X-bit labs

First Look at AMD 690G Chipset: ECS AMD690GM-M2 Mainboard Preview (page 2)

Category: Chipsets

by Kirill "ALT-F13" Balalin

[ 03/02/2007 | 02:07 PM ]

Specification

• Processor socket: Socket AM2
• Supported RAM: DDR2 400/533/667/800
• Chipset: AMD 690G
• Form-factor: MicroATX
• Expansion slots: PCI-E x16 (1), PCI-E x1 (1), PCI 2.3 (2), SATA (4), PATA (1), Floppy
• Interfaces: USB 2.0 (4+4), Gigabit LAN (1), COM (1)
• SATA RAID: 0, 1, 10
• Audio: HDA 7.1 Realtek ALC883

AMD 690G Chipset: Closer Look

AMD 690G chipset is designed according to classical schematics and consists of two microchips – RS690 North Bridge and SB600 South Bridge. They are connected with one another via PCI-Express x4 bus.

The North Bridge ensures proper work with any contemporary Socket AM2 processors. It is also responsible for work with PCI-Express expansion cards and High Definition Audio codec. Besides that it contains integrated graphics adapter.

SB600 South Bridge supports PCI bus, 10 USB 2.0 ports, four Serial ATA II channels (with RAID 0, 1 and 10 arrays option) and one IDE.

The key feature of the AMD 690 chipset family is the relatively powerful integrated graphics core from the Radeon X1200 Series. There are two models in the product family at this time: AMD 690G and 690V, which differ only in the integrated graphics part. The top 690G solution features Radeon X1250 graphics core and supports HDMI output, while the AMD 690V features an integrated Radeon X1200 and doesn’t support HDMI output accordingly.

The forefather of the Radeon X1250 was the Radeon X700 announced in 2004. However, since the best ATI graphics used to be represented by the integrated Radeon X300 core, this is a significant step forward, anyway. Here I have to point out that even though Radeon X1250 is based on X700 core, it was provided with a few technological enhancements, so that it would meet the contemporary requirements. The major enhancement was the support of Avivo (advanced features for media content processing, including HD-video), which is an exclusive feature of the Radeon X1000 Series. So, even though it looks like the developers have simply added another chip, as a successor to Radeon X1050, the new Radeon X1250 has every right to be called a new-generation solution thanks to the new features typical of the X1000 family. The clock speed of Radeon X1250 is 400MHz, and up to 1GB of system memory can be allocated for the needs of the graphics subsystem.

AMD 690G is the industry’s first chipset supporting HDMI-Out. And we are talking about fully-fledged support here: with HDCP and audio. But what is even more important for most PC users is the monitor connectors that will be laid out by default on all mainboards based around this chipset. They will have two monitor connectors, including one DVI. There are only a few isolated competitors’ offers with similar functionality out there these days, however this type of connection is definitely much more preferable for LCD monitors. Moreover, AMD 690G supports SurroundView function that allows connecting four monitors to the system with an additional discrete PCI-E video card installed.

The chipset is certified for Windows Vista Premium and as the practical tests proved works perfectly fine with Aero interface as well as in 3D games running under this operating system.

Just like any other chipset with integrated graphics, AMD 690G is positioned for mainstream and budget mainboards with the recommended price around $80. The mainboard makers were pretty positive about this chipset (despite numerous analysts’ claims that it will be hard for AMD to take off promoting their own branded chipsets). And on the launch day already we learned that there are over 10 mainboard vendors who will be offering their AMD 690G/V based solutions.