Motherboard Reviews & Buying Guides - Tech4Gamers

Motherboard

ASRock X870E Taichi Lite

Looks

Award

Best High-End AM5 Motherboard

What We Liked

VRMs, design, price, build quality, performance, overclocking potential

What We Disliked

Only one PCIe 5.0 storage slot, no RGB lighting

Form Factor

E-ATX

Power Delivery

24+2+1

Memory

DDR5 8,200+ (OC)

USB Ports

12x Rear, 9x Front

Storage

4x M.2, 6x SATA III

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Review

Motherboard

MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi

Looks

Award

Best Overall AM5 Motherboard

What We Liked

Connectivity, performance, cold VRMs, design, EZ DIY features, MSI AI LAN manager

What We Disliked

No RGB, less SATA connectors

Form Factor

ATX

Power Delivery

14+2+1

Memory

DDR5 8,400+ (OC)

USB Ports

11x Rear, 9x Front

Storage

4x M.2, 4x SATA III

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Review

Motherboard

ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi

Looks

Award

Best White AM5 Motherboard

What We Liked

Capable VRMs, white aesthetics, RAM capacity, RGB lighting, M.2 heatsink quick-release mechanism

What We Disliked

No debug LED, mid-range ALC4082 audio codec

Form Factor

ATX

Power Delivery

14+2+1

Memory

DDR5 8,000+ (OC)

USB Ports

11x Rear, 9x Front

Storage

3x M.2, 4x SATA III

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Buy On Newegg

Review

Motherboard

ASRock B650E PG-ITX WiFi

Looks

Award

Best Mini-ITX AM5 Motherboard

What We Liked

Active M.2 cooling, USB ports, Networking options

What We Disliked

Plain looks, Loud M.2 cooling fan

Form Factor

Mini-ITX

Power Delivery

10+2+1 Phase VRM

Memory

2x DIMM, 96GB, DDR5-6400+

USB Ports

8x rear, 5x internal

Storage

2x M.2, 2x SATA

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Review

Motherboard

ASUS TUF Gaming B650-PLUS WiFi

Looks

Award

Best Value AM5 Motherboard

What We Liked

Affordable, Connectivity options, Build quality

What We Disliked

Plain looks, Fewer PCIe lanes than X670

Form Factor

ATX

Power Delivery

12+2 Phase VRM

Memory

4x DIMM, 128GB, DDR5-6400+

USB Ports

8x rear, 7x internal

Storage

3x M.2, 4x SATA

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Review

Motherboard

ASRock X670E Taichi

Looks

Award

Best Overclocking AM5 Motherboard

What We Liked

Extraordinary VRM, Build quality, Storage options, 2x USB-4 Type-C ports

What We Disliked

Very expensive, No 10 Gigabit networking

Form Factor

E-ATX

Power Delivery

24+2+1 Phase VRM

Memory

4x DIMM, 192GB, DDR5-6600+

USB Ports

10x rear, 9x internal

Storage

4x M.2, 8x SATA

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Read Our ASRock X870E Taichi Lite Motherboard Review

Review

Last Updated:

November 16, 2024: Replaced the X670E Aorus Master with the X870E Taichi Lite. Similarly, we removed the X670E Tomahawk WiFi Gaming and added the MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi. Lastly, for the best white motherboard, we replaced the ASUS Prime X670-P WiFi with the ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi.
May 5, 2024: We have changed the formatting to improve readability.
November 20, 2023: Few text changes to improve readability. No products were changed.

[toc]

We have tested more motherboards for Ryzen 7000 and 9000 series CPUs:

Best AM5 Motherboards

Here is a selection of the best AM5 motherboards based on my hands-on testing and expert analysis:

Best High-End: ASRock X870E Taichi Lite
Best Overall: MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
Best White: ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi
Best Value: ASUS TUF Gaming B650-PLUS WiFi
Best Overclocking: ASRock X670E Taichi
Best Mini-ITX: ASRock B650E PG-ITX WiFi

ASRock X870E Taichi Lite

Best High-End AM5 Motherboard

ASRock X870E Taichi Lite

1 of 4

Pros

Premium-class 24+2+1 VRM setup
Unique design
Great price for a high-end motherboard
Sturdy build quality
Impeccable performance
Decent overclocking potential

Cons

Only one PCIe 5.0 storage slot
No RGB lighting

Check Price

The ASRock X870E Taichi Lite is my favorite motherboard and go-to for any high-end AM5 CPU. Whether buying the latest Ryzen 7 9800X3D or a simple Ryzen 9 7950X, the motherboard will provide sufficient and stable power to run all your tasks smoothly. The secret of the motherboard lies within its 24+2+1 VRM phase. During my dedicated testing, the motherboard won against all of its competition, even though only by a small margin in all tests.

Besides its performance, I also love this motherboard’s aesthetics. It features a unique design choice on the heatsink but lacks RGB lighting. It also has good connectivity, decent storage options, and a fantastic price for its features. However, only having one PCIe 5.0 slot is sad for an E-ATX motherboard, right? There’s not much I dislike about the motherboard; you’re getting good USB support (12x rear, 9x front), including 2x USB4.0 ports, so you shouldn’t miss out on much.

Here’s how I summarized the ASRock X870E Taichi Lite in my in-depth review of the motherboard while it was on my test bench:

The ASRock X870E Taichi Lite is a $399 powerhouse with a VRM setup (24+2+1, 110A SPS for VCore and SoC) that can compete with enthusiast-class boards. That’s not its only attraction; the board has a fascinating design, multiple handy features, and excellent connectivity options, with USB4 and WiFi 7 being the icing on the cake. Circling back to the price, this is a great option among X870E boards.

✅Buy It If

You want a motherboard with a large power phase: If you need a motherboard with a larger power phase to support your work requirements, the ASRock X870E Taichi Lite should be your go-to choice because of its sturdy 27-phase power delivery through 110A SPS. The motherboard can easily handle all workloads without any fluctuations or issues.

You need more USB ports: The motherboard supports 21 USB ports (12x rear and 9x front), giving you enough support for all your peripherals and USB devices. You won’t run out of USB ports if you want more external drives, sound cards, or anything else.

❌Don't Buy It If

You have an incompatible chassis: I don’t recommend purchasing this motherboard if you have an incompatible chassis. Because the ASRock X870E Taichi Lite is an E-ATX motherboard, it may not fit in all PC cases, so do your research beforehand to avoid compatibility issues.

What Makes It The Best High-End AM5 Motherboard?

What makes the ASRock X870E Taichi Lite motherboard exceptional is its performance, build quality, and stable power delivery thanks to its 27-phase power delivery through 110A SPS, USB connectivity, and storage options. Moreover, it has decent overclocking potential for high-end CPUs, including the latest Ryzen 7 9800X3D powerhouse. Coupled with all that is its impressive pricing, which makes it the best high-end AM5 motherboard.

Editor`s Note

The ASRock X870E Taichi Lite is my favorite motherboard on this list because of its affordable price tag, exceptional performance, impeccable overclocking potential, and sturdy VRMs. It has no USB connectivity or storage option issues for most use cases. If you’re using a high-end Ryzen 7000 or 9000 series CPU, I highly recommend you pair it with this motherboard.

– Dr. Usman Saleem

Performance: 10/10	Value: 9/10
Features: 9/10	Design: 8/10

MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi

Best Overall AM5 Motherboard

MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi

1 of 4

Pros

Decent connectivity options
Solid performance
Cool running VRMs
Beautiful design
A wealth of EZ DIY features
MSI AI LAN manager
Remarkable overclocking opportunities

Cons

No RGB
I would have preferred more SATA connectors

Check Price

Read Our MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi Motherboard Review

The MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi is a high-end motherboard with sturdy build quality, impressive connectivity options, and a beautiful design, albeit with a lack of RGB lighting, making its inclusion on the list self-explanatory. Regarding its performance, its 14+2+1 VRMs perform decently well in gaming and productivity tasks, and they also allow good overclocking opportunities for high-end AM5 socket CPUs. During my testing, the VRMs never exceeded 54°C, making it one of the coldest motherboards on my list.

I also love the user-friendly design of the motherboard. For example, you get many EZ DIY features and mechanisms, making PC building more effortless than ever before. The MSI AI LAN manager tool is a godsend for gamers who are always looking for the lowest ping during competitive gameplay. Regarding the motherboard’s connectivity, you’re getting 11x rear and 9x front USB connectors, so you won’t have to worry about that. However, I would have preferred more than four SATA III connectors from a slightly expensive motherboard.

Being pleased with the motherboard, I didn’t have much to criticize against it in my review. Here’s what I commented about its performance and value:

The MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi is a motherboard costing $299, making it one of the pricier boards so far. For that, it offers reasonably capable VRMs, a minimalist black theme without RGB, a ton of EZ-DIY features to make life easier, and good overall performance. The EZ-DIY features are the highlight for us, but we feel the price tag is still a bit too high, especially given the board’s shared connectivity complications.

✅Buy It If

You play competitively: I recommend the MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi motherboard for everyone who plays competitively. You are looking for top-of-the-line internet, and with this motherboard’s AI LAN manager tool, you’ll always get the lowest ping without having to do anything manually. The tool ensures you get a buttery smooth gameplay experience at all times.

You’re looking for convenience during PC building: If you’re new to PC building and don’t want to mess up, this motherboard’s EZ DIY features and mechanisms will make your life much easier during the entire process. With features such as EZ PCIe release, EZ M.2 Shield Frozr II, EZ M.2 Clip (II), EZ Conn-Design, and more, you’ll be done building your PC in a jiffy!

❌Don't Buy It If

You don’t require the latest I/O: I don’t recommend buying this motherboard if you don’t require the latest features like WiFi 7 and USB4.0 because of the motherboard’s price. Buying a B650 or B670 for a more affordable price will allow you to spend the extra cash on another component.

What Makes It The Best Overall AM5 Motherboard?

With its superb performance, excellent overclocking potential, and versatile feature set, including many EZ DIY features, mechanisms, and more, the MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi is the best overall AM5 motherboard you can buy. The 14+2+1 VRM phase doesn’t go above 54°C, and with the MSI AI LAN manager tool, you won’t have to worry about your internet connection either.

Best X870 Motherboards

Performance: 9/10	Value: 8/10
Features: 10/10	Design: 9/10

ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi

Best White AM5 Motherboard

ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi

1 of 4

Pros

Capable 14+2+1 VRM phase
Beautiful white aesthetics
Incredible RAM capacity
Distinctive design featuring modest RGB lighting
M.2 heatsink quick-release mechanism

Cons

No debug LED
Mid-range ALC4082 audio codec

Check Price

Read Our ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi Motherboard Review

Need a high-end white motherboard for your new AM5 socket CPU? Whether using a midrange Ryzen 7 7700X or the flagship Ryzen 7 9800X3D, the ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi provides stable power delivery thanks to its 14+2+1 VRM phases. During my testing with the Ryzen 9 9900X, the motherboard’s power consumption was the lowest at 362W under max load. On the other hand, the temperatures could be lower at 64°C in Cinebench 2024, but there’s nothing to be concerned about.

Along with its superior performance, the motherboard also sports a beautiful white design with modest RGB lighting over the heatsinks, making it a perfect fit if you’re building a white PC. On the other hand, unlike other X870 motherboards, the Steel Legend WiFi doesn’t have that many EZ DIY features, making it less accessible for new PC builders. Moreover, I wasn’t pleased with the mid-range ALC4082 audio codec, although it won’t matter unless you’re an audiophile.

I fell in love with the motherboard’s aesthetics, value, and performance when I saw it installed on my test rig. Here’s what I commented about it in my review:

The ASRock X870 Steel Legend looks great, is priced fairly, and has enough connectivity for most users. It features a 14+2+1 VRM setup (80A SPS for VCore + SOC), which means you can comfortably run even the most demanding Ryzen CPUs on it. It also provides some convenient features like the toolless M.2 heatsink removal and anti-drop screws. Most of all, though, it’s a great board for getting onto the latest platform without breaking the bank.

✅Buy It If

You want the latest features on a lower budget: If you don’t have a high budget but want all the latest gizmos on your motherboard, the ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi will help you get WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and USB4.0 while keeping your wallet hot. On top of that, you’ll get a few DIY EZ features to simplify building your PC.

You need a well-rounded white motherboard: Are you building a new PC on the AM5 chipset with a white theme in mind? If so, this motherboard is the best white offering for the chipset in terms of pricing, performance, and features. You won’t regret making this purchase for your white PC.

❌Don't Buy It If

You need more convenience: Unfortunately, the ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi motherboard lacks some of the convenient design features that its competitors usually offer, such as an EZ debug LED and EZ PCIe release to troubleshoot the PC and install components quickly.

You’re an audiophile who wants high-quality audio features: If you’re a professional audio editor or audiophile who can easily feel the difference between audio qualities, I don’t recommend this motherboard because it only features a mid-range ALC4082 audio codec.

What Makes It The Best White AM5 Motherboard?

The ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi motherboard provides impeccable performance, decent overclocking support for Ryzen 7000 and Ryzen 9000 series CPUs, and beautiful white aesthetics with slight RGB lighting, which makes it the best white AM5 motherboard. Coupled with that, I love its lower price, making it more accessible for budget gamers.

How To Build A White Gaming PC

Performance: 9/10	Value: 9/10
Features: 7/10	Design: 10/10

ASUS TUF Gaming B650-PLUS WiFi

Best Value AM5 Motherboard

ASUS TUF Gaming B650-PLUS WiFi Pictures

1 of 2

Pros

Quite affordable
Robust power delivery
Versatile connectivity options
Superb build quality

Cons

Plain looks
Fewer PCIe lanes than X670

Check Price

The TUF Gaming lineup of products from ASUS has its own distinct design language, and the B650-PLUS is an extension of that simplistic trend. The overall aesthetic of the board is quite understated and stealthy, while the overbuilt heatsinks betray a sense of ruggedness that is synonymous with the TUF brand. The TUF Gaming B650-PLUS is offered with a 12+2 phase VRM design with 60A power stages, which is a very respectable configuration for AM5 CPUs. My testing validates that this configuration can handle overclocking on the majority of Ryzen 7000 series CPUs without any issue, while the cooling system is top-notch as well.

The board retains its PCIe 5.0 connectivity in one of the three M.2 slots, while you also get 4 SATA ports for your classic drives. Networking is pretty standard, with a 2.5 GbE LAN port along with WiFi 6 for wireless connectivity. On the rear I/O, the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 20Gbps port stands out immediately.

PRO TIP: Use the ASUS AURA Sync utility to configure the RGB lighting of this motherboard.

✅Buy It If

You want the best value for money: The TUF Gaming B650-PLUS maximizes the price-to-performance factor and checks a lot of boxes at an affordable price.

You want a reliable motherboard: With unique TUF components and additional durability features, the B650-PLUS is one of the most durable AM5 motherboards.

❌Don't Buy It If

You want RGB lighting: Although it looks quite nice already, a touch of RGB lighting could have improved the aesthetics of the TUF B650-PLUS.

What Makes It The Best Value AM5 Motherboard?

The affordable price point, solid build quality, versatile features, and superb value for money make the ASUS TUF B650-PLUS the best value AM5 motherboard.

Related: Best B650 Motherboards

Performance: 8/10	Value: 10/10
Features: 8/10	Design: 7/10

ASRock X670E Taichi

Best Overclocking AM5 Motherboard

ASRock X670E Taichi Pictures

1 of 4

Pros

Extraordinary 24-phase VRM
Superb build quality
Loads of storage options
Two USB-4 Type-C ports

Cons

Very expensive
No 10 Gigabit networking

Check Price

ASRock’s Taichi motherboards have a very distinct and daring design language that is also present in the X670E iteration. The PCB is almost entirely covered by huge black heat spreaders with some unique design elements on them. The 8-layer, server-grade ultra-low loss PCB ensures exceptional signal reliability. ASRock has equipped this board with a 24+2+1 phase VRM design with 105A power stages for the VCORE and 105A power stages for the SOC. This is an extremely impressive configuration that, according to my testing, can handle competitive overclocking on even the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X with ease.

On the rear I/O, the two USB 4 Type-C ports immediately stand out, as do the two USB 3.2 “Lightning Gaming” ports. The Taichi offers 4 M.2 slots and 8 SATA 6 Gbps ports for your storage needs, and networking is handled by a 2.5 GbE LAN port as well as WiFi 6E.

WARNING: If you’re planning on overclocking your CPU, make sure your CPU cooler is up to the task as well.

✅Buy It If

You want to overclock your Ryzen CPU: The superb 24+2+1 phase VRM design of the X670E Taichi makes it the ideal choice for overclocking according to my test results, especially if you have a premium Ryzen 7000 series CPU.

❌Don't Buy It If

You have a limited budget: The ASRock X670E Taichi will definitely make a noticeable impact on your savings.

What Makes It The Best Overclocking AM5 Motherboard?

The ASRock X670E Taichi is the best overclocking AM5 motherboard thanks to its extraordinary 24+2+1 phase VRM design with 105A power stages, coupled with a fantastic active cooling solution and robust 8-layer PCB.

Performance: 10/10	Value: 7/10
Features: 10/10	Design: 8/10

ASRock B650E PG-ITX WiFi

Best Mini-ITX AM5 Motherboard

ASRock B650E PG-ITX WiFi Pictures From Our Review

1 of 4

Pros

Ideal for compact PCs
Active M.2 cooling
Loads of USB ports
Decent networking options

Cons

Plain looks
Loud M.2 cooling fan

Check Price

Read Our ASRock B650E PG-ITX WiFi Review

The B650E PG-ITX is quite simplistic in its design approach, and that is a perfectly fine choice. The PCB is black with massive heatsinks in the same color, while the I/O cover has a dash of red and silver on the side. The board has a 10-layer server-grade low-loss PCB that ensures maximum signal integrity. With its 10+2+1 phase design with 105A power stages, the B650E PG-ITX is a great choice for overclocking mid-range AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPUs. In my testing, the MOSFETs were operating at around 60C after a one-hour all-core stress test with the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X, showcasing the impressive cooling solution of the board.

Despite being a compact board, the ASRock B650E PG-ITX delivers two M.2 slots and two SATA ports for your storage needs. Networking is pretty standard, with a 2.5 GbE LAN port and WiFi 6E capability. The rear I/O is rather well-equipped for a mini-ITX motherboard, especially with the USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port.

We asked our trusted motherboard expert, Nauman Siddique, for his perspective on the ASRock B650E PG-ITX.

“It is a tiny beast featuring an AM5 platform with a plethora of features and efficient cooling for key components”.

✅Buy It If

You want a compact motherboard: The ASRock B650E PG-ITX is the motherboard to pick if you’re building a small form factor (SFF) gaming PC.

❌Don't Buy It If

You want RGB lighting: Although a nice-looking motherboard, the B650E PG-ITX lacks a splash of RGB lighting.

What Makes It The Best Mini-ITX AM5 Motherboard?

Since it offers superb features, robust power delivery, and active M.2 cooling in a compact size, the ASRock B650E PG-ITX is the best mini-ITX AM5 motherboard out there.

PRO TIP: Buying a mini-ITX motherboard? Be sure to cross-check the compatibility of your PC case with your motherboard.

Read Our ASRock B650E PG-ITX WiFi Review

Performance: 8/10	Value: 8/10
Features: 8/10	Design: 7/10

How We Tested & Picked The Best AM5 Motherboards

Here are some key factors that you should consider when shopping for an AM5 motherboard.

VRM and Overclocking: A robust VRM design with adequate power phases ensures stable and efficient power delivery to your components, especially the CPU. Consider the number of power phases, their configuration, the quality of underlying components, and the capacity of the power stages.
Chipset choice: In the process of buying a new AM5 motherboard, the choice between X670 vs. B650 is crucial as it determines the features and capabilities of the motherboard. Different chipsets offer varying levels of connectivity options, such as PCIe lanes, SATA ports, and M.2 slots, allowing you to connect various devices and expand your system.
Features: When you’re in the market for a new motherboard, it is crucial to consider its feature set, including networking, storage capabilities, and USB connectivity. Networking features determine your system’s connectivity options, while the storage options affect your ability to configure high-speed storage solutions.
Aesthetics: In addition to the technical specifications, the design and aesthetics of a motherboard should also be considered. The motherboard serves as the centerpiece of your PC build, and its visual appeal can enhance the overall aesthetics of your system. Factors to consider include the color scheme, lighting options, and overall design elements.
Value For Money: When choosing a motherboard, it’s important to consider the value for money it offers rather than solely focusing on the price tag. It’s essential to strike a balance between the price and the features, performance, and durability you require for your specific needs.

FAQs

Can you run DDR4 on AM5?

You cannot run DDR4 memory on AM5 motherboards. The new AM5 platform only supports DDR5 memory on all its chipsets.

Is Ryzen 5000 compatible with AM5?

AMD Ryzen 5000 series CPUs are not compatible with AM5 motherboards. They are compatible with the AM4 socket, while the AM5 motherboards use the new AM5 socket. Moreover, the CPUs have pins on them that are not physically compatible with the socket.

What chipset is AM5?

The AM5 motherboards come with 2 different chipsets, X670 and B650. Both these chipsets have 2 variants (X670E and X670, B650E and B650) which offer different connectivity and expansion features.

What socket does AM5 use?

The AM5 motherboards use the brand-new AMD AM5 socket. It is a Land Grid Array (LGA) socket with 1718 pins instead of the old Pin Grid Array (PGA) socket that was present on AM4 motherboards.

Is X670E better than X670?

X670E is better than X670 since it offers more connectivity options and better overclocking support. There are 24 PCIe 5.0 lanes in X670E versus only 8 PCIe 5.0 lanes in X670. Moreover, X670E motherboards have better power delivery capabilities for overclocking.

We have tested even more AM5 motherboards:

[Reviews Specialist]

Usman Saleem brings 8+ years of comprehensive PC hardware expertise to the table. His journey in the tech world has involved in-depth tech analysis and insightful PC hardware reviews, perfecting over 6+ years of dedicated work. Usman’s commitment to staying authentic and relevant in the field is underscored by many professional certifications, including a recent one in Google IT Support Specialization.

8+ years of specialized PC hardware coverage
6+ years of in-depth PC hardware analysis and reviews
Lead PC hardware expert across multiple tech journalism platforms
Certified in Google IT Support Specialization

Get In Touch: usman@tech4gamers.com

Expert Picks: BEST AM5 Motherboards In 2024 is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology And Gaming News

Best Motherboard For Ryzen 7 9800X3D: Expert Picks

Dr. Usman Saleem — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 18:49:00 +0000

AMD’s X3D processors are some of the most famous gaming CPUs on the market. The Ryzen 7 7800X3D has been hailed as the best gaming CPU for a long time. However, it’s time a successor comes along. Instead of the competition taking the win, AMD’s brand new Ryzen 7 9800X3D shows an impeccable 25% boost in single-core and multi-core tasks. In our Ryzen 7 9800X3D review, we saw great performance across the board, but if you’re buying such a beast, you’ve to pair it with the right motherboard. That said, I have rounded up the best motherboard for Ryzen 7 9800X3D.

Why Trust Tech4Gamers

Usman Saleem is our hardware tester who loves to put all the latest GPUs, CPUs, RAM, and motherboards for a spin.
40+ motherboards tested and reviewed by our team of hardware experts (Tech4Gamers Team).
800+ hours spent testing different motherboards for our reviews.
Objective testing criteria (See how we test motherboards).

