MSI Z270 GAMING PRO CARBON LGA1151 Review

Software Overview

MSI’s software suite includes a fantastic selection of utilities to help monitor system parameters, optimise your hardware and enjoy a more enriching PC gaming experience. The recently added Dragon Eye application allows you to watch your favourite streamers in a window while playing games. This could be handy if you’re viewing a competitive eSports match and want to react in real-time to your own match based on a professional player’s behaviour.

The Command Center contains a huge array of options to modify the per-core frequency, BCLK and configure the default fan mode. Notice how the temperatures are displayed in the top corner to constantly monitor the CPU’s stability.

On the DRAM page, you can modify the frequency and memory voltage. However, it’s not recommended for most users as the XMP profile will automatically select the correct configuration.

As previously mentioned, the Game Boost feature automatically detects your processor and thermal readings before recommending an appropriate overclock. The one-click overclocking functionality is great for newcomers and doesn’t seem to overvolt the CPU in a haphazard way.

If you’re more experienced with the overclocking process, it’s easy enough to modify different voltage aspects such as the SA, IO, PCH and ST PLL.

Here we can see the fan tuning menu which allows you to create a custom curve for the four system fans as well as tuning them so that the software can identify the optimal settings.

The Record function is another great addition to observe thermal readings, voltages and fan speeds while running a timed stress test.

The DRAM Timings menu incorporates an unbelievable number of options to achieve lower latency figures or make a memory overclock completely stable.

Rather impressively, the software has a temperature sensor utility which lists the thermal values and fan speeds. Sadly, there are no thermal probes in the motherboard to monitor the VRMs and PCH, but this is to be expected given the motherboard’s affordable price point.

The Mobile Control is a really novel tool to change your processor’s multiplier, the memory frequency and other important aspects remotely from a smartphone application.

MSI’s DPC Latency Tuner is an all-in-one solution to customise a system’s settings to achieve a better audio/visual experience.

The Fast Boot menu is pretty self-explanatory and useful to boot into Windows in a rapid fashion or directly access the BIOS without having to frantically hit the BIOS key.

Here we can see the Gaming LAN Manager which prioritises networking traffic and allows you to change the utilisation rate of various applications. Not only that, you can perform a network test to assess the speed of your connection.

The Gaming App contains a host of interesting tools in a compact window while outlining the CPU’s core frequency.

MSI’s Eye Rest adjusts the screen’s contrast ratio depending on the desired usage scenario or you can create a custom profile.

The Mouse Master allows you to configure macros, cycle between different DPI settings and test the sensitivity.

Next up is the Gaming Hotkey which can be used to assign commands, set-up Windows hotkeys and even create Login keys.

The Live Update 5 automatically retrieves the latest driver and software updates. As a result, you don’t have to waste time checking if an update has been released via a traditional web browser search.

The RAMDisk application can take advantage of any memory sitting dormant and create an extremely fast virtual hard disk.

MSI’s X-Boost provides a performance enhancement up to 20 percent across various storage devices from USB 3.1 to M.2. As you can see, it’s possible to enable the speed boost when gaming, editing video footage and other common scenarios.

The Nahimic audio suite allows you to adjust the sound’s characteristics and even employ a sound tracker which visually shows the direction of in-game audio when playing immersive games.

MSI’s LED utility supports a mammoth range of visual effects including Breathing, Flashing, Marquee and Rainbow. Not only that, you can configure the lighting to work alongside a music track’s beat and customise each segment of the motherboard in different colours.