14 DAY TRIAL // Mini-ITX aren't the sort of motherboards that you would expect to find inside a gaming system, but LAN parties are favorable to mini PCs, so it's actually quite possible to build a good system on a mini mainboard like the one that MSI has just launched.
The new product from Micro-Star International is called MSI A88XI AC and supports both the newest and the older AMD accelerated processing units.
That means the Kaveri APUs, suited for the FM2+ socket, as well as Richland and Trinity chips, compatible with FM2.
The MSI A88XI AC motherboard has four SATA 6.0 Gbps ports (SATA III as it were), RAID support, a PCI Express 3.0 x16 slot (for high-end graphics) and a mini PCI Express slot as well (for audio or other add-in cards).
Gigabit Ethernet is included as well, along with USB 3.0 and HDMI 1.4a output, plus Dual Band Wireless AC WiFi and Bluetooth.
Although it should be mentioned that the MSI A88XI AC doesn't natively support WiFi and Bluetooth. Instead, the wireless capabilities are a result of the Intel Dual Band Wireless AC WiFi/Bluetooth adapter.
8-channel HD audio is another asset, as is support for triple display configurations and, with the correct APU or add-in video card.
The specs are supplemented by extra features like Military Class 4 components (Hi-C CAPs, Solid CAPs, Dark CAPs, together with SFC and Dark Chokes), which enhance stability and lifespan.
The OC Genie 4 software is included as well, along with Click BIOS 4 and the Command Center software that monitors, tunes and controls the hardware. Or at least the parameters that lend themselves to software-based manipulation.
All in all, the MSI A88XI AC should do fine in everything from office and multimedia PCs to HTPCs and gaming rigs. It's a shame that the company hasn't shared the price with us yet.