Here’s a comparison table to show you our best motherboard offerings at a glance:

Motherboard

MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi

ASRock X870E Taichi Lite

ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi 7

Gigabyte B650 Aorus Elite AX V2

Looks

Award

Best Overall Motherboard For Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Best High-End Motherboard For Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Best White Motherboard For Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Best Budget Motherboard For Ryzen 7 9800X3D

What We Liked

Connectivity, performance, cool VRMs, design, EZ DIY features, MSI AI LAN manager

Premium VRM setup, price, design, performance, build quality

Capable VRMs, beautiful white aesthetics, RAM capacity, M.2 heatsink quick-release mechanism

Effective VRM cooling, 2x NVMe Gen5 SSDs, handy EZ DIY features, performance, value, build quality

What We Disliked

No RGB, lack of SATA connectors

Only one PCIe 5.0 storage slot, no RGB lighting

Mid-range ALC4082 audio codec, no debug LED

No external temperature sensor ports, lacks USB4.0, no debug LED

Chipset

AMD X870

AMD X870E

AMD X870

AMD B650

Memory

DDR5 8,400+ (OC)

DDR5 8,200+ (OC)

DDR5 8,000+ (OC)

DDR5-8000 (OC)

VRM

14+2+1

24+2+1

14+2+1

12+2+2

Storage

4x M.2, 4x SATA III

4x M.2, 6x SATA III

3x M.2, 4x SATA III

3x M.2, 4x SATA

USB Ports

11x Rear, 9x Front

12x Rear, 9x Front

11x Rear, 9x Front

12x Rear, 9x Front

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Review

Motherboard

MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi

Looks

Award

Best Overall Motherboard For Ryzen 7 9800X3D

What We Liked

Connectivity, performance, cool VRMs, design, EZ DIY features, MSI AI LAN manager

What We Disliked

No RGB, lack of SATA connectors

Chipset

AMD X870

Memory

DDR5 8,400+ (OC)

VRM

14+2+1

Storage

4x M.2, 4x SATA III

USB Ports

11x Rear, 9x Front

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Review

Motherboard

ASRock X870E Taichi Lite

Looks

Award

Best High-End Motherboard For Ryzen 7 9800X3D

What We Liked

Premium VRM setup, price, design, performance, build quality

What We Disliked

Only one PCIe 5.0 storage slot, no RGB lighting

Chipset

AMD X870E

Memory

DDR5 8,200+ (OC)

VRM

24+2+1

Storage

4x M.2, 6x SATA III

USB Ports

12x Rear, 9x Front

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Review

Motherboard

ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi 7

Looks

Award

Best White Motherboard For Ryzen 7 9800X3D

What We Liked

Capable VRMs, beautiful white aesthetics, RAM capacity, M.2 heatsink quick-release mechanism

What We Disliked

Mid-range ALC4082 audio codec, no debug LED

Chipset

AMD X870

Memory

DDR5 8,000+ (OC)

VRM

14+2+1

Storage

3x M.2, 4x SATA III

USB Ports

11x Rear, 9x Front

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Review

Motherboard

Gigabyte B650 Aorus Elite AX V2

Looks

Award

Best Budget Motherboard For Ryzen 7 9800X3D

What We Liked

Effective VRM cooling, 2x NVMe Gen5 SSDs, handy EZ DIY features, performance, value, build quality

What We Disliked

No external temperature sensor ports, lacks USB4.0, no debug LED

Chipset

AMD B650

Memory

DDR5-8000 (OC)

VRM

12+2+2

Storage

3x M.2, 4x SATA

USB Ports

12x Rear, 9x Front

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Review

Read Our MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi Motherboard Review

More from the Ryzen 7 9800X3D:

Want to get an overview of another Ryzen 9000 series? Read through our dedicated in-depth CPU reviews:

Best Motherboard For Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Here’s a list of all the motherboards I have chosen for their various unique traits based on my hands-on experience and testing:

Best Overall: MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
Best High-End: ASRock X870E Taichi Lite
Best White: ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi 7
Best Budget: Gigabyte B650 Aorus Elite AX V2

MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi

Best Overall Motherboard For Ryzen 7 9800X3D

MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi Pictures From Our Review

1 of 4

Pros

Decent connectivity options
Solid performance
VRMs run quite cool
Beautiful design
A wealth of EZ DIY features and mechanisms
MSI AI LAN manager

Cons

No RGB
I would have preferred more SATA connectors

Check Price

Starting the list with the jack of all trades, the MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi motherboard caught my eye for many reasons. For example, it has superior performance in productivity and gaming tasks. Moreover, its 14+2+1 VRMs perform decently well, allowing adequate overclocking opportunities. I love the VRMs for their temperatures, though. During our testing, the temperatures on the VRMs never exceeded 54°C, making them one of the coldest in the new X870 motherboards.

Besides its performance, other eye-catchers are the wealth of EZ DIY features and mechanisms loaded onto the motherboard, making it highly user-friendly. I also cherish the MSI AI LAN manager, which ensures you always get the lowest possible ping. Moving to the connectors, I like the 11x rear and 9x front USB ports, including a USB4.0 port and plenty of USB 2.0 and USB 3 ports. However, when it comes to storage, I would have preferred more than 4x SATA III connectors for a slightly pricey motherboard.

I was pretty pleased with the MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi motherboard, not seeing any negatives. Here’s what I commented in my review:

The MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi is a motherboard costing $299, making it one of the pricier boards so far. For that, it offers reasonably capable VRMs, a minimalist black theme without RGB, a ton of EZ-DIY features to make life easier, and good overall performance. The EZ-DIY features are the highlight for us, but we feel the price tag is still a bit too high, especially given the board’s shared connectivity complications.

✅Buy It If

You play competitive games: If you’re a competitive player who always requires top-of-the-line internet, the MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi offers just the feature you’ll love. With the MSI AI LAN manager, you’ll always be connected to the best internet and get the lowest pings, ensuring your gameplay is buttery smooth at all times.

You want all the performance without any backlashes: The MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi perfectly fits the Ryzen 7 9800X3D because of its greater RAM frequency support, lower VRM thermals, and overall better performance. If you want all the performance without many repercussions, this motherboard is your best bet.

❌Don't Buy It If

You’re using more than four SATA III drives: If you’re utilizing more than four SATA III drives, I can’t recommend this motherboard. You’re better off using PCIe 5.0 drives with the X870 chipset motherboards.

What Makes It The Best Overall Motherboard For Ryzen 7 9800X3D?

I love the MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi for its lower VRM temperatures, sturdy build quality, and EZ DIY features and functions. Moreover, it has decent connectivity options and a beautiful design, perfect for stealth builds lacking RGB lighting. All these pros make it the best overall motherboard for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, in my opinion.

Best X870 Motherboards

Performance: 9/10	Value: 9/10
Features: 10/10	Design: 8/10

ASRock X870E Taichi Lite

Best High-End Motherboard For Ryzen 7 9800X3D

ASRock X870E Taichi Lite Pictures From Our Review

1 of 4

Pros

Premium-class 24+2+1 VRM setup
Great price for a high-end motherboard
Unique design
Impeccable performance
Remarkable build quality

Cons

Only one PCIe 5.0 storage slot
No RGB lighting

Check Price

Read Our ASRock X870E Taichi Lite Motherboard Review

Want to get the most out of your Ryzen 7 9800X3D? Just get a high-performing motherboard like the ASRock X870E Taichi Lite. Hailing a 24+2+1 VRM phase, you can achieve extreme overclocks with even a flagship CPU. This big boy has the largest power phase out of all the motherboards on this listicle. To top it all off, it has a pretty neat price tag, so you won’t have to sell an organ to make a purchase. Honestly, when it comes to performance, I can’t critique the Taichi Lite at all.

However, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have any downsides to it. It’s an excellent motherboard with impressive connectivity options, good storage slots, and remarkable build quality. But even so, I feel like being given only one PCIe 5.0 storage slot for an E-ATX motherboard is pretty sad. I understand the lack of RGB lighting, though. All in all, it’s a great motherboard with a unique design, tons of USB ports (12x rear and 9x front), including 2x USB4.0 ports, and doesn’t cost much, either.

Here’s how I summarized the ASRock X870E Taichi Lite in my in-depth review of the motherboard:

The ASRock X870E Taichi Lite is a $399 powerhouse with a VRM setup (24+2+1, 110A SPS for VCore and SoC) that can compete with enthusiast-class boards. That’s not its only attraction; the board has a fascinating design, multiple handy features, and excellent connectivity options, with USB4 and WiFi 7 being the icing on the cake. Circling back to the price, this is a great option among X870E boards.

✅Buy It If

You require a motherboard with a large power phase: If you’re looking for an X870 motherboard with a larger-than-usual power phase, I recommend the ASRock X870E Taichi Lite because of its 27-phase power delivery through 110A SPS. No matter how you intend to use the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, this motherboard will easily be able to handle it without any issues.

You need plenty of USB ports: With 21 USB ports, including 2x USB4.0, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C, and 5x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A, there’s plenty of room for all your USB devices, including future installments.

❌Don't Buy It If

You’re using a smaller chassis: In case you’re using a smaller chassis, I don’t recommend buying the ASRock X870E Taichi Lite because it’s an E-ATX motherboard. You’ll most likely face compatibility issues. Hence, before purchasing, ensure you have done your homework properly.

What Makes It The Best High-End Motherboard For Ryzen 7 9800X3D?

The most appealing thing about the ASRock X870E Taichi Lite motherboard is its high-end VRMs, robust build quality, and overall outstanding performance in all gaming and productivity tests while maintaining a reasonable cost. There are no complaints about its design. You get WiFi 7, and the chipset also provides plenty of USB ports, including USB4.0, making it the best high-end motherboard for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor.

Editor`s Note

Personally, I feel the ASRock X870E Taichi Lite is the best fit for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. Ignoring the motherboard’s overclocking capabilities, it comes with lots of USB ports, has a unique design, the VRM temperatures aren’t too high, and it’s one of the most powerful X870 chipset motherboards. You shouldn’t let this motherboard go if you’re using a bigger PC case.

– Dr. Usman Saleem

Performance: 10/10	Value: 8/10
Features: 9/10	Design: 8/10

ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi 7

Best White Motherboard For Ryzen 7 9800X3D

ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi 7 Pictures From Our Review

1 of 4

Pros

Fairly capable 14+2+1 VRMs
Beautiful white aesthetics
Incredible RAM capacity
Distinctive design featuring modest RGB
M.2 heatsink quick-release mechanism

Cons

No debug LED
Mid-range ALC4082 audio codec

Check Price

Read Our ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi 7 Motherboard Review

Moving to the next motherboard, the ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi 7 is one of the most aesthetically pleasing X870 motherboards I have seen. Featuring a distinctive design with modest RGB lighting, the motherboard is coated in white, making it look like a captivating snowball. Outside its looks, the Steel Legend WiFi offers decent performance with its 14+2+1 VRM phase, not allowing the Ryzen 7 9800X3D to bottleneck even at the highest workloads.

The pricing is also pretty fair, and the motherboard has decent DIY features, like an M.2 heatsink quick-release mechanism for easier installation. It is missing a few features, like a debug LED, which will make troubleshooting slightly tricky in the future. However, regarding connectivity, I have zero complaints, featuring 11x rear and 9x front USB ports, along with 3x M.2 and 4x SATA III slots. The only real issue is the mid-range ALC4082 audio codec, which ASRock could have improved.

WARNING: Ensure you have removed the plastic stickers from the thermal pad heatsinks before installing your NVMe M.2 drives.

I was surprised when I used the ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi 7 motherboard on my test bench. Here’s what I commented about the motherboard’s looks and features:

The ASRock X870 Steel Legend looks great, is priced fairly, and has enough connectivity for most users. It features a 14+2+1 VRM setup (80A SPS for VCore + SOC), which means you can comfortably run even the most demanding Ryzen CPUs on it. It also provides some convenient features like the toolless M.2 heatsink removal and anti-drop screws. Most of all, though, it’s a great board for getting onto the latest platform without breaking the bank.

✅Buy It If

You want the latest I/O on a budget: If you’re looking for an X870 motherboard that features the latest I/O, like USB4.0 and WiFi 7, on a reasonably decent budget, then I recommend you purchase the ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi 7. You won’t have to empty your wallet, and you’ll get many neat features you’re looking forward to utilizing.

You need a well-rounded white motherboard: If you’re building a white-themed PC around the Ryzen 7 9800X3D and require a motherboard that pairs well, the X870 Steel Legend WiFi should be your go-to. It has beautiful aesthetics, performs well in all our tests, and has low VRM temperatures.

❌Don't Buy It If

You’re an audiophile requiring a high-end audio codec: I don’t recommend purchasing the ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi if you’re an audiophile working in the sound industry who requires a high-end audio codec because this motherboard only has a mid-range ALC4082 codec which may not be up to your standards.

What Makes It The Best White Motherboard For Ryzen 7 9800X3D?

The ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi 7 is one of my favorite motherboards because of its beautiful snow-white aesthetics, low-temperature VRMs, rock-solid build quality, and many DIY features. Unlike many other white PC components, it also doesn’t come at a high price, ultimately making it the best white motherboard for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D.

Best White PC Build

Performance: 8/10	Value: 9/10
Features: 8/10	Design: 10/10

Gigabyte B650 Aorus Elite AX V2

Best Budget Motherboard For Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Gigabyte B650 Aorus Elite AX V2 Pictures From Our Review

1 of 4

Pros

Effective VRM cooling
Two NVMe Gen5 SSD support
There is a plethora of USB ports
Handy EZ DIY features
Decent performance
Outstanding value
Durable build quality

Cons

Lacks USB4.0
No debug LED
No external temperature sensor ports

Check Price

Read Our Gigabyte B650 Aorus Elite AX V2 Motherboard Review

Are you trying to upgrade to the Ryzen 7 9800X3D on a tighter budget? If you have been using a Ryzen 3000 series CPU and want to jump directly to the Ryzen 9000 with a minor motherboard upgrade, the Gigabyte B650 Aorus Elite AX V2 is your best budget option. Featuring a 12+2+2 VRM phase that doesn’t get hot even at tight loads, I love the decent performance the motherboard provides. It lacks a few things compared to the X870 chipset, but you won’t notice much difference outside of that.

For example, the B650 Aorus Elite has 2x PCIe Gen5 NVMe slots. Moreover, there is no shortage of SATA III ports, either. There aren’t any issues with the USB ports, featuring 12x rear and 9x front ports, including USB Type-C Gen 2. It doesn’t have USB4.0 and WiFi 7, along with a few troubleshooting features, but for a budget motherboard, it has all the other goodies I love. The design is decent, with slight RGB lighting around the heatsinks. It’s an excellent fit for any high-end AMD CPU if you’re not overclocking it.

PRO TIP: You should use monitoring software to keep an eye on the temperatures, voltages, and system health of your motherboard and PC in general.

Our hardware reviewer, Nauman Siddique, was astounded by the motherboard’s value and performance. Here’s what he commented in his dedicated review:

At the end of the day, the B650 AORUS ELITE AX is almost a balanced feature set provider motherboard that the user can get for their daily driver need. The game is strong with the storage department of this motherboard and USB Type-C Gen 2×2 port provisions as well, though don’t expect to find a PCIe Gen 5 X16 slot.

✅Buy It If

You’re seeking effective heat management: If you’re looking for a mid-range motherboard that will help cool the VRMs and storage drives, then the Gigabyte B650 Aorus Elite AX V2 is an excellent choice for its TMOS-based massive heatsinks and thermal pads for SSDs that efficiently control the temperatures.

You prioritize mid-range performance from a motherboard: If you’re not looking for something too fancy and require a motherboard that won’t bottleneck the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, then this one should be your go-to for its incredible performance and power output.

❌Don't Buy It If

You need WiFi 7 and USB4: If you require top-of-the-line features like WiFi 7 and USB4, then I don’t recommend buying the Gigabyte B650 Aorus Elite AX V2 because it doesn’t have any of those features. You’re better off looking for a budget X870 chipset motherboard with those requirements.

What Makes It The Best Budget Motherboard For Ryzen 7 9800X3D?

The Gigabyte B650 Aorus Elite AX V2 motherboard rocks amazing features like a 12+2+2 VRM phase, lower VRM temperatures, handy EZ DIY features, decent gaming and productivity performance, and a plethora of USB ports, including USB Type-C Gen 2. The biggest pro is its low price, which makes it the best budget motherboard for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D.

Best B650 Motherboards

Performance: 8/10	Value: 10/10
Features: 8/10	Design: 9/10

Best Motherboard For Ryzen 7 9800X3D Specification Comparison

We have created a simple comparison chart of all our top motherboard picks so that it’s easier for you to choose the one that appeals most to your use-case scenarios. Here’s the chart:

Motherboard Model	Total Power Phases	Max Memory Speed (MT/s)	No. of M.2 slots	No. of SATA III ports	No. of USB ports (Front)	No. of USB ports (Rear)
MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi	16	8400	4	4	9	11
ASRock X870E Taichi Lite	27	8200	4	6	9	12
ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi	16	8000	3	4	9	11
Gigabyte B650 Aorus Elite AX V2	16	8000	3	4	9	12

These Motherboards Couldn’t Make Our List

Many motherboards on the market fit well with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. However, we only selected the best ones in their categories to make your purchase decision easier. Of course, a few didn’t make the list, lacking value or features. Here are the motherboards that couldn’t make our list:

Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite: There’s not much to hate regarding the Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite. Like its predecessor, which we covered, it’s one of the best contenders. However, its lack of 5G LAN makes it slightly inferior to its competitors.

Key Motherboard Terms

CPU Socket: It’s a small slot on the motherboard where the CPU is inserted. Intel usually changes its CPU socket once every two generations, while AMD’s socket lasts for a few years. The AM4 lasted from the Ryzen 1000 to the Ryzen 5000 series, meaning you could use the same motherboard for all those CPUs.
DIMM Slots: They are located next to the CPU socket where the RAM kits are installed. Thanks to the physical location being so close, DIMM slots allow the CPU to access temporary data quickly.
Form Factor: Similar to the form factors of PC cases, the size and shape of the motherboard decide the chassis it’ll fit inside. Motherboard form factors are the same as PC case form factors, ranging from ITX, mITX, ATX, and E-ATX.
VRM: Abbreviated as Voltage Regulator Module, VRMs are small circuits on the motherboard that ensure stable and proper voltage delivery to all PC parts. Better VRM phases are required to achieve higher CPU overclocks.
PCIe Slots: PCIe slots are used for expansion cards and are essential for graphics cards, sound cards, and network adapters. In most cases, you want to install the graphics card in the x16 PCIe slot and then move downwards as required.
Chipset: The chipset communicates between multiple PC components, such as the peripherals, CPU, RAM, GPU, and storage, to run everything smoothly without causing random crashes and errors.

How We Tested These Motherboards

Several factors contributed to selecting the best motherboards for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU. They include features, power delivery, and value for money. Here’s a quick rundown of what I looked for in each motherboard:

Features: One of the most important factors I considered was each motherboard’s features. Besides the EZ DIY features, software like MSI’s AI LAN manager, troubleshooting debug LEDs, or thicker M.2 heatsinks add more value to the motherboards. While performance is essential, subtle features create more incentive for a purchase.
Power Delivery: The most important factor you should consider is a motherboard’s power delivery capabilities. A motherboard with mediocre power delivery will only end up either bottlenecking your PC components or completely frying them. Additionally, better power delivery is vital for CPU overclocking. That’s why I only chose motherboards that didn’t compromise on their VRMs.
Value For Money: Regardless of your budget, spending too much on a PC component won’t yield better results if everything it features is a gimmick. Therefore, I was meticulous with the value for money of each motherboard I selected. Along with performance, they needed to have dozens of features and not cost absurd amounts of money.

FAQs

Can the Ryzen 7 9800X3D run any game at high FPS?

Regardless of the resolution, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D should be able to run any game at high FPS, considering it is currently the best gaming CPU on the planet.

Can I overclock the Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU?

Like the previous X3D processors, you won’t be able to overclock the Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU. Doing so won’t yield any performance uplifts anyway.

What RAM speeds does the Ryzen 7 9800X3D support?

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU supports up to DDR5 8,800MHz RAM speeds, ensuring whichever kit you purchase will be compatible with the CPU.

Is the Ryzen 7 9800X3D compatible with B650 and X670 chipsets?

Yes. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is compatible with both chipsets along with the newest X870 chipset. Depending on your budget and use-case scenario, you should look for a motherboard from the B650 and X870 chipsets for the most value.

Searching for motherboards for a specific Ryzen 9000 series CPU? We have you covered:

[Reviews Specialist]

Get In Touch: usman@tech4gamers.com

Best Motherboard For Ryzen 7 9800X3D: Expert Picks is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology And Gaming News

Best Z890 Motherboards [Benchmarks Included]

Dr. Usman Saleem — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 07:20:55 +0000

Right around the release of Intel’s 14th generation of processors, Intel dropped a big bomb by announcing that they’re finally rebranding the “i” series to the new Intel Core Ultra series. However, the situation hasn’t changed on the motherboard side, and the new Z890 chips bring various improvements and new features over the Z790 chipset, such as Thunderbolt4 ports, a beefier power delivery solution, and faster networking & connectivity options.

Why Trust Tech4Gamers

Usman Saleem is our hardware tester who loves to put all the latest GPUs, CPUs, RAM, and motherboards for a spin.
40+ motherboards tested and reviewed by our team of hardware experts (Tech4Gamers Team).
800+ hours spent testing different motherboards for our reviews.
Objective testing criteria (See how we test motherboards).

Here’s the list of our top picks for the Z890 chipset motherboard, which you can buy if you’re willing to upgrade to the latest Intel CPUs.

Motherboard

MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi

ASRock Z890 Taichi Lite

ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi

MSI MEG Z890 ACE

ASRock Z890 Pro-A

Looks

Award

Best Overall Z890 Motherboard

Best High-End Z890 Motherboard

Best White Z890 Motherboard

Best Overclocking Z890 Motherboard

Best Budget Z890 Motherboard

What We Liked

Can withstand decent OC settings, Plethora of I/O ports, Stealthy design

High-end 20+1+2+1+1 VRM design, Exceptional overclocking potential, Has six M.2 storage slots

Striking white-themed aesthetics, Great value, Excellent power delivery solution

Has a 10G LAN port, 24x USB ports, Best-in-class VRM for OC

Good value, Great performance for the price, Decent VRM thermals

What We Disliked

Relatively high VRM thermals

No EZ PCIe Release

No Debug Code Panel

Price

No WiFi & Bluetooth

Form Factor

ATX

Power Delivery

16+1+1+1

20+1+2+1+1

18+1+1+1+1

24+2+1+1

16+1+1+1+1

Memory

DDR5 9200+ (OC)

DDR5 9600+ (OC)

DDR5 9466+ (OC)

DDR5 9200+ (OC)

DDR5 9066+ (OC)

USB Ports

10x Rear, 7x Front

12x Rear, 9x Front

10x Rear, 9x Front

15x Rear, 9x Front

9x Rear, 9x Front

Storage

4x M.2, 4x SATA 6G

6x M.2, 4x SATA3

4x M.2, 4x SATA3

5x M.2, 4x SATA 6G

4x M.2, 4x SATA3

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Review

Motherboard

MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi

Looks

Award

Best Overall Z890 Motherboard

What We Liked

Can withstand decent OC settings, Plethora of I/O ports, Stealthy design

What We Disliked

Relatively high VRM thermals

Form Factor

ATX

Power Delivery

16+1+1+1

Memory

DDR5 9200+ (OC)

USB Ports

10x Rear, 7x Front

Storage

4x M.2, 4x SATA 6G

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Review

Motherboard

ASRock Z890 Taichi Lite

Looks

Award

Best High-End Z890 Motherboard

What We Liked

High-end 20+1+2+1+1 VRM design, Exceptional overclocking potential, Has six M.2 storage slots

What We Disliked

No EZ PCIe Release

Form Factor

ATX

Power Delivery

20+1+2+1+1

Memory

DDR5 9600+ (OC)

USB Ports

12x Rear, 9x Front

Storage

6x M.2, 4x SATA3

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Review

Motherboard

ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi

Looks

Award

Best White Z890 Motherboard

What We Liked

Striking white-themed aesthetics, Great value, Excellent power delivery solution

What We Disliked

No Debug Code Panel

Form Factor

ATX

Power Delivery

18+1+1+1+1

Memory

DDR5 9466+ (OC)

USB Ports

10x Rear, 9x Front

Storage

4x M.2, 4x SATA3

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Review

Motherboard

MSI MEG Z890 ACE

Looks

Award

Best Overclocking Z890 Motherboard

What We Liked

Has a 10G LAN port, 24x USB ports, Best-in-class VRM for OC

What We Disliked

Price

Form Factor

ATX

Power Delivery

24+2+1+1

Memory

DDR5 9200+ (OC)

USB Ports

15x Rear, 9x Front

Storage

5x M.2, 4x SATA 6G

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Review

Motherboard

ASRock Z890 Pro-A

Looks

Award

Best Budget Z890 Motherboard

What We Liked

Good value, Great performance for the price, Decent VRM thermals

What We Disliked

No WiFi & Bluetooth

Form Factor

ATX

Power Delivery

16+1+1+1+1

Memory

DDR5 9066+ (OC)

USB Ports

9x Rear, 9x Front

Storage

4x M.2, 4x SATA3

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Read Our MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi Review

Review

Best Z890 Motherboards

To get started with the individual recommendation, these are the categories and names of the motherboards that I have chosen based on personal testing and several other feature sets of each motherboard:

Best Overall: MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi
Best White: ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
Best High-End: ASRock Z890 Taichi Lite
Best Overclocking: MSI MEG Z890 ACE
Best Budget: ASRock Z890 Pro-A

MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi

Best Overall Z890 Motherboard

MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi Pictures From Our Review

1 of 4

Pros

The VRM config is solid
Can withstand decent OC settings
Plethora of I/O ports
Stealthy design
EZ NVMe & PCIe release mechanism
Good thermal solution

Cons

Relatively high VRM thermals

Check Price

Going in with the MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi, you can expect a terrific experience overall. The motherboard offers a robust 16+1+1+1 VRM solution that can help you overlock Intel’s Core Ultra series processors and RAM. Not to mention, the board is built with high-quality 6-layered PCB and comes with useful features such as the MSI AI LAN manager support to assist those who play online as it auto-tunes the network settings to lower latency.

Besides that, I liked the I/O on this motherboard too, you get a total of 17x USB ports for your use, two of which are Thunderbolt4 ports that can accommodate up to 3x Thunderbolt4 simultaneously in each port. What’s more, is that the motherboard also features an EZ DIY design for both the M.2 and the graphics card slot. However, the motherboard only offers a single Gen5 M.2 slot, and the rest of the three M.2 slots are Gen4.

Here’s how I summarized the MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi in my dedicated review:

The MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi is a $299 motherboard packed with the latest I/O and EZ-DIY features. It has a fairly basic (almost) all-black design with silver accents and yellow-green colors to represent the board’s branding. For VRMs, the board’s 16+1+1+1 (16A 90A duet stages for the board), which is enough for Intel’s 15th gen chips, even if you want to overclock a bit.

✅Buy It If

You want a complete on a budget: If you’re after an all-rounder motherboard, that offers good enough overclocking, plenty of connectivity options, as well as an EZ DIY mechanism. Then I highly suggest you pick this Z890 Tomahawk.

You’re in for a solid I/O: If you prefer to have a lot of high-speed I/O ports, then this Z890 Tomahawk is one of those that would fill your needs.

