MSI K9A2 CF-F Motherboard
MSI's new K9A2 XF-F Socket AM2+ motherboard delivers outstanding performance
for AMD's most extreme processors (please see complete specifications below)
and offers an affordable, reliable platform for a spectacular multimedia system.
Based on the AMD 790X (AMD RD780) chipset, the K9A2 XF-F supports dual DDR2
533/667/800/1066 memory up to 8GB, PCI-E x16/x1, ATI CrossFire Technology, SATA
300MB/s, 8-channel audio, Gigabit LAN, and USB 2.0. This high-performance ATX
motherboard is ideal for gaming, entertainment, or sophisticated business applications
and offers superior quality at a remarkably low price.
Specifications
Processor Socket:
AMD
Processor Interface:
Socket AM2+
Form Factor:
ATX
Processors Supported:
AMD Athlon 64
AMD Athlon 64 FX
AMD Athlon 64 X2
AMD Athlon X2
AMD Phenom FX
AMD Phenom
Additional Technologies:
Live Update
HyperTransport 3.0 Technology
Multi-GPU Support:
CrossFire Ready
Front Side Bus:
2600MHz (5200 MT/s)
Northbridge:
AMD 790X
Southbridge:
ATI SB600
Memory Type:
DDR2
Memory Supported:
533MHz DDR2
Dual Channel Supported
667MHz DDR2
800MHz DDR2
1066MHz DDR2 (AM2+ CPU Only)
Number of Pins:
240-Pin
Number of Slots:
4
Maximum Memory Supported:
8GB - 64bit
Max. Memory Supported Per Slot:
2GB
Channels:
8 Channels
Audio Chipset:
Realtek ALC888
LAN Type:
10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit
RAID Support:
Yes
PCI Slots:
2
PCI Express X1 Slots:
1
PCI Express X16 Slots:
2
PS/2 Keyboard Connectors:
1
PS/2 Mouse Connectors:
1
Serial Communication Ports:
1
USB Ports:
10
LAN Ports:
1
Audio Out Jacks:
2
IDE Headers:
1
FDD Headers:
1
Serial ATA Headers:
4
ATX Power Connectors:
1 24-Pin Connector
PC Power Connectors:
1 - 4 Pin
Fan Connectors:
1 x CPU
2 x Chassis
Length:
11.969 in. (30.4 cm)
Width:
9.606 in. (24.4 cm)
Detailed Features
A Closer Look
Socket
This motherboard features a Socket AM2+ design.
Chipset
The K9A2 CF-F motherboard is based on the AMD 790X Northbridge chipset.
It supports AMD Phenom FX (FX-82), Phenom (9700, 9600, 9500 & 8000)
AM2+ Processors. Also supports AMD Athlon 64 X2 (3800+, 4000+, 4200, 4400+,
4600+, 4800+, 5000+, 5200+, 5400+, 6000+, 6400+), Athlon 64 FX (FX-62)
and Athlon 64 (3500+, 3800+) AM2 Processors. Support for HyperTransport
3.0 Technology and 800/1000/2600MHz (1600/2000/5200 MT/s) Front Side Bus.
Memory
Expansion
The K9A2 CF-F provides 4 DIMM sockets using Dual Channel 240-pin DDR2 with
a total capacity of up to 8GB-64bit. You can install DDR2 533/667/800/1066MHz
Memory. 1066MHz support only for AM2+.
PCI
Express Support
The K9A2 CF-F fully supports PCI Express, the latest I/O interconnect
technology that speeds up the PCI bus. PCI Express features point-to-point
serial interconnections between devices and allows higher clockspeeds by
carrying data in packets. This high-speed interface is software compatible
with existing PCI specifications.
IDE
The K9A2 CF-F includes built in IDE facilities that support Ultra DMA 66/100/133.
Audio
The K9A2 CF-F comes with a Realtek ALC888 audio codec which supports high
quality 8-channel audio.
Serial
ATA RAID Support
The K9A2 CF-F supports the Serial ATA technology through the Serial ATA
interfaces. Doubles bus bandwidth which provides blazingly high disk performance,
up to 3.0Gb/s, with RAID 0, 1, and 0+1 solutions.
