ASRock will soon be adding a new budget board to its portfolio, the A55 Pro model which is powered by AMD's A55 chipset and supports AMD FM1 processors. Seen below, this ATX board has a 4+1 power design, two DDR3-1866 memory slots, six SATA 3.0 Gbps ports, and two PCIe x16 and three PCIe x1 slots.

The A55 Pro includes 5.1-channel onboard audio, Gigabit Ethernet, UEFI BIOS, six USB 2.0 ports, plus D-Sub and DVI outputs and comes with support for multiple ASRock features like Instant Boot, Instant Flash, APP Charger, XFast USB, XFast LAN and XFast RAM. The board's price tag has not been announced.

Gigabyte is currently planning the release of a new Socket FM2 motherboard, a micro ATX model called GA-F2A85XM-HD3 that is powered by the AMD A85X chipset and offers triple monitor support (it includes Dual-link DVI, HDMI and D-Sub ports). This board also has an Ultra Durable 4 Classic design, two DDR3-1866 memory slots, eight SATA 6.0 Gbps ports, one PCIe x1 and two PCIe x16 slots, Gigabit Ethernet, 5.1-channel audio, plus two USB 3.0 and four USB 2.0 ports.

The GA-F2A85XM-HD3 is available for pre-order at £57.14 (~ $90.55).

Gigabyte launched the Z77X-UD4H, a new socket LGA1155 motherboard model designed to fill the gap between the $155 Z77X-UD3H and $190 Z77X-UD5H. It is built with Gigabyte's Ultra Durable 4 construction, featuring 2 oz copper layer, temperature, humidity, and electrostatic protection features. The LGA1155 socket is powered by a 11-phase VRM that draws power from an 8-pin EPS connector. The socket is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots, and three PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots (electrical x16/NC/NC, x8/x8/NC, x8/x4/x4, depending on how they're populated). 3-way NVIDIA SLI and AMD CrossFireX are supported. Other expansion slots include three PCI-Express 2.0 x1, and a legacy PCI.

Straightaway, you'll notice that Gigabyte did away with the mSATA slot featured on the Z77X-UD3H and Z77X-UD5H. In addition to the two SATA 6 Gb/s and four SATA 3 Gb/s ports that the Z77 PCH provides (all of which are wired as internal ports), Gigabyte added two additional 2-port SATA 6 Gb/s controllers, which provide two each of internal SATA 6 Gb/s, and eSATA 6 Gb/s. The board features a total of eight USB 3.0 ports, six on the rear panel, and two by headers. In addition to the four ports the Z77 PCH provides, a 4-port VLI-made host controller is used.

Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) today reveals its first motherboard with Thunderbolt support, the Brand-New Black Series Z77H2-A5X Deluxe, based on the new Intel Z77 chipset. The Black Deluxe Series was created with power users and overclockers in mind. The Z77H2-A5X Deluxe embodies these qualities by providing all solid capacitors, triple thickness gold plating and overclocking friendly heatsinks and heatpipes.

The Z77H2-A5X Deluxe combines the latest motherboard technology with the above industry quality control standards set by ECS on the Black Series.

BIOSTAR, a manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, industrial computing systems and peripherals, has officially launched their latest editions to their AMD FM2 motherboard lineup, the Hi-Fi A85S3 and HiFi A75S3. These are the most cost effective solutions that support AMD Socket FM2 CPUs and offer native support for SuperSpeed USB 3.0 and dual-channel memory up to DDR3 - 2400 in over-clocking mode.

Socket FM2 is a CPU socket used by AMD's Trinity Fusion APU's which will also utilize AMD's new A85X and A75 chipset. The Hi-Fi A85S3 and A75S3 have also received the official Windows 8 hardware certification from Microsoft.