You want a decent networking experience: The Z890 Tomahawk is equipped with MSI AI LAN feature, which automatically adjusts and connects you with the best network routes for a great online gaming experience.

❌Don't Buy It If

You want maximum overclocking: While the 16-phase VRM structure is decent for the flagship Core Ultra 9 285K, I wouldn’t recommend this board if you want extreme OC potential.

What Makes It The Best Overall Z890 Motherboard?

It has an impressive VRM configuration coupled with a great thermal solution and a plethora of solid I/O, decent looks, and exclusive features such as the MSI LAN manager, WiFi 7, and BT 5.4. I can safely say that the Z890 Tomahawk Wi-Fi is the best overall Z890 motherboard.

Performance: 9/10	Value: 8.5/10
Features: 9.5/10	Design: 9/10

ASRock Z890 Taichi Lite

Best High-End Z890 Motherboard

ASRock Z890 Taichi Lite Pictures From Our Review

1 of 4

Pros

High-end 20+1+2+1+1 VRM design
Exceptional overclocking potential
Has six M.2 storage slots
Sturdy 8-layer PCB
Thoughtful design with RGB

Cons

No EZ PCIe Release

Check Price

Read Our ASRock Z890 Taichi Lite Review

Looking for a high-end motherboard, but at a not-so-high-end price point? Well, the ASRock Z890 Taichi Lite is here to fulfill that specific demand. Firstly, the motherboard comes in at a $400 price bracket and manages to brag about its high-performance capabilities with its 20+1+2+1+1 VRM phase layout. You definitely can’t go wrong while pushing the Intel Core Ultra series processors to their limits.

Another thing to love here is that it has a total of six M.2 slots, however, only one of them is Gen5 enabled. Similarly, the silver-themed design also looks catchy on the motherboard, and having a well-rounded rear I/O with 12x USB4 ports is like a cherry on top. In my opinion, this is one of the best picks in the high-end section. Keeping all that aside, it would have been nice to see an EZ PCIe release mechanism around the primary PCIe slot.

This is what I said about the ASRock Z890 Taichi Lite in my review:

It holds strong in benchmark tests, often placing near the top while remaining competitively priced at $399.99. With effective VRM cooling through an XXL heatsink and a solid, premium design, it’s an excellent choice for high-performance builds.

✅Buy It If

You want a high-end experience: If you’re looking for a high-end motherboard that offers the best in class performance and loads of storage options. Then ASRock Z890 Taichi Lite is the one for you.

You use a dual LAN port setup: The ASRock Z890 Taichi Lite features not one but two LAN ports for additional pro-grade functionality, so if that’s your thing, you can go with this motherboard.

❌Don't Buy It If

You want EZ PCIe Release: This is not really a deal breaker, but given the weight and size of current-gen graphics card, it would have been nice to have an EZ PCIe Release button to quickly remove the GPU.

What Makes It The Best High-End Z890 Motherboard?

The motherboard delivers great build quality, high-end performance, and overclocking support for the CPU and the memory. Apart from that, the design is also appealing with plenty of connectivity options like having a bunch of M.2 slots and USB4 ports. All this makes it the best high-end Z890 motherboard.

Performance: 9.5/10	Value: 8/10
Features: 9/10	Design: 9/10

ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi

Best White Z890 Motherboard

ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi Pictures From Our Review

1 of 4

Pros

Striking white-themed aesthetics
Great value
Excellent power delivery solution
Screwless M.2 shield release mechanism
Impressive RAM overclocking support
Good rear I/O for the price
Onboard RGB lighting

Cons

No Debug Code Panel

Check Price

Read Our ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi Review

Now, for the white-themed PC lovers, I present you with the ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi. The motherboard packs beautiful visuals while also being equally competitive in terms of performance with its 18+1+1+1+1 VRM phase design, being not too far behind the Z890 Taichi Lite motherboard. It is worth noting that the motherboard also takes the ease-of-installation step further as it features a screwless M.2 release design.

What else caught my attention but in a slightly opposite way is the exclusion of debug LEDs, which comes in handy while troubleshooting various issues. However, the impressive number of USB4 ports and the capability to support RAM over 9466 MHz compensate for the minor drawbacks, especially when price is considered.

Impressed by the value, this is how I described the Z890 Steel Legend WiFi after reviewing it:

The ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi shows outstanding price-to-performance, making it one of the best budget Z890 boards out there. It offers a fairly capable 18+1+1+1+1 VRM solution, DDR5 support up to 9466 MT/s, WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and dual Thunderbolt 4 ports. That should be enough, but if not, it also offers a beautiful white design and includes an RGB under the M.2 heatsink.

✅Buy It If

You want a high-performing white motherboard: If you’re aiming for a white-themed PC and don’t want to compromise on quality and performance, the ASRock Z890 Steel Legend will serve you well.

You want a screwless design: The ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi has a screwless M.2 slot design — making the whole M.2 drive installation and housing process a breeze.

❌Don't Buy It If

You prefer to have debug code LEDs: Sure the board looks and performs flawlessly, however, it lacks debug code LEDs for troubleshooting if you end up in a situation where they’re needed.

What Makes It The Best White Z890 Motherboard?

The ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi has the characteristics of both Beauty and the Beast, as it looks beautiful in its snowy white color and terrific VRM ensures great performance. Moreover, its decent number of connectivity ports and RGB lighting only add to its reputation and make it the best white Z890 motherboard.

Performance: 8/10	Value: 9/10
Features: 8/10	Design: 10/10

MSI MEG Z890 ACE

Best Overclocking Z890 Motherboard

MSI MEG Z890 ACE Pictures From Our Review

1 of 4

Pros

Has a 10G LAN port
24x USB ports
Best-in-class VRM solution for OC
Aesthetically pleasing board design
Excellent VRM cooling solution
EZ one click OC
EZ M.2 Installation & removal
AI LAN manager

Cons

Quite expensive

Check Price

Read Our MSI MEG Z890 ACE Review

The MSI MEG Z890 ACE is an easy pick as it has the most superior power delivery configuration with a total of 28 phases. You can easily push any Core Ultra series processor without even trying too hard. The VRM thermals also stay in the safe zone thanks to the robust cooling solution featuring heat pipes for rapid heat dissipation.

It also benefits from a high-quality PCB and an aesthetically pleasing design with golden accents throughout the entire motherboard. It doesn’t stop here, we also get to see 15x USB ports at the back. There’s an even more impressive thing to show, which is the inclusion of two Gen5-enabled M.2 slots instead of one; however, in total, it has 5x M.2 slots. All in all, this motherboard is an excellent choice for overclocking.

Speaking of its flagship features, I was so impressed by the MSI MEG Z890 ACE that I gave it an Editor’s Choice award in my dedicated review, saying:

The MSI MEG Z890 ACE motherboard delivers top-tier performance and features, perfect for those who want the best without budget constraints. The motherboard supports high-speed DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0, with plenty of M.2 and USB ports to meet any demand.

✅Buy It If

You want the highest overclocking potential: If you’re an overclocking enthusiast and want to get your hands on the best overclocking motherboard possible, then this MSI MEG Z890 ACE is a no-brainer as the 28-phase VRM design ensures maximum overclocking support.

❌Don't Buy It If

You are on a budget: The primary reason to skip the MSI MEG Z890 ACE is its steep price tag, otherwise, the motherboard is the best in all areas.

What Makes It The Best Overclocking Z890 Motherboard?

The MSI MEG Z890 ACE is a terrific motherboard that has the best-in-class aesthetics, excellent overclocking support, and a cooling solution. While also offering a great number of ports on the connectivity side, I can easily call this the best overclocking Z890 motherboard.

Performance: 10/10	Value: 7.5/10
Features: 9/10	Design: 9/10

ASRock Z890 Pro-A

Best Budget Z890 Motherboard

ASRock Z890 Pro-A

Pros

Good value
Great performance for the price
Decent VRM thermals
Excellent RAM speed support
Solid connectivity & display options
Features Gen5 M.2 slot

Cons

No WiFi & Bluetooth
Heatsink limited to Gen5 M.2

Check Price

Can’t forget the budget options, can we? The ASRock Z890 Pro-A is the budget pick from me. Sure, it’s a budget-category motherboard but it still rocks the Z890 chipsets which allow it to deliver a handful of impressive features. Such as good enough overclocking with 16+1+1+1+1 phase power delivery. Furthermore, if you’re not fond of manual OC, the memory can go as high as 9066 MHz with just a single click.

Due to budget limitations, the motherboard drops the WiFi & BT connectivity completely and only features a 2.5G LAN port for a decent enough wired internet connection. Lastly, the motherboard still manages to incorporate 4x M.2 slots and a Thunderbolt 4 Type-C port for faster storage expansion, which, in my view, makes it a decent budget value.

✅Buy It If

You’re on a budget for a flagship chipset: If you do have the highest budget and still want to get a flagship chipset. Then this ASRock Z890 Pro-A is one of the best budget options that gives decent value and performance for the price.

❌Don't Buy It If

You want onboard WiFi & Bluetooth: If having wireless connectivity such as WiFi or Bluetooth is one of your priorities in a motherboard. Then it’s better to skip this one as it lacks both due to budget constraints.

What Makes It The Best Budget Z890 Motherboard?

The ASRock Z890 Pro-A is a simple yet impressive motherboard that hardly compromises performance and connectivity options except for WiFi & Bluetooth. Furthermore, the motherboard looks fairly decent and comes in at a highly affordable price for a flagship chipset. This makes it the best budget Z890 motherboard.

Performance: 8/10	Value: 9/10
Features: 8/10	Design: 7/10

Benchmarks Of The Best Z890 Motherboards

To make sure our recommended motherboards really offer the best performance, we reviewed them all to check out their test results. Swipe through the gallery to go over their benchmarks and VRM thermals.

Test Results Of Z890 Motherboards

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Motherboard Specification Comparison

Since everyone looks for a motherboard with a different set of specs in mind, we have made a comparison of the specifications of the motherboards we picked for you to further save your time and assist in quick decision-making.

Motherboard Model	Total Power Phases	Max Memory Speed (MT/s)	No. of M.2 Slots	No. of SATA Ports	No. of USB Ports (Front)	No. of USB Ports (Rear)
MSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WiFi	19	9200	4	4	8	10
ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi	22	9466	4	4	9	10
MSI MEG Z890 ACE	28	9200	5	4	9	15
ASRock Z890 Taichi Lite	25	9600	6	4	9	12
ASRock Z890 Pro-A	20	9066	4	4	9	9

Key Motherboard Terms

Form Factor: As the name suggests, the form factor refers to the shape and size of the motherboard. They come in different shapes and sizes like PC cases, you can find motherboards in ATX, mini-ITX, mATX, and E-ATX form factors.
DIMM slots: Like that of CPU sockets, DIMM slots are for memory modules, this is where you install the memory sticks for your use.
CPU Socket: There’s this socket in the middle and near the DIMM slots, which is called a CPU socket and is the place where you install your processor on the motherboard.
VRM: VRM stands for voltage regulatory module and is responsible for handling the power delivery to all of the components connected to the motherboard. A good power delivery also means easy CPU & memory overclocking.
Chipset: A chipset is the main chip on the motherboard, which handles all the communication and operation between all the other PC components.

How We Tested These Motherboards

We do not pick motherboards without a proper screening which includes several different stages. Some of the factors are these:

Power Delivery Solution: A motherboard needs to have a great power delivery solution so everything runs smoothly and trouble-free. People often overclock this aspect of the motherboard and end up with the ones having a basic VRM solution. So, to help you all, I chose only those motherboards that boast a decent power delivery solution as well as a capable cooling solution to keep the VRM thermals within safe limits.
Price to Performance: As each category targets a different budget segment, I chose the best offerings for each one so you get maximum value no matter which category board you’re going to pick for yourself.
Features: To be honest, when you’re spending a big sum on something, you expect it to have at least a decent number of features to justify its purchase. This is why I picked motherboards that offer unique features such as EZ screwless install & removal mechanism, one-click OC, high-speed M.2 & memory slots, and AI network tuning.

FAQs

Are the new Z890 motherboards compatible with Intel 14th-generation processors?

No, the new Z890 chipset motherboards feature a new LGA1851 socket which is for the new Intel Core Ultra series processors only as the 14th gen CPUs are compatible with LGA1700 socket motherboards only.

How good are these new Intel Core Ultra series processors for gaming?

From our personal testing and reviews all over the internet, the new Intel Core Ultra series processors seem to have improved the gaming performance completely. These CPUs focus more on efficiency and productivity performance at least for now.

Is it worth upgrading from a Z790 chipset motherboard to a Z890?

Considering how little the gains are, especially in terms of gaming, I would recommend sticking to your Z790 chipset motherboards or even the Z690 and waiting for another generation to make the upgrade a worthy one.

[Reviews Specialist]

Get In Touch: usman@tech4gamers.com

Best Z890 Motherboards [Benchmarks Included] is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology And Gaming News

MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi Review: Bang For The Buck!

Dr. Usman Saleem — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 05:37:43 +0000

After six MSI motherboard reviews, we’re wrapping up our MSI Z890 lineup with the MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi. This is a $299 and comes from MSI’s “Affordable Gaming” lineup, though we can consider it affordable only as a Z890 board. This is an ever-so-slight difference compared to the Z790 Tomahawk WiFi, with improvements in areas such as connectivity. Let’s dive into more detail as we get into this review.

We also reviewed the MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi Max from the previous generation.

Why Trust Tech4Gamers

Usman Saleem is our hardware tester who loves to put all the latest GPUs, CPUs, RAM, and motherboards for a spin.
40+ motherboards tested and reviewed by our team of hardware experts (Tech4Gamers Team).
800+ hours spent testing different motherboards for our reviews.
Objective testing criteria (See how we test motherboards).

Key Takeaways

The MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi is one of MSI’s more affordable Z890 motherboards. It offers decent performance, the latest I/O, and most of MSI’s EZ-DIY features.
Buy this board if you want the latest I/O and convenient EZ features for a relatively lower price. You should also buy the board if you want one with a Thunderbolt 5 connector.
Don’t get the board if you have heavy overclocking needs or prefer more flashy motherboard designs.

Here are the motherboard’s specifications:

CPU Support	Intel Arrow Lake Core Ultra Processors (Series 2)
Memory Support	Up to DDR5 9200+ MT/s (OC)
PCIe Slots	1x PCIe 5.0 x16, 2x PCIe 4.0 x4
M.2 Slots	1x PCIe 5.0 (x4), 3x PCIe 4.0 (x4)
SATA Ports	4x 6Gbps
Audio	Realtek® ALC1220P Codec
Network & Connectivity	1x Intel Killer E5000B 5G LAN, WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
USB Ports	17 ports, including 2x Thunderbolt 4 (Rear)
Size	30.5 cm x 24.4 cm, ATX Form Factor
MSRP	$299.99 USD

[toc]

Socket LGA1851 And The New ILM Mechanism

New RL-ILM socket design (Image Credits: MSI on YouTube)

Intel’s new LGA1851 socket adds 151 pins compared to LGA1700 and is expected to support two more generations of Intel CPUs (up to 2026). So, Intel’s 12th, 13th, and 14th generation CPUs won’t be supported on the new motherboards.

Intel has also implemented a new integrated lever mechanism (ILM) for the CPU socket called Reduced Load ILM (RL-ILM). This comes after the LGA1700 ILM mechanism’s were highlighted by multiple users facing tiny warps in their CPUs. While nearly unnoticeable when looking at the CPU normally, it could reportedly increase temperatures by 3-4 degrees.

Thus, the purpose is to reduce the pressure on the CPU and to spread it more evenly across the IHS. CPU coolers will also make completely even contact with the IHS, allowing for the best cooling performance. MSI claims that the mechanism can improve temperatures by 1-2 degrees.

The new mechanism involves the use of two additional parts: a hinge frame insulator and a lever frame insulator. Reportedly, this only increases cost by $1, but Intel has given board manufacturers the freedom to use the old ILM design (though we can’t understand why).

Packaging and Unboxing

The motherboard comes in a cardboard box with signature Tomahawk silver-grey colours.

Up front, we have some key features highlighted, as well as a warning against the CMOS battery. Moving to the back, you get more insight into the features and specifications, as well as a rear I/O diagram. A QR code can be scanned to open the detailed motherboard manual.

Let’s look at the box contents.

Box accessories (Image by Tech4Gamers)

We get:

A quick installation guide
EU regulatory notice
2x SATA data cables
2x EZ M.2 Clips II
EZ M.2 Clip II remover
USB drive (with drivers and utilities)
EZ WiFi Antenna
1-to-3 EZ Conn-Cable (V2)
EZ front panel cable

The EZ front-panel cable combines those tiny front-panel connectors into one to be connected at an easier-to-reach area. Meanwhile, the 1-to-3 EZ Conn connector combines an ARGB connector, system fan connector, and USB into one. Connecting MSI’s liquid coolers with 11-pin designs becomes easier than ever.

The 2x M.2 clips can be removed/installed by the EZ M.2 clip II remover; more on that later.

Design

The design (Image by Tech4Gamers)

As we noted with the MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi, MSI is sharing the X870 and Z890 board designs. This is almost exactly the same design we saw in the MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi, with a couple of changes: the first is a slightly different placement of the M.2 heatsinks. The rear I/O cover now has a silver-coated section, and the MAG logo here is not colored yellow-green like the X870 counterpart.

Overall, the board’s focus is not on flashy aesthetics, as we know of the MAG lineup. Still, the aesthetics on this board are decent. We have a black theme with a touch of silver and fairly plain heatsink designs. I don’t feel like the yellow-green texts/logos fit with the new silver accents, though. Also, there is no RGB on show here.

The board is using a 6-layered NPG-170D server-grade PCB with 2oz thickened copper. We get overvoltage and overcurrent protection to protect the board’s circuitry and key components. A grounding structure on the board reduces the electromagnetic interference (EMI) generated by the VRMs by using copper rings with grounding properties.

Motherboard block diagram (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The CPU powers some of the key I/O on the board including memory, PCIe 5.0 x16, 2x Thunderbolt 4, and the Gen 5 M.2 slot. For CPUs with integrated graphics, the HDMI 2.1 can be used for output. Meanwhile, the chipset powers all the USB and SATA ports, WiFi 7/BT 5.4, 5G LAN, HD audio, and the remaining PCIe slots. The chipset and CPU form a DMI 4.0 x8 link (enabling up to 128 GT/s speeds).

CPU Socket And Power Delivery

We learned from MSI that all their boards will use the RL-ILM mechanism design, and this board is no exception. However, we think MSI should probably look to mention this on the socket cover or the plate.

The motherboard uses a 16+1+1+1 power phase design (VCore+SA+GT+VNNAON) with 16x 90A phases for the CPU VCore. This is a duet-rail power system (DRPS) where two stages receive the same signal from the PWM controller.

A closer look at the MOSFETs reveals that these are MPS5505 / M87692 power stages and the PWM controller is MPS 2425 / MP29005-A. The capacitors used for the VRMs are rated at 560µF and can handle up to 6.3V.

MSI’s OC Engine allows you to adjust CPU and SOC BCLK frequencies independently thanks to a precision clock generator, helping in overclocking. Moreover, the CPU Lite Load control allows you to adjust the AC/DC load-line settings to control CPU voltages for the best performance.

EPS connectors (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The initial CPU power comes from the dual 8-pin EPS connectors supporting up to 150W each. MSI’s solid-pin design for this connector enables “better transmission of 12V power to the CPU.” The use of solid pins improves stability and durability and lowers impedance.

The beefiest Arrow Lake CPU is rated at 250W.

Here’s how the VRM cooling looks:

These heatsinks are using a stacked-fin design, each with 4x layers. On the backside, we see 7W/mK MOSFET thermal pads and additional choke thermal pads to transfer heat efficiently to these heatsinks. There’s no heatpipe connecting these heatsinks.

DIMM Slots

The board offers 4x surface-mounted DIMM slots and have single-sided latches to hold the RAM in place. Each slot supports 64GB for a total of 256 GB. The maximum supported memory speed is 9200 MT/s through overclocking/XMP. Here are the maximum memory speeds with different configurations:

1DPC 1R = 9200+ MT/s
1DPC 2R = 7200+ MT/s
2DPC 1R = 4800+ MT/s
2DPC 2R = 4800+ MT/s

The board supports CUDIMMs, adding a clock driver to the UDIMMs commonly used today. This clock driver can generate clock signals, which, otherwise, the CPU’s memory controller would be responsible for. Thanks to this, these DIMMs can achieve better speeds and can also operate at lower voltages.

The MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi also supports Memory Boost. If this is the same as the DDR4 Boost technology, it improves memory performance in three ways. First is by ensuring no components are present between the CPU and the DIMM slots. Second, it uses a dedicated memory circuit to escape the interference of nearby components. Third, it optimizes the routing path to ensure the best signal flow.

MSI’s Memory Extension Mode also provides some features that improve memory performance. This includes the ability to combine XMP profiles to find the supported configuration with maximum frequency.

Storage Options

The motherboard offers 4x 6G SATA ports and as many M.2 slots, including a Gen 5 slot. All the drives support RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 configurations. Looking at the M.2 slots, here are the different-sized NVMe drives they can support:

M2_1 = 2280/2260
M2_2 = 22110/2280/2260
M2_3 and M2_4 = 2280/2260/2242

There are 3x M.2 heatsinks on the board, with M2_3 and M2_4 being cooled by a shared heatsink. All the heatsinks have identical design schemes. The top-most and bottom M.2 heatsinks feature EZ M.2 removal mechanisms. Simply push them in the arrow’s direction to remove them. We took these two off, as well as the remaining heatsink, which required a screwdriver; let’s take a look.

M.2 heatsinks removed (Image by Tech4Gamers)

We find thermal pads on the heatsinks (remember to remove the protective sticker before installation). There is also a thermal pad on the M2_1 base, making this a double-sided design to accommodate the Gen 5 drive’s higher output. We get an EZ M.2 clip II on all the M.2 slots except M2_3.

If the drives you’re installing are of the shorter length (or the longer 22110 SSD for M2_2), you can use one/both of the EZ M.2 Clips II to make the installation mechanism easier. The latch mechanism is no trouble to work with either, though.

PCIe Slots

There are 3x PCIe slots on the board, with the primary slot being a Gen 5 x16 slot. The remaining two slots are Gen 4, capable of operating at up to x4 speeds each. With steel reinforcement and surface-mount technology, the Gen 5 slot is durable and ready to handle those bulkier GPUs.

EZ PCIe release button (Image by Tech4Gamers)

This slot also has an EZ PCIe release button for incredibly convenient installation and removal. It involves the press of a button to set the lock in its open configuration and pulling out the card. Then, Installing a new card involves setting it in place and pressing the button to shut the lock. A padlock icon inside the little hole beside the button tells you the lock’s current configuration; an excellent design!

All the PCIe slots support 2.5x power excursion if you plug the matching cable into the supplemental 8-pin power connector; more on this in the “Internal Connectors and Components” section.

USB Connectivity

Here’s a look at all the USB ports on offer (17 in total):

GL3523 USB controller (Image by Tech4Gamers)

4x USB 2.0 (Front)
4x USB 5Gbps Type A (Rear)
2x USB 5Gbps Type A (Front)
3x USB 10Gbps Type A (Rear)
1x USB 10Gbps Type C (Rear)
1x USB 20Gbps Type C (Front)
2x Thunderbolt 4 (Rear)

We’ve mentioned the Thunderbolt 4 ports here for convenience; while USB devices can be plugged into these ports, they’ll be limited in speeds:

WARNING: USB4 devices will function at 20Gbps speeds, while USB 3.2 devices will function at 10Gbps speeds, when plugged into the Thunderbolt 4 ports.

Thunderbolt 4 enables transfer speeds of up to 40Gbps and supports up to an 8K 60 Hz display or dual 4K 60 Hz ones. It also supports up to 15W charging speeds, and you can add 3x Thunderbolt 4 devices or 5x Thunderbolt 3 devices in daisy-chained configurations.

The USB controllers used include Genesys GL850 (4x USB 2.0, front), and GL3523 (USB 3.2 Gen1, Rear).

Network and Connectivity

WiFi card (Image by Tech4Gamers)

For wireless connectivity, the motherboard supports WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. You also get a 5G LAN port (Intel Killer E5000) for wired connectivity; we were happy to see a 5G LAN port at this price point. The only other manufacturer offering them around this price is ASRock.

You can use Intel’s Killer Performance Suite for wired and wireless connections. It recognizes frequently used applications to prioritize them, offering them more bandwidth. It also allows custom bandwidth management and analysis. The Smart Access Point selection picks the best route for your wireless connection for the most stable connection.

Audio Solution

Audio codec (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The board uses the Realtek ALC1220P audio codec we saw in the MPG Z890 Edge Ti WiFi and MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi offerings. It offers 7.1 CH HD audio, and, paired with MSI’s Audio Boost 4 tech, provides fairly good audio quality. This technology involves the use of high-quality audio capacitors and audio jacks, along with a dedicated headphones amplifier and de-pop protection.

The isolated analogy structure separates the left and right audio channels on separate PCB layers for a clean signal.

