Review on MSI MPG Z390 LGA1151 Motherboard by Ben Balas

I chose this for a new budget build with an i7-9700k to replace my really old I7-3700. My first impression after completing the build is that if you're happy with the features included, it's a great combo. Here's what I learned from the build: Specifications: 1) 6 Sata ports2) 2 m.2 NVME slots. If you use both slots you will lose 2 of the above SATA3 ports) One CNVI slot for Intel Laptop Wi-Fi/Bluetooth card. I was going to pop one into the one I had lying around, but it turns out that using that slot makes the second USB2 port inaccessible. 4) 2 USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports on the front edge of the motherboard. 5) 2 USB 2.0 ports on the bottom edge of the motherboard. 6) Fan connectors: CPU, pump, 5 sysfan connectors. If you like fans, that's pretty nice. 7) Additional USB ports on the I/O panel: 1x USB-C 3.1 Gen 2, 1x USB-A 3.1 Gen 2, 2xUSB-A 3.1 Gen 1, 2x USB-A 2.08) 1 Intel I219-V Gigabit network port. Bios: The bios has a graphical interface that annoys me. It took me a while to get used to it, but eventually you'll figure it out. There are tons of settings here if you want to tweak things. At least make sure you enable the XMP switch if your RAM supports it. Again, I found the UI annoying, but you can tune each fan in the system based on CPU or system temperature, so you can stay quiet until things get hot. Again lots of settings for CPU voltages, memory timings etc. I used the following components for my build: Core I7-7-9700k, Noctua NH-U12S cooler (paste included), WD 1TB Blue nVme drive, 2x16GB RAM Corsair Vengeance 3600 ... I was using my existing 550W USB 3.1 power adapter that was added to the PCIe card. Once everything is installed, make sure to update your BIOS and download the latest Intel chipset, Intel networking, and Realtek drivers to replace what Windows installs by default. 90c (idle about 40) with a little tweaking. I've been running OCCT for an hour and it seems stable. The maximum core voltage is around 1.4V. Again, if you are happy with the specs of this board and are buying it at a good price, you should consider it. There are good deals on 9th Gen Intel parts right now, but if you want the latest and greatest and have a little extra cash, buy the I7-10700 and a compatible board instead.