XFX nForce® 750a SLI (MD-A72P-7509)

INTRODUCTION

The curtain of Computex 2008 has fallen and with the show ended, we are going to see many product showcased products start to appear in the market.  The show brought many interesting products and one of such products are motherboards for AMD processors based on NVIDIA’s new chipsets that feature an integrated graphics processor.  Motherboards with integrated processor is nothing new to the computer world but NVIDIA’s latest implementation is something new which they brand as HybridSLI.  NVIDIA is planning to implement this feature in all of their future chipsets and we have seen motherboards with such feature with nForce 780a chipset.  NVIDIA has just released two new chipsets, nForce 750a and GeForce 8300, which also features HybridSLI.  Starting with this review, we will have more AMD motherboard reviews coming that features either one of the two chipsets.  To start things off, we will be looking at the XFX nForce 750a motherboard.
 

The nForce 750a is based on NVIDIA’s flagship nForce 780a chipset, which itself is built on the highly successful nForce 680i chipset.  The chipset shares many functions as the 780i such as DDR2-1066MHz, SLI capable, PCI express 2.0, Media shield, HD Azelia  audio, and Hybrid SLI.  What lacks in the nForce 750a is the ability to run Tri-SLI due to the lack of nForce 200 chipset and the ESA support.  Because nForce 750a chipset does not have nForce 200 chip, it is only able to run SLI in two x8 channel.  Other than that, both chipsets are using the same chip for the integrated graphics and Hybrid SLI support.

XFX: The Company

Founded in 1989, PINE Technology designs, develops, manufactures and distributes high-quality digital audio and video devices as well as computer peripherals. PINE also distributes branded computer and communications products. The company's movement into areas such as global B2B eCommerce and software development have helped keep it ahead of the competition. Today, PINE enjoys strategic alliances with companies such as Dell, NEC, Microsoft, Panasonic, Phillips, Ricoh, Samsung, Ingram Micro, Intel, Quantum, Connertech, Pioneer and Fujitsu.

Headquartered in Hong Kong, PINE Technology has more than 1,000 employees worldwide, with 16 offices around the globe, four research and development centers strategically located in the Asia Pacific region, and two factories in China.

Production output at PINE's factories exceeds an impressive 500,000 units of PC components and I.A. appliances per month. However, our line flexibility enables us to switch lines within a scant four hours to expand capacity to a staggering one million board-level products per month.

XFX, otherwise known as PINE Technologies, is a brand of graphics cards that have been around since 1989, and have since then made a name for themselves with their Double-Lifetime enthusiast-grade warranty on their NVIDIA graphics adapters and matching excellent end-user support.

XFX dares to go where the competition would like to, but can't. That's because, at XFX, we don't just create great digital video components--we build all-out, mind-blowing, performance crushing, competition-obliterating video cards and motherboards. Oh, and not only are they amazing, you don't have to live on dry noodles and peanut butter to afford them.