Data Rates

800/1066/1333/1600

800/1066/1333/1600

800/1066/1333/1600

800/1066/1333/1600

PCIe Clock

100-150 MHz (1 MHz)

100-250 MHz (1 MHz)

100-200 MHz (1 MHz)

100-150 MHz (1 MHz)

CPU Vcore

0.80-1.70V (0.0125V)

-800-+775mv (25mv)

+25-600mV (25mV)

0.98-1.93V (0.01V)

IMC Voltage

0.80-1.55V (0.0125V)

+3.57, 7.14, 10.71%

+25-600mV (25mV)

0.85-1.83V (0.01V)

790FX Core

1.10-1.40V (0.02V)

1.12-1.50V (0.04V)

+0.1, +0.2, +0.3 V

0.75-1.83V (0.01V)

SB750 Core

1.20-1.35V (0.15V)

1.20-1.50V (0.20V)

+0.1, +0.2, +0.3 V

0.85-1.83V (0.01V)

DRAM Voltage

1.50-2.50V (0.02V)

1.50-2.49V (0.22V)

+50-750mV (50mV)

1.19-2.40V (0.01V)

CAS Latency

4-12 Cycles

4-11 Cycles

4-12 Cycles

4-12 Cycles

RAS To CAS Delay

5-12 Cycles

5-11 Cycles

5-12 Cycles

5-12 Cycles

Row Precharge

5-12 Cycles

5-11 Cycles

5-12 Cycles

5-12 Cycles

tRAS

15-30 Cycles

16-30 Cycles

15-30 Cycles

15-30 Cycles


The two boards with the “smallest” CPU voltage regulators also have the most aggressive voltage levels, but we limited our CPU core to 1.45 V to assure longevity.

The two motherboards with 10-phase power regulation finished first and last, with Gigabyte providing the highest stable CPU clock at our chosen voltage levels.

MSI has the best reference clock stability. A combination of first-place reference clock and second-place CPU stability could make the 790FX-GD70 a top overclocking choice for multiplier-locked processors.

Dropping timings all the way back to 9-9-9-28 at 2T wasn’t enough to get most configurations beyond DDR3-1600, though Asus did break that barrier with four modules installed.

The two five-phase power regulators placed first and last in thermal performance. MSI’s win is probably due to its enormous VRM sink.

All of today’s motherboards appear energy efficient, yet none stand apart. Chipset and CPU manufacturer AMD gets all the credit for an overall good showing.

12. Conclusion

Average performance is a key factor in many purchasing decisions, although we take a more balanced approach.

Asus has clear performance leadership, but is it the best motherboard choice? Let’s consider our options.

With a performance “disadvantage” of less than one-half percent, the MSI 790FX-GD70 provided superior graphics card slot spacing and overclocking compared to the M4A79T Deluxe. MSI’s motherboard is also slightly less expensive and includes several added features, such as dual-Gigabit LAN and support for three more SATA devices.

But both Asus and MSI have some trouble in the area of cable header placement, with audio and FireWire connections in the lower-rear corner that are nearly impossible to reach with the cables of top-panel ports. Additionally, both companies have neglected the stubborn Windows XP market for which floppy drives are occasionally useful, by putting the floppy header beneath the lowest expansion slot.

With a performance deficit of less than a tenth of one percent compared to MSI, the Gigabyte GA-MA790FXT-UD5P also had the highest CPU overclock and the best cable header layout. The only disadvantage is its use of only two PCIe x16 slots, but the remaining slots don’t steal any pathways from the x16 slots. Thus, it could be a better board for anyone considering one or two dual-GPU graphics cards, rather than three or four single-GPU units.

Finally there’s the DFI LANParty DK 790FXB-M3H5, which is nearly average in every way except priceit’s around 20% cheaper than other 790FX Socket AM3 solutions, and could be the basis for a reduced-cost gaming system.

MSI’s best-in-class features make the 790FX-GD70 a top value among the three most expensive boards, but most of our editors would probably choose the Gigabyte MA790FXT-UD5P for its cable header placement.