MSI MEG Z490 ACE Motherboard Review

How Much Does it Cost?

Unfortunately, writing these reviews before the product launches means that stock is a bit erratic and pre-order prices are all over the place. I’ll update this part shortly after the review goes live, but you can check for stock and prices yourself on Amazon UK here and Amazon US here. We expect it to be around £389/$400.

Overview

MSI has one of the most comprehensive ranges of motherboards, from the affordable models, right up to their GODLIKE series. The ACE seems to sit pretty firmly in the middle of it all, costing around half that of the top end models, but it’s certainly not half the motherboard! As part of their MEG series, it’s still very much an enthusiast gamer product, and it wants to be, given it’s around £100 more expensive than the previous Z390 model was at launch.

Build Quality & Design

It’s a very nicely designed motherboard, we liked the previous models, but honestly, this is a huge improvement and it shows they’re listening to review and consumer feedback. It has a much more premium look overall. They’ve added some gold highlights to the design that could have backfired, but instead, it’s a more subtle and tasteful approach and I think MSI has absolutely nailed it, we love it!

All of the hardware is well protected and cooled too, with huge VRM heatsinks that are nicely set away from the CPU socket for improved compatibility. Plus there are big heatsinks over the M.2 mounts and chipset, which look fantastic, but also provide a real benefit to system performance.

Performance

All of the Z490 motherboards we tested may have performed broadly the same, which is to be expected as they all used the same CPU. However, it’s how that performance can be maintained. With a 16 Phase 90A digital power delivery and those big heatsinks, the MEG ACE should be able to run your CPU like hell all day long and then some. I suspect with the right cooler configuration, you’ll be pushing overclocks comparable to the flagship motherboards too.

Added Value

The board has an impressive range of hardware and connectivity, with triple M.2 slots and M.2 Shield Frozr coolers for all your fast-storage needs. Plus, there’s USB 2, 3.2 Gen 1, and Gen 2 Type-C built-in. Additionally, you’ll find all MSI boards are PCIe 4.0 ready for when Rocket Lake CPUs are released.

The additional of ESS Sabre DAC and the ALC1220 chipset ensure you get superb on-board audio. Of course, Gigabyte and 2.5G LAN as well as WiFi 6 AX hardware ensure you’re never short of networking options too.

Should I Buy One?

This is a great “entry level” enthusiast motherboard. It’s got just enough of the features we find on the flagship boards, while still keeping its foot firmly planted in the enthusiast gamer market rather than the more focused content creation or extreme overclockers realm. A great option for anyone building a kick-ass gaming PC and wanting to get the best out of Intel’s new flagship CPUs.