Image Quality
We will be providing additional image quality results in our mATX roundup that will provide in-game and Blu-ray screenshots, but for now here are a few samples that we collected during our recent testing.
Our first image quality test consists of playing back House of Flying Daggers utilizing Windows Media Player 11. We also used PowerDVD 7 and WinDVD 8 with basically the same results.
We think the 690G and G965 provide the best overall picture with the 6150 just not producing an image with the same color and detail as the other platforms. Utilizing the PureVideo application resulted in a slightly better picture but still behind the 690G and G965. Overall, we tend to think the G965 had the best picture quality during playback but your mileage will vary.
Our second image quality test consists of playing back a Windows WMV-HD clip from the Fighter Pilots DVD utilizing Windows Media Player 11. We also tested with WinDVD 8 and it generated similar results.
We believe the 690G and G965 once again provide the best overall picture quality; the 6150 produces an image that is clear but without the color saturation of the other two alternatives. These results could be considered a toss up depending on personal preferences. We tend to think the G965 has the best picture quality although it took a lot of long stares for our opinion to be formed on the subject. We think the pilot's harness was slightly sharper in the G965 picture thus swaying our opinion.
Our final image quality test consists of playing back a Windows .AVI clip from our encoding tests utilizing Windows Media Player 11. We also tested with WinDVD 8 and PowerDVD 7 with both generating similar results. The results from the encoding process from the AVI to WMV file format will be provided shortly. It is near impossible to capture the image at the exact same point with Windows Media player but the images in this test group are very close to being identical.
When reviewing these images we firmly believe the G965 has the best overall image from both a color saturation and picture detail viewpoint. The 690G and 6150 produce an almost equal image that but we think the clarity in the 6150 images give it an edge.
In our video playback tests we believe the G965 had the best picture quality of our solutions with the 690G performing equally in most cases and the 6150 trailing behind. Intel touted the G965's Clear Video Quality at product launch and from all indications this technology has made a difference, at least in our limited testing to date.
We will be providing additional image quality results in our mATX roundup that will provide in-game and Blu-ray screenshots, but for now here are a few samples that we collected during our recent testing.
Our first image quality test consists of playing back House of Flying Daggers utilizing Windows Media Player 11. We also used PowerDVD 7 and WinDVD 8 with basically the same results.
 690G - Click to enlarge |
 G965 - Click to enlarge |
 6150 - Click to enlarge |
We think the 690G and G965 provide the best overall picture with the 6150 just not producing an image with the same color and detail as the other platforms. Utilizing the PureVideo application resulted in a slightly better picture but still behind the 690G and G965. Overall, we tend to think the G965 had the best picture quality during playback but your mileage will vary.
Our second image quality test consists of playing back a Windows WMV-HD clip from the Fighter Pilots DVD utilizing Windows Media Player 11. We also tested with WinDVD 8 and it generated similar results.
 690G - Click to enlarge |
 G965 - Click to enlarge |
 6150 - Click to enlarge |
We believe the 690G and G965 once again provide the best overall picture quality; the 6150 produces an image that is clear but without the color saturation of the other two alternatives. These results could be considered a toss up depending on personal preferences. We tend to think the G965 has the best picture quality although it took a lot of long stares for our opinion to be formed on the subject. We think the pilot's harness was slightly sharper in the G965 picture thus swaying our opinion.
Our final image quality test consists of playing back a Windows .AVI clip from our encoding tests utilizing Windows Media Player 11. We also tested with WinDVD 8 and PowerDVD 7 with both generating similar results. The results from the encoding process from the AVI to WMV file format will be provided shortly. It is near impossible to capture the image at the exact same point with Windows Media player but the images in this test group are very close to being identical.
 690G - Click to enlarge |
 G965 - Click to enlarge |
 6150 - Click to enlarge |
When reviewing these images we firmly believe the G965 has the best overall image from both a color saturation and picture detail viewpoint. The 690G and 6150 produce an almost equal image that but we think the clarity in the 6150 images give it an edge.
