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FINAL THOUGHTS
The LANParty JR 790GX-M3H5 is a classic example of what DFI is all about.
Everything about the board caters to enthusiasts, primarily those interested
in overclocking. Luckily, most of these features also appeal to those looking to
build small, quiet PCs as well. DFI's BIOS effectively gives users free reign
to attempt high overclocks, but also ultra low undervolts. The board has a whopping
six fan headers, three of which can be controlled and customized in the BIOS,
using DFI's own Smart Guardian utility, or with our own personal favorite application,
SpeedFan. The board also has temperature sensors for the Northbridge and Southbridge
chips so users can keep an eye out on the thermal conditions at two different
spots. Most motherboards have a single "System" or "Motherboard"
sensor but it often doesn't correlate to a specific location or chip on the
PCB. The diagnostic LED makes it easy to diagnose problems when they arise and
the onboard power/reset switches are a nice touch — the level of consideration
DFI put into the board's usability is difficult to match.
The board isn't the most efficient — the 790GX-M3H5 used 10-14W more when
the CPU/IGP were stressed compared to the Asus
M4A78T-E. This is probably related to the high temperatures we recorded
on the board's various heatsinks. The Northbridge's awkward location near the
corner of the CPU socket may also cause problems for some third party heatsinks,
though all the big tower coolers will fit without difficulty. Cooling will be
more challenging with two graphics cards in CrossFire mode, especially if the cards used are
of the dual-slot variety, as only one slot separates the two PCIe X16 slots. Needless to say, such a configuration running in a
mATX case will be difficult to run quietly.
at US$140~$150, the 790GX-M3H5 is one of the most expensive AM3 boards in the North American
market and it lacks a few features (like eSATA and FireWire) that are present on some
less expensive models. In reality, it is the only mATX AM3 board in wide distribution,
and all the extra touches make it a real treat to use.
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DFI LP JR 790GX-M3H5
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PROS
* Great fan control for 3 of 6 fans
* Excellent BIOS undervolting options
* NB & SB temperature sensors
* Diagnostic LED
* Onboard power/reset switches |
CONS
* High power consumption on load
* Small NB cooler
* Awkward position of NB chip
* No eSATA or Firewire
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Our thanks to DFI
for the motherboard sample.
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