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MSI’s Intel Z490 boards start from RM777
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MSI’s Intel Z490 boards start from RM777

by Vyncent ChanJune 25, 2020
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Designed to allow you to take full advantage of the 10th Gen Intel Core processors, the MSI Z490 motherboards are updated to offer the best in power delivery and thermal performance. They have also updated the entire MSI Z490 motherboard lineup to feature ten-layer PCBs, up from six to improve OC performance and thermal performance.

With at least 2.5G LAN offered along with WiFi 6, MSI is ready to take connectivity to the next level with their MSI Z490 motherboards too. All the boards will also feature pre-installed I/O shields to make it easier to build systems with MSI’s Z490 offerings. So let’s start from the top, shall we?

MSI MEG Z490 Series

As MSI’s flagship motherboards, they are designed to support ludicrous overclocking on the latest 10th Gen Intel Core processors with Frozr Heatsink Design, complete with two fans drawing air through the I/O shield. The MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE even offers a stacked fin array, heatpipes and a MOSFET Baseplate to more effectively dissipate heat from the power delivery system.

All three M.2 slots on the MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE and MSI MEG Z490 ACE feature M.2 Shield Frozr heatsinks, with the MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE offering a patented double side M.2 thermal solution to further improve the cooling of your SSDs.

MSI will be using a Mirrored Power Arrangement with ISL Phase Controllers (read: doublers) with an Intersil ISL69269 PWM controller to send 16 phases to the CPU. Each of the phases are handled by a 90A Smart Power Stage to promises consistent power deliver to the 10th Gen Intel Core processor sitting in the socket.

MSI's Intel Z490 boards start from RM777 25

Behind the MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE and MSI MEG Z490 ACE, there’s the oddly named Chest Plate, which is a rigid metal backplate to prevent against potential bending or twisting damage during installation. You also get a color OLED panel, or what MSI calls the Dynamic Dashboard II, on the MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE along with a M.2 XPANDER-Z GEN 4 S accessory card that adds two more M.2 slots along with a fan to keep the SSDs cool.

The MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE and is priced at an eye-watering RM3990, while the MSI MEG Z490 Ace is offered at RM1989.

For those who don’t need as much bling, MSI offers the MSI MEG Z490 UNIFY and MEG Z490I UNIFY. These boards drop the RGB lighting and offer a stealthy black aesthetic. It’s perfect for enthusiasts who want to build high performance rigs but do not want to spend on unnecessary lighting that they will end up disabling anyway. For the MSI MEG Z490 UNIFY, you get the same 16 90A power stages as the MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE and Z490 ACE. Meanwhile the MSI MEG Z490I UNIFY sports eight 90A power stages, owing to the limited room on the board.

The MSI MEG Z490 UNIFY is significantly more affordable at RM1399, while the MSI MEG Z490I UNIFY is priced at RM1239.

MSI MPG Z490 Series

Taking things down a notch, there’s the MSI MPG Z490 motherboards, designed for gamers who want to extract the most performance out of their 10th Gen Intel Core processors without losing out on style. All the MSI MPG Z490 boards come with onboard Mystic Light LED for that touch of bling.

Sending power to the processor is the Premium Duet Rail Power Solution that helps to improve the stability of the power supplied to the processor. The MSI MPG Z490 GAMING CARBON WiFi features a heatpipe connecting the VRM heatsinks, while the MSI MPG Z490 GAMING EDGE WIFI and MSI MPG Z490M GAMING EDGE WIFI both come with an aluminium I/O shroud to more effectively cool the VRM. The MSI MPG Z490 GAMING PLUS sports an Extended Heatsink Design.

The MPG Z490 Gaming Carbon WiFi is priced at RM1299, the MPG Z490 Gaming Edge WiFi is available for RM999, MPG Z490M Gaming  Edge WiFi is RM949, and last but not least, the MPG Z490M Gaming Plus is priced at RM859.

