The integrated graphics market is an interesting one to say the least. With the release of the HD3200 graphics on AMD’s 780G platform and the release of the 8300/8200 from NVIDIA there are two good choices to integrated graphics on the AMD side of the platform while on the Intel side of the market there’s only one, as Intel’s integrated graphics just doesn’t cut the mustard. The 8200 is not for the hardcore enthusiast wanting to play the latest games with AA and AF on. Instead it is for the HTPC enthusiast wanting an inexpensive motherboard with onboard graphics to play their Blu-Ray Discs on their HDMI HDTV, light gaming and everyday use. XFX’s solution offers everything you need to run a HTPC with HDMI connection, good High Definition Audio and the small form factor size, the 8200 from XFX gets the job done.
HybridPower saves energy in comparison to other motherboards without the ability to turn off the discrete graphics card. GeForce Boost seems a bit of a waste as the inexpensive graphics cards on the market such as the 9600GT and HD3650 outperform any such solution by wide margins and the costs of buying a 8500GT do not outweigh the benefits of buying a solution like the 9600GT. The integrated graphics of the GeForce 8200 are excellent for what they’re designed to do. As we move forward all NVIDIA motherboards will likely have an integrated graphics part to allow HybridPower to save energy on everything they sell. This is a Hot Product for the target audience the chipset and motherboard are aimed at and the XFX motherboard sells for $99.00 - $129.00 depending on the vendor or e-tailor you buy from.
