ASUS M3A78-T Mobo - 790GX Chipset @ [H]

FrgMstr

Just Plain Mean
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ASUS M3A78-T Mobo - 790GX Chipset - The ASUS M3A78-T is one of the newest boards touting support for the AMD AM2 and AM2+ processors. The 790GX chipset seems to perform as well as its 790FX counterpart, but is it enough to hold off the Intel onslaught?

If you are about to buy a new AMD motherboard, this one showed great overclocking prowess on the front side for older Athlon X2s. Maybe we will see the same with Phenom II CPUs.
 
double fingers crossed for the sb750 doing more for phenom 2 than it has for current gen phenom.
 
"Keep in mind that we did NOT up the multiplier to overclock our “Black” 9950 Phenom as is the norm. This being a motherboard review we wanted to see how the CPU and memory buses would scale."

I understand that you should have atleast been able to raise the FSB on the Phenom in order to OC, but IMO you should have atleast attempted the multiplier OC to see if this board messed that up too. You attempted the multiplier OC on a different Phenom mobo review you did, but not this one?:confused:

I didn't see a mention that you disabled the Onboard Graphics. I would assume you did, especially using the Nvidia video card. Disabling the onboard graphics makes a huge difference in stability. I found that out while testing out all the features of my Foxconn A7DA-S. If you didn't disable this, I imagine this could have been a real issue for the Phenom OC.

On a side note, hitting 3.0ghz on a Phenom BE is incredibly easy. All I have to do on my Foxconn board is turn off CnQ, raise vCore, change ACC to +4, and raise the multiplier.

Another good review.:)
 
With the ASUS M3A78-T at $140, it still all makes me go, “Meh,” and grow a big rubbery one.

Lol @ rubbery one! Good review, looks to be a decent buy for $140. Hopefully Phenom II's + crossfire will give AMD the spider platform speed they wanted.
 
I've found this to be an awesome motherboard for the money. After a dozen or so builds pairing it with the 9950 BE I have yet to find one that can't run 3.2 with a little voltage bump. Keep in mind that is with 4x 2GB pc6400 modules @ 4-4-4-12 800 running Vista 64. Add a 4870 1GB and a velociraptor, and you have a very nice gaming box for less then a grand. Just throwing my BE experiences out there.

The AOD utility just brings it all together, I'm really liking the platform from a builders perspective. It runs Vista 64 like butter.

Also, it's pretty bad ass that you can go quad monitor with a single ATI on this chipset, even with a 4870 X2. Only downside is you lose that if you go Crossfire (have to turn off suround view in BIOS).

Man, makes me feel even older to talk about a 140$ motherboard and thinking it's cheap.

Nice write up, as usual.
 
"Keep in mind that we did NOT up the multiplier to overclock our “Black” 9950 Phenom as is the norm. This being a motherboard review we wanted to see how the CPU and memory buses would scale."

I understand that you should have atleast been able to raise the FSB on the Phenom in order to OC, but IMO you should have atleast attempted the multiplier OC to see if this board messed that up too. You attempted the multiplier OC on a different Phenom mobo review you did, but not this one?:confused:

Uh, reading is your friend.

I didn't see a mention that you disabled the Onboard Graphics. I would assume you did, especially using the Nvidia video card. Disabling the onboard graphics makes a huge difference in stability. I found that out while testing out all the features of my Foxconn A7DA-S. If you didn't disable this, I imagine this could have been a real issue for the Phenom OC.

On a side note, hitting 3.0ghz on a Phenom BE is incredibly easy. All I have to do on my Foxconn board is turn off CnQ, raise vCore, change ACC to +4, and raise the multiplier.

Another good review.:)

Roger that.
 
Good review. I do wonder though why not give the multiplier overclocking a shot? There are some pretty decent speeds being hit out there (3.6Ghz) with various ACC/voltage/RAM combinations and it'd be nice to see if the [H] can push even further past that. As well, I don't really see the point in comparing a $1,400 processor with a $175 one. I can kinda see the logic of "best vs. best" but the performance AND price gap is so wide as to make it kind of meaningless. Something at the same pricepoint might have been good to help those deciding to try the 9950 due to a specific budget.
 
MY experience with my phenom 9850 be with 790gx (a dfi actually)
Setting voltage to 1.25 V means it runs 1.24 and all i do set multi to 15 and i got 3ghz.
setting it to 1.3 V means the maximum a noctua can do and thats 3.2 ghz.
Moving over to water, I'm hitting my wall.
1.5 V running 3516 mhz! 1.55 V makes a 3566 mhz!.
Even tho around 3590 mhz is my maximum, even running -52doesnt ease the situation!

and yes yes, I got proof running my phenom @ -52, its stable at 3600 BLANK, nothing more.
adding one more mhz to the HTT means system halt.

but well, saying this might just say ohh, i got a phenom that can clock.
I can say so, gigabyte MA790FX-DQ6 can only push out 3080 mhz, and then it stops.
an DFI lanparty UT 790FX m2r fares abit better than the gigabyte, and pushes out ~100 mhz more and goes over 3100 mhz and almost 3200 mhz. but still not the 3200 mhz mark i wanted at that time.

