MSI Unveils its First AMD Brazos Mini-ITX Motherboard, E350IA-E45

[btarunr]

MSI is ready with its motherboard based on the AMD Fusion "Brazos" platform. The motherboard major announced E350IA-E45, its first motherboard based on the platform in mini-ITX form-factor. It is intended for use on most entry-thru-mid range desktop PCs, office PCs, and HTPCs. At the heart of it is the AMD Fusion E-350 dual-core processor based on the "Bobcat" architecture. It embeds an AMD Radeon HD 6310 graphics processor that is DirectX 11 compliant. The processor is aided by Hudson M1 single-chip chipset.

The processor is wired to two DDR3 DIMM slots and supports up to 8 GB of memory in x86-64 mode. It is powered by a 3+1 phase VRM. The lone expansion slot is a PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical 2.0 x4). The chipset gives out four SATA 6 Gb/s ports supporting high-speed SSDs and HDDs. Connectivity is aplenty: 8+2 channel HD audio with optical and coaxial SPDIF connectors, two USB 3.0 ports, ten USB 2.0 ports, gigabit Ethernet, and PS/2 mouse/keyboard combo connector. Display connectivity includes D-Sub and HDMI 1.4a. The MSI E350IA-E45 will ship toward late January or early February.



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[RejZoR]

Nice. Though it makes me wonder why don't they make the heatsink slightly lower and stick a 80mm slim fan on it (like Scythe Slipstream Slim).

I think these will totally dominate the HTPC segment which is really a cool thing, forcing Intel to finally dump crappy GMA950.

 

[extrasalty]

The beginning of the end for Atom.

 

[TheLaughingMan]

Their headsink is built the way it is because the APU and chipset are under it. It is effectively cooling your CPU, GPU, and Southbridge at the same time so they opted to use a large heatsink.

I do agree that changing its design a light you could get a larger, thin fan on it like the Scythe SY1212. I am sure it would more more air with far less noise.

 

[freaksavior]

never mind 6310 - yes it does

 

[bear jesus]

Nice. Though it makes me wonder why don't they make the heatsink slightly lower and stick a 80mm slim fan on it (like Scythe Slipstream Slim).

Due to the fact it has a slot for a pci-e slot i don't understand why they did not keep the heatsink the same size and place a bigger fan on top of it, I'm sure it will still be shorter than a half high pci-e card while cooling better and being quieter.

 

[LittleLizard]

Is it me or i think the could have put more stuff on it if they havent used so big letters (where says v1.0, next to the dimm slots)

 

[HalfAHertz]

Definitely better than Sapphire's design.

 

[Steevo]

I want to try one. I have two new builds coming up with a 2K budget for basic builds. Might be worth a try.

 

[wolf]

The beginning of the end for Atom.

the end of competition, the beginnining of a monopoly

srsly, I hope intel makes new atoms that are on par or close, or even better to keep prices ultra competitive. do you want to see atom be ended and AMD rule this market? not good for us.

price war = win for consumers

 

[bear jesus]

the end of competition, the beginnining of a monopoly

srsly, I hope intel makes new atoms that are on par or close, or even better to keep prices ultra competitive. do you want to see atom be ended and AMD rule this market? not good for us.

price war = win for consumers

I could not agree more, AMD has many fusion products planned for release over the next year or so and i would assume Intel intends to counter each of them with their own new faster products or price drops and that is great for us as it should mean a nice flow of faster and cheaper products for the foreseeable future.

 

[silkstone]

Very nice looking for a HTPC, but any idea on the price?

 

[extrasalty]

the end of competition, the beginnining of a monopoly

How is it beginning of monopoly? If anything we are close to breaking out of Intel's monopoly.
AMD had no competition for Atom until this. And technically even this will not compete with Atom because it probably be more expensive.

srsly, I hope intel makes new atoms that are on par or close, or even better to keep prices ultra competitive.

Intel are cutting features out of Atom in order to not cannibalize their low end. We are talking basic features, not SATA 6 or USB 3.

do you want to see atom be ended and AMD rule this market? not good for us.

