Recently, MSI has been focusing not only on products for PC enthusiasts and ordinary users, but also for a special audience - gamers. Product line GAMING, whose representatives have already met in our reviews, was created taking into account the needs computer games, has a distinctive design and functionality. The GAMING series includes both video cards and motherboards.
To make the positioning of MSI products clearer, please see the following infographic:
The foundations of MSI are motherboards and graphics cards with the concept Military class 4... Further, from them comes the GAMING series, which is also based on the Military Class 4 concept, but already carries various "chips" for gamers, such as improved sound, networking opportunities in the case of motherboards, and in the case of video cards - an improved cooling system and factory overclocking. Do not forget that the GAMING series is not only hardware complex, but also software, therefore exclusive utilities are supplied with the devices.
At the tip of the iceberg is the overclocking product line. It includes solutions Hawk and Lightning, in the case of video cards, and MPower- in the case of motherboards. This is a kind of high-end from MSI, which is designed for computer enthusiasts and their special group - overclockers. Distinctive feature this series is the presence of additional options / functionality, as well as increased reliability, which is achieved, as a rule, due to a reinforced power supply system. And, of course, these solutions include everything that the "simple" Military Class 4 and GAMING have.
Today we will talk about maternal MSI board Z87M GAMING... This motherboard is based on the chipset Intel Z87, and therefore, is equipped with support for Haswell processors for the socket LGA 1150... A characteristic feature of this motherboard is its form factor - it is made in the mATX format, which adds a certain interest to it - small form factors are becoming a trend of our time.
Packaging and equipment
Not the first representative of the gaming line in our test lab. Previously, we managed to get acquainted with the motherboard and video card. In this regard, the design of the MSI Z87M GAMING box did not surprise us: the style and design of gaming solutions are the same for both video cards and motherboards, regardless of generation. By at least now.
The only thing that remains to be seen is the small size of the box, since the board has the mATX form factor.
The reverse side of the packaging is dedicated to the specifications and technologies used. Since this is a representative of the GAMING series, the board is equipped with an improved sound system. Audio Boost with licensed technology CreativeSoundBlasterCINEMA, network controller KillerE2200, one-push overclocking function - OC Genie 4... The Gaming Device Port cannot be ignored - the board has USB ports and PS / 2, which have tripled gold grade to provide the lowest possible response times for gaming mice and keyboards.
The set with the motherboard was found: a user manual and installation instructions, a CD with drivers, four SATA cables, MSI Q-Connect, an SLI bridge, a cover for the rear panel and the now classic hinged label for the door “I'M SORY BUSY GAMING ".
Appearance
MSIZ87MGAMING made on black PCB and has a black and red color scheme, as in the case with.
The radiators that cool the power system, as before, have a comb, the contour of which is made in the form of a dragon. After all, it is the dragon that is the official symbol of MSI products for gamers.
CPU socket LGA 1150 for the motherboard is manufactured by Lotes.
The processor power system has 8 phases, which is more than enough. The circuit uses chokes SFC and solid capacitors. The power supply is cooled by rather large radiators, which are connected by a copper heat pipe. The PWM controller is responsible for powering the processor uP1649P production uPI Semiconducto r. An eight-pin EPS12V connector is used to unload the power lines.
Has four slots for DDR3 memory supporting frequencies up to 3000 MHz (in overclocking mode) and dual channel.
An interesting switch was discovered above the memory slots - OC_SWITCH1... According to the documentation, this switch is responsible for the "aggressiveness" of automatic overclocking using the OC Genie button. OC Genie has two modes - Gear 1 (default) and Gear 2. Gear 2 mode is programmed for more serious automatic overclocking than Gear 1. Actually, the OC_SWITCH1 switch allows us to choose between Gear 1 and Gear 2.
To the right of the memory slots are the POST indicator and the POWER, Reset, OC GENIE buttons. Due to the fact that we have a board designed for gamers, and even made in the mATX form factor, this part lacks the voltage measurement points (V-Check Points), to which we have already got used to.
Behind the 24-pin power connector, there is a place for connecting the front USB 3.0 panel, which is important - USB standard 3.0 is no longer a technological gimmick, and the market is full of cases with front-facing USB 3.0 ports, not to mention storage devices.
The motherboard has six SATA 3.0 ports. This is two ports less than that of the older sister. Z87-GD65 GAMING, which is explained by the form factor of our heroine. To be fair, it should be noted that six SATA ports are often more than enough, especially if you use the board in gaming configurations, in fact, for which it was created.
The chipset heatsink is decorated with a red dragon and a glowing one in the right upper corner MSI logo. It does not have any edges, which is generally not critical - Intel Z87 does not apply to those microcircuits on which you can fry eggs.
There is nothing unusual at the bottom of the motherboard, except that the presence of a jumper surprised JSLOW1 which activates the mode. Obviously, this functionality went to Z87M GAMING from older "brothers", which are designed for extreme overclocking. However, even in the user manual itself, the description of JSLOW1 indicates that this functionality will be useful only for extreme overclockers.
Near the front panel audio connector on the printed circuit board, you can find a strip with six etched PCB sections - one square for each layer. Thus, we can conclude that the board uses a six-layer PCB design. You can also notice that the connector for connecting the front audio panel falls within the coverage area of the "screen", since the audio system of the motherboard is almost completely "protected" from various noises and pickups by an etched track, which, in addition to everything, glows red ...
Foreword
Today, Micro-Star has a huge range of MSI-branded products, from small things like USB hubs to servers. However, it all started with the production of motherboards and until now this category occupies a significant share in the company's product range. In recent reviews, our scores for MSI motherboards have not been very high and there are several reasons for this. Despite various measures designed to give the impression that Micro-Star boards are best suited for overclocking, the voltage on them could be increased in one and only way - only rigidly fixed at a given value. This naturally led to the inoperability of energy-saving technologies, which assume, in the absence of a load, a decrease in not only the frequency, but also the voltage of the processor, which made energy-efficient overclocking impossible. The second important reason was that the BIOS parameters of MSI boards were linked by complex and not always explainable dependencies. Therefore, when changing any one option, it was necessary to check whether the values of other parameters changed at the same time, so as not inadvertently to get the system operation mode significantly different from the desired one.Thoroughly learn all the capabilities and features of the motherboard can only be based on the results of a long study, using a variety of components and various software products... Our check is rather short-lived and includes only finding out the features of the boards when working with default settings, overclocking nuances, performance and power consumption measurements. However, despite the rather modest and not claiming to be an exhaustive set of hardware and software, we have repeatedly encountered various kinds of problems while testing Micro-Star boards. We encountered difficulties when updating the firmware and saving settings profiles, discovered the helplessness of BIOS chip recovery technologies, although even the very fact of their failure should already be assessed negatively. To top it off, a couple of the latest MSI motherboards we tested were not very significant, but quite noticeably slower than similar models from other manufacturers. As a result, our unflattering assessments of Micro-Star motherboards become clear, however, I must say that they also have their merits, and the most indisputable among them is economy.
Our complaints were about a variety of MSI motherboards based on different chipsets and designed for a variety of processors, but the company has thoroughly prepared for the announcement of Intel's eighth series chipsets. It took more than a year to create new series of motherboards and, as they say, they differ significantly from their predecessors. This is a completely new power subsystem, wiring and type of PCB used, many different hardware changes. As a replacement for the familiar feature-rich MSI Control Center software, a brand new one is now included with the boards. branded program with similar capabilities and even the name - "MSI Command Center". In addition, instead of the frankly unsuccessful and so much criticized "MSI Click BIOS II", missing the next number for some reason, the LGA1150 Micro-Star boards are equipped with the new "MSI Click BIOS 4". Considering the volume of innovations, we were looking forward to meeting with the updated boards of the company in order to conduct a check and find out if they managed to get rid of the previous problems without acquiring new ones.
Our series of reviews for motherboards based on the Intel Z87 chipset is currently in its early stages. We started by examining the Asus Z87-K board, then we looked at the Gigabyte GA-Z87X-D3H board, and the last one was the ASRock Z87 Extreme4 board. Reviews of flagship and special-series motherboards, which are specifically designed for gamers and overclocking enthusiasts, are still waiting for us ahead, and everything is already famous models quite ordinary, and they belong to the middle or even the initial level. We picked up about the same rival among Micro-Star motherboards by choosing the MSI Z87-G43 model. In this review, we will assess the nature and significance of the changes made.
Packaging and equipment
Having significantly changed in appearance, boxes with new motherboards from Micro-Star have retained the usual design principles. On the front side we see the name of the model and the logos of the technologies used, while on the back side you can find a more detailed description of the functions and capabilities, as well as a short list of the board's technical characteristics.Opening the box, we find the board packed in an antistatic bag, and under it, separated by a structured sheet of cardboard, are the accessories that came with it. As MSI Z87-G43 board belongs to models entry level, then the list of accessories included in the kit is not rich, does not contain any frills, but includes only everything you need to get started immediately:
two Serial ATA cables with metal latches, one of them with two straight connectors, the other has one of the L-shaped connectors, both cables are specially designed for connection SATA devices 6 Gbps;
back panel cover (I / O Shield);
user guide;
folding booklet with quick assembly instructions in several languages;
DVD with software and drivers.
