# MSI Readies First AMD 890-FX Based Motherboard



## btarunr (Dec 11, 2009)

Here it is - the industry's first motherboard ready for market, based on the AMD 890FX chipset. This socket AM3 motherboard features a platform overhaul with its new chipset, support for USB 3.0 and SATA 6 Gbps, and as many as six PCI-Express 2.0 x16 slots. The electrical configuration of these slots isn't known as yet, but seeing that there are only two apparent groups of external PCI-Express lane switching, four of these could be electrical x8. The carries the markings of "quad-CrossFireX graphics support", which leads us to believe that at least four out of six of these are wired to the new northbridge. 

The CPU is powered by a 5+1 phase VRM, with a large heatsink cooling both the VRM areas and the northbridge.Besides the six PCI-Express x16 slots, there is a lone PCI slot. This is also perhaps the first motherboard with native SATA 6 Gbps support, with as many as six SATA 6 Gbps ports. An additional controller seems to be in place for a couple of extra SATA 3 Gbps ports, and an IDE controller (indicating that the chipset has given up native IDE support). An additional NEC controller provides two USB 3.0 ports color-coded blue, on the rear panel. Its neighbours include powered eSATA, 8-channel audio with optical and co-axial SPDIF, a number of other USB 2.0 ports, FireWire one Gigabit Ethernet, and Bluetooth. There is no word on the pricing or availability, though hopefully more could be learned about 890FX-based motherboards at the upcoming CES event. 



 

 



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## theubersmurf (Dec 11, 2009)

I hadn't even heard any sort of announcement about new AMD chipsets.


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## JrRacinFan (Dec 11, 2009)

There was a news announcement a LONG time ago. I think it was back in July. Board looks great!


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## A Cheese Danish (Dec 11, 2009)

Such a good lookin board! Looks like I'm going to be building a new computer at the right time I think.


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## IINexusII (Dec 11, 2009)

asus please release a crosshair 4 looking as sexy as the maximus iii


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## zCexVe (Dec 11, 2009)

Now, that is a a motherboard.


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## freakshow (Dec 11, 2009)

looks pretty sweet


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## WarEagleAU (Dec 11, 2009)

Damn and I havent even had my Asus Crosshair 3 that long after it came out. Bleh, I need a better paying job so I can keep up with tech. I so want this!


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## suraswami (Dec 11, 2009)

6 video cards = no power to my neighbours and free home heater for me with a empty purse


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## dir_d (Dec 11, 2009)

MSi is on the ball but im very happy with my GD70


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## Silverel (Dec 11, 2009)

Ah, there it is. Been waiting for the 800 series from AMD...


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## gnesterenko (Dec 11, 2009)

*Oh man, I;ve been waiting for SO long*

for an RD890 board to upgrade my build. Originally the promised it by end of 2009, but then with the pushback... its been a difficult wait. To top it off, my old 939 motherboard is dying, and I WAS hoping to replace it with one of these: ASRock Socket 939 785G Mobo, but of course, limited availability - meaning only in Germany/UK/Japan.

But with this, I can hold out a bit longer and make my real planned build. Thank you MSI, though I'll probably wait for ASUS to put out their model. Nothing against, MSI, but ASUS mobos for life for me. 

A question though, no word on this one as to what the Southbridge is, 810 or 850. Hoping that its the 850, cause if its not, more wait for me 

"The views expressed here are mine and do not reflect the official opinion of my employer or the organization through which the Internet was accessed."


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## TheMailMan78 (Dec 11, 2009)

Damn it do I already need to upgrade my board?! I want the new 6 core on day one! I has a sad.


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## theubersmurf (Dec 11, 2009)

JrRacinFan said:


> There was a news announcement a LONG time ago. I think it was back in July. Board looks great!


I probably forgot then. Six month is a long time between announcement and release.


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## Lionheart (Dec 11, 2009)

good job AMD and MSI, the board looks sweet as


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## Easo (Dec 11, 2009)

Nice, very nice.


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## @RaXxaa@ (Dec 11, 2009)

Just a look at it, has 6 pcie slots and only 4 ram slots if iam not mistaken


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## human_error (Dec 11, 2009)

I can't help but feel that this board needs more PCI-E slots


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## phanbuey (Dec 11, 2009)

AMD has such nice Motherboards... if only the p55 chipset was this nice.


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## Lionheart (Dec 11, 2009)

human_error said:


> I can't help but feel that this board needs more PCI-E slots



LMFAO hahahhaha


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## DaedalusHelios (Dec 11, 2009)

6 Pci-express ports and only 4 most likely having enough bandwidth to be used. The other two????? Useless I would assume. It would be better to have a PCI-X for workstation raid cards in there too. Maybe another PCI slot?