In the shape Atom is in now, yes I want it dead.

price war = win for consumers

We seem to agree on one thing at least.

 

[Mussels]

i so wanna replace my HTPC with one of these little beasties.


sure it'd be slower... but it'd look so much COOLER if my HTPC is smaller than my Wii

 

[LittleLizard]

i just noticed that the battery is literally GLUED behind the SPDIF I/O. :shadedshu

 

[BrooksyX]

i just noticed that the battery is literally GLUED behind the SPDIF I/O. :shadedshu

ha well its gotta go somewhere. Looks like you can change it out though if the need be. However I have to ever need to change my cmos battery on a motherboard on any PC I have ever owned.

 

[wolf]

How is it beginning of monopoly? If anything we are close to breaking out of Intel's monopoly.
AMD had no competition for Atom until this. And technically even this will not compete with Atom because it probably be more expensive.

yes its good to see that, but Atom gone would be a monopily all over again, while the chips are cheap i feel intel have charged still too much for an Atom... All i want is a price war in this segment.

Intel are cutting features out of Atom in order to not cannibalize their low end. We are talking basic features, not SATA 6 or USB 3.

what basica features have they cannibalised? aside from basic performance

In the shape Atom is in now, yes I want it dead.

Atom has only been held back from lack of competition, now that they have some (damn good) competition, I feel like Atom can let loose with a fab process shrink, clock increases, hopefully new intruction sets and perhaps even better power saving options.

We seem to agree on one thing at least.

 

[extrasalty]

yes its good to see that, but Atom gone would be a monopily all over again, while the chips are cheap i feel intel have charged still too much for an Atom... All i want is a price war in this segment.

Atom wouldn't go overnight. And Intel is not going to stay still. But again, this won't compete with Atom directly. Chances are AMD may lose some sales of their Athlons. But they will definitely ruin Ion's party.

what basica features have they cannibalised? aside from basic performance

Have you noticed how most Atom boards are PCI? Or just 2 SATA? Or that there are no 12'' Atom netbooks besides ASUS? Or that they all have 2 GB max RAM? Don't even start me on the abominable 945. Intel has piles of crap for us.

Atom has only been held back from lack of competition, now that they have some (damn good) competition, I feel like Atom can let loose with a fab process shrink, clock increases, hopefully new intruction sets and perhaps even better power saving options.

Intel's schedules are pretty solid, except when they want to create a shortage or delay. That's the reason why we still don't have the 25nm SSD when they were making them in the summer. AMD on the other side is the underdog, and as such they are trying to tempt us (rightfully so) with features. This board will most likely be the cheapest of this chipset, and yet it's better than most Intel full size budget boards.

The 32nm Atom shrink is due this year- most likely earlier if this makes waves. The 22nm in 2013 is supposed to have a quad core.

 

[wahdangun]

Atom wouldn't go overnight. And Intel is not going to stay still. But again, this won't compete with Atom directly. Chances are AMD may lose some sales of their Athlons. But they will definitely ruin Ion's party.


Have you noticed how most Atom boards are PCI? Or just 2 SATA? Or that there are no 12'' Atom netbooks besides ASUS? Or that they all have 2 GB max RAM? Don't even start me on the abominable 945. Intel has piles of crap for us.



Intel's schedules are pretty solid, except when they want to create a shortage or delay. That's the reason why we still don't have the 25nm SSD when they were making them in the summer. AMD on the other side is the underdog, and as such they are trying to tempt us (rightfully so) with features. This board will most likely be the cheapest of this chipset, and yet it's better than most Intel full size budget boards.

The 32nm Atom shrink is due this year- most likely earlier if this makes waves. The 22nm in 2013 is supposed to have a quad core.

i think intel must start to make better iGPU first before it can compete with AMD, hell even SB iGPU can inly compete wit HD 5450 and thats was on par with this iGPU, and when Llano was out its will be a lot of trouble for intel