Gigabyte designed it for AIO, HTPC and SFF systems

Feb 3, 2012 16:02 GMT  ·  By

Better known to embedded computing developers than to end-users, the thin mini-ITX form factor gained quite a lot of ground in the last couple of months, so Gigabyte has decided to take advantage of this trend with the release of the GA-MSH61QI motherboard for Intel LGA 1155 processors.

Just as its name implies, the Gigabyte board is built around Intel's H61 chipset, which offers a basic set of features for entry-level Sandy Bridge systems, as well as support for the integrated graphics found inside Intel's CPUs.

Speaking of CPUs, the GA-MSH61QI is compatible with all processor models that have a TDP of 95W or lower, and also supports up to 8GB of DDR3 memory clocked at 1333MHz via two SODIMM slots placed right above the LGA 1155 socket.

The rest of the expandability options include a PCI Express x16 slot, one full-size and one half-size mini-PCI Express connectors, as well as two SATA 3Gbps ports for installing various storage devices, according to TechPowerUp.

Moving to the back of the GA-MSH61QI, we find a pair of USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet connector, a 3.5mm audio jack, as well as an HDMI video connector. Power is delivered to the board via a 12V DC input jack that connects to an external power brick.

An additional LVDS interface is available via an on-board header, and users also have the option of connecting a 7.1-channel audio sound system, thanks to an external digital S/PDIF header driven by the Realtek ALC892 audio codec.

According to Gigabyte, the 25mm high GA-MSH61QI is destined to be used inside all-in-one systems, compact form factor desktops, and home theatre PC systems.

No information regarding pricing was provided, but the motherboard is already listed on Gigabyte's website, in the embedded solutions section.