MSI Z97 MPower MAX AC LGA 1150 Motherboard Review @ [H]

FrgMstr

Just Plain Mean
Staff member
Joined
May 18, 1997
Messages
55,534
MSI Z97 MPower MAX AC LGA 1150 Motherboard Review - Today we take a look at MSI’s latest entry into its "OC" series motherboards. The MSI Z97 MPower MAX AC is specifically designed with the computer hardware overclocking enthusiast in mind. This new Z97 Intel Express Chipset MSI motherboard sports a solid feature set with a host of overclocking tools that allow many avenues of attack.
 
What a horrible slot layout. They could have taken 4 of the 5 left over PCIe lanes from the south bridge and made the slot layout x8, x8, and x4, so a user could build a dual SLI setup and still have a usable x4 slot for a raid controller, but no.

Thanks, but I'll stick with my plans to buy the Asus Z97-WS.
 
What a horrible slot layout. They could have taken 4 of the 5 left over PCIe lanes from the south bridge and made the slot layout x8, x8, and x4, so a user could build a dual SLI setup and still have a usable x4 slot for a raid controller, but no.

Thanks, but I'll stick with my plans to buy the Asus Z97-WS.

You're comparing a mid-range board to a workstation board meant for 2 very different tasks. If you need hardcore PCIe lanes get the XPower version which includes the PLX chip and can handle a lot of add in cards.

The slot layout on the MPower is very much geard towards dual lightning cards that take up 2.5x to 3 slots without hitting the CPU cooler. It's a gamers board not a workstation/server board.
 
You're comparing a mid-range board to a workstation board meant for 2 very different tasks. If you need hardcore PCIe lanes get the XPower version which includes the PLX chip and can handle a lot of add in cards.

The slot layout on the MPower is very much geard towards dual lightning cards that take up 2.5x to 3 slots without hitting the CPU cooler. It's a gamers board not a workstation/server board.

The Asus Z97-ws is only $20 more expensive. They're pretty much in the same market.
 
Worth mentioning is that the second X16 slot can be utilized alone for GPU and will bypass the PLX chipset.
 
I think its a very high quality mother board with a great feature set for the money.

It will be interesting to see how well it will work out with Devils CAnyon.

THanks for the great review.
 
About 15 years too late to use the monkey from Dexter's Laboratory as a design inspiration..

dial_m_for_monkey_by_death_driver_5000_d5byw4y.png
 
Kyle, you mentioned possible clearance problems around CPU for some air coolers. Do you think, that Xigmatek Dark Knight would have problems there?

ALso one more question regarding fan headers. Some people mention that on MSI gaming series CPU2 header is placed so, that using it for AIO pump is problematic. Is this problem solved with this motherboard, and you can easily connect AIO fan/pump controllers to PWM headers?
 
You're comparing a mid-range board to a workstation board meant for 2 very different tasks. If you need hardcore PCIe lanes get the XPower version which includes the PLX chip and can handle a lot of add in cards.

The slot layout on the MPower is very much geard towards dual lightning cards that take up 2.5x to 3 slots without hitting the CPU cooler. It's a gamers board not a workstation/server board.

The MSI Xpower is $110 more expensive than the Asus Z97-ws. It has more features to cover that increased cost, but that's not the point. They aren't even in the same league.

The Asus Z97-ws is a far better board than this MSI Z97 Mpower, and only costs about $20 more.
 
You're comparing a mid-range board to a workstation board meant for 2 very different tasks. If you need hardcore PCIe lanes get the XPower version which includes the PLX chip and can handle a lot of add in cards.

The slot layout on the MPower is very much geard towards dual lightning cards that take up 2.5x to 3 slots without hitting the CPU cooler. It's a gamers board not a workstation/server board.

WRONG, and very WRONG.

Latency is OK for video cards and gaming. These are low end crap, not real work, and they don't really get hurt from latency. RAID cards, fibre channel cards, and other professional items need to work, and they do get hurt from latency. Hence why the x79 platform has so much more PCI-E.

If you need PCI-E leave the low end that's known as enthusiast and gamer, get into the high end and do what you need to do.
 
WRONG, and very WRONG.

Latency is OK for video cards and gaming. These are low end crap, not real work, and they don't really get hurt from latency. RAID cards, fibre channel cards, and other professional items need to work, and they do get hurt from latency. Hence why the x79 platform has so much more PCI-E.

If you need PCI-E leave the low end that's known as enthusiast and gamer, get into the high end and do what you need to do.

Did you quote the wrong person; not sure how this applies to what I posted?
 
Looks good - I just got mine in too for testing, it will be paired up with DC ES this week and I will see how things go :) I have high hopes for this board with DC and if its anything like the last two I think that I should be just fine :)
 
So far I have been able to get my 4790K ES up to 5150 on air :) - waiting for my cascade cooler to get some mods done so I can put it under the cold
 
Last edited:
Back
Top