Design and features
Show me the logo of the new series of motherboards and I will tell you the name of the head of the marketing department. This is, of course, a joke, but the similarity of the approaches of motherboard manufacturers makes one suspect that their marketing employees are constantly moving from one company to another, were trained in the same educational institutions or just very closely monitor the actions of competitors. The Asus Z87-K is characterized by the 5X Protection engineering solution, the Gigabyte GA-Z87X-D3H uses the Ultra Durable 5 Plus technology, and the ASRock Z87 Extreme4 features a number of new A-Style features. Such harsh informational pressure cannot be left without an adequate response and it is provided by the Military Class 4 technology, which is used for the production of LGA1150 motherboards from Micro-Star. The technology provides for the use of quality components in the production of boards, as well as a number of special features of "Military Class Essentials", including protection from humidity, from electromagnetic radiation and static discharges, as well as resistance to high temperatures.Motherboards of all major manufacturers are now produced on black PCB. Unlike the overly gloomy motherboards from ASRock and Gigabyte, its gloominess on the MSI Z87-G43 motherboard is diluted with a pleasant-looking blue color of connectors and decorative inserts on the radiators.
The power converter on the board does not include a large number of phases, but its capabilities are sufficient to provide support for all modern processors Intel Core of the fourth generation, while the heating elements are covered with rather large and tightly screwed radiators. The MSI Z87-G43 board belongs to the entry-level models, and therefore is not endowed with the ability to share PCI Express processor lines and combine video cards in NVIDIA SLI mode. External video card it is supposed to be used in the upper slot PCI Express 3.0 x16, and the second slot with a maximum speed of x4 is based on PCI-E 2.0 lanes, which are provided by a set of logic. Both slots can be used for joint operation of video cards in AMD CrossFireX mode, and in addition to them, there are two PCI Express 2.0 x1 slots and three PCI slots for expansion cards.
The Intel Z87 chipset provides the board with six SATA 6Gb / s ports, of which two are vertically mounted on the board, and the remaining four are directed to the side, which allows you to choose the most convenient way to connect cables. Additional controllers providing additional SATA, eSATA, USB, or FireWire (IEEE 1394) ports are not used on the board. Of the six USB 3.0 ports supported by the chipset, four are implemented. Two ports allow for one internal connector, and there are two more ports on the rear panel.
A complete list of connectors on the rear panel of the board is as follows:
universal PS / 2 connector for connecting a keyboard or mouse;
six USB 2.0 ports, and four more can be connected to two internal connectors on the board;
video outputs D-Sub, DVI-D, HDMI;
LAN connector (the network adapter is built on the Realtek RTL8111E gigabit controller);
two USB 3.0 ports (blue connectors) appeared thanks to the capabilities of the Intel Z87 chipset, and two additional USB 3.0 ports can be brought out using one internal connector;
six analog audio connectors, the operation of which is provided by the eight-channel Realtek ALC892 codec.
Not all the differences between one board and another are visible to the naked eye. For example, Micro-Star boards are now made on a PCB made of tightly woven fibers, and the number of layers can be counted by the number of squares in the lower left corner of the board, for this model it is four. If we look in the lower right corner, we will notice one of the small flaws. The inscription directly inside the extreme connector on the left in the photo allows you to accurately identify one of the pair internal USB 2.0, but what are the other three connectors for?
It is logical to assume that some of them are intended for displaying indicators and buttons on the computer case, but which ones and how to connect them? Usually, explanatory inscriptions are applied to the textolite nearby, but this time they could not be found. Micro-Star boards often include an "M-Connector" adapter kit, which includes two modules with signed pins to facilitate connection of front panel buttons and indicators system unit, but the MSI Z87-G43 board belongs to the entry-level models and such a set is not included with it. The necessary information about the order of connecting the contacts to the two rightmost connectors JFP1 and JFP2 can be found only in the manual, but even there there was no information about one of the connectors, designated on the board as JSPI1, it is simply absent in the diagram.
The diagram shows a few more features of the MSI Z87-G43 motherboard. For example, as on the boards of some other manufacturers, now there are two connectors for connecting processor fans, and there are five fan connectors in total, and all of them are four-pin. Serial COM ports have long been not an obligatory component of motherboards, but this time apart from them we see a very rare parallel LPT port. MSI Z87-G43 does not have additional features typical for modern motherboards, such as buttons, POST-codes indicator or test points for measuring voltages manually. This cannot be regarded as a drawback, on the contrary, since the model belongs to entry-level motherboards, and therefore excessive features and excesses would only unjustifiably increase its price.
We have compiled all the main technical characteristics of the MSI Z87-G43 motherboard into a single table, and by clicking on it, you can open a summary comparison table with the specifications of the previously tested models, Asus Z87-K, ASRock Z87 Extreme4 and Gigabyte GA-Z87X-D3H motherboards.
BIOS Features
Most of our complaints about the previous Micro-Star motherboards were somehow connected with the BIOS, or directly related to its capabilities, principles of organization and operation. Therefore, we literally with bated breath were preparing to see the new "MSI Click BIOS 4", but we were very surprised and partly even disappointed that outwardly it turned out to be very similar to the old "MSI Click BIOS II".At the top start screen there is an information panel where you can see the current date and time, the temperature of the processor and the board, but usually they enter the BIOS not for this at all, and you can change the date or time, but not here. In addition, we are told basic information about the system: the name of the board model and BIOS version, the base frequency and multiplication factor of the processor, as well as the total volume and frequency of memory operation. This information is also insignificant, it was easy to see it without entering the BIOS, you just need to disable the boot image when starting the board. The center of the screen is for displaying BIOS settings, but now it is completely occupied by the "Military Class 4" technology logo, and on the left and right there are icons of the main sections.
It may be recalled that today the most current trend is to provide the user with the ability to customize the appearance of the BIOS and group the most frequently used parameters. It would be much better if, instead of the logo that has already been seen more than once, the developers of the Micro-Star company were able to set aside the central part of the BIOS start screen for user settings. In the proposed version, it turns out that the start screen is still almost useless. The information they provide is non-exclusive and basically duplicates information already known to us. In the upper right corner from the drop-down menu, we can select the interface language, the "OC Genie" button on the left will automatically overclock the system, and you can also set the order of polling the boot devices when the board starts up. To do this, it is enough to drag their icons in a row with the mouse, schematic images of active in this moment devices are highlighted. In addition to these three features, the start screen does not allow you to change anything else; for further actions, you need to move to one of the main sections of the BIOS.
As before, the first in order is the "Settings" section, but we will immediately look at the next one. The "OC" section is one of the most ambitious in terms of the number of parameters. It contains almost all the options necessary for fine-tuning performance and for overclocking, a number of informational parameters provide current information about the characteristics of the system.
You can immediately notice that in the new "MSI Click BIOS 4" the system of help and tips that disappeared earlier has returned. When you select any of the BIOS parameters in the panel on the right, contextual information about its purpose and range of change is now reported. At the same time, if you move the mouse cursor close to the right edge of the screen, then the hidden section icons will return again and you can instantly move to them if necessary.
It's a bit of a pity that the subsection “My OC Genie” has disappeared, which made it possible to partially customize the automatic overclocking function of the same name, allowing you to set the desired values of some parameters. But you can be glad that the voltage on the processor can now not only be rigidly fixed, but also added desired value to the nominal, as on most motherboards from other manufacturers.
In order not to overly clutter up the already rather large section "OC", some of the parameters are placed on separate pages. In particular, in a separate subsection, memory timings are changed, which can be the same or different for each of the memory channels.
A new subsection "DRAM Training Configuration" allows you to select the required options.
On the separate page"DigitALL Power" - the settings related to the digital power supply system of the processor are rendered.
The next two subsections "CPU Specifications" and "Memory-Z" are purely informational. In the first, we are told basic information about the installed processor.
If you wish, you can look further and familiarize yourself with the list of technologies supported by the processor.
The work of the "Memory-Z" subsection is implemented in a similar way. Upon entering, we see the information hardwired into the SPD of the memory modules. It is these settings that are applied by the boards by default.
However, the real capabilities of the modules are reflected in the profile "X.M.P." and you can also familiarize yourself with them.
In the "CPU Features" subsection, we manage the processor multipliers, allowable consumption limits, and various processor technologies. This very important subsection was in the last place, however, it is not difficult to turn to its capabilities, since all the parameters of the "OC" section are closed in a loop. It is not necessary to get to the last parameters and subsections for a long time; by pressing the down arrow key many times, you can press up and immediately find yourself in the right place.
