Choosing a motherboard is a rather difficult process. In addition to the fact that the user needs to decide on the choice of the manufacturer, it is also worthwhile to understand the board format, connectors, necessary slots and characteristics in general. Today we look at the motherboards FM2, which are now the most popular among all models from AMD.
Connector
Before you know all the available models with this socket, you need to figure out what kind of connector it is. FM2 is a chipset slot designed for AMD's hybrid processor. This option was created on the updated Piledriver core architecture. This includes Trinity and Richland, as well as a couple of options that have been discontinued.
If you carefully disassemble such a connector, you can find out that it got 904 contacts. First appeared on the market in 2012. It should be said right away that the previous connector, although it pushed the manufacturer to develop, still did not become compatible with it. As a result, Socket FM2 is not backward compatible with Socket FM1.
Depending on the modifications, processors can have up to 4 cores. Chipsets of this format for server systems are "stuffed" with 20 cores. This connector also has a modification of FM2 +. This option is compatible with previous architectures and new products such as Kaveri and Godavari.
The choice
It is not surprising that such a popular connector has acquired so many models as processors and motherboards. To choose the right motherboard Socket FM2, you need to learn a lot and read. Those who at least learn about the news and sometimes read reviews will easily cope with this problem. If you don’t understand anything at all, it’s best to contact your friends or acquaintances. In extreme cases, talk with the manager in the store.
If you still know something about the "motherboards", then you need to start searching with models of the desired format and connector for the chipset. Therefore, so that there are no glitches in the system, you should immediately think about compatibility. Most often, the buyer selects the processor first, and then the motherboard and other components under it.
It also happens that the user wants a new, more powerful processor, and his motherboard does not support the chipset. Therefore, you have to buy a new motherboard. It is also worth remembering that in addition to AMD, Intel also plays a leading role in the production of processors and motherboards.
Variety
So, one and the second company have their absolute champions, which are in demand and, despite newer versions, remain widespread. Intel has two such sockets: 1155 and 2011. The first one is designed to install the 2nd and 3rd generation CPUs. At the same time, socket 1155 has a huge number of models, from the weakest Celeron to the latest Core i7. The second slot for Intel 2011 is usually represented by chips that are designed for overclocking and complex tasks. This option can be used not only for the latest versions of Core i7, but also for server processors.
AMD has motherboards FM2 and FM1, as well as AM3 and AM3 +. Recent variations are more "experienced." Despite the fact that this socket is outdated, it is still common. Installed with support for Athlon II and Phenom II. Socket FM2 is designed for the A-Series, which also has a built-in graphics accelerator.
The form
Further, the choice of us leads to reflection on the form of the motherboard. There are many options: among them the most popular ATX, which fits any PC case; there is XL-ATX, a slightly larger format; MicroATX, on the contrary, is a smaller version, etc. To understand which form factor of the motherboard you need, you need to answer the question: what is the purpose of the new PC?
MiniITX is enough for a compact computer. To form a workstation, you have to choose CEB. But everyday or gaming PCs work well on the basis of the "motherboard" form factor ATX and MicroATX.
Also, FM2 motherboards should have all the necessary connectors for the buyer. Further it is better to pay attention to the cooling system. Understand whether an additional cooler is needed or whether the native system will cope with cooling on its own. Well, on the last option you can look at the appearance. Some customers like to create a system with a transparent case cover and luminous components.
Msi
In general, as mentioned earlier, finding AMD FM2 motherboards is easy. So, MSI has its own champion FM2-A85XA-G65. The model was delivered in bright packaging. In front, in addition to the name of the model, there is information about the intellectual overclocking system, as well as some proprietary technologies.
There are a lot of additional “goodies” in the box. So, there are a couple of cables for SATA, M-Connectors and V-Check. Inside there are disks with drivers and software, a couple of instructions and even a copy of the certificate, which indicates the standard for the manufacture of the board.
The appearance of the motherboard under MSI's FM2 got interesting. The form factor is the most common - ATX. One of the main "chips" is the cooling system. It operates on the basis of AMD A85X. RAM is represented by four slots of the DDR3 format. As a result, you can collect RAM up to 64 GB.
It is possible to connect two video cards at once: there are two PCI Express 2.0 x16 slots, as well as an AMD CrossFireX system. The only thing is that when you turn on one "viduha" the connector functions as much as possible, but if you connect a pair of accelerators, then both ports will work in a special mode.
There are many connectors on the interface panel. There is a place to connect a mouse and keyboard, four video outputs, a network connector, analog slots and six USB two versions: 2.0 and 3.0.
ASRock
Motherboards FM2 are also represented by this manufacturer. In addition to the usual variations, ASRock created an ITX format model. The "motherboard" A88M-ITX / ac has excellent functionality, despite the fact that the dimensions of the device are 17x17 centimeters. The chipset for it was AMD A88X. The board has all the necessary functions for the average user. For example, there is support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, you can find two antennas that are responsible for transmitting data at speeds from 2400 to 5000 MHz.
Besides the fact that the option supports FM2, it also works with the updated version of FM2 +. Power is represented by five phases and eight contacts. There is a slot for a video card and a couple for RAM. You can install six drives, which is quite a lot for such a small area.
Asus
Of course, these are not all FM2 motherboards. Their review should be continued with the manufacturer ASUS, which for many years successfully creates excellent options. Model F2A85-M LE received a bright box. It immediately shows what the developer is proud of: a digital power management unit. Under the name of the model, other technologies and specifications were modestly placed.
On the back of the package, as usual, detailed information about the "motherboard". Inside the box there is nothing superfluous. In addition to the instructions, the user manual, the disc with "wood" there is a sticker, a plug and a pair of cables.
Interestingly, the shape of the board is difficult to determine. Since it seems to resemble mATX, but does not reach it just one centimeter. The model itself looks very fragile and congested. On the reverse side of the “motherboard” there is nothing, but the front has acquired a lot of slots and connectors.
Cooling is represented by modest radiators, which hints at the purchase of an additional cooler. The slots on the interface panel are a place for a mouse and keyboard, network cable, monitors, flash drives and headsets.
findings
It should be understood that sooner or later the user will need a new motherboard. Socket FM2 and its updated version are now the most popular connectors from AMD. Considering the fact that processors for this format have been produced since 2012, there are a huge number of models on the market: from the most mediocre to super-productive gaming.
As practice shows, the “motherboards” from this company show, although not bad, but still with respect to Intel products, a weak overclocking result. Therefore, these options are most suitable for ordinary users who are not familiar with overclocking and self-improvement of the PC. Those who find it easier to install all the peripherals and not bother with the setting.