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FRONTPAGE MSI Z97 XPower AC Motherboard Review

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With the release of Intel's Z97 chipset, we have seen motherboards of nearly all flavors get reviewed here. From budget conscious boards all the way up to the 'I am made for extreme overclocking as a primary function' type boards. Today, we get to look at MSI's flagship motherboard, the Z97 XPower AC. This board is a step above the previously reviewed in both physical size (it's E-ATX) and by way of additional features and accessories. Being their flagship motherboard, overclocking should not be ...

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Nice review :thup:

I wonder if this declared DDR3-3300 OC is even working on any modules. MSI has problems with memory clock for a long time and none of their boards that I had could make more than ~2666 stable ( max boot ~2800 ). Other users were also complaining at problems with higher clocked memory and sometimes XMP profiles.
That is weird as actually only additional features and memory stability/overclocking is different in all these boards. Most Z97 boards have similar features or additional chips ( better LAN or sound ) so not much left to convince potential buyers.
 
Does anyone have this motherboard working with just one GPU? What slot do you use? In the manual it recommends using PCI E2. Well iv tried this and this slot doesnt even recognise the GPU.

Im currently using my R290 in PCI E1 slot one and works perfectly and the same for the other PCIE slots except PCI E2
Screen Shot 2014-09-22 at 20.20.24.png Screen Shot 2014-09-22 at 20.16.05.png
 
I did in the review, yes.

The manual states PCIe slot 2 because it is hardwired to the CPU for its 16 PCIe lanes. Using any other slot the PLX gets involved and causes (negligible) latency.

Are you sure the dip switches for that slot are enabled?
 
Thanks for the reply EarthDog.

By dip switch I take you mean the cease fire switches? They are all enabled
 
Yap I have updated the motherboard Bios. Unfortunately I dont have another card to test but I would presume if it was a GPU issue, the other PCIe slots wouldnt work either
 
Nice board. Crappy Slot layout if you want breathing room between a pair of video cards...I've never understood why mfgrs don't standardize on Slot 1, Slot 4, and Slot 7 as their full length ones so there are always 2 slots between video cards when running SLI/Xfire
 
For multi-GPU that is exactly how it is laid out...If you use two, you go 1/3... 3 1/3/5, and 4 1/3/5/7. Dual slot gaps. :)

EDIT: Oh.. you want two between the cards...
 
higher fsbs

Nice review just wondering why no one has tried ocing on the 167 MHz fsb strap on the xpowers is there something I'm missing
Thanks
Squeeky
 
I don't own the board anymore so I'm not sure if it'd broken or not. Do you have one amd can try it out or was this a random question? :)
 
Been playing with this board for a little while now. With a g3258, the highest bclk I could get working is just over 147.
g3238-147.2bclk.jpg

Overall...this is a nice overclocking board but it has definitely given me some hassles/issues:
1) Bioses leave a lot to be desired. Even with the latest bios, the board tends to corrupt the bios and/or not save setting changes leading to freezes during posting and other weird issues. I've had to reflash both bioses no less than 10 times already.
2) Getting the overclocking software to work is a monster pita. Talk about klugey. It's quite a process to get this set up properly...chipset drivers, .net 4, a couple patches (one that errors out for me telling me it doesn't apply to my system), Intel ME (which has so far simply refused to install properly)...geeez. Still haven't been able to get overclocking within windows to work. Forget about changing memory settings within windows, just ain't happening. Everyone has these overclocking features working on older and newer chipsets, what the heck???
 
There's an issue with connectors on this board: one of the power connectors points sideways, to where the power supply is. There's no way you can put a connector in that slot. Also, the sata connectors point sideways, where in my computer the disks are. I put in "hooked" connectors, but that means i can only use the lower row of connectors. Hasn't this board been tested in a real computer casing?
 
xtine said:
There's an issue with connectors on this board: one of the power connectors points sideways, to where the power supply is. There's no way you can put a connector in that slot. Also, the sata connectors point sideways, where in my computer the disks are. I put in "hooked" connectors, but that means i can only use the lower row of connectors. Hasn't this board been tested in a real computer casing?
Click to expand...
Which power connector is sideways that you can't use? They all face the same direction.

The vast majority of modern boards have the sata ports facing that direction. Either don't use the 90(hooked) sata plug or use it on the bottom....just like you have to do on every other board. ;)

This board wasn't tested in a case. Correct, but what your issues are the same on 95% of boards.
 
Last edited:
The right angle connector of the data cable is for connection to devices not the board.
Yes, the 6pin near the first PCIe is oriented with the lock tab facing the rear of the case, just as with almost all boards.
The board may not work with your current chassis, but that's a non issue.

When you look for a new board, you know what will work in your system, else you upgrade to a new case.
Remember, just like people, not all cases are created equal.

- - - Updated - - -

Have to say.....this board would look good in a Tt Core P5 *wait, what wouldn't*
 
NZKshatriya said:
The right angle connector of the data cable is for connection to devices not the board.
Click to expand...

Sure. But the other side of the cable will not fit in the connector. This is the only way I can get the disks to work. I think it's kind of dumb to have connectors point sideways rather than up.
 
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