The use of integrated graphics has generally been associated with entry-level systems that are lacking in power and designed to keep costs low. Despite their bad name they have some undeniable advantages, including a simpler overall system, less power consumption, and, of course, a reduced price compared to a computer with discrete graphics. Their limited graphical power and entry-level positioning has kept them in the lowest echelons of the PC world and kept even mainstream buyers from going this route, despite what is working in their favor. With the 780 chipset AMD wants to start to change all that.
The reality of the situation is that most people don’t need a whole lot of power when it comes to their graphics processing. Watching a high definition video is probably has demanding as things will get, which means an IGP (integrated graphics processor) works for a large percentage of the market. Where it stumbles though is for casual PC users who did not invest a lot of money in their computer but want to have the option to play a game or handle HD content with ease. Many people, understandably, don’t want to have to put a $100+ video card into a computer that might only be costing them $500.
The goal of the 780 chipset goal is to bring the power of a mid-level video card (the type a mainstream gamer would use) and get that sort of power into a system that might cost just $500 or $600 dollars. Better-than-terrible IGPs are nothing new but AMD also added in some enthusiast features to the higher end (780G) version of this chipset so consumers can get scalable performance and even overclocking options without having to build a very expensive system.
By increasing graphical performance at the chipset level it makes it possible to bring serious value to buyers, largely because no add-in graphics card is necessary. So instead of adding a $100+ video card, you get a slightly more expensive chipset that is put on what ultimately amounts to a mid-level motherboard (expected prices are about $80-120). It won’t appeal to performance seekers and enthusiasts, but for most people, including HTPC owners and casual gamers, it should be more than enough. While this is not exactly a ground-breaking idea, it is big news for the integrated graphics segment and fans of affordable computing. Additionally the technology should be able to transfer to mobile systems so your notebook’s integrated graphics might become a whole lot more capable soon.
AMD’s 780 chipset will be available in two variants, the 780G and the 780V. The 780G is the mainstream version that has hybrid graphics (the ability to work with a video card in order to run a dual-video solution and maximize performance) and a higher clock speed. The 780G is being billed as the fastest motherboard GPU ever as well as a solid DX10 integrated graphics processor (IGP) or, simply, a value product with the power of an entry-level gaming video card. It should be noted that hybrid graphics only works with Windows Vista and is not supported by XP. The value edition, 780V, drops the UVD functionality of the 780G so it will have decreased HD video performance as well.
Just to clear up some of the specifics–the 780G uses ATI’s Radeon HD 3200 graphics which is DX10 compatible and supports Hybrid CrossFireX. This means that out of the box it has an appreciable amount of power, but it can be combined with a graphics card (like the ATI Radeon HD 3450) to ramp up its power. The platform uses the SB700 southbridge which will soon be replaced with the SB750 which is similar but adds in RAID5. We’ll be seeing the platform appearing on full-sized ATX motherboards so it is clear that this is more than just a budget solution. Additionally, it it should far out-power Intel’s integrated graphics solutions (like G35), though, to be fair, Intel’s offerings are not aimed at graphical performance.
In our testing the 780G (Gigabyte GA-MA78GM0S2H motherboard, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, AMD Athlon X2 4850e dual-core processor, a single SATA hard drive, and Windows Vista Basic) was able to get a game that would normally not be playable with integrated graphics and make it playable. Don’t expect to be putting out 60 fps at 1920×1200, but what AMD is aiming for is a reasonable framerate at a low resolution, something like 1024×768 or 1280×1024. Here the integrated GPU can handle games like Call of Duty 4 or even Crysis, not only much better than Intel’s G33/G35, but at a playable level. What this comes down to is that the HD 3200 graphics will allow you to play games with a 780G motherboard without a video card. You will have to stay tame with the resolution and quality levels, but you will be able to game with it right out of the box. For reference, AMD’s testing reports that a system with this build comes it at 22 fps (barely playable) on Crysis at 1024×768, 45 fps for Doom 3, and 44 fps for Call of Duty 4.
The system was also tested with a ATI Radeon HD 3450 Hybrid for hybrid graphics. Here CrossFireX was used in order to combine the power of the integrated graphics and the discrete card in order to maximize graphics power while keeping the costs reasonable. The addition of the HD 3450, a video card that sells for about $50 right now, should provide a significant boost in power to the system, something like a 50-80% boost according to AMD’s numbers. Unfortunately in our testing the performance of the hybrid graphics system was inconclusive. While substantial benefits were seen at times (sometimes scaling over 100%) further testing is required before we deliver a verdict or can validate AMD’s high expectations. Expect to see a follow up article covering this in the future.
An important part of AMD’s pitch with 780G is its power efficiency. Everyone wants to save power and be green so this is a great application for IGP as video cards are one of the main culprits when it comes to power consumption. Plus our system’s X2 4850e is a 45W processor so it is quite efficient as well. Throw in a SeaSonic S12 II 330W power supply and we found that our test rigs idles at just 42W and has a peak power consumption of 101W (with Cool and Quiet on auto). Given the system’s performance levels, these are quite reasonable numbers.
Overall, the 780G is a very interesting release and step in the right direct for AMD. It is not a typical release that we would get excited about but the chance to bring solid graphics performance to a mid-level motherboard IGP has the potential to have a larger impact on more people then any $500 graphics card ever well. The goal of bringing workable graphics to a value computer is an ambitious one as well as something that could help to set AMD apart from Intel, giving them an advantage in an important part of the market. From what we have seen with the 780G chipset it is acceptable for some basic gaming, as long as you don’t want to scale the resolution too high, and HD video watching. The platform is in its early stages and we did encounter a few hiccups, but overall it was a very good experience and one that will certainly be appreciated by people who are looking to buy a computer for work (with up to four monitors if you use hybrid graphics) or to just not spend too much on their primary system. Even if you are someone who needs a lot of power, 780G could be a great choice as a secondary system where you may not want to invest a lot in graphics. It’s also worth noting that all this testing was done with the Athlon X2 4850e, which is an $89 CPU, so as capable as the CPU was there is room for growth there as well.
Everybody has already get accustomed to the fact that almost all modern devices are made of metal, plastic and glass. These materials are considered to be synonyms of the “high-tech” word because they help devices to look stylish and up-to-date. In spite of this some people think that such devices are too cold and stark, and as a consequence, want them to be warm and natural. Taking into consideration this fact Michael Laut decided to create a natural smartphone. 