Customer Reviews and Rating
Customer Rating:
3.8
Customer Reviews:
19
Have an opinion on this product that you would like to share? If so, please take a few moments to write your rating and review.
Value
3.9
Features
3.7
Quality
3.6
Performance
3.8
Sort By:
Nice board
Reviewer:
Dannyboyt2007 on
Nov 04, 2009 Customer Rating:
5.0
Value
5.0
Features
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
I see this board isn't currently available anymore, but it's a really nice board for the money. Crossfire ready, 4 ram modules, only 2 pci slots, but not much need for alot of them anymore. I have a Phenom 4 2.4Mhz quad core in it and it flies, nice and smooth with windows 7.
A very good motherboard at a great price.
Reviewer:
Oxymorphon on
Jul 19, 2009 Customer Rating:
4.5
Value
5.0
Features
4.0
Quality
4.0
Performance
5.0
With the price tag on this board you really can't go wrong. I read about some DOA problems or more precisely some CMOS related problems but I didn't even have to mess with it, mine worked fine right out of the box. I got this board because of the layout, unlike some MB's the PCIex16 slots are spaced a bit farther which I imagine will help avoid any really bad heat buildup problems when I put two Radeon HD4850's in it. Crossfire ready, places for everything I need and it boots very fast. A good amount of BIOS options and .. oh yeah, it looks purdy too. I've been using it for about a week and haven't had any hiccups yet. I'm impressed with this board.
Everything you need.
Reviewer:
Anonymous on
Jul 19, 2009 Customer Rating:
5.0
Value
5.0
Features
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
4 SATA ports, speaker ports, TWO (count em) TWO PCI-E x16 Slots which are even SPACED OUT for future SLI or Crossfire, lots of space for any CPU Fan. Right now I'm using this Motherboard in this computer, with a Diamond Radeon HD 4890, Three HardDrives in the SATA Ports, and a AMD Phenom 64-bit Processor that has a big-*** X-Wind Aluminum CPU Fan on it, and everything's going GREAT. This motherboard also has a feature that will stop the computer from running if there is something plugged incorrectly to the motherboard, to prevent frying it. The only issue that I have is that there aren't enough LED slots on the Motherboard for me. I need 7, which is a ridiculous number to begin with lol. So unfortunately, my Apevia X-Plorer Case can't have all the lights I wanted it to have. But no biggie; it's just LEDs after all. The Motherboard is great. It you're looking forward to future SLI or Crossfire, this is a great deal. I'm planning on getting a 4670 to Crossfire with my 4890 :)
Good Value MainBoard
Reviewer:
BigMike on
Jun 22, 2009 Customer Rating:
5.0
Value
5.0
Features
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
Works well with Phenom 9500, 4 Gigs OCZ PC8500, 2 Visiontek HD 3650 oc 1 Gb videocards 2 WesternDigital 320 Gb in Raid 0 and Vista Home Premium x64 with Thermaltake Bigwater 735 with waterblocks on videocards and processor.
DOA???
Reviewer:
Anonymous on
Jun 09, 2009 Customer Rating:
5.0
Value
5.0
Features
5.0
Quality
5.0
Performance
5.0
for those who think the board is DOA, first try this - clear the C-MOS using the jumper on the mobo - then go into the bios and configure it for todays date - it should work after that - several mobos I thot were DOA that is all I needed to do to them
ATI
CrossFire™— Multiply and Conquer
The CrossFire™ platform takes your gaming experience to the next
level with more performance, flexibility and compatibility. CrossFire
combines the awe-inspiring capabilities of two ATI™ Radeon™
graphics cards and CrossFire ready motherboards for AMD and Intel®
processors to meet the hard-core demands of your alternate reality. Experience
stunning visual realism in today’s games with uncompromising image
quality, even on your HDTV. CrossFire: Multiply and Conquer!
• Unite and Dominate
Combined Multi-GPU and Motherboard power that soars into a new dimension
of graphics capability
• Divide and Conquer with ATI’s Supertiling
High-performance GPU sharing that works with all games, all the time
• Render and Rule
The highest image quality and screen resolutions even with the most
demanding 3D titles
• Now and Future
CrossFire’s upgradeable components allow you to gradually improve
your system performance with the reliability and support that only ATI
delivers.
