AMD officially launches 690 chipsets

AMD HAS REVEALED its 690 chipset to the world. This is a very first chipset designed by ATI and released under the AMD banner, but this is one of many to come. There are two versions being offered from day one, 690G and 690V. Intended for value and mainstream segment, 690G chipset boasts integrated graphics based on Radeon X700 with additional features, SB600 Southbridge and a wide support for Socket AM2 processors.

However, the integrated graphics part, named Radeon X1250 is more than just a X700 with a new name. Engineers implemented several important features, such as native HDMI support, combined with an integrated DVI output. This also means 690G is the first integrated chipset with two digital outputs. Avivo tech now describes a video processing engine with 10-bit quality output and support for 1.07 billion colours instead of delivering 16.7 million colours and featuring banding as typical product of 6- or 8-bit outputs. The only difference between 690G and 690V is that integrated graphics on 690V is called Radeon X1200, and does not support HDMI.

In the segment of Blu-ray and HD-DVD support, AMD was showing a possible HTPC configuration which costs roughly the same amount of money as PlayStation 3, but is available in 60% of the size, thanks to Albatron's mini-ITX design.

Integrated graphics can work at the same time as external PCIe one, enabling simultaneous usage of four monitors. AMD calls this feature SurroundView, but do not expect mind-boggling 3D experience unless you put extremely fast card such as Geforce 8800 or Easter bunny - pardon, R600. But four monitors is pretty much doable.

SB600 comes with the same features as a year before (4 SATA ports, 1 parallel ATA, 10 USB 2.0 ports), but one thing is certain - regardless of the amount of performance offered by Intel Core 2 processors, rest of the platform in terms of integrated graphics (i945G, G965) is just pathetic. Sadly, only when you hear frustration from people like Mark Rein, Tim Sweeney, John Carmack, Dean Sekulic or Microsoft leads (mentioned strictly off-topic, so no names here), you are able to see that something is wrong in blue grass country.

And here is something for the end - unlike previous launches, this time AMD has 34 different motherboards from 12 different partners, such as Albatron, Asus, Asrock, Biostar, ECS, EPoX, Foxconn, Gigabyte United, MSI,PC Partner, Sapphire, Shuttle. This only includes desktops. Mobile platform named Red Kite or HTPC vision Kauai are not included here, since there is over 40 different designs planned in that segment.

We have received a review sample from AMD and are completing the tests, running a 5200+ CPU against E6600 and GigaByte G965 based motherboard. µ