Internal Connectors and Components

Here’s the list of internal connectors found on the board:

1x Thunderbolt5 card connector
1x 24-pin ATX Power Connector
2x 8-pin CPU EPS Power Connectors
1x CPU Fan
1x Combo Fan (Pump_Sys Fan)
6x System Fan
1x EZ Conn-header (JAF_2)
2x Front Panel (JFP)
1x Chassis Intrusion (JCI)
1x Front Audio (JAUD)
3x Addressable V2 RGB LED connector (JARGB_V2)
1x RGB LED connector (JRGB)
1x TPM pin header (supports TPM 2.0)
4x USB 2.0 ports
2x USB 5Gbps Type A ports
1x USB 20Gbps Type C ports

Notably, there’s no thermistor or coolant flow connectors that we saw in the higher-end MSI offerings. However, the supplemental PCIe power connector and Thunderbolt 5 connectors are worth mentioning:

Extra 8-pin PCIe power connector (Image by Tech4Gamers)

This connector provides an extra 252W of supply, which combines with the 24-pin ATX connector to provide up to 420W for your board’s peripherals, expansion cards, and USB connections. It enables a supply of up to 132W for the fans and 36W for RGB. This means you won’t have to worry if your connectivity needs are more than that of the average user.

An example of how the extra connector could benefit a power-hungry system (Image Credits: MSI)

This connector also enables 2.5x power excursion for all the PCIe slots, as mentioned earlier, at up to 165W. Power excursion is a short supply of power, as PCIe slots are still limited to 75W for the devices you’ll install. It also uses solid pins.

The Thunderbolt 5 card connector means the board can accommodate a Thunderbolt 5 add-on card, which can add dual Thunderbolt 5 ports. Thunderbolt 5’s advantages include up to 160Gbps speeds, with support for dual 8K 60 Hz or 3x 4K 144Hz displays!

USB Type-C connector (Image by Tech4Gamers)

Around the lower-to-middle-right section, we have the 20Gbps Type-C connector for the front panel. This connector supports 27W power delivery. You can also monitor this port’s power, amperage, and voltage output through MSI Center.

Moving above, we can see a USB connector and the EZ-Conn Cable connector for the 1-to-3 cable. Moving above it, we have the 24-pin ATX connectors, which use solid pins like the EPS and PCIe connectors.

Above that, we have the EZ debug code LED panel and the four LEDs for troubleshooting issues with your system. The EZ debug panel can also serve as a temperature monitor.

SIO controller (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The board is using the Nuvoton NCT6687D chip for fan control, plus fan, voltage, and temperature monitoring. This controller connects to the chipset through an eSPI link.

Rear I/O Panel

Here’s what we have on the rear I/O panel:

Rear I/O panel (Image by Tech4Gamers)

USB 10Gbps Type-A
USB 5Gbps Type-A
5G LAN
Wi-Fi / Bluetooth
Audio Connectors
HDMI 2.1
2x Thunderbolt 4 40Gbps (Type-C)
USB 10Gbps Type-C
Flash BIOS Button
Clear CMOS Button
USB 5Gbps Type-A
S/PDIF-OUT

The rear I/O panel offers a clear CMOS button to reset your BIOS settings. It also has a flash BIOS button to update your BIOS without CPU/memory/GPU. We liked seeing the USB speeds mentioned on the rear rather than the standard name.

The panel is matte-black and features the MAG branding. It has a stainless steel I/O shield pre-installed on the board for convenience.

Naked board (Image by Tech4Gamers)

Here’s the board without the rear I/O cover and all the heatsinks. We kept the PCH heatsink on.

Test Setup

Here’s our test configuration for the motherboard:

CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
Cooling: DeepCool Mystique 360
Memory: Corsair Dominator Titanium 2x16GB 32GB DDR5-7200 CL34
Graphics Card: GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming OC
Power Supply: Corsair HX1200i Platinum
Storage: Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus G 2TB
OS: Windows 11 Pro 23H2 64-bit
BIOS Version: 7E17v1A1

Let’s start with the synthetic tests.

Synthetic Benchmarks

Cinbench 2024, MT and ST (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The motherboard scored 2443 and 147 points in Cinebench 2024 MT and ST tests, respectively.

Geekbench 6, MT (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The Geekbench 6 multi-core test saw the MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi scoring 23447 points. All the boards showed nearly identical numbers.

CPU-Z, MT and ST (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The board did well in the CPU-Z tests, too, standing in 5th place overall.

Blender 4.0.2 (Image by Tech4Gamers)

In the Blender render test, the system with this board managed 55 seconds, tying with the MPG Z890 Edge Ti WiFi.

V-Ray (Image by Tech4Gamers)

In V-Ray, the board scored 11205 points.

The board’s performance is up to the mark in all the synthetic tests.

Gaming Benchmarks

Cyberpunk 2077 (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi scored 157 FPS on average and 118 at the lowest.

Far Cry 6 (Image by Tech4Gamers)

In Far Cry 6, the board’s output was 173 FPS on average, dropping to 130 FPS at the lowest.

Starfield (Image by Tech4Gamers)

Finally, the board scored an average of 131 FPS in Starfield, dropping to 100 FPS minimum during the testing.

The gaming performance is also good. It trails the premium motherboards by 1-2% at most.

Power Consumption and VRM Temperatures

Motherboard/CPU power consumption (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi system showed the lowest CPU plus motherboard power consumption. Under load, the consumption was 399 watts, while the gaming numbers were 114W and idle consumption was 113W.

VRM temperatures (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The board’s VRM temperatures were only better than the MSI Pro Z890-A WiFi, maxing out at 71°C.

Should You Buy It?

Let’s finalize.

Buy It If:

✅ You want top features for less: With DDR5-9200, dual Thunderbolt 4, WiFi 7, BT 5.4, and 5G LAN, the board offers some of those costly features for less.

✅ Convenience is important: With DIY-friendly EZ mechanisms, the board stands out with an easy-to-work-with design. Some features include EZ PCIe and M.2 release, EZ debug code LED, and EZ Conn-connector (for better cable management).

✅ You prefer simple designs: With a minimalist, RGB-free design, the board may please those who prefer less flashy designs.

Don’t Buy It If:

❌ You need RGB: There’s no room for RGB on this board, as it’s more performance and affordability-focused.

❌ You’re looking for heavy overclocking support: If you plan to step into heavy overclocking of the Arrow Lake CPUs, this motherboard is not ideal due to its relatively weaker VRMs.

My Thoughts

The MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi is a great, relatively affordable Z890 motherboard, offering good enough performance, the latest I/O, and most of MSI’s EZ-DIY features. Its design is free of flashy aesthetics, with a matte black theme and a touch of silver (on the rear I/O cover). This design still holds up, especially if you don’t like RGB on your board. If you want RGB, you have room to add your own through the internal connectors.

Moving to its VRM setup, it has a 16+1+1+1 phase power design with 16x 90A phases for VCore. With 1440A for the VCore and a duet-rail power design, you won’t get the best overclocking capabilities out of this board. The VRM cooling is nothing special either, maxing out at 71°C after a 30-minute Cinebench MT test. Mild overclocking should be A-okay.

The board supports DDR5 speeds up to 9200 MT/s (maximum capacity: 256GB). With CUDIMM support, plus MSI’s Memory Boost and Memory Extension Mode, you get good memory performance and overclocking abilities.

The board offers 4x 6G SATA ports and an equal number of M.2 ports for storage, one of which is a Gen 5 port. The top-most and bottom-most M.2 heatsinks feature EZ release mechanisms, and you also get EZ M.2 drive installation/removal through the EZ M.2 clips II. Cooling for the M.2 slots is good enough, with double-sided thermal pads for the primary slot and single-sided ones for the rest.

For PCIe, the board has a Gen 5 slot and 2x Gen 4 x4 slots. The Gen 5 slot has the praiseworthy EZ PCIe release mechanism, plus surface mounting and steel reinforcement for enhanced durability. Handling heavier GPUs shouldn’t be a problem. The board also offers a supplemental PCIe power connector for up to 252W of extra power for your fans, peripherals, and add-on cards. It also provides 2.5x power excursion for the PCIe slots.

For USB, the board has 17 ports if you count the 2x Thunderbolt 4. There’s also a Thunderbolt 5 connector to support an add-on card (MSI is one of the brands offering these cards).

The board has WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and 5G LAN for connectivity, with the Intel Killer suite providing some useful network management features. Audio on the board is powered by Realtek’s ALC1220P codec and MSI’s Audio Boost 4 solution with high-quality capacitors, a dedicated headphone amplifier, and more.

MSI’s EZ-DIY features make this motherboard easy to work with and install. The EZ PCIe release and M.2 mechanisms are my personal favorites, but the EZ-Conn cable and EZ-front panel cables also stand out.

MSI is offered a 3-year warranty for the board. We’re thankful to them for sending us this model for review.

[Reviews Specialist]

Get In Touch: usman@tech4gamers.com

MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi Review: Bang For The Buck! is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology And Gaming News

MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi Review: Is It Worth It?

Dr. Usman Saleem — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 05:28:45 +0000

Continuing with our MSI Z890 motherboard lineup, we’re looking at the MSI MPG Carbon Z890 WiFi today. This is a $499 motherboard out of the premium-class MPG (Performance Gaming) lineup and is the only MPG board other than the Edge Ti WiFi ($369) so far. Let’s get into the review and find out what it offers for that price tag.

We also reviewed last generation’s MSI MPG Z790 Carbon WiFi II motherboard.

Why Trust Tech4Gamers

Usman Saleem is our hardware tester who loves to put all the latest GPUs, CPUs, RAM, and motherboards for a spin.
40+ motherboards tested and reviewed by our team of hardware experts (Tech4Gamers Team).
800+ hours spent testing different motherboards for our reviews.
Objective testing criteria (See how we test motherboards).

Key Takeaways

The MSI MPG Z890 Edge Ti WiFi is MSI’s top MPG offering so far, with excellent VRMs, a very praiseworthy set of features, and the latest I/O connectivity.
Get this board if you want high-end CPU overclocking support, prioritize convenience, have tons of peripherals/devices to install, and/or want the latest I/O.
Don’t get the board if you’re looking for a 10G LAN Port and/or you don’t need all the top performance or features on offer.

Here’s a quick table sum-up of the specifications:

CPU Support	Intel Arrow Lake Core Ultra Processors (Series 2)
Memory Support	Up to DDR5 9200+ MT/s (OC)
PCIe Slots	1x PCIe 5.0 x16, 1x PCIe 4.0 x4, 1x PCIe 4.0 x1
M.2 Slots	1x PCIe 5.0 (x4), 4x PCIe 4.0 (x4)
SATA Ports	4x 6Gbps
Audio	Realtek® ALC1220P Codec
Network & Connectivity	1x Intel Killer E5000B 5G LAN, WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
USB Ports	22 ports, including 2x Thunderbolt 4 (Rear)
Size	30.5 cm x 24.4 cm, ATX Form Factor
MSRP	$499.99 USD

[toc]

LGA1851: The Key Change

New RL-ILM socket design (Image Credits: MSI on YouTube)

Intel has adopted a new socket retention mechanism called Reduced Load Integrated Lever Mechanism (RL-ILM) for LGA1851. This mechanism is meant to distribute force more evenly across the motherboard. With Intel shifting to a multi-chiplet design in Arrow Lake, this will be especially helpful.

The key reason, though was due to reports of the LGA1700 ILM not applying even pressure. In some reported cases, this led to warping of the IHS after prolonged usage, due to which the CPU cooler would make uneven contact with the CPU.

The new mechanism involves the use of two new components: an extra hinge frame insulator and a lever frame insulator. Reportedly, this only adds $1 to the manufacturing cost, making a 1-2 degree temperature difference, according to MSI. Still, manufacturers can stick with the old mechanism, so we may not see the new one in all Z890 boards.

Other than that and an increase in the number of pins (1851 vs. 1700), the rest remains the same.

Packaging and Unboxing

The motherboard is shipped inside a mostly black colored cardboard box. This is the same packaging as the MPG Carbon X870E.

The front highlights the key I/O features and features a label warning against the mishandling of the CMOS battery. On the rear, we get more key features, specifications, and a rear I/O diagram. A QR code can be scanned to open the user manual on your phone.

Let’s look at the accessories inside the box.

Box accessories (Image by Tech4Gamers)

Quick installation guide
EZ-WiFi Antenna
A-RGB Extension Cable
1-to-2 RGB Extension Cable
1-to-3 EZ Conn-Cable (V2)
EZ Front Panel cable
EZ M.2 Clip II
EZ M.2 Clip II remover
M.2 screw/standoff set
2x SATA cable
USB drive
Cable sticker pack
Shout-out flyer
EU Regulatory Notice

So, there’s plenty inside the box. You get the 1-to-3 EZ Conn-Cable V2, which combines an A-RGB connector, system fan connector, and USB connection. These can be connected at the backside of your chassis to make cable management easier. The EZ-Front panel cable serves the same purpose, combining the front panel connectors to be connected on the backside.

The EZ M.2 clip II can be installed on any of the 5x available spots on the motherboard to make SSD installation easy. More on that in the Storage Options section. The included USB driver contains utilities and drivers to get you started with the board. Also included are 1-to-2 RGB extension and A-RGB extension cables.

Design

A look at the overall design (Image by Tech4Gamers)

This is the same design as the MSI MPG X870E Carbon and MPG Z890 Edge Ti WiFi boards we reviewed last month. It involves a mix of carbon and matte black elements, with grooves running across the heatsinks and diagonal lines across the PCB. The branding across the board is perhaps our only complaint; it could have been more toned-down and subtle.

RGB is installed under the MSI Dragon Logo on the rear I/O cover and the primary M.2 heatsink (MPG Carbon). This can be controlled through MSI’s Mystic Light or third-party utilities. The RGB is not too dark or bright and is evenly diffused throughout.

The PCB material is server-grade NPG-170D. It’s an 8-layered solution with 2oz thickened copper in an optimized design. MSI is using dedicated Transient Voltage Suppressors (TVS) in all their boards to protect against voltage spikes. Overcurrent protection is also applied to protect vital components like the CPU and memory from damage. Moreover, there’s a dedicated grounding structure to reduce electromagnetic interference from the VRMs.

Block diagram

The board powers the PCIe Gen 5 x16 slot through a PCIe MUX bifurcation, allowing them to be split into dual x8 for dual-GPU configurations. It also powers the memory, Gen 5 M.2 slot (plus one Gen 4), HDMI 2.1 (for iGPU), and Thunderbolt 4.

Coming from the chipset are all the USB and SATA ports, WiFi/Bluetooth, dual LAN, the audio codec, and the remaining M.2 slots. It also enables the third PCIe slot (Gen 4 x4). The chipset is connected to the CPU through a DMI 4.0 x8 link (128 GT/s).

CPU Socket And Power Delivery

This is an RL-ILM socket design, although, just like we saw in our earlier MSI Z890 reviews, there’s no mention of it. Note that the end of the lever being flattened is a sign of the RL-ILM mechanism.

This board features a packed 20+1+1+1 (VCore+SA+GT+VNNAON) power phase design. The CPU phases are 110A smart power stages. Looking at the capacitors used in the design, they are rated at 560µF capacitance and up to 6.3 volts. The total power for the motherboard is 2200A, plenty for all your overclocking needs.

VRM MOSFETs (Image by Tech4Gamers)

A closer look at the MOSFETs reveals that these are the Renesas R2209004-HBD powers stages. They are being managed by the Renesas RAA-229131-W310AKX PWM controller.

EPS connectors (Image by Tech4Gamers)

CPU power comes from the dual 8-pin EPS connectors located above the DIMM slots. Each connector provides 150W for a total of 300W, while Intel’s beefiest Arrow Lake CPUs are rated at 250W. These connectors use MSI’s Solid Pin design which provides “a more stable transmission of 12V to the CPU,” thanks to lower impedance and better durability.

Here’s how the VRM cooling looks:

These are MSI’s extended Frozr heatsinks with stacked fin designs. A closer look reveals 4x fin layers on both heatsinks. Underneath, we get 7w/Mk thermal pads for the MOSFETs. We also get choke thermal pads (though those remained attached to the MOSFETs when we took off the heatsink.

The heatsinks feature channels, which add a touch of style and supposedly improve cooling performance too.

DIMM Slots

There are 4x surface-mounted DIMM slots on the board, each supporting up to 64 GB for up to 256 GB in total. The maximum speed supported is up to 9200 MT/s with single-rank memory at 1 DIMM per channel. Here are all the different configurations and maximum speeds supported:

1DPC 1R = 9200+ MT/s
1DPC 2R = 7200+ MT/s
2DPC 1R = 4800+ MT/s
2DPC 2R = 4800+ MT/s

So, the memory supported is the same as the MPG Z890 Edge Ti WiFi. CUDIMMs are supported, which adds a clock driver to the UDIMMs in use today. This clock driver generates clock signals which would otherwise be generated by the processor. The improved timing synchronization means CUDIMMs should be able to achieve higher speeds than UDIMMs.

MSI’s Memory Boost Technology is also highlighted. We assume this is the same as MSI’s DDR4 boost, which improves memory performance in a few ways: first, no components lie between the CPU and the memory to utilize the bus. Second, an isolated memory circuit means no interference from any nearby components. The third method uses an optimized zig-zag routing to prevent the fiber weave effect for a stable signal.

MSI’s memory extension mode provides “optimized memory parameters for enhanced capability at the same frequency.” This presumably helps achieve better latencies at the same speeds. It can also combine XMP profiles to offer the best speeds. Four modes are offered: Performance, Benchmark, Memtest, and High Efficiency.

Storage Options

The motherboard offers 4x SATA 3.0 ports and 5x M.2 slots (1x Gen 5, 4x Gen 4). All the drives support RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 configurations. For the M.2 slots, M.2 signal sources are printed on the board for easy identification. Here are the types of drives supported on the M.2 slots:

M2_1, M2_2, M2_3, M2_5 = 2280/2260
M2_4 = 22110/2280/2260

The heatsinks cooling the M.2 drives are mixed in carbon black and matte black and have diagonal grooves running through them. MSI’s MPG branding is also prominent on both of them. Let’s remove them to take a look.

Removing both the heatsinks was EZ courtesy MSI’s EZ M.2 shield Frozr II design. Installing/removing SSDs will be just as easy thanks to the EZ M.2 clips II placed across the setup. The M.2 clip II included in the package can be installed by removing one of the screws if your SSD is a shorter size. If you plan on installing multiple drives of the 2260 size, you’ll be limited to the latch installation mechanism for at least one of them.

We are greeted with double-sided thermal pads on both heatsinks, while in lower-end boards, we only see them on the primary M.2 slot. Rest assured, all your drives will be cooled adequately on this board.

Under the secondary M.2 heatsink, we get another heatsink. This aluminum cools the chipset. Meanwhile, above the primary M.2 heatsink, we have the JPIPE_LED3 connector to power the RGB on this heatsink.

PCIe Slots

The motherboard offers 3x PCIe slots, including 2x Gen 5 slots. All the slots are 16-lane but only the top-most slot can utilize all 16 lanes, while the bottom two are limited to x8 and x4, respectively. Both the Gen 5 slots are steel-reinforced and surface-mounted to support the weight of heavier cards. However, MSI still recommends a graphics card bolster for heavier GPUs.

Since the CPU only provides 16x PCI expansion lanes, you’ll run both Gen 5 slots at x8 speeds if you occupy them. The primary slot can also be split up into x8+x4+x4, while slot #2 can be divided into x4+x4 depending on your usage. Head on to the BIOS to make these adjustments.

EZ PCIe release button (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The EZ PCIe release mechanism is on show for the primary expansion slot, so GPU installation/removal is a breeze, requiring only the press of a button. There’s a tiny hole beside the button to tell you whether the lock is in place or not. It’s really as easy as it can get!

USB Connectivity

There are 22x USB ports on the board:

4x USB 2.0 (Front)
4x USB 5Gbps Type A (Front)
10x USB 10Gbps Type A (Rear)
1x USB 10Gbps Type C (Rear)
1x USB 20Gbps Type C (Front)
2x Thunderbolt 4

So, we get dual Thunderbolt 4, a USB 20Gbps Type-C (supports 27W charging), and a wealth of 10Gbps USB ports. While USB4 and Thunderbolt 4 have the same theoretical top speed, they differ in some key minimum requirements.

WARNING: USB4 devices will function at 20Gbps, and USB 3.2 devices will be limited to 10Gbps speeds with the Thunderbolt 4 port.

Thunderbolt 4 can enable dual 4K 60 Hz displays or a single 8K 60 Hz display. It also supports 15W charging, and you can daisy-chain as many as 3x TB4 or 5x TB3 devices in one port.

Realtek RTS5420 USB controller (Image by Tech4Gamers)

Controllers for USB include Genesys GL850G (4x USB 2.0), GL3523 (4x USB 5Gbps), and Realtek RTS5420 (8x 10Gbps Type-A).

Network and Connectivity

WiFi card (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The board features dual LAN ports (Intel Killer E5000B 5G and Intel I226V 2.5G) and supports WiFi 7/Bluetooth 5.4 through the included antenna. Also, we have the same complaint that we did with its X870E counterpart; there should have been a 10G port at this price.

Intel’s Killer Performance Suite for LAN and WiFi offers some useful features like auto application priority detection and bandwidth analysis and management. Smart AP selection to pick the best access point, giving you the best wireless connection.

Audio Solution

Audio Boost 4 cover (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The motherboard uses Realtek’s ALC1220P, a good enough solution for its class. MSI’s Audio Boost 4 solution improves the setup with high-quality audio capacitors and audio jacks, a dedicated headphone amplifier, and de-pop protection. This is an isolated audio design, using separate PCB layers for right and left audio channels.

Internal Connectors and Components

Let’s look at the internal connectors on the board. Here’s the entire list:

1x 24-pin ATX Power Connector
2x CPU EPS Power Connectors
1x Supplemental PCIe Power Connector
1x Front Type-C Quick Charge Connector
1x CPU Fan
1x Combo Fan
5x System Fan
1x EZ Conn-header
2x Front Panel
1x Chassis Intrusion
1x Water Flow connector
1x Front Audio
1x Thermal Sensor connectors
3x Addressable V2 RGB LED connector
1x RGB LED connector
1x TPM pin header (supports TPM 2.0)
4x USB 2.0 ports
4x USB 5Gbps Type A ports
1x USB 20Gbps Type C ports

The board offers an “EZ LED Switch” button to power the board’s RGB on or off with a button at the bottom right (pictured). Also, the 20Gbps Type-C port supports 27W charging. You can also monitor output power, voltage, and current from the port in real-time.

The motherboard adds a Thunderbolt 5 connector which supports up to 80Gb/s throughput. This would support up to 2x 8K 60 Hz and 3x 4K 144Hz displays. It also supports a refresh rate of up to 540Hz.

Like the previous MSI offering we looked at, we get a Thermistor connector on the board, but no cable is included in the package. There’s also a water flow connector that measures the amount of liquid passing through your liquid-cooling loop.

Supplemental PCIe power connector (right) (Image by Tech4Gamers)

MSI also adds a supplemental 8-pin PCIe connector to share some of the 24-pin ATX connector’s load. As the 24-pin connector is responsible for providing power to all your peripherals (USB devices, fans, PCIe devices), it can become overburdened if you use too many of them. So, the 24-pin ATX connector will be useful if you install many drives, USB devices, fans, and add-on cards.

An example of how the extra connector could benefit a power-hungry system (Image Credits: MSI)

All in all, it can provide an extra 252W, given your PSU has enough wattage to feed it, of course. This would include 36W for RGB and 132W for fans, plus a 2.5x power excursion for the PCIe slots (up to 165W). Of course, power excursion is a short burst of extra power, and the PCIe slots are still essentially limited to 75W.

This connector, as well as the 24-pin ATX connector, are also using MSI’s solid-pin design.

Let’s look at some of the other components on the board.

The motherboard uses the all-familiar Nuvoton NCT-6687D chip as a Super I/O controller. It is responsible for controlling the fans and monitoring fan speeds, temperatures, and voltages of components across the board. The NUC1262Y serves as the RGB controller for the board.

Debug LED panel (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The debug code LED panel is found on the top right-hand side. It can also function as a temperature monitor. Above it are the debug LEDs for boot, CPU, RAM, and GPU-related issues.

Rear I/O Panel

Here’s what we get on the rear I/O panel:

Rear I/O panel (Image by Tech4Gamers)

USB 10Gbps Type-A
Flash BIOS Button
Clear CMOS Button
Smart Button
2.5G LAN
5G LAN
Audio Connectors
HDMI 2.1
Thunderbolt 4
USB 10Gbps Type-C
USB 10Gbps Type-A
WiFi / Bluetooth
Optical S/PDIF Out

Besides all the I/O we’ve already discussed, you get a flash BIOS button, a clear CMOS button, and an EZ/Smart Button at the back. The Smart Button can be configured to perform different functions, including RGB on/off (which is the default), reset, safe boot, and turbo fan mode. This is done through the BIOS. Labeling of the USB port speeds here is a nice-to-have feature.

The panel is coated in matte black to go with the overall theme and has the MPG branding is on the left. It uses a stainless steel I/O shield that comes pre-installed on the board. Let’s see what’s under the rear I/O cover.

Rear I/O side (Image by Tech4Gamers)

We have a wealth of controllers and other chips here.

Test Setup

Here’s a look at our test setup:

CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
Cooling: DeepCool Mystique 360
Memory: Corsair Dominator Titanium 2x16GB 32GB DDR5-7200 CL34
Graphics Card: GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming OC
Power Supply: Corsair HX1200i Platinum
Storage: Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus G 2TB
OS: Windows 11 Pro 23H2 64-bit
BIOS Version: 7E17v1A1

Let’s get into the benchmarks.

