MSI Z97 MPOWER MAX AC (LGA 1150) Motherboard Review

Final Thoughts

Pricing

MSI’s Z97 MPower Max AC motherboard costs $259.99 at Amazon and $259.99 at Newegg. In the UK it costs £169.99 at Amazon, £167.99 at Scan Computers and £172.99 at Overclockers. MSI provide a three year warranty with this motherboard.

Overview

MSI’s Z97 MPower Max AC has impressed me a lot. I think assuming that this is strictly an “overclocking” motherboard is actually unhelpful, I think this is a great motherboard for a multitude of uses. It has audio quality and high quality Intel networking that makes it perfect for a gamer, it has the features and performance  to satisfy overclockers but it also has all the connectivity and functionality needed to be a great motherboard for any demanding prosumer/power user. On the whole the Z97 MPower Max AC has a delightful mixture of features and options to cover all bases and it does a great job at that. Our results show that MSI’s MPower Max AC is one of the strongest motherboards out there, with exception to storage where it falls a little behind the leading boards. The board really deserves its “AC” moniker because we discovered that MSI’s equipped WiFi module is brilliant, it is one of the fastest I’ve seen and it makes an excellent option for someone who doesn’t use wired LAN. Given the price point of this motherboard I think it does well to offer more than rival solutions, no other motherboard at this price point can offer such versatility.

On the negative side I think it’s fair to say the water cooling is a bit dubious. I’m certainly no watercooling expert but I do know G1/4 fittings would be preferred to the 3/8 fittings used. I also think it is fairly unlikely people would actually use it. I also believe that there were a few strange layout choices, such as putting the supplemental power right in the middle of the board where it is going to ruin your cable management. I also think it is probably a fair comment to say are MSI trying to do “too much” with this board? Does an OC series board really need Wireless AC, Bluetooth, the highest-end audio and 12 USB 3.0 ports? Possibly not, but while that might be seen as a negative in my opinion it is actually the board’s biggest positive. It can pull-off being an OC series board while still having all the other “bits and bobs” you’d want in an ultra-high-end motherboard.

Pros

• Well priced
• Great styling
• Abundant connectivity – super fast WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0
• Excellent audio
• Well-rounded software package
• Generous and extensive accessory bundle
• Top-end performance

Cons

• BIOS isn’t as intuitive as it could be
• Choice of 3/8ths fittings is dubious
• Supplemental board power is awkwardly placed

“The amount of features and functionality MSI have managed to cram into their Z97 MPower Max AC is truly remarkable. This motherboard has everything you could possibly want from a motherboard making it suitable for gamers, overclockers, power users and just general enthusiasts. Even better is that it has a very reasonable price point when you consider everything it has going for it – great job MSI!”

Thank you to MSI for providing this review sample.