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Ali

I intitally started by writing CPU comparisons and since then have written articles of all kinds, from Wikis and How-Tos to dedicated CPU reviews. Currently, I test and review CPUs, motherboards, and sometimes, RAM.

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After reviewing various MAG Tomahawk boards (X870, Z890, B850) recently, we’ve received the new MAG X870E Tomahawk WiFi from MSI. The MAG (MSI Arsenal Gaming) is MSI’s entry-level lineup, and the Tomahawk models are MSI’s main arsenal from this lineup, promising impressive performance and I/O with toned-down aesthetics.

It is priced at $329, $30 higher than the X870 counterpart, only it supports two full-speed Gen 4 M.2 drives, and there’s no bandwidth sharing between the PCIe and M.2 slots.

We have also tested and reviewed the MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi, make sure to read that as well.

Key Takeaways

• The MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk WiFi is an excellent mid-range option for the AM5 platform. It shows good performance and features and has enough I/O for most, for $299.
• Get this board if you want a true mid-range motherboard that does the job and can run any AM5 CPU with ease.
• Don’t buy the board if you expect heavy overclocking capabilities. 

Here’s a quick look at the specifications: 

Compared to the previous generation’s X670E Tomahawk model, we get more USB ports (plus 40Gbps), 5G LAN (vs 2.5G), dual Gen 5 M.2 slots (vs single), and the ALC4080 codec (vs ALC1200). The MAG X670E Tomahawk also had four PCIe slots, compared to three here.

It is a bit odd, though, that the motherboard is almost a carbon copy of the X870 Tomahawk and costs the same. While the board tackles the shared bandwidth complications of the X870 model due to the extra PCIe lanes, the number of USB ports remains the same.

Packaging And Unboxing

The packaging of the board is similar to the other Tomahawk models we’ve viewed recently; MSI is essentially using the same cardboard packaging for all boards. 

The front of the box names some key features and a warning against the misuse of the battery. On the back, we get more features, a list of the specifications, a rear I/O layout picture, and a QR code to be scanned to open the manual.

Let’s take a look inside the box. 

Here’s what we get:

• Quick installation guide 
• EU regulatory notice
• 2x SATA Data Cables
• EZ M.2 Clip II Remover
• M.2 plate screw
• EZ WiFi Antenna
• 1-to-3 EZ Conn-Cable (V2)
• EZ front panel cable
• USB drive (containing drives & utilities)
• Cable stickers
• Shout-out flyer

Interestingly, we get the EZ Antenna in white; not sure if this is an error on MSI’s end or intentional. This connects to the back of the motherboard to give you WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. The EZ M.2 Clip II remover is to remove the already-installed EZ M.2 II clip on the board, and you don’t get any extra.

A couple of EZ connectors are also included. The EZ front panel cable (combines front panel headers), while the 1-to-3 EZ Conn-Cable V2 combines fan, A-RGB, and 4-pin USB in one to power (many) AIOs (available today), including MSI’s own.

Design 

The MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk uses the same theme and heatsink design as the other Tomahawk models of this generation. We get a black PCB and matte-black heatsinks with yellow-green prints on them, highlighting the branding the MAG Tomahawk branding across the various heatsinks. There’s no onboard RGB, but connectors on the board allow you to connect your own, of course. 

The board uses an 8-layer PCB (NPG-170D) with 2oz thickened copper. It features overcurrent and overvoltage (courtesy of transient voltage suppressors) protection. A patented grounding structure, using copper rings, is built in to reduce electromagnetic interference of the VRMs. 

The X870E chipset uses two Promontory 21 chips, which provide most of the I/O. However, the CPU is responsible for all your PCIe Gen 5 connections (x16 and the dual M.2 slots), DDR5 memory support, two USB 10 ports, and USB4. The chipsets connect to the CPU and each other with PCIe x4 links and are responsible for the remaining USB ports, PCIe slots, and M.2 slots. They also power WiFi 7, audio, and SATA. 

