MSI X370 Gaming M7 ACK AMD Ryzen Motherboard Review

FrgMstr

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MSI X370 Gaming M7 ACK AMD Ryzen Motherboard Review

MSI’s X370 Gaming M7 ACK brings a solid feature set and potential overclocking to the table. So far things have been a bit bumpy regarding AMD’s AM4 platform, but things have improved a lot recently. AMD’s AGESA code being up to scratch doesn’t mean anything if the motherboard manufacturers don’t do their part. Did MSI do its part?
 
There's nothing about how the M.2 slots are configured. I saw that they list "SATA/PCIe", but what exactly does that mean? Obviously, due to the limitations of the platform, they aren't both 3.0X4, so how are they set up?
 
SLI might be dead, but mGPU looks promising, so is mining. A 2nd GPU is still a thing to consider, even without SLI or CrossFire.
 
ACK!
 

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I'm an old nerd. I see ACK and immediately think of ANSI signaling codes... ACKnowledge and NAK (No Acknowledge)
 
There is an additional 20% off coupon that applies to this motherboard:



Enter promo code EMCXEEX29 at checkout.

CouponB_03.jpg
 
There is an additional 20% off coupon that applies to this motherboard:



Enter promo code EMCXEEX29 at checkout.

CouponB_03.jpg

Ah, thanks! I found the information I was looking for in the specs on the Newegg page:

2 x M.2 ports (Key M)
- M2_1 slot supports PCIe 3.0 x4 (RYZEN series processor) or PCIe 3.0 x2 (7th Gen A-series/ Athlon processors) and SATA 6Gb/s 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage devices
- M2_2 slot supports PCIe 2.0 x4 and SATA 6Gb/s 2242/2260/2280 storage devices

So, it looks like M2_1 can take either 4 lanes from the CPU, 2 lanes from the chipset, or a SATA port while M2_2 takes 4 lanes from the chipset, but it seems to come from the bottom expansion slot: "* PCI_E6 slot will be unavailable when installing M.2 PCIe SSD in M2_2 slot." That is an interesting config.
 
Ah, thanks! I found the information I was looking for in the specs on the Newegg page:

2 x M.2 ports (Key M)
- M2_1 slot supports PCIe 3.0 x4 (RYZEN series processor) or PCIe 3.0 x2 (7th Gen A-series/ Athlon processors) and SATA 6Gb/s 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage devices
- M2_2 slot supports PCIe 2.0 x4 and SATA 6Gb/s 2242/2260/2280 storage devices

So, it looks like M2_1 can take either 4 lanes from the CPU, 2 lanes from the chipset, or a SATA port while M2_2 takes 4 lanes from the chipset, but it seems to come from the bottom expansion slot: "* PCI_E6 slot will be unavailable when installing M.2 PCIe SSD in M2_2 slot." That is an interesting config.
Sometimes (some might say often) newegg specs are inaccurate or outright wrong, so take with a grain of salt.
 
As for the Killer Wireless... Curiously, I was having a similar issue 2 weeks ago when trying to get my Killer 1103 working in Win 10 (same driver pack as you likely used, but I didn't install the software bundle)! I had just upgraded to 10 on that computer and so I know for a fact the card worked fine in Win 7... but every time the adapter tried to connect to my network, it'd disconnect the hardware (I suspect it crashed the driver). It, too, is a mPCIe card that's ran through a PCIe 1x adapter, though I can't see how that'd matter. Either way, I did everything I could, installing various driver versions, and even the ones for Win 8, nothin. Ended up having to use a USB adapter from my Samsung TV (which, having a unique hardware ID meant needing to add it to an INF), but that one worked just fine, so I don't think it is due to that install of 10 being corrupted.

ALSO similarly, and just as curious, that same computer began having quirks with the USB ports, again only in Windows 10, where the USB2.0 ports would just cease to function!! It's the damn oddest thing because, like in your test, the USB3.0 ports worked just fine...

Here's the kicker... That system, while indeed also AMD... is a Phenom II X6 running on an ASRock 890FX Deluxe3 board. The Windows 10 it has is Version 1607 (build 14393.447) RTM, ISO directly downloaded from M$, everything legitimate. I used old parts and while it was here had set it to "Metered" connection, so I don't THINK it updated ever, but I gave it to my girlfriend and so it may have pushed some updates in the few days she had it... but I doubt that.

Either way, I can't help but think it's not MSI's fault and more something to do with a quirk of Windows 10, on both fronts, the Killer Wireless and USB 2.0 ports flaking out randomly.
 
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