If you're thinking about putting together an affordable computer for the home office, there are plenty of motherboards to pick from. MSI has put together an interesting option with its AMD 690G-based K9AG Neo2 Digital.

Usually highly integrated motherboards come in the Micro ATX form factor, the K9AG Neo2 Digital is full size with extra expansion slots. Talk about a nice combo; two PCI Express x1 ports and three PCI slots to be specific.

The MSI K9AG Neo2 Digital is a compact ATX motherboard and PCSTATS found it easy to work with and configure. The board posted good results in the benchmarks, matching the performance level of other AM690G and nVidia GF7050PV platforms recently tested. In other words, just because it's an integrated board doesn't mean it can't handle office applications satisfactorily.

We're particularly happy with the HDMI connector on the rear I/O. Team that multimedia interface up with a HDTV and you've got the makings of a very versatile computer with touch of hometheatre PC to its credit. Plus, the HDMI jack transmits video and audio over the same cable!

While the onboard Radeon Xpress 1250 offers satisfactory 2D output, its 3D performance is nonexistent compared to a stand alone PCI Express x16 videocard. All integrated videocards fair the same in that regard, unfortunately. Install a GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB videocard and you're rocking; framerates in the 3D games we tested shot through the roof.

It was quite a surprise to see just how well the MSI K9AG Neo2 Digital could overclock, and even though it is intended for the mainstream market, it overclocked to 306 MHz in our tests.

With a retail price of $86 CDN ($85 USD, £42 GBP), the MSI Computer K9AG Neo2 Digital motherboard is a bargain. If you're looking to build a home PC that is easy on the wallet, say for general office work and simple internet applications like surfing or email, the K9AG Neo2 Digital is viable option. Its AMD 690G chipset and integrated Radeon X1250 videocard form a good combo when cost is your most pressing concern. For us though, its that little HDMI jack that really clinches the deal!

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