Really entry level indeed. My MSi Z370 Pro crapped at ~175W load, even with extra VRM cooling. Upgraded to more expensive Asrock Taichi Z370 and OC is so much more stable at higher loads.
about the vrm's being sufficient for overclocking while the system may not downright crash or throttle with your load does not mean they are sufficient to sustain such overclock for a user.
the vrm may run very hot, enough so to seriously impect the lifespan of the components. the 'heatsinks' are not that great at dissipating the heat but have enough mass to keep the vrm cool enough for some time until it does overheat. often cases do not provide a lot of airflow over the vrm resulting in higher temperatures. Some workloads like blender can be very stressfull over a longer peroid of time
So basically just because it keeps running the overclock in your test does not really mean the motherboard is able to sustain such overclock for daily use.
daily use overclocking is fucking retarded anyway. the stuff is fast enough, if you want it faster buy something that will be faster, no need to run stuff out of spec.
So much of this! Overclocking is interesting, maybe a learning experience, but of little practical use and doing so results in unnecessary expenses from a cascade of additional problems that must be mitigated with components that would otherwise never have been needed to begin with. It creates perceptions like these about VRM cooling or about the necessity of 1KW power supplies. Have fun with it, but if you're working on some sort of task that you can't afford to lose or redo, then don't overclock your computer.
So where can I buy a 5.2GHz Intel CPU then? Apart from the fun of maxing out component, you can attain results with overclocking, that you can't buy "in spec" from Intel or AMD.
I would posit that the blain black/brown scheme is exactly why this *would* win a beauty contest. I'm not a 11yo seeking flashing lights, I find most high end component design to be garish and off-putting.
I too liked the color scheme they used. Also if rgb is off puting you can use mystic light app in silent mode. Where it boots with windows and is automatically hidden disabling the rgb strip that board has on it's backside.
My Z97-A Pro was free from Microcenter during the Pentium G promo...and that's about all it was worth. Nothing but problems with that board and eventually pulled it, smashed it, and threw it in the garbage out of frustration. Put in an Asus Z97 to replace it, works fine to this day.
We’ve updated our terms. By continuing to use the site and/or by logging into your account, you agree to the Site’s updated Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
12 Comments
Back to Article
PeachNCream - Tuesday, September 11, 2018 - link
Visual Inspection, 1st Paragraph - "Off the bat, users should be how MSI makes up the basics on a $110 motherboard:"That line needs help.
halcyon - Tuesday, September 11, 2018 - link
Really entry level indeed. My MSi Z370 Pro crapped at ~175W load, even with extra VRM cooling. Upgraded to more expensive Asrock Taichi Z370 and OC is so much more stable at higher loads.imaheadcase - Tuesday, September 11, 2018 - link
That doesn't sound like the motherboard at all.qlum - Tuesday, September 11, 2018 - link
about the vrm's being sufficient for overclocking while the system may not downright crash or throttle with your load does not mean they are sufficient to sustain such overclock for a user.the vrm may run very hot, enough so to seriously impect the lifespan of the components. the 'heatsinks' are not that great at dissipating the heat but have enough mass to keep the vrm cool enough for some time until it does overheat. often cases do not provide a lot of airflow over the vrm resulting in higher temperatures. Some workloads like blender can be very stressfull over a longer peroid of time
So basically just because it keeps running the overclock in your test does not really mean the motherboard is able to sustain such overclock for daily use.
timecop1818 - Tuesday, September 11, 2018 - link
daily use overclocking is fucking retarded anyway. the stuff is fast enough, if you want it faster buy something that will be faster, no need to run stuff out of spec.PeachNCream - Tuesday, September 11, 2018 - link
So much of this! Overclocking is interesting, maybe a learning experience, but of little practical use and doing so results in unnecessary expenses from a cascade of additional problems that must be mitigated with components that would otherwise never have been needed to begin with. It creates perceptions like these about VRM cooling or about the necessity of 1KW power supplies. Have fun with it, but if you're working on some sort of task that you can't afford to lose or redo, then don't overclock your computer.Death666Angel - Tuesday, September 11, 2018 - link
So where can I buy a 5.2GHz Intel CPU then? Apart from the fun of maxing out component, you can attain results with overclocking, that you can't buy "in spec" from Intel or AMD.mischlep - Tuesday, September 11, 2018 - link
"The rear IO consists of three video outputs (VGA, DVI-D, and HDMI) "This motherboard has Displayport, not HDMI.
Ryan Smith - Tuesday, September 11, 2018 - link
Thanks!gobaers - Tuesday, September 11, 2018 - link
I would posit that the blain black/brown scheme is exactly why this *would* win a beauty contest. I'm not a 11yo seeking flashing lights, I find most high end component design to be garish and off-putting.AtomicMuffin - Sunday, February 17, 2019 - link
I too liked the color scheme they used. Also if rgb is off puting you can use mystic light app in silent mode. Where it boots with windows and is automatically hidden disabling the rgb strip that board has on it's backside.Samus - Tuesday, September 11, 2018 - link
My Z97-A Pro was free from Microcenter during the Pentium G promo...and that's about all it was worth. Nothing but problems with that board and eventually pulled it, smashed it, and threw it in the garbage out of frustration. Put in an Asus Z97 to replace it, works fine to this day.