MSI MPG X870E Carbon MAX WIFI Motherboard Review – Maxing Out Carbon For AM5 Builders

It's been three years since the AMD AM5 motherboard platform and the 600-series motherboards launched. Since its launch, the platform has seen the launch of several CPUs in the Ryzen 7000, Ryzen 8000, and Ryzen 9000 families. While the 600-series motherboards provide great features & compatibility with newer Zen 5 CPUs, motherboard makers are always looking to enhance user experiences through the latest technologies, so AMD has introduced a new chipset line called the 800-series.

Now, AMD has introduced both X870 and B850 series chipsets for high-end and mainstream AM5 motherboards. Both of these chips provide brand-new designs and brand-new features that are sure to entice new AMD builders and older AM4 users into investing in a new motherboard for their gaming and content creation needs.

We received a load of motherboards from various manufacturers, so let's start by taking a look at these updated designs. For this review, we will be testing MSI's latest AM5 refresh motherboard, which is part of its "MAX" series, the MPG X870E Carbom MAX WIFI.

The AMD AM5 Platform

The AMD AM4 platform has been the longest-running modern-day platform to date, which was first introduced in 2017 &  is very much alive and kicking in 2025. The company just recently launched new chips for the platform, and it looks like it will stick around for another year till 2025.

AMD is now launching its 2nd Generation AM5 platform under the new 800-series family. The lineup will initially target the high-end enthusiasts with the X870E and X870 chipsets. These chipsets are designed to offer better features, IO memory support, and additional OC features for Ryzen CPUs such as the Zen 5-based Ryzen 9000 "Granite Ridge" family and future Ryzen launches.

Certain aspects that have been upgraded on the AMD X870E & X870 motherboards include:

• USB 4.0 standard on all X870/X870E motherboards
• PCIe Gen5 on Graphics & NVME on all X870/X870E motherboards
• Higher EXPO memory clock support on X870/X870E motherboards

AMD did disclose that there would be new PBO and CO algorithms introduced with Ryzen 9000 CPUs, and these new motherboards will fully support them out of the box. In addition to the X870E and X870 motherboards, the company also plans to introduce its B850 & B840 chipsets, which will serve the mainstream segment. The following is what the chipset lineup will look like:

• X870E (Promontory 21 x2)
• X870 (Promontory 21 x1)
• B650 (Promonotory 21 x1)
• B840 (Promontory 19 x1)

So in terms of what each chipset offers, the X870E series will use two Promontory 21 dies on the motherboards with support for USB4 & both Gen5 GPU/SSD support. X870 (Non-E) will feature just 1 of the dies but retain the same support in terms of I/O. Just the lanes will be fewer.

AMD Chipset Features and Specifications:

Wccftech	X870E	X870	X670E/X670	B650E/B650	A620
CrossfireX/SLI	2-Way CFX	2-Way CFX	2-Way CFX	2-Way CFX	N/A
CPU Lanes (Usable)	24 Gen 5 (with Ryzen 7000 CPUs & above)	24 Gen 5 (with Ryzen 7000 CPUs & above)	24 Gen 5 (with Ryzen 7000 CPUs & above)	24 Gen 5 (with Ryzen 7000 CPUs & above) 24 Gen 4 for B650	24 Gen 4 (with Ryzen 7000 CPUs & above)
PCH Lanes (Usable)	8 Gen4 12 Gen3	4 Gen4 8 Gen3	12 Gen4 8 Gen3	8 Gen4 4 Gen3	8 Gen 3
USB4	Standard	Standard	Optional	Optional	Optional
USB 3.1/3.2 Gen2	2	1	2	1	0
USB 3.1/3.2 Gen1	12	6	12	6	2
USB 2.0	8	8	8	6	6
SATA 6Gb/s	8	8	8	4	4
DDR5 DIMMs	4	4	4	4	4
DDR4 DIMMs	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Overclocking Support	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
XFR2 Enhanced	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
Precision Boost Overdrive	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
NVMe	Yes (Gen 5.0)	Yes (Gen 5.0)	Yes (Gen 5.0)	Yes (Gen 5.0)	N/A
Form Factor	ATX/ITX	ATX/mATX/ITX	ATX/mATX/ITX	ATX/mATX/ITX	mATX/ITX

The motherboards will feature support for DDR5-5600 MT/s memory speeds natively and over 8000 MT/s transfer rates on some of the high-end motherboards that we will be getting by the July timeframe.

