MSI K9A2-CF w new processor

If you have version1 of K9A2-CF it may not work with 140W TDP processors. Version2 should work just fine, with BIOS update.

Hell, I blew up my K9A2-CF version1 with just a 5400+ dual core, running at 3.3ghz.

Check this thread for more info about this motherboard: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/256968-30-k9a2-7388

There were similar discussions there, which led me to actually calling MSI. And, you can always call MSI yourself for CPU support verification.

None of AMD's CPUs are rated higher than 125W TDP, so that 140W TDP point seems misplaced. When OC'd, 125W CPUs will approach and even surpass 140W, but that's a different story, and it's certainly not the case with his 5400+. Even if it were a Windsor, he would have had to set the voltage to 1.48V or higher to get it to surpass 125W TDP. A Brisbane would never come close.

The original version, v1.X, was called K9A2 CF-F. The revised version is named K9A2 CF V2. The difference with the two boards is that the v1.X board has never had support for any CPU rated at over 95W TDP until maybe a week or two ago, while the V2 board had up to 125W CPU support from it's start. As best I can tell, everything else is identical. And yes, AM3 CPUs are compatible with AM2+ socketed motherboards, as well as some AM2 socketed motherboards. (It depends on BIOS update support.) Still, each motherboard's ability to support CPUs of greater TDP, or wattage, than the design was originally intended to support will vary. And that's the only question remaining - Will the v1.X board support a 125W CPU? Will it also support that CPU if it's overclocked/over-volted and happens to push the TDP beyond 140W?

When I called MSI, they told me it now supported 125W CPUs, but had no information regarding the overclocking of such CPUs.

Something else to take note of is there's a similar 790X motherboard from Gigabyte and it has the SB750 southbridge, whereas both MSI versions have the SB600. Gigabyte's board also has an 8-pin power connector, while our MSI boards have a 4-pin.