The M-Flash page, which was previously part of the OC section, has now become one of the main sections. We can boot from a BIOS image located on a USB drive for trial, we can save the current version of the firmware or update it. The downside is that the images are not only stored in the root partition of the drive, they must be there for updating, there is no file manager, the NTFS file system is not supported, the drive must be formatted in FAT systems or FAT32.
We've never tried to boot from a BIOS image on a USB stick before, it just wasn't necessary. However, deciding to give it a try this time, we received an error message.
The complication of the firmware update procedure for Micro-Star motherboards noticed not so long ago has remained unchanged. Previously, there was only one option that offered to select a file with firmware for updating the BIOS, now a second option has been added to it, which provides for the simultaneous updating of the BIOS and ME - Intel Management Engine. As a result, the user stops at a loss, because he does not know which option to choose and in what cases. However, we were promised that soon everything will be redone and again there will be only one single parameter for updating the firmware.
The next section “OC Profile” was also previously only a separate page in the “OC” section, but now it has acquired the long-awaited independence. It allows you to memorize six complete profiles of BIOS settings, it is possible to save and load settings from external drives. It is not very convenient that it is still not immediately visible which of the profiles are in use.
However, the very principles of working with profiles do not cause any comments. The date and time of the profile creation is automatically remembered, to which BIOS version it refers. You can independently set a name that reminds you of the content, if necessary, the profile can be erased from memory.
One of the pre-announced and highly anticipated new features of MSI Click BIOS 4 was the OC Profile Preview feature. It turned out that it allows you to compare the current BIOS settings and the profile saved on an external medium by several indicators. We will describe this function in more detail in the review chapter dedicated to the features of the board.
The "Hardware Monitor" section was previously hidden in the depths of the "Settings" section, but now it is rightfully taken out. It has completely changed, instead of the usual set of text parameters, we first of all notice a graph showing the dependence of the rotation speed of the first processor fan on temperature. From the right edge on the graph, lines of yellow and malachite colors begin to appear and crawl to the left. Since to the right of the graph, the processor temperature is indicated in yellow, and the rotation speed of its fan is green, you can guess that this is a visual display of changes in these parameters. Below the graph is the Fan Control panel, which allows you to adjust the dependence of the rotation speed of the selected fan on the temperature. By moving the sliders, you can set the minimum and maximum temperature values, as well as the corresponding rotation speed. The changes you make are immediately reflected in the chart. By unchecking the "Target Temperature" checkbox, you can abandon the dynamic adjustment and fix the number of revolutions at a constant value. At the very bottom of the screen there is an information panel that reports the values of the most important voltages.
Unfortunately, none of the two connectors for processor fans is able to control their rotational speed with a three-pin connection; only system connectors can reduce the number of revolutions of three-pin fans. In addition, the colors are discreetly chosen, but it takes a long time to get used to the new section “Hardware Monitor”. The traces of the previous BIOS screen peeping at the edges of the window noticeably distract and interfere with the perception of information. It would be much better if the section window swung open to full screen, completely hiding the previous one. It would also be nice to give the user the opportunity to abandon the graphical and return to the textual view of the output and change the parameters.
The next new section "Board Explorer" is a complete analogue of the subsection "System Browser", which we first saw in the BIOS of ASRock motherboards. It is a schematic, but fairly accurate representation of the motherboard itself. If you hover over any of the elements, you can get information about it. As in the “Hardware Monitor” section, the distracting elements of the previous screen are visible at the edges of the window.
Now it's time to look into the very first section “Settings” that we missed earlier, which includes several subsections at once.
The "System Status" subsection is, in fact, the same startup screen that met us when we entered a regular BIOS, it reports basic information about the system.
The set of capabilities of the “Advanced” subsection is not surprising either; they also migrated almost unchanged from the usual BIOS. This is where logic-specific technologies such as Intel Rapid Start and Intel Smart Connect are enabled and configured. On the Windows 8 Configuration page, you can enable support for the native boot mode for this operating system and speed up the startup procedure.
The "Boot" subsection will allow you to set the order of polling boot devices and a number of other options used at startup.
One of the main sections "Security" has now turned into only a separate page of the subsection "Advanced". Here we not only set passwords that restrict access to the system, as on other boards. There is an interesting characteristic ability of Micro-Star boards to designate a regular USB stick as an access key.
The capabilities of the “Save & Exit” subsection are obvious and do not need additional comments.
At any time and in any section, you can press the "F1" key, which displays basic help information. It is a pity that the "hot" key for rejecting the changes made and returning to the previous values of the parameters has not yet been implemented. It could well be assigned to the free key "F7", because there is a corresponding parameter "Discard Changes" in the subsection "Save & Exit".
In general, the changes noted in the new "MSI Click BIOS 4" can be assessed positively. The “ECO” section has disappeared from the start screen, in which the parameters that control the processor's energy-saving technologies, as well as information parameters that reported the current voltage values, were duplicated. The almost unused "Browser" section has been removed, which required the installation of the "Winki 3" operating system, as well as a number of programs in the "Utilities" section. Instead, there are much more popular M-Flash sections for firmware updates and OC Profile for saving and restoring BIOS settings profiles. The infrequently used "Security" section has now become a separate page in the "Settings" section, where it belongs. The contextual help on BIOS parameters has returned, a new subsection "DRAM Training Configuration" has appeared, and the ability of Micro-Star motherboards to change the voltage on the processor has finally become equal to the capabilities of motherboards from most other manufacturers. We regard the new Board Explorer section as neutral. If he is there, it’s good, if he doesn’t exist, no one will be very upset.
Unfortunately, there were also some drawbacks. Displaying the "Hardware Monitor" section from the depths of the BIOS to the start screen is also a very useful change, but the section itself leaves a rather negative impression. It is complex, unintuitive, instead of quickly setting the necessary parameter values and exiting, it takes a certain time to figure out its capabilities, and this is a drawback. The functionality of the start screen remained rudimentary, the possibilities for customizing the appearance and grouping of parameters did not appear, the function of comparing profiles of settings "OC Profile Preview", as we will explain later, turned out to be useless. There is still a lack of certainty in the values of some BIOS parameters; it is not always possible to unambiguously enable or disable an option. Sometimes we have to leave the “Auto” value and hope that the board will guess what we need and how we should do the right thing. The positive changes are undeniable, but the scale is disappointing. Before us is the same, but corrected "MSI Click BIOS II", it could rightly and deservedly be called "MSI Click BIOS 2.1", but doubling the version number looks excessive and unjustified, only makes us regret unfulfilled hopes.
Proprietary software
The set of programs that Micro-Star offers to download and use with MSI motherboards is quite extensive. It includes a number of proprietary utilities such as "MSI Live Update 5" to update firmware, drivers and software, or "Super Charger" to quickly recharge mobile devices. In addition, the Sound Blaster Cinema utility will help you configure sound effects, the Network Genie software will help reduce network latency, and the Intel Extreme Tuning Utility is designed to monitor and change system performance. Most of these programs are already familiar to us, but today we will consider several new ones.The name for the "Super RAID" program is not well chosen. Search results by name, first of all, give information about the technology of the same name used in MSI laptops... In fact, like the EZ Setup program for Gigabyte boards, it is only designed to speed up and simplify the activation of Intel Rapid Start, Intel Smart Response and Intel Smart Connect technologies.
I liked the little "Fast Boot" utility. Like programs " Asus Boot Setting "for boards ASUSTeK or "Restart to UEFI" for ASRock boards, after selecting the "GO2BIOS" option, it helps to enter BIOS immediately upon reboot, no longer requiring you to press any additional keys to do this. However, it is important that it also allows you to enable Fast Boot.
Some enthusiasts who independently assemble computers for themselves, configure and overclock them themselves, for some reason believe that everyone else is doing about the same. They just can't believe that the vast majority of users aren't doing all of this. V best case an ordinary user enters the BIOS, selects the "Load Optimal Defaults" parameter, which loads only a workable, but not at all optimal set of values, and many do not change or configure anything else. Even the memory frequency often remains as low as possible, not to mention the fine tuning of its timings or any other parameters that affect performance, usability, or something else.
As an example, we can recall that the "Fast Boot" function appeared on the boards of ASUSTeK to speed up loading, and it was enabled by default. The first start of the system took place at a normal speed, but then the boot accelerated so much that it was very difficult to have time to press a key to enter the BIOS. To get rid of this problem, it was enough to disable the "Fast Boot" function or use the "Asus Boot Setting" utility, but you still need to find them. All this led to the fact that the forums and the support service were inundated with user complaints that it was impossible to enter the BIOS. As a result, every Asus board now comes with a dedicated Exclusive Boot Features brochure covering Fast Boot, Asus Boot Setting, Direct BIOS Access, and Windows 8 BIOS Boot Settings. The book is small, but multiplying its cost by millions of manufactured motherboards, one can understand how significant the financial losses turned out to be from such a seemingly good, but ill-considered step, like the inclusion of the "Fast Boot" function. Moreover, no one reads the manuals, so technical support is probably still wasting time unproductively explaining how to enter the BIOS of the Asus motherboard, instead of solving really serious problems. In addition to financial costs, one cannot but take into account the loss of the image of ASUSTeK, whose motherboards were almost always at their best, and now they suddenly began to turn on “incorrectly”.