The 790GX represent good overclocking for a cheap price. did i mention my board is micro atx ? able to run a phenom @ 1.65 volts!!!
i tried it on my gigabyte to get RMA and well, it took 2 minutes before the vrm's burned up.

enough of that tho.
Amd showed that the gigabyte 790gx ds4 can do 6.3 ghz on a phenom 2!!
I can tell you, the dfi LP JR 790fx m2rs is rock solid, something i cannot say of the 790fx m2r which is an board you work abit against from time to time.

I bet you guys @ hardocp have a stubborn little phenom :p

OR not enough patience. If so I cannot blame you guys, ive used some time @ my phenom..
Phenom 2 is going to change stuff. atleast give compotition all of us have been waiting for, please DFI review the dfi lp jr 790gx (update bios in first boot of windows if so!!!) and dfi lp jr p45, kickass microatx boards <3

the gigabyte 790gx board thats listed above the same as amd used, its not all to chabby, it boots with cpu @ subzero which my 790fx-dq6 didnt at all, just shutdown.
the asus 790fx with SB750, its gettings used in alot of oc runs out there and shows good scores!

well thats about it on what good amd boards ive actually tested!
 
WOOT!!!

Boss just dropped an unlocked 940 on my bench, will let yall know how the FSB OC fun goes.

:D
 
double fingers crossed for the sb750 doing more for phenom 2 than it has for current gen phenom.

Funnily enough I got invited to the AMD launch of the new phenom 2 platform in San Francisco, weird because it says at the bottom it isn't open to the public?
 
Any chance when you review a product like this, you can include an Intel CPU that is in the same price class as the AMD CPU? While showing a comparison between the top CPU's is great, some of us can't afford to buy an Intel Extreme processor. Showing how an Intel CPU, that costs $169 like the 9950 performs, would help show us po folks what our options are.
 
Any chance when you review a product like this, you can include an Intel CPU that is in the same price class as the AMD CPU? While showing a comparison between the top CPU's is great, some of us can't afford to buy an Intel Extreme processor. Showing how an Intel CPU, that costs $169 like the 9950 performs, would help show us po folks what our options are.

I agree and I'll add my 2 cents:

If it's a "motherboard only" review, don't include Intel configurations at all. Everyone knows by now that Intel's best isn't in the same league as AMD's best... including price, it's a worthless comparison.

You could make the review interesting by putting in the cost $$ for performance. i.e.,
Foxconn's 790FX $206 vs Asus' 790GX $139
$1.48/fps vs $1.02/fps in Quake benchmarks
etc.
If you must include Intel, it would be interesting to see how much Intel's domination costs.

If all overclocking options aren't going to be explored, there shouldn't be an overclocking section of the review.
 
It's all about the big rubbery ones. Who needs [H]ard when you have [R]ubber?
 
I own this board.
It has been dead out of the gate in terms of compatibility with HDTVs. The HDMI port is just for show.. neither it nor the DVI works with flat panel TVs (though, they do work with LCD monitors). Asus has acknowledged the problem (2 weeks ago, after users noted it on Asus' boards at least as far back as Sept 23) but no solution is forthcoming.

When I called Asus tech support I was told they were not aware of the problem, and had no idea how to help me. Great support, Asus. What makes it even stranger is that earlier Asus mobos with integrated HDMI output work fine.

Discussion/frustration with the problem at Asus' forum here: http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?SLanguage=en-us&id=20080923082758234&board_id=1&model=M3A78-T&page=5&count=43

Apart from that, I love the board and have had no problems. I am surprised this glaring problem was not mentioned in the [H] review considering this chipset is basically made for HTPCs.
 
Lol @ rubbery one! Good review, looks to be a decent buy for $140. Hopefully Phenom II's + crossfire will give AMD the spider platform speed they wanted.
who's responsible for that quote?
Kyle or Morry?

My money is not on Morry
 
My friend has this board along with his 9950BE, the north bridge temperature is quite high on his system, it is around 55C during idle. He is using the onboard gpu btw. Can anyone confirms the temp?
 
there is a new Bios out for M3A78 and Soon a M3A78-T bios Both for Phenom II with CPU updates and better clocking ,,

Although i dont have either Mobo anymore , The 804 M3A78 bios allows alot better Overclocks than any Bios ATM on the M3A78. Makes big differance . Stability with Higher Multis and better Ram clocking..

Bios 804 ,, M3A78
up on US site ATm.

the new bios For M3A78-T is not out yet but perhaps by end of week or so ,, ASUS is doing a great job with 78 ,,78-T and 79-T series mobos with Recent Bioses.

45nm on the way they just keep getting better .
 
Hey i have the ASAU M3A78 PRO motherboard which is similar to this board and in the BIOS it does not have USB for a boot option, but i just read this review and it says that after you connect a USB device you will then be able to select it as a boot option?

will this work for a USB flash drive also? and is this common for it to work that way?
 
Sure. Format the drive and sys with dos for flashing the bios.. You can also install a whole OS from a flash drive. For USB drives to recognised as bootable they must be attached before you enter the BIOS. I've had them try to hog the boot order at times.
 
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