MSI is ready with perhaps the industry's first SLI-supportive socket AM3 motherboard, certainly its first. The MSI NF750-G55 is based on NVIDIA nForce 750a SLI chipset, and has its AM3 socket powered by a 4+1 phase circuit, that supports Active Phase Switching that powers down redundant power phases when the load is low. The socket is wired to four DDR3 memory slots supporting up to DDR3-1800 by overclocking.

The nForce chipset connects to two PCI-Express 2.0 x16 slots that arrange as electrical dual x8 when both are populated for 2-way SLI. Apart from this, the chipset also embeds a GeForce 8300 class IGP as a fallback, or for GeForce Boost features. The IGP connects using D-Sub, HDMI, and DVI-D. Other expansion slots include two PCI-E x1, and one PCI. The chipset provides six SATA II ports in all, one of which is designated as eSATA on the rear-panel, next to one gigabit Ethernet, a number of USB 2.0 and FireWire ports, and 8-channel audio. The NF750-G50 has started selling in Europe for under 100 Euros.

AMD is attempting to set its record straight with the Phenom II series of 45 nm desktop processors. The company had started off its Dragon desktop platform with the introduction of its flagship CPU, the Phenom II X4 940. This processor however, is not compliant with the AM3 socket, and will not support DDR3 memory, unless an AM3 socket motherboard can provide DDR2 memory support. Come April 20, and AMD will have released its newest processor: Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition. Based on the 45 nm Deneb core, this processor supports AM3 socket motherboards, and DDR3 memory. It features a core clock speed of 3.20 GHz (16.0 x 200 MHz), 512 KB of L2 cache per core, and 6 MB of L3 cache. It is overclocker-friendly thanks to its unlocked bus multiplier, and the "massive headroom" AMD has been brandishing lately.

One of our sources from Hong Kong was able to make an early-purchase this processor in its retail "processor in a box" (PIB) package (marked with the OPN HDZ955FBGIBOX), from the Golden Computer Parts Center, who took a few snaps of the package. It could be bought for around HKD 2170 (US $280).

Gigabyte has a complete range of AM2+/AM2 socket-based motherboard range lined up for launch, based on the company's Ultra-Durable 3 construction. Among its range, Gigabyte has resurrected the AMD 790X chipset and given it a go with in its upcoming GA-MA790X-UD4 motherboard. The AMD 790X is a scaled-down version of the AMD 790FX, based on the RD780 core. While lacking integrated graphics, it provides ATI CrossFireX support, with a maximum of 16 PCI-Express 2.0 lanes to spare for graphics, which usually split into electrically dual PCI-Express 2.0 x8 when used with CrossFire setups. The 790X chipset was largely unpopular when it launched along with the 790FX and 770. It couldn't stand firm as the middle-ground between performance and value. This, along with competition from NVIDIA's nForce 750a SLI forced AMD to work on the 790GX chipset that offers all the features of the 790X, plus the integrated graphics.

In Gigabyte's latest work, the 790X is accompanied by the overclocker-friendly SB750 southbridge chip. The motherboard supports all AM2/AM2+ processors including the latest AM2+ Phenom II series. It advertises DDR2-1200 as its memory standard. In the mix, are two PCI-Express 2.0 x16 slots that operate electrically (x8, x8) in CrossFire, a high-grade onboard audio CODEC, Firewire, and a single gigabit Ethernet connection. It is expected to release in February, with a price-tag of 135€.

ASUS is reportedly preparing eight new motherboards based on the AM3/AM2+ sockets, ready for AMD's 45nm desktop CPUs. While two of these have already caught the media's attention, there are more. Tabled below are the eight motherboards based on the AMD 7-series chipsets, the ASUS M4A series, and NVIDIA nForce 700 series (and 900 series chipsets, if the "980a SLI" reference in the table isn't a typo), the ASUS M4N series.

Getting into some details, the M4A79-T is the high-end AMD CrossFireX supportive platform based on the AMD 790FX + SB750 chipset, that supports dual-channel DDR3-1600 (OC) memory. It will feature four PCI-Express x16 slots. The M4A79 Deluxe supports DDR2 memory. It is known that the upcoming AM3 socket Phenom II processors will be backwards compatible with AM2+ (DDR2) platforms. The M4A78T-E is the based on the AMD 790GX + SB750 chipset, it supports DDR3. The M4A78-E supports DDR2, while being based on the same chipset. The M4N series motherboards, start from the 3-way SLI supportive M4N82 Deluxe based on the 780a/980a SLI chipset, again it isn't known if the chart sourced has a typo. There is the M4N72-E based on the nForce 750a SLI, and finally the M4N78 Pro. All the M4N motherboards support DDR2 memory.

GIGABYTE, a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards today is pleased to announce support for the soon-to-be-released AMD 45nm processors including socket AM3 and AM2+ on a full range of current platforms including the AMD 790FX, 790GX, 790X, 770, 780G, 740G as well as the NVIDIA nForce 750a SLI and GeForce 8200.

With a simple BIOS upgrade, GIGABYTE delivers an easy upgrade path for users wanting to take advantage of AMD's latest 45nm process technology enhancements including higher core clocks with greater energy efficiency over past generations, integrated DDR2/DDR3 memory controller (DDR3 memory support for AM3 processors and AM3 designed motherboards only), HyperTransport 3.0 and C1E enhanced power savings.

Based on NVIDIA's latest embedded chipsets, the K10N750SLI-WiFi, ASRock's new NVIDIA nForce 750a SLI chipset motherboard, features the latest SLI & Hybrid SLI solutions for SLI users and those who want to try out the new Hybrid SLI Technology. This SLI MB is bundled with ASRock's WiFi-802.11g module for wireless networking, supports PCIE 2.0 slot, ALC890 Audio Codec with DTS, IEEE1394 and is designed with many other excellent features.

Zotac has jumped the gun on this one a little bit, pre-announcing its new motherboard based on NVIDIA's upcoming nForce 750a chipset. This will be the first AMD chipset from NVIDIA since the nForce 590 was released back in May 2006, and will offer features such as Hybrid SLI, Hybrid Power and GeForce Boost. The board won't be capable of running triple SLI as there are only two PCI-E slots, but Quad SLI with two GeForce 9800 GX2 cards will be supported. The board should work with past, current and future AMD CPUs, provided that AMD maintains compatibility between AM2+ and AM3 processors. Zotac reckons it will be able to sell the motherboard for less than $150, which wouldn't be a bad price for someone wanting to use high-end AMD processors and NVIDIA graphics.