MSI X299M Gaming Pro Carbon AC Motherboard Review

MSI X299M Gaming Pro Carbon AC

The Intel X299 range of motherboards has been with us a little while now, and they blew us away with their huge range of features and extremely powerful processors. Of course, when it comes to the higher end 10+ core CPUs, you’re building a system around a CPU that can cost over £1000. When it comes to high-end hardware, you’ll want the equally matched hardware to get the best performance possible. Enter the MSI Gaming Pro Carbon AC, one of the most feature-packed MSI motherboards on the market today. Just keep in mind this beastly CPU is built for the 78XX and 79XX 6 Core CPUs and above only.

Of course, pure gaming systems will benefit from Z370 more these days, if all you care about is FPS. However, for content creators, X299 is the way to go. If you’re focusing on recording, streaming, editing, and similar workflows, the extra grunt of an X299 is perfect for you, as you’re not going to bottleneck your workflow.

If you’re building an extreme workstation or gaming PC, you’re already seeking a system with a boat-load of features. However, the X299M brings a whole boat-load of its own too. It’ll deliver support for the fastest DDR4 memory on the market. Of course, you’ll also find support for just about every high-end storage solution, with Twin Turbo M.2, Optane, Lightening USB, Turbo U.2 and much more. There’s plenty of fun stuff too, with Mystic Light, Gaming LAN, Multi-GPU, and high-end audio thanks to the ALC1220 hardware.

Features

• Supports New Intel^® Core^™ X-series Processor Family for LGA 2066 socket
• Support Quad Channel DDR4-4133(OC)+, Dual Channel DDR4-4500(OC)+
• MYSTIC LIGHT: 16.8 million colours / 17 effects controlled in one click with MYSTIC LIGHT APP or mobile devices.
• 3D Printing Support: exchangeable cover and 3D X-MOUNTING screws.
• Designed for Extreme Performance: TURBO SOCKET with GAME BOOST, DIGITALL POWER Design
• Lightning Fast Game experience: TWIN TURBO M.2 with M.2 Shield and Intel Optane Memory Ready, Turbo U.2, LIGHTNING USB 3.1 GEN2
• VR READY and VR BOOST: Best virtual reality game experience without latency, reduces motion sickness. Supports Nahimic VR & TriDef VR.
• AUDIO BOOST 4 with NAHIMIC 2+: Reward your ears with studio-grade sound quality for the most immersive gaming experience
• DDR4 BOOST with STEEL ARMOR: Give your DDR4 memory a performance boost
• GAMING LAN and Wireless support, powered by Intel^®: The best online gaming experience with the lowest latency and bandwidth management.
• MULTI-GPU: With STEEL ARMOR PCI-E slots. Supports 3-Way NVIDIA SLI^™ & AMD Crossfire^™
• SYSTEM SAVER: 3 easy to use options to successfully boot your system again.
• In-Game Weapons: GAME BOOST, GAMING HOTKEY, X-BOOST, XSPLIT GAMECASTER, APP MANAGER
• GAMING CERTIFIED: 24-hour on- and offline game and motherboard testing by eSports players
• Click BIOS 5: Award-winning BIOS with high-resolution scalable font, favourites and search function
• WHQL certified for Windows 10

What MSI Had to Say

Combining industries best components with MSI’s top-notch R&D design, you can count on this motherboard to deliver world-class performance. System tuning and troubleshooting tools are at your disposal to push your system to new heights.

Using only the finest quality components and integrating the latest technological innovations delivers the best possible gaming and professional experience. Rigorous quality testing under the most extreme conditions ensures a super reliable, high-performance motherboard.

This MSI GAMING motherboard supports all the latest storage standards. This allows you to connect any ultra-fast storage device, giving you in-game benefits. Start games faster, load levels faster and have a real advantage over your enemies.

Specifications

For in-depth specifications, please visit the official product page here.

What’s in the Box

In the box, you’ll find a plethora of SATA cables, lighting cable extensions, fitting screws, and all the usual bits and pieces. There’s also a nice backplate, and an SLI bridge should you need it.

There two neat little things are for changing the design of the motherboard, it’s a neat little idea, and I’ll show you it in action shortly.