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MSI unveils world’s first USB 3.1-supporting platforms for AMD processors

Nearly all leading manufacturers of mainboards have introduced motherboards supporting USB 3.1 technology. Since at present the new interconnection tech is positioned as a high-end feature for enthusiasts, mainboards featuring USB 3.1 are all designed for various processors from Intel Corp. However, MicroStar International (MSI) decided to add the new technology to platforms for AMD chips as well.

Shortly from now MSI’s partners around the world will begin to sell new revisions of MSI 990FXA Gaming and MSI 970A SLI Krait Edition motherboards for AMD FX-series microprocessors in AM3+ form-factor with 10Gb/s USB 3.1 ports. The mainboards are designed for enthusiasts who prefer multi-core FX processors from AMD and support advanced overclocking capabilities as well as multi-GPU technologies from AMD and Nvidia.

msi_990fxa_amd_am3_socket_am3_usb_mainboard

Just like the rest USB 3.1-supporting platforms from MSI, the 990FXA Gaming and the 970A SLI Krait Edition use the Asmedia ASM1352R controller, which utilizes two PCI Express 2.0 lanes with up to 10Gb/s transfer rate, to enable USB 3.1 ports.

At present the new revisions of MSI’s 990FXA Gaming and 970A SLI Krait Edition are the only USB 3.1-supporting platforms for AMD FX processors in the world. Unfortunately, the motherboards only feature USB 3.1 type-A receptacles, not reversible USB 3.1 type-C ports. Google recently revealed that many smartphones and even netbooks with USB type-C receptacles would hit the market in the near future. Their launch will encourage manufacturers of various gear, such as memory sticks and other peripherals, to release loads of products with the new connectors.

USB-3_1-Image

Prices of MSI’s USB 3.1-supporting mainboards for AMD central processing units are unknown, but do not expect them to be considerably higher than those of existing revisions of the same motherboards.

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KitGuru Says: Low popularity of AMD processors among enthusiasts and performance-demanding users is the reason why the latest technologies reach AMD platforms with a massive delay. In fact, AMD FX platform still does not support PCI Express 3.0 bus. It will take quite a while before AMD-based PCs will get USB 3.1 since at present such computers are positioned as affordable solutions, whereas adding the new interconnection tech requires an addition chip that costs money.

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7 comments

  1. It’s been a while since the last time I congratulated MSI.

  2. Well this is interesting……here i thought MSI had given up on making new AMD boards…..

  3. Good news. My current AMD board is an MSI, and this makes it look like MSI will still keep making good AMD boards. I’ll probably upgrade in 2016 when AMD launches its 14nm Zen chips.

  4. I’m sold I’m sick of this i3 2120 I brought it’s so unresponsive it’s not upto the task anymore. Sometimes you just need a quad core or better I think I’ve hit that time now. + Right now the FX6300 is cheaper then the FX4300 a good time to go for a hex core.

  5. Bar graph fail

  6. I recently upgraded from an A4 4000 dual core to an Athlon x4 750K and open world games like GTA 4, Sleep Dogs, and Watch Dogs doubled to ~50FPS from low 30 averages @ 1080p medium settings on an R7 260X…I’d say go for more coars!

  7. What’s the point? Most
    SSD’s can’t even hit 6Gbp/s on SATA unless they come out with some crazy fast
    external chasse for it. Are they going to make USB graphic cards that can play
    movies in 4K? That’s about as useful as its going to get.