The MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk MAX WIFI comes in the standard cardboard package. The front is themed in a very simple black and green color theme. The front side also lists down support for Intel's 13th-generation Core processors and next-gen CPUs. The motherboard also lists down WIFI 7 and Lightning Gen 5 on the packaging.
The backside of the package lists the specifications and special features of the motherboard such as Direct 16+1+1 phase power delivery, DDR5 support, Lightning Gen, WiFi 7/Bluetooth 5.4, 2.5GbE LAN, Quadruple M.2 connectors, and screwless M.2 Shield Frozr heatsink design..
The MAG series might be MSI's entry-level designs but the Tomahawk itself is a very high-end board and the MAX takes it to the next level.
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.
There are several accessories included in the package such as a Wi-Fi antenna module, two SATA III cables, screws for the M.2 storage devices, a USB stick with drivers and software, a driver disk, a manual for the board, and even a few stickers. Following is the full list of accessories in the package.
- Quick Installation Guide
- European Union Regulatory Notice
- USB Drive (With Drivers/Software)
- WiFi Antenna
- MAG Stickers
- Front Panel Connector
- EZ M.2 Clips
- 2 x SATA Cables
The motherboard is housed within the cardboard package and has anti-static wrapping to protect it from any built-up electrical resistance that can affect the board.
The MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk MAX WIFI is themed in a unique black and green aesthetic. This is a mainstream product that retails at over $300 US. The motherboard comes in the standard ATX form factor and is jam-packed with features.
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 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.
The MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk MAX WIFI packs a 16+1+1 phase power delivery configuration that makes use of the SPS 90A MOSFETs. The motherboard also makes use of a 6-layer PCB with a 2oz copper design.
As you can see, the VRMs are getting ample cooling from two aluminum-based heatsinks, one of which features an extended fin design. This Tomahawk MAX supports all the overclocking tech & capabilities of a high-end board.
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 underneath the baseplate for the topmost heatsink. Each heatsink has 7w/Mk thermal pads located underneath for efficient transfer of heat.
As for logos, you can find the "MAG" label on the top-most VRM heatsink and the "MAX Tomahawk" logo on the PCH heatsink.
Expansion slots include three PCI Express x16 (one Gen 5 x16 / one Gen 4 x4 / one Gen 3 x1), and 4 M.2 slots.
MSI is using a metallic cover on the sides of the Lightning Gen5 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.
The quadruple M.2 slots are cooled off by the thermal pad and aluminum baseplate cooling. This is part of MSI's M.2 Shield Frozr cooling technology and ensures 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 M.2 Gen5 slot makes use of a screwless heatsink design which comes in handy when installing or removing the SSD from the motherboard. It is also located above the GPU slot so you can easily access it. The 2nd M.2 slot will be blocked by the GPU so you will have to remove the graphics card to access it.
The Z790 PCH is housed beneath a large heatsink with the Tomahawk MAX logo on top of it. The motherboard doesn't feature any embedded RGB lighting but comes with enough ARGB headers for personalization.
The Tomahawk MAX goes with a stealthy design that is very similar to the Unify series. The green hints are subtle and will look nice in a majority of PC builds.
Storage options include six SATA III ports rated to operate at 6 GB/s. Installing an M.2 device in the third slot will make the first SATA port unavailable since they both share the lanes from the PCH. There are also dual USB 3.2 (1x Gen 2 / 1x Gen 1) front panel connectors. Many fan headers and jumpers can be found beneath the storage ports.
MSI is using its Audio Boost 5 HD system for audio which is a combination of hardware, and software audio solutions. 7.1 CH HD audio with the latest Realtek ALC4080 audio codec.
The full list of connectors on the motherboard is listed as follows.
- 1x Power Connector(24-Pin ATX_PWR)
- 2x Power Connector(8-Pin CPU_PWR)
- 1x CPU Fan
- 1x Pump Fan
- 6x System Fan
- 2x Front Panel (JFP)
- 1x Chassis Intrusion (JCI)
- 1x Front Audio (JAUD)
- 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
- 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type C ports
- 1x USB4 card connector (JTBT_U4_1, supports RTD3)
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 is also a single 2.5G Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports that is powered by Intel's I225V controller chip.
The I/O plate comes with an I/O cover with the same green and black theme. Following is the full list of I/O ports on the MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk MAX WIFI motherboard:
- Display Port
- USB 3.2 Gen 1 5 Gbps (Type-A)
- USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps (Type-A)
- 2.5G LAN
- Wi-Fi / Bluetooth
- Audio Connectors
- HDMI
- Clear CMOS
- Flash BIOS
- USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps (Type-A)
- USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps (Type-C)
- USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 20Gbps (Type-C)
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