The ASUS M3A78 AMD 770 is a full-size motherboard that supports PCI-Express and standard PCI video cards. As of October 2010, PCI-E is the standard for all newer cards.
Hardware
The ASUS M3A78 AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 includes one PCI-E 2.0 port, two PCI-E 1.0 ports and three standard PCI ports. Any video card based on the PCI-E 2.0 standard will benefit from the increased speed of the PCI-E 2.0 port.
Usage
If you only intend to do basic computing tasks such as Web browsing and word processing, a low-end PCI card will be more than adequate for your needs. If you intend on watching videos or DVDs, playing 3D gaming applications or using your computer for any other graphics-intensive activity, a more powerful PCI-E card is recommended for speed and better overall performance.
Pricing
Standard PCI video cards are the cheapest option. This technology is outdated, so the capabilities of these video cards are limited. PCI-E cards are more expensive but a variety of products is available at prices to fit most budgets. A decent mid-range card can be purchased for about $100 as of October 2010; high-end cards start at around $400. Fortunately, as new technologies evolve every year or two, the price of older cards rapidly drops.
Tags: video cards, ASUS M3A78, October 2010, PCI-E port, PCI-E standard