The AMD B850 motherboards will feature the same Promontory 21 die, minus the native USB4 support. They will carry Gen5 GPU support, but Gen5 M.2 support will be optional. The B840 will be the entry-level option within the series, with the older Promontory 19 die, which means you will get just Gen4 GPU/SSD support, no CPU overclocking, and only memory overclock support. The B840 motherboards are going to be very affordable in terms of pricing, so that will be competitive against sub-$200 US options from Intel.

AMD will also have the A620/A620A series continuing its role to serve the entry-level segment. There are plans to offer even more price adjustments, making them a viable option for ODMs and system builders to attract more customers.

AMD AM5 Chipset Comparisons:

Chipset Name	PCIe Lanes Gen (PCH)	USB Support (Max)	Overclocking Support	Graphics Configs
X870E	Gen5 (GPU & NVMe)	USB4	CPU+Memory	1x16, 2x8
X670E	Gen5 (GPU & NVMe)	USB 3.2 (20 Gbps) USB4 (Optional)	CPU+Memory	1x16, 2x8
X870	Gen5 (GPU & NVMe)	USB4	CPU+Memory	1x16, 2x8
X670	Gen5 (NVMe) Gen4 (GPU)	USB 3.2 (20 Gbps) USB4 (Optional)	CPU+Memory	1x16, 2x8
B850	Gen5 (NVMe / GPU Opt) Gen4 (GPU)	USB 3.2 (20 Gbps)	CPU+Memory	1x16, 2x8
B650E	Gen5 (NVMe / GPU)	USB 3.2 (20 Gbps) USB4 (Optional)	CPU+Memory	1x16, 2x8
B650	Gen5 (NVMe) Gen4 (GPU)	USB 3.2 (20 Gbps) USB4 (Optional)	CPU+Memory	1x16, 2x8
B840	Gen3 (NVMe / GPU)	USB 3.2 (10 Gbps)	Memory Only	1x16
A620	Gen4 (NVMe / GPU)	USB3.2 (10 Gbps) USB4 (Optional)	Memory Only	1x16

Meet The LGA 1718 Socket - How Long Will This One Last?

As mentioned earlier, AM4's reign is finally over, and the AM5 socket is here now. The new socket moves from a PGA (Pin-Grid-Array) design to an LGA (Land-Grid-Array) layout. The new LGA 1718 socket offers more pin connections to the CPU, allowing for more communication channels with the board itself and enabling support for enhanced features that the new platform has to offer.

As for longevity, AMD has committed to a 2027+ plan for its latest AM5 socket. The AM4 platform is a testament to AMD's support for its consumers, and while the newer 500-series lineup was locked out initially, the company and its partners worked towards extending support for older processors on the newer chipsets and newer CPUs on older motherboards. The AM4 platform continues to be the best seller in the Ryzen lineup, but that would change with the introduction of more budget and feature-rich designs for the AM5 socket, like the 800-series.

Cooler Compatibility With AM5 Socket

The AMD Ryzen 7000/8000/9000 Desktop CPUs will feature a perfect square shape (45x45mm), but will house a very chunky integrated heat spreader or IHS. The CPUs will be the same length, width, and height as the existing Ryzen Desktop CPUs and are sealed across the sides, so applying thermal paste won't fill the interior of the IHS with TIM. That's also why current coolers will be fully compatible with the latest Ryzen CPUs.