CPU Socket and Power Delivery System 

The X870E Tomahawk WiFi uses AMD’s AM5 (LGA1718) socket, with support for Ryzen 7000, 8000, and 9000 series CPUs out of the box. 

The board uses a 14+2+1 (VCore+SOC+Misc) duet-rail power design, with 14x 80A SPS dedicated to the CPU VCore. In this DRPS design, two stages receive the same signal from the PWM controller. We have 1,120A available for the CPU in total, plenty for any supporting Ryzen CPU.

Taking a closer look at the VRMs reveals that they are using MPS’ MP87670 MOSFETs. The capacitors have “561 6.3FP” printed on them, meaning they are rated at 560µF and 6.3V. MSI also provides handy overclocking tools, including a one-click overclocking option.

The power for the CPU comes from the dual 8-pin connectors. These use solid pins, which enable low impedance and better durability, according to MSI. 

Two heatsinks are responsible for cooling the VRMs. Both use fin-stacking, with six fins each, but they are not connected by a heat pipe. They have MOSFET (7W/mK) and choke thermal pads underneath to ensure efficient heat transfer. 

DIMM Slots

The board has 4x surface-mounted memory slots, supporting up to 256 GB in total. The maximum memory speed supported is DDR5-8400 with overclocking, with MSI’s Memory Boost technology promising “improved” overclocking capability. Here are the maximum speeds supported in different configurations: 

• 1DPC 1R = 8400 MT/s
• 1DPC 2R = 6400 MT/s
• 2DPC 1R = 6400 MT/s 
• 2DPC 2R = 4800 MT/s 

Editor`s Note

The maximum memory speed at which the Ryzen 7000 and 9000 memory controllers can sync with the RAM is 3200 MHz (6400 MT/s). So, 6400 MT/s is the speed you want to aim for with your Ryzen 9000 build unless you’re a heavy overclocker looking to push beyond the 8000 MT/s mark. 

– Ali

CUDIMMs are supported, but as with other recent MSI AM5 motherboards we’ve seen, only with clock driver bypass mode only. The clock driver on CUDIMMs is their main advantage, as they don’t rely on the CPU and can thus function faster and can be overclocked more. Without it, the CUDIMMs function as UDIMMs, so there’s not much to be excited about just yet. 

PCIe Slots

The motherboard has three PCIe slots, including a full-speed PCIe 5.0 x16 slot. On the lower side, you get PCIe 3.0 x1 and PCIe 4.0 x4. The main PCIe slot is surface-mounted and steel-reinforced (MSI Steel Armor II) to handle the weight of heavy graphics cards. 

You also get the EZ PCIe release button with this slot. Simply pushing the button releases your card from the slot, and you can then remove it. Installing a new card requires you to seat it into the slot while the button is in the “unlocked” configuration. The padlock icon indicates whether the lock is in place or not. An excellent design! 

Storage Options

There are 4x SATA ports and as many M.2 slots on the MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk WiFi. Two of the M.2 slots are Gen 5, while the remaining two are Gen 4. RAID 0, RAID 1, and RAID 10 configurations are supported for any/all SATA and M.2 drives. Here are the different drives supported by the various slots: 

• M2_1: 22110/2280
• M2_2, M2_3, M2_4: 2280/2260

All the M.2 slots come with dedicated heatsinks. The top-most and bottom heatsinks can be removed by a simple push in the arrow’s direction (EZ M.2 Shield Frozr II). Between these two is a heatsink supported by four screws. All the heatsinks have similar designs and have the slot numbers printed. The primary M.2 heatsink is bulkier than the rest. Let’s remove them all and see what we have. 

We have thermal pads attached to the heatsinks for efficient heat transfer. The primary M.2 slot also has a thermal pad at the base to handle the higher heat output of these drives. 

