MSI Reveals its First AMD AM1 Motherboard

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MSI has built its first motherboard based on the AMD AM1 platform.

MSI has announced a new Mini-ITX motherboard – the AM1I. This is the first motherboard from MSI based on the AM1 platform. It has support for AMD's socket AM1 Athlon and Sempron SoCs, which carry everything ranging from the CPU and GPU cores to the memory controller and chipset components. As such, the motherboard is really nothing more than an I/O interface for the CPU.

Aboard the motherboard you'll find a single PCI-Express x16 slot, two SATA3 ports, a single half-length Mini-PCIe port, along with slots for two DDR3 memory DIMMs.

Rear I/O connectivity is handled by a pair of legacy PS/2 ports, HDMI, DVI, VGA, two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, and stereo analog audio.

There was no official word on pricing, though we imagine that the MSI AM1I will be dirt-cheap, as the AM1 platform is targeted at sub-$400 computing.

Read more about the AMD AM1 platform here.

Niels Broekhuijsen
Niels Broekhuijsen

Niels Broekhuijsen is a Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware US. He reviews cases, water cooling and pc builds.

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16 Comments Comment from the forums
  • InvalidError
    In theory, the motherboards should be ~$20 cheaper than those supporting APUs with separate chipset since the SiS implementation eliminates the separate ~$20 IO controller, the space it takes, some of its voltage regulators, the high-speed interface to the APU, etc.

    I was expecting the desktop SoC/SiS craze to start with Broadwell. Looks like it started a little early.
    Reply
  • CaedenV
    The beginning of a very strange change in the desktop market.With the northbridge moving to the CPU I wonder if we will finally see a slowdown on socket changes. AMD has always been pretty good about having long lifespans on their sockets... but intel could do to add another year or two to each iteration.
    Reply
  • jasonelmore
    Intel cpu's have had the northbridge on the CPU for years, hell some of intel's latest ULV chips even have the south bridge on die as well.
    Reply
  • knowom
    The sacrifices from Full ATX to Micro ATX feels generally painless, but the difference between Micro ATX and Mini ITX is harsh only having 1 expansion card slot blows.
    Reply
  • knowom
    Integrated graphics are going to have to get a whole lot better for me to feel comfortable buying a motherboard with only 1 expansion card slot like on par with Maxwell performance.
    Reply
  • Novuake
    12828859 said:
    The beginning of a very strange change in the desktop market.With the northbridge moving to the CPU I wonder if we will finally see a slowdown on socket changes. AMD has always been pretty good about having long lifespans on their sockets... but intel could do to add another year or two to each iteration.

    1. Intel Socket 775 :P
    2. I wish AMD would move on more often, their platform is HORRIBLY outdated and is holding them back. Its long overdue for AM4.

    However I do agree with you that since Sandy, the socket change has been mostly pointless.
    Reply
  • InvalidError
    12828993 said:
    Intel cpu's have had the northbridge on the CPU for years, hell some of intel's latest ULV chips even have the south bridge on die as well.
    AMD has had integrated northbridge since the Athlon64, 6+ years before Intel did the same with Core i5/7.

    I'm guessing for southbridge integration you mean the new Atom-based Celerons/Pentiums. Not much of a choice to cut costs when competing in the SoC space against $20-40 ARM chips - there is just no budget to gouge an extra $30-50 for a separate chipset like Intel does for desktop and laptop chips.
    Reply
  • knowom
    12829987 said:
    12828859 said:
    The beginning of a very strange change in the desktop market.With the northbridge moving to the CPU I wonder if we will finally see a slowdown on socket changes. AMD has always been pretty good about having long lifespans on their sockets... but intel could do to add another year or two to each iteration.

    1. Intel Socket 775 :P
    2. I wish AMD would move on more often, their platform is HORRIBLY outdated and is holding them back. Its long overdue for AM4.

    However I do agree with you that since Sandy, the socket change has been mostly pointless.

    AMD should be bought out by Apple they have the same delusional annoying cult fan base really and what happened to VIA. *crickets*
    Reply
  • Novuake
    12830848 said:
    AMD should be bought out by Apple they have the same delusional annoying cult fan base really and what happened to VIA. *crickets*

    I happen to lean towards AMD for my hardware. Just by the way.

    Reply
  • anathema_forever
    its fine we aren't homophobic here; I am sorry but I couldn't the jab, end troll.
    Reply