The MSI MPG X870E Carbon MAX WIFI motherboard comes in a standard cardboard package. The front features a picture of the motherboard & this is an MPG product, which refers to MSI Performance Gaming. The packaging also lists a few features such as 40G USB ports, 5G LAN, Wi-Fi 7, and support for PCIe 5.0 (GPU/NVMe), DDR5 & Overclocking.

The backside of the package lists the specifications and special features of the motherboard, such as the 18-Phase Duet Rail power system, the premium thermal design, OC Engine, Pinsafe Design, the EZ M.2 Shield Frozr II SSD heatsinks, EZ PCIe release, Lightning Gen5 slots, USB 40G, WIFI7 with Bluetooth 5.4, and dual LAN.

Inside the package is another box that contains the accessories and is located right below the box holder for the board itself. You get a Quick Installation Guide, a Cable Sticker sheet, an EZ Wi-Fi Antenna, an EZ M.2 Clip II, an EZ M.2 Clip II Remover, 1 to 3 EZ Conn-Cable (V2), two SATA Cables, an ARGB Extension cable, and an EZ Front Panel cable.

With all the accessories done, it's time to put that box aside and take the motherboard out of its package.

The MSI MPG X870E Carbon MAX WIFI motherboard is a standard ATX offering that measures 243.84 x 304.8 mm. The motherboard carries a black color scheme with a few silver and grey accents on the heatsinks, mainly to mark the different logos. The overall theme is very nice and looks great for an all-black PC build.

MSI has gone with a very premium design for its latest Carbon series, which comes with various heatsinks and covers, some of which feature RGB-lit illumination, and the overall theme of the board is very much inclined towards the gaming audience.

The board uses the LGA 1718 socket to support AMD Ryzen "AM5" processors. The socket works with Ryzen 7000, Ryzen 8000G, and Ryzen 9000 CPUs and will also support future generations of AM5 Ryzen chips that are supported by the platform.

Next to the socket are four DDR5 DIMM slots that can support up to 256 GB of dual-channel (128 GB modules) memory.

These slots are rated to support XMP profiles up to 8400 MT/s (OC Plus). Each slot is labeled, making it easier to install DIMMs in the proper orientation. DDR5 memory comes with a different latch position, so forcing a DDR4 module into a DDR5 slot will cause permanent damage. Each slot is also combined with a reinforced design to make sure signal integrity remains good while keeping the slots durable for long-term usage. The full QVL list can be found here. There are at least 9 kits rated at DDR5-8400 that are supported by the motherboard.

Furthermore, MSI also lists support for CUDIMM memory, but only in Clock Driver bypass mode, which is essentially going to run the CUDIMM as a standard UDIMM. Manual overclocking will be available on CUDIMM modules after a restart, but certain CPUs may fail to boot with this type of memory installed, and MSI is working towards a new BIOS to improve compatibility for CUDIMM & CPUs.

The MSI MPG X870E Carbon MAX WIFI motherboard features an 18+2+1 (VCore/ VccGT/VccAUX) phase Duet Rail power delivery that utilizes the Renesas RAA 229620 PWM controller & R2209004 HBD  S2408E2W (110A) stages for the VCore. The big change here is the addition of a BCLK Generate or OC Engine, as MSI refers to it. This enables BCLK adjustment for more refined OC and tuning capabilities.

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The VRMs and power delivery solution are scattered around the AM5 socket. The board uses an 8-layer NPG-170D server-grade PCB with 2oz thickened copper.

The VRMs receive ample cooling from the Frozr Thermal solution. These include an extended heat sink, M.2 Shield Frozr, and Enlarged PCH heatsinks.

The CPU is supplied power through an 8+8-pin power connector configuration. This will feed the CPU with up to 300 Watts of power. The AMD Ryzen 9000 CPUs are very power-hungry, with the maximum target power going above 220W for the flagship Ryzen 9 9950X CPU.

Coming to the Frozr heatsink solution, we first have the extended heatsink, which makes use of two aluminum blocks with a series of fins that are stacked on top of each other. The heatsink features a heat pipe solution that connects the MOS heatsinks, offering a larger surface for thermal dissipation.

