Towards the end of 2003 ATI announced their long awaited DX8.1 capable integrated graphics chipset. The chipset featured a slightly neutered Radeon 9200 graphics core, dual channel DDR memory controller, Surroundview Tri-Display support, and support for 800 MHz FSB P4 processors. While the chipset featured a potent graphics core and system performance around 98% of an 865G, most boards based on the IGP9100 were developed for a mATX form factor. The reasoning for building mATX boards is because the IGP9100 is tailored towards the OEM market. Most systems with integrated graphics from the likes of Dell, Compaq, and Emachines utilize mATX system boards. To add further insult, the majority of the IGP9100 based boards only had two DIMM slots and lacked SATA.

 This kept the IGP9100 boards from arriving in the hands of enthusiasts. While the thought of producing a budget enthusiast level/HTPC motherboard never crossed the mind of most manufacturers, Asus felt the need to fill the gap between the 865G and 865PE. While the 865G offered a viable business solution, enthusiasts would scoff at Intel?s Extreme Graphics 2?s TV output and 3D performance. The scoffing is with good reason, Intel?s EG2 is great for 2D office work but when it comes to gaming and TV out, you?re better off using a GeForce 4 MX440. With a neutered variant of the proven RV280 architecture in hand, Asus sought out to provide a board with integrated graphics that is still capable of playing games and tailor to the HTPC crowd yet offer an AGP slot when the time comes for a better graphics card.  

The board appropriately dubbed P4R800-V Deluxe is a value enthusiast level board based around ATI?s IGP9100 north bridge and IXP150 south bridge. Instead of being a standard IGP1900board, the P4R800-V Deluxe has a few tricks up its sleeve that would make it an ideal HTPC and budget enthusiast solution.

Layout

The P4R800-V Deluxe is built on Asus?s trademarked brownish PCB. Since no one else really uses the dull brown color aside from Asus, it can be considered a trademarked Asus feature now. Nonetheless the board integrates ATI?s IGP9100 north bridge. The embedded graphics core presents hardware pixel shader 1.4 support but lacks a hardware vertex shader unit. In place of the hardware vertex shader unit is a software VS that tricks applications into thinking a hardware VS unit is available. For its application in the P4R800V Deluxe, the graphics core is clocked at 300 MHz.

Asus?s slogan for the P4R800-V Deluxe is ?The best home entertainment center.? This is quite true with the present of composite and SVIDEO outputs powered by the IGP9100?s integrated TV encoder. For the most part, ATI TV out is typically superior to similar competing solution; the IGP9100 is no different. Moving on the P4R800V utilizes Asus?s standard port layout.  From left to right are PS/2, Parallel, TV Out, VGA, Firewire, USB 2.0, GBe, audio connectors. Lacking is a serial port connector, which is provided on a separate expansion bracket.

next >

---

• A closer look (1 of 7)
• Closer Look Cnt. (2 of 7)
• What's Inside (3 of 7)
• Bios/Test Setup (4 of 7)
• Synthetic Tests (5 of 7)
• Gaming tests (6 of 7)
• Conclusion (7 of 7)