MSI MPG Z690 Carbon WiFi Motherboard Review

Peter Donnell / 2 years ago

The MSI MPG Z690 Carbon WiFi motherboard is here at last, and while I brought you a preview last week, today is the full review, with those oh-so-important performance figures! Of course, it’s a bigger deal than just a new motherboard, as this is the launch of the new Z690 motherboards, which feature the latest LGA1700 socket for the new 12th Gen Intel Core processors (Alder Lake). These new CPUs and the new Z6690 chipset bring a suite of new options too, such as the latest DDR5 memory, PCIe 5.0, M.2 PCIe 4.0 storage, Thunderbolt 4, Intel WiFi 6 and more!

MSI MPG Z690 Carbon WiFi

Of course, MSI is well known for their high-end motherboards, and while the Carbon isn’t their flagship, it’s certainly very high up the range. It’s built for enthusiast system builders and high-end gaming builds, so it’s packed full of premium features. There’s a powerful 18+1+1 Power Phase design, equipped with a bank of huge heatsinks and premium thermal pads to ensure maximum boost performance. There’s plenty of M.2 storage too, all running the ultra-fast PCIe 4.0 standard, and all of them equipped with high-end FROZR heatsinks and armour. You get two of the latest PCIe 5.0 x16 slots, as DDR5 memory, giving you some seriously future-proofing. However, there’s also the new Intel WiFi 6, 2.5 GbE LAN, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 and much more!

Features

Supports 12th Gen Intel^® Core™ / Pentium^® Celeron^® processors for LGA 1700 socket
Supports DDR5 Memory, up to 6666+(OC) MHz
Lightning Fast Game experience: PCIe 5.0 slots, Lightning Gen 4 x4 M.2, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2
Enhanced Power Design: Direct 18+1+1 phases power, dual 8-pin CPU power connectors, Core Boost, Memory Boost
Premium Thermal Solution: Enlarged heatsink with heat-pipe, MOSFET thermal pads rated for 7W/mk, additional choke thermal pads and M.2 Shield Frozr are built for high performance system and non-stop gaming experience
MYSTIC LIGHT: 16.8 million colors / fancy lighting effects controlled in one click. MYSTIC LIGHT SYNC supports RGB, RAINBOW(ARGB), Corsair LED strips and Ambient devices.
2.5G LAN with LAN Manager and Intel Wi-Fi 6E Solution: Upgraded network solution for professional and multimedia use. Delivers a secure, stable and fast network connection
AUDIO BOOST 5: Reward your ears with studio grade sound quality for the most immersive gaming experience
High Quality PCB: 8-layer PCB made by 2oz thickened copper and server grade level material
Pre-installed I/O Shield: Better EMI protection and more convenience for installation

For in-depth specifications, please visit the official MSI MPG Z690 Carbon WiFi product page here.