High Definition Content Playback - HDD	Source: AMD.com

Playing high definition content on current generation PCs can bog down even the fastest processors because there is more data to handle. To test the integrated graphics processor's capabilities at HD content accelerating capabilities, we played the High Definition video clip, "The Discoverers" at 720P and 1080i while monitoring the percentage of CPU utilization through Task Manager. Lower results are best.

HDD 720p/1080i Video Playback (Discoverers Video Clip) 720P (Avg): % Ranking Intel DG45ID (Intel G45 200/800 C2D E6750 Onboard G45 ) 17 ECS G33T-M2 (Intel G33 200/800 C2D E6600 Onboard G33 Video) 18 Foxconn A7DA-S (AMD 790GX 200/800 AM2 X2 5000+ onboard HD 3300 video) 30 ECS A780GM-A (AMD 780G 200/800 AM2 X2 5000+ Onboard HD 3200 Video 30 Foxconn A690GM2MA-RS2H (AMD 690G 200/800 AM2 X2 5000+ Onboard Video) 35 Biostar TPower N750 (NF 750a SLI 200/800 AM2 X2 5000+ onboard nF 750a video) 24 Biostar TF8200 A2+ (GF 8200 200/800 AM2 X2 5000+ onboard GF 8200 video) 60 Biostar TF8200 A2+ (GF 8200 200/800 AM2 X2 5000+ Geforce Boost w/h GF 8500GT) 54 1080i (Avg): Points Ranking Intel DG45ID (Intel G45 200/800 C2D E6750 Onboard G45 ) 20 ECS G33T-M2 (Intel G33 200/800 C2D E6600 Onboard G33 Video) 22 Foxconn A7DA-S (AMD 790GX 200/800 AM2 X2 5000+ onboard HD 3300 video) 49 ECS A780GM-A (AMD 780G 200/800 AM2 X2 5000+ Onboard HD 3200 Video 53 Foxconn A690GM2MA-RS2H (AMD 690G 200/800 AM2 X2 5000+ Onboard Video) 49 Biostar TPower N750 (NF 750a SLI 200/800 AM2 X2 5000+ onboard nF 750a video) 18 Biostar TF8200 A2+ (GF 8200 200/800 AM2 X2 5000+ onboard GF 8200 video) 64 Biostar TF8200 A2+ (GF 8200 200/800 AM2 X2 5000+ Geforce Boost w/h GF 8500GT) 59

Biostar's TPower N750 motherboard coasts through the 720P and 1080i HD content playback tests. Thanks largely to the hardware acceleration of the nForce 750a SLI, CPU utilization is the lowest among all AMD IGP motherboards tested. Low CPU utilization while playing back high definition content is a necessity for home theatre PC builders, and anyone who plans on watching HD movies on a PC. Older IGPs from just a year or two back struggle with 1080i playback, and that can lead to skipping and other video artifacts. Not the case with Biostar's TPower N750 motherboard.

Blu-Ray High Definition Content Playback Tests

LCD Specifications (Asus website) Blu-Ray High Definition content demands a lot of PC processing resources during playback, if CPU load becomes too high that can lead to jittery video quality or other artifacts. Many integrated graphics processors now feature Blu-Ray and High Definition H.264, VC1 and M-PEG2 content acceleration decoders to offload this processing from the CPU, freeing up system resources for other tasks. The PCSTATS Blu-Ray HD content playback test scenario monitors average CPU utilization. It's simple and to the point. The motherboard's integrated graphics processor is taxed in the same way it would be in your home theatre environment, and average percent CPU utilization monitored with Windows task manager. Lower CPU utilization values are best, provided video playback remains smooth and stutter free. How the Test is Conducted: Each integrated graphics motherboard is connected to an ASUS MK241 wide screen 1920x1200 (1080P) resolution LCD display with an HDMI cable. The Blu-Ray movie "10,000 BC" (VC1 encrypted) is then played back from Chapter 22 on an ASUS BC-1205PT blue-ray combo drive, using WinDVD Platinum software and the average fluctuation of CPU load recorded. (The ASUS MK241 supports HDMI-audio, so sound quality is monitored on the speakers, if motherboard is able to output HDMI-audio.)

Motherboard Core Logic IGP Blu-Ray Playback CPU Utilization Video Playback Quality Intel DG45ID (Intel G45) Intel GMA X4500HD 32% - 38% No issues Asus P5Q-EM (Intel G45) Intel GMA X4500HD 38% No issues Biostar TPower N750 (nVidia nForce 750a) Nforce 750a 18% - 20% No issues Foxconn A7DA-S (AMD 790GX) AMD HD3300 14% - 24% No issues

The Biostar TPower N750 enjoys low CPU-usage in PCSTATS Blu-Ray movie playback tests, offloading the majority of the VC1 content decoding from the disk spinning in the Asus' BC-1205PT Blu-Ray drive to the NVIDIA m8200 GPU. What's also interesting here is just how big the lead the AMD platforms enjoy over Intel's new G45 Express chipset in this respect. The Core 2 Duo puts up a formidable fight, but Intel's IGP chipsets still have a ways to go evidently.

Okay, on to the highlights of the Biostar TPower N750 motherboard!

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