How
it Works Build your PC with a CrossFire Certified motherboard then plug in
two compatible CrossFire Certified ATI Radeon graphics cards. Learn more
about the different combinations of cards and motherboards and view a
brief overview of how to install them.
Important note - Radeon X1300, X1550, X1600 and X1650 Series graphic
cards (except X1650 XT) do not require an ATI CrossFire Edition co-processor
or external cable. Just plug in two cards from the same series and use
the ATI Catalyst® Control Center software to command your ultimate gaming
experience!
ATI CrossFire™ options include multiple load-sharing modes called
“supertiling”, “scissor mode” and “AFR”
(alternate frame-rate). Together with a superior visual quality mode called
“Super AA”, they combine for optimal quality and performance
with game-conquering compatibility, whether it is based on Direct3D or
OpenGL. ATI CrossFire gives you a significant advantage in any game and
3D application, even if it is processor-limited. And only ATI can bring
you the incredible realism and visual quality of games that offer HDR
and Super AA at the same time!
ATI CrossFire™— Compatibility
Chart
Before you buy - make sure your motherboard is compatible with this memory. For example, DDR Memory won't work with motherboards designed for only DDR2, SDRAM or RDRAM memory, and vice versa. Only use the memory speed recommended by your motherboard's manufacturer. Please read the specifications carefully or call us for expert advice.
Know Your BIOS! With today's rapid pace of
design advancement, new product updates come fast and furious. This is
especially true of board-level products, like Motherboards, Video Cards, GPU
Processor Cards, and other main edge connector products. The good news is
that manufacturers have designed in the ability to easily update your
product BIOS, which is sometimes important for full compatibility. So before
installing or combining components, it is always a good idea to check your
product's current BIOS revision against the manufacturer's website, to
determine if an update is needed, or advisable. The manufacturer's
documentation will guide you through this process if it is necessary.
However, remember that most products are designed to be plug-n-play out of
the box!
But
What Is BIOS?
Most electronic devices,
from computers to MP3 players have software embedded in their hardware.
These are programs that tell the device how it will function - from basic to
advanced functions - so that it knows how to start, and perform the most
simple and complex tasks it was designed for. We call this software the BIOS
(sometimes also called Firmware). In computer jargon, BIOS stands for "Basic
Input/Output System", but in reality, there is very little "basic" about it.
In your computer's motherboard for example, it tells your computer how to:
start up; communicate with hardware components, such as hard drives and
video; how to move data in and out of memory; and even talk to your USB
connected devices. Without your BIOS, your device is JOOL (just out of
luck!).
Keep in mind that changing a PC's BIOS
settings incorrectly can cause the PC to malfunction. If this happens, a
BIOS reset is usually available, and will need to be performed to return the
BIOS to the default "factory settings." This is usually activated by a
jumper on the motherboard. [Warning: always read
your motherboard or system manual thoroughly, before upgrading your BIOS, or
making BIOS setting changes!] Though normally, most incorrect
settings should have no negative affect on your PC, but please follow each
step explicitly since some can.
Remember: It is recommended that you reboot
after each individual BIOS setting change to ensure that your system
functions normally. If you make numerous changes before rebooting, and your
system will no longer boot, you won't know which change is responsible for
the failure.
Updating Your BIOS
Before you consider updating your BIOS, be sure you need to - not every
update will be needed or even benefit you. Also be sure you are up to
the technical challenges you will face. Changing the version of BIOS
stored in your computer or motherboard is not the kind of activity
recommended for novice users. To perform this successfully, you need
to be comfortable and familiar with your BIOS settings, and be able to
download and apply the BIOS Update without issue. For this reason, it
is best to let professional computer technicians do this work for you, if or
when it is needed. However, if you know what you are doing, it is a
fairly easy task.
Before Updating BIOS, consider the
following:
The reasons for updating your BIOS -
frequently, updating is unnecessary
Identifying your BIOS chip - if
replacing is the approach required
Replacing your BIOS chip - this requires
significant care, and can void your warranty
Locating your latest BIOS version -
required for any update
Flashing your BIOS - make sure you have
a UPS!