Other than that it looks like a good board. MSI is always a good value as of late anyway.


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## wiak (Dec 11, 2009)

AMD's chipset has allways had native ide support, only intel that does not have native in latest chipsets


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## Disparia (Dec 11, 2009)

Not the board for me... but nice to see that the 800-series is just around the corner.


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## Kei (Dec 11, 2009)

I had completely forgotten about the 800 series as well.  I'm glad I haven't bought a new board just yet now that these are starting to surface in the news again.

I like the look of the MSI board and it's loaded with features for sure, I'm now eagerly awaiting the ASUS offering which is 99.999% what I'll end up going with whether I get a 790FX or 890FX board.

Cheers to MSI for being first out of the gate with a very good looking product. 

Kei


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## Zubasa (Dec 11, 2009)

Good that I did not buy that overpriced 790FXTA-UD5! 
Screw you Gigiabyte :shadedshu
MSI here I come


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## TheLaughingMan (Dec 11, 2009)

I am starting to like MSi more and more.  I guess everyone is happy they dropped the brown PCB board mine was stamped onto with its pink, teal, and "insert girl word for purple" slots.

I love my mobo, but I am glad most of it is covered up by the Mugen II and GTX 260.


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## Meizuman (Dec 11, 2009)

What is that connector next to the RJ-45? USB? Rounded edges? Does not compute


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## Zubasa (Dec 11, 2009)

Meizuman said:


> What is that connector next to the RJ-45? USB? Rounded edges? Does not compute


Most likely eSATA+USB combo jack.


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## javaking (Dec 11, 2009)

So what's the difference in the 980a and the 890a


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## Zubasa (Dec 11, 2009)

javaking said:


> So what's the difference in the 980a and the 890a


Two completely unrelated chipsets? 
890FX > 890a


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## javaking (Dec 11, 2009)

whitch is better chipset


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## Zubasa (Dec 11, 2009)

javaking said:


> whitch is better chipset


As far as I see it, the 980a chipset is no better than the 790FX.
So I guess its call PWN'd?


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## javaking (Dec 11, 2009)

I'am a noob I quess I'am in for little more reading


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## HossHuge (Dec 11, 2009)

Does this mean that AMD won't be going tri-channel with Bulldozer?


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## Steevo (Dec 11, 2009)

I predict a MSI board that has issues, like most of the other MSI boards i have used. Alot of PCI-e but only four useable, but at least when you encounter a wierd issue you can use the rear reset button instead of trying to dig into a crowded case to reset a completely locked up system.


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## Polarman (Dec 11, 2009)

6 PCIe is pretty pointless. Why not make it red instead of blue ?


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## Hunt3r (Dec 11, 2009)

the price will be a little salty so make to see..


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## Zubasa (Dec 11, 2009)

Polarman said:


> 6 PCIe is pretty pointless. Why not make it red instead of blue ?


On top of that, MSI have some of the dumbest slot layouts on the market.
Just look at their 790FX-GD70, where on earth should you put your sound card? :shadedshu

They are smart enough to put an x1 slot right under the first x16 slot, so dual x16 CF = onboard sound.
Yes, the other 2 slots are only capable of x8.
Isn't the whole poitn of 790FX is dual X16 / quad x4?


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## Disparia (Dec 11, 2009)

They give in to the "sound card" crowd, get flack from the quad Crossfire crowd. MSI just can't win


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## Zubasa (Dec 11, 2009)

Jizzler said:


> They give in to the "sound card" crowd, get flack from the quad Crossfire crowd. MSI just can't win


All they need to do is to swap the pci-e x1 slot with the middle pci slot that nobody uses anymore.
Since the only x16 slots are the first and the third.


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## Disparia (Dec 11, 2009)

Ahhh... true. I was thinking of a different board.

And even better, don't swap, just make them all x1!


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## theubersmurf (Dec 12, 2009)

HossHuge said:


> Does this mean that AMD won't be going tri-channel with Bulldozer?


Somehow I doubt it will be a common thing for anything but LGA 1366 socket mobos. Besides which, AMD tends to be slow in the updating of it's memory controllers. It seems like they get reused from generation to generation of processor, and only update it every once in a while.


