MSI to launch AMD 890FX mainboard 890FX-GD70 next year

[Oliverda]

Please, drop the heatsink covers. They look cheap and worsen the airflow around fins.

And I hope, that FIS sATA port-multiplier works, Intel is only putting this into their slides, pre-release info, but never in the actual product.

What does this FIS SATA port-multiplier do?

[Frank M]

It's like a USB-hub, but for SATA.

Although with the number of ports onboard and the availability of cheap
PCI/PCIe SATA-adapter or RAID-cards, I don't see much point to use the
(unfortunately) more expensive port multipliers.

[Jamesrt2004]

nice 5ghz pcie x4? so what... is that pcie 3? -shrug-

[Oliverda]

nice 5ghz pcie x4? so what... is that pcie 3? -shrug-

No. It's 2.0.

1.0 = 2.5GHz

2.0 = 5.0GHz

[Behemot]

So, let's make it clear.

The new SB850 southbridge will natively support the SATA 3 (~SATA 600) standard. There is no need PCI-E lines for it.

The USB 3.0 support can be carry out with external controlles (via PCI-E lanes).

Well, I'd say it isn't important if the SB supports SATA 600 directly or it is done via separate controller, it's just matter of latency. The main thing is that the own SB is connected only by 4 PCIe lines, just named as A-Link Express 3.0, but still 4 PCIe links. Well, if it would really be PCIe gen 2, no problem though.

Otherwise 1GB/s is way too low I think - arround 600 MB/s can be eaten by SATA 600 only (using 3 SATA 600 SSD's no problem reaching this). So two PCIe lanes for USB 3.0 controller, which is going to be connected to SB, am I right? (not mentioning two PCIe 1.x lanes are minimall value for USB 3.0 500 MB/s), can have only 400 MB/s than. It would be a bottleneck, if you imagine a situation moving some stuff from two or three USB 3.0 disks to three RAID 5 SSD's and copying something through 1Gb LAN in the same time. A bit strange situation but can happen.

[NickF]

This board looks sexy. Very interested to see how performance is compared with current 790FX/GX boards.
Also, anyone hear rumors about DDR2-based 890FX boards? I tihnk its doubtful, but I just biought my ram a few months back and I'd hate to get rid of it already.

[Oliverda]

Well, I'd say it isn't important if the SB supports SATA 600 directly or it is done via separate controller, it's just matter of latency. The main thing is that the own SB is connected only by 4 PCIe lines, just named as A-Link Express 3.0, but still 4 PCIe links. Well, if it would really be PCIe gen 2, no problem though.

Otherwise 1GB/s is way too low I think - arround 600 MB/s can be eaten by SATA 600 only (using 3 SATA 600 SSD's no problem reaching this). So two PCIe lanes for USB 3.0 controller, which is going to be connected to SB, am I right? (not mentioning two PCIe 1.x lanes are minimall value for USB 3.0 500 MB/s), can have only 400 MB/s than. It would be a bottleneck, if you imagine a situation moving some stuff from two or three USB 3.0 disks to three RAID 5 SSD's and copying something through 1Gb LAN in the same time. A bit strange situation but can happen.

I think that it will be a gen 2 link. The USB 3.0 can be connected directly to the NB and if I'm not mistaken the SB850 won't support the RAID 5.

[generics_user]

I think that it will be a gen 2 link. The USB 3.0 can be connected directly to the NB and if I'm not mistaken the SB850 won't support the RAID 5.

NB-SB connection is pciex4 2.0; gigabit nic is moved from external into the SB so some lanes are freed for USB 3.0

sb850 does support 6 sata 6G raid ports (level 0; 1; 5; 0+1 ; there is no reason to drop raid 5 support on their high end SB) and this chipset is going to have more pcie 2.0 lanes than any other chipset out there (42 lanes + up to 11 links makes 7 slots + 4 onboard devices)

additionally the southbridge is going to support fan control for 5 fans; 8 voltage readouts and 4 temp probes

looks like AMD is going to overtake intel on the chipset side; they improved alot while intel is still at ich8R levels in terms of connectivity

[initialised]

Yeah but i9 is here almost and Phenom II x6 is how far away?

[Manicdan]

amd is taking a dis-satisfyingly long time to get their x6 out.

[Glow9]

amd is taking a dis-satisfyingly long time to get their x6 out.

The economy sucks I doubt they are in a huge rush, Plus I hope you dont think it's going to cost $200. An x6 Opteron costs around a grand. So what? It's a server chip you might say. Well for those of us who remember the FX line the FX-57 for instance cost around a grand when it came out. So if they are going to offer a x6 Opteron at $1000 a comparable and a x6 for desktop it won't make sense to screw over their bread and butter (server industry) by releasing a chip that is relatively the same for $800 less. Especially with businesses trying to cut costs and increase efficiency more than ever.
I think AMD might take the microcenter approach. Sell cheaper chips to increase board sales to help their partners out (and themselves). $300-400 range minimum for a hexa-core is my bet.

Still one heck of a deal compared to the i7s if you ask me. I plan on dropping in a hexa-core into my future rig. I'm skipping quads all together

[Manicdan]

since intel has the highest performing chip they are setting the prices. if AMD wants to sell any, they are going to have to make it cost less than the competition. and who knows if intel will drop prices just to play with AMD and force them to drop their prices too.

im not sure what kind of clocks we will see to keep under their 140W tdp, but im expecting 2.8-3.2ghz for their highest at launch, and probably make that their black edition. and they will have a 2.4-2.6ghz model with a locked multi aswell. im betting prices will be 220$ for the lower and 270$ for the faster, after the initial launch price (like how the PII 940 dropped 20% after the first week) <-all speculation on my part