MSI MEG Z490 Unify Motherboard Review

The MSI MEG ACE may be lavished in shiny gold trim, but the MSI MEG Z490 Unify is much sleeker, stealthy and more menacing. It’s also shed a few features such as dual LAN and some of the heatsinks and armour is a little more dialled back to lower the cost. However, make no mistake, as this is still a MEG series motherboard, meaning it’s still crammed full of high-end features that will appeal to the enthusiast gaming market.

MSI MEG Z490 Unify Motherboard

Of course, the Intel Z490 LGA 1200 motherboards come with support for the latest 10th Gen CPUs from Intel. This one also offers up high-speed memory support, comes Gen4 ready, and offers fantastic networking thanks to the 2.5 GbE LAN paired with the latest WiFi 6 802.11ax technology. Overclocking should be a breeze too, thanks to the INTERSIL Digital PWM 16+1 Phase design. Furthermore, there’s plenty of connectivity, with USB C, M.2 with Frozr heatsinks, Audio Boost HD with ESS DAC and Nahimic, and much more.

Features

• Supports 10th Gen Intel® Core™ / Pentium® Celeron® processors for LGA 1200 socket
• Supports DDR4 Memory, up to 4800(OC) MHz
• Ready 4 the Future: Support Lightning Gen 4 Solution for the future
• Extreme Power Design: INTERSIL digital PWM, 16+1 phases with 90A Smart Power Stage, dual CPU power connectors and exclusive Mirrored Power Arrangement to unleash the true power of your processors.
• Outstanding Cooling Solution: Frozr Heatsink, VRM Heat-pipe, Aluminum Cover and M.2 Shield Frozr ensure the extreme performance with low temp.
• Latest Network Solution: Onboard 2.5G LAN and latest Wi-Fi 6 solution deliver the best online experience without lag.
• Smart Button: One button with multiple hardware control. Reset Computer, Safe Boot, Turbo Fan and EZ LED control functions with just one click.
• Triple Turbo M.2 with Shield Frozr: Turbo M.2 delivers PCI-E Gen3 x4 performance with transfer speeds up to 32 Gb/s for the latest SSDs.
• Audio Boost HD: Isolated audio with a high quality audio processor with ESS DAC & Nahimic for the most immersive gaming experience.

What MSI Had to Say

“The MEG series seeks to transcend current gaming products, the flagship model designed to push the limits of what an extreme gaming series can be. Combining the strengths of our existing arsenal with new innovative technology; this results in significant improvements in operational and gaming efficiency. With the MEG series, take complete control of performance and personalization with the ultimate gaming series for enthusiasts who want it all.” – MSI

Z490 Motherboard Reviews

Of course, today is the launch of the new Z490 motherboards as well as the new 10th Gen CPUs from Intel. Check out all of our Z490 reviews below.