MSI Prepares a Low-Cost ATX12VO Motherboard for Alder Lake Processors

MSI stated that it is nearing completion of its second motherboard based on Intel's ATX12VO (12 volts only) power connector specification. The entry-level H610-based motherboard is aimed at system integrators.

An MSI Insider broadcast from yesterday indicated that the company's Pro H610M 12VO motherboard will be one of the company's entry-level Intel H610-powered platforms. The mainboard has not been revealed by the company, despite the fact that it is a Micro-ATX device, as the name implies. Following the Z590 Pro 12VO motherboard that was released last year, this will be MSI's second ATX12VO motherboard, albeit it is intended for entry-level PCs equipped with Alder Lake processors. It is unlikely that Ut will be widely adopted in the retail sector due to the fact that it is primarily intended at system integrators. The price of MSI's Pro H610M 12VO motherboard is currently unknown, although we expect it to be slightly more expensive than prior Intel H610-based alternatives ($99 – $115), due to the inclusion of DC-to-DC converters.

There are a variety of factors that contributed to the development of the single-rail ATX12VO power delivery specification. To begin, the new ATX12VO connection is more compact than the previous model. Secondly, many components that require 5V and 3.3V rails either have their own power circuitry (for example, M.2 SSDs) or rely on DC-to-DC converters that are now contained in power supplies but may be transferred to the motherboard, hence simplifying the design of PSUs. Finally, because the conversion of 12V to 5V and 3.3V on the motherboard is believed to be more energy efficient, ATX12VO is expected to reduce the power consumption of desktop computers.