The MSI MEG Z790 ACE MAX is a premium motherboard that comes in a rather bulky box. The front is themed in a black and golden color theme that features a picture of the box and the ACE theme. The front side also lists down support for Intel's 13th generation Core processors & also mentions next-gen CPU compatibility.
The backside of the package lists the specifications and special features of the motherboard such as the 24+1+2 phase power delivery, extreme cooling module design, a lightning-fast I/O solution, Quintuple M.2 connectors, and more.
Opening up the package reveals the large 'ACE' logo and a quote that reads 'Lustrous Aesthetics, Pure Performance'.
Inside the package is another box that contains the accessories and is located right below the box holder for the board itself. It is very easy to access although the accessories are a bit scattered and things could get messy sorting out the various additions.
Following is the full list of accessories in the package:
- 1x Wi-Fi Antenna
- 1x USB drive with drivers & utilities
- 1x EZ Front Panel Cable
- 4x SATA Cables
- 2x Thermistor Cables
- 1 to 2 RGB LED Extension Y Cable
- 1x Rainbow RGB LED Extension Cable
- 2x DP to Mini DP Cables
- 4x M.2 Screws / Standoff Sets / EZ M.2 Clips
- Cable Sticker Set
- 1x Quick Installation Guide
With all the accessories done, it's time to put that box aside and open up the top holder that contains the MSI MEG Z790 ACE motherboard.
MSI's MEG Z790 MAX isn't just any motherboard, it's a statement of quality and performance, enveloped within a masterful design that shines in every aspect. While the MEG GODLIKE MAX remains the flagship, the Z790 ACE MAX is still an enthusiast-grade design that has become more mature with each iteration.
The MEG Z790 ACE MAX motherboard features one of the most elegant designs of all Z790 boards with its white and black theme. Now there are people such as me who liked the gold & black colors on the previous ACE products, the new motherboard does offer that with its default gold RGB color that can be adjusted.
The pricing and quality of this product make it feel more premium than the previous generation ACE offerings from MSI. The MSI ACE motherboards have also dropped the ATX design of previous generations and gone with an E-ATX layout, allowing the manufacturer to cram even more features into this iconic motherboard.
The board uses the LGA 1700 socket to support Intel Core processors. The socket is compatible with Intel's Next-Gen, 13th & 12th Generation core family. The socket has a protective cover on top of it that points out the exclusivity with Raptor Lake 13th Gen & Alder Lake 12th Gen CPUs, refraining users from running older 11th and 10th generation CPUs as they won't fit in the socket at all and forcing them in the socket is only going to cause permanent damage to your motherboard. For its MAX series, you don't need to upgrade your BIOS as a prerequisite to installing a Next-Gen CPU as it already comes with the latest one out of the factory.
Next to the socket are four DDR5 DIMM slots that can support up to 192 GB of dual-channel memory.
These slots are rated to support XMP profiles up to 7800 MT/s (OC Plus). Each slot is labeled, making it easier to install DIMMs in the proper orientation. DDR5 memory comes with a different latch position so forcing a DDR4 module into a DDR5 slot will cause permanent damage. Each slot is also combined with a reinforced design to make sure signal integrity remains good while keeping the slots durable for long-term usage.
The MSI MEG Z790 ACE features a 24+1+2 (VCore/ VccGT/VccAUX) phase digital power delivery that utilizes the RAA229131 PWM controller and RAA2201105 (105A) MOSFETs for the VCore. The Vcc GT and Vcc AUX MOSFETs (DRPS) are spec'd at 60A & 70A respectively.
MSI is using what it calls an 'Outstanding Cooling Module' for cooling the various components on the motherboard. It includes a high-end and stacked Fin Array Design with 7W/mK Thermal Pad, a DirectTouch Cross heatpipe solution on the top heatsinks, a double-sided M.2 shield Frozr design, an enlarged PCH heatsink, and a full-coverage aluminum backplate.
The CPU is supplied power through an 8+8 pin power connector configuration. This will feed the CPU with up to 300 Watts of power. The Intel Next-Gen, 13th & 12th Gen Unlocked CPUs are very power-hungry with the maximum turbo power rated at 253W for the Core i9-13900K and more if you are planning to overclock these chips.
Getting a closer look at the VRM heatsinks reveals an aluminum fin design on both heatsinks. Each heatsink has thermal pads located underneath for efficient transfer of heat. The thermal pads on the MEG Z790 ACE MAX are rated at 7w/mK.
There's also a heat pipe that connects the two MOSFETs heatsinks for better heat dissipation. The heatsinks are coated in black color to enhance overall aesthetics and are very densely packed.