Live update - great for minor or quick
updates - again a UPS is vital - a partial update can make your system
inoperative
Configuring your new BIOS settings -
read the manual! twice for good measure!
Understanding
Computer Memory
Because memory is such a crucial element of our computer's performance,
we all understand that we need it in generous supply. However, questions
remain about what kind of memory is best, what functions each memory serves
and which memory is used for notebooks and PCs.
Click Here for more information
that will answer your many of your questions.
How Much
Memory Do You Really Have?
When you look at the specifications for a computer, it will display the
installed memory, and typically the maximum memory that can be installed.
However, while these are real values, they represent a potential useable
memory depending upon the installed operating system, and other factors. The actual useable memory may be different
(lower) from these values.
The reason is simply that a computer may have a limitation in the operating
system (such as Windows 32 bit versions), or configured to use shared memory,
which reduces the amount of RAM that is available to the CPU by using
some of it for other purposes, such as for video memory. In some
cases, you can control the maximum useable memory through system settings,
by upgrading from a 32 bit to a 64 bit version of Windows XP or Vista, or by upgrading to a video card that has internal onboard video memory.
But always
remember, that the amount of memory that your system reports, is not always
the amount of actual installed memory. For example, if you have 4GB
installed, 32 bit versions of Windows will typically report 3.2GB due to a
limitation of Windows itself. Also note that different Windows
programs report available and maximum memory differently, which can be
confusing. If you find that you need more
memory, we suggest expanding your system memory, since this is the most
effective performance increase, and the one that is easiest to perform .
PCI
Express - Delivering Dramatically Improved Graphics
Doubling the bandwidth of the AGP 8X graphics bus, the new PCI Express represents
the most profound change to desktop architecture in nearly a decade. PCI
Express replaces AGP, allowing much larger amounts of data to move between
the graphics card and the CPU, and will soon replace PCI expansion slots
as well. The PCI standard allows for a 32-bit bus with a maximum throughput
of 133MB/s. By contrast, PCI Express will run at 2.5GHz. PCI Express is
a two-way serial connection that carries data in packets along two pairs
of point-to-point data lines, compared to the single parallel data bus of
traditional PCI. Gamers will benefit from an incredible upgrade in video
quality with PCI Express, because it will allow for more powerful video
cards, inspiring developers to create more realistic environments that will
make games come alive with astonishingly lifelike colors and images. Video
enthusiasts will also benefit because PCI Express will accommodate higher-quality
video throughput (amount of data you can send per second). As network television
moves over to HDTV broadcasts, PCI Express positions the PC platform for
integration into the living room, while also allowing for HD video editing
and other bandwidth-intensive tasks. PCI Express is compatible with existing
PCI drivers and software operating systems and is designed to co-exist with
current PCI hardware.
* The above
values are for physical, not usable memory.
The amount of
memory that your system reports, is not always the amount of actual installed
memory. For example, if you have 4GB installed, 32 bit versions of Windows will
typically report 3.2GB due to a limitation of Windows itself. Also note
that different Windows programs report available and maximum memory differently,
which can be confusing. If you find that you need more memory, we suggest
expanding your system memory, since this is the most effective performance
increase, and the one that is easiest to perform.
Contents of package may vary from those pictured and stated here,
due to changes in manufacturer's specifications or merchandising.
Please check the product information carefully, items not included
may no longer be required.
Manufactured by:
MSI Computer Warranty provided by:
MSI Computer Limited Warranty:
12 months parts;
12 months labor
Mfg Part No:
K9A2 CF-F UPC No:
816909041804 Box Size:
( Length:
11, Width:
14, Depth:
3 )
Shipping Weight:
.9600 pound(s)
Click here for full warranty and support information
Limited Warranty: A full text version of the limited warranty
may be obtained by mailing a self addressed, stamped envelope to the
address below and requesting the warranty for item number:
M452-6002
TigerDirect.com
Warranty Information
7795 W. Flagler St. Suite 35
Miami, FL. 33144
0
Item Total
$0.00
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(
19 reviews)
Processor Socket:
5.0
4.5
How
it Works
Know Your BIOS!
