AMD 790GX Chipset Platform Launch

Name: AMD 790GX Chipset Platform Launch - Page 8
Brand: AMD

by Marco Chiappetta — Wednesday, August 06, 2008, 12:00 AM EDT

We also did some quick testing of the AMD 790GX's video processing engine as it is implemented on the Gigabyte MA790GP-DS4H, in terms of both image quality and CPU utilization with some HQV and H.264 playback tests.

Video Playback Performance: SD and HD

HQV and H.264

HQV is comprised of a sampling of SD video clips and test patterns that have been specifically designed to evaluate a variety of interlaced video signal processing tasks, including decoding, de-interlacing, motion correction, noise reduction, film cadence detection, and detail enhancement. As each clip is played, the viewer is required to "score" the image based on a predetermined set of criteria. The numbers listed below are the sum of the scores for each section. We played the HQV DVD using the latest version of Cyberlink's PowerDVD Ultra, with hardware acceleration for NVIDIA PureVideo, ATI UVD, and Intel video acceleration extensions enabled.

The AMD 790GX performed very well in the HQV benchmark, besting the Intel and NVIDIA solutions by a small margin. Had some graphical anomalies not cropped up in the Horizontal and Vertical scroll tests, the 790GX would have performed much like ATI's discreet graphics solutions, which is to say it was quite good.

Next we conducted a test using an H.264 encoded movie clip which is available for download from NASA's HD showcase website. The CPU utilization data gathered during this tests was taken from Windows Vista's built-in Performance Monitor. The graphs show the CPU utilization for the 790GX's IGP while playing back the 1080i QuickTime clip. As you can see, utilization was quite low. HD video playback shouldn't be a problem for this chipset.

Tags: AMD, Chipset, Chip, Platform, 790GX, chips, launch, IPS, PLA, IP, AM

Marco Chiappetta

Marco's interest in computing and technology dates all the way back to his early childhood. Even before being exposed to the Commodore P.E.T. and later the Commodore 64 in the early ‘80s, he was interested in electricity and electronics, and he still has the modded AFX cars and shop-worn soldering irons to prove it. Once he got his hands on his own Commodore 64, however, computing became Marco's passion. Throughout his academic and professional lives, Marco has worked with virtually every major platform from the TRS-80 and Amiga, to today's high end, multi-core servers. Over the years, he has worked in many fields related to technology and computing, including system design, assembly and sales, professional quality assurance testing, and technical writing. In addition to being the Managing Editor here at HotHardware for close to 15 years, Marco is also a freelance writer whose work has been published in a number of PC and technology related print publications and he is a regular fixture on HotHardware’s own Two and a Half Geeks webcast. - Contact: marco(at)hothardware(dot)com