![[H]ardOCP](/images/blank.gif){kind=small}
- Date:
- Thursday , December 04, 2008
- Author:
- Morry Teitelman
- Editor:
- Kyle Bennett
- Google +1
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?
Introduction
ASUS remains among a handful of top tier vendors that continue to deliver high quality and high performance products, leading to their revered status in the hearts and minds of most enthusiasts. ASUS continues firing on all cylinders, constants bettering their product designs and pushing the technological limits in layout and cooling design as well as in the software interface itself. The latest member of their AMD based board lineup is a fine example of ASUS’ drive to perfection.
The M3A78-T is the newest ASUS product introduction for the AMD processor line. The board is designed around the AMD 790GX chipset, supporting the following technologies: support for all AM2 and AM2+ type AMD processors, DDR2 DRAM modules operating in Dual Channel mode up to 1066MHz officially, and multi-GPU based ATI CrossFireX operation with matching ATI graphics cards installed.
The M3A78-T motherboard is feature complete, requiring an AMD AM2 or AM2+ processor, DDR2 memory, drives, and a PSU for a working system. ASUS chose to integrate the following components into the M3A78-T: 5 SATA II ports and 1 eSATA port (RAID 0, 1, 0+1 and 5 capable) and 1 ATA-133 IDE port on the AMD SB750 controller; 12 USB 2.0 capable ports (6 in rear panel, and 3 onboard headers supporting 2 ports each); 2 IEEE 1394 capable ports (1 in rear panel, and 1 onboard header); a Marvell Yukon GigE Ethernet port in the rear panel; Realtek 8-channel HD audio codec featuring an S/PDIF optical output port; an ATI Radeon 3300 GPU featuring HDMI, DVI, and VGA video output ports; and PS/2 keyboard port support in the rear panel.
Main Specifications Overview:
Detailed Mainboard Specification List:
Packaging
The M3A78-T comes in a simply decorated box, with all supported technologies, CPUs and chipsets visibly marked on the box front. ASUS chose to include the following accessories in with the board: ATA-133 and floppy ribbon cables; SATA driver and dual ended power cables; the rear panel shield; the Q-Connector modules; and the normal complement of manuals and drivers disks. Note that the included driver disk is a DVD-ROM disk, not a CD-ROM disk. The Q-Connector modules allow for an easy interface for connecting in to the motherboard headers. You simply plug in your front panel jumpers in to the white connector and the USB 2.0 jumpers in to the blue connector block, and then plug both blocks in to the motherboard headers. It makes for a much easier install for those typically hard to reach header areas
Board Layout
The M3A78-T is well designed in the typical ASUS fashion, with no real tight areas on the board. Oddly enough, the chipset is not cooled by an integrated heat pipe, but that did not seem to inhibit the board’s overclocking potential or overall operation. The board revision number, with the board tested shown as a 1.01G, is silkscreened to the board’s surface in between the primary and secondary PCI-Express x16 slots. The board serial number is located on a white sticker to the upper right of the DIMM slots. For the board’s power distribution and regulation needs, ASUS chose to use the higher quality all metal solid-state capacitors.
The CPU socket area is clear of obstructions, meaning that you should have no problems using the larger heat sinks and water blocks with this board. The CPU cooler hold-down mechanism uses the standard 4-hole based socket AM2+ cage mechanism. The 790GX Northbridge is located to the left of the CPU socket, covered by a long and rather large heat sink. There is also a heat sink just above the socket, for cooling the CPU power components. The CHA_FAN1 header is located just above the Northbridge heat sink, with the 4-pin ATX12V power connector to the upper right of the CPU socket and hidden behind the power regulation heat sink. The CPU_FAN header is located to the lower right of the CPU socket.
The 4 onboard DDR2 memory slots are located directly below the CPU socket area, in a b-colored 4-by-1 configuration. To activate Dual Channel memory mode, memory modules must be placed in like colored slots. The 24-pin power connector and PWR_FAN header are located directly below the memory slots.
The SB750 Southbridge chipset is cover by a low profile thin finned heat sink directly below the secondary and tertiary PCI-Express x16 slots. Directly below the chipset are the ATA-133 IDE port, the CHA_FAN2 header, and 2 of its SATA2 ports. Notice the 2 SATA2 ports and the ATA-133 IDE port have been rotated 90 degrees. Three additional SATA2 ports are located to the lower left of the Southbridge chipset, with the CMOS battery located directly above those ports. The front panel header, chassis intrusion header, and standby power LED are located in the lower left corner of the board. The standby power LED illuminates with an active power source attached to the board. The onboard USB 2.0 and IEEE 1394 headers are located just above the front panel header, along the board’s edge.
The board comes standard with 3 PCI-Express x16 slots, 1 PCI-Express x1 slot, and 2 PCI slots. The floppy port, SPDIF output header, CD_IN header, and front panel audio header are located along the outside of PCI slot 2, while the CMOS reset jumper is just above the tertiary PCI-Express x16 slot.
ASUS included the following ports in the M3A78-T’s rear panel: PS/2 keyboard/mouse port; 1 IEEE 1394 port; 6 USB 2.0 ports; 1 e-SATA port; 1 Marvell Yukon GigE Ethernet port; 6 analogue, and S/PDIF optical output audio ports; and HDMI, DVI, and VGA video output ports.