We can see that the EZ M.2 II clip is pre-installed on the primary M.2 slot; this can be removed and installed on another slot if required. By default, the remaining slots have latches on them for drive installation. We would’ve liked to see MSI include a couple of these clips in the package, too. 

USB Connectivity

We get 19x USB slots on the motherboard: 

• 4x USB 2.0 (Rear)
• 4x USB 2.0 (Front)
• 3x USB 5Gbps Type A (Rear)
• 4x USB 5Gbps Type A (Front)
• 2x USB 10Gbps Type A (Rear)
• 1x USB 10Gbps Type C (Rear)
• 1x USB 20Gbps Type C (Front)
• 2x USB 40Gbps Type C (Rear)

So, we have plenty of high-speed ports, including dual 40Gbps and a 20Gbps port. The USB4 port comes from the ASM4242 controller (pictured above), powered by the CPU. 

Network and Connectivity

WiFi card and LAN controller

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The board supports 5G LAN (powered by Realtek 8126 chip), plus WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 for wired connectivity. MSI’s AI LAN manager tool (inside the MSI Center) provides some handy network management tools. It includes automatic bandwidth prioritization for games and finds the best WiFi signals for connection, among other features. 

Audio Solution

The X870E Tomahawk WiFi motherboard uses Realtek’s ALC4080 audio codec for 7.1-channel USB audio. MSI implemented different PCB layers for the right and left channels, and the isolated analogy structure ensures clear audio from the rear 3.5mm jacks. This design “separates the external framework of these connectors from the internal layout.”

Also, as part of MSI’s “Audio Boost 5” solution, you promise high-quality audio capacitors, a dedicated headphone amplifier, and de-pop protection. 

Internal Connectors and Components

Here are all the internal connectors on the board: 

• 1x Power Connector(ATX_PWR)
• 2x Power Connector(CPU_PWR)
• 1x Power Connector(PCIE_PWR 8pin)
• 1x CPU Fan
• 1x Combo Fan (Pump_Sys Fan)
• 6x System Fan
• 1x EZ Conn-header (JAF_2)
• 2x Front Panel (JFP)
• 1x Chassis Intrusion (JCI)
• 1x Front Audio (JAUD)
• 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
• 4x USB 5Gbps Type A ports
• 1x USB 20Gbps Type C port

There isn’t much going on here. The 24-pin ATX connectors and the supplemental 8-pin PCIe connector also use the solid pin design. In case you’re not familiar with the latter, it can provide up to 252W, increasing the total board supply to 420W. This includes 2.5x power excursion through the PCIe slots (up to 165W), 132W for the fans, and 36W for RGB.

In a nutshell, you should be able to comfortably load the board with fans and RGB without having to worry about overloading, so long as your PSU has enough to supply. 

27W charging is supported through the front 20Gbps USB port. You can monitor its output power, voltage, and current in real time through MSI center. 

We get the EZ digi-debug LED panel along with 4x LED lights to troubleshoot booting issues The LED panel can also function as a temperature monitor. 

The Nuvoton NCT6687D chip serves as the board’s Super I/O controller, responsible for controlling fans and monitoring voltages, temperatures, and fan speeds across the board. We can spy M.2 signal source lists on the side, indicating slot numbers and whether they’re coming from the CPU or the chipset. I fail to see the average user being interested in this, though. 

Rear I/O Connectivity

Here’s what we get on the rear: 

• Clear CMOS Button
• USB 10Gbps Type-A
• USB 5Gbps Type-A
• USB 2.0
• 5G LAN
• Wi-Fi / Bluetooth
• Audio connectors
• Flash BIOS Button
• HDMI™
• USB 40Gbps Type-C
• USB 10Gbps Type-C
• USB 10Gbps Type-A

The USB ports are labelled with their supported maximum speeds. Flash BIOS (to update BIOS without CPU, GPU, etc.) and clear CMOS button (to reset BIOS settings) are also present, but there’s no “Smart Button.