Synthetic Benchmarks

Cinbench 2024, MT and ST (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The motherboard came out in 4th place overall in the Cinebench 2024 testing.

Geekbench 6, MT (Image by Tech4Gamers)

In Geekbench 6, the system’s output with the MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi was 23468 points.

CPU-Z, MT and ST (Image by Tech4Gamers)

In CPU-Z multi-threaded and single-threaded tests, the board scored 19246 and 919 points, respectively.

Blender 4.0.2 (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The Blender 4.0.2 showed a 54.4-second render time with this board.

V-Ray (Image by Tech4Gamers)

Lastly, in V-Ray, the board managed 11212 points.

Overall, the board performed well across the list of synthetic benchmarks.

Gaming Benchmarks

Cyberpunk 2077 (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The board did well in Cyberpunk 2077, having the joint-highest %1 low FPS result.

Far Cry 6 (Image by Tech4Gamers)

Good numbers again from the board, standing in 4th place overall.

Starfield (Image by Tech4Gamers)

In Starfield, the MPG Carbon Z890 WiFi scored 133 FPS on average and dropped to 100 FPS at minimum.

The gaming performance is excellent, with only a 1% difference (at most) compared to the top-performing board on the list.

Power Consumption and VRM Temperatures

Motherboard/CPU power consumption (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The test system with this board consumed 412 watts at most, with 116W consumed at idle and 115W during gaming.

VRM temperatures (Image by Tech4Gamers)

Concluding with the VRM temperatures, the heatsink on this board did well enough; the VRM temperatures maxed out at 65°C.

Should You Buy It?

Struggling? Let us break it down for you.

Buy It If:

✅ High performance is important: The board offers an excellent 20+1+1+1 VRM setup (with 110A SPS for VCore), offering top-notch overall performance.

✅ You want an easy-to-work-with board: The board’s EZ-DIY features set makes the PC building process a breeze with mechanisms like EZ PCIe release, EZ Conn-Design, and EZ M.2 II clips.

✅ You’re looking for excellent M.2 cooling: With hefty M.2 heatsinks and double-sided thermal pads, all your M.2 drives will run as cool as the breeze.

✅ The latest I/O is a priority: With Gen 5 expansion and storage options, Thunderbolt 4 ports, WiFi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4, the board’s I/O connectivity is nearly the best available. It also has a Thunderbolt 5 connector.

✅ You have a ton of USB devices to install: With 20 USB ports (not counting Thunderbolt 4), the board has more than enough room for all your USB peripherals.

Don’t Buy It If:

❌ Budget is limited: At $499, the board will set you back quite a bit. If its feature set and VRMs are overkill for you, you can score Z890 boards for even $200 or less.

❌ You’re looking for 10G LAN: The board is limited to 5G/2.5G LAN, a disappointment at this price tag.

My Thoughts

The MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi is absolutely packed with power and features for a $499 price tag. Starting with its design, the board is characterized by its carbon plus matte black theme and dual-RGB zones. Grooves and channels run diagonally across the several heatsinks, which add a touch of style to the board. The excessive branding bothered us a bit, and we feel like it detracts from this classy-looking design.

Talking VRMs, the board rocks a 20+1+1+1 VRM design with 110A SPS for the VCore totaling 2200A. This setup is enough for heavy overclocking applications, even on the Core Ultra 9 285K, and the VRM cooling is also good enough to allow for that.

The board supports DDR5 memory with speeds of up to 9200 MT/s (XMP/overclocking) with 1R memory at one DIMM per channel. Maximum capacity support is maxed at 256GB, and CUDIMMs are supported.

Moving on to storage, there are 4x 6G SATA ports and as many Gen 4 M.2 slots (plus a Gen 5 slot). Both M.2 heatsinks have EZ “push to release” mechanisms, and installation/removal is made easy with the EZ M.2 Clips II. Double-sided thermal pads for all M.2 storage is a plus, so the NVMe storage cooling should be no concern.

The board has dual PCIe Gen 5 slots, capable of operating at x8 speeds each to allow dual-GPU configurations. There is an additional PCIe 4.0 x4 slot for any other expansion cards you may have. Both Gen 5 slots are steel-reinforced for extra durability, and the primary slot also features an amazing EZ PCIe release mechanism.

USB connectivity included 20x USB ports (including a 27W for the front Type-C port), plus dual Thunderbolt 4 options. There is also a Thunderbolt 5 connector on board for any devices you may need to connect in the future.

For audio, the board has a capable ALC1220P codec. The audio quality is enhanced by the Audio Boost 4 technology, which includes the use of high-quality capacitors and a dedicated headphone amplifier. Meanwhile, connectivity is covered by WiFi 7, BT 5.4, and dual LAN ports (5G and 2.5G). The Intel Killer utility offered with this package offers bandwidth management, Smart AP selection, and more.

The board’s EZ-DIY features are what had us sold, though. These include the EZ PCIe release, Smart Button, EZ M.2 release, EZ-Conn Connector, EZ Debug code LED, and more. Overall, the board is the easiest one you’ll have to work with by far. The Thunderbolt 5 support and the supplemental PCIe connector are more bonuses, making it a 10/10 in the Features department; we’d give it an 11/10 if we could!

MSI is offering a 3-year warranty for this board. We thank them for sending us this model for review.

[Reviews Specialist]

Get In Touch: usman@tech4gamers.com

MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi Review: Is It Worth It? is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology And Gaming News

MSI MEG Z890 ACE Review: Chart-Topper With Flagship Features

Dr. Usman Saleem — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 19:16:52 +0000

The MSI ACE lineup of motherboards from MSI has always been our favorite. These motherboards pack some of the most high-end features with ultimate performance and great design, and they are overall the ideal choice for anyone who wants the best of the best without worrying about the budget because they are also quite pricey. When we tested and reviewed the MSI MEG Z790 ACE MAX and the MSI MEG X670E ACE WiFi, we gave both motherboards our Editor’s Choice award, so let’s see if the MSI MEG Z890 ACE lives up to the hype or not.

Why Trust Tech4Gamers

Usman Saleem is our hardware tester who loves to put all the latest GPUs, CPUs, RAM, and motherboards for a spin.
40+ motherboards tested and reviewed by our team of hardware experts (Tech4Gamers Team).
800+ hours spent testing different motherboards for our reviews.
Objective testing criteria (See how we test motherboards).

Key Takeaways

The MSI MEG Z890 ACE is a flagship motherboard that leaves all other Z890 motherboards in the dust with its extensive features and exceptionally well-built VRM design.
You should buy the MSI MEG Z890 ACE if you want the best performance, a premium design, and plenty of overclocking headroom for both the CPU and the DDR5 kit.
You should not buy the MSI MEG Z890 ACE if its price tag is out of your budget, as the motherboard is rather pricey.

Here’s a quick table sum-up of the specifications:

CPU Support	Intel Arrow Lake Core Ultra Processors (Series 2)
Memory Support	Up to DDR5 9200+ MT/s (OC)
PCIe Slots	1x PCIe 5.0 x16, 1x PCIe 5.0 x8, 1x PCIe 4.0 x4
M.2 Slots	1x PCIe 5.0 (x4), 4x PCIe 4.0 (x4)
SATA Ports	4x 6Gbps
Audio	Realtek ALC4082 Codec + ESS9219Q Combo DAC/HPA
Network & Connectivity	1x Marvell AQC113CS 10Gbps LAN, Intel Killer BE1750x Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
USB Ports	22 ports
Size	30.5 cm x 24.4 cm, ATX Form Factor
MSRP	$659.99 USD

[toc]

LGA1851: The Key Change

New RL-ILM socket design (Image Credits: MSI on YouTube)

With the Intel Core Ultra series of desktop processors, Intel has introduced a new LGA1851 socket. This means that your old Intel 600- and 700- series motherboards are incompatible with the latest 15th gen processors, and you’ll have to get a new 800-series motherboard.

There are some improvements in the new socket, it has 151 more pins than the LGA1700 socket and a new reduced-load integrated lever mechanism (RL-ILM). According to MSI, the new mechanism successfully takes down overall CPU temperatures of the new Core Ultra series by 1 to 2°C.

Here are the key improvements in the RL-ILM socket:

Level Pressure Plate: Unlike the LGA1700’s curved plate, the RL-ILM uses a flat surface to maintain even pressure across the CPU, minimizing the risk of warping.
Lowered Pressure Application: The RL-ILM design applies less force to the CPU, which helps safeguard it from stress and potential damage.
Additional Stabilizing Components: The RL-ILM is enhanced with new support features like hinges and insulated lever frames, providing extra stability for the CPU and securing the cooler for better heat control.

Packaging and Unboxing

As you expect from a flagship motherboard, the MEG Z890 ACE comes in a premium cardboard box with a black finish and golden accents. The front of the box has the main design of the motherboard, along with several branding logos and a warning sign.

At the back, you’ll find more information about the salient features, including its VRM design, I/O connectivity, cooling solutions, and more features. You can scan the QR code at the bottom right corner of the back to open the user manual on your phone.

Box Opening Design

Opening the box, you’ll side another MEG logo in a golden theme, which adds to the already premium aesthetic of the unboxing experience.

Here are the accessories included in the box:

Accessories

EZ Wi-Fi Antenna
USB Drive
Cable Stickers
4x SATA Cables
EZ Front Panel Cable
1 to 3 EZ Connector Cable (V2)
1 to 2 RGB Extension Cable
ARGB Extension Cable
2x Thermistor Cables
EZ M.2 Clip II Remover
EZ M.2 Clips II
M.2 Screw and Standoff Set
Shout Out Flyer
Quick Installation Guide
European Union Regulatory Notice

The 1 to 3 EZ Conn-Cable (V2) reduced cable management. It combined three connectors: ARGB, Sytem Fan, and USB device, into a single connector. If you’re using an MSI AIO with an 11-pin design, this EZ Conn-Cable is a great way to reduce the clutter.

Design

In a word, I would describe the design as exotic. I’ve always been a fan of MSI’s design language, and the MEG Z890 ACE does not disappoint. The motherboard uses a solid-black 8-layered PCB, and its heatsinks feature a blend of black, gray, and golden accents, which simply look premium.

The massive MSI logo on the VRM heatsink is RGB, along with the ACE logo on the SSD’s heatsink. There is also a big MEG logo at the right of the PCIe cover. You can use the Aura RGB software to control the RGB logos, along with any other RGB devices connected to the motherboard.

The metal backplate follows the same design language, with a matte-black base and gold accents.

Block Diagram

The CPU handles the primary I/O, including a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, a Gen 5 M.2 slot, Thunderbolt 4, and DDR5 memory support. It also powers an HDMI 2.1 port for display output if integrated graphics are used. A DMI 4.0 x8 link connects the CPU to the chipset, providing high-speed data transfer between them.

The chipset manages additional connectivity, including multiple USB ports, four SATA ports, extra M.2 slots, 10G Ethernet, Wi-Fi 7, and audio. It also provides the remaining PCIe slots for further expansion options. This configuration delivers a balanced mix of performance and connectivity for demanding setups.

CPU Socket And Power Delivery

As with other Z890 motherboards we’ve reviewed, the ACE also uses an RL-ILM mechanism CPU socket I have talked about above.

The MSI MEG Z890 ACE’s VRM structure is one of the best power phase systems currently available in a Z890 motherboard. In total, the motherboard features a 24+2+1+1 design, with 24 of these phases reserved for VCore, supporting 110A SPS. This means the CPU has a total of 2,640A available, which is more than enough for the flagship Core Ultra 9 285K, and likely for next-gen flagships as well.

There are also two phases dedicated to SA, and one each for GT and AUX power. All things considered, the motherboard’s power delivery system will be the least of your concerns when it comes to overclocking.

CPU Power Connectors

Here you can see the dual 8-pin power connectors for the CPU. Now, let’s go over the VRM heatsinks.

The MEG Z890 ACE uses a massive VRM heatsink to keep its power delivery system under optimal temperatures. The heatsink has a stacked design with multiple layers to efficiently dissipate any excess heat.

VRM Heatsink Thermal Pads

Flipping over the VRM heatsink shows its thermal pads. There are three pieces of heatsinks, and they connected using heat pipes.

DIMM Slots

The motherboard features 4x DDR5 slots with a maximum of 256GB capacity, 64GB per slot. The board supports memory speeds north of 9,200 MT/s, so there are no memory OC hiccups either. Here are the memory speeds supported in different configurations:

1DPC 1R = 9200+ MT/s
1DPC 2R = 7200+ MT/s
2DPC 1R = 4800+ MT/s
2DPC 2R = 4800+ MT/s

The motherboard is compatible with CUDIMMs, a new standard of memory modules. These modules have an integrated clock driver, allowing them to manage the clock cycle independently from the CPU, which improves signal quality. This design may lead to higher speeds than those typically reached by UDIMMs, potentially setting new performance records soon.

MSI has also included its Memory Boost Technology, positioned near the DIMM slots. This feature aims to create a stable, high-quality connection between the CPU and RAM by removing any intervening components. It uses an isolated memory circuit to avoid interference from surrounding parts, and the routing path is carefully designed for the fastest signal transfer possible.

Storage Options

With 5x M.2 and 4x SATA 6G, there is plenty of room for storage. The first M.2 slot supports PCIe 5.0 x4, while the rest runs up to PCIe 4.0 x4. While the fourth M.2 slot (M.2_4) runs from the chipset and supports PCIe 4.0 x4 by default, you can manually set it to support PCIe 5.0 x4 from the CPU through the BIOS.

Slots 1,2,3, and 5 support 2280/2260 devices, while M.2 slot 4 supports 22110/2280 devices. The 5th M.2 slot also runs in SATA mode, so if you’re still rocking a SATA M.2, the motherboard has you covered.

The top M.2 slot has a separate heatsink, while the rest have a unified heatsink. The design is undoubtedly premium and gives off an exotic look, matching the motherboard’s theme. Let’s take off these heatsinks and go over the thermal pads beneath them.

SSD Heatsink Thermal Pads

Both heatsinks can be easily removed thanks to a quick-release mechanism. It is great to see thermal pads used for all SSDs, so you don’t have to spend extra on a separate heatsink. Of course, for a $650 motherboard, we wouldn’t expect anything less.

You can also see the aluminium heatsink for the chipset.

PCIe Slots

We get a total of three PCIe slots, with the top one running at PCIe 5.0 x16 (from CPU). The second PCIe slot is also from the CPU and runs at Gen5 x8, while the third is from the chipset, running at Gen4 x4 speeds. The first PCIe slot will reduce to x8 speeds if the second PCIe slot is in use. Similarly, if you manually adjust the fourth M.2 slot to run at PCIe 5.0 from the CPU instead of the chipset, the first PCIe slot will reduce to x8, and the second one will reduce to x4.

You can also choose between x16, x8/x8, x8/x8/x4 modes for the first PCIe slot and x8 or x4/x4 for the second PCIe slot from the BIOS.

The EZ PCIe release button makes it easy to remove the GPU with just one hand and a light press. This design is especially convenient—you simply press the button to toggle the lock between open and closed positions. A small padlock icon helps indicate whether the lock is currently open or closed, adding extra clarity.

USB Connectivity

In total, the MEG Z890 ACE has 24 ports:

2x Thunderbolt4 (Rear)
4x USB 2.0 (Front)
4x USB 5Gbps Type A (Front)
11x USB 10Gbps Type A (Rear)
2x USB 10Gbps Type C (Rear)
1x USB 20Gbps Type C (Front)

There is no denying that the USB configuration is extensive and more than enough for any scenario. There are two Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports at the back and a USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port at the front. It should be noted that the two Thunderbolt 4 ports support up to 40 Gbps speeds only when using Thunderbolt devices, for USB4, they shift to 20Gbps speeds.

Network and Connectivity

WiFi Card

First up, the motherboard has an Intel Killer BE1750x Wi-Fi 7, along with a Marvell AQC113CS 10Gbps LAN. Yes, there is no Dual-LAN support. Whether it would’ve been nice to have 2x 5G ports or a single 10G port depends on your specific use case, but I would have appreciated dual LAN ports at this price point.

Audio Solution

Audio Chip

The audio system features a Realtek ALC4082 Codec combined with an ESS9219Q DAC/HPA, delivering 7.1-channel USB high-performance audio with S/PDIF output and support for up to 32-bit/384 kHz playback on the front panel.

Internal Connectors And Components

Here’s the list of the internal connectors:

1x Thunderbolt5 card connector (JTBT5, support RTD3)
1x Power Connector (ATX_PWR)
2x Power Connector (CPU_PWR)
1x Power Connector (PCIE_PWR 8pin)
1x Front Type-C Quick Charge Connector (PD_PWR1)
1x CPU Fan
2x Combo Fan (Pump_Sys Fan)
5x System Fan
1x EZ Conn-header (JAF_2)
2x Front Panel (JFP)
1x Chassis Intrusion (JCI)
1x Water Flow connector
1x Slow Mode Booting Jumper (JSLOW)
1x Front Audio (JAUD)
2x Thermal Sensor connectors (T_SEN)
1x Tuning Controller connector (JDASH)
3x Addressable V2 RGB LED connector (JARGB_V2)
1x RGB LED connector (JRGB)
1x TPM pin header (Support TPM 2.0)
V-check point
4x USB 2.0 ports
4x USB 5Gbps Type A ports
1x USB 20Gbps Type C port

8-pin supplemental power connector

A key feature is the additional 8-pin PCIe connector, designed to supply extra power to the motherboard when the 24-pin ATX connector alone isn’t enough to handle multiple peripherals. This connector contributes an extra 252W of 12V power, bringing the combined power with the 24-pin ATX to 420W.

An example of how the extra connector could benefit a power-hungry system (Image Credits: MSI)

The setup provides up to 132W for fans and 36W for RGB, allowing you to use all available fan and RGB connectors on the motherboard without issues.

It also supports a 2.5x power burst for the PCIe slots, meaning it can handle short spikes in power demand. However, this burst isn’t meant to power graphics cards that lack sufficient power from their dedicated PCIe connectors. With this feature, the maximum peak power from PCIe is raised to 165W.

Internal connectors

1 of 2

Above you can see more internal connectors along with the 24-pin ATX connector.

Internal connectors

1 of 2

We have 4x EZ Debug LED and 1x EZ Digit Debug LED to help troubleshoot any problems. The motherboard also has a reset and a power button.

Fan Controller

Here’s a look at the Super I/O Controller, the Nuvoton NCT6687D chip. It is used to control and monitor temperatures, voltages, and fans.

Rear I/O Panel

This is the rear I/O panel on the MEG Z890 ACE.

Rear IO

USB 10Gbps (Type-A)
Flash BIOS Button
Clear CMOS Button
Smart Button
10G LAN
Wi-Fi / Bluetooth
HD Audio Connectors
HDMI™ 2.1 Port
Thunderbolt™ 4 40Gbps (Type-C)
USB 10Gbps (Type-C)
USB 10Gbps (Type-A)
Optical S/PDIF-Out

I really appreciate MSI labeling their USB ports by their speeds instead of giving them some cheesy name. We have three buttons here as well, Clear CMOS, Flash BIOS, and Smart button.

Naked Motherboard

Take a look at the motherboard with all the heatsinks removed, except for the chipset.

Back Design

Here is the back design with the metal back plate removed.

Test Setup

Here’s a look at our test setup:

CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
Cooling: DeepCool Mystique 360
Memory: Corsair Dominator Titanium 2x16GB 32GB DDR5-7200 CL34
Graphics Card: GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming OC
Power Supply: Corsair HX1200i Platinum
Storage: Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus G 2TB
OS: Windows 11 Pro 23H2 64-bit
BIOS Version: 7E22v1A2

Let’s get into the benchmarks.

Synthetic Benchmarks

Cinbench 2024, MT and ST (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The MSI MEG Z890 ACE gets the highest score among all the other Z890 motherboards we have tested.

Geekbench 6, MT (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The board comes in second place, just behind the MSI MEG Z890 Unify-X, and that too by a small margin.

CPU-Z, MT and ST (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The board stood 6th in this list, but all the boards are within inches of each other.

Blender 4.0.2 (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The Ace continues to impress with its exceptional performance, getting a 53.9 sec time in Blender 4.0.2.

V-Ray (Image by Tech4Gamers)

Again, the MSI MEG Z890 ACE is leading with chart-topping performance, scoring 11,218.

In short, the motherboard has left behind all the other z890 motherboards by a good gap.

Gaming Benchmarks

Cyberpunk 2077 (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The same goes for the gaming benchmarks, the Z890 Ace is leading at 161 framerates.

Far Cry 6 (Image by Tech4Gamers)

In Far Cry 6, the Taichi Lite outperformed the MEG Ace by a single FPS.

Starfield (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The board is back on top, beating all the other competition.

In both synthetic and gaming benchmarks, the MSI MEG Z890 ACE has given flagship-level performance, truly outstanding.

Power Consumption and VRM Temperatures

Motherboard/CPU power consumption (Image by Tech4Gamers)

I expected such results. After all, its power delivery system is quite heavy duty, and the performance we saw from it was also exceptional. As a result, the board has the highest power consumption, reaching 428W under load.

VRM temperatures (Image by Tech4Gamers)

For such a high-end VRM structure, the temperatures are very good. The motherboard is just above Taichi Lite at 63°C, coming in at the second position.

Should You Buy It?

CPU Socket and VRM Cover

Now that we’ve gone through the board, who should get it?

Buy It If:

✅You want maximum performance: The MSI MEG Z890 ACE consistently beats other Z890 motherboards we have reviewed across synthetic and gaming benchmarks; it is a true beast when it comes to raw performance.

✅You plan to overclock: The 24+2+1+1 power delivery system on the MSI MEG Z890 ACE is built for performance; the board can handle extreme overclocking without breaking a sweat. Plus, as seen in the VRM temperatures, it can really handle its cooling as well.

✅You prefer good I/O: With 24 ports in total comprising 2x Thunderbolt 4 and 1x USB 3.2 20Gbps, the board knocks I/O configuration out of the park. You get plenty of high-speed USB, so you’ll never run out.

Don’t Buy It If:

❌You’re on a budget: There is much of a reason to not buy the MSI MEG Z890 ACE. It is truly a complete package. The only reason to skip it is the price.

My Thoughts

The MSI MEG Z890 ACE packs a lot into one board, making it a strong choice if you’re after a high-end, reliable setup. It’s built to handle demanding tasks without breaking a sweat, but at this price, it’s really for users who prioritize performance and have the budget to match.

The board has a 24+2+1+1 phase VRM design, which means it’s geared to supply stable power even under heavy loads. With 24 phases dedicated to the VCore and 110A SPS per phase, the Z890 ACE is more than equipped to handle overclocking for top-tier Intel CPUs. It’s likely future-proof for a few generations too. MSI includes massive heatsinks over the VRM, with a stacked design to improve airflow and heat dissipation.

For connectivity, the Z890 ACE goes all out. You get a total of 24 USB ports—10Gbps and 20Gbps options plus two Thunderbolt 4 ports for high-speed data transfers. There’s also a 10G LAN port for wired networking, and the latest Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless connections. This level of connectivity is great for users with multiple devices, storage drives, or who just want fast, seamless networking options. I also liked the EZ PCIe release button for the top slot, which lets you remove the GPU without hassle—just press and release.

In short, this board doesn’t skimp on features or performance. It’s pricey, but if you need high-end specs, solid power delivery, extensive connectivity, and future-proof support for CPUs and RAM, the Z890 ACE delivers on all fronts.

[Reviews Specialist]

Get In Touch: usman@tech4gamers.com

MSI MEG Z890 ACE Review: Chart-Topper With Flagship Features is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology And Gaming News

MSI MEG Z890 UNIFY-X Review: Built For Performance

Dr. Usman Saleem — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 19:13:31 +0000

After reviewing the midrange MSI motherboard lineup, it’s time to move on to the flagship series, which also includes the MSI MEG Z890 UNIFY-X. As the name suggests, the motherboard is from MSI’s MEG series motherboards are directed toward enthusiast-grade gamers and overclockers. The motherboard is priced at $599. But what exactly does this motherboard offer to set it apart from the rest? Let’s get started to find out.

Why Trust Tech4Gamers

Usman Saleem is our hardware tester who loves to put all the latest GPUs, CPUs, RAM, and motherboards for a spin.
40+ motherboards tested and reviewed by our team of hardware experts (Tech4Gamers Team).
800+ hours spent testing different motherboards for our reviews.
Objective testing criteria (See how we test motherboards).

Key Takeaways

The MSI MEG Z890 UNIFY-X is an overclocking-focused motherboard. As it features a powerful VRM solution and an ample amount of connectivity options, it becomes a hard pass for OC enthusiasts and high-end PC gamers.
You should get this board if you’re an extreme memory overclocking because the Z890 UNIFY-X can easily be termed as a high memory overclocking board.
Avoid the board if your situation asks for more than two DIMM slots or a 10G LAN port is one of your priorities.

Take a quick look at the board’s specs here:

CPU Support	Intel Arrow Lake Core Ultra Processors (Series 2)
Memory Support	Up to DDR5 9600+ MT/s (OC)
PCIe Slots	1x PCIe 5.0 x16, 1x PCIe 5.0 x8, 1x PCIe 4.0 x4
M.2 Slots	2x PCIe 5.0 x4, 4x PCIe 4.0 x4
SATA Ports	6x 6Gb/s
Audio	Realtek® ALC4080 Codec
Network & Connectivity	1x Intel Killer E5000B 5G LAN, WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
USB Ports	21 Ports, including 2x Thunderbolt4 (Rear)
Size	243.84 mm x 304.8 mm, ATX
MSRP	$599 USD

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The Big Change: LGA1851 Socket

Following the old practices, Intel has introduced a new socket for its Intel Core Ultra series of processors. From a distance, it looks quite identical to the LGA1700. However, this time around, while there’s an increase in number of the pins, the ILM has also seen a major change to mitigate the uneven pressure problem that came with the LGA1700 socket.

