MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi Gaming Motherboard (AMD Ryzen 9000/8000/7000 Series Processors, AM5, DDR5, PCIe 5.0, M.2 Gen5, SATA 6Gb/s, USB 40Gbps, HDMI, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, 5Gbps LAN, ATX)

PC Build:New components:MSI MPG X870E Carbon Gaming MotherboardAMD Ryzen 9 7950X CPU 4.5 GHzG Skill Trident Z5 DDR5 6400 MT/s RAM (2 x 48 GB)Samsung 990 Pro Gen 4 M.2 NVMe SSD (2 TB)Components from previous PC build:Corsair iCUE H100i LCD AIO CPU coolerNVidia RTX 3090 FE GPUSamsung 970 Pro M.2 NVMe SSD (512 GB)--windows boot driveSamsung 870 EVO SATA SSD (2 TB)Seagate 7200 RPM SATA HDD (3 TB)EVGA Supernova 1000 G2 1000 W PSU (80 Gold Rated)Was looking to upgrade my PC build this year to enable support for a transition to Windows 11 later this year, and also wanted to add additional RAM to allow me to take advantage of the full 24 GB of VRAM from my 3090 in 3D modeling programs. Initially I tried an ASUS X670E-E motherboard with the Ryzen 9 7950x and 128 GB of DDR5 6400 RAM (4 x 32 GB), but upon attempting to overclock the RAM to 6400 MHz the motherboard failed, and possibly damaged/blew out the CPU and RAM (I got a second X670 motherboard and put the questionable CPU and RAM in it and it failed to power up). Returned the motherboard and RAM and initiated a RMA of the CPU with AMD. Further research indicated that X870 motherboards are more robust and supportive of large memory configurations so I decided to go with the MSI X870E board as a replacement along with only running 2 DIMMs or RAM instead of 4. The MSI website showed that the motherboard, CPU and RAM combination I list above were officially supported so I ordered the new board and RAM, which arrived along with the replacement CPU from AMD.Installing all the new components and bringing over the legacy components from my previous PC was pretty straightforward--I particularly like the ease of installing the NVMe drives in the M.2 ports with the new pin connectors (I used the #3 and #4 M.2 ports on the board since I don't have a Gen5 NVMe drive--this allows me the option to add a Gen5 NVMe SSD into the #1 M.2 port down the road). The system powered up successfully and posted straight to BIOS. I flashed the latest BIOS version and went about setting up my CPU and RAM settings--I did run into a slight problem where a reboot after making BIOS changes would result in the system posting to idle but there being no video output either from my GPU or the iGPU from the Ryzen CPU. Powering down and restarting the system would restore video output. Once I was able to get to Windows and perform a clean Windows 10 install on my system along with installing all the latest drivers, this problem went away, so there may be a slight issue with whatever default display driver is being used prior to Windows install.I have been running the new system for a week now with no issues--the RAM posted instantly and turning on XEMP in the BIOS allowed it to overclock to 6400 MHz with no problems. I have also enabled Precision Boost Overdrive in the BIOS on the CPU with a thermal limit of 75 C and the CPU currently idles at 45-50 C and ramps up to 70-75 C under load as I would expect it to perform. Monitoring the CPU clock frequency in MSI Afterburner I see it is able to overclock the CPU up to 5.5 GHz in games, which has led to a nice performance boost from the new hardware. The extra RAM now allows me to utilize all of the available VRAM from my 3090 on 3D modelling software--scenes requiring 23 GB of VRAM now take up 70-75 GB of RAM which gives me plenty of headroom to work with in the software. Overall I am well pleased with the performance of this board--I have not tried to use the USB-C or USB 4.0 ports on the back of board nor the Wifi 7 capability (which I understand is only supported by Windows 11 at the moment), but it is nice to know they are there if I should need them in the future.

MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi Review – Powerhouse for Next-Gen BuildsThe MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi is a standout AM5 motherboard that’s designed for enthusiasts and gamers looking to future-proof their setups. Built on the cutting-edge AMD X870E chipset, this board is packed with next-gen features, excellent build quality, and robust performance tuning options that make it one of the best high-end boards in 2025.Design & Build QualityThe X870E Carbon WiFi sports MSI’s signature carbon fiber aesthetic with sleek RGB accents, giving it a premium and aggressive look. The reinforced full-metal backplate and extended heatsinks not only add durability but also help with thermal efficiency. It looks stunning inside any tempered glass case, especially when paired with other RGB components.Chipset & CompatibilityAt its core, the board supports AMD Ryzen 8000 series processors (Zen 5 architecture) on the AM5 socket, with full backward compatibility for Ryzen 7000 series. It supports DDR5 memory up to 8000+ MHz (OC), enabling blazing-fast multitasking, gaming, and creative workloads.Connectivity & ExpansionThis is where the X870E Carbon shines:• PCIe 5.0 support for both GPU and M.2 SSD slots.• 4x M.2 slots, with 2 supporting PCIe Gen 5 speeds — perfect for ultra-fast storage setups.• USB4 and 20Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports for lightning-fast peripheral transfers.• Integrated WiFi 7 and 2.5G LAN offer top-tier networking for both gamers and professionals.BIOS & OverclockingMSI’s BIOS is well-structured and user-friendly, with intuitive overclocking features and memory tuning options. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced tweaker, you’ll find the tools you need for stable performance tuning.Cooling & Power DeliveryWith a 19+2 phase VRM design and massive heatsinks, the board can handle high-performance CPUs with ease. VRM temperatures remain stable even under stress. There’s also excellent fan and AIO pump support via multiple PWM headers and MSI’s FROZR AI Cooling.Software & ExtrasMSI includes helpful utilities like:• MSI Center for system monitoring and tuning.• Mystic Light for RGB control.• Click BIOS 5 for seamless firmware updates and settings.Pros:• Future-proof with PCIe 5.0, DDR5, USB4, and WiFi 7• High-end VRM and thermal design• Excellent connectivity and I/O options• Sleek, premium aestheticsCons:• Premium pricing (though justified for the features)• May be overkill for mid-tier users⸻Verdict:The MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi is a powerhouse AM5 motherboard tailor-made for high-end gaming rigs, productivity builds, and overclocking enthusiasts. With bleeding-edge support for next-gen components, robust thermal solutions, and unmatched connectivity, it’s one of the best X870E boards on the market in 2025.Rating: 9.5/10