The BIOS of ASRock, Gigabyte and MSI motherboards now also have boot-accelerating features, but fortunately they are disabled by default. This ensures that there are no problems with entering the BIOS, but at the same time, it means that most users simply will not use these features. On the MSI Z87-G43 board, you need to enter the BIOS, select the "Settings" section there, go to the "Advanced" subsection, find the "Windows 8 Configuration" page among the list, where you can enable boot acceleration. In fact, this only description looks unnecessarily complicated, all actions are performed in a few seconds, but most of these few elementary steps will not be done. In this regard, it is very correct that the tiny "Fast Boot" utility for Micro-Star boards not only helps to enter the BIOS, but also allows you to enable the very function of accelerating the boot. This is its noticeable advantage, because otherwise the really convenient and useful ability will hardly be used. The "Restart to UEFI" program for ASRock boards cannot do this at all, and the "Asus Boot Setting" utility, although it can enable or disable the acceleration of the start, but this feature is hidden in the settings.
The most significant change in the proprietary software of Micro-Star motherboards is the replacement of the old multifunctional MSI Control Center software with new program with similar capabilities and even the name - "MSI Command Center". A dashboard at the top provides temperature information as well as a set of basic information about operating system, BIOS version, processor and motherboard name. Below is a ruler that allows you to switch to other windows of the program, as well as return to standard values, apply the changes made, remember or load a previously saved settings profile. The "CPU" start tab is designed to control and change the parameters related to the processor.
The diagram on the left displays the current frequency and multiplication factors of the processor cores, they, like the base frequency, can be changed. On the right is a graphical representation of the dependence of the rotation speed of the first processor fan on temperature. You can change it yourself, you can use automatic calibration when choosing the option "Fan Tune", or you can get out of the adjustment and fix the rotation speed at a constant value. The second processor fan and system fans are configured in the same way, but in the latter case, a separate one will appear.
At the very bottom of the MSI Command Center screen, you can see three more buttons, when you click on "Advanced", schematic emblems with explanatory signatures will slowly creep out onto the panel.
When you click on the "Voltage" icon, the "Fan" icon will bring up the already seen window with the fan settings, the "DRAM" icon will help you change.
The Setting button on the bottom panel will show two other icons.
The "Record" icon will display the next one, in which you can mark the voltages of interest, the rotation speed of the fans, the temperature and the required update rate of these parameters, after which their indicators will be recorded, and the changes can be observed on the graph under construction. The "Warning" button will show a window where you can set the allowable voltage, temperature and fan speed.
Not surprisingly, the Information button turned out to be the most informative; it displays four icons at once.
As you might guess, clicking on the "", "", "" or "" emblems will display pop-up windows with relevant information.
Having figured out the possibilities of the "CPU" start screen of the "MSI Command Center" program, we go to the next tab "DRAM" and are surprised. A large regulator immediately catches your eye, for some reason it allows you to change the voltage on the processor, and only then you notice two small windows on the right with settings for the frequency and memory voltage.
By the way, you can still switch between tabs using the blue arrows on the sides of the program window. Where you are at the moment, a ruler of dots at the bottom will visually tell you, active window denotes a green dot. Only a little embarrassing that there are five tabs, and six points.
Having moved to the GPU tab, we are already prepared and take it for granted that the first half of the screen is occupied by the memory settings we have already seen, and only then the windows with parameters for changing the frequency and voltage of the graphics core built into the processor follow.
The "RAMDisk" tab, according to the already established tradition, will first of all show windows for setting up integrated graphics, and also allow you to create a virtual drive using part of the RAM. Like the "XFast RAM" feature of ASRock motherboards, it will speed up system responsiveness by transferring cache files to faster RAM than traditional storage devices. A virtual disk can also be used as a normal one, its contents will not be lost when turned off, it can be saved as an image on the drive and restored at the next start.
The OC Genie tab is designed to automatically overclock the system using the technology of the same name. Later we will tell you how it works and what happens in the end.
It should also be said that the icons in the upper right corner of the MSI Command Center window allow you to check the version of the utility, minimize or close the window. You can also shorten it to a small information window.
An intuitive wrench icon will display an additional settings panel where you can choose which parameters will be shown.
After familiarizing myself with the capabilities of the MSI Command Center software, there was a strong belief that few people would use them. The lack of thoughtfulness of the interface, an excessive number of duplicate parameters and countless annoying pop-up windows interfere.
Since on all screens, except for the first and the last, half of the area is occupied by the repetition of the previous information, the size of the program window could well be reduced by about half. The first screen is divided into two separate tabs - "CPU" and "Fan". The last screen "OC Genie" can be safely removed altogether, because separate tab for a single button is not needed at all. The button could well be placed on the top panel, similar to how it is done in the BIOS. As a result, we would get a twice as compact program window, the contents of which can be captured at a glance, and therefore it is easier to perceive information. The program would have only five tabs, and the content of each of them fully corresponded to its name, which would get rid of annoying repetitions. These are just the first possible changes that came to mind, and a competent professional interface designer would probably suggest a few more options, and also figure out how to get rid of completely or at least limit the number of pop-ups.
Test system configuration
All experiments were carried out on a test system that includes the following set of components:
Motherboard - MSI Z87-G43, MS-7816 (LGA1150, Intel Z87, BIOS version V1.3);
Processor - Intel Core i5-4670K (3.6-3.8 GHz, 4 cores, Haswell, 22 nm, 84 W, LGA1150);
Memory - 2 x 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM G.SKILL TridentX F3-2133C9Q-32GTX, (2133 MHz, 9-11-11-31-2N, supply voltage 1.6 V);
Video card - Gigabyte GV-R797OC-3GD (AMD Radeon HD 7970, Tahiti, 28 nm, 1000/5500 MHz, 384-bit GDDR5 3072 MB);
Disk subsystem - Crucial m4 SSD (CT256M4SSD2, 256 GB, SATA 6 Gb / s);
Cooling system - Scythe Mugen 3 Revision B (SCMG-3100);
Thermal paste - ARCTIC MX-2;
Power supply - Enhance EPS-1280GA, 800W;
Case - an open test bench based on the Antec Skeleton case.
The operating system was Microsoft Windows 8 Enterprise 64 bit (Microsoft Windows, Version 6.2, Build 9200), a set of drivers for the Intel Chipset Device Software 9.4.0.1017, a video card driver - AMD Catalyst 13.4.
Features of work and overclocking
At startup, MSI Z87-G43 motherboard will show a boot image that visually very much resembles the design of the front side of the box with the board. Please note that on the strip below they did not forget to remind the purpose of some active "hot" keys, although the "Tab" key, which turns off the picture itself, for some reason is not indicated.
In addition, even if you disable the output of the boot image in the BIOS or using the "Tab" key, a reminder of this pair of keys can still be seen at the bottom of the screen. Above, as the startup procedure progresses, reliable information is displayed about the board model and BIOS version, the frequency of operation of the RAM and its total volume, information about the connected USB devices and drives. The name of the processor used is also indicated correctly, but its current operating frequency does not always correspond to reality. The value of the “Adjust CPU Ratio” parameter in the “OC” section of the BIOS is used as a guideline, meanwhile, the real frequency of the processor will be higher thanks to the “Intel Turbo Boost” technology. In addition, during overclocking, we can change the multiplication factors of processor cores in the "CPU Features" subsection, but this is also not taken into account in any way.
After loading the operating system, it was found that the operating mode of the processor did not correspond to the standard one. At any load level, its multiplier increased to the maximum possible value, originally provided by Intel Turbo Boost technology only for a single-threaded load. For our processor, this means increasing the frequency to 3.8 GHz, instead of dynamically changing in the range from 3.6 to 3.8 GHz. However, to return to nominal operating conditions, it is enough to disable the “Enhanced Turbo” parameter in the BIOS, which was the culprit of the violations, working with the default value “Auto”.
We have already mentioned that one of the characteristic advantages of Micro-Star's motherboards was their economy and, as we will see in the corresponding chapter of the review, this advantage has been preserved in the new models. However, if you manually change from “Auto” to “Enabled” the values of all parameters related to energy-saving technologies in the “CPU Features” subsection in the BIOS, then the total power consumption of the system will noticeably decrease. In other words, not all energy-saving technologies work at their full capacity with the default settings. Unfortunately, we observed such a drawback in all tested LGA1150 motherboards of any manufacturer, and the C1E Support parameter for MSI motherboards is usually always disabled for some reason.