Elric Phares, founder of the 20-year old tech publication Motherboards.org learned the hard way not to cut deals with the devil big corporate media houses that promise accelerated growth of your publication in exchange for a share of profits/copyrights. According to a rant posted by Phares on YouTube, Motherboards.org joined the ChannelPro Network three years ago, a deal which typically sees Motherboards.org hand over its revenue-stream management and copyrights to ChannelPro in exchange for site (cosmetic/technical) and business (diversification/partherships) development, leading up to increased revenues for all involved, which according to him, never happened. To add to that, Phares had been noting financial irregularities. When confronted with evidence of these, ChannelPro fired him. In his video, Phares announced what will shape up to be a long-drawn legal battle with his former employer, and appealed to his followers to unsubscribe from Motherboards.org (as run by ChannelPro). Phares set his base of operations in his 2010-registered consumer electronics website, TechofTomorrow.Elric Phares's video announcing his departure from Motherboards.org follows.

Biostar has now announced the European arrival of the TA75MH2 motherboard supporting AMD's Socket FM2 processors. Based on the A75 chipset, this micro ATX board features 100% solid capacitors, two DDR3-1866 memory slots supporting up to 32 GB of RAM, six SATA 6.0 Gbps ports, one PCI-Express x16, one PCI and two PCIe x1 slots, Gigabit Ethernet, 5.1 channel audio, two USB 3.0 ports, plus D-Sub, DVI and HDMI outputs.

The TA75MH2 has a recommended price tag of €62.90.

Gigabyte announced a pair of new socket LGA1155 motherboards for the sub-$50 market segment, which feature digital display outputs. Based on the older Intel H61 Express chipset, the H61M-DS2 DVI and H61M-DS2 HDMI pack the edge that other motherboards in its price-range lack: digital display outputs, dual-UEFI BIOS (redundant BIOS), and Ultra Durable 4 Classic construction (fiber-weave PCB, anti-surge IC, etc.) Both models feature 4-phase CPU VRM, all-PCIe expansion area with PCI-Express 2.0 x16, 2x PCIe x1 slots, four SATA 3 Gb/s ports, 6-channel HD audio, and gigabit Ethernet.

MSI unveiled a new all-integrated mini-ITX motherboard that steps above the Intel Atom and AMD E-Series crowd, being based on Intel Celeron 847 dual-core processor (1.10 GHz, 32 nm "Westmere" micro-architecture, 2 MB L3 cache, SSE4.2, EM64T). MSI used a small fan-heatsink to cool the chip, which has 17W TDP. The processor is backed by Intel NM70 chipset. It is based on the compact 1023-pin BGA package, and is hardwired to the motherboard. One of the features that give the processor its edge over Atom and E-Series is its dual-channel DDR3 integrated memory controller with maximum memory support of up to 16 GB. The chip is wired to two DDR3 DIMM slots.

The only expansion slot is a PCI-Express 2.0 x1. Storage connectivity includes one each of SATA 6 Gb/s and SATA 3 Gb/s. Display outputs include DVI and D-Sub. A missed opportunity here is the lack of HDMI. 6-channel HD audio, gigabit Ethernet, legacy PS/2, and a number of USB 2.0/1.1 connectors make for the rest of it. Surprisingly, MSI designed the board with modern UEFI BIOS, which lets you take advantage of Windows 8 Secure Boot feature. There is no word on availability and pricing of the C847IS-P33.

Gigabyte rolled out the B75M-D2V entry-level micro-ATX motherboard. Supporting Intel Core/Pentium/Celeron "Sandy Bridge" and "Ivy Bridge" processors in the LGA1155 package, the board is driven by Intel B75 Express chipset, featuring Intel Small Business Advantage. The board's feature-set barely goes beyond that of the B75 PCH. To begin with, the LGA1155 socket is powered by a 3+1+1 phase VRM, which draws power from a 4-pin CPU connector. The socket is wired to two DIMM slots supporting up to 16 GB of dual-channel DDR3 memory, and a PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slot. Two PCI-Express 2.0 x1 slots, wired to the PCH, make for the rest of the expansion.

In terms of connectivity, the B75M-D2V provides one SATA 6 Gb/s, and five SATA 3 Gb/s ports; four USB 3.0 ports (two on the rear panel, two by headers), DVI and D-Sub display outputs, 6-channel HD audio, gigabit Ethernet, a number of USB 2.0/1.1 ports, and legacy PS/2 mouse/keyboard connectors. The board is driven by UEFI BIOS. Expect the B75M-D2V to be priced around US $60.