In our video playback tests we believe the G965 had the best picture quality of our solutions with the 690G performing equally in most cases and the 6150 trailing behind. Intel touted the G965's Clear Video Quality at product launch and from all indications this technology has made a difference, at least in our limited testing to date.
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Gary Key - Wednesday, March 7, 2007 - link
The board will not do 1080P over the HDMI port at this time. 720P is working fine. The mATX will be up on the 19th, provided my heart is still working by that time, have to say that testing under Vista is not a pleasant experience. ;)dmce - Friday, March 9, 2007 - link
Gary, thanks for the info. Is the lack of ability to do 1080p related to Vista or will it just not do it at this stage. Is it likely bios/driver updates will improve this?chucky2 - Thursday, March 8, 2007 - link
Man, to me it sounds like - other than having video and audio in one cable - HDMI is not the way to go.Better to have DVI w/ HDCP it sounds like...plus, the connector is more beefcake, no falling out accidentally with DVI.
Chuck
Gary Key - Tuesday, March 6, 2007 - link
The platform will no do 1080P playback at this time in a consistent matter. As stated, we normally would end up with a slide show or a blank screen. AMD has told us 1080P will be possible with a driver update, proper playback support (PowerDVD or WinDVD), and a processor along the lines of a 5200+. We received a new driver update to address video quality issues we found late in testing but 1080P was not addressed yet. I am just as anxious as everyone else to see if it will do 1080P. ;)savantu - Tuesday, March 6, 2007 - link
This has to be one of the worst review ever done at Anandtech , almost makes you think somebody was paid to do it this bad.we fully believe the majority of the performance difference lies in the chipset selection.
Is this a joke or what ? The 2.6GHz 5200+ against a 1.86GHz Core 2 in media encoding and you think it is the chipset?! Every other test you made put the E6300 in between the 3800+ and 4200+.
goinginstyle - Tuesday, March 6, 2007 - link
Have you ever run a Conroe on a VIA or 945P chipset, if you have then you know what was meant by his statement.JarredWalton - Tuesday, March 6, 2007 - link
Try reading it in context:Nero Recode 2 performance:
AnyDVD Rip = 3-way tie more or less
Shrink = 6150 leads, G965 second, 690G last (despite 6150 and 690G using the same CPU)
Shrink/Burn = G965 first, 6150 and 690G virtually tied.
Full quote, instead of your selected text: "Of course, we are using a mid-range AM2 processor against the budget C2D part (the AMD price cuts have helped matters there, as the price difference is currently only about $35) but we fully believe the majority of the performance difference lies in the chipset selection. It is only in the shrink and burn tests that we see the Intel platform flexing its muscles...."
In other words, the difference we saw in the Shrink test indicates that the 6150 chipset is better for this task than 690G. We definitely know that the Core 2 Duo is faster at equivalent CPU prices than X2 chips, but we're looking at platforms and chipsets and not just CPUs.
UserNO - Tuesday, March 6, 2007 - link
Gawd, people, if you're going to tell us that we'll "have to play at 800x600" if we use these integrated graphics, why not test the games at 800x600 and report framerates? Find the highest (lowest) settings necessary to get a playable experience and tell us that. No one's going to run a game at 1024x768, get 15fps, and then give up; they're going to crank the settings and res down until they can play the game.It's not enough to just say "integrated graphics are unsuitable for even casual gamers, buy a discrete card" and then not quantify the difference.
Gary Key - Tuesday, March 6, 2007 - link
We tested the games at 800x600 and the results will be in our mATX roundup along with dedicated video scores.In the meantime-
800x600- HQ settings
690G 6150 G965
BF2 20.68 17.4 DNF
HL2 35.7 28.8 5.3
CoH 26.4 21.7 24.9
Calin - Wednesday, March 7, 2007 - link
I just wanted to say I'm looking forward to the mATX roundupNice article overall, thanks. And you might want to invest in some cheap Intel and AMD processors (the low-end, for $100 both), just to be able to compare them (I'm not suggesting complete testings on every processor possible)