MSI Readying nForce 980a SLI AM3 Motherboard

[btarunr]

MSI is ready with yet another motherboard for the AMD platform. This time, the company used NVIDIA's creme de la creme nForce 980a SLI chipset in its first socket AM3 implementation. The MSI NF980-G65 brings 3-way SLI to the socket AM3 crowd. The release trails ASUS by months, which introduced a AM2+ (DDR2) motherboard based on the chipset. While the actual picture is too small and blurry, the layout drawing is legible.

The NF980-G65 supports the entire range of socket AM3 processors, including future chips with 140W TDP. DDR3-2133 MHz memory is supported by overclocking. The layout uses 7 expansion slots, including three PCI-E 2.0 x16 slots (that arrange as x16, x16, NC, or x16, x8, x8) depending on the population of PCI-E x16 graphics cards. Between these are two PCI-E x1, and two PCI slots. nForce 980a SLI packs a GeForce 8300 class IGP, which supports GeForce Boost with supported low-end discrete graphics cards. Its display output is handled by DVI-D, D-Sub, and HDMI connectors on board. All the chipset's six SATA II ports are provided internally. Audio is care of a high-grade Realtek ALC889 CODEC, gigabit Ethernet, and FireWire make for the rest of the connectivity. Pricing and availability are not known at this point, though we expect this one to sell for under US $200.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[human_error]

Hmm, good to see nvidia still having new mobos out but i can't see why anyone would choose this board (which looks really messy, though that may be because ive been looking at P55 boards all day) over a 790GX or 785GX board which would have the same connectivity but a far better IGP for HTPC setups (and i can't see anyone buying am AM3 board to use the IGP for gaming).

 

[btarunr]

i can't see why anyone would choose this board (which looks really messy, though that may be because ive been looking at P55 boards all day) over a 790GX or 785GX board

SLI, 3-way SLI.

 

[human_error]

SLI, 3-way SLI.

d'oh - completely forgotten about that (too used to x58 having it all).

 

[zCexVe]

It's a human error.

 

[TheLaughingMan]

It's a human error.

I see what you did there. Good show.

 

[legends84]

DDR3 for AMD AM3 nforce chipset o'ready?? nice..

 

[LittleLizard]

look like nvidia will have something to fight against ati in multigpu department thanks to msi

 

[werez]

The layout looks great . good to see the x1 PCIe can be used , because i`m pleased with the SUPREME FXII soundcard that came with my Asus Crosshair II , and i am going to use it .
My crosshair II has some issues , so say hello to my next mobo` . Need bigger pics ! post some if you can find any guys ! Thanks ...

 

[PP Mguire]

Awesome, i hope i get one of these to test.

 

[tkpenalty]

The layout looks great . good to see the x1 PCIe can be used , because i`m pleased with the SUPREME FXII soundcard that came with my Asus Crosshair II , and i am going to use it .
My crosshair II has some issues , so say hello to my next mobo` . Need bigger pics ! post some if you can find any guys ! Thanks ...

supreme FX expansion cards are reversed PCI-E slots... you cant use it on the PCI-E slots...

 

[WarEagleAU]

nice stuff though. Asus Nforce board, that CD has, was awesome for Ocing the AM2 cpus. This should do well, though Ill take a gx or fx over this board. Would be nice to have another option on a second system though.

 

[werez]

So the SupremeFX is a onboard audio fitted on a extension bracket ? audio riser ? i can`t find info on this anywhere . I thought it`s a regular (dedicated) audio card . Damn , the only things i can keep are some sata cables . I thought the SUpremeFXII is like a Creative X-FI or smth.

 

[human_error]

So the SupremeFX is a onboard audio fitted on a extension bracket ? audio riser ? i can`t find info on this anywhere . I thought it`s a regular (dedicated) audio card . Damn , the only things i can keep are some sata cables . I thought the SUpremeFXII is like a Creative X-FI or smth.

It is but half the audio chips are on the motherboard - the creative xfi card is more of a breakout box that provides the ports for the output and fits a couple of chips that wouldn't go on the motherboard - it can't work without the components on the mobo so asus made it so it used a reverse style pci-e sized slot (i think it may even be more propiatery than that and not even be pci-e at all). I'd looked at using one of those boxes in my p6t when i first got it as they were cheap on ebay but found out they didn't work without the mobo

 

[PCpraiser100]

I dunno bout nForce anymore, I mean it might as well no longer exist because Intel has already got it to work in conjunction with x58, why bother keeping up with AMD instead? If anything, AMD should end this with an SLI/Xfire capable chipset to end this retarded marketing idea once and for all.

 

[jagd]

there is something to remember ,this on board creative x-fi chips are not really x-fi chips they only support EAX 4.0 not 5.0 like true x-fi chips ( x-fi xtreme audio model has only eax 4.0 also )

So the SupremeFX is a onboard audio fitted on a extension bracket ? audio riser ? i can`t find info on this anywhere . I thought it`s a regular (dedicated) audio card . Damn , the only things i can keep are some sata cables . I thought the SUpremeFXII is like a Creative X-FI or smth.

Any words on corrupted HDD problems with 980a chipset ?nvidia chipsets had these problems while Oced at past .It will be nice to know if it safe from these kind of problems

 

[soryuuha]

any features to "accidentally" unlock cores?

 

[btarunr]

any features to "accidentally" unlock cores?

nForce 980a features NVCC (NVIDIA Clock Calibration), which lets you tweak from the NV Control Panel instead of AOD. Under the hood it works just like ACC. Don't know if it unlocks cores.

 

[werez]

anyway guys both NF980-G65 based on 980a chipset and it`s little brother , the NF750-G55 based on 750a chipset got listed on MSI main site . That took like forever ... at last i have bigger pics now and some info on them . Like i said , my Crosshair II was a bad experience ( got it really cheap second hand from our local "ebay" , so i saw it coming ) . I don`t think i will wait for benchmarks on this one , i am going to buy the NF980-G65 as soon as it hits the market . I did not find any info about pricing but i expect this one to come at around 135EUR around here . MSI recent motherboard lineups are pretty solid , with quality components , better color scheme , better layout , better functionality and decent cooling .

INFO :

NF750-G55 :
Chipset NVIDIA® nForce 750a SLI
DDR3 Memory DDR3 800/1066/1333/1600*(OC)
PCI-E Gen 2.0 Gen2 (1x16, both@x8 )

NF980-G65 :
Chipset NVIDIA® nForce 980a SLI
DDR3 Memory DDR3 800/1066/1333/1600*/1800*/2133*(OC)
The three PCIE x 16 lanes will be x16 / x16 / x0 or x16 / x8 / x8

Both motherboards support HYBRID SLI , have APS ( ACTIVE POWER SWITCHING ) and easy OC switches . I am still waiting for media.msi.eu to upload higher resolution pics .