Product Showcase
Product Showcase
The MSI MEG ACE MAX lineup comprises high-end motherboards, yet it does not represent the company's flagship product. That distinction belongs to the GODLIKE, which stands as MSI's premier motherboard offering. The ACE can be seen as a more affordable, scaled-down counterpart to the GODLIKE, though it still commands a premium price of $699 USD. The MEG Z790 ACE MAX features an Intel 700 series chipset, specifically the Z790, designed to accommodate the latest 12th and 13th/14theneration Intel Alder Lake and Raptor Lake processors compatible with socket LGA 1700.
Its best features are the 24+1 105A phase power design, DDR5 memory support, dual Thunderbolt 4.0 ports, PCIe 5.0 support, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 front-panel connector, support for up to five M.2 SSDs, onboard WiFi 7 is the new big ticket item , dual 2.5G LAN, and many more. Based on its features alone, the MEG Z790 ACE MAX is very similar to the non MAX edition, and as far as competition goes, the Asus ROG Maximus Z790 HERO.
| Size | E-ATX |
| Memory | 4 x DDR5 up to 8000 (OC) |
| PCIe | 2x PCIe 5.0 x16 (1x x16, 1x x8), 1x PCIe 4.0 x16 (x4), 1x M.2/M key (PCIe 5.0 x4, 2280), 1x M.2/M key (PCIe 4.0 x4 , 22110/2280/2260), 1x M.2/M key (PCIe 4.0 x4, 2280/2260), 1x M.2/M key (PCIe 4.0 x4/SATA, 22110/ 2280/2260), 1x M.2/M-Key (PCIe 4.0 x4/SATA, 2280/2260), 1x M.2/E-Key (PCIe/Intel CNVi, 2230, occupied by WiFi +BT module) |
| Connection External | 2x Thunderbolt 4 (40Gb/s, Intel JHL8540, iGPU), 1x USB-C 3.1 with DisplayPort (10Gb/s, iGPU), 7x USB-A 3.1 (10Gb/s), 2x 2.5GBase-T (Intel ), 5x jack, 1x Toslink, 2x DisplayPort-In (Mini DisplayPort) |
| Connection internal | 1x USB-C 3.2 Key-A Header (20Gb/s, PD, max. 60W), 1x USB-C 3.2 Key-A Header (20Gb/s), 2x USB 3.0 Header (5Gb/s, 4x USB 3.0), 2x USB 2.0 header (480Mb/s, 4x USB 2.0), 6x SATA 6Gb/s (Z790), 1x TPM header, 1x chassis intrusion header, 1x MSI tuning controller header 5-pin |
| Audio | 7.1 (Realtek ALC4082), DAC (ESS ES9280AQ) |
| Thunderbolt 4 | 2 x USB Type-C ports |
| LAN | 2x 2.5GBase-T (Intel ) |
| WIFI | WiFi 7 (WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax, 2x2, Intel), Bluetooth 5.2 |
| lighting | RGB, 2 zones (chipset cooler, I/O cover) / 1x 4-pin RGB (+12V/G/R/B, max. 3A), 3x 3-pin ARGB (+5V/DATA/GND, max. 3A, MSI V2) |
| Buttons | Power button (internal), Reset button (internal), Clear CMOS button (external), USB BIOS Flashback (external), Smart button (external), LED switch (internal), BIOS switch (internal) |
| Headers cooling | 1x CPU fan 4-pin, 2x pump 4-pin, 5x fan 4-pin, 2x thermal sensor, 1x flow sensor |
A slew of enthusiast-grade features nicely complements the ACE's assertive appearance. Dual Thunderbolt 4 connectors on the back panel are ready to support next-generation peripherals at full speed, and next-generation Realtek audio paired with an ESS ES9218 Quad-DAC for front-panel connections delivers crisp, clear gaming audio regardless of the headset or speakers you plug into your PC. This board has Thunderbolt 4 with outstanding interface bandwidth speeds up to true 40Gbp and support for up to six daisy-chained devices. Additionally, Maximum 8K display support, Multi-Port Accessory Architecture and USB 4.0 compliance provide reliable connectivity and a better user experience.
- Maximum 8K display support
- Daisy Chain support
- Multi-Port Accessory Architecture
- Thunderbolt 4 - 40 Gbps
- USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 - 20 Gbps
- USB 3.2 Gen 2 - 10 Gbps
- USB 3.2 Gen 1 - 5 Gbps
Dual 2.5G LAN with WiFi 6E
- Dual Intel 2.5G LAN
- Wi-Fi 7
- Bluetooth 5.4
- Magnetic antenna
MSI's MEG series is at the top of their product lines, and they usually have features that show why they are at the top. The Z790 ACE MAX we have here is no different. It has white accents, Thunderbolt 4, and is very well set up to handle any Alder/Raptor Lake CPU, so let us get started.