The new reduced-load ILM evenly distributes the pressure across the CPU and prevents the shape deformation issue, as well as allowing the CPU to have proper contact with the cooler’s baseplate.

Packaging & Unboxing

On the front of the box, there isn’t much going on, it has the image of the motherboard itself. Other than that, we can see the branding and key features such as the “Ready for Ai PC”, Intel Killer 5G LAN, WiFi-7, and Thunderbolt support mentioned. It also has a warning on the bottom left for the included CMOS battery.

While on the back of the box, we can see a lot more detailed information regarding the features and specifications of the motherboard. Such as the robust 20+2+1+1 VRM solution, EZ DIY mechanism, and plethora of connectivity options. Here you can also notice a QR code to access the manual directly on your phone.

Accessories

Tuning Controller
EZ WiFi Antenna
USB Drive
Cable Stickers
4x SATA Cables
EZ Front Panel Cable
1 to 2 RGB Extension
ARGB Extension Cable
2x Thermistor Cables
EZ M.2 Clip II Remover
4x EZ M.2 Clips II
M.2 Screw and Standoff Set
Quick Installation Guide
EU Regulatory Notice
Shout Out Flyer

That’s a handsome amount of accessories that come with the motherboard. Pretty much all of them are quite useful, and some are unique as well. Like the EZ Front Panel cable, which makes routing on the front more convenient. Furthermore, the included USB drive contains all the necessary drivers to get started. Not to mention the included Tuning Controller, which is the highlight here, as almost no other motherboard comes with such an accessory.

Design

The motherboard features a sleek design with a brushed finish and black and gray accents all over. The whole design choice looks great, it has “UNIFY-X” branding printed on the single M.2 heat spreader. The heatsink plate for the rest of the M.2 drives features a brushed finish in such a way that it imitates the MSI MEG’s triangle, which is also printed right in the middle with the phrase “MSI Enthusiast Gaming” right under it. The back side of the motherboard is also entirely covered with an aluminum heatsink.

Lastly, the I/O cover has the usual MSI’s signature dragon logo with RGB-enabled sides, which are customizable via the MSI Mystic Light software. Besides the fancy stuff, the motherboard is built with a server-grade 8-layered PCB having 2oz thickened copper for maximum durability.

Like the MSI motherboards, this one also comes with Transient Voltage Suppressors that ensure over-current protection as well as help it against the sudden spikes that could prove harmful without TVS.

CPU Socket And Power Delivery

The motherboard features the new and improved yet identical LGA1851 socket and ILM mechanism — now called the RL-ILM (Reduced Load Integrated Lever Mechanism) as already covered above. This new RL-ILM ensures even pressure across the CPU.

Moreover, the Z890 UNIFY-X boasts a quite powerful 20+2+1+1 VRM configuration, with 110A SPS for the 20x VCore phases. Similarly, 2x is reserved for SA, 1x for GT, and 1x for VNNAON power. The cherry on top, this board also features Trans-Inductor Voltage Regulators (TLVR) for greater power delivery response and increased efficiency.

VRM Driver

The attached picture exposes the 110A stages by the R2209004 HBD driver that are present in this Z890 UNIFY-X motherboard. Along with this, the BCLK generator is also there to allow BCLK overclocking.

EPS Power Connectors

With the CPUs reaching new heights in terms of power consumption, motherboards also need to have ample sources to supply such an amount of power. The same is the case with Intel Core Ultra series processors, as they can take up to 250W of power. So, these dual 8-pin CPU power connectors come in handy as they can supply a whopping 300W of stable power at once.

Moving over to its VRM cooling solution, we can see that the motherboard uses two extra large-sized aluminum heatsink blocks with two heat pipes for enhanced VRM cooling. Plus, design-wise, it’s the same fins-stacked design. Also, between the VRMs and heatsink, 9W/mK thermal pads are installed for better heat transfer.

DIMM Slots

Now onto the memory side of things, so here’s the story is a little different. Even though it’s an ATX motherboard, it still only features two DIMM slots instead of four. However, those of you familiar with MSI’s UNIFY motherboards know that it’s the standard. Leaving that aside, both of the slots on the motherboard are single-side latched only.

As for the memory capacity, since it has only two DIMM slots, it can accommodate up to 128 GB DDR5 RAM instead of the standard 256 GB. One thing to note here is that we at least get a much faster memory speed support of 9600 MHz (OC) compared to the MSI Z890 ACE which is priced the same as this one.

To reach such speed out of the box, the board offers Intel X.M.P 3.0 memory profiles for easy overclocking. Plus, hardware overclocker Kovan Yang got the Kingston Fury Renegade to reach north of 12,000 MT/s speeds with this motherboard. So, it can really handle its memory. Since it’s a high memory overclocking motherboard, you can even get it to achieve 12000 MHz. Nevertheless, these are supported speeds via the X.M.P profile:

1DPC 1R = 9600+ MHz
1DPC 2R = 7200+ MHz

Moreover, the motherboard uses the latest DIMM standard, called CUDIMMs. This new standard takes the clock cycle reintegration into its own hands with the help of the available clock driver, leaving the CPU with one less task to handle and opening doors to achieving faster frequencies and signal quality.

Tuning Controller

This is a UNIFY-X exclusive accessory that other motherboards don’t come with. This tuning controller allows the user to easily adjust the BCLK overclock settings without going into the BIOS each time he wants to change settings. The available ‘OC Fail Save’ and ‘Reset’ buttons help the computer boot directly into safe mode when needed due to unstable overclock settings applied.

Storage Options

When it comes to storage options, the Z890 UNIFY-X provides an ample amount by allowing up to 6x M.2 drives and 6x SATA 6G drives via the available ports. The M.2_4 slot supports Gen5 22110, 2280, and 2260 SSDs, while the M.2_6 slot only supports 2280 and 2260 SSDs at Gen5 speed. The rest of the four slots, M.2_1, M.2_2, M.2_3, and M.2_5, support Gen4 SSDs in 2280 and 2260 cuts.

PCH Heatsink

All the M.2 slots have double-sided MSI Frozr shielding and thermal pads to keep them nice and cool, particularly the Gen5 drives, which tend to produce a lot of heat. Additionally, all the M.2 drive slots and heatsinks are equipped with an EZ DIY release and install mechanism for effortless installation. Not just that, but MSI has also replaced the Platform Controller Hub’s cooling solution from a fan with a much bigger heatsink for far better noiseless cooling.

PCIe Slots

The MSI Z890 UNIFY-X boasts a total of three PCIe x16 slots, two of which are PCIe Gen5 enabled. However, only the primary PCIe x16 slot runs at x16 speed, the 2nd slot is limited to x8 speed. Meanwhile, the 3rd slot is a PCIe Gen4 x4 slot.

The primary slot also features MSI’s Steel Armor II, which claims to have 21% better weight endurance than its previous iteration. Speaking of improvements, the primary slot also incorporates the EZ PCIe release mechanism, meaning you just have to press the button to unlock the inserted card.

USB Connectivity

To be honest, the connectivity offering is quite impressive here as we get almost all kinds of ports ranging from Thunderbolt 4 Type-C to USB 3.2 Gen2x2. In total, we get to utilize 21 USB ports, here’s the list of the types of USB ports that are present on the motherboard:

2x Thunderbolt4 ports (Rear)
4x USB 5Gb/s Type-A ports (Front)
8x USB 10Gb/s Type-A ports (Rear)
4x USB 2.0 ports (Front)
1x USB 20 Gb/s Type-C port (Front)
2x USB 10Gb/s Type-C ports (Rear)

The Thunderbolt4 ports can be used as display output with a max resolution of 8K at a 60Hz refresh rate. Moreover, each of these Thunderbolt4 ports can daisy-chain 3x Thunderbolt4 devices or up to 5x Thunderbolt3 devices.

As for the charging power, they can provide up to 15W of power. The rear USB ports also support PD fast charging of 60W, however, to get such numbers, the PD_PWR1 connector has to be plugged into the PSU.

Network And Connectivity

WiFi Card

In terms of wireless and wired network connectivity options, we are given both here. The board features only 1x Intel Killer E5000B 5G LAN port and misses out on a secondary 2.5G LAN or a primary 10G LAN port, which is a little disappointing, to say the least. Nevertheless, it is equipped with an Intel Killer BE1750x wireless module that enables the motherboard to offer Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.

Audio Solution

The audio solution on this motherboard provides 7.1-channel USB high-performance audio as we can see the board using the Realtek ALC4080 Codec, which is hidden beneath the Audio Boost 5 cover. It also features de-pop protection, high-quality audio capacitors, and a dedicated headphone amplifier as well as separate layers for both the right and left audio channels for better-isolated audio signals.

Internal Connectors & Components

Here’s what the motherboard offers when it comes to the internal connectors:

1x Thunderbolt 5 card connector
2x EPS Power Connector
1x 24-pin Power Connector
1x front Type-C Quick Charge Connector
1x CPU Fan
2x Combo Fan
4x System Fan
1x EZ Conn-header
2x Front Panel
1x Chassis Intrusion
1x Water Flow connector
1x Slow Mode Booting Jumper
1x Front Audio
2x Thermal Sensor connectors
1x Tuning Controller connector
3x Addressable V2 RGB LED connector
1x RGB LED connector
1x TPM pin header
V-check point
4x USB 2.0 ports
4x USB 5Gb/s Type-A ports
1x USB 20Gb/s Type-C port

8-Pin Supplemental Power Connector

This 3rd 8-pin power connector on the motherboard is for rare instances where your motherboard is failing to provide enough power to the components with the already present standard dual 8-pin and 24-pin power connectors. It can insert an additional 252W of 12V power into the motherboard to meet the demands of attached beefy components.

Internal Connectors

1 of 4

Here you can see all the connector ports for ARGB lights, fans, Thunderbolt5 card, front panel USB, front panel audio, and thermal sensor. Whereas the EZ Conn-header is residing near the DEBUG LED.

EZ Digi-DEBUG LED

Although the board doesn’t feature an onboard power or reset button, it does come with an EZ Debug LED, EZ Digi-Debug LED, and EZ Memory Detection LED. All these combined make the troubleshooting process a lot easier and swift.

Rear I/O Panel

Rear I/O Ports

8x USB 10Gb/s Type-A
2x USB 10Gb/s Type-C
2x Thunderbolt4 Type-C
1x 5G LAN
2x Audio connectors
2x PS/2 ports
1x Optical S/PDIF Out
WiFi/Bluetooth Antenna connectors
Clear CMOS Button
Flash BIOS Button
Smart Button

For some reason, we yet again see the return of the obsolete PS/2 ports on such a modern flagship motherboard. Aside from this, we can see that MSI has added a MEG logo on the side of the I/O panel and has labeled all the ports with their respective speeds, this is a thoughtful welcomed attention to detail.

The motherboard in its raw form

Here you can examine the motherboard and all its components more accurately as we have removed all the fancy and necessary cooling heatsinks from it.

Test Setup

This is what components we’re using in our test bench:

CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
Cooling: DeepCool Mystique 360
Memory: Corsair Dominator Titanium 2x16GB 32GB DDR5-7200 CL34
Graphics Card: GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming OC
Power Supply: Corsair HX1200i Platinum
Storage: Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus G 2TB
OS: Windows 11 Pro 23H2 64-bit
BIOS Version: 7E20v1A1

Synthetic Benchmarks

Cinebench 2024, ST and ST (Image credit: Tech4Gamers)

The Z890 UNIFY-X achieved 2458 and 149 in multi-threaded and single-threaded tests of Cinebench 2024.

Geekbench 6, Multi-threaded (Image credit: T4G)

The motherboard in review topped the chart in the multi-threaded test of Geekbench 6 with 23492 points.

CPU-Z, Multi-core & Single-core test (Image credit: T4G)

In this MT and ST test of CPU-Z, the motherboard was able to secure 2nd position by securing 19279 and 922 points respectively.

Blender 4.0.2 (Image credit: T4G)

The Z890 UNIFY-X managed to complete the Blender run in 54.2, just 0.3 seconds more than the Z890 ACE.

V-Ray (Image credit: T4G)

In the V-Ray benchmark, the UNIFY-X motherboard came in 3rd place with 11217 on its side. The motherboard is performing as it should; impressive.

Gaming Benchmarks

Cyberpunk 2077 (Image credit: T4G)

The Z890 UNIFY-X reached as high as 158 FPS with the lowest count being 119 FPS during Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark.

Far Cry 6 (Image credit: T4G)

Here the Z890 UNIFY-X again maintained its 3rd place by producing 174 highest FPS and 130 FPS as its lowest in Far Cry 6.

Starfield (Image credit: T4G)

In our last game, which is Starfield, the motherboard came 2nd by having the same highest FPS count of 134 FPS and only falling behind by 1 FPS in the lowest FPS count.

Nevertheless, the Z890 UNIFY-X managed to provide a satisfactory gaming experience with no major difference in performance against the competing motherboards.

Power Consumption & VRM Temperatures

Motherboard power consumption (Image credit: T4G)

As far as the power consumption goes, the numbers aren’t too hateful, in fact, they are quite decent for such a powerful motherboard. With 100% load, the board maxed out at 426W. It consumed 117W during gaming and 118W when idle, which is a little strange for sure.

VRM Temperatures (Image credit: T4G)

The VRM temps on this motherboard didn’t go over 63°C after the 30-minute multi-threaded test run of Cinebench 2024.

Should You Buy It?

Buy It If:

✅You want top-of-the-line performance: If you’re after one of the best stock and overclocked experiences, then this motherboard is for you as it features a robust VRM solution.

✅You want to use high-speed RAM: The motherboard tops all the charts when it comes to memory overclocking, with speeds reaching up to 12000 MHz in our testing. If that’s your thing, pick this board up.

Don’t Buy It If:

❌You want four DIMM slots: while the motherboard is full of exciting features and is quite powerful, it still lacks two DIMM slots, so if your use case requires more than two DIMM slots, then better look for a different board.

My Thoughts

Coming to the end of our review, all I can think of is how greatly it performs in pretty much everything we have tested it through. Not to mention the crazy memory overclocking support besides the CPU overclocking, where it can allow the right memory to go as high as 12000 MT/s which is well above the stated 9600 MT/s speed. Also, it doesn’t fall behind when it comes to offering convenience and features, the Z890 UNIFY-X is a beautiful blend of performance, practicality, and visually appealing looks.

Coming in at $599 MSRP, the board does raise expectations for the consumers, but fortunately enough, it checks all of them with a solid 20+2+1+1 VRM solution, a plethora of high-speed connectivity ports, sturdy build quality, along with fast M.2 and PCIe x16 slots for the graphics card. This board is a great fit for those seeking an extreme level of overclocking especially on the memory side.

[Reviews Specialist]

Get In Touch: usman@tech4gamers.com

MSI MEG Z890 UNIFY-X Review: Built For Performance is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology And Gaming News

MSI MPG Z890 Edge Ti WiFi Review: MSI’s White Wonder

Dr. Usman Saleem — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 06:12:25 +0000

After our MSI Pro Z890-A review, we’re moving on to the MSP MPG Z890 Edge WiFi Ti. This motherboard is part of MSI’s gaming and design-focused MPG series and is priced at $369. This is a slightly lower tag than last generation’s Edge Ti-Max WiFi ($389) and carries an all-white theme instead of the black-and-white mix. What does the motherboard have to offer, though? Let’s dive in and see.

Why Trust Tech4Gamers

Usman Saleem is our hardware tester who loves to put all the latest GPUs, CPUs, RAM, and motherboards for a spin.
40+ motherboards tested and reviewed by our team of hardware experts (Tech4Gamers Team).
800+ hours spent testing different motherboards for our reviews.
Objective testing criteria (See how we test motherboards).

Key Takeaways

The MSI MPG Z890 Edge Ti WiFi is a $369 board focused on high performance. It has an all-white design with RGB, capable VRMs, the latest I/O, and a handful of EZ-DIY features to make life easier.
Buy the board if you want an eye-catching all-white board, need the latest I/O, prioritize convenience, or need ample storage space.
Don’t get the board if you plan on heavily overclocking your CPU.

Here’s a quick table sum-up of the specifications:

CPU Support	Intel Arrow Lake Core Ultra Processors (Series 2)
Memory Support	Up to DDR5 9200+ MT/s (OC)
PCIe Slots	1x PCIe 5.0 x16, 1x PCIe 4.0 x4, 1x PCIe 4.0 x1
M.2 Slots	1x PCIe 5.0 (x4), 4x PCIe 4.0 (x4)
SATA Ports	4x 6Gbps
Audio	Realtek® ALC1220P Codec
Network & Connectivity	1x Intel Killer E5000B 5G LAN, WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
USB Ports	19 ports, including 2x Thunderbolt 4 (Rear)
Size	30.5 cm x 24.4 cm, ATX Form Factor
MSRP	$369.99 USD

[toc]

LGA1851: The Key Change

New RL-ILM socket design (Image Credits: MSI on YouTube)

With LGA1851, the key parameters are the same as LGA1700; only the number of pins has increased. The main change is the new reduced-load ILM (integrated lever mechanism), which reduces load on the CPU (hence the name). While a fairly minor change, it was also very necessary, as the LGA1700 retention mechanism was known to apply uneven pressure across the CPU. This led to a tiny bend in the CPU IHS, affecting cooling performance.

The new mechanism distributes the pressure more evenly across the CPU, preventing it from deformation and improving the CPU cooler’s contact with it. This is more important than ever as Intel has switched to a multi-chipset design for these CPUs, and the heat output won’t be concentrated in a single area. According to MSI, this can reduce temperatures by 1-2 degrees.

Early reports showed that this mechanism only increases manufacturing cost by $1, requiring only two extra parts: an additional hinge frame insulator and a lever frame insulator. Manufacturers can reserve this mechanism for mid-range/higher-end boards, so we won’t see this in every new Arrow Lake-supporting motherboard.

Packaging and Unboxing

The motherboard box is predominantly grey-themed cardboard.

Key features are highlighted on the front, and cautions against mishandling of the CMOS battery are present on the bottom left. On the back, we get more details on its features, the specifications list, and a labeled rear I/O diagram. There’s a QR code on the bottom right to open the motherboard manual on your phone if the quick installation guide doesn’t cover everything for you.

Let’s look at the accessories that come with the motherboard:

Box contents (Image by Tech4Gamers)

Quick installation guide
EZ-WiFi Antenna
1-to-3 EZ Conn-Cable (V2)
EZ front panel cable
3x EZ M.2 Clip II
EZ M.2 Clip II remover
M.2 screw/standoff set
2x SATA cable
USB drive
Cable sticker pack
Shout-out flyer
EU Regulatory Notice

Accessories include 3x EZ M.2 clips (II) to simplify SSD installation/removal. The 1-to-3 EZ Conn-Cable V2 helps with cable management, combining an ARGB connector, system fan connector, and USB device into one. This is especially helpful for MSI’s liquid coolers utilizing the 11-pin designs.

The EZ front panel cable combines all those tiny front panel connectors so you can route everything neatly toward the back of your board. You also get utilities and drivers inside the included USB stick.

It’s thoughtful of MSI to include a white-coated WiFi antenna to match the motherboard’s theme.

Design

The board, all-new and shiny (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The design of this board is a carbon copy (pun intended!) of the MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi we tested earlier this month, only with the relevant branding and a white theme. We won’t complain; this is a nice design, and the white theme gives it a new life. There are also glossy silver accents on three of the heatsinks to finish off this stunning look.

The heatsinks complement each other nicely and are characterized by diagonal lines and grooves running through them. The MSI dragon on the I/O panel cover is RGB-illuminated and controllable through Mystic Light or aftermarket software.

The motherboard is built on an 8-layered NPG-170D server-grade PCB with 2oz thickened copper for integrity. It features transient voltage suppressors to protect itself against voltage spikes and over-current protection. There is also a grounding structure around the power phases, which uses copper rings to suppress the electromagnetic interference they generate.

Motherboard block diagram (Image by Tech4Gamers)

Most of the latest I/O comes from the CPU, including PCIe 5.0 x16, the Gen 5 M.2 slot, Thunderbolt 4, and DDR5 support. The CPU (with integrated graphics) also powers the HDMI 2.1 port. The CPU forms a DMI x8 4.0 link that Intel has been using since the 600-series chipset.

The chipset provides all the USB ports, the SATA ports, and the remaining M.2 ports, 5G LAN, WiFi 7, and audio. It also provides the remaining PCIe slots.

CPU Socket And Power Delivery

The CPU socket uses the RL-ILM mechanism we mentioned earlier, though it is not mentioned on the socket plate or cover. We know that all of MSI’s Z890 boards will feature this mechanism. The socket will support two more generations of Intel CPUs up to 2026.

The motherboard features 19 phases, with 16 of those reserved for VCore. These 16 phases are 90A SPS, while 1 phase each is dedicated to SA, GT, and AUX power. In total, 1440A is available for the CPU, more than enough juice for the beefiest Arrow Lake CPUs. The VRMs utilize capacitors storing up to 560µF and withstanding up to 6.3V.

We get a BCLK generator on the board which enables BCLK overclocking.

VRM MOSFETs (Image by Tech4Gamers)

These are MPSS21 MOSFETs, labelled “M87692-23A399,” and the driver for these MOSFETs is the MPS 2425 “MP29005-A” PWM controller.

EPS connectors (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The dual 8-pin EPS connectors provide the CPU with power up to 300W. These connectors use solid pins, and MSI claims that this allows for a more stable transmission of 12V power. This is thanks to lower impedance and stronger durability. As a reminder, the Core Ultra 9 285K (the most powerful CPU of the generation) is rated at 250W max.

Let’s look at the VRM cooling at hand.

The motherboard cools the VRMs using heatsinks with stacked fin designs. The smaller one has four thick fin layers, and the larger one has three. The heatsinks are connected by a heat pipe and feature MOSFET plus choke thermal pads underneath.

DIMM Slots

DIMM slots (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The motherboard features 4x DIMM slots with 2x channels. These slots are surface-mounted and have single-sided latches only. The maximum capacity supported is up to 256GB of RAM at 64GB per channel across two channels. It supports DDR5 speeds of up to 9200 MT/s with XMP/overclocking. Here are the memory speeds supported in different configurations:

1DPC 1R = 9200+ MT/s
1DPC 2R = 7200+ MT/s
2DPC 1R = 4800+ MT/s
2DPC 2R = 4800+ MT/s

The mother supports CUDIMMs, the latest DIMM standard. CUDIMMs feature a built-in clock driver to regenerate the clock cycle, which is otherwise done by the CPU, enabling better signal integrity. These memory modules should be able to achieve faster speeds than UDIMMs, so we can expect some records to be broken soon.

MSI Memory Boost Technology is highlighted beside the DIMM slots. Our understanding is that the technology ensures the best signal is established between the RAM and the CPU. This is done by ensuring there are no components between the CPU and the slots. It also uses an isolated memory circuit, so there’s no interference from nearby components. Also, the routing path is “optimized” to ensure the fastest signal.

In addition, MSI also provides Memory Extension Mode for “Optimized memory parameters” to enhance lower latency at the same frequency. This mode can combine XMP profiles to create the best configuration.

Storage Options

The board offers 4x SATA 6G ports and 5x M.2 slots (1x Gen 5, 4x Gen 4). Slots 1, 2, and 3 support 2280/2260 drives, #4 supports 22110/2280 devices, and M2_5 can support either 22110, 2280, or 2260 drives. All storage options support RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 configurations. M.2 signal sources are printed on the board to allow for easy identification.

Two incredibly stylish heatsinks cool the drives. Let’s remove them and take a look. Both feature MPG branding; the primary heatsink has a glossy silver section, and the second heatsink has a large MPG branding, divided into black and grey by a groove in the middle.

M.2 heatsinks removed (Image by Tech4Gamers)

We were happy to see that both of them feature EZ PCIe release mechanisms. Underneath, we get 3x EZ M.2 Clips II for toolless SSD installation/removal, covering slots M2_1, M2_4, and M2_5. The extra clips included in the package will cover the rest of the mounting holes. On slots M2_2 and M2_3, you’ll be limited to the latch mechanism for installing 2280 drives.

All the heatsinks have thermal pads installed for efficient heat transfer. M2_1 also features a thermal pad at the base. An aluminum heatsink cools the PCH.

PCIe Slots

The board has 3x PCIe slots, including a primary PCIe 5.0 x16 slot. On the lower side, we get a Gen 4 x4 slot and Gen 4 x1 for expansion cards. The Gen 5 slot (pictured) is enforced with MSI Steel Armor II, with MSI claiming an improved weight endurance of 21%. This slot is also surface-mounted to minimize interference and noise.

The EZ PCIe release button allows the GPU to be removed with one hand through only a gentle press. This is our favorite implementation of the mechanism, as you simply need to press and release the button to switch the lock between open and closed configurations. It features a little padlock icon to add even more convenience; always know whether it’s in the open or closed state.