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## theubersmurf (Dec 12, 2009)

Jizzler said:


> They give in to the "sound card" crowd, get flack from the quad Crossfire crowd. MSI just can't win


A lot of those people have never owned an MSI board, if they knew how stable they were they might change their tune, besides which, when you hear about most "extreme" overclocks, people aren't using MSI boards, with overclocking being the hip thing for enthusiasts, they tend to flock to the most well regarded in the light of overclocking. I love my Eclipse, it's been a great board since day one...Just over a year ago now.


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## MK4512 (Dec 12, 2009)

Wow, I could keep my house warm if I had 6 Xfire setup! 

Who REALLY needs that much power...


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## Zubasa (Dec 12, 2009)

theubersmurf said:


> Somehow I doubt it will be a common thing for anything but LGA 1366 socket mobos. Besides which, AMD tends to be slow in the updating of it's memory controllers. It seems like they get reused from generation to generation of processor, and only update it every once in a while.


The same goes both ways.
Intel haven't updated their memory controller for quite a while until the the LGA 1156 and 1366 platforms.
As far as tri-channel goes, not even the i7 needs that bandwidth, this is evident from how the 1156 i7 performs.


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## soryuuha (Dec 12, 2009)

human_error said:


> I can't help but feel that this board needs more PCI-E slots



5x PCie not good enough?


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## Gjohnst4 (Dec 12, 2009)

Now if MSI would only let me trade in my 790FX-GD70 I'd be all set ><


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## PP Mguire (Dec 12, 2009)

Zubasa said:


> On top of that, MSI have some of the dumbest slot layouts on the market.
> Just look at their 790FX-GD70, where on earth should you put your sound card? :shadedshu
> 
> They are smart enough to put an x1 slot right under the first x16 slot, so dual x16 CF = onboard sound.
> ...



In any of the other pci-e slots that are provided 

You dont need a dedicated 1x slot for a sound card. If you have 4 pci-e slots and are only using 2 for crossfire then stick a sound card in one of the other availible slots. 

For instance.


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## aj28 (Dec 12, 2009)

I think it's worth pointing out the obvious for a few of the people posting earlier in the thread: PCI-E 16x slots may be used for any PCI-E configuration all the way down to PCI-E 1x cards. It's not that they're useless so much as they're giving you a wide array of options in how you want to orient your graphics cards relative to the rest of the system, which is great given the fact that almost all current-gen cards are or will be dual-slot, and some custom configurations now call for as many as three.

Now all we need are those cheap PCI-E 1x add-on cards... That we've needed... For years now...


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## Zubasa (Dec 12, 2009)

PP Mguire said:


> In any of the other pci-e slots that are provided
> 
> You dont need a dedicated 1x slot for a sound card. If you have 4 pci-e slots and are only using 2 for crossfire then stick a sound card in one of the other availible slots.
> 
> ...


I know what you mean, but according to the manual only the 2 of ths slots are electrically x16.
That is the slot your GTX 280 is in, and the slot that your X-Fi is in. :shadedshu

The other 2 slots are x8 only and, and when pluged in it switches to x16/x8/x8 mode.
It doesn't say what happens if you put an x1 card in.
The most "logical" way is assuming that the bios is dumb.....
Since I haven't seen anyone try out what happens.


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## PP Mguire (Dec 12, 2009)

In that setup with 2 4870s in the 2 main slots and the xfi in the 2nd pci-e slot according to gpuz both vid card where running 16x.


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## jessicafae (Dec 12, 2009)

I'm really hoping that MSI releases a microATX form factor of this  890FX  board with three x16 PCIe slots like this....(a photoshop mod I just made)


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## buggalugs (Dec 12, 2009)

Guys those PCI-E slots are not just for graphics cards. Any 1X/4X PCI-E card works like a sound card or TV card or whatever. Theres not many add in cards that need X16 or even X8 apart from a graphics card.


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## PP Mguire (Dec 12, 2009)

Read page one, weve already established this


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## Zubasa (Dec 12, 2009)

buggalugs said:


> Guys those PCI-E slots are not just for graphics cards. Any 1X/4X PCI-E card works like a sound card or TV card or whatever. Theres not many add in cards that need X16 or even X8 apart from a graphics card.


I think everybody knows this, it is more of a question on how the board handles the lanes.


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## theubersmurf (Dec 12, 2009)

buggalugs said:


> Guys those PCI-E slots are not just for graphics cards. Any 1X/4X PCI-E card works like a sound card or TV card or whatever. Theres not many add in cards that need X16 or even X8 apart from a graphics card.



*OFF TOPIC:* You know, the more I've thought about it, the more I think they should do away with the x1 and x8 (not x4 and x16) _*physical *_ pci-e slot types. Bandwidth can be whatever, but it would simplify board layout and functionality to have the slots be more general purpose. The x1 slot in particular is a pain, things hang out of it precariously, and the x8 seems rare except on servers...though maybe on servers it serves a more substantial purpose.


