During our benchmarking sessions we used the configuration listed below. Between our benchmarking sessions the only variable device was the motherboard being tested and the addition or removal of a “real” video card (Sapphire Radeon HD 3450).

Hardware Configuration

• Motherboard BIOS: 08/27/2008
• Motherboard revision: 1.0
• CPU: AMD Athlon X2 4600+ (2.4 GHz, 1 MB L2 memory cache)
• Memory: 2 GB Corsair Dominator TWIN2X2048-8500C5D (DDR2-1066/PC2-8500 with 5-5-5-15 timings), configured at 800 MHz with 5-5-5-18 timings.
• Hard Disk Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 160 GB (ST3160815AS, SATA-300, 7,200 rpm, 8 MB buffer)
• Video Card: Sapphire HD 3450 256 MB, 64-bit memory interface (on some tests, see text)
• Video resolution: 1440x900 75 Hz
• Video Monitor: Samsung Syncmaster 932BW
• Power Supply: OCZ ProXStream 1000 W
• CPU Cooler: AMD stock cooler
• Optical Drive: LG GSA-H54N

Software Configuration

• Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit
• Service Pack 1

Driver Versions

• nVidia nForce driver version (includes video driver): 18.11
• ATI motherboard/video driver version: Catalyst 8.6

Used Software

• PCMark Vantage Professional 1.0.0
• 3DMark06 Professional 1.1.0 + October 2007 Hotfix
• 3DMark Vantage Professional 1.0.1
• Half-Life 2: Episode Two – Patch June 9th 2008 + HardwareOC Half-Life 2 Episode Two Benchmark Tool 1.2.0.0
• Quake 4 – Patch 1.4.2
• Unreal Tournament 3 – Patch 1.2 + HardwareOC UT3 Benchmark Tool 1.2.0.0

Some Information About our Methodology

All motherboards included in our comparison were configured with 256 MB shared memory, so ECS A790GXM-A had 384 MB available (128 MB on-board and 256 MB shared).

Since we were reviewing a motherboard with on-board video, we were very interested in comparing its 3D video performance with the performance achieved by other motherboards with on-board video and also with a very low-end video card, so we could have an idea of how slower on-board video is compared to a very inexpensive video card. We chose Sapphire Radeon HD 3450 with 256 MB and 64-bit memory interface because this is one of the cheapest video cards available today.

We chose an entry-level CPU to go with the motherboard, an Athlon X2 4600+, because that is the same CPU we used on other recent reviews from motherboards with on-board video targeted to AMD systems, and using the same CPU would speed-up the publishing of the present review, as we wouldn’t need to re-test the other motherboards. It is our opinion that a regular user wouldn’t pick a high-end CPU to go with a motherboard with on-board video and that is why we kept this CPU, but of course there is space for discussion, as AMD is clearly targeting AMD 790GX to Phenom CPUs, otherwise they wouldn’t include ACC feature. Unfortunately there is no way to create a methodology that pleases all opinions and that is why we are sticking to ours. On other websites you can find reviews for AMD 790GX-based motherboards using other methodologies, which is great, as you can have an idea of their performance using different components and programs. It would make no sense if all websites published the same tests and results, don’t you think?

By the way, the CPU we used doesn't suffer from the problem some AMD CPUs have of not being able to access memories at their full speed.

Even though we had DDR2-1066 memories, we configured them as DDR2-800 units, for two reasons. First, entry-level PCs won’t use DDR2-1066 memories and, second, Athlon X2 can only access memories up to 800 MHz.

Error Margin

We adopted a 3% error margin. Thus differences below 3% cannot be considered relevant. In other words, products with a performance difference below 3% should be considered as having similar performance.