Price When Reviewed

$699

Best Prices Today: MSI MEG X670E ACE

$699.99

$744.04

If you’re seeking to get certainly one of AMD’s new Ryzen 7000 CPUs and wish to maximize it, you might also need a premium motherboard. 

Enter the MSI MEG X670E Ace. Underlying its modern 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 direction of the fanatic gamer and content material creator. Does this “Ace” really ship? 

We will comb the specs, and talk about options, efficiency, 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 selection 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 simply’ll be capable to use your previous 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, that means it will likely be bigger than your typical ATX motherboard, with measurements of 277×304.8mm (10.9×12 inches), so case dimension might be necessary. 

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

The unboxing expertise is nice, and for an MSRP of $699, it does include a couple of fascinating equipment: an M.2 Xpander-Z PCIe Gen 5 card, a USB drive, a couple of 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 fans!)

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• E-ATX kind 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

Thiago Trevisan

Coming in at $699, that is an enthusiast-grade, premium motherboard. The X670E chipset means that it’ll have essentially the most strong PCIe Gen 5 help you’ll discover for AM5, and that exhibits: Three 16x PCIe Gen 5 lanes (break up 8x/8x/4x when you use all three) means you possibly can 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 possibly can increase a further two on the cardboard itself. While most avid gamers 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 characteristic for individuals who don’t like miniscule screws! Along with the built-in I/O defend, this helps make for an pleasant 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 is just not 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 respect for NAS or different strong networking setups. Still, USB4 could be a pleasant premium characteristic right here for that very same crowd, too. Wi-Fi 6E with an included antenna is an anticipated—and included—accent at this worth level.

Audio is nice, with Realtek’s ALC 4082 codec and ESS ES92280AQ combo DAC. You’ll additionally get a headphone amp for working higher-impedance cans. This is unbelievable audio for individuals who 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 worth level, we’d prefer to see a much bigger digital readout display. 

A USB Type-C display-out on the again can be included, because the Ryzen 7000 CPUs have in-built iGPUs. We’d slightly 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 avid gamers, this may occasionally even embody 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/avid gamers 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 useful responsibility. The M.2 “Frozr” slot defend has thermal pads serving to to maintain them cool—and even the PCIe slots are strengthened. The varied heatsinks all through additionally look nice and have helpful utility, too.

Heading all the way down to the decrease proper, you’ll discover the PCH space properly strengthened—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 is just not solely beefy, however completely joins the MSI “Dragon” on the I/O defend. It lights up in RGB giving it a tasteful pop of shade amid the extra critical design components.

We’re completely happy to see the inclusion of a backplate right here for this premium providing. While it could not essentially do a lot, it does give the motherboard a high-end tactile really feel within the palms and provides a little bit of safety. It does assist quiet down MOSFETS as its major operate, so it’s not all simply within the seems!

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 clear and useful. The high of the I/O defend additionally seems 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 efficiency for each avid gamers 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 parts. In reality, you’ll be extra more likely to hit thermal limits in 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 in every single place on this motherboard. This helps maintain efficiency optimum—be it for the CPU, M.2 slots, or with MOSFET cooling. Next-generation {hardware} is placing out extra efficiency—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 efficiency 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 could be unnecessarily including to the general price. All three 16x slots are linked to the CPU, too. 

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

If you’d prefer to push efficiency a bit additional, the MSI BIOS is simple to make use of. On this motherboard, you’ll get extra tweaking choices than you’ll doubtless ever use, reminiscent of varied choices for CPU and RAM tinkering. This era Ryzen 7000 could profit extra from “Eco Mode” sort changes to take care of efficiency 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 perfect route.  

For those that simply need a “set it and forget it” method, the MSI BIOS additionally does that competently—reminiscent of setting the Expo RAM profiles for optimum DDR5 efficiency out of the field. You may set to robotically 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 could 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!

MSI

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

While motherboard software program reminiscent of this has been drastically enhancing, we nonetheless advocate the BIOS or third-party software program for some features reminiscent of fan management, {hardware} monitoring, and so on.

Should you purchase the MSI MEG X670E Ace?

Coming in at $699, the MSI MEG X670E Ace is just not 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 engaging, and functionally integrates nicely with nice cooling options on the motherboard itself. The characteristic set is wealthy for avid gamers, 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 fashion additions at $699. With platform prices being greater on common with AMD’s AM5, it could make some cheaper motherboards simply as engaging for pure avid gamers—reminiscent of MSI’s personal X670E Carbon, Asrock X670E Taichi, or the Asus X670E Strix at below $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 avid gamers—and much more so those that are additionally content material creators.