Underneath the VRM heatsink are 7W/mK Thermal pads, which transfer heat from the VRMs to the heatsink. A single 3-pin header powers the RGB lighting on the IO cover.

Expansion slots include three PCI Express x16 (1 x Gen 5.0 x16/8 / 1x Gen 5.0 x4 / 1x Gen 4.0x4) and four M.2 slots. The first and second Gen5 slots share bandwidth with the second M.2 slot, so keep that in mind when installing a Gen5 SSD into the slot.

• PCI_E1 Gen PCIe 5.0 supports up to x16 (From CPU)
• PCI_E2 Gen PCIe 5.0 supports up to x8 (From CPU)
• PCI_E3 Gen PCIe 4.0 supports up to x4 (From Chipset)

The motherboard utilizes a full metallic slot, and the MSI also features its EZ PCIE release mechanism, which provides for a seamless removal of graphics cards. Just push the EZ release button, and you can remove the graphics card with ease.

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The motherboard also has a vast array of M.2 slots, all of which are featured under dedicated M.2 Frozr heatsinks.

One of the larger heatsinks also works as a cover plate for the motherboard's lower portion. It has the MPG logo on it, and underneath, you can find dual-sided thermal pads. You need to remove the plastic sticker from the thermal pads before installing a new SSD for proper heat transfer. The whole cover is easy to remove thanks to the EZ M.2 mechanism. You have to push the metal bracket inwards, and the whole panel will pop out. It's also fairly easy to install back as the latches have magnetic locks that secure the panel in place.

The primary M.2 Shield Frozr heatsink is the bigger one and provides better cooling to a Gen5 M.2 SSD. This has the same latching mechanism as the M.2 SSDs, but the heatsink also features a 4-pin connector that powers the RGB on the "CARBON" logo at the front.

Following is the full list of M.2 ports and their details on the MSI MPG X870E Carbon WIFI motherboard:

• M.2_1 Source (From CPU) supports up to PCIe 5.0 x4, supports 2280/2260 devices
• M.2_2 Source (From CPU) supports up to PCIe 5.0 x4, supports 2280/2260 devices
• M.2_3 Source (From Chipset) supports up to PCIe 4.0 x4, supports 2280/2260 devices
• M.2_4 Source (From Chipset) supports up to PCIe 4.0 x4, supports 2280/2260 devices

The X870E PCH is housed beneath a large heatsink with the MAX logo etched over it.

The motherboard offers two RGB accent zones. First is the I/O cover, which has the "Dragon" logo, and the second is the M.2 SSD cover, which has the "Carbon" logo. These can be turned off or can be customized using MSI's Mystic Light software through its MSI Center application.

Storage options include four SATA III ports rated to operate at 6 GB/s. These can support 4 different storage devices at once. The motherboard also offers a total of 9 USB IO on the front, which includes four USB 2.0, four USB 5 Gbps Type-A, and a single 20 Gbps USB Type-C connection.

MSI uses a 7.1 CH HD audio design with the latest Realtek ALC4080 CODEC.

There is a large selection of connectors on the motherboard, and one of the highlights is the 8-pin power connector for PCIe Gen5 ports, which should provide additional power when running multi-GPU solutions for AI purposes. This PEG connector can offer up to 150W of power through the PCIe slots and can also increase the maximum excursion rating by 2.5x.

Other than that, you get Power On/Off, Reset buttons, an LED On/Off Switch, an EZ DEBUG LED, an EZ Digi-DEBUG LED with temperature monitoring, and a range of fan/RGB headers.

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The full list of connectors on the motherboard is listed as follows.

• 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)
• 5x System Fan
• 1x EZ Conn-header (JAF_2)
• 2x Front Panel (JFP)
• 1x Chassis Intrusion (JCI)
• 1x Front Audio (JAUD)
• 1x Thermal Sensor connectors(T_SEN)
• 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 ports

MSI is using the latest WIFI 7 Module to power wireless connectivity and Bluetooth 5.4. In terms of Ethernet, there are two LAN ports, with one powered by the 5GbE RTL8126 controller and the other powered by the 2.5 GbE RTL8125 controller.