Before starting our own experiments on tuning and overclocking the system, we decided to test the automatic overclocking technology "OC Tuner". When you press the button of the same name in the BIOS or in the “MSI Command Center” program, the system will be rebooted and automatically overclocked. For the RAM, the modules' X.M.P. profile was used, as a result of which its operating frequency was increased to 2133 MHz and the timings were changed. This is a very correct step, because for maximum efficiency, system overclocking must be complex, but individual manufacturers often forget about memory. As for the processor frequency, it has been increased to 4.0 GHz. Not too much, but such a relatively low value almost guarantees that almost any processor with any cooling system will be able to work stably in this mode. Unfortunately, in the absence of load, the processor multiplier did not decrease, and this is already wrong.
Previously, the BIOS of Micro-Star motherboards had a separate “My OC Genie” page, which allowed partial customization of some parameters of the automatic overclocking function, allowing you to set the desired values. Now this is not possible, and when the board starts with the automatic overclocking technology “OC Tuner” enabled, we are warned about the undesirability of making any changes to the settings related to overclocking.
We nevertheless decided to take a risk and try to fix the flaw in the OC Tuner technology on our own, however, as it turned out, this became impossible. The "EIST" parameter, which controls the Enhanced Intel SpeedStep technology, remained in the BIOS, but it turned out to be disabled and blocked from changes.
As it turned out later, even if you change the value of the "Adjust CPU Ratio" parameter manually, the "EIST" parameter will be disabled for some reason and will become unavailable, so during overclocking, to avoid this, you should change the multiplication factors of the processor cores only in the "CPU Features" subsection. ...
Inoperability energy saving modes and the impossibility of correcting this deficiency devalues the “OC Tuner” automatic overclocking technology, and an additional disadvantage is that even after disabling it, the BIOS settings do not return to their previous or at least standard settings. It is necessary to independently set their values, after the “OC Tuner” function was canceled, the “EIST” parameter appeared, but in a disabled state.
In the review of the maternal Gigabyte boards We found the GA-Z87-D3H to be able to easily overclock processors without increasing voltages and keeping all Intel processor power-saving technologies fully operational. Such an energy-efficient overclocking was found to work in principle on the MSI Z87-G43 motherboard. If the voltage on the processor is left at the “Auto” value, then it will not be increased by the board on its own, and therefore the voltage converter integrated into the LGA1150 processors will not overestimate it too much under load. True, the final voltage values on the processor slightly differed from those observed when the processor was operating in this mode on other motherboards, but now we will tell you more about this.
Only overclocking without increasing voltage can be energy efficient. It will significantly increase productivity, speed up calculations, and at the same time, the total energy consumption, despite the increase in power consumption per unit of time, will even decrease, since due to the acceleration of calculations, the amount of electrical energy required to carry out the same amount of calculations will decrease. Only such acceleration will have a minimal effect on pollution. environment, will not have a negative impact on the environment, which was convincingly proven a long time ago in the article “ Power consumption of overclocked processors". However, during the tests of motherboards we have a different task. It is necessary to ensure the maximum possible and the most varied load, check the boards when working in the most different modes, which is why we use not optimal way overclocking, but the one that allows you to achieve the highest results. For motherboard tests, the higher the frequency and voltage, the better, because the greater the load on the board. Only when working in extreme, close to the limit conditions, it is possible to identify problems more easily and quickly, to detect errors and deficiencies. It is for this reason that during testing of motherboards we overclock the processor to 4.5 GHz while fixing the voltage on the cores at the level of 1.150 V s simultaneous use for memory modules of parameters recorded in the "X.M.P." profile.
The MSI Z87-G43 motherboard coped with this task, but it's strange that the voltage on the processor was always around 1.140 V, instead of the expected 1.150 V. The voltage converter built into Haswell processors is extremely accurate. Were we wrong when setting the voltage in the BIOS? It turned out that they were not mistaken. The voltage after loading the operating system turned out to be 1.140 V, but its value was correctly indicated as 1.150 V, while the information parameter "Current CPU Core Voltage" in the BIOS reported that the voltage was 1.160 V.
Despite the extremely suspicious confusion with voltages, which is not typical for normal LGA1150 motherboards, we decided to leave this overclocking mode unchanged. In the end, the test computer nevertheless successfully passed the stability tests, despite the overestimated in the BIOS and understated in the operating system on the processor.
Of course, during overclocking with fixing the voltage on the processor cores, energy-saving technologies partially stop working, the processor multiplier decreases at rest, but the voltage does not drop anymore and remains unnecessarily high. We have to reassure ourselves that this is not for long, only out of necessity and only for the duration of the tests, and, moreover, it has almost no effect on the system's power consumption at rest.
Finally, we need to fulfill our earlier promise and tell in more detail about the new BIOS function that allows you to compare profiles of settings - "OC Profile Preview". You know, I never even dreamed of such an opportunity, but as soon as I heard about its existence, I immediately realized that this is exactly what you need, sometimes it is simply necessary, I want to buy it! Of course, when you are tightly engaged in setting up the system, you keep all the details in your head. In addition, it is not difficult to understand that the profile under the abbreviated name "def" obviously contains nominal settings, and the profile named "x45" will allow increasing the processor frequency up to 4.5 GHz. However, several weeks or months will pass and you will no longer be able to remember how the “x45-1” profile differs from the “x45-2” profile, and the profile comparison technology will make it easy to identify the differences.
Unfortunately, the “OC Profile Preview” feature, contrary to its name, was unable to compare profiles of settings, paradoxically. To begin with, I could not even detect its presence, I had to contact Micro-Star representatives for help, since there was no information about this possibility in the manual for the board. It turned out that the technology was created on the basis of principles that do not allow working with the settings profiles recorded in the BIOS at all; you can only compare the current settings with the profile saved on a USB drive. This is the first serious disadvantage, because for comparison, one profile needs to be loaded into memory, and the second one must be written to an external medium. Second significant disadvantage lies in the fact that the comparison is carried out only for six indicators: base frequency and the multiplication factor of the processor, its voltage, frequency and voltage on the memory, as well as the multiplier for the integrated graphics core. If the differences in the settings profiles do not affect the change in the values of these parameters in any way, then we will not see the difference between the profiles. Generally speaking, you can immediately exclude the processor multiplier from the comparison, because the system, like when starting the board, is guided only by the value of the “Adjust CPU Ratio” parameter in the “OC” section of the BIOS. However, during overclocking, we will change the multiplication factors of the processor cores in the “CPU Features” subsection, otherwise, as we know, the EIST technology will be disabled, and in this case the difference between the profiles will not be found again.
Unfortunately, even that is not all. Before updating the BIOS, I saved the CPU overclocking settings to 4.5 GHz while raising the memory frequency to the USB stick in a profile called "x45". Then, to be sure, I decided to write down all the other profiles at the same time. I loaded a profile with standard settings into memory and saved it under the name "def", then manually turned on all energy saving technologies and recorded a profile called "eco". All profiles are tested, they are fully functional and, when used, change required set BIOS settings, putting the system in desired mode work. However, in the example below, the OC Profile Preview comparison function cannot detect any difference between an overclocked system and a profile at nominal settings. Exactly the same result was obtained when compared with the “eco” profile. The technology considers that all parameters of the profiles are the same and in all cases the system will be overclocked.
If you look closely, you can see that the processor voltage is 1.160 V, and this is not the value that we set during overclocking, but the voltage that the board recorded in the BIOS. In other words, OC Profile Preview does not perform any profile comparison at all. It does not operate with the values of the preset parameters recorded in the profiles, but instead only compares the monitoring readings that were at the time of saving the profile to an external medium. We recorded profiles when the system was in an overclocked state, so the compare function does not see any differences between completely different settings profiles. Sorry, but such a pseudo-technology that only imitates the possibility of comparison by limited number indicators, no one needs at all.
It should be remembered that a really working possibility of comparing recorded profiles with the current BIOS settings has been available for a long time. It has been successfully implemented without unnecessary and without excessively loud words, just not on MSI motherboards, but in the BIOS of ASUSTeK motherboards, as you could find out from the review of the Asus Z87-K motherboard. After loading the profile, you can easily see absolutely all its differences from the current settings in the appeared “BIOS Setting Change” window. As for the “OC Profile Preview” function of MSI Z87-G43, the useless implementation of this technology only annoyed me with its complexity, confusion and imperfections, and left disappointment from frustrated hopes. Such problematic opportunities cannot be shown at all, they must be carefully hidden until there are ways to correct them, and not pass off a flaw for a merit. Instead of the expected advantage, the function turned out to be inoperative, another disadvantage of Micro-Star boards.