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## Jstn7477 (Dec 12, 2009)

It's cool to see that RD890 solutions are beginning to appear, but I am still happy with my Crosshair III Formula (especially since I bought it just about 3.5 months ago, and it is an expensive motherboard.)

Anyways, I'm wondering like everyone else about how this board spreads the PCIe lanes. Also, I hope that the 8xx series brings some much better IGPs (the HD3200 was somewhat revolutionary, but it's time for an upgrade.)


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## GSquadron (Dec 12, 2009)

The price of this would be catastrophic, i think about >400$. Anyway 6 pci e slots are totally useless. I am waiting for the most powerful 890gx, so it would end up more than 400$ maybe.


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## TheGuruStud (Dec 12, 2009)

It doesn't matter if they're 8x or 16x. This is pcie 2.0. Pcie 2.0 8x = pcie 1.0 16x. 
That's plenty of bandwidth for any single GPU card.
Even if you're using two 5970s you only need two of the three slots. There's plenty of room for various configs. This is an excellent board. 

And screw asus.


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## Zubasa (Dec 12, 2009)

Aleksander Dishnica said:


> The price of this would be catastrophic, i think about >400$. Anyway 6 pci e slots are totally useless. I am waiting for the most powerful 890gx, so it would end up more than 400$ maybe.


This is the highest end chipset for AMD.
The 790FX is a the top chipset, the 790X and 790GX comes after it.

It is very unlikely to cost any where near $400, and not even the X58 boards cost this much.
There are very few boards over $400, so far its some of the EVGA and Asus boards.


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## Kei (Dec 12, 2009)

lol, I think he wasn't referring to US dollars $400 as he's in Albania. 

I wish the other companies would take off the covers and show us what they've got hiding as well! I'm getting anxious now... 

Kei


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## PP Mguire (Dec 12, 2009)

TheGuruStud said:


> It doesn't matter if they're 8x or 16x. This is pcie 2.0. Pcie 2.0 8x = pcie 1.0 16x.
> That's plenty of bandwidth for any single GPU card.
> Even if you're using two 5970s you only need two of the three slots. There's plenty of room for various configs. This is an excellent board.
> 
> And screw asus.



Exactly. Not even my P55 board runs dual 16x and my 280s ran fine.


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## eidairaman1 (Dec 12, 2009)

Nice setup n all, but with Dual Slot videocards, you still can't utilize all your slots, I say ATX standard needs to change, Unless if you want to run single slot cards throughout the motherboard.  Course TBH I wouldnt recommend more than 2 videocards anyway since scaling beyond 2 is horrible.


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## r9 (Dec 13, 2009)

That is nice but for me every time I think of i5 750 MSI P55 and 5850 I start to daydream.


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## Zubasa (Dec 13, 2009)

PP Mguire said:


> Exactly. Not even my P55 board runs dual 16x and my 280s ran fine.


Yes it should.
On the other hand, the main purpose of this particular chipset is full speed graphics slot.
That is why AMD released the 790X chipset because that is all that you usually need. 
I would expect a 890X chipset later.


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## buggalugs (Dec 13, 2009)

theubersmurf said:


> *OFF TOPIC:* You know, the more I've thought about it, the more I think they should do away with the x1 and x8 (not x4 and x16) _*physical *_ pci-e slot types. Bandwidth can be whatever, but it would simplify board layout and functionality to have the slots be more general purpose. .



I agree. It gives the consumer the MOST options to use various cards.


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## Bjorn_Of_Iceland (Dec 13, 2009)

MSI Boards rock! Not over priced and OCs really good


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## PP Mguire (Dec 13, 2009)

Zubasa said:


> Yes it should.
> On the other hand, the main purpose of this particular chipset is full speed graphics slot.
> That is why AMD released the 790X chipset because that is all that you usually need.
> I would expect a 890X chipset later.



What do you mean yes it should? I already said that while populating both 16x slots on my MSI GD70 and having my Xfi in another slot both 4870s ran in 16x mode. Id say it was working right and this board should be no different. As for the P55 boards, well they ARE supposed to be mainstream so running dual cards you would expect an 8x configuration. But as i said before, running 2 280s in 8x didnt bottleneck at all so it really dosent matter unless you plan on running 2 GTX380s or something. If you can afford that though, you shouldnt be buying low grade boards or mainstream chipsets.


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## Hayder_Master (Dec 13, 2009)

very nice before 3 days ago i was searching about new AMD chipsets where they release cuz i sell my q6600 and think about upgrade , now they rising and i wait for asus and gigabyte too what they release


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## zithe (Dec 13, 2009)

It'd be amazing if it could push both SLI and crossfire. I'd go AM3 this summer lol.


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## Zubasa (Dec 13, 2009)

PP Mguire said:


> What do you mean yes it should? I already said that while populating both 16x slots on my MSI GD70 and having my Xfi in another slot both 4870s ran in 16x mode. Id say it was working right and this board should be no different. As for the P55 boards, well they ARE supposed to be mainstream so running dual cards you would expect an 8x configuration. But as i said before, running 2 280s in 8x didnt bottleneck at all so it really dosent matter unless you plan on running 2 GTX380s or something. If you can afford that though, you shouldnt be buying low grade boards or mainstream chipsets.


Dude, you seems to over react quite often. 
What I meant is the GTX 280 should work fine in a x8 slot.
You did mention that the board is working right, and its good to know.

On the other hand, this thread is about this new board for the AMD platform, I am not even discussing how the P55 works.
The major difference between the 790FX and the 790X chipset is the number of PCI-Express lane avaliable.
So AMD will most likely some something similar and release a 890X.
If you don't care about running on x8 you might as well grab something that is one step down and save some cash.


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## shagg (Dec 13, 2009)

IINexusII said:


> asus please release a crosshair 4 looking as sexy as the maximus iii



Asus seems to be concentrating on Intel these days. Gigabyte seems to be answering the call of the underdog.


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## MilkyWay (Dec 13, 2009)

Never liked MSI used to years ago but not now, and Gigabyte look cheap to me!

Never thought id go ASUS because of price premium but here i am... the ASUS M4A79XTD EVO is like a value enthusiast board.

If ASUS could do something along those lines with the new chipset i would be all over it but no one really needs to go to the new chipset just yet i would leave it a while longer.


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## eidairaman1 (Dec 13, 2009)

Haven't had anything but trouble out of Asus, So I don't use them at all.  It's fact of them releasing so many boards that it appears they take no time to improve on the current ones with bios code.


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## Semi-Lobster (Dec 13, 2009)

Does anybody know what IGP the 800s motherboards are going to use yet?


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## eidairaman1 (Dec 13, 2009)

Semi-Lobster said:


> Does anybody know what IGP the 800s motherboards are going to use yet?



Proably a lowend 5000 series IGP, in the 890GX


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## MilkyWay (Dec 13, 2009)

eidairaman1 said:


> Haven't had anything but trouble out of Asus, So I don't use them at all.  It's fact of them releasing so many boards that it appears they take no time to improve on the current ones with bios code.



really because the board i have has had regular updates granted not every week but it added some cool or minor changes now and again

plus its the highest quality mobo ive owned

granted MSI when i had one it was a good board


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## eidairaman1 (Dec 14, 2009)

MSI K7N2 Delta-L very good board, no compatibility issues out of it, same with this DFI, that asus was a PITA i owned.


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## TheMailMan78 (Dec 14, 2009)

I personally have a bout a 50/50 record with MSI boards. I had one GREAT one and the other is off to RMA.


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## Semi-Lobster (Dec 14, 2009)

eidairaman1 said:


> Proably a lowend 5000 series IGP, in the 890GX



Really? 5000 series? Thats' pretty fast, I thought I read somewhere (can't remember, think it was an AMD press slideshow) that they weren't going to have DX11 IGPs until 2011 so I assumed it must be an RV710 or something in there.


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## TheMailMan78 (Dec 14, 2009)

I THINK the 800 chipset is DX11. But dont quote me on that.


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## caleb (Dec 14, 2009)

Oh my got it does not has ein disket how do me reflash ?


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## DaedalusHelios (Dec 14, 2009)

TheMailMan78 said:


> I THINK the 800 chipset is DX11. But dont quote me on that.



I don't think it could handle most DX11 games as its an IGP so DX11 support would just be for show anyway.


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## TheMailMan78 (Dec 14, 2009)

DaedalusHelios said:


> I don't think it could handle most DX11 games as its an IGP so DX11 support would just be for show anyway.



 I didnt say it would run it well.


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## HolyCow02 (Dec 14, 2009)

it always happens that right after I complete my build the new chipset comes out.  oh well. Good lookin board!


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## JAYPersona (Feb 2, 2010)

cant wait till 890X a whole amd build costs the same as an intel cpu 

FIGHT THA POWA!!!!


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