USB Connectivity

The board features 19 USB ports:

1x USB 2.0 (Rear)
4x USB 2.0 (Front)
4x USB 5Gbps Type A (Rear)
2x USB 5Gbps Type A (Front)
4x USB 10Gbps Type A (Rear)
1x USB 10Gbps Type C (Rear)
1x USB 20Gbps Type C (Front)
2x Thunderbolt4 (Rear)

We get dual Thunderbolt 4 ports and a USB 20 Gbps connection. The 20 Gbps port supports 27W charging. Remember, USB4 and Thunderbolt 4 are essentially similar: only Thunderbolt 4 has higher minimum requirements, including that of power.

WARNING: USB 4 devices will function at 20Gbps speeds with the Thunderbolt 4 ports.

In addition to speeds of up to 40Gbps, Thunderbolt 4 can connect up to 3x Thunderbolt 4 or 5x Thunderbolt 3 devices. It supports up to an 8K 60 Hz display and charging speeds of up to 15W.

Controllers for USB ports include Genesys GL850G for USB 2.0 and GL3523 for USB 5Gbps ports.

Network and Connectivity

The board has an Intel Killer E5000B 5G LAN port, and the Intel Killer BE1750x adds WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 support. The EZ Antenna features a magnetic stand that attaches to your chassis. The Intel Killer Performance suite comes with the LAN/WiFi. It offers features like Smart Access Point selection, which ensures you get the most stable wireless connection. Auto application priority detection, bandwidth analysis, and management are some other features it offers.

WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 require Windows 11 24H2.

Audio Solution

Audio Boost 4 cover (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The board uses Realtek’s ALC1220P solution for audio and the ESS 9118 DAC for the rear audio. This solution lies under the Audio Boost 4 cover. The technology involves the use of high-quality audio capacitors, a dedicated headphone amplifier, and de-pop protection. Also, the left and right audio channel layers are separated in an isolated audio design.

Internal Connectors And Components

Here’s the list of the internal connectors:

1x Thunderbolt5 card connector
1x 24-pin Power Connector
2x EPS Power Connectors
1x Power Supplemental PCIe Power Connector
1x CPU Fan
1x Combo Fan
6x System Fan
1x EZ Conn-header
2x Front Panel
1x Chassis Intrusion
1x Front Audio
1x Thermal Sensor connectors
3x Addressable V2 RGB LED connector
1x RGB LED connector
1x TPM pin header (Supports TPM 2.0)
4x USB 2.0 ports
2x USB 5Gbps Type A ports
1x USB 20Gbps Type C ports

8-pin supplemental power connector (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The first highlight is the supplemental 8-pin PCIe connector. It aims to provide extra power to your motherboard when it is overloaded with peripherals using the 24-pin ATX connector. This connector adds another 252W of 12V power, combining with the 24-pin ATX to supply 420W in total.

An example of how the extra connector could benefit a power-hungry system (Image Credits: MSI)

This includes up to 132W for the fans and 36W for RGB. Occupying all of the motherboard’s fan and RGB connectors should be no problem.

It also supports the 2.5x power excursion for the PCIe slots. Power excursion refers to a short burst of power supply, so you can’t rely on it to power graphics cards that aren’t fueled enough by the PCIe connectors/slots. In any case, the peak power from PCIe is increased to 165W.

Secondly, the board adds a Thunderbolt 5 connector (JTBT5_1) to support those devices when the time comes. Thunderbolt 5’s advancements include double the bandwidth over Thunderbolt 4 (at 160 Gbps) and the ability to power dual 8K 60Hz displays.

Internal connectors

1 of 2

You get a thermal sensor connector to connect a thermistor cable at the bottom right, but no cable is included with the board. The EZ front panel cable is also located here, while the proprietary EZ Conn-Cable connector is located beside the DIMM slots.

EZ Digi-debug LED (Image by Tech4Gamers)

You get EZ debug LED as well as the EZ Digi-Debug LED panel for troubleshooting booting issues, top-right of the board. The latter can also function as a temperature monitor.

The motherboard uses Nuvoton’s NCT6687D chip to control and monitor the fans, voltages, and temperatures across the board. For serial flash memory, the board uses Winbond’s W25Q256JW chip (256Mb).

Rear I/O Panel

Here’s what you get on the rear I/O panel:

Rear I/O connections (Image by Tech4Gamers)

USB 5Gbps Type-A
5G LAN
USB 10Gbps Type-A
Wi-Fi / Bluetooth
Audio Connectors
Clear CMOS Button
Flash BIOS Button
HDM 2.1 port
Thunderbolt 4
USB 10Gbps Type-C
USB 2.0
Optical S/PDIF Out

The rear panel is white and features a small “MPG” logo. We get both a clear CMOS and a BIOS flash button. MSI’s labeling of the USB port speeds rather than the name of the standards is good to see. The I/O shield is made of stainless steel and comes pre-installed.

Since we have already looked at the top I/O cover, let’s take it off and see.

The motherboard in the flesh (Image by Tech4Gamers)

We’ve removed all the heatsinks except the aluminum PCH heatsink.

Test Setup

Here’s a look at our test setup:

CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
Cooling: DeepCool Mystique 360
Memory: Corsair Dominator Titanium 2x16GB 32GB DDR5-7200 CL34
Graphics Card: GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming OC
Power Supply: Corsair HX1200i Platinum
Storage: Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus G 2TB
OS: Windows 11 Pro 23H2 64-bit
BIOS Version: 7E19v2A2

Let’s get into the benchmarks.

Synthetic Benchmarks

Cinbench 2024, MT and ST (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The motherboard posted 2438 and 147 in Cinbench 2024 MT and ST tests, respectively.

Geekbench 6, MT (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The MPG Z890 Edge Ti WiFi managed 23452 points in this test.

CPU-Z, MT and ST (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The board stood 6th in this list, but all the boards are within inches of each other.

Blender 4.0.2 (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The MPG Z890 Edge Ti WiFi completed the Blender render in exactly 55 seconds, matching the Tomahawk WiFi.

V-Ray (Image by Tech4Gamers)

With this board, the system managed 11204 points in the V-Ray benchmark.

The performance of the board in synthetic benchmarks is just as expected.

Gaming Benchmarks

Cyberpunk 2077 (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The board managed an average of 158 FPS and dropped to 118 the lowest in Cyberpunk 2077.

Far Cry 6 (Image by Tech4Gamers)

In Far Cry 6, the MPG Z890 Edge Ti WiFi’s average FPS output was 171, and a minimum of 130 FPS.

Starfield (Image by Tech4Gamers)

Finally, in Starfield, we saw the board trailing the more premium boards by 3 FPS at worst.

The board’s gaming performance is also quite satisfactory. At most, there’s a 2-3% difference between this board and the more high-performance, costly boards in our list.

Power Consumption and VRM Temperatures

Motherboard/CPU power consumption (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The board’s power consumption numbers turned out fairly low, with 403W under 100% load, 113W while gaming, and 112W at idle.

VRM temperatures (Image by Tech4Gamers)

VRM temperatures on the board topped at 70°C during the 30-minute Cinebench 2024 multi-threaded run.

Should You Buy It?

Let’s make a decision.

Buy It If:

✅You’re building a white-themed build: For white-theme enthusiasts, this board offers a fantastic all-white design and includes RGB, too.

✅You want to maximize convenience: The board offers plenty of EZ-DIY features, including EZ PCIe release and the EZ M.2 clips for SSD installation/removal. On the software side, you get EZ overclocking and MSI Center’s EZ optimization.

✅You want the latest I/O: PCIe Gen 5 for GPU and NVMe SSD, Thunderbolt 4, WiFi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4; this board has it all!

✅You need ample storage space: With room for up to 5x NVMe drives and 4x SATA devices, you’ll probably never run out of storage space.

Don’t Buy It If:

❌You’re an enthusiast overclocker: If you need a motherboard with reliable high-end overclocking capabilities, the board’s VRMs may not serve the purpose (though mild overclocking is okay!).

My Thoughts

The MSI MPG Z890 Edge Ti WiFi puts up an interesting proposition with its $369 price tag. For that price tag, you get a stunning all-white design, a ton of incredible features, decent performance, and all the latest I/O you could ask for. While it reuses its design from an earlier X870 motherboard, the white theme and the glossy silver accents add a touch of freshness that we can’t deny!

For VRMs, the board has a 16+1+1+1 setup with 16x 90A SPS for VCore. The setup is more than enough for the comfortable operation of any Arrow Lake CPUs, but heavy overclocking isn’t a fair expectation. For $369, I feel like MSI could have offered a bit more in this department, which is why I called this an interesting proposition. Everything else is solid.

Moving on to memory, the board supports up to 256 GB of memory. The maximum supported speed is 9200 MT/s with single-rank RAM at 1 DIMM per channel. CUDIMMs are supported. Storage space on the board is more than plenty, with 5x M.2 slots (including a Gen 5) and 4x SATA 6G ports. EZ Toolless M.2 heatsink removal and EZ M.2 Clips II make SSD installation an absolute breeze.

For your GPU, the board has a Gen 5 x16, surface-mounted, and steel-reinforced slot. Additionally, there are two Gen 4 slots at x4 and x1 configurations. The Gen 5 slot has an EZ PCIe release mechanism, which we love to use every time we look at an MSI board. There are 19 USB ports on offer for USB connectivity, including 2x Thunderbolt 4.

The board has WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless connectivity. There’s a 5G LAN port if you prefer a wired connection. The dedicated Intel Killer utility for WiFi/LAN offers some handy features, including auto application prioritization and smart access point selection.

The board uses Realtek’s ALC1220 solution and the ESS 9118 DAC for audio. MSI’s Audio Boost 4 adds features, including high-quality capacitors and a dedicated headphones amplifier, to improve the audio quality.

As with all other MSI motherboards we’ve reviewed recently, the main highlight remains the EZ-DIY features offered. In addition to those features we just mentioned, the EZ Digi-debug LED, EZ-Conn Cable, and pre-installed I/O shields add further convenience.

The board has a Thunderbolt 5 connector. An extra PCIe connector on the board can provide up to 252W to alleviate the load on the 24-pin ATX connector and supports 2.5x power excursion for the GPU.

MSI is offering a 3-year warranty for the board. We thank them for sending it to us for review.

[Reviews Specialist]

Get In Touch: usman@tech4gamers.com

MSI MPG Z890 Edge Ti WiFi Review: MSI’s White Wonder is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology And Gaming News

Best X870 And X870E Motherboards [Hands-on Tested]

Dr. Usman Saleem — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 11:31:22 +0000

Recently, when the Ryzen 9000 series was announced, AMD gave us a preview of its latest X870 and X870E motherboard chipset. Although the X670 chipset supports the latest CPUs, you may want to try the new motherboards. While the chipset was supposed to launch with the 9000 series processors, it got delayed to the end of September. Now that they have finally been released, we have been hard at work all week to test, compare, and round up the best X870 and X870E motherboards you can buy right now.

Why Trust Tech4Gamers

Usman Saleem is our hardware tester who loves to put all the latest GPUs, CPUs, RAM, and motherboards for a spin.
40+ motherboards tested and reviewed by our team of hardware experts (Tech4Gamers Team).
800+ hours spent testing different motherboards for our reviews.
Objective testing criteria (See how we test motherboards).

Here’s a comparison table to glance at all our top motherboard offerings:

Motherboard

MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WiFi

MSI MPG X870E CARBON WiFi

ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi

ASRock X870E Taichi Lite

Gigabyte X870 EAGLE

Looks

Award

Best Overall X870 Motherboard

Best High-End X870 Motherboard

Best White X870 Motherboard

Best Overclocking X870 Motherboard

Best Budget X870 Motherboard

What We Liked

Connectivity, overclocking, design, high-end VRMs, MSI AI LAN manager

Performance, smart button, High-end VRM phase, DIY-friendly features

Aesthetics, RGB lighting, VRMs, M.2 heatsink quick-release mechanism

Durability, overclocking support, robust VRM phase, storage options

Value, performance, price, low VRM thermals, DIY-friendly design

What We Disliked

Less SATA storage slots

Less USB 2.0 ports

No debug LED, Mid-range ALC4082 audio codec

No DisplayPort 1.4, one PCIe 5.0 slot

No 5G LAN support, one PCIe 5.0 slot

Chipset

X870

X870E

X870

X870E

X870

Form Factor

ATX

E-ATX

ATX

E-ATX

ATX

Power Delivery

14+2+1

18+2+1

14+2+1

24+2+1

14+2+2

Memory

DDR5 8,400+ (OC)

DDR5 8,000+ (OC)

DDR5 8,200+ (OC)

DDR5 8,000+ (OC)

USB Ports

11x Rear, 9x Front

13x Rear, 9x Front

11x Rear, 9x Front

12x Rear, 9x Front

10x Rear, 7x Front

Storage

4x M.2, 4x SATA III

3x M.2, 4x SATA III

4x M.2, 6x SATA III

3x M.2, 4x SATA III

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Review

Motherboard

MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WiFi

Looks

Award

Best Overall X870 Motherboard

What We Liked

Connectivity, overclocking, design, high-end VRMs, MSI AI LAN manager

What We Disliked

Less SATA storage slots

Chipset

X870

Form Factor

ATX

Power Delivery

14+2+1

Memory

DDR5 8,400+ (OC)

USB Ports

11x Rear, 9x Front

Storage

4x M.2, 4x SATA III

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Review

Motherboard

MSI MPG X870E CARBON WiFi

Looks

Award

Best High-End X870 Motherboard

What We Liked

Performance, smart button, High-end VRM phase, DIY-friendly features

What We Disliked

Less USB 2.0 ports

Chipset

X870E

Form Factor

E-ATX

Power Delivery

18+2+1

Memory

DDR5 8,400+ (OC)

USB Ports

13x Rear, 9x Front

Storage

4x M.2, 4x SATA III

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Review

Motherboard

ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi

Looks

Award

Best White X870 Motherboard

What We Liked

Aesthetics, RGB lighting, VRMs, M.2 heatsink quick-release mechanism

What We Disliked

No debug LED, Mid-range ALC4082 audio codec

Chipset

X870

Form Factor

ATX

Power Delivery

14+2+1

Memory

DDR5 8,000+ (OC)

USB Ports

11x Rear, 9x Front

Storage

3x M.2, 4x SATA III

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Review

Motherboard

ASRock X870E Taichi Lite

Looks

Award

Best Overclocking X870 Motherboard

What We Liked

Durability, overclocking support, robust VRM phase, storage options

What We Disliked

No DisplayPort 1.4, one PCIe 5.0 slot

Chipset

X870E

Form Factor

E-ATX

Power Delivery

24+2+1

Memory

DDR5 8,200+ (OC)

USB Ports

12x Rear, 9x Front

Storage

4x M.2, 6x SATA III

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Review

Motherboard

Gigabyte X870 EAGLE

Looks

Award

Best Budget X870 Motherboard

What We Liked

Value, performance, price, low VRM thermals, DIY-friendly design

What We Disliked

No 5G LAN support, one PCIe 5.0 slot

Chipset

X870

Form Factor

ATX

Power Delivery

14+2+2

Memory

DDR5 8,000+ (OC)

USB Ports

10x Rear, 7x Front

Storage

3x M.2, 4x SATA III

RGB

Amazon

Newegg

Read Our Hands-On MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WiFi Review

Review

Last Updated:

October 31, 2024: We have got our hands on the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WiFi and reviewed it. Given the motherboard’s performance, features, and overall value, we have awarded it the best overall X870 motherboard title.

Are you thinking of buying a new AMD CPU? Go through our dedicated reviews for test results and insights:

Best X870 And X870E Motherboards

Now, to get the show on the road, here are the motherboards I have chosen based on my hands-on experience and the various features each comes with:

Best Overall: MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WiFi
Best White: ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi
Best High-End: MSI MPG X870E CARBON WiFi
Best Overclocking: ASRock X870E Taichi Lite
Best Budget: Gigabyte X870 EAGLE

MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WiFi

Best Overall X870 Motherboard

MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WiFi Pictures From Our Review

1 of 4

Pros

Remarkable overclocking opportunities
Impressive connectivity options
High-end VRMs ensure better voltage distribution
Beautiful design
EZ M.2 clip and EZ PCIe release features
Screwless M.2 Shield Frozr implementation
MSI AI LAN manager

Cons

I would have preferred more SATA storage

Check Price

Starting strong, the first motherboard on my list is the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WiFi. This inclusion is self-explanatory; you get a high-end, build-quality motherboard with impressive connectivity options and a beautiful design. Additionally, thanks to its 14+2+1 VRM phase, you can overclock your Ryzen 9000 series processors. The MSI MAG X870 will easily fly with any high-end AMD CPU you pair it with, whether the Ryzen 9 7950X3D or the Ryzen 9 9950X.

However, what I love most about the motherboard is that it’s newbie-friendly. For example, the EZ M.2 clip and screwless M.2 shield Frozr features make it much easier for new PC users to build in the motherboard. In any case, I love the 11x rear and 9x front USB ports the motherboard provides. Also, all X870 motherboards come with USB4 and PCIe 5.0, so you can leverage those technologies freely. For the MSI MAG X870, you get 2x PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots and 2x USB4 connectors.

If you’re on a very tight budget but want a Tomahawk motherboard, I suggest checking out my MSI MAG B650 Tomahawk WiFi review.

✅Buy It If

You play competitively: If you play competitively and require the best networking, then the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WiFi motherboard’s AI LAN manager feature will keep you hooked. The feature ensures you stay connected to the best networking routes and get the lowest ping possible.

You want all the performance with no frills attached: If you’re about to upgrade to a high-end Ryzen 9000 series CPU and don’t have a compatible motherboard, I recommend the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WiFi to utilize the CPU’s maximum performance; thanks to the motherboard’s higher RAM compatibility, better thermals, and easier installation processes.

❌Don't Buy It If

You’re using more SATA drives: I don’t recommend the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WiFi if you have many SATA drives because the motherboard only provides 4 SATA III connectors. With the X870 chipset, you’re better off using PCIe 5.0.

What Makes It The Best Overall X870 Motherboard?

The MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WiFi offers remarkable overclocking opportunities, decent connectivity options, 11x rear and 9x front USB ports, and high-end VRMs for better voltage distribution. Moreover, you can access the MSI AI LAN manager, which ensures you always get the best connectivity, thanks to its WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 network options. All in all, these features make it the best overall X870 motherboard.

Editor`s Note

Personally, the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WiFi motherboard appealed to me the most. I’m getting 20 USB ports, amazing networking options, and access to the MSI AI LAN manager to always get the lowest ping while gaming. The motherboard overclocks well, looks beautiful, and doesn’t overheat. I can’t ask for much more from a decently-priced product.

– Dr. Usman Saleem

Performance: 9/10	Value: 8/10
Features: 10/10	Design: 9/10

MSI MPG X870E CARBON WiFi

Best High-End X870E Motherboard

MSI MPG X870E CARBON WiFi Pictures From Our Review

1 of 4

Pros

Incredible gaming performance
Smart button functionality
Handy DIY-friendly features
High-end 18+2+1 VRM phases
Lots of connectivity options
MSI AI Link manager

Cons

Less USB 2.0 ports

Check Price

Read Our Hands-On MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi Review

It’s time to take out the big guns. If you want the best high-end motherboard for a Ryzen 9000 series processor, look no further—the MSI MPG X870E CARBON WiFi has your back! The one thing I absolutely love about this motherboard is the handy DIY-friendly features it comes with. For example, the smart button has multiple hardware control. You can set your RGB lights, fan boosts, and boot into safe mode by pressing the same button. Similarly, I am in love with the AI Boost technology that allows one-click overclocking and says goodbye to manual overclocking.

Putting that aside, what really sets this motherboard apart from its competition is the high-end 18+2+1 VRM. With this, you secure your power delivery and get incredible overclocking opportunities. Additionally, the motherboard provides 13x rear and 9x front USB ports, ensuring you don’t run out of connectivity options. Most of these are USB 3 and 2x USB4 ports, so take caution if you’re still stuck on USB 2.0. Because the motherboard comes in a larger form factor, you need to factor in the size of your chassis, too, before making the purchase.

Here’s what I said about the MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi in my dedicated hands-on review of the motherboard:

The MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi is a high-end motherboard with impressive features, a capable VRM setup, and I/O that should be enough for most users. You get the latest USB4 ports, dual PCIe 5.0 M.2, WiFi 7, and impressive memory support up to DDR5-8400 (OC). It’s a nice-looking board with enough RGB bling for most, but it comes at a staggering $499 price tag. While expensive, it’s competitive enough for the features on offer.

PRO TIP: Although the motherboard supports up to 8,400MHz RAM, ensure you have referred to the QVL for the best compatibility between the desired RAM and motherboard.

✅Buy It If

You want the best performance without manually tinkering with any settings: If you’re a new PC enthusiast who wants the best performance for their high-end CPU through simple plug-and-play, then the MSI MPG X870E CARBON WiFi motherboard might be your best bet. You can easily overclock with one click, set fan speeds by pressing a single button, and let the AI LAN manager take care of your WiFi signals and ping.

❌Don't Buy It If

You fancy USB 2.0 more: I don’t recommend buying this motherboard if all your peripherals still use USB 2.0. While 4x USB 2.0 should be enough, there’s always a chance you may need more. If that’s the case, maybe look for an alternative.

What Makes It The Best High-End X870E Motherboard?

Featuring an 18+2+1 VRM phase, the MSI MPG X870E CARBON WiFi motherboard ensures proper power delivery to your PC. Thanks to 22 USB ports, you don’t have to worry about connectivity. Moreover, with DIY-friendly features and easy overclocking, there’s not much that can go wrong if you try to maximize your PC’s performance with this product, making it the best high-end X870E motherboard.

Performance: 10/10	Value: 8/10
Features: 10/10	Design: 8/10

ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi

Best White X870 Motherboard

ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi Pictures From Our Review

1 of 4

Pros

Beautiful white aesthetics
Incredible RAM capacity
Decent connectivity options
Impressive VRMs
Remarkable RGB lighting
M.2 heatsink quick-release mechanism

Cons

No debug LED
Mid-range ALC4082 audio codec

Check Price

Read Our Hands-On ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi Review

Are you building an RGB-filled white PC with a high-end AMD CPU? If so, you may want to consider the ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi, which features some of the best RGB lighting I have ever seen in a motherboard. For starters, you’re getting robust 14+2+1 VRM phases, just like the MSI MAG X870, so there shouldn’t be any power delivery issues. Secondly, I love the motherboard’s latest M.2 heatsink quick-release mechanism feature, making it the first product to introduce a decent innovation for more accessible PC building.

Apart from all that, the decent connectivity options also intrigue me. The motherboard features 11x rear and 9x front USB ports, 2x USB4 ports, 3x M.2 slots, and 4x SATA III slots. While there’s not much to hate, I don’t like that the motherboard has a subpar ALC4082 audio codec and doesn’t come with a debug LED. At the very least, I’d expect an LED in an X870 motherboard.

This is how I described the X870 Steel Legend WiFi in my dedicated hands-on review:

The ASRock X870 Steel Legend looks great, is priced fairly, and has enough connectivity for most users. It features a 14+2+1 VRM setup (80A SPS for VCore + SOC), which means you can comfortably run even the most demanding Ryzen CPUs on it. It also provides some convenient features like the toolless M.2 heatsink removal and anti-drop screws. Most of all, though, it’s a great board for getting onto the latest platform without breaking the bank.

✅Buy It If

You want your motherboard to have a DIY-friendly design: If you’re new to PC building and want your latest motherboard to have a DIY-friendly design, I recommend purchasing the ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi. Aside from screwless M.2 drives, the motherboard brings innovation with the M.2 heatsink quick-release mechanism feature, making M.2 installation quick and toolless.

❌Don't Buy It If

You’re an audiophile who requires a high-end audio codec: If you’re an audiophile with demanding audio requirements, this motherboard might not be for you as it features a mid-range ALC4082 audio codec. Although decent, it’s not the top-tier option available on the market, like the Realtek ALC892, 887, and 1220.

What Makes It The Best White X870 Motherboard?

The ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi motherboard is a beautiful snow-white color surrounded by A-RGB lighting, waiting to be customized according to its users’ needs. Besides its aesthetics, it features decent connectivity options, innovates with a new M.2 heatsink quick-release mechanism, and has high-end robust VRMs, making it the best white X870 motherboard.

Performance: 9/10	Value: 8/10
Features: 9/10	Design: 10/10

ASRock X870E Taichi Lite

Best Overclocking X870E Motherboard

ASRock X870E Taichi Lite Pictures From Our Review

1 of 4

Pros

Rock-solid durability
Impeccable overclocking support
Robust 24+2+1 VRM-phase
Unique design
Decent storage options

Cons

Doesn’t support DisplayPort 1.4
Only one PCIe 5.0 storage slot
No RGB lighting

Check Price

Read Our Hands-On ASRock X870E Taichi Lite Review

Are you an enthusiast who can’t wait to push your CPU to its utmost limit? If so, the ASRock X870E Taichi Lite will benefit you because of its robust 24+2+1 VRM phase. This one has the largest power phase and the most overclocking potential out of all the motherboards on our list. I could easily push any of the Ryzen 9000 series processors on this bad boy without facing any issues.

Besides that, while I like the unique silver-themed design, I would have preferred some RGB lighting, seeing how it’s a high-end motherboard. Another issue is the lack of support for DisplayPort 1.4. However, its other features, such as 4x M.2 slots (1x PCIe 5.0) and 6x SATA III slots, make up for its cons. I also don’t have any problems with the USB ports or the 8,200MHz RAM support. In conclusion, this is a great motherboard for overclocking enthusiasts; you can’t go wrong with it.

