MSI Z170A Gaming M5 Motherboard Reviews

Z170A Gaming M5 does not have the two Gigabit Ethernet ports of some rivals, but the only controller it has, the Killer e2400, is a high-end game favored by some players. The only thing obviously missing is DisplayPort - on a panel designed for discrete graphics markets - and any out-of-market analog video output. The latter could have been addressed via a DVI-I connector, but the array includes DVI-D.

MSI would also like to mention its gold-plated analog connectors because this leads to talk about the Op Amp OPA1652 software and Nahemic Audio Enhancer from Z170A Gaming M5, but I will let MSI promote the virtues of this combination.

MASTER THE GAME

To master the game, you need a masterful system. The MSI Enthusiast GAMING motherboards are honored with the suffix "M for Master" to name its truly exceptional design, ready to guide you to the next level of play.

MEMORY PERFORMANCE AND STABILITY NOT DISPLAYED

With traditional memory design, memory signals are often distorted by electromagnetic signals from other components, making the system slower or becomes unstable. MSI features DDR4 Boost technology with optimized traces and completely isolated memory circuits. This design ensures that memory signals remain pure for optimal performance and stability.
An added XMP LED highlights an active memory profile for better memory speed and better stability control.

2X FASTER MSI USB 3.1 GEN2

Transferring your favorite games, music, and excesses to USB has never been so fast. USB 3.1 Gen2 allows fast transfer speeds of up to 10Gb / s!

ADVANTAGES

-2 times faster than USB 3.1 Gen1
-10x faster than USB 2.0
-Up to 10 Gbit / s data transfer bandwidth
-Boost transfer rate for your PC and peripherals

TYPE-C WITH REVERSIBLE DESIGN

Get all the performance benefits of USB 3.1 Gen2 combined with the convenience of USB Type-C connector. This reversible connector allows effortless connection of USB devices.

PUSH SSD PLUS WITH TWIN TURBO M.2

Speed up to 32Gb / s with Gen3 x4, Turbo M.2 is more than 5 times faster than a regular SATA III connection! Enjoy fast system startup and incredibly fast loading of applications and games with MSI motherboards.

GAME DEVICE PORTS

The MSI Gaming Device port is optimized to provide the best connectivity for high-end mice to fully utilize its speed. You can fully customize the voting rate using the Simple Mouse Master software to use. This results in a much faster and smoother mouse response in games.

STUDIO GRADE SOUND WITH AUDIO BOOST 3

With Audio Boost 3, powered by Nahimic Sound Technology, we deliver the highest sound quality through the use of superior audio components. This way you can enjoy the sound and music with an 8-channel HD sound with breathtaking or high-impedance headphones and dominate the game.

HOTKEY GAME

The game Hotkey offers you more features from your existing keyboard. Simply load your favorite applications with 1 key, load overclocking profiles, perform real-time overclocking using only your keyboard, the possibilities are endless. You can even customize the F1 to F10 keys to function as Macro Keys, to perform any desired action your program. Fast charge of your favorite game? Press F2. Its so simple!

THE NEW BATTERY CLICK ON THE WINNER 5

Explore the award-winning and enhanced CLIC BIOS 5 and use it to set your system to maximum performance to make the most of your games. MSI CLICK BIOS 5 is the next generation UEFI BIOS with optimizations for Windows 10.
Control your system in two modes: EZ mode, for the most used parameters and functions. Advanced mode for more detailed settings and fine tuning options to improve the performance of your system.

KILLER ™ LAN E2400 and LAN PROTECT

The new Killer ™ E2400 with the all-new Advanced Stream Detect 2.0, taking intelligence, speed, and control to the next level

The LAN connector has an LED inside and has a 15KV anti-theft protection.

LAN PROTECT

With 15KV anti-theft protection for your network against radiation and static electricity, LAN Protect is a LAN connector designed to offer you the best networking experience. It is highlighted with a red LED in the RJ45 connector to show its functionality.

IMPREGNABLE STEEL ARMOR

To protect against damage caused by heavy VGA cards during transport. In addition, Steel Armor also has more brazing points on the PCB for more resistance.

MSI Z170A Gaming M5

Specification

Chipset	Z170
Voltage Regulator	12 Phases
P/S 2 Ports	1
USB 3.1 10Gbps	1x Type C, 1x Type A
USB Ports	4x 3.0, 2x 2.0
Network Jacks	1
eSATA Ports	✗
Digital Audio Out	Optical
Digital Audio In	✗
Analog Audio	5
Video	DVI-D, DisplayPort
Other I/O Panel	✗
PCIe 3.0 x16	3 (x16/x0/x4*, x8/x8/x4*) SLI x2, CrossFireX x3 *3x Shared w/x1
PCIe 3.0 x1 / x4	4x x1 (3x Shared w/3rd x16)
USB 3.0 Headers	1 (2-ports)
USB 2.0 Headers	2 (4-ports)
SATA 6.0 Gb/s	6 (Shares 2x SATA-E, 2x M.2)
M.2 Interfaces (Transfer Modes)	2x PCIe 3.0 x4 / SATA 6Gbps (2x SATA-E / 4x SATA shared)
Fans	5x 4-Pin
FP-Audio	1
S/PDIF I/O	✗
Internal Buttons	✗
Internal Switch	Slow Mode
Diagnostics Panel	2-Digit
Other Devices	Thunderbolt add-in card interface (JTBT1)
Chipset SATA	6x SATA 6Gb/s (Includes M.2, SATA-E)
Chipset RAID Modes	0, 1, 5, 10
Add-In SATA	2x ASM1061 PCIe
Primary LAN	Killer e2400 PCIe
Secondary LAN	✗
Wi-Fi	✗
Bluetooth	✗
HD Audio Codec	ALC1150
DDL/DTS Connect	✗
Warranty	Three Years