In late-2011, ASUS set itself a target of shipping 25 million PC motherboards in the following year. Contributing to its optimism were three new platform launches - Intel Core "Ivy Bridge" (7-series chipset), AMD "Trinity" (socket FM2), and AMD Vishera; and Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system, prompting PC upgrades. Falling demand in US and Europe, and weaker-than-expected shipment growth in China forced ASUS to trim its 2012 target down from 25 million to 22.2 million. In 2011, the company shipped 23.2 million motherboards.

In the first three quarters, ASUS shipped 16.7 million motherboards, and expects to ship no more than 5.5 million; down 5% sequentially, and flat year-over-year. The company faced severe competition from Gigabyte, which shipped 14 million motherboards in the three quarters thus far, and expects to ship 4.5 million in Q4, totaling 18.5 million for the year. The third biggest motherboard vendor, ASRock, is astray from its 2012 goal of 9 million shipments, and is hoping for a more conservative 7 million units target for 2012.

AMD's FirePro APUs built on the "Trinity" silicon, with the GPU feature-set of AMD's FirePro professional GPUs and durability of Opteron enterprise CPUs; and compatible motherboards made by PC Partner (Sapphire) have started selling in Japan. Among the new products on sale are the FirePro A300 (3.40 GHz CPU core, 4.00 GHz CPU TurboCore, 760 MHz GPU, quad-core, 65W), and FirePro A320 (3.80 GHz CPU core, 4.20 GHz CPU TurboCore, 800 MHz GPU, quad-core, 100W), and the AMD reference design micro-ATX motherboard, manufactured by PC Partner.

The motherboard features socket FM2, powered by an 8-phase digital PWM power supply to the APU socket, four DDR3 DIMM slots supporting 64 GB of dual-channel DDR3-1866 MHz memory, expansion slots that include PCI-Express 2.0 x16, PCI-Express 2.0 x4, x1, and legacy PCI; eight SATA 6 Gb/s ports, display outputs that include dual-link DVI, dual-link DisplayPort, and D-Sub. HD audio and gigabit Ethernet make for the rest of it.

ECS rolled out the HDC-I2/E-350D2, a mini-ITX motherboard running AMD E-350D APU, and AMD A45 FCH chipset. Designed for nettops and HTPCs (supports 1080p video playback), the HDC-I2/E-350D supports up to 8 GB of DDR3-1066 MHz memory, and features a legacy PCI slot. It draws power from a single 24-pin ATX connector. Because it uses the cheaper A45 FCH, it features just two SATA 3 Gb/s ports. Display connectivity includes DVI and HDMI. 6-channel HD audio and gigabit Ethernet make for the rest of it. ECS is including coupons to Cyberlink MediaExpresso 5.1 LE and MediaShow 5.1 LE. Expect it to go for under $100.

ECS, the world's top motherboard maker, now announce its "ECS Trinity Challenge" Online OC Competition with FM1/FM2 platform motherboards on HWBOT. Meanwhile, ECS is proud to announce its second cooperation with HWBOT for online OC competition globally. ECS would like to take this chance to introduce a series of new FM2-based motherboard to enthusiast community through this competition.

The competition starts from November 1st, runs until November 30th. There are two competition stages for overclockers. First stage- AMD FM1 platform: It is open to all overclockers with ECS brand motherboards only and the benchmark is: 3DMark06. Second competition stages- AMD FM2 platform: It is open to all overclockers with all brands of motherboards in the market, and the benchmark is: 3DMark Vantage. HWBOT general benchmark validation rules apply to both stages.

Few things in life are more complicated than the ports on a motherboard's rear panel. Not only do they disguise themselves in different shapes and sizes, they also serve for unique purposes and offer distinct performance. However, currently there is one in particular that stands out and deserves recognition - Thunderbolt! The leading motherboard manufacturer ASRock is joyous to announce that its new motherboard Z77 Extreme6/TB4 is equipped with two new Thunderbolt ports that support the revolutionary new file transfer technology.

