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3D Performance
To get a rough estimate of how well each board's integrated graphics plays
games, we ran 3DMark05/06. As synthetic benchmarks they have limited value,
but they give a rough idea of how well an IGP performs.
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3D Performance: Futuremark Comparison
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Motherboard
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Graphics
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3DMark05
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3DMark06
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Zotac GeForce 8200-ITX
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GF8200
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1623
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869
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Asus M3N78 Pro
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GF8300
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1669
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902
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Asus P5Q-EM
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X4500HD
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1708
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1092
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MSI KA760GM
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HD 3000
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2289
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1049
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Gigabyte MA78GM-2SH
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HD 3200
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2293
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1116
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Gigabyte MA790GP-DS4H
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HD 3300 (Sideport)
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3377
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1668
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Gigabyte MA78GM-2SH
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HD 3450
(Discrete)
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3405
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1716
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Asus P5N7A-VM
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GF9300
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3497
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1776
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Zotac GeForce 9300-ITX
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GF9300
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3522
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1797
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All results with 2GB of system RAM and 256MB of
VRAM assigned for IGP's (128MB Sideport + 128MB UMA for boards with Sideport
memory). AMD systems in green (X2 4850E), Intel systems in blue (E7200).
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The board's scores in 3DMark05 and 3DMark06 squeak past another GF9300 board and an AMD 790 board to the highest we've
recorded for an IGP. GeForce 9300 is a good rival for AMD's HD 3300 IGP
with Sideport memory. It's 3DMark scores are also almost twice as high as the
P5Q-EM, which is
powered by the same chipset found in the Intel DG45FC. If budget gaming is desired, clearly the GeForce 9300-ITX is the superior solution. Intel still has
much work ahead to compete with AMD or nVidia in this regard.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The GeForce 9300-ITX easily dethrones Intel's DG45FC
as the reference standard for LGA775 mini-ITX boards. Intel X4500HD graphics
cannot even come close to competing with GeForce 9300. In addition, Intel's
board lacks support for 95W CPUs, so those who wish to use a quad core chip
have to spend an extra $100 for one of Intel's 65W models. The DG45FC is
slightly more power efficient when playing video, but expending a couple of
extra watts is well worth it for all the extra functionality the GeForce 9300-ITX
brings to the table.
While more formidable than the competition, the GeForce
9300-ITX has its share of flaws, most of which are centered around the BIOS.
The BIOS does not permit undervolting, and is missing the Wake-on USB feature
which is key for many HTPC users. The menu layout is also awkward, with frequencies
displayed unconventionally in effective rather than base speed and voltages
on a different screen. This isn't a serious problem, but it shows a lack of
polish. The BIOS is second-rate compared to the functional and clean layout found on Asus or Gigabyte
boards. Additionally, the BIOS' "SmartFan Control" didn't work and
the board is not yet supported by SpeedFan. The best we could manage was to
set a single PWM fan to a static speed setting.
Despite its shortcomings, the Zotac GeForce 9300-ITX WiFi brings many attractive
features missing from the majority of consumer-oriented mini-ITX boards on the market. With the
exception of GeForce 9400, GeForce 9300 is the fastest onboard graphics money
can buy, good enough for less demanding games and of course it plays HD video
including Blu-ray without a hiccup. A standard 16x PCI Express slot gives users
the option of upgrading to a high performance discrete graphics card. The WiFi
adapter is just icing on the cake for a board already loaded with a feature
list that includes HDMI, S/PDIF, and eSATA. The $140 price-tag is very reasonable
when you consider the Intel DG45FC now retails for only $20 less. If you use
that as a point of comparison, the $20 difference delivers a ridiculous amount
of value.
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Zotac GeForce 9300-ITX WiFi
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PROS
* Full CPU support
* Feature-rich
* WiFi ready
* Low power consumption
* Reasonable price
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CONS
* No undervolting
* No Wake-on USB
* Poor fan control
* Only 2 SATA ports
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Our thanks to Zotac
for the motherboard sample.
SPCR Editor's Choice Award
* * *
Articles of Related Interest
Asus
M4A78T-E AM3 motherboard
MSI KA760GM: 780G Minus the HD
790GX Showdown: Gigabyte vs. MSI
Zotac GeForce 8200-ITX WiFi: A Compact
AM2 Solution
Asus P5N7A-VM: Geforce 9300
IGP
Intel DG45FC: Loaded LGA775 Mini-ITX
Board
* * *
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