MSI Z170A GAMING M5 (LGA1151) Motherboard Review
John Williamson / 8 years ago
Audio Performance
The motherboard’s Realtek ALC1150 codec is capable of delivering a superb audio experience across commonly used bit rates. As you can see from the analysis below, the general picture is very promising. While there could be some improvements to the dynamic range and noise output at 16 bit 44KHz, this is fairly common on the ALC1150 chipset. Overall, these are some of the best results I’ve seen and showcases the product’s exceptional audio hardware.
16 Bit, 44KHz (DVD Quality)
16 Bit, 96KHz (Studio Quality)
24 Bit, 96KHz (Studio Quality)
DPC Audio Latency Analyser
In terms of audio latency, the Z170A GAMING M5 recorded a relatively low figure although it’s some way off previously tested MSI motherboards. Despite this, it’s far from being problematic and still above many competing products.
