MSI MEG X670E Ace: Top Gun performance for your Ryzen CPU

Best Prices Today: MSI MEG X670E ACE

If you’re seeking to get considered one of AMD’s new Ryzen 7000 CPUs and wish to maximize it, you may additionally desire a premium motherboard. 

Enter the MSI MEG X670E Ace. Underlying its smooth however imposing aesthetics, you’ll discover a hearty providing of options: 10GbE LAN, PCIe Gen 5, and loads of M.2 slots. This motherboard is geared in the direction of the fanatic gamer and content material creator. Does this “Ace” actually ship? 

We will comb the specs, and talk about options, performance, and design aesthetics. If you’re constructing a high-end enthusiast-grade desktop with the quickest Ryzen 7000 CPUs, is that this the motherboard of alternative over its rivals? Let’s discover out!

MSI MEG X670E Ace: The specs

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The MSI MEG X670E Ace is critical enterprise, beginning with AM5 help—you’ll want a brand new AMD CPU such because the Ryzen 9 7950X. The excellent news is that you just’ll have the ability to use your outdated AM4 cooler, if it makes use of the unique AMD backplate—in any other case you’ll want a brand new AM5-specific model. 

The board is E-ATX, which means it is going to be bigger than your typical ATX motherboard, with measurements of 277×304.8mm (10.9×12 inches),so case dimension will probably be essential. 

PCIe Gen 5 and DDR5 are right here, to not point out an extended checklist of nice I/O, such a 10GbE LAN, and a number of USB ports. 

The unboxing expertise is sweet, and for an MSRP of $699, it does include just a few fascinating equipment: an M.2 Xpander-Z PCIe Gen 5 card, a USB drive, just a few cable stickers, and the standard cables. No fancy field like we noticed with the $499 X670E Asrock Taichi, however that’s not too related. (Sorry, field lovers!)

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• E-ATX type issue 
• Supports AMD AM5 Ryzen 7000 CPUs 
• 22+2+1 Phase Design with 8-layer PCB
• DDR5 RAM, twin channel as much as 4 DIMMs (as much as 128GB)
• 4x onboard M.2 slots (1x PCIe Gen 5)
• 2x M.2 slots on Xpander-Z PCIe Gen 5 card  
• 3x PCIe 16x Slot (PCIe Gen 5, 8x/8x/4x) 
• Type-C show out 
• 11 USB ports on again Including 20Gb/s 
• Marvel 10GbE LAN
• AMD Wi-Fi 6E 
• RGB headers for Mystic Light
• 6 SATA 6Gb/s ports 
• 8 PWM fan headers 
• BIOS Flashback, Clear CMOS, and Smart Button
• Preinstalled I/O defend 
• Realtek 7.1 ALC 4082 audio, ESS ES9280AQ combo DAC
• MSRP $699

MSI MEG X670E Ace: Features

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Coming in at $699, that is an enthusiast-grade, premium motherboard. The X670E chipset means that it’s going to have probably the most strong PCIe Gen 5 help you’ll discover for AM5, and that reveals: Three 16x PCIe Gen 5 lanes (break up 8x/8x/4x if you happen to use all three) means you may add PCIe playing cards alongside your next-generation GPU. 

Lucky for you, MSI contains an Xpander-Z PCIe Gen 5 M.2 card for that very function! If the 4 onboard M.2 slots weren’t sufficient (with one being PCIe Gen 5),you may increase an extra two on the cardboard itself. While most players could not want six M.2 drives, heavy-usage content material creators will love this (plus six SATA ports, as nicely).

MSI additionally makes these M.2 slots “screwless,” which is a bonus function for those that don’t like miniscule screws! Along with the built-in I/O defend, this helps make for an satisfying construct expertise.

USB ports are plentiful right here, with 11 on the rear, together with USB 3.2 Gen 2 at 20Gb/s. USB 4 will not be included right here, which is a disgrace contemplating the value level. Other rivals such because the Asus ROG X670E Hero do have USB4. 

To compensate, MSI does offer you 10GbE LAN, which content material creators will admire for NAS or different strong networking setups. Still, USB4 could be a pleasant premium function right here for that very same crowd, too. Wi-Fi 6E with an included antenna is an anticipated—and included—accent at this value level.

Audio is nice, with Realtek’s ALC 4082 codec and ESS ES92280AQ combo DAC. You’ll additionally get a headphone amp for operating higher-impedance cans. This is implausible audio for those that don’t need further peripherals and like to maintain it streamlined inside the motherboard itself.

Clear CMOS and BIOS Flash buttons are included, in addition to a “smart button.”  You’ll additionally get a debug LED, which is useful, however at this value level, we’d prefer to see an even bigger digital readout display screen. 

A USB Type-C display-out on the again can be included, because the Ryzen 7000 CPUs have inbuilt iGPUs. We’d moderately see at the very least an HDMI port right here, as this serves primarily for diagnostics with out a discrete GPU, and HDMI has wider compatibility than USB Type C for this use case.

With only a few compromises, the MSI MEG X670E Ace is awash with options. For purely players, this may increasingly even embrace some overkill—particularly issues such because the six M.2 slots and 10GbE LAN. (Unless your Steam Library is gigantic, then our apologies!) Hybrid content material creators/players will love the options although, without having to step as much as much more premium choices such because the “Godlike” mannequin.