The I/O shield is made of stainless steel and comes preinstalled on the board. On top is a rear I/O cover, which covers all the rear I/O components.

Test Setup

Let’s take a look at our test bench for the motherboard: 

• AMD Ryzen 9 9950X 16C/32T
• ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 420 Liquid CPU Cooler
• G. Skill Trident Z5 Royal NEO DDR5-8000 CL36 EXPO Kit (2×16 = 32GB)
• XPG Lancer RGB 32GB 7200MHz DDR5 RAM
• Nvidia GeForce Gigabyte RTX 4090 Gaming OC
• Western Digital SN850 Black 500GB NVMe SSD [For OS]
• Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 2TB Gen4x4 NVMe SSD [For Software]
• Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 4TB Gen4x4 NVMe SSD [For Games]
• Sabrent Rocket NANO V2 4TB Portable SSD
• Corsair HX1200i Platinum PSU
• Windows 11 Pro Build 23H2
• BIOS Version 7E59v2A3
• AGESA 1.2.0.2 firmware

Synthetic Benchmarks

Synthetic Benchmarks

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Gaming Benchmarks

Gaming Benchmarks

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Gaming performance is up to the mark as well.

Power Consumption and VRM Temperatures

The CPU/motherboard power consumption numbers from the board are at the middle of the list. We noted 376 watts under Cinebench 2024 load, 114 watts while gaming, and 108 watts while the system was left idle. 

VRM temperatures from the board are good, with a maximum of 57°C recorded during our testing involving Cinebench 2024. 

Boot Times

The board showed a boot time of 22 seconds, just a second less than the fastest option. 

Should You Buy It?

Let’s decide!

Buy It If: 

✅You’re seeking a well-rounded mid-ranger: The motherboard offers good performance, decent VRMs, and an excellent set of I/O (like 5G LAN, USB4, and Gen 5 storage) for a tag of $299. 

✅You have plenty of USB devices and fans to connect: With its supplemental PCIe connector, the board provides up to 420W for your components, including fans, RGB, and USB devices. 

✅You want ease of use and installation: The motherboard is quite convenient to work with and set up, with EZ-DIY mechanisms and peripherals making your tasks easier. 

Don’t Buy It If:

❌You’re looking to overclock heavily: While some basic overclocking room is available, you won’t be able to push high-end Ryzen CPUs to their limits on this board. 

My Thoughts

The MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk WiFi is an excellent addition to this budget-oriented series. It offers good performance, impressive I/O, and plenty of EZ-DIY features making it a breeze to work with. Talking looks, the board has a fairly basic design, but one that is fitting for a budget-oriented board. There’s no RGB, but if you prefer it, you can always add your own!

You get a 14+2+1 VRM solution with 80A SPS for the CPU VCore providing 1,120A. The VRM cooling does its job, keeping the setup under 58°C during our testing. Overall, the performance of the board is good; it did well in all our benchmarks. 

The board has 3x PCIe slots, including a full Gen 5 x16 one. This slot is coupled with the EZ PCIe release mechanism and is steel-reinforced to handle heavy GPUs. You also get dual Gen 5 M.2 slots on top of dual Gen 4 ones. Two of the M.2 heatsinks can be removed by EZ mechanisms. Meanwhile, installing/removing the drives may rely on the “latch” clips or the singular EZ M.2 clip II, which you can relocate by using the provided remover. 

For USB, there are an impressive 21 USB ports, including dual USB4. The board offers 5G LAN, WiFi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4 provisions, which is impressive and adequate for most users (I doubt you were expecting 10G LAN at this price!). The audio solution is Realtek’s ALC4080, a mid-range solution that’s plenty for even high-end gaming headsets. 

The various EZ-DIY mechanisms and peripherals (the EZ front panel cable and 1-to-3 connector) are another major highlight. Working with the board is a breeze!

The board is priced at $299, and MSI is offering a 3-year warranty for it. We thank them for sending us this model for review!