CNET editors' buying advice
We have not reviewed this product but here is CNET's buying advice on Motherboards. This content was chosen based on the features included with this model of motherboard.
Built-in Graphics
These motherboards feature an on-board graphics processor, alleviating the need to purchase a graphics card. This can be a good choice for a cheaper system that is not expected to need the latest and greatest in graphical processing power. Even better, many of these still have a acceptable graphics card slot on the motherboard, allowing it to be upgraded later.
Not all on-board graphics are alike. Some are versions of actual graphics processors, mounted on the motherboard with built-in video RAM, which can give decent performance; others are integrated graphics solutions, which are built into the main chipset of the board itself. These latter have been getting better, and can provide enough performance for standard office tasks, but still fall far behind any of the dedicated solutions.
See more Built-in Graphics products
CNET product brief
Description: The GigaByte GA-MA78GPM-DS2H is an AMD 780G-based, compact motherboard.Compared to other compact motherboards on the market, it is relatively inexpensive at around $110.
Pros: Has one IEEE 1394 (FireWire) and 8 x Hi-Speed USB optional connections, which is considerably more favorable than some similarly priced motherboards.In fact, the average cost of a product with a comparable set of additional optional connections is $130.Also, this motherboard is built around an AMD 780G-based chipset, which is more robust than some similarly priced motherboards.Supports up to 16GB of RAM, which is ideal for memory intensive tasks such as digital video editing or file transfer.In addition you can take advantage of the onboard Firewire (IEEE 1394) to connect to compatible peripherals at high data rates.
Cons: None noted, given available product data.
Suitability: A compact motherboard, suited for small computers.
Value: In view of its relatively inexpensive price, this motherboard has great features for the money.
Suggestions: (1) If you want to take full advantage of the on-board SATA controller, you will want to consider a hard drive upgrade.Existing IDE hard drives will run on the ATA-133 bus.(2) For motherboard add-ons, check out the storage and components section of CNET's website.
CNET's Product Briefs are generated by a software tool that combines product specifications with knowledge of our editorial experts. They do not reflect hands-on assessment or labs testing. For more information about how we create Product Briefs, contact us.
Gigabyte GA-MA78GPM-DS2H - motherboard - micro ATX - AMD 780G:
