Tuesday, September 20th 2016

HP Socket AM4 A320 Chipset OEM Motherboard Pictured

by
btarunr
 Discuss (17 Comments)
Here is perhaps the first picture of a socket AM4 motherboard up close. The HP "Willow" is a micro-ATX motherboard custom-designed by the company to deploy on several of its upcoming desktop PC models, offered initially with AMD A-series "Bristol Ridge" socket AM4 APUs. Since this is custom-built for desktops that will probably be sold under $500, the board is built to a cost. The board features AMD A320 chipset.

The picture reveals socket AM4 to have extremely fine pins, and feature a square bolt-type cooler retention mechanism similar to that of contemporary Intel sockets. It does away with the rectangular layout. The advantage of a square layout is that it allows you to orient your cooler in any direction. Since the core-logic is moved to the APU/CPU package, the remaining rump of what AMD refers to as "chipset," is just a PCIe multi-function chip that puts out additional SATA and USB ports. With its TDP under 5W, this chip can make do without a heatsink. Other noteworthy features include two DDR4 DIMM slots, a PCIe gen 3.0 x16 slot, a short M.2 slot, a couple of SATA 6 Gb/s ports, and basic connectivity.

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17 Comments on HP Socket AM4 A320 Chipset OEM Motherboard Pictured

#1
IceScreamer
That 24-pin ATX looks like it would block some (most) dual slot GPUs, then again, the HP board probably won't see a GPU like that out-of-the-box.
Posted on Reply
#3
TheinsanegamerN
Horrible pin placement, junk VRM design, and tons of wasted space.

Typical HP. Will this one lock out users who use non HP USB drives?
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#5
TRWOV
HP's boards have always had that kind of retention mechanism on both Intel and AMD systems so that they can use the same coolers on both. I don't think it's an indication that the retention mechanism would change.
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#6
cdawall
where the hell are my stars
TRWOVHP's boards have always had that kind of retention mechanism on both Intel and AMD systems so that they can use the same coolers on both. I don't think it's an indication that the retention mechanism would change.
Correct it probably uses a square base Intel cooler like every other modern hp.
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#7
hojnikb
hehehe, asus octopus motherboard... funny name :)
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#9
thesmokingman
IceScreamerThat 24-pin ATX looks like it would block some (most) dual slot GPUs, then again, the HP board probably won't see a GPU like that out-of-the-box.
As if that matters in a low end oem board.
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#10
Jism
TheinsanegamerNHorrible pin placement, junk VRM design, and tons of wasted space.

Typical HP. Will this one lock out users who use non HP USB drives?
Bullshit. It's designed todo what it's supposed to. Not be oc'ed or whatever. It's M-atx.

Funny to see there's no chipset on AM4.
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#11
IceScreamer
thesmokingmanAs if that matters in a low end oem board.
Hence the "then again, the HP board probably won't see a GPU like that out-of-the-box." I was merely commenting on the plug position. And what would stop someone from putting a decent GPU on a "low-end" board, which was my concern in the first place.
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#12
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
JismFunny to see there's no chipset on AM4.
There is, that is the AMD labeled chip just right of the memory slots. However, it is responsible for a lot less since AM4 is going to be SoC, which means most of the chipset is integrated into the CPU itself.
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#13
Jism
newtekie1There is, that is the AMD labeled chip just right of the memory slots. However, it is responsible for a lot less since AM4 is going to be SoC, which means most of the chipset is integrated into the CPU itself.
No shit sherlock. It was a choice of AMD to integrate the NB into the CPU, making motherboards with a cherry picked NB 'obsolete'.

I.e buying a 990FX AM3+ board would guarantee high-end performance compared to low or midrange chipset.

Now it's just in a chip and it's all about silicon lottery.
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#14
Toothless
Tech, Games, and TPU!
JismNo shit sherlock.
Someone put sour milk in your cereal this morning?



On topic with the thread; more CPU pins to bend!
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#15
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
JismNo shit sherlock. It was a choice of AMD to integrate the NB into the CPU, making motherboards with a cherry picked NB 'obsolete'.

I.e buying a 990FX AM3+ board would guarantee high-end performance compared to low or midrange chipset.

Now it's just in a chip and it's all about silicon lottery.
AMD integrated the NB a generation ago, in fact Intel has done the same since SandyBridge, on this platform their are also integrating most of the southbridge as well.

Get your fact straight before getting an attitude.
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#16
Ruru
S.T.A.R.S.
Reminds me of Socket 754 like FM sockets already did :)
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#17
biffzinker
IceScreamerThat 24-pin ATX looks like it would block some (most) dual slot GPUs, then again, the HP board probably won't see a GPU like that out-of-the-box.
Those Mini-ITX sized graphics cards would still work I assume. Something like this: EVGA GeForce GTX 1060 GAMING, ACX 2.0 (Single Fan) although it still leaves the question if the power supply's 12v output is capable.
ToothlessOn topic with the thread; more CPU pins to bend!
Can never have enough bent pins. Good thing mechanical pencils still exist. :cool:
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