ASRock made two additions to its socket FM2 motherboard lineup, based on the AMD A85X chipset. These include the FM2A85X Extreme4 (ATX form-factor), and FM2A85X Extreme4-M (micro-ATX). The FM2A85X Extreme4 is a notch below the feature-rich FM2A85X Extreme6. Built in the slim ATX form-factor, the board uses a simple 6-phase VRM to power the APU socket, which is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots supporting up to 64 GB of dual-channel DDR3-1866 MHz memory, and a PCI-Express 2.0 x16 slot. While it has two long PCIe slots, one of them is electrical x4, wired to the FCH. Other expansion slots include two PCI-Express 2.0 x1, and three legacy PCI. Seven out of eight SATA 6 Gb/s ports are assigned as internal ports, with one eSATA. The board features four USB 3.0 ports in total. HDMI, DVI, and D-Sub make up display inputs, gigabit Ethernet, and 8-channel audio make for the rest of the connectivity.

Moving on, the FM2A85X Extreme4-M is a compressed variant of the FM2A85X Extreme4, which features an expansion slot layout of one PCI-Express 2.0 x16 wired to the APU, a PCI-Express 2.0 x4 (physical x16) wired to the FCH, and one each of PCI-Express 2.0 x1 and legacy PCI. Much like the FM2A85X Extreme4, its display connectivity features DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI; seven out of eight SATA 6 Gb/s ports are internal, with an eSATA port; gigabit Ethernet and 8-channel HD audio make for the rest of the connectivity. The two are priced in the US $90-$110 range.

Biostar is currently preparing the launch of two lower-cost motherboards supporting AMD's 'Trinity' APUs, the A55MD2 and A55ML2. Seen below, both models are powered by the AMD A55 chipset and feature a micro ATX form factor, two DDR3-1866 memory slots (supporting up to 32 GB of RAM), four SATA 3.0 Gbps ports, one PCI-Express x16 slot, one PCI slot, four USB 2.0 ports, 5.1-channel audio, and a D-Sub output.

The A55ML2 also has 10/100 Ethernet, while the A55MD2 boasts Gigabit LAN and adds a DVI port. No word yet on prices.

Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) has announced the newest member of its high-performance Black Series of PC motherboards. The ECS A970M-A DELUXE supports AMD AM3 and AM3+ APUs, and gets the most from them with the latest ECS innovations for power, ease-of-use, and reliability. With features like full Windows 8 support, an upgraded user friendly BIOS - EZ BIOS, dust defending technology - Anti Dust Technology (ADS) and 8 channel HD audio, the A970M-A DELUXE is the heart of the ultimate gaming center and perfect all-round PC.

The A970M-A DELUXE is built around the AMD 970 chipset, to squeeze the maximum performance out of the most powerful cutting edge CPUs, while still maintaining compatibility with older technology.

Have you ever wondered why Intel Smart Response Technology is missing from the X79 chipset feature support list? It could have been fate, a conspiracy, a sacrifice for world peace, or merely an accident? At the headquarters of ASRock Inc., instead of screaming why through gritted teeth, we said why not and decided to fix this against all odds! Now ASRock is proud to announce that our X79 Extreme11 is the world's first X79 platform to support Intel Smart Response Technology. By downloading the new driver and upgrading to the latest BIOS, ASRock X79 Extreme11 users may reunite with Intel Smart Response Technology.

Just to refresh your memory in case you forgot, Intel Smart Response Technology makes your solid state drive function as the cache for your hard disk drives, so that you may possess the speed of solid state drives and the capacity of hard disk drives simultaneously. Users can update the latest Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver (ver. 3.5.0.1101 or 11.6) and P1.60 BIOS to witness the speed boost by Intel Smart Response Technology right now.

Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) reveals its latest mini-ITX motherboard - NM70-I - featuring the new Intel NM70 Express Chipset. The NM70-I is equipped with an integrated Intel Celeron 847 or 807 processor to deliver great value and price performance options. With features like full Electrostatic Discharge Protection, Best Power Efficiency platform and full Windows 8 support, the NM70-I is the best choice for affordable but capable small-form- factor systems. The NM70-I is ideal for desktop PCs, home theater PCs and industrial applications.

Energy Efficiency
Designed to save space and energy, the ECS NM70-I is the ideal solution for small-form-factor systems. With the Intel Celeron processor only consuming a maximum of 17W the ECS NM70-I is a low power solution. It features intelligent power management by turning computing functions on only when needed, reducing energy usage by operating at lower frequencies when performance is not necessary. The ECS NM70-I also has electrostatic discharge protection and 100% solid capacitor for the CPU voltage regulator module to maximize the reliability and longevity of your system.