Performance comparison
We traditionally compare motherboards in terms of speed in two modes: when the system is operating under nominal conditions, and also when overclocking the processor and memory. The first option is interesting from the point of view, which allows you to find out how well the motherboards work with the default parameters. It is known that a significant part of users are not engaged in fine-tuning the system, they only install in BIOS standard parameter values that are not optimal but do not change anything else. So we are checking, usually almost without interfering with the default values set by the motherboards, but this time almost all models required one or another adjustment of the settings, except for the only Gigabyte GA-Z87-D3H motherboard, which initially works exactly as expected. ... On the Asus Z87-K board, hoping to prevent frequency drops, we manually set the BIOS to the nominal multiplier values for each of the processor cores; MSI Z87-G43 board needed to turn off the "Enhanced Turbo" function. The results in the diagrams are sorted in descending order of performance, and the values of the MSI Z87-G43 are highlighted in color for clarity.In Cinebench 11.5, we run the processor tests five times and average the results.
The Fritz Chess Benchmark utility has been used in tests for a very long time and has proven itself to be excellent. It produces well-repetitive results, performance scales well depending on the number of computational threads used.
The x264 FHD Benchmark v1.0.1 (64bit) test allows you to evaluate the system performance in terms of video encoding speed in comparison with the results available in the database. This is so far the only one in our set test programs a utility capable of using the new AVX2 instructions introduced with Haswell processors. The average results of five passes are shown in the diagram.
We measure performance in Adobe Photoshop CS6 using our own benchmark, a creatively reworked Retouch Artists Photoshop Speed Test that typically processes four 24-megapixel digital camera images.
To measure the speed of the system when compressing information, we use WinRAR archiver, with which we archive a gigabyte file with the maximum compression ratio.
The recently released PCMark 8 test package allows you to comprehensively evaluate the performance of a computer, its storage system, and measure the battery life of a mobile device. We use the "Home" test cycle, which includes a set of tasks typical for a home computer: viewing pages in global network, creation and editing of documents, simple games, photo processing, communication in video chat.
The following diagram uses only the results of the 3DMark Fire Strike processor tests. This characteristic is the result of a special physical test that simulates the behavior of a complex game system With large quantity objects.
The built-in Hitman Absolution test turned out to be very convenient. It can be run from the game, from the startup utility (launcher), and even from the command line. We use the highest available "Ultra" quality setting and a fairly high resolution.
Batman: Arkham City also readily responds to changes in the processor frequency, while using DirectX 11. We run a five-fold repetition of the performance test built into the game at the "Very High" quality setting and average the results.
Now let's see what results the systems will demonstrate when the processor and memory frequencies are increased. All the boards achieved the same performance - the processor was overclocked to 4.5 GHz, and the memory frequency was raised to 2133 MHz with 9-11-11-31-2N timings.
It was not in vain that we recalled in the foreword to the review that sometimes Micro-Star's motherboards turned out, although not too much, but still noticeably slower compared to similar models from other manufacturers. This time, the MSI Z87-G43 can take the first and maybe the last places in the benchmarks, but the difference compared to other models is not big. This is true both for system operation in nominal mode and when overclocking the processor and memory, so it looks like this shortcoming of some Micro-Star boards has been successfully corrected and left in the past.
Energy consumption measurements
Energy consumption of systems during operation in nominal mode and during overclocking is measured using the Extech Power Analyzer 380803. The device is switched on in front of the computer's power supply, that is, it measures the consumption of the entire system "from the outlet", excluding the monitor, but including losses in the power supply itself. When measuring consumption at rest, the system is idle, we are waiting for the complete cessation of post-start activity and the absence of calls to the drive. The results in the diagrams are sorted as consumption increases, and the MSI Z87-G43 is highlighted in color for clarity.
We have already mentioned more than once in this review about the economy of Micro-Star motherboards, and the system consumption diagram at rest illustrates it perfectly, but even this result is far from final. I must say that for all their shortcomings, Haswell processors have an undeniable advantage in the form of more low power consumption alone compared to LGA1155 processors. Unfortunately, the boards working with nominal settings do not give us the opportunity to see this, and therefore we have added one more additional diagram with the mode, which we called "Eco". This is the same normal operating mode that the motherboards provide with the default settings, we just manually changed the BIOS from “Auto” to “Enabled” the values of all related to processor power-saving Intel technologies parameters. The difference turned out to be significant, the results improved, the consumption of systems dropped noticeably, but even in this operating mode, the MSI Z87-G43 still confidently holds the leading position in terms of economy.
Just in case, we recall that in test systems we install a discrete AMD Radeon HD 7970 video card, but if we refuse it and switch to using the graphics core integrated into the processors, then the total system consumption will drop even below 30 watts. The economy of Haswell processors alone is very impressive and looks very tempting, but it's a pity that with the default settings, motherboards do not give us the opportunity to enjoy this advantage; manual correction of BIOS parameters is required.
To create a load on the Haswell processor, we again returned to the LinX utility using AVX instructions. This program provides a load much higher than typical, but when using it, we do not additionally heat the processor with a stream of hot air or an open flame. If one program can load more work than usual and warm up the processor, then it is quite possible that another can. That is why we check the stability of the overclocked system, as well as create a load on the processor during energy consumption measurements using the LinX utility.
The numbers turned out to be rather big, but these are still close to the maximum achievable indicators, the result of the work of a special program. In order to estimate a more typical level of power consumption, we carried out measurements during system performance tests using the "Fritz" program. In fact, it almost doesn't matter which utility is used as the load. Almost any ordinary program capable of completely loading all four processor cores with work will show very close or even exactly the same results. So don't be afraid high levels power consumption obtained with the LinX utility using AVX instructions. In fact, the typical power consumption of systems with a full load of processor cores will be below 100 W, but even here the consumption of MSI Z87-G43 is minimal compared to other models.
It should be added that for a total assessment of the level of energy consumed by the system, it is imperative to load the video card with work, and the final result will depend on its power. In power consumption tests, we use only the processor load, but if we measure the power consumption when the discrete AMD Radeon HD 7970 video card is running in games, then the total system power consumption will significantly exceed 200 W, approaching 250 W when operating in nominal mode and exceeding this value during overclocking.
When overclocking systems and no load, the difference in power consumption between most motherboards is small, but the consumption of the MSI motherboard is again the least of all.
This time there will be no additional diagram with special regime work "Eco", because even during overclocking, we always make the most of all processor energy-saving technologies, and therefore the result turned out to be paradoxical. During overclocking with increasing voltages, the power consumption of the systems turned out to be almost the same as in the eco mode, which is noticeably lower than in the nominal operating mode with the default settings. Another convincing confirmation of the need to include all energy-saving technologies that have a very noticeable effect on the efficiency of systems.
However, during overclocking and the appearance of a load, the power consumption of overclocked systems is already incomparably greater than in the nominal operating mode. Both an increase in frequency and an increase in voltages have an effect.
In nominal mode and overclocked, MSI Z87-G43 proved to be the most efficient in terms of power consumption compared to all tested models from other manufacturers. It is gratifying that despite all the changes that have taken place, Micro-Star motherboards have remained as economical as before.
Afterword
Even in the preface to the review, we immediately warned that according to the available information, the motherboards from Micro-Star have changed. Now, upon completing the check of the MSI Z87-G43 board, we see that this is indeed the case. Not all changes can be seen, even if you know about their existence. For example, boards are now made on a PCB made of tightly woven fibers, and the alteration of the processor's power supply system now makes it possible not only to rigidly fix the voltage on the processor, but also to add the required value to the nominal one. And even though this method is practically inapplicable today for Haswell processors, due to the fact that in this case its integrated power converter will excessively overestimate the voltage, but this is not Micro-Star's fault. Most of the differences are visible in the new "MSI Click BIOS 4". Its structure was slightly redesigned, little-used sections were hidden or completely removed, and in their place there were more popular and relevant ones. The contextual help on BIOS parameters has returned, a new subsection "DRAM Training Configuration" and the ability to change the voltage on the processor in adaptive mode have appeared. They say that the firmware update system will also get rid of unnecessary complications over time.Despite the abundance of changes, their scale is not very significant, which is a little disappointing. However, these are still positive innovations and their appearance can only be welcomed. Unfortunately, there are a lot of really frustrating moments left and even new reasons for grief have been added. There is still a lack of certainty in the values of some BIOS parameters. For example, the “CPU Phase Control” parameter that controls the dynamic change in the number of active phases of the processor power converter cannot be enabled, it can only be disabled. You have to leave the value "Auto" and hope that this function will work, but there is no certainty. As before, changing the values of some options undesirably affects others. For example, if you set the processor multiplier using the "Adjust CPU Ratio" parameter, the Enhanced Intel SpeedStep technology will be disabled and become unavailable. As before, with the default settings for some reason the energy-saving parameter "C1E Support" is turned off.
Micro-Star itself is focusing on three new features in MSI Click BIOS 4: Board Explorer, Hardware Monitor and OC Profile Preview. We treat the first one neutrally, the section "Board Explorer" does not provide significant advantages, but it does not cause any negative. The "Hardware Monitor" section is already much more controversial, it is a pity that it cannot be returned to a more familiar text form. And in general, Micro-Star did not catch the most relevant modern trend, in "MSI Click BIOS 4" there is no opportunity to customize the appearance and group parameters in a more user-friendly way. However, the technology for comparing profiles of settings "OC Profile Preview" is the apogee, the height of unprofessionalism. An unnecessary comparison function of monitoring indicators, which for some reason is passed off as a technology for comparing profiles, should be hidden, not advertised. Against its background, the new inconvenient complex MSI Command Center program looks like only a minor flaw, which in fact it is.
