Headquartered in Taiwan, Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. -- commonly abbreviated as MSI -- manufactures personal computers that include laptops and all-in-one desktop PCs, as well as a few of their components. One of these components is the motherboard, which holds several of the PC's crucial connectors. MSI specializes in motherboards that go in desktop PCs. As of September 2011, more than 60 MSI motherboards exist, which are differentiated mainly in terms of processor technology.
Socket
The MSI motherboards are primarily divided into two categories: those that use central processing units (CPUs) from semiconductor company Intel Corp. and those that have CPUs from Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), another semiconductor firm. Each motherboard has a CPU socket for physical and electrical attachment of the processor. The Intel-based boards usually contain Land Grid Array (LGA) 775, or Socket T; LGA 1366, or Socket B; LGA 1156, or Socket H; or LGA 1155, which is also known as Socket H2. The AMD-based boards usually have one of two sockets: AM2 or AM3.
Processor Compatibility
The Intel-based MSI motherboards with LGA 775 have the oldest CPU socket. It was released in 2004 primarily for Intel's then-premier Pentium processor brand, but compatibility was extended in 2006 to the Intel Core 2, which relegated the Pentium to mid-range status. LGA 1366, released in 2008, is used for the Intel Core i7, which was one of the next-generation Core chips. LGA 1156 and 1155 -- released in 2009 and 2011, respectively -- are also compatible with the entry-level Core i3 and mid-range i5 in addition to the top-tier i7. The AM2 and AM3 sockets -- debuting in 2007 and 2009, respectively -- accommodate AMD's mid-range Athlon and top-level Phenom CPU brands, with budget-oriented Sempron compatibility added on the AMD3.
Chipset
The Intel-based MSI motherboards are usually paired with an Intel chipset, a group of integrated circuits designed to regulate the interaction of the CPU with other components of the motherboard. The AMD-based MSI boards also largely depend on chipsets from the same manufacturer. A few of them, however, use chipsets from graphics processing unit (GPU) manufacturer Nvidia instead.
Connectors and Ports
Although they differ in number between certain models, the MSI motherboards carry inputs and outputs that protrude from the back panels of desktop PCs. These include audio jacks for headphones and microphones; a Video Graphics Array (VGA) port for connecting the monitor; universal serial bus (USB) 2.0 ports for data transfer; and an RJ-45 jack for Ethernet connectivity with a wired or Wi-Fi network. Inside the computer, each motherboard has dual in-line memory module (DIMM) slots for the PC's system memory, Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) slots for expansion cards such as GPUs and sound cards, as well as Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) interfaces for the hard drive.
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