Using ASUS' very own F2A85-V PRO and AMD's latest A-series APU, ASUS set a new record of 10297 marks in 3DMark Vantage Performance for APUs. ASUS is committed in providing only the best quality and performance motherboard for AMD new A-series APUs.

The ASUS F2A85-V PRO coupled with the AMD A10-5800K APU set a new record of 10297 marks in 3DMark Vantage Performance[1], cooled by liquid nitrogen and aided by 2 DIMMS of memory running stably at a speed of 2720MHz. Even under air cooling, it still achieved a commendable 8070 marks[2], further cementing ASUS FM2 motherboards capabilities in performing well under a wide variety of environments. The new overclocking record in benchmarks such as 3DMark Vantage indicate that ASUS FM2 Series motherboards deliver customers long-lasting stability, reliability and performance as part of the ASUS commitment to the highest quality possible.

Gigabyte unveiled the F2A75M-HD2 entry-level socket FM2 motherboard. Built in the compact micro-ATX form-factor, measuring 225 x 174 mm, the F2A75M-HD2 is driven by AMD A75 chipset, and is designed for HTPCs. The APU socket is powered by a simple 5-phase VRM. It is wired to two DDR3 DIMM slots supporting up to 32 GB of dual-channel DDR3-1866 MHz memory; and a PCI-Express 2.0 x16 slot. One each of PCI-Express 2.0 x1 and legacy PCI make for the rest of the expansion area.

The F2A75M-HD2 features four SATA 6 Gb/s ports supporting RAID 0/1/10, and four USB 3.0 ports (two on the rear panel, two by header). Display outputs include one each of DVI, HDMI, and D-Sub. The rest of the connectivity includes eight USB 2.0/1.1 ports (four on the rear panel, four by headers), 6-channel HD audio, serial (COM), and gigabit Ethernet. The board is driven by AMI Aptio UEFI, with Gigabyte dual-BIOS and 3D BIOS technologies. It is expected to be priced around $70.

Biostar is currently preparing the release of two more motherboards supporting AMD's FM2 (codename Trinity) APUs, the Hi-Fi A85S2 powered by the A85X chipset and the Hi-Fi A55S2 equipped with an A55 chip. Since they are part of the Hi-Fi Series, both models feature an integrated independent audio power design and built-in amplifier, as well as a noise-blocking multi-layer PCB layout, the goal being to deliver a higher quality sound.

Both boards have an ATX form factor and pack 100% X.D.C solid capacitors, two DDR3-1866 memory slots, one PCIe x16 and two PCIe x1 slots, three PCI slots, Gigabit Ethernet, 5.1-channel audio, plus D-Sub and DVI outputs. The A55S2 also includes six SATA 3.0 Gbps ports and four USB 2.0 connectors, while the A85S2 comes with eight SATA 6.0 Gbps ports, two USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 plugs, and an HDMI output. No word yet on pricing.

In an effort to please customers craving for compact computing solutions Biostar has released a new mini ITX motherboard, a model called NM70I-847 which is powered by Intel's NM70 chipset and comes equipped with a 1.1 GHz Celeron 847 CPU.

Biostar's board includes two DDR3-1333 slots (supporting up to 16 GB of memory), one SATA 6.0 Gbps and three SATA 3.0 Gbps ports, one PCI-Express x16 slot, Gigabit Ethernet, 5.1-channel audio, four USB 2.0 ports, and D-Sub and HDMI outputs. The NM70I-847 is selling for about €75.

Biostar has now let loose a new motherboard supporting Intel's 2nd and 3rd generation Core processors, the H61MLV2 which is powered by the H61 chipset and comes in a micro ATX form factor. Seen below, the board has two DDR3-1600 memory slots (supporting up to 16 GB of RAM), four SATA 3.0 Gbps ports, one PCI-Express (3.0) x16 and one PCIe x1 slot, 10/100 Ethernet, 5.1-channel audio, and a D-Sub output.

The H61MLV2 also offers features like BIO-Remote 2 and Charger Booster, and has a recommended price tag of €38.90.