MSI Z170A GAMING M5 (LGA1151) Motherboard Review

Software Overview

MSI’s software suite includes a fantastic selection of useful utilities to help monitor system temperatures, and optimize your hardware. The Command Center allows you to adjust the CPU’s core multiplier, system voltage, and BCLK. It’s also possible to tweak the CPU in a similar fashion to the BIOS and adjust each core’s multiplier. The program has the option to monitor fan speeds and automatically tune the system based on thermal loads.

In the software, it’s really easy to adjust the fan RPM values to your personal requirements.

The temperature sensors provides valuable information and gives you an insight into the current cooling setup.

It’s even possible to adjust a huge array of voltage values to maximize the overclocking potential of your CPU.

MSI’s Fast Boot is handy to launch Windows and ignore the traditional post initiation sequences. On another note, the Go2BIOS button reboots the PC and allows you to access the BIOS without having to frantically press the keyboard.

The Gaming App features three modes and adjusts the CPU’s frequency based on your selection. For example, the Gaming Mode sets the CPU to its maximum turbo frequency while the Silent Mode prioritizes low noise over a higher CPU clock. In this compact interface, there’s a number of applications to help customise the user experience.

MSI’s Live Update 6 tool is brilliant and outlines the required driver updates without having to search on the motherboard’s website. This makes it incredibly easy to update to the latest version and ensure your system has the correct software installed.

MSI’s RAMDisk is incredibly useful to utilize spare memory and create an ultra-fast RAMDisk. This makes applications run very quickly, and ensures no aspect of your system is going to waste.