MSI MAG X670E Tomahawk WiFi review - Product Showcase

Showcase - ASRock X670E Taichi

The MSI MAG X670E Tomahawk WiFi motherboard offers impressive features for PC enthusiasts looking for a powerful build. It supports up to 128GB of DDR5 RAM in four banks and quadruple 32-Bit channel, which is internally reconfigured in the new DDR5 memories. While modules with such density are not currently available, they may become accessible in the future. However, 128GB is already a significant improvement, though at a high price point. The motherboard officially supports DDR5-5200 memories but with EXPO profiles, it can exceed 6600+ MHz with the right memories, particularly single-sided, 1 Rank density. 

There are several noteworthy connectivity options available on this motherboard, including the Realtek (RTL8125BG ) 2.5 GbE LAN port, as well as AMD RZ616  Wi-Fi 6E (2x2 MU-MIMO) and Bluetooth 5.3 wireless capabilities. Additionally, the Realtek ALC1200 audio solution, while unspecified, is capable of delivering 8-channel (7.1) audio with the aid of MSI Audio Boost technology. It's also worth noting that MSI takes pride in the motherboard's robust power design, featuring 14+2+1 phases and 80A power stages.

This ATX motherboard boasts four expansion slots, including a PCIe Gen 5.0 x16 slot, two PCIe Gen 4.0 x16 slots, and a smaller PCIe Gen 3.0 x1 slot. The motherboard also provides outputs for integrated graphics users, supporting up to 4K resolution at 120Hz, with the ability to connect multiple monitors through HDMI 2.1, DP 1.4, and USB-C options.

To expand storage capacity, users have the option of utilizing the four M.2 slots on the motherboard. One of these slots boasts blisteringly fast PCIe 5.0 speeds, while the remaining three slots offer PCIe 4.0 speeds. Additionally, three of these M.2 slots feature MSI's Frozr heatsinks, providing optimal cooling for high-performance SSDs. For those with legacy SATA drives or those who require additional HDD storage, four SATA ports are available.

The M.2 Gen5 port that can accommodate drives up to 110mm in length. This port has a screwless mounting system and an isolated heatsink that is dedicated to the unit. Furthermore, the heatsink has thermal pads for both the front and rear of the unit.

The importance of USB connectivity cannot be overstated, and the MSI MAG X670E Tomahawk WiFi has users covered with a total of eight rear-panel ports, including two Type-C ports, one of which offers Gen 2x2 speeds of up to 20Mbps. While the motherboard is not the most equipped in terms of connectors, it lacks some last-generation connectors that the new processors should carry as standard. Specifically, version 4.0 of the USB connector is missing.

In addition to these features, the motherboard also includes 2 ARGB 5v 3-pin connectors, 2 RGB LED connectors 12v. While the product in question has several impressive features, there is one notable shortcoming that may affect its usability for some users. Specifically, the product lacks on-board control buttons, which can make it difficult to adjust settings or make changes without accessing the software. Furthermore, the diagnosis capabilities of the product are limited, with only a few LEDs available to indicate system status. This can make it challenging to troubleshoot issues or identify potential problems quickly.