Expansion slots include three PCI Express x16 (2 x Gen 5.0 x16/8 / 1x Gen 4.0 x4) and five M.2 slots. The board can technically support three-way multi-GPU (CrossFireX / SLI) however we know that no existing gaming GPU offers 3-way connectivity anymore. Five M.2 slots are rated to support NVMe PCIe gen5 x4/gen4 x4.
MSI is using a PCIe Armor cover on the sides of all expansion slots which provides protection to some extent. It adds more retention and shearing resistance by reinforcing the slots with metal plates. Aside from adding more protection, they do look really sweet.
All five M.2 slots are cooled off by the thermal pad and aluminum baseplate cooling which is part of the M.2 Shield Frozr heatsink design. This will ensure stable operation for M.2 storage devices. The thermal adhesive has a plastic cover over them which needs to be removed before using them with the storage devices. The topmost heatsink which has the bulkiest heatsink has a magnetic lock that makes it easy to remove and install the heatsink itself.
5x M.2 slot
- M.2_1 Source (From CPU) supports up to PCIe 4.0 x4, supports 22110/2280/2260 devices
- M.2_2 Source (From Chipset) supports up to PCIe 4.0 x4, supports 2280/2260 devices
- M.2_3 Source (From Chipset) supports up to PCIe 4.0 x4 / SATA mode, supports 2280/2260 devices
- M.2_4 Source (From CPU) supports up to PCIe 5.0 x4, supports 2280 devices
- M.2_5 Source (From Chipset) supports up to PCIe 4.0 x4 / SATA mode, supports 22110/2280/2260 devices
- 6x SATA 6G
*The M2_4 slot will be unavailable when installed in the PCI_E2 slot.
**SATA7 will be unavailable when installing the M.2 SATA SSD in the M2_5 slot.
The topmost heatsink which has the bulkiest heatsink has a magnetic lock that makes it easy to remove and install the heatsink itself.
The Z790 PCH is housed beneath a large heatsink with the MAX logo etched over it that looks great.
While the MSI MEG Z790 ACE didn't feature any RGB LED Illumination, the MEG Z790 ACE MAX & Z790 ACE bring it back and there are three accent points which include one on the PCH heatsink, one on the I/O cover (Dragon logo), and one on the sides. There are ARGB headers for those who want to make their PCs flash.
Storage options include six SATA III ports rated to operate at 6 GB/s. These can support 6 different storage devices at once. There are also 6 USB 3.2 front panel connectors (2 x Gen 2x2 + 4 x Gen 1). Four USB 2.0 front panel connectors are also included. The motherboard also features a 60W PD (Power Delivery) mode for fast charging when the auxiliary 6-pin connector is plugged in.
MSI is using its Audio Boost 5 HD system for audio which is a combination of various high-end hardware, and software audio solutions. 7.1 CH HD audio with the latest Realtek ALC4082 CODEC & ESS's ES9280AQ Combo DAC/HPA.
MSI has a massive amount of fan headers along with RGB Enable/Disable and Dual-BIOS switches scattered at the bottom of the motherboard. There are also the Power On/Off and reset switches. It also comes with voltage reading, and measuring points near the DEBUG LED at the top right corner of the motherboard.
The full list of connectors on the motherboard is listed as follows.
- 1x Power Connector(ATX_PWR)
- 2x Power Connector(CPU_PWR)
- 1x Front Type-C Quick Charge Connector(PD_PWR1)
- 1x CPU Fan
- 2x Pump Fan
- 5x System Fan
- 2x Front Panel (JFP)
- 1x Chassis Intrusion (JCI)
- 1x Water Flow connector
- 1x Slow Mode Booting Jumper(JSLOW)
- 1x Front Audio (JAUD)
- 2x Thermal Sensor connectors(T_SEN)
- 1x Tuning Controller connector(JDASH)
- 3x Addressable V2 RGB LED connector (JARGB_V2)
- 1x RGB LED connector(JRGB)
- 1x TPM pin header(Support TPM 2.0)
- 4x USB 2.0 ports
- 2x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type A ports
- 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type C ports
- V-check point
- 1x ARGB+FAN Header (JAF_1)
MSI is using Intel's WiFi 67 802.11 AX210 WiFi Module to power wireless connectivity with up to 5.8 Gbps data transfer rates, up to 320 MHz bandwidth, and Bluetooth 5.4. In terms of Ethernet, there are also dual 2.5G Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports which are powered by Intel's I225V controller chip.
The motherboard comes with the following I/O connectors:
- Clear CMOS Button
- Flash BIOS Button
- 2.5G LAN
- 2.5G LAN
- Thunderbolt 4 40Gbps (Type-C)
- Wi-Fi / Bluetooth
- Audio Connectors
- Smart Button
- USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps (Type-C Display port)
- USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps (Type-A)
- Mini DisplayPort Input (for Thunderbolt passthrough)
- Optical S/PDIF-Out
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