Working at CGMagazine, I’ve seen my fair share of motherboard launches over the years. Oftentimes, new platforms bring exciting features and capabilities. However, with Intel’s 14th Gen Raptor Lake refresh CPUs still using the LGA1700 socket, board partners like MSI have had to get creative to spur upgrades. The MSI MPG Z790 EDGE TI MAX WIFI Motherboard aims to tempt owners of 12th-generation systems with incremental improvements, and honestly, they make a pretty solid case.
Visually, the Z790 EDGE TI MAX looks nearly identical to its predecessor. You get the same black PCB with grey accents on the heatsinks and shrouds. The rear I/O plate is packed with 8 USB Type-A ports, along with a pair of fast USB Type-C connectors. There is optical out, along with HDMI and DVI outputs for video and a 2.5G ethernet port for good measure. However, unlike some more expensive options on the market, there are no Thunderbolt 4 outputs that could push the price a bit higher.
Another area MSI has boosted is the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20 Gbps) port count from two to three. There are also some nice quality-of-life improvements, like easier access to M.2 slots thanks to a new hinged “M.2 Shield Frozr” cover. And users who need a lot of SATA ports for HDDs or SSDs will appreciate the inclusion of eight ports, up from six on the prior model.
“Perhaps the most significant upgrade in the MSI MPG Z790 EDGE TI MAX WIFI Motherboard is the upgrade of the primary M.2 slot to PCIe Gen 5.”
Digging deeper into the spec sheet reveals where this TI MAX refresh has made its advancements. MSI has upgraded the WIFI to the latest WIFI 7 standard for higher wireless throughput. There’s also a more modern Bluetooth 5.3 controller versus the 5.2 found on its predecessor. While not as glamorous as some features found on motherboards like LED screens or RGB lighting, it is great to see MSI make these improvements, giving users feature sets that should hold them over for years to come.
Perhaps the most significant upgrade in the MSI MPG Z790 EDGE TI MAX WIFI Motherboard is the upgrade of the primary M.2 slot to PCIe Gen 5. This top slot can now tap into the Gen 5 lanes available from 13th-Gen or 14th-Gen Raptor Lake chips. With new Gen 5 SSDs starting to hit the market, this will allow the very fastest NVMe storage speeds, giving plenty of flexibility to how you build your new system. The other three M.2 slots remain at PCIe Gen 4. The MPG Z790 EDGE TI MAX WIFI also boasts 6 SATA ports to ensure your standard HDD drives are not left out with your next build.
Now that we have what is new out of the way, it is valuable to delve into what this motherboard is really for. As you would expect for an upper mid-range Z790 motherboard, the EDGE TI MAX can readily handle Intel’s power-hungry CPUs with ease, giving you plenty of versatility to invest in the latest 13th-gen or 14th-gen chips for your next build. The 19-phase VRM utilizes MSI’s Solid Pin power connectors and should deliver rock-solid stability even when overclocking a flagship i9-14900K, and the motherboard is built to last for people who just want a stable, and powerful rig for content creation or the latest gaming.
I have to admit that I am enjoying the trend of more boards with a white and black aesthetic, and it looks stunning on the MSI MPG Z790 EDGE TI MAX WIFI motherboard. It is something different, and when it is all put together in a PC, it looks stunning. You really feel that MSI has paid attention to the various aspects of the board to ensure that it delivers the best possible performance at a responsible price.
“I have to admit that I am enjoying the trend of more boards with a white and black aesthetic, and it looks stunning on the MSI MPG Z790 EDGE TI MAX WIFI motherboard.”
With well-placed heat sinks and a level of future-proofing reserved for more expensive offerings, the MPG Z790 EDGE TI MAX WIFI delivers a lot in its well-positioned package. This high-performance design is backed by a generous three-year warranty, providing further confidence in its reliability.
While out-of-the-box DDR5 memory support remains at DDR5-7200, during my testing, the EDGE TI MAX had no issues running my DDR5-6000 kit at XMP speeds. With some manual tuning, hitting DDR5-8000 is certainly achievable if you have Samsung ICs. Memory overclockers will appreciate the dual BIOS and handy debug LED for troubleshooting training issues.
On the BIOS side of things, MSI has allowed for a wide range of settings, including a variety of overclocking options, to get the most out of your new Intel CPU. The bios interface is also relatively easy to navigate, so even novice PC builders should have no issues getting the basics set up. Thankfully, MSI has left all the more nitty gritty settings in place for those who want to tweak their new PC to their heart’s content.
“…the Z790 EDGE TI MAX WIFI strikes a solid balance between price and performance…”
As much as the Z790 EDGE TI MAX gets right, there are still a few areas for improvement that I’d like to see MSI address in a future revision. Firstly, while rear USB connectivity is generous, there is no onboard Thunderbolt 4. For a higher-end motherboard aimed at content creators and gamers, having Thunderbolt would be a nice bonus and something that could be incredibly useful. Thankfully, the board does include a header for an add-in card should you want to invest in that feature.
My other criticism is the lack of creature comforts like an onboard power button. Granted, these are things that are usually found on more expensive boards. But for people who build a lot of these machines, it is incredibly useful and something I find myself using daily when it is available. The same goes for a PCI-E GPU release button, again, something that is a lifesaver, especially if you find yourself swapping GPUs often for testing. Granted, these are quality-of-life features and honestly do not hold the board back, but for a motherboard on the upper end of the mid-range, it would be nice to see.
While incremental, the upgrades MSI brings in the Z790 EDGE TI MAX WIFI give those with Z690 systems a reason to consider upgrading. The PCIe Gen 5 storage, WIFI 7 wireless, and boosted USB connectivity add some welcome improvements. The beefy power design can easily handle even the hottest 14900K CPUs that users may drop into this board.
While it may lack some of the more premium features that you can find on flagship motherboards, the Z790 EDGE TI MAX WIFI strikes a solid balance between price and performance, giving a fair bit of value in its stylish frame. If you’re itching for the very latest tech for your newest build, the MSI MPG Z790 EDGE TI MAX WIFI brings enough to the table to satisfy most enthusiasts.
- Supports Intel Core Next-gen/13th Gen/12th Gen Pentium Gold and Celeron processors for LGA 1700 socket
- Supports DDR5 Memory, up to 7800+(OC) MHz
