Whereas websites like ourselves, and indeed enthusiasts in general, tend to focus on the performance of specific parts (i.e. a certain CPU or graphics board), this isn't really how things work for your average computer buyer, or indeed computer reseller. What they're looking for is a well-balanced overall package that does everything that they want to do well enough, without swathes of bells and whistles and the like. The centrepiece of this platform tends to be the combination of CPU, graphics and motherboard, and this is where the new AMD's focus lies - In offering the best possible overall platform at a particular price point. Indeed, the overall price is the real crux of the matter here - It's easy to build a fantastic platform using all of the most expensive components, but as you start to tighten then budget, so certain aspects tend to suffer greatly.

The product we are looking at here is the first real fruit of the new AMD's labours, and sums up the company's concept of the platform to a tee, for the subject of today's review is the 690G chipset, and in particular ASUS' M2A-VM part. Read on, as we examine this intriguing new motherboard chipset, and explain in more depth about AMD's concept of the platform in action."