MSI KA790GX review

The AM2+ KA790GX is a cut-down version of the DKA790GX Platinum, which won a Best Buy award in our last components group test (Shopper 254).

The KA790GX has only one PCI-E x16 slot and lacks its big brother’s heavy-duty passive cooling pipes, FireWire port and SidePort memory for the integrated ATI Radeon HD 3300 graphics processor. However, it’s also much cheaper. The motherboard has the same AMD 790 Northbridge chipset and, despite being one of the cheapest AMD motherboards here, performed brilliantly in our tests, with an overall score of 103.

Besides the PCI-E x16 slot for a graphics card, the KA790GX has three PCI slots, but only one PCI-E x1 slot. This could be limiting, as more and more expansion cards are available only in PCI-E versions, although there are still plenty available at the moment. If you don’t fit a graphics card, you can use the PCI-E x16 slot for standard expansion cards.

The four memory slots can handle a maximum 8GB of RAM. There are five SATA ports and the usual IDE and floppy connectors. At the back, you’ll find six USB ports and one eSATA, along with a single PS/2 connector, and six analogue audio ports that can be configured to act either as inputs or outputs.

The KA790GX performed well, particularly considering its low price. It’s a great choice if you want performance on a budget. Our only reservation is that its single PCI-E slot could limit its future upgrade potential. Paired with a Phenom II processor, though, it’s a great foundation for a low-cost performance PC.