Despite the abundance of disadvantages and shortcomings noticed, the MSI Z87-G43 motherboard itself turned out to be not at all as bad as it might seem. In the end, it didn't cause any significant problems, unlike most of Micro-Star's previous motherboards. The firmware on it was successfully updated, the settings profiles were saved without problems, although the board initially does not provide the nominal operating mode of the processor, but it is not difficult to return it to the standard conditions. The board allows overclocking the processor and memory, but the difference between the voltage set, shown in the BIOS and fixed in the operating system, is very alarming. This model turned out to be no slower than similar motherboards from other manufacturers and at the same time noticeably more economical. As a matter of fact, it was the economy that was the distinguishing feature and the only indisputable advantage of Micro-Star motherboards. I am very glad that the MSI Z87-G43 motherboard has not lost this advantage, focusing on this positive quality and can be preferred to other models.
It so happened that initially in the assortment of the company MSI series Gaming motherboards were presented only Intel platforms and AMD with LGA1150 and FM2 + sockets, respectively. But in the summer of 2014, left without due attention until that time, AMD processors with the AM3 + socket still got their own. New motherboard MSI 970 Gaming was presented at the end of June 2014, and already closer to the New Year managed to get to the counters of Russian retail. As you might guess from the name, the MSI 970 Gaming is based on the AMD 970 / SB950 system logic. Key features MSI 970 Gaming is the presence of a high-quality audio subsystem MSI Audio Boost 2, a Killer E2200 gigabit network controller and compliance with the Military Class 4 technical equipment standards. Let's consider this interesting product in more detail.
Packaging and equipment
As befits the entire Gaming lineup, the MSI 970 Gaming motherboard is designed in black, red and white. On the front of the package there is a stylized image of a dragon, as well as the most significant icons of technologies present in this motherboard.
The back of the box abounds detailed description key features with which MSI 970 Gaming is endowed:
- Audio Boost 2 - The built-in audio subsystem, which is based on the flagship Realtek ALC1150 codec, includes Nichicon audio capacitors, a pair of amplifiers supporting studio headphones with impedance up to 600 ohms, as well as gold-plated audio outputs on the interface panel and an audio path with LED-backlighting for protection against electromagnetic interference.
- Qualcomm Atheros Killer E2205- a gigabit network controller that automatically detects game traffic and increases its priority in relation to other system traffic, guaranteeing minimal delays in the transmission of game data.
- OC Genie 4- automatic overclocking function, which is activated by pressing one button in the bundled software or via BIOS.
- Multi-GPU - Supports AMD CrossFireX and NVIDIA SLI technologies to combine the computing capabilities of two video cards.
- Sound Blaster Cinema 2 – this technology significantly improves the sound quality in games and when playing multimedia files.
- Military class 4- MSI 970 Gaming uses only high-quality components such as 10-year Dark CAP solid capacitors and SFCs with ferrite cores.
- Gaming Device Port- USB 2.0 and PS / 2 ports, highlighted in red, have three times the volume of gold plating, so they are more reliable and durable. They are also optimized for keypads with high polling rates (500 to 1000 Hz), which reduces response times from 8 milliseconds to 1 millisecond.
In addition, on the back of the package there are brief technical specifications of the motherboard and the interface panel connector map.
MSI 970 Gaming package includes:
- MSI 970 Gaming motherboard;
- documentation, including user manual and system assembly instructions;
- back panel cover;
- disk with drivers and proprietary utilities;
- bridge SLI;
- SATA 6Gb / s cables 2 pcs .;
- metal MSI badge;
- a sign on the door with the words "I" m sorry busy gaming "and" I "m not here".
Appearance and technological features
The MSI 970 Gaming motherboard is made on a black PCB. Form factor maternal ATX boards, dimensions are 305x244 mm. The first thing that catches your eye upon a quick inspection of the MSI 970 Gaming's interior is the black radiators with small red stripes. This play of colors undoubtedly gives the motherboard a spectacular appearance and recognizable design features for the Gaming series.
The layout of the elements on the MSI 970 Gaming is made according to the classic scheme. The only exception is the 19-pin USB 3.0 connector on the bottom edge. In addition to the power supply circuit of the processor, heatsinks are also equipped with north bridge AMD 970 and southern AMD SB950.
MSI 970 Gaming motherboard comes with a standard metal plate for Socket AM3 +. But if the user wishes to use cooling systems with a different type of fastening, then there is an opportunity to dismantle the complete plate here.
The interface panel of the board has eight USB 2.0 and two USB 3.0 connectors. In addition, there is a PC / 2 connector, S / PDIF, Gigabit LAN and a block of six audio ports.
The processor power subsystem is implemented on the MSI 970 Gaming according to the 8 + 1 scheme. Eight SFC ferrite chokes are located directly below the cooling heatsink and one behind it. This power arrangement is made to supply the main voltages of the CPU Core and CPU NB Core.
In terms of processor support, the MSI 970 Gaming motherboard is capable of taking on board any of the AM3 and AM3 + processors with up to 140W of heat dissipation.
Four slots for RAM support memory strips with a clock frequency of 1066/1333/1600/1866 and 2133 MHz. The maximum total amount of installed memory is 32 GB.
The motherboard is powered by the main 24-pin connector and the additional 8-pin power connector.
MSI 970 Gaming has a very interesting set of expansion card slots, including:
- PCI Express 2.0 x1;
- PCI Express 2.0 x16 (works as x16);
- PCI Express 2.0 x1;
- PCI Express 2.0 x16 (works as x8);
Thus, unlike other motherboards based on the AMD 970 / SB950 system logic set, where the combination of two video cards in a multiGPU bundle is possible only according to the x16 + x4 scheme, MSI 970 Gaming offers us the possibility of organizing AMD CrossfireX and NVIDIA SLI according to the scheme x8 + x8.
To connect storage devices and optical drives, the MSI 970 Gaming has six SATA 6 Gb / s connectors, which are implemented by the AMD SB950 South Bridge. This chipset also implements the ability to combine drives into RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10 arrays.
The motherboard audio path is separated by a special LED-backlit channel designed to shield the audio component from electromagnetic interference. The underlying Realtek ALC1150 HDA audio codec sound system Audio Boost 2 supports progressive 7.1 systems. High-quality audio capacitors from Nichicon are concentrated around the audio codec, and software processing Sound is handled by Creative Sound Blaster Cinema 2 software. All this set of technologies allows you to guarantee high quality sound on the MSI 970 Gaming motherboard for both games and multimedia files.
If, for some reason, ten USB ports on the back of the motherboard are not enough for users, the MSI 970 Gaming is able to add a couple more USB 3.0 ports to the front panel of the PC case, and six USB 2.0 ports to the rear of the computer.
The radiator of the AMD SB950 south bridge, in addition to the cooling function, also bears the symbols of the Gaming series in the form of a corporate logo.
Of the most significant microcircuits present on the MSI 970 Gaming, it is worth highlighting the Fintek F71878AD, which is responsible for monitoring, the operation of system fans and the operation of COM and PC / 2 ports.
By sharing bandwidth PCI-E buses there are four ASM1480 multiplexers from ASMedia.
The CPU power converter is based on the uP1601P PWM controller.
Since the AMD 970 chipset itself does not support USB 3.0, a pair of VIA VL806 controllers can implement the latter in the amount of four pieces.
The Gigabit network controller is implemented using the Qualcomm Atheros Killer E2205 chip.
BIOS Features
The UEFI BIOS of the MSI 970 Gaming motherboard has branded shell ClickBIOS 4 with colorful design. The menu is divided into six main sections: Settings, OC, M-Flash, OC Profile, Hardware Monitor, and Board Explorer.
The "Settings" section contains the main parameters responsible for managing devices, choosing a boot priority and saving settings.
The "OS" tab has concentrated many settings for overclocking the system, including changing the parameters of the processor and RAM.
If you do not want to overclock the processor, but just want to manually set the frequency of the RAM and its timings, then this feature is also present in the BIOS of the MSI 970 Gaming motherboard.
The OC Profile tab allows you to not only save or load the desired settings profiles that you configure, but also import / export them to USB devices.
Using the "Hardware Monitor" section, you can track the main parameters of the motherboard and processor voltages, as well as set the fan operation algorithm using a graph.
Another interesting tab "Board Explorer" allows you to find out what components are installed in a particular slot or connector. As an example, let's look at the processor, when you hover over the motherboard socket, the BIOS shell reports that an eight-core AMD FX-8320E is installed there.