MSI MAG Z490 Series

With a military-inspired design, the MSI MAG series is designed to satisfy every gamer’s needs without breaking the bank. The MSI MAG Z490 TOMAHAWK features an aluminium cover over its Duet Rail Power System VRM setup. All M.2 slots are equipped with M.2 Shield Frozr too to keep them running optimally.

MSI MAG Z490 TOMAHAWK

MSI MAG Z490 TOMAHAWK

The MSI MAG Z490 TOMAHAWK sports Dual LAN consisting of 2.5G LAN and Gigabit LAN. The board sports a 12+1+1 Duet Rail Power System, promising an advanced power delivery system for entry-level gamers too.

The MSI MAG Z490 TOMAHAWK comes in at RM939.

MSI PRO Series

MSI Z490-A PRO

Designed for reliability, the MSI Z490-A PRO sports a 12 Duet Rail Power System, the Extended Heatsink Design and M.2 Shield Frozr to deliver consistent performance. Networking is courtesy of 2.5G LAN, which allows you to enjoy high-speed networking.

The entry-level MSI Z490-A PRO is priced at RM777.

MSI Z490 Specs and Pricing in Malaysia

MEG Z490 Godlike MEG Z490 Ace MEG Z490 Unify MEG Z490I Unify MPG Z490 Gaming Carbon WiFi MPG Z490 Gaming Edge WiFi MPG Z490M Gaming Edge WiFi MAG Z490 Tomahawk MPG Z490 Gaming Plus Z490-A PRO
Form Factor E-ATX ATX ATX mITX ATX ATX mATX ATX ATX ATX
VRMs 16 (90A) 16 (90A) 16 (90A) 8 (90A) 12+1 12+1 12+1 12+1 12+1 12+1
RAM support Up to 128GB DDR4, up to 5000 MHz Up to 128GB DDR4, up to 4800 MHz Up to 128GB DDR4, up to 4800 MHz Up to 64GB DDR4, up to 4800 MHz Up to 128GB DDR4, up to 4800 MHz Up to 128GB DDR4, up to 4800 MHz Up to 128GB DDR4, up to 4800 MHz Up to 128GB DDR4, up to 4800 MHz Up to 128GB DDR4, up to 4800 MHz Up to 128GB DDR4, up to 4800 MHz
Storage 3 x M.2
6 x SATA 6Gb/s
3 x M.2
6 x SATA 6Gb/s
3 x M.2
6 x SATA 6Gb/s
2 x M.2
4 x SATA 6Gb/s
2 x M.2
6 x SATA 6Gb/s
2 x M.2
6 x SATA 6Gb/s
2 x M.2
4 x SATA 6Gb/s
2 x M.2
6 x SATA 6Gb/s
2 x M.2
6 x SATA 6Gb/s
2 x M.2
6 x SATA 6Gb/s
Display output 2 x Thunderbolt 3 No No Thunderbolt 3
DisplayPort
HDMI
DisplayPort
HDMI
DisplayPort
HDMI
DisplayPort
HDMI
DisplayPort
HDMI
DisplayPort
HDMI
DisplayPort
HDMI
Networking Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
Marvell AQtion AQC107 10GbE
Realtek 8125B 2.5GbE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
Realtek 8125B 2.5GbE
Intel I219-V GbE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
Realtek 8125B 2.5GbE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
Realtek 8125B 2.5GbE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
Realtek 8125B 2.5GbE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
Realtek 8125B 2.5GbE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
Realtek 8125B 2.5GbE
Realtek 8125B 2.5GbE
Intel I219-V GbE
Realtek 8125B 2.GbE Realtek 8125B 2.GbE
Price RM3990 RM1989 RM1399 RM1239 RM1299 RM999 RM949 RM939 RM859 RM777

I know most of you are also probably waiting for the MSI B550 boards overview, but stay tuned for that as we get in touch with MSI Malaysia.

Pokdepinion: Wow that price tag on the MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE…

About The Author
Vyncent Chan
Technology enthusiast, casual gamer, pharmacy graduate. Strongly opposes proprietary standards and always on the look out for incredible bang-for-buck.

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