The AMD 690G (previously known as the ATI RS690) is designed with Microsoft Windows Vista in mind, specifically for Vista's AeroGlass feature. It's the integrated video capabilities that really make this chipset stand out; it supports all of AMD's 32-bit and 64-bit Socket AM2 processors and features a Radeon Xpress 1250 DirectX 9.0 compatible graphics core.

AMD's 690G is built on TSMC's 80nm manufacturing process, even though AMD has its own fabrication plants.

The Radeon X1250 is compatible with Vista AeroGlass, and based on the Radeon X700 architecture, albeit with four rendering pipelines. That gives AMD a 3D performance advantage over comparable integrated nVIDIA graphics cards like the GeForce 6100 series, but not necessarily against the nVidia Geforce 7050. The integrated videocard supports one TV output DAC for TV output, and HDCP natively (something the GeForce 6100 series doesn't) through DVI and HDMI.

Within the AMD 690G, the Radeon Xpress 1250 videocard supports dual monitors (one digital and one analog display). If you want to run dual monitors, one will have to be analog and the second digital, DVI to analog converters do not work with the Radeon Xpress 1250, so you cannot connect two analog monitors onto the onboard videocard.

Should you want to use a stand alone videocard the AMD 690G supports a PCI Express x16 slot, and one extra PCI Express x4 slot on this board so it is also Crossfire compatible. However when a stand alone videocard is used, the onboard video is disabled.

The Radeon Xpress 1250 videocard shares up to 512MB of installed system memory. The AMD 690G supports up to four PCI Express x1 slots along with six PCI bus mastering slots, although it's up to the motherboard manufacturer to implement things. There are generally four Serial ATA II ports and a single Ultra/133 IDE controller, coming from the AMD SB600 Southbridge.

Also integrated is are ten USB 2.0 ports, a Gigabit MAC and a 7.1 channel High Definition audio controller. The AMD's 690G chipset is a real challenger to nVIDIA's old GeForce 6100-series and the new Geforce 7050 chipset, but whether it truly is faster and a good alternative is something we'll find out in just a moment.