Here’s how I summarized the ASRock X870E Taichi Lite in my in-depth review of the motherboard:

The ASRock X870E Taichi Lite is a $399 powerhouse with a VRM setup (24+2+1, 110A SPS for VCore and SoC) that can compete with enthusiast-class boards. That’s not its only attraction; the board has a fascinating design, multiple handy features, and excellent connectivity options, with USB4 and WiFi 7 being the icing on the cake. Circling back to the price, this is a great option among X870E boards.

WARNING: Before making a purchase, ensure you’re fine without using DisplayPort 1.4 because the motherboard lacks support for the video output.

✅Buy It If

You want a motherboard with a large power phase: If you’re a PC enthusiast who requires a motherboard with a large power phase for proper power delivery and outstanding overclocking support, the ASRock X870E Taichi Lite is going to be your best friend with its large 27-phase power delivery through 110A SPS.

❌Don't Buy It If

You’d rather have support for DisplayPort 1.4: I don’t recommend this motherboard if you want one with a DisplayPort 1.4 port. Unfortunately, the ASRock X870E Taichi Lite doesn’t have one, so you can only connect to the HDMI 2.1 or USB4 port if you plan to use your Ryzen CPU’s iGPU.

What Makes It The Best Overclocking X870 Motherboard?

The ASRock X870E Taichi Lite is one of the best X870 motherboards because of its large 27-phase power delivery through 110A SPS. Moreover, it ensures lower thermals through larger heatsinks and an intelligent cooling design. You also get 21 USB ports, 4x M.2 slots, and 6x SATA III slots for all your storage devices. Thus, all the features and performance make it the best overclocking X870E motherboard.

Performance: 10/10	Value: 8/10
Features: 9/10	Design: 8/10

Gigabyte X870 EAGLE

Best Budget X870 Motherboard

Gigabyte X870 EAGLE.

Pros

Great value
Low price
Decent performance
Good design and aesthetics
Low VRM thermals
DIY-friendly design

Cons

No 5G LAN support
Only one PCIe 5.0 storage slot

Check Price

For the last motherboard on our list, we have the budget-end Gigabyte X870 EAGLE. Although I did call it a “budget” motherboard, don’t expect it to sleep on its performance and build quality. You’re getting a 14+2+2 VRM phase with solid, fully metal heatsinks all over. Furthermore, I love the DIY-friendly design featuring a screwless M.2 slot, an M.2 EZ latch, and one-click BIOS adjustment features.

You can see the effects of the lower pricing when you move toward the network and storage capabilities of the motherboard. For example, the X870 EAGLE does not support a 5G LAN. Similarly, we only see a single PCIe 5.0 storage slot. Besides that, you still get 4x SATA III slots and 17 USB ports with 2x USB4 ports for your I/O devices. Lastly, during my testing, the VRMs showed low thermals, so that’s another plus point for the budget motherboard.

✅Buy It If

You prioritize efficient VRMs on a tighter budget: If you prioritize efficient VRMs with lower temperatures yet decent power delivery without spending much money, then I recommend buying the Gigabyte X870 EAGLE motherboard. You get a 14+2+2-phase power delivery, and you’ll be able to overclock a mid-range AMD CPU as well.

❌Don't Buy It If

You need 5G LAN: While the X870 EAGLE has good WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 networking support, if you require a 5G LAN network, this motherboard might not be for you as it only supports 2.5G LAN.

What Makes It The Best Budget X870 Motherboard?

Delivering premium features such as one-click overclocking, screwless M.2 installation, 17 USB ports, low-temperature VRMs, and a good design while keeping a lower budget is what makes the Gigabyte X870 EAGLE the best budget X870 motherboard on our list. You also get decent storage options with PCIe 5.0 and 2x USB4 ports for top-notch speeds.

Performance: 8/10	Value: 10/10
Features: 9/10	Design: 8/10

Best X870 And X870E Motherboards Specification Comparison

Because everyone has different requirements, we have created a simple specifications comparison table to help save you time and browse through our picks according to your needs:

Motherboard Model	Total Power Phases	Max Memory Speed (MT/s)	No. of M.2 slots	No. of SATA III ports	No. of USB ports (Front)	No. of USB ports (Rear)
MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WiFi	16	8400	4	4	9	11
ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi	16	8000	3	4	9	11
MSI MPG X870E CARBON WiFi	21	8400	4	4	9	13
ASRock X870E Taichi Lite	27	8200	4	6	9	12
Gigabyte X870 EAGLE	18	8000	3	4	7	10

These Motherboards Almost Made Our List

The X870 chipset has truly delivered; all motherboards offer something unique and wonderful. However, we could only choose the best of the best within each category, leaving a few contenders behind. So, these are the motherboards that almost made our list:

Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite: This motherboard has almost nothing to hate, except that it lacks a 5G LAN network, which makes it slightly inferior to its competitors.

Key Motherboard Terms

VRM: Short for Voltage Regulator Module, VRMs are circuitry that ensures stable and proper voltage is delivered to all PC parts. High-end VRM phases are important for CPU overclocking.
Chipset: The chipset communicates between the peripherals, CPU, RAM, GPU, and storage to manage and run everything smoothly.
CPU Socket: This is a slot on the motherboard where the CPU is installed. Usually, the CPU socket changes once every two to three generations for Intel, while AMD’s socket stays the same for a few years.
Form Factor: Like the chassis, the size and shape of the motherboard determine the PC case it can fit inside. Generally, you’ll find ITX, mITX, ATX, and E-ATX form factor motherboards.
PCIe Slots: These are slots for expansion cards, such as graphics cards, sound cards, and certain network adapters. You want to install your GPU in the x16 PCIe slot and move downwards.
DIMM Slots: Located next to the CPU socket, the DIMM slots contain RAM kits, which allow the CPU to access temporary data quickly.

How We Tested These Motherboards

There are several factors that played a crucial role in my selecting the best X870 and X870E motherboards. Here’s a small rundown of the factors:

Features: Personally, the biggest improvement in the X870 motherboards over the X670 motherboards is the features the former provides. Therefore, I only selected the ones with the most features, such as DIY-friendly designs, more storage slots, faster RAM capacity, and networking features.
Power Delivery: Perhaps one of the most important features to consider, you never want to buy a motherboard with mediocre power delivery. Thus, I kept a keen eye on the power stages and chose motherboards that have robust VRMs and keep lower thermals even when being overclocked.
Value For Money: Considering different budget constraints, I selected motherboards that provide the most value for money within each bracket. If you’re thinking of buying the Ryzen 5 9600X, you may want to buy a more affordable X870 motherboard. On the other hand, someone else may want a high-end motherboard for the Ryzen 9 9950X.

FAQs

Do the X870 motherboards support Ryzen 7000 series processors?

Yes. The X870 motherboard chipset supports Ryzen 7000, 8000, and 9000 series processors.

Is the Ryzen 9000 good for gaming?

Yes. All Ryzen 9000 series CPUs perform extremely well in almost all games.

Should I buy an X870 motherboard if I already own an X670?

It’s relative to your personal requirements. If you need to leverage USB4 and PCIe 5.0, then the purchase will have more value. Otherwise, stick to what you have for now.

Looking for motherboards for a specific CPU? We have you covered:

[Reviews Specialist]

Get In Touch: usman@tech4gamers.com

Best X870 And X870E Motherboards [Hands-on Tested] is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology And Gaming News

MSI Pro Z890-A WiFi Review: Good Features For The Price

Dr. Usman Saleem — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 05:58:12 +0000

It’s raining Z890 motherboards! We’re moving on to our fourth Z890 board review, the MSI Pro Z890-A WiFi. This $289 board is focused on affordability and is one of MSI’s cheapest Z890 offerings, but it packs a serious punch. Let’s get into the review to see what it really holds.

Why Trust Tech4Gamers

Usman Saleem is our hardware tester who loves to put all the latest GPUs, CPUs, RAM, and motherboards for a spin.
40+ motherboards tested and reviewed by our team of hardware experts (Tech4Gamers Team).
800+ hours spent testing different motherboards for our reviews.
Objective testing criteria (See how we test motherboards).

Key Takeaways

The MSI Pro Z890-A is a fairly affordable motherboard ($289) that comes with a beautiful design, good VRMs, and the full set of MSI’s EZ-DIY features. It offers Thunderbolt 5 support and an extra PCIe connector for builds loaded with peripherals.
Buy the board if you like minimalist designs, want the latest I/O, and/or prioritize convenience in your motherboard.
The motherboard is not worth getting if you plan to overclock heavily and/or want built-in RGB.

Here’s how the specifications look.

CPU Support	Intel Arrow Lake Core Ultra Processors (Series 2)
Memory Support	Up to DDR5 9200+ MT/s (OC)
PCIe Slots	1x PCIe 5.0 x16, 2x PCIe 4.0 x4
M.2 Slots	1x PCIe 5.0 (x4), 3x PCIe 4.0 (x4)
SATA Ports	4x 6Gbps
Audio	Realtek® ALC1220P Codec
Network & Connectivity	1x Realtek® 8126 5G LAN, WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
USB Ports	17 ports, including 2x Thunderbolt 4
Size	30.5 cm x 24.4 cm, ATX Form Factor
MSRP	$289.99 USD

[toc]

Packaging And Unboxing

We start with a cardboard box themed mostly in black.

Key features are highlighted up front, and MSI has made it a point to display warnings against mishandling the battery. Moving to the back, we get some more key features, detailed specifications, and an illustration of the rear I/O. The QR code on the bottom right can be scanned to open the user manual.

Let’s see what we get, other than the motherboard inside the box.

Accessories (Image by Tech4Gamers)

Quick installation guide
EZ WiFi Antenna
2x SATA Cables
1-to-3 EZ Conn-Cable (V2)
4x EZ M.2 Clip II
EZ M.2 Clip II Remover
European Union Regulatory Notice

The 1-to-3 EZ Conn-Cable (V2) goes into the JAF_2 EZ Conn header on the board, combining A-RGB, system fan, and USB connection in one. You get 4x EZ M.2 Clip II (one for each M.2 slot) and the EZ M.2 Clip II remover to install/remove these clips. These clips are to be used with 2260-type SSDs.

Design

The board, fresh out of the box (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The MSI Pro Z890-A won me over as soon as I looked at it. It features an incredibly sleek and minimalist design, featuring an all-black PCB and (almost) all-white heatsinks. There is minimal branding, with only the MSI logo on the rear I/O panel cover and “Pro Series” on the PCH heatsink. Onboard RGB is not part of the board. The heatsinks look amazing, and I can only imagine how good the board would look if the PCB was also white.

It is built on a 6-layered server-grade PCB using NPG-170D material, with 2oz thickened copper for stability. It has transient voltage suppression and overcurrent protection. Moreover, it has a grounding structure using copper rings to suppress the EMI generated by the power phases.

MSI has not provided a block diagram, but we know that the memory, PCIe Gen 5 x16 slot, 2x M.2 slots (one Gen 5, one Gen 4) come from the CPU. The CPU also powers the HDMI connection (through which you can use the iGPU). Everything else comes from the chipset, including USB ports, audio, LAN, WiFi, the remaining expansion slots, and the SATA ports. A DMI 4.0 x4 and eSPI link connects the CPU and chipset.

CPU Socket And Power Delivery

The new 800-series chipsets use the new LGA1851 socket, which has 151 more pins than the previous socket. Intel will support this socket until 2026, supposedly for two more generations of CPUs after this one. The retention mechanism (RL-ILM) is also different for LGA1851 and is meant to distribute the force more evenly across the CPU. However, Intel allows motherboard manufacturers to use the old mechanism.

The board is using the RL-ILM socket, though there’s no mention of it on the socket cover or plate.

Looking at the VRMs, this is a 16+1+1+1 digital phase power design (VCore+SA+GT+VNNAON), including 90A SPS for the CPU. From the bottom, the first 3 are dedicated to the aforementioned components. 16 phases at 90A each equals 1440A for the VCore, which is more than enough for any Arrow Lake CPU.

The capacitors used in the VRM setup can store up to 560µF and are rated for 6.3V. Looking at the VCore MOSFETs, they are from MPS and are labelled MPS805 / M87692.

EPS connectors (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The initial power comes from the dual 8-pin EPS connectors, each capable of providing 150W. This connector uses solid pins, which MSI claims provide a more stable 12V supply to the CPU.

MSI offers overvoltage protection for the CPU and also some software-related features to help with overclocking. These include BCLK control (sync CPU BCLK and SOC BLCK or adjust them separately), Lite Load Control (control of AC/DC load-line settings), and more.

The two heatsinks featuring stacked-fin designs and 7W/mK MOSFET thermal pads cool the heatsinks. We’re not sure what the rating is for the choke thermal pads.

The heatsinks have a unique minimalist design and incorporate linear grooves and dotted patterns. We have the MSI logo on the I/O panel cover inside the grey stripe. It’s a really nice look; credit to MSI’s designers for this.

DIMM Slots

DIMM slots (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The motherboard can run 256GB of maximum memory capacity, and speeds of up to DDR5-9200 MT/s are supported. Following are the maximum speeds supported in different configurations:

1DPC 1R = 9200+ MT/s
1DPC 2R = 7200+ MT/s
2DPC 1R = 4800+ MT/s
2DPC 2R = 4800+ MT/s

The memory support for 2 DIMM per channel configuration is much lower than we’ve seen in other boards. These DIMM slots are surface-mounted and only have latches on one side, the one toward the PCIe slots. We’re not sure why MSI went with this design, as there seems to be enough room on the other side for the latches, even in the “open” configuration.

We see the “Memory Boost” text beside the DIMM slots, though we don’t know what this technology does.

Storage Options

Storage options include 4x SATA 6G ports and as many M.2 slots (one is Gen 5, while the remaining are Gen 4). M2_1 supports 2280/2260 SSDs, M2_2 supports 22110/2280/2260 devices, while both M2_3 and M2_4 can accommodate either 2280, 2260, or 2242 SSDs. All the storage options on the board support RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 options.

The M2_1 heatsink features the EZ M.2 Shield Frozr II technology for toolless removal, while the second M.2 heatsink requires a screwdriver. There’s no heatsink for the M2_2 slot, and you’ll need to get an aftermarket one (clearance is 26mm width). Let’s remove the heatsinks and take a look.

M.2 heatsinks removed (Image by Tech4Gamers)

A stacked fin design is being used for the M2_1 heatsink, while the other heatsink features a regular, plain design and a lower height. The secondary M.2 heatsink and the PCH heatsink designs are in harmony with the VRM heatsinks.

The M2_1 heatsink features the EZ M.2 Clip II clip already installed, while the remaining slots require the clip to secure your SSD. You get three different alignment spots for each slot to choose from according to your SSD’s length. It’s peculiar that there’s an EZ M.2 latch on the M2_3 slot for Type 2280 SSDs; you won’t be able to use the EZ M.2 Clip II on this slot if your SSD is 80mm long.

This is the first motherboard I’ve seen without double-sided thermal pads for the M.2 slot. As such, only the heatsinks have thermal pads for both slots.

WARNING: Remove the protective film from the thermal pads before usage.

PCIe Slots

PCIe slots (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The board has three PCIe slots. Slot 1 is Gen 5 x16, while the remaining two are Gen 4 x4. The secondary slots don’t have much going for them, but the primary slot is steel-reinforced and surface-mounted. MSI’s Steel Armor II reinforcement improves durability to accommodate heavier GPUs, according to MSI. Surface mounting also helps with its durability.

EZ PCIe release button (Image by Tech4Gamers)

This slot also uses an EZ PCIe release mechanism, and we’re always glad to see this in their motherboard. It features a button to set/release the lock, and the little padlock icons tell us what mode the lock is currently in. This is as easy as it can get!

USB Connectivity

The board features 17 ports in total:

4x USB 2.0 (Front)
4x USB 5Gbps Type A (Rear)
2x USB 5Gbps Type A (Front)
3x USB 10Gbps Type A (Rear)
1x USB 10Gbps Type C (Rear)
1x USB 20Gbps Type C (Front)
2x Thunderbolt4 ports (Rear)

The Thunderbolt 4 ports offer 40Gbps speeds with Thunderbolt 4 devices and half as much for USB4 devices. They also support 15W charging. The 20Gbps Type-C port supports 27W power delivery through your chassis’ front panel.

RTS5420 USB controller (Image by Tech4Gamers)

Pictured above is the Realtek RTS5420 which provides the board’s 10Gbps connections. The rear 5Gbps ports come from the GL3523 controller, while the internal USB 2.0 connections come from the GL850G controller.

Network and Connectivity

WiFi card (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The motherboard supports WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless connectivity and Realtek’s 5G LAN port for a wired connection. MSI’s “EZ antenna” has an easy-to-attach magnetic stand and does not require rotation.

MSI also offers a dedicated LAN manager software. This offers handy features like changing traffic and bandwidth prioritization.

Audio Solution

Realtek ALC1220 audio codec (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The ALC1220 is a mid-range audio solution, an offering more than good enough for this board’s class. MSI highlights its Audio Boost 4 feature, which features “high-quality capacitors and audio jacks” and a dedicated headphone amplifier, among other features. The left and right audio channels on the board are separate.

Another feature MSI highlights is the “Isolated Analogy Structure”—this supposedly “separates the external metal framework from the internal layout” to provide a cleaner signal.

Internal Connectors And Components

Following is the list of connectors on the board:

1x Thunderbolt5 card connector
1x Power Connector (ATX_PWR)
2x Power Connector (CPU_PWR)
1x Power Connector(PCIE_PWR 8pin)
1x CPU Fan
1x Combo Fan
6x System Fan
1x EZ Conn-header (JAF_2)
2x Front Panel (JFP)
1x Chassis Intrusion (JCI)
1x Front Audio (JAUD)
3x Addressable V2 RGB LED connector (JARGB_V2)
1x RGB LED connector(JRGB)
1x TPM pin header(Support TPM 2.0)
4x USB 2.0 ports
2x USB 5Gbps Type A ports
1x USB 20Gbps Type C ports

The 8-pin and 24-pin connectors also use solid pins. Of course, we also get the 11-pin JAF_2 connector to plug the 1-to-3 EZ Conn cable into.

The first highlight is the Thunderbolt 5 connector, which will come into use when this standard becomes more common. It will enable speeds of up to 160 Gbps, dual 8K monitors, and up to 27W charging speeds. This, of course, is in addition to the already present dual Thunderbolt 4 ports in the back.

Second, we have the extra 8-pin PCIe power connector. This connector will provide 2.5 times more power excursion through the PCIe slots. According to MSI, this connector provides up to 252W, which, when combined with the 24-pin ATX connector, totals to 420W maximum. This leaves up to 132W for the fan connectors and 36W for the RGB connectors. At the same time, the power excursion is increased to 2.5x.

Of course, you need to have a PSU with enough wattage to benefit from this connector.

An example of how the extra connector could benefit a power-hungry system (Image Credits: MSI)

Note that “power excursion” is a temporary supply of power, not a constant one—the PCIe slot is still essentially limited to 75W. However, this connector will reduce stress on the 24-pin connector when it’s occupied to the brim. You won’t have to worry while connecting multiple fans and RGB devices.

EZ debug LED panel (Image by Tech4Gamers)

To facilitate troubleshooting, we have the EZ debug code LED panel beside the DIMM slots and below the 4x troubleshooting LEDs.

An M.2 signal source list is also printed on the board near the rear I/O.

Rear I/O

Have a peek at the rear I/O panel:

Rear I/O panel (Image by Tech4Gamers)

USB 10Gbps Type-A
USB 5Gbps Type-A
5G LAN
Wi-Fi / Bluetooth Connectors
Audio Connectors
HDMI port
Thunderbolt™ 4 40Gbps (Type-C)
USB 10Gbps Type-C
Flash BIOS Button
USB 5Gbps Type-A
S/PDIF-OUT

Among the regular connectors, we have a flash BIOS button; but there’s no room for a clear CMOS button here. MSI has printed the speeds supported by the USB ports, replacing the port names that we usually see. This was great to see, and it’s hard to believe I didn’t see it sooner.

The I/O panel looks good in white and has the MSI “Pro” logo on the upper left side. The I/O shield is made of stainless steel and comes pre-installed on the board.

We’ve looked at the rear I/O cover already. Let’s see what’s under it on the motherboard.

The motherboard uses Nuvoton’s NCT6687D controller to (control and) monitor the fans, voltages, and temperatures on the board.

Test Setup

Here’s a look at our test setup:

CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
Cooling: DeepCool Mystique 360
Memory: Corsair Dominator Titanium 2x16GB 32GB DDR5-7200 CL34
Graphics Card: GeForce RTX 4090 Gaming OC
Power Supply: Corsair HX1200i Platinum
Storage: Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus G 2TB
OS: Windows 11 Pro 23H2 64-bit
BIOS Version:7E32v2A3

Synthetic Benchmarks

Cinebench 2024 (Image by Tech4Gamers)

It comes last place in Cinebench 2024 but by a tiny margin.

Geekbench 6 (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The performance is Geekbench 6 is also satisfactory, but the motherboard comes out in last place by a small margin.

CPU-Z (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The board scored 19231 points in the multi-core test and 919 points in the single-threaded benchmark.

Blender 4.0.2 (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The Pro Z890-A WiFi setup completed the Blender render in 56 seconds.

V-Ray (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The board fell behind a bit notably in V-ray, with 11025 points.

Overall, the board’s performance was last place in all the tests, but by an ignorable margin.

Gaming Benchmarks

Cyberpunk 2077 (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The board scored an average of 156 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077, and the %1 low FPS output was 118.

Starfield (Image by Tech4Gamers)

In Starfield, the maximum average FPS difference between this board and the top one was 4.

Far Cry 6 (Image by Tech4Gamers)

In Far Cry 6, the board managed an average of 172 FPS and a minimum of 128.

Gaming performance is satisfactory. The difference between the most premium boards on our list is, at most, 3%.

Power Consumption and VRM Temperatures

Motherboard and CPU power draw (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The board and CPU combo outputs the lowest power consumption of all the boards across the load and idle tests and is in joint 1st place for gaming power consumption.

VRM temperatures (Image by Tech4Gamers)

The board’s VRMs ran the warmest of all the boards under the 30-minute Cinebench R23 run. This performance doesn’t satisfy us, but it should do the job.

Should You Buy It?

Let’s sum up.

Buy It If:

✔️ You prefer sleek designs: The MSI Pro Z890-A WiFi has one of the neatest designs we’ve seen in a motherboard, featuring a black PCB and all-white heatsinks.

✔️ You need the top features for less: The motherboard offers some top features for a fairly affordable price, including WiFi 7, dual Thunderbolt 4, a debug code LED panel, and EZ PCIe release. It also supports Thunderbolt 5.

✔️ Convenience is a priority: The board maximizes convenience with the aforementioned features, plus EZ M.2 installation, the EZ Conn cable, and the pre-installed I/O shield.

✔️ You plan on installing plenty of fans and RGB: The board’s extra 8-pin supplemental PCIe connector enables a supply of up to 132W for the fans and 36W for RGB.

Don’t Buy It If:

❌ You want extreme overclocking support: This motherboard won’t be suitable for overclockers. Its VRMs don’t leave much room, and the cooling isn’t the best either.

❌ You need built-in RGB: There’s no onboard RGB here.

My Thoughts

The MSI Pro Z890-A WiFi costs $289 and offers an incredible set of features for that price. Starting with its design, we have a black-and-white mix, and the heatsinks stand out thanks to the strong contrast. The heatsinks look wonderful with their white coating and minimalist design patterns. There’s no RGB on this board, and I think it doesn’t belong there anyway. If you feel differently, there’s plenty of room for RGB peripherals.

For VRMs, we get a comprehensive 16+1+1+1 phase design, with 90A SPSs providing up to 1440A for the CPU. This is not the most powerful setup, but will easily handle any Intel Arrow Lake CPU you throw at it. Mild overclocking is certainly possible, but be sure to watch those VRM temperatures.

The board supports DDR5 memory up to 9200 MT/s through XMP/overclocking, and the maximum supported capacity is 256GB. It offers a PCIe Gen 5 x16 slot and dual PCIe Gen 4 x4 slots. The primary slot is steel-reinforced and features MSI’s flawless EZ PCIe release mechanism.

For your storage, you get a Gen 5 M.2 slot and 3x Gen 4 slots. There are two heatsinks, but they only cover 3x of the four available slots, so you’ll need an SSD with a heatsink if you plan to occupy that one slot. MSI includes 4x EZ M.2 clips to make SSD installation a breeze. The primary M.2 heatsink features an EZ release mechanism, too. If you have any SATA drives to install, 4x 6G ports are available.

We have 17 USB ports, including 2x Thunderbolt 4 and a 20G port for the front panel. The board also has a Thunderbolt 5 connector for future applications, which is a plus. It offers 5G LAN, WiFi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4 for connectivity. The board’s audio codec is Realtek’s ALC1220, which should do the job for most users.

The board offers all of the EZ-DIY features in MSI’s arsenal, and we love the focus on convenience with their X870 and Z890 boards. In addition to the features we’ve already mentioned, you also get a debug code LED panel and an EZ Conn connector for better cable management. The extra 8-pin supplemental PCIe power connector can provide up to 252W of power, including a 2.5x power excursion enhancement through the PCIe slots.

The Z890-A Pro WiFi is backed by a 3-year warranty. We thoroughly enjoyed testing this excellent motherboard and thank MSI for sending it to us for testing and review.