MSI Z270 Gaming M5 Preview

Published by Luca Rocchi on 03.01.17
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Conclusion

Overall   + -
A closer look at the motherboard lineup from MSI reveals that the Z270 Gaming M5 is an upper mid-range model, regarding their gaming branded products. Of course it comes with some really neat features, like for example Game Boost and the new updated UEFI BIOS. The MSI Z270 Gaming M5 motherboard is powered by an 8-phase CPU VRM, which is usually enough for an overclocked system even if you wanted to do extreme benching using liquid nitrogen as coolant, neverthelss we would choose another model from the MSI Z270 portfolio for that purpose. Continuing on the feature list we find a beefed-up audio solution as well as the latest Killer E2500 Ethernet chip. The Killer LAN chip always comes bundled with a good software, which for example allows traffic shaping. Apart from that there is an adequate bundle, containing everything necessary to start building a new rig.  

- Design
- Layout
- Features
- 2 x M.2 x4 Slot

 
       
Layout   + -
Overall, the MSI Z270 Gaming M5's layout has been well thought. Once more practical are the angled SATA connectors that you can find on almost all motherboards nowadays. Other than that there are internal USB 3.0 headers. Unfortunately there are no practical power- and reset-buttons. Nevertheless MSI decided to equip this board with a debug display. This one is always highly useful in case you should have issues with a component in your system or the board itself. Apart from that there are three full-sized PCI Express Gen3 slots (two of them with Steel Armor), which have been very well positioned. You also get four PCIe Gen3 x1 connectors onboard, and they can be found in between the PCIe slot as well as on top of the first full-sized PCIe slot. Furthermore the Gaming M5 has also been equipped with two M.2 x4 Gen 3 slots.   - Angled SATA connectors - Debug display
- Space around the CPU socket - Audio Solution
- No power/reset-button onboard


Page 1 - Introduction Page 4 - Layout
Page 2 - Specs and Delivery Page 5 - Connectors and I/O
Page 3 - Features Page 6 - Conclusion




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MSI Z270 Gaming M5 Preview - Motherboards > Intel > Z270 - Reviews - ocaholic