Introduction
MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk MAX WIFI review
MSI has introduced its MAG Z790 Tomahawk MAX WIFI motherboard, coinciding with the Raptor Lake refresh processors. A salient feature of this motherboard is its support for the new WIFI7. The MAG Series, recognized among gaming enthusiasts, is equipped with a 16+1+1 DRPS power phase design, 90A SPS, and dual-8 pin CPU power connectors. This ensures the MAG Z790 TOMAHAWK WIFI can handle demanding games efficiently. It also incorporates a Lightning Gen 5.0 PCIe slot, 2.5G LAN, and a Wi-Fi 6E solution, offering ample power and bandwidth for diverse tasks. Additionally, a DDR4 version will be available for evaluation. For those considering the integration with Alder Lake or exploring Z690 motherboards at competitive prices, it's essential to recognize that the 13th Gen Intel Core Processors utilize the LGA 1700 socket. This facilitates backward compatibility with previous 600 series motherboards, provided the BIOS is updated accordingly. The design intent for the MAG Z790 TOMAHAWK MAX WIFI is to cater to the gaming community, ensuring a robust and reliable foundation for PC constructions. This motherboard is equipped with Wi-Fi 7, 2.5G LAN, DDR5, PCIe 5.0, and the exclusive M.2 Shield Frozr. It is compatible with Intel's 13th Gen Core processors.
| Intel 14th Gen Core Raptor Lake Refresh | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration | Base Clock P-Core | Max Clock P-Core | PBP/MTP | |
| Core i9-14900K(F) | 24/32T (8P+16E) | 3.2 GHz | 6.0 GHz | 125W/253W |
| Core i9-14900(F) | 24/32T (8P+16E) | 2.0 GHz | 5.8 GHz | 65W/219W |
| Core i7-14700K(F) | 20/28T (8P+12E) | 3.4 GHz | 5.6 GHz | 125W/253W |
| Core i7-14700(F) | 20/28T (8P+12E) | 2.1 GHz | 5.4 GHz | 65W/219W |
| Core i5-14600K(F) | 14/20T (6P+8E) | 3.5 GHz | 5.3 GHz | 125W/253W |
| Core i5-14600 | 14/20T (6P+8E) | 2.7 GHz | 5.2 GHz | 65W/154W |
| Core i5-14500 | 14/20T (6P+8E) | 2.6 GHz | 5.0 GHz | 65W/154W |
| Core i5-14400(F) | 10/16T (6P+4E) | 2.5 GHz | 4.7 GHz | 65W/148W |
| Core i3-14100(F) | 4/8T (4P+0E) | 3.5 GHz | 4.7 GHz | 60W/89W |
The MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk MAX WIFI motherboard resembles the previous Z790 motherboard in several ways. The PCH and SSD heatsink/cover has a somewhat different appearance from the one on the earlier motherboard. Meet the MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk MAX with WIFI7.