The motherboard comes with the following I/O connectors:

• USB 10Gbps Type-A
• Flash BIOS Button
• Clear CMOS Button
• Smart Button
• 2.5G LAN
• 5G LAN
• Audio Connectors
• HDMI
• USB 40Gbps Type-C
• USB 10Gbps Type-C
• USB 10Gbps Type-A
• USB 10Gbps Type-C
• Wi-Fi / Bluetooth
• Optical S/PDIF Out

MSI is also using a stacked PCB layout for the IO ports, which houses additional Marvell USB4 controllers. These controllers have their dedicated heatsink.

For testing, I used the Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU, which was sent to us by AMD, on a range of X870E and X870 motherboards.

AMD 800-series "AM5" Motherboard Test Platform:

Processors	AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
Motherboard	MSI MPG X870E Carbon MAX WIFI (7E49v2A10) Gigabyte X870E AERO X3D Wood (13F7) MSI MEG X870E ACE MAX (7E85v1A20) ASRock X870E Taichi OCF (v1.03) MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk MAX WIFI (7E84v1A10) Gigabyte X870E AORUS Master X3D ICE (F4) ASRock X870 Taichi Creator (3.40) ASRock PG X870 Nova WIFI (3.30) ASRock X870 Livemixer WIFI (3.31) Colorful CVN X870 ARK Frozen V14 (BIOS 1011) MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk WIFI (7E51v1A24) MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WIFI (7E59v2A3) MSI MPG X870E EDGE TI WIFI (7E59v1A2) MSI MPG X870E Carbon WIFI (7E49v1A12 AGESA 1.2.0.2) ASRock X870E Taichi (3.08 AGESA 1.2.0.2) ASRock X870E Taichi LITE (3.08 AGESA 1.2.0.2) ASRock X870 Steel Legend WiFi (3.08 AGESA 1.2.0.2) AORUS X870 ELITE WIFI7 ICE (F3B AGESA 1.2.0.2)
Power Supply	FSP Hydro G 1200W PSU
Solid State Drive	Crucial T700 2 TB Gen5 SSD
Memory	T-Force Delta RGB DDR5-7200 (CL34 2 x 16 GB)
Video Cards	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition
Cooling Solutions	Arctic Liquid Freezer III 420mm AIO
OS	Windows 11 64-bit

Our test rig includes the Crucial T700 2 TB Gen5 SSD that boots up our main OS. In addition to these, we are running an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition graphics card and an FSP Hydro G 1200W PSU. For this specific review, we used the T-Force  Delta RGB DDR5-7200 memory kit running at CL34 timings.

All X870E/X870 Motherboards Memory Support (Official Rating)

The AMD X870E/X870 motherboards are listed with some of the highest-listed DDR5 memory support out of the box. Following is how each of the motherboards we tested stacks up in terms of maximum frequency support:

3DMark CPU Profile Benchmark

Instead of producing a single number, the 3DMark CPU Profile shows you how your CPU's performance changes and scales with the number of cores and threads used. The 3DMark CPU Profile has six tests that help you benchmark and compare CPU performance for gaming and other activities.

Blender

Blender is a free and open-source 3D creation suite. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline—modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing, motion tracking, and even video editing and game creation.

Cinebench 2024

Cinebench 2024 utilizes the power of Redshift, Cinema 4D's default rendering engine, to evaluate your computer's CPU and GPU capabilities. Cinebench 2024 is designed to accommodate a broad range of hardware configurations, while it seamlessly supports x86/64 architecture (Intel/AMD) on Windows and macOS.

Cinebench R23

Cinebench is a real-world cross-platform test suite that evaluates your computer’s hardware capabilities. Improvements to Cinebench Release 20 reflect the overall advancements to CPU and rendering technology in recent years, providing a more accurate measurement of Cinema 4D’s ability to take advantage of multiple CPU cores and modern processor features available to the average user.