MSI MEG X670E Ace: Design

Thiago Trevisan

The MSI MEG X670E Ace is straight away eye-catching with its blacked-out design and gold accents. It’s fairly the looker, with RGB on—or off!

This design isn’t simply right here to wow you—it additionally serves a practical responsibility. The M.2 “Frozr” slot defend has thermal pads serving to to maintain them cool—and even the PCIe slots are bolstered. The numerous heatsinks all through additionally look nice and have helpful utility, too.

Heading right down to the decrease proper, you’ll discover the PCH space properly bolstered—with some good design patterns and gold accents. You’ll additionally get some RGB mild results on the phrase “ACE” and on a triangle within the decrease space. The aesthetics are easy, however extremely efficient on this motherboard.

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The higher VRM heatsink space will not be solely beefy, however completely joins the MSI “Dragon” on the I/O defend. It lights up in RGB giving it a tasteful pop of coloration amid the extra critical design components.

We’re comfortable to see the inclusion of a backplate right here for this premium providing. While it might not essentially do a lot, it does give the motherboard a high-end tactile really feel within the fingers and provides a little bit of safety. It does assist calm down MOSFETS as its main perform, so it’s not all simply within the seems to be!

The built-in I/O defend continues the darkish look with gold accents, and purple coloured usb ports. This makes for simpler studying when put in, and total seems to be clear and practical. The high of the I/O defend additionally seems to be nice, persevering with the design theme with the RGB infused dragon.

MSI MEG X670E Ace: Performance, software program, and BIOS

How does the MSI MEG X670E Ace ship on performance for each players and content material creators? Like a real “Ace,” it appears! First, the strong VRM of twenty-two+2+1 will deal with the Ryzen 9 7950X with ease. It additionally provides an eight-layer PCB and beefy cooling elements. In truth, you’ll be extra more likely to hit thermal limits on your CPU cooler than on something motherboard associated—it’s greater than overkill! 

Heatsinks, stacked fin arrays, warmth pipes, a metallic backplate, and “Frozr M.2” options are plentiful all over the place on this motherboard. This helps hold performance optimum—be it for the CPU, M.2 slots, or with MOSFET cooling. Next-generation {hardware}is placing out extra performance—and much more warmth—than ever. 

Top-speed DDR5 RAM is right here and also you’ll get high speeds out of your drives, as as much as three of them can help PCIe Gen 5, and the others PCIe Gen 4. This is a number of the quickest performance you’ll discover, interval. If you propose on including quick PCIe Gen 5 add-in playing cards alongside your GPU, having these three 16x slots could show fruitful for you in the long term—however for customers not making use of this, it might be unnecessarily including to the general price. All three 16x slots are linked to the CPU, too. 

The solely performance space—if you happen to can name it that—that we’d prefer to see beefed up could be in including USB4 for those that want it. Otherwise, you continue to get a really quick 20Gb/s USB. 

If you’d prefer to push performance a bit additional, the MSI BIOS is simple to make use of. On this motherboard, you’ll get extra tweaking choices than you’ll probably ever use, equivalent to numerous choices for CPU and RAM tinkering. This era Ryzen 7000 could profit extra from “Eco Mode” sort changes to take care of performance for much less energy draw. The typical “overclock to the max” sort of tinkering we could also be used to isn’t at all times the very best route.  

For those that simply desire a “set it and forget it” method, the MSI BIOS additionally does that competently—equivalent to setting the Expo RAM profiles for most DDR5 performance out of the field. You may set to routinely overclock your CPU, with AMD’s Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) together with MSI’s assist, too. 

Since AM5 is a brand new platform which will encounter some rising pains, we’d advocate updating the BIOS as it might result in extra stability enhancements than you’d usually have to do on a extra mature platform. MSI makes that straightforward within the BIOS, too!

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If you wish to hold a few of that customization on the software program aspect, we have now MSI’s Center software program accessible. Much like Asus Armoury Crate, this goals to be an all-in-one resolution for numerous duties. Setting RGB Mystic Light profiles, completely different fan curves, and even some {hardware}monitoring. You may get driver updates with out having to examine the MSI web site. 

While motherboard software program equivalent to this has been vastly bettering, we nonetheless advocate the BIOS or third-party software program for some features equivalent to fan management, {hardware}monitoring, and so forth.

Should you purchase the MSI MEG X670E Ace?

Coming in at $699, the MSI MEG X670E Ace will not be low-cost—and has different competitors from motherboards such because the Asus ROG X670E Hero. It falls right into a little bit of an odd world with its pricing and have set. 

The design is enticing, and functionally integrates nicely with nice cooling options on the motherboard itself. The function set is wealthy for players, however appears to be much more wealthy for content material creators. 10GbE LAN, loads of I/O, and nice audio are all right here. We’d prefer to see USB4, nevertheless, particularly at this degree of motherboard. 

The excellent news continues with an onslaught of M.2 drive help, however we begin to see a sample develop right here: There are many options which may be pointless for a pure gamer use case, which doesn’t name require the content-creator type additions at $699. With platform prices being greater on common with AMD’s AM5, it might make some cheaper motherboards simply as enticing for pure players—equivalent to MSI’s personal X670E Carbon, Asrock X670E Taichi, or the Asus X670E Strix at beneath $500. 

Overall, it’s a premium motherboard providing from MSI that delivers on its execution and aesthetics. It properly completes a high-end Ryzen 7000 construct for players—and much more so those that are additionally content material creators.