Board Analysis

Judging by the layout of the K7N2, it is pretty clear that MSI is using similar designs for its SPP and IGP-based offerings. The K7N2 has space for a serial ATA controller, an IEEE 1394 PHY and even a 15-pin VGA connector where we’d normally expect to find a second serial port. It isn’t completely bare, though. The board’s back panel hosts two PS/2 ports, one parallel port, a single serial port, an RJ-45 connector for 10/100 Ethernet, three 1/8” mini-jacks that interface with the onboard audio and four USB 2.0-compliant ports.

Connectivity is further expounded upon with a pair of included headers that offer two more USB 2.0 ports, MSI’s diagnostic D-LED system, and digital/analog outputs. Additional expandability comes courtesy of a single AGP 8x slot, five PCI slots and one ACR slot at the bottom of the board. Most of the motherboards we test come equipped with three fan headers (processor, power supply and chassis), but the K7N2 only includes a pair of headers, further indicating MSI’s effort to cut costs on the board.

Back plane of the K7N2

Power connector locations restrict airflow within the case

The area traditionally dedicated to power delivery is crowded not only with the ATX power connector, but also a four-pin auxiliary connector that is part of the Pentium 4 motherboard specification. At least the 2200 microfarad capacitors that surround the Socket 462 interface are spaced to accommodate an oversized heat sink, like Thermalright’s SLK-800. Intersil’s HIP6302CB controls the dual-phase power solution. We’d rather see a three-phase solution, but at the very least, MSI has covered the MOSFET transistors with aluminum heat sinks to help dissipate heat and ensure stability under load.

One of the primary features of the nForce2 chipset is its DualDDR memory architecture, effectively combining two, 64-bit DDR memory channels. MSI’s K7N2, like all other nForce2 boards we’ve seen, utilizes three 184-pin memory slots with a capacity for 3GB of DDR RAM – two of the slots comprise one channel and another slot makes up the second. Both channels need to be populated in order to realize the maximum bandwidth potential for the chipset, but as we illustrated in our ASUS A7N8X review, there isn’t a major performance discrepancy unless you employ integrated graphics. The slots themselves are situated in such a way that upgrades can be performed without having to remove the AGP video card.

Plenty of space between the AGP slot and DIMMs

5 PCI slots, 1 ACR

nForce2 MCP chip

The Media and Communications Processor (MCP) used on the K7N2 is a step up from the original nForce in that it supports the ATA-133 protocol and USB 2.0. It is a far cry from the more advanced MCP-T used by other manufacturers, though. True, the K7N2 is less costly as a result, but this savings comes at the expense of IEEE 1394 support, DualNet, and most important, the advanced Audio Processing Unit popularized by the original nForce chipset. Realtek’s ALC650 codec adds six-channel audio to the K7N2, but this is a software solution and doesn’t even come close to the functionality of the NVIDIA DSP.

MSI has its own suite of support software consisting of Live BIOS, Live Driver, and the Live Monitor. Between the three applications, BIOS and driver updates can be scheduled and downloaded, keeping the platform up to date. PC Alert 4 monitors temperatures, fan speeds, and voltages across the system