ECS Elitegroup A780GM-A (V1.0) Pro Reviews

Having a standard-sized ATX motherboard with an integrated chipset used to be something of a paradox for system builders, since integrated graphics chipsets usually lagged behind their enthusiast counterparts in terms of feature sets. This is no longer the case with the ECS A780GM-A motherboard. For a mere $80 CDN ($70 USD, $35 GBP) you get integrated graphics that are more powerful than any of Intel's IGP boards, and a feature set that's comparable to what you'd find in Intel boards that are nearly double the price.

So far the boards for the Phenom range are starting to finally emerge, and ECS has done a fantastic job on its 780G installment. It is fast, supports all the Phenom processors and has a reasonable array of features. However, there are a few issues we have. First off, the lack of BIOS overclocking rules it out for hardcore users, or even the average tweaker. There are no dividers to control the CPU FID or the Hyper Transport link speeds, making it virtually impossible to get any real speed out of the system. Next is the feature set; missing FireWire means that if you have any FireWire devices (I know I have at least three) you're going to have to get a separate controller. This should be a standard feature on every digital home board these days.

The bottom line is that the ECS A780GM-A v1.0 is a fine low-cost motherboard for those looking at a Linux-compatible motherboard with quite powerful integrated graphics.

The ECS A780GM-A offers up some great workstation or HTPC value for its price, but serious gamers and overclocking enthusiasts may want to look elsewhere.