The most recent in our sequence of Z790 refresh motherboard opinions is the MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk Max WiFi. To make use of MSI’s MAG nomenclature, Tomahawks sit in the course of MSI’s product stack, above the entry degree gaming oriented MPG vary and under the excessive finish MEG vary. It sits within the bang to your buck candy spot if you’ll, with a robust core function set geared toward avid gamers which can be unwilling to spend large cash on a motherboard. We have tended to charge MSI’s Tomahawk motherboards extremely up to now, and at $300 / £310 / AU$579 it provides good worth.
Here is a shock. The Tomahawk Max WiFi prices lower than its predecessor did on the time of its launch. Aside from our trade charge handicapped Aussie buddies, that is lower than the $319 / £337 / AU$569 of the non-Max MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi. Right away MSI has completed avid gamers a service! In comparison with its predecessor, the Tomahawk Max WiFi options native 14th Gen and sooner reminiscence assist, PCIe 5.0 M.2, and extra SATA port and WiFi 7. That makes the Max a no brainer buy.
Nonetheless, $300 is not what you’d name low-cost for a motherboard. The Tomahawk Max WiFi compares favorably to a board just like the Asus TUF Gaming Z790-Professional WiFi on the similar value. The MSI provides WiFi 7, PCIe 5.0 SSD assist, a extra highly effective VRM, extra SATA ports and a bigger variety of USB ports, nonetheless. Although the Asus does function 30W energy supply to its 20Gbps USB header if that is vital to you. Nonetheless, The Tomahawk Max faces robust competitors from under. The ASRock Z790 Riptide WiFi is a wonderful alternative for $50 much less.
These Z790 refresh boards signify one of the best the LGA 1700 technology has to supply. In distinction to the teething points widespread to Intel 600-series motherboards which launched DDR5 reminiscence and the complexities of the twelfth Gen hybrid structure, Z790 refresh boards are usually extremely mature choices. They’re greater than final yr’s Z790 boards with a contemporary coat of paint. Although you possibly can replace the BIOS of 600 and 700-series motherboards, a purchaser new to the LGA 1700 platform needs to be taking a look at Z790 refresh boards for one of the best general expertise.
However now, again to the motherboard itself. In my view the Tomahawk Max WiFi is without doubt one of the best-looking motherboards in the marketplace. It is all black design with some refined inexperienced highlights. I’ve by no means been a fan of designs with RGB lit logos that look extra like billboard ads, so thanks for that MSI.
MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk Max WiFi overview and specs
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The board itself would not embrace any RGB lighting, nonetheless, there are three ARGB headers and a single RGB header. There are eight fan headers too, so the Tomahawk Max WiFi will fortunately accommodate a system with RGB and watercooling.
The Tomahawk Max WiFi comes with a nicely balanced function set. Its 4 reminiscence slots assist speeds of 7800MHz+. Twin rank modules are supported at 6600MHz+ whereas a full 192GB complement of 4 twin rank modules can run at 5600MHz+. That is an enormous improve over the assist supplied by first technology LGA 1700 boards and it is a good commercial for the capabilities of 14th Gen processors.
MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk Max WiFi specs
Socket: Intel LGA 1700
CPU compatibility: Intel twelfth, thirteenth & 14th Gen desktop processors
Type issue: ATX
Reminiscence assist: DDR5-7800+(OC), as much as 192GB
Storage: 4x M.2, 8x SATA
USB: Up 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, 6x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 6x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 4x USB 2.0
Show: 1x DP 1.4, 1x HDMI 2.1
Networking: Intel 2.5G LAN, WiFi 7
Audio: Realtek ALC4080
Value: $300 / £310 / AU$579
The Tomahawk Max WiFi’s storage spec is excellent. It helps as much as 4 M.2 drives, with the first slot supporting PCIe 5.0 drives. The remainder assist PCIe 4.0. All are cooled by their very own heatsinks. The first slot is the one one of many 4 to be cooled by an simply removable heatsink. The others are screwed in. Nonetheless, the first heatsink actually lacks floor space in comparison with some boards. You may want good airflow to maintain a sizzling working Gen 5 SSD from throttling underneath sustained hundreds.
The 4 M.2 slots are joined by eight SATA ports. That is turning into a rarity at any value. Although the cheaper ASRock Z790 Riptide WiFi additionally has eight plus another M.2 slot, the Tomahawk’s storage potential continues to be excellent.
The PCIe slot complement is round par, as M.2 slots take up PCB area that was reserved for growth card slots. The first PCIe slot helps Gen 5 speeds. It is joined by a PCIe 4.0 x16 slot (x4 electrical) and a PCIe 3.0 x1 slot. Each are positioned away from the first slot permitting you to make use of them unhindered by a triple slot graphics card.
Now we come to the VRM, and it is wonderful. MSI has historically overspec’d the VRM of its Tomahawk fashions, and that continues right here. The 16+1+1 part answer with 90A levels would not have been misplaced on a flagship board simply a few years in the past. This board may even energy a liquid nitrogen cooled CPU, so us common customers will not face a problem even with an overclocked Core i9 14900K.
A robust VRM is not of a lot use if the heatsinks are weak, they usually aren’t. Although they do not have the massive floor space of excessive finish or finned designs, they functioned completely nicely in my testing.
The rear I/O of the Tomahawk Max WiFi is an actual spotlight. There are a complete of ten USB ports, made up of a single 20Gbps Sort-C port, 5 10Gbps ports (considered one of which is Sort-C), plus 4 5Gbps ports. MSI features a CMOS clear and BIOS flashback buttons. You by no means know in the event you may want the latter to replace the BIOS so as to add assist for future non-Okay CPUs, or perhaps a 14900KS.