CPU-Z

CPUz is a freeware that gathers information on some of the main devices of your system, such as the Processor name and number, codename, process, package, cache levels, Mainboard, chipset, Memory type, size, timings, and module specifications (SPD), and Real-time measurement of each core's internal frequency and memory frequency.

Geekbench 6

Geekbench 6 is a cross-platform benchmark that measures your system's performance with the press of a button.

HandBrake

HandBrake is a tool for converting video from nearly any format to a selection of modern, widely supported codecs.

PCMark 10

PCMark 10 is a complete PC benchmarking solution for Windows 10. It includes several tests that combine individual workloads covering storage, computation, image and video manipulation, web browsing, and gaming. Specifically designed for the full range of PC hardware from netbooks and tablets to notebooks and desktops, PCMark 10 offers complete Windows PC performance testing for home and business use.

POV-Ray

The POV-Ray package includes detailed instructions on using the ray tracer and creating scenes. Many stunning scenes are included with POV-Ray, so you can start creating images immediately when you get the package.

SuperPI

Super PI is used by many overclockers to test the performance and stability of their computers. In the overclocking community, the standard program provides a benchmark for enthusiasts to compare “world record” pi calculation times and demonstrate their overclocking abilities. The program can also be used to test the stability of a certain overclock speed.

WinRAR

WinRAR is a powerful archive manager. It can back up your data and reduce the size of email attachments, decompress RAR, ZIP, and other files downloaded from the Internet, and create new archives in RAR and ZIP file formats.

V-Ray Render Benchmark

V-Ray  Benchmark is a free, standalone application to test how fast your system renders. Three custom-built test scenes are also included to put each V-Ray 6 render engine through its paces.

Battlefield V

Battlefield V brings back the action of the World War 2 shooter genre. Using the latest Frostbite tech, the game does a good job of looking gorgeous in all ways possible. From the open-world environments to the intense and gun-blazing action, this multiplayer and single-player FPS title is one of the best-looking Battlefield titles to date. The game was tested at max settings at 1440p.

DOOM Eternal

DOOM Eternal brings hell to Earth with the Vulkan-powered idTech 7.  We test this game using the Ultra Nightmare Preset and follow our in-game benchmarking to stay as consistent as possible.

GTA V

GTA V is one handsomely optimized title for the PC audience. It's scalable across various PC configurations and delivers an impressive frame rate. Rockstar did an amazing job with the PC build of GTA V, and it comes with a large array of settings that can be configured by PC gamers. We tested the title at 1440P with everything set to Ultra and 4x MSAA.

Metro Exodus

Metro Exodus continues the journey of Artyom through the nuclear wasteland of Russia and its surroundings. This time, you are set over the Metro, going through various regions and different environments. The game is one of the premier titles to feature NVIDIA’s RTX technology and does well in showcasing the ray-tracing effects in all corners. The game was tested at Ultra settings with RTX settings turned off at 1440p.

Shadow of The Tomb Raider

Sequel to The Rise of the Tomb Raider, Shadow of the Tomb Raider is visually enhanced with an updated Foundation Engine that delivers realistic facial animations and the most gorgeous environments ever seen in a Tomb Raider Game. The game is a technical marvel and shows the power of its graphics engine in the latest title.

The AMD Ryzen 9000 CPUs come in the same two or three chiplet configurations as the Ryzen 7000 series, with one or two of which are the aforementioned AMD Zen 4 CCDs fabricated on the 4nm process node. Then we have the larger die around the center, the IOD, based on a 6nm process node. The AMD Ryzen 9000 CCD measures a die size of 70.6mm2 and features a total of 8.6 billion transistors per CCD. The IOD has a die size of 122m2 and features 3.4 billion transistors.

Scattered around the package are several SMDs (capacitors/resistors) that usually sit under the package substrate if we consider Intel's CPUs. AMD is instead featuring them on the top layer, and as such, they had to design a new kind of IHS, which is internally referred to as the Octopus.

