Although the ECS A785GM-AD3 Black Series motherboard initially appears very similar to the A780GM-A Ultra Black we reviewed last year, upon closer inspection we begin to see the differences. As far as design goes, both incorporate a traditionally mainstream, micro-ATX chipset into a full-size ATX board, and advertise a bunch of features aimed at enthusiasts and overclockers. Even the Black Series moniker and overall appearance, the black PCB and colorful components, give the impression that what we have is a step above the ordinary. In the case of the previous A780GM-A Ultra we can say that holds true, with great power handling, 8-pin +12v EPS and impressive 160W TDP processor capability. However the A785GM-AD3 is hamstrung by its 4-pin +12v, reduced phase power and meager 95W TDP CPU ceiling. And two complaints we had with the previous generation board, the lack of a NB Multi adjustment and poor passive cooling on the chipset, are unfortunately carried over identically on the A785GM-AD3.