AMD 890GX Unveiled: Three Motherboards Compared
Table of contents
- 1. Clear Leadership, Or More Of The Same?
- 2. Motherboard Features
- 3. Asus M4A89GTD Pro/USB3
- 4. Gigabyte GA-890GPA-UD3H
- 5. MSI 890GXM-G65
- 6. Test Settings
AMD’s chipsets have long provided great features for the money, especially compared to high-end platforms like X48 and X58 from its chief rival, Intel. Everything between the mid-priced (still high-end) 790FX to its more commonplace integrated-graphics products can be attractive, depending on your usage model.
The entire range provides expanded PCIe 2.0 pathways for multi-card configurations, and its integrated-graphics parts actually deliver reasonable 3D performance and an option for multi-monitor support. If you love building productivity-oriented machines at an affordable price or need the ultimate in configurability, AMD might be your best choice. After all, we've yet to be bowled over by Intel's CPU efforts between $100 and $200, while AMD continues to offer a number of compelling quad-core models.
Today’s launch focuses on two components, the 890GX northbridge with its revised Radeon HD 4290 graphics engine and the SB850 southbridge. Upgrades include DX10.1 graphics, SATA 6Gb/s, two additional USB 2.0 ports, and integrated gigabit networking.
But our emphasis here is on a trio of motherboards emerging alongside the new core logic from Asus, Gigabyte, and MSI. Note that you'll see USB 3.0 support in the pages to come. However, the 890GX platform does not natively support USB 3.0; rather, it's added via an on-board controller.
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Nice southbridge update AMD!
It is a shame you could not have added native USB 3 in there along with the SATA 3.0.
A bit more lackluster on the northbridge though.
Other than the DX10.1 update, I really see nothing new...
Nice boards.
Though honestly, I'm just awaiting a Quantum Force (Foxconn) X68 board to replace my Bloodrage. Good to see atleast someone is getting SATA 6Gb/s.
Come on AMD, give us some more juice. I don't know if my second system will be a desktop or laptop yet, and a good integrated GPU will help me decide (720p gaming on what will hopefully be a 50" plasma).
How about triple channel memory too? I'd think it'd help the GPU somewhat also.
I'm not against paying bucket loads for a motherboard (but I expect to get what I pay for).
One last thing...
DisplayPort. Give it. The faster nvidia/integrated adopt it, the faster Samsung/Dell etc. will put them on their monitors.
The industry adopted HDMI like it was nothing. DP has less licensing fees, but DP monitors are in the $500 range (granted, IPS panels etc.). We want $150 1080p DP panels please.
Horribly unexciting launch on AMD's part the only good part is that their other mobo's might come down a bit in cost hopefully.
I kinda agree there... Lackluster chipset launch.
Come on AMD, you can do it better.
Cheers!
I am not excited about this one.
Why still bothering with Ultra ATA? I like how MSI decided to trim the unnecessary in this mobo. I hope in the future a mobo manufacturer does this to the extreme. No IEEE-1394, no Ultra ATA, no floppy, no CD In, no MIDI, no PS/2 ports. You get the picture.
There are a couple things I like about the SB850. Obviously the native SATA 6.0, and also the integrated Gigabyte ethernet. No more crappy Realtek Ethernet.
The more time goes on, the more I realize a Server Mobo would be more ideal for my workstation.
Nothing to see here.
Very very unimpressive. Call me when you have a rv710 level northbridge on a 40nm process. That would hurt 5450? maybe, but 5450 is a joke to begin with, shoud've been redwood/2, would be pretty much the same die size and would allow gaming with old stuff like Wow, asian mmorpgs, etc
is a good MoBo to upgrade from AM2+ old Mobo...
Wait the 890X mobos's!
I wish AMD's product actually caught up with marketing. The on board graphic is far too weak to have "integrated gaming" that was promised to us when 690G was launched. They should put a 5450 in there or something.
Oh man...!?! I was really pulling for AMD here. Looks like they haven't improved anything over my 790FX board.
Bursts? Oh please. Hyperbole much? Especially when it refers to a bunch of soporific graphs with blanket-finish results!
Wouldn't an SSD (e.g. ioXtreme) have been a better way to test the effects of SATA 6GB/s?
Heh, Asus is borrowing cost saving tricks from it's ASRock division. I was expecting the new IGP to have at least 80 shaders and be DX11 in order to hybrid crossfire with a 4350/4550 or 5350 type card.
As an AMD fan, I find this disappointing. I would have expected more performance. I see no reason to change my 790gx board. SATA 3 looks nice on paper, but we don't have any drives that can use that bandwidth so what's the point of adoption right now?
Rofl with a lead that couldn't be noticed without testing software.
How about some overclocking tests?
I will wait for the 890FX
On a possible new build later this Spring/early Summer, I'm still waffling between a AM3 or 1156. The former offers lower cost and more PCIE lanes / better expansion; CPUs for the the latter offer much lower power usage and better performance (that I may not notice). I'm not sure this makes my choice any easier.