AMD's Ryzen 9000 Desktop CPUs utilize a brand new Zen 5 core architecture that is built on the 4nm process node; as such, these chips are designed to be extremely efficient. The chips feature gold-plated IHS for efficient thermal transfer.

AMD's Ryzen CPUs, especially the cost-effective X3D options, are currently selling like hotcakes. This huge demand has led motherboard makers to offer new, cost-optimized, and feature-rich options based on the X870 chipset since that is the most popular choice for mainstream builders. MSI has also upgraded its AM5 lineup to meet the growing demand for new motherboards and new feature sets, and is rolling out the "MAX" and "EVO" series. These boards continue to build upon existing designs with an improved set of features. Today, we tested and took a deeper look at the Carbon MAX, which builds upon the X870E Carbon WIFI in good ways.

The Carbon series is entirely gamer-focused, and the new MAX design continues this trend with a new design scheme that can be seen as a soft update over the previous model. The black and silver accents looked great before and still look great for the majority of PC builds. The 18(110A)+2+1 phase VRM design and the wavy finned heatsink with heatpipes deliver top-notch cooling, and with the OC Genie, which adds an external BCLK generator, allows users to do manual BLCK adjustments, which they can combine with the new PBO BLCK Booster tech within the BIOS for added performance. MSI has already gone the extra mile with its BIOS-specific features such as High-Efficiency mode, X3D Gaming Mode, & many more, boosting gaming and app performance by 10-20%.

MSI also retains solid DDR5 memory support across its lineup and is always offering the latest BETA BIOS for improved support. DDR5-8400 is superb for AMD Ryzen CPUs, & 256 GB capacities are always a plus.

The other crucial aspect of the "MAX" and "EVO" series is that they feature a 64 MB BIOS. This larger BIOS, an upgrade from the 32 MB BIOS on the previous motherboard, ensures users retain all BIOS features and look forward to future Zen CPU support, such as the upcoming Zen 6 lineup, slated for the second half of 2026.

Besides its BIOS-side and power/cooling capabilities, the MSI MEG X870E Carbon MAX motherboard also comes with a strong 4 M.2 SSD layout, dual USB4 Type-C ports, lots of USB ports (22 in total), a full-on EZ DIY design, and full utilization of the native PCIe 5.0 LANes from the CPU. Connectivity is also strong with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 support, plus 10G and 2.5G ports combo.

• 4x USB 2.0 (Front)
• 4x USB 5Gbps Type A (Front)
• 9x USB 10Gbps Type A (Rear)
• 2x USB 10Gbps Type C (Rear)
• 1x USB 20Gbps Type C (Front)
• 2x USB 40Gbps Type C (Rear)

The things we loved about the MSI MPG X870E Carbon MAX WIFI:

• Strong VRM design (Similar to ACE MAX)
• Looks great & retains ATX form factor
• Good VRM cooling
• OC Engine for BCLK Tuning
• Lots of USB ports (Including Dual USB4)
• Four M.2 slots with heatsinks
• Latest WIFI7 & BT5.4 Support
• Dual LAN ports (10G+2.5G)
• EZ Toolless Design For GPU & M.2 Slots
• Solid BIOS Firmware
• 64 MB BIOS for future Zen CPU support

Things that we want to see:

• Further optimizations to gaming performance with BIOS features
• Lower pricing

Although the MSI X870E Carbon MAX WIFI isn't a huge update over the original X870E Carbon, the refresh does feature some useful features, such as the 64 MB BIOS and the BCLK OC Engine. The MSI Carbon series looks phenomenal design-wise and retain their high-end positioning. While the pricing hasn't been revealed, we expect the new MAX offering to retail close to the original Carbon, which will make it the go-to option over the previous model. With that said, MSI continues to add more useful features to its AM5 800-series lineup with motherboards such as the MAX and EVO series, prepping up for the future, while offering users a vast array of features at various price points, making them a great option for AM5 PC builders.

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