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FRONTPAGE MSI Z87 MPower MAX Motherboard Review (with LN2 results)

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The time is finally here for all you enthusiasts that love bleeding edge hardware! That’s right, Intel’s Haswell has finally hit the scene with performance that most expected and a similar jump in per clock performance as was Sandy Bridge to Ivy Bridge. But what is an(y) Intel CPU without a board to support it? Today we will give you a look at one of MSI‘s higher end motherboards built around the Z87 platform (Lynx Point) chipset, the Z87 MPower MAX. The board is made for overclocking with a lot of its features, but looks to please a more broad market than that. Let’s put it through its paces and see how things work out!
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Great review!

Although, honestly, I hoped for a review of the non-Max one.

By the way, the MPOWER motherboards are beautiful. I really like the all-black look.
 
I dont expect the non MAX to be much different really. I know there are less power phases (16? as opposed to 20) fo rthe CPU, but, should be plenty for it really.

Keep an eye out in the coming weeks for an Xpower review (The MAX's bigger(est) brother), and likely under LN2 as well. ;)
 
I dont expect the non MAX to be much different really. I know there are less power phases (16? as opposed to 20) fo rthe CPU, but, should be plenty for it really.

OK!

BTW, I guess that a MPOWER is an overkill for me. However, it isn't easy to find (really) black motherboard.

If only MSI hadn't put that obnoxious dragon on the GD65....
 
Thanks brolloks. Im just sad the bclk/strap (me learning how it worked on this platform) didn't come until after the ln2 session because I think the cpu seemed to have so much more in it.

I was fighting breaking 6ghz the majority of the session honestly, so that is why I didn't get other results or at least better, more efficient times on what I did get screenshots of... Oh well, the xpower is going to take a beating under ln2 as well so hopefully we can pit something up on the board even more worthwhile. :)
 
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I'm slowly becoming familiar with my Z77 MPower and it has lived up to your review and more. I'm thinking MSI has gotten the hint with it's R&D team pushing out some pretty respectable boards lately.

Thanks for the nice review Joe. Hope you get your 6++Ghz !!!:D
 
couple things, CPU ring voltage, safe is 1.15v max is 1.25 correct? This helps achieve the higher "uncore" correct? Running 4.5 right now at 1.25 and it seems like even at stock it takes more voltage on my samsung 30nm sticks for the same clocks as on my z77.

For instance, before I could run them at 1600 stock timings at 1.35 but now I need 1.5 to pass a 32m run. Things seem good at 1866 9-9-9-18-1t-128 right now at 1.5v, I am running 4 sticks so maybe that has something to do with it.

To get uncore at 4300 I set 1.15 ring voltage, not upping that resulted in BSOD lol

What other voltages are useful and worth upping a little? I'm confused cuz they are named different from the ASUS mobos.
 
couple things, CPU ring voltage, safe is 1.15v max is 1.25 correct? This helps achieve the higher "uncore" correct? Running 4.5 right now at 1.25 and it seems like even at stock it takes more voltage on my samsung 30nm sticks for the same clocks as on my z77.

For instance, before I could run them at 1600 stock timings at 1.35 but now I need 1.5 to pass a 32m run. Things seem good at 1866 9-9-9-18-1t-128 right now at 1.5v, I am running 4 sticks so maybe that has something to do with it.

To get uncore at 4300 I set 1.15 ring voltage, not upping that resulted in BSOD lol

What other voltages are useful and worth upping a little? I'm confused cuz they are named different from the ASUS mobos.
Sorry, I saw this and said will get back to it... and didn't, my apologies.

That said:

1. Yes, that helps the uncore, correct.
2. 4 sticks usually cause more stress on the IMC, not themselves. So the voltage the sticks need shouldnt change.
3. I would just go by the guide. There really isnt much you need to change outside of the ring voltage, and SA voltage really. The Analog/digital IO can come in to play at much higher voltages. Also worth noting is that I do not run 4 sticks of ram so I do not have any personal experiences with it, sorry!
 
Thanks for the response, I know what you say is true about the ram itself not needing more voltage normally. However strangely enough on my M5G they were stable at 1.35 but are not on Mpower, they will fail 32m under 1.5.

What in the MSI bios is SA and Analog/Digital IO, they are named differently aren't they?
 
Nope.. not really?

CPU SA Voltage
CPU IO Analog
CPU IO Digital

Perhaps try the IO voltages and see if that allows you to drop to 1.35 again...(?)
 
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