You get a DP 1.4 port and HDMI 2.1 port. Although not related for gaming functions, I wish to see these ports included so you will have choices do you have to repurpose the system with out the necessity for a discrete graphics card.
Most, however not all boards round this value incorporate WiFi 7. It is one of many highlights of this technology of motherboards. WiFi 7 is joined by Intel 2.5GbE.
MSI did not resort to an affordable audio codec both. It consists of Realtek ALC4080 audio with a whole set of analogue ports and S/PDIF. It is extra in regards to the implementation than the bottom codec, and to that finish MSI outfitted the Tomahawk Max WiFi with top quality capacitors and de-pop safety circuitry. It is powerful to count on far more on this value vary.
MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk Max WiFi efficiency
System Efficiency
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Gaming Efficiency
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MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk Max WiFi evaluation
The Tomahawk Max WiFi is the fourth Z790 refresh board I’ve examined. I have been fairly stunned at how equally the boards carry out to at least one one other, even when they’re left at their auto settings with a little bit of a free-for-all in relation to Intel’s energy limits and turbo ratios. However having stated that, these are third technology boards. The underlying microcode and hybrid structure are well-known portions at this level, and it isn’t shocking to see that the motherboard makes subsequent to no distinction in comparison with a CPU or GPU improve or downgrade.
Within the system assessments, the MSI threw up no surprises, although I did be aware it received one of the best outcome within the 3DMark storage take a look at.
Take a look at rig
CPU: Intel Core i9 14900K
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Version
RAM: 2x 16GB G.Talent Trident Z5 DDR5-6000 C36
Storage: 2TB Seagate FireCuda 530
Cooling: Cooler Grasp PL360 Flux 360mm AIO
PSU: Corsair AX1000
A secure baseline is an efficient factor. If nothing else, a strong and dependable Z790 mid-range board just like the Z790 Tomahawk Max Wifi confirmed that it will fortunately mate with a excessive finish mixture like an i9 14900K and RTX 4090, though such a mixture might be uncommon in the actual world.
Now its time for my normal reminiscence take a look at. As has been the case throughout my testing, I used to be in a position to hit DDR5-8000 however shifting previous that required unreasonable ranges of IMC voltage. Quickly I will be getting my fingers on a Teamgroup DDR5-8200 equipment, and that is one thing that can require a succesful BIOS to run correctly. If in any respect!
MSI’s BIOS has modified little because the introduction of its first UEFI, and why ought to it? The fundamental settings are simple to seek out, whereas it is superior mode comprises nicely labeled and straightforward to navigate sub-menus. Is it overdue for a brand new pores and skin or a format change? Possibly, however my pondering with BIOS layouts is easy. If it ain’t broke, do not repair it.
MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk Max WiFi verdict
Purchase if…
✅You need assist for lot of storage. The Z790 Tomahawk Max WiFi consists of 4 M.2 slots and eight SATA ports, so in the event you’ve received loads of drives, it is considered one of few to supply that a lot capability.
✅ You are on the lookout for an reasonably priced board for a excessive energy CPU. The Tomahawk Max will simply deal with a 14900K, which implies it will deal with something. Not all boards round $300 are as nicely suited to flagship CPUs.
Do not buy if…
❌ You have already got a Z690 or Z790 board. In case you’ve already received a earlier technology LGA 1700 board, you are in all probability higher off updating its BIOS and going 14th Gen with that.
The MSI Z790 Tomahawk Max WiFi is a wonderful providing with a top quality set of options that make it a really aggressive providing in its value vary. MSI deserves credit score for not pushing the worth of the Max model above its non-Max predecessor. That is a reasonably uncommon factor for any product in immediately’s inflation hit financial system, so nicely completed MSI.
A typical gamer must ask themselves what they worth most in a motherboard. Because the efficiency variations between third technology motherboards largely falls inside a margin of error, your alternative will come all the way down to options, aesthetics and in the event you’re so inclined, model loyalty. If options are on the high of your record, then the inclusion of WiFi 7, 4x M.2 plus 8x SATA, a top quality VRM able to powering something from the twelfth, thirteenth and 14th Generations, and rear mounted USB 20Gbps port ought to all charge extremely.
Seems are all the time within the eye of the beholder, however I like the understated look of the Tomahawk Max. Its splashes of inexperienced and the absence of retina scalding RGB branding and logos is pleasant to me. You be the choose if that is vital to you. You possibly can nonetheless add RGB to your rig, however this manner you are able to do it in a mode of your personal with out having MSI or Aorus or ROG ads in your face. Minimalism will not be a standard trait amongst motherboard makers. Although MSI, notably with its Unify vary, leads the way in which.
Contemplating its spec record, minimalistic attractiveness and top quality VRM, its a board that ought to positively be in your shortlist within the $300 vary
The principle downside for the Tomahawk Max will not be from above, however under. The ASRock Z790 Riptide WiFi features a related function set, however for $50 much less. If the MSI included a entrance 20Gbps header, maybe with excessive energy supply assist, then it might need taken out our high gong. Nonetheless, its superior rear I/O and VRM make it a extremely interesting providing.
Contemplating its spec record, minimalistic attractiveness and top quality VRM, its a board that ought to positively be in your shortlist within the $300 vary. It is the form of strong and mature board that can fortunately sit on the coronary heart of a rig made up of mid vary to extremely excessive finish parts, and look good whereas doing it.
