ASUS Launches World’s First Motherboards for AMD FM2+ APUs

New A88XM-A and A55BM-A/USB3 motherboards support upcoming AMD Kaveri FM2+ APUs, plus existing Richland and Trinity FM2 APUs. ASUS today announced the new A88XM-A and A55BM-A/USB3 motherboards, the first from any manufacturer to support new Socket FM2+ APUs (Accelerated Processing Units) from AMD. The A88XM-A with AMD A88X chipset and A55BM-A/USB3 with A55 chipset are both Micro-ATX motherboards for existing AMD ‘Richland’ and ‘Trinity’ FM2 APUs, and are hardware-ready for upcoming AMD ‘Kaveri’ FM2+ APUs that support DirectX 11.1 and PCI Express 3.0 natively.

ASUS is committed to supporting the latest in PC technology. The new FM2+ motherboards offer customers the very latest in motherboard design, with the added flexibility of both backward and forward compatibility¹ with AMD APUs.

Exclusive ASUS technology

The ASUS A88XM-A and A55BM-A/USB3 motherboards support Kaveri’s new PCI Express 3.0 interface with a PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 slot and feature exclusive technologies for enhanced performance and reliability. USB 3.0 Boost technology gives data transfer rates up to 1.7 times faster than ordinary USB 3.0 with industry-standard UASP (USB Attached SCSI Protocol) devices. USB 3.0 Boost also incorporates an optimized ‘turbo’ mode for data transfer speed improvements from any standard USB 3.0 device.

Both motherboards also feature an easy-to-use UEFI BIOS, Fan Xpert fan control for a quiet environment and increased cooling efficiency, and exclusive ASUS 5X Protection technology for enhanced reliability and durability. DIGI+ VRM voltage regulation ensures precise digital control over power delivery to the processor for reduced energy consumption and enhanced stability, while resettable fuses protect I/O ports and DIMM slots from short circuits and voltage spikes.

Electrostatic-discharge guards also protect sensitive components from electromagnetic interference and high-quality solid capacitors, industry-rated for a lifespan for over 50 years of continuous use under typical operating conditions (at 65 degrees Centigrade), last more than twice as long as traditional electrolytic capacitors. Additionally, chromium oxide-plated stainless steel rear I/O subjected to 72-hour spray salt endurance tests for superior corrosion resistance and an increased lifespan.

¹   FM2+ APU support will be enabled with a BIOS and driver update.

Full AMD FM2+ motherboard range planned

The ASUS A88XM-A and A55BM-A/USB3 motherboards will be joined later by more models. Full details on the entire ASUS FM2+ motherboard range will be released later in the year.