Conclusions
After running the M3A32-MVP Deluxe and K9A2 Platinum through our gauntlet of chipset and motherboard tests, it appears our initial prognosis for the 790FX chipset was largely accurate. The Asus and MSI boards we've looked at today aren't any faster in application tests than Gigabyte's GA-MA790FX-DQ6, which puts them right in line with competing nForce 590 SLI boards. However, the SB600's AHCI issues and slower USB performance remain. The SB600 appears to have some PCI performance quirks, as well, with the Gigabyte and MSI boards delivering much lower PCI throughput than our nForce 590 SLI platform. The Asus board fared a little better in our PCI throughput test.

Indeed, the M3A32-MVP had a performance edge over the K9A2 Platinum through much of our peripheral suite. The Asus board isn't particularly exemplary on that front, but the MSI board suffers from a Gigabit Ethernet chip with atrocious CPU utilization and a Firewire controller that's a little slow. To its credit, the K9A2 does deliver lower power consumption than the other 790FX boards. However, it only draws about 12 fewer watts than the nForce 590 SLI, which is a relatively modest advantage.

If you absolutely must buy a 790FX motherboard today, the Asus M3A32-MVP Deluxe and MSI K9A2 Platinum are better alternatives to the Gigabyte GA-MA790FX-DQ6. For those looking for a high-end board packed with fast peripherals, the Asus is the best option. Those looking to save a few dollars are much better off with the K9A2 Platinum.

That said, we still recommend waiting for the second wave of 790FX boards to hit with updated SB700 south bridge chips. By then, AMD should have B3-stepping Phenom chips available that correct the TLB erratum, as well.