Proprietary utilities
The list of software on the official website for the MSI 970 Gaming motherboard, in addition to drivers and BIOS firmware, is small and consists of only 5 utilities:
- MSI Command Center- functional utility for monitoring and configuring the main parameters of the system;
- Live Update 6- utility for updating installed drivers, programs and BIOS;
- Super charger- hardware and software technology that allows to accelerate the charging of Apple iPad tablets, Apple iPhone smartphones and other mobile devices;
- Sound Blaster Cinema 2- utility for the built-in codec Realtek ALC1150, which allows you to improve the quality of sound reproduction using the software method;
- Fast boot- a utility to accelerate the loading of the operating system.
Of these utilities, the most interesting is the MSI Command Center. The program interface is simple and intuitive. The MSI Command Center utility allows you to overclock the processor right from the Windows environment, as well as control the fan speed.
Moreover, the adjustment and operation algorithm of the processor cooler is possible both in automatic and manual modes. Changing the supply voltage using MSI Command Center is also available.
Working with memory settings, including voltage for modules, is available from the "DRAM" tab.
Another useful feature of the MSI Command Center utility is the ability to create a RAMDisk partition inside the free space of RAM, which allows you to significantly speed up work with files loaded inside this virtual drive.
Proprietary "OC Genie" technology for automatic system overclocking is also included in the functionality of MSI Command Center.
Specifications
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CPU |
Supports AMD®FXTM / Phenom ™ II / Athlon ™ II and Sempron ™ processors for socket AM3 / AM3 +, max.TDP - 140Wt |
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AMD® 970 and SB950 Chipset |
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4 x DDR3 memory slots, up to 32GB |
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Expansion slots |
2 x PCIe 2.0 x16 slots Supports 2-Way AMD® CrossFire ™ Technology * |
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Data store |
AMD SB950 |
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The local network |
Killer E2205 Gigabit LAN controller |
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AMD® SB950 Chipset VIA VL806 Chipset 4 x USB 3.0 ports (2 ports on the rear panel, 2 ports accessible via an internal USB 3.0 connector) * * These USB 3.0 ports do not support M-Flash recovery function. |
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Realtek® ALC1150 Codec 1 x Boot Mode Switch Slow mode |
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The motherboard BIOS supports a "Plug & Play" BIOS that automatically detects peripherals and expansion cards. |
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Form factor |
305 mm x 244 mm) ATX form factor |
Testbed configuration and testing
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CPU |
AMD FX-8320E 3.2GHz Vishera AM3 + (Turbo Core on - 4.0GHz) |
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Cooling system |
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RAM |
25 +7 surfers |
Three motherboards based on the AMD A88 system logic set have become the subject of my past material. Now, thanks to our partner - Regard company, acquaintance with it will take place.
However, what is so remarkable about it, besides the lower model number? Practically nothing: all the difference from the older A88 lies in the smaller number of supported SATA 6 Gb / s connectors (six, not eight), and the supported types of RAID arrays are one less: 0, 1 and 10, RAID5 support is disabled. I wonder how many of those who are reading these lines now will remember what, in fact, they are talking about?
Personally, I have practical experience of operating RAID-arrays of "zero" type for several years in my home computer, I can not even remember the essence of RAID5. But the overwhelming majority of users did not even touch RAID arrays. Just as unnecessary. Therefore, it cannot be said that this limitation would be significant.
The rest of the functionality has not gone anywhere: four USB 3.0 ports, ten USB 2.0 ports, two USB 1.1 ports (yes, that's right - AMD still retains support for this interface in its system logic sets), three PCI slots, four PCI- E 2.0 for connecting peripherals. Yes, it is formally indicated that the A78 does not support configuring graphics slots according to the x8 + x8 scheme, the CrossFire assembly can only work according to the x16 + x4 scheme. But, to be honest, in fact, this is a purely marketing limitation: from a technical point of view, the set of system logic does not take any part in the distribution of PCI-E "links" from the processor. Generally. All that is needed is the installation of four switch microcircuits and a slight revision of the motherboard BIOS microcode.
By the way, I would also like to note that the A78 is positioned as the second oldest after the flagship A88X, that is, it is even higher than the former flagship A85X, the system logic set that played the role of "supporting" Socket FM2 at the time of its announcement. It was in this bundle "FM2 + A85X" on October 3, 2012 that the APU architecture was officially presented to the public, which we face to this day. It should be noted that then my experience of communicating with the development of MSI was enriched by a case of suicide of the motherboard, and then she also took the processor with her. Looking ahead, I will say that this time everything went well.
Packaging and equipment
The motherboard is delivered in a white cardboard box, with a very noticeable note that the board is built on the "Military Class 4" element base
WITH back side the box contains an image of the motherboard and a brief analysis of its functionality, as well as a description of the most important technical solutions that have found application in this product:
Let's briefly list them:
- Humidity protection - for the base of the motherboard, a more dense than usual textolite was taken, the increased density of fibers of which is more resistant to moisture penetration into the inner layers;
- ESD Protection - protection of the motherboard from electrostatic discharge;
- EMI Protection - according to the manufacturer, the special design of the motherboard reduces the level of electromagnetic radiation;
- High Temperature Protection - the element base of the motherboard is capable of operating in harsh temperature conditions;
- OC Genie 4 - automatic computer overclocking;
- Command Center - full access to the system fine-tuning parameters;
- 4K UHD Support - HDMI port and motherboard layout are compatible with 4K (Ultra HD) HD video.
And a number of smaller (from the manufacturer's point of view) functional features like PCI-E 3.0 support.
Upon opening the box, the user will first find the motherboard in an anti-static bag:
And even under it and a cardboard divider, it will find a complete set, which is very poor, but quite matched to a budget product:
- Motherboard manual (as you can see, it is also suitable for MSI A55-G41 PC Mate, such “universalization” is also a cost reduction method);
- Cover for the rear panel of the system unit case;
- DVD with software (black envelope - quite original, as a rule, envelopes are white);
- A fold-out booklet with instructions on how to quickly assemble a computer in many languages (Russian is present);
- Two SATA cables with latches and angled connectors at one end.
General view of the board and cooling system
The motherboard itself is made in the traditional for MSI products colors combining black and blue colors on a textolite painted dark brown.
There are two radiators on the MSI A78-G41 PC Mate motherboard: on the processor power subsystem and on the system logic chip. And both are very modest:
AMD A78 is actually covered by just an aluminum plate with absolutely no ribbing. The dimensions of this "miracle" are so small that the adjacent SATA connectors seem to be giants, and the fastening is carried out with the help of two spring-loaded plastic latches. Thermal interface - "thermal gum".
The processor power subsystem heatsink looks a little more solid
However, it does not cover all phases of the processor power supply: CPU NB Core remain open.
It is fastened with a screw, but at the same time, on the reverse side of the board, we, to our surprise, will find only the screw heads
No insulating washers, no springs. Hmm ... the board we are considering is not so ultra-budgetary as to save on such microscopic trifles ...
Otherwise, no unpleasant surprises were found. The motherboard is equipped with a standard mount for AMD platform cooling systems, the processor cooling system must fit into the dimensions shown in the photo:
(full size image will open without captions)
On the reverse side of the board, the usual metal plate, which protects the board from bending when installing cooling systems with high clamping forces.
The MSI A78-G41 PC Mate motherboard has four fan headers:
- On the upper edge of the board, near the memory slots, there is a four-pin CPUFAN (only four-pin fans are controlled);
- In the lower right corner of the board there is a four-pin SYSFAN1 (three- and four-pin fans are controlled);
- Behind the block of audio connectors of the back panel of the motherboard, under the heatsink of the processor power subsystem, there is a four-pin SYSFAN2 (three- and four-pin fans are controlled);
- In the middle of the board, at its right edge (under the ATX main power connector) there is a three-pin SYSFAN3 (uncontrolled).
In general, the placement of the connectors is quite adequate and raises no objections.
Posted on October 08 2015
Gamers love to be in control. In the game, on the battlefield and when working on your computer. To give gamers the hardware control they dream of, MSI has developed MSI Gaming Center software. This small program will allow you to easily configure and manage your gaming equipment. In this blog, we will explain how to work with the various options of the MSI Gaming Center software and try to reveal all the intricacies of its settings. Let's get started!
MSI Gaming Center Compatibility
You can use MSI Gaming Center on almost any PC. If you have an MSI desktop PC or All-in-One PC, this software is a standard option for such machines and is included in the package. If you don't already have it, you can download the MSI Gaming Center software.
Main features of MSI Gaming Center:
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EZ-SWAP
One of the main features of the Gaming Center is EZ-SWAP... In a nutshell, EZ-SWAP allows you to create two profiles and easily switch between work and game modes. You can customize both profiles to your liking so as not to customize a large number of parameters next time, but simply switch with one click. Let's take a closer look.
Default EZ-SWAP off as shown below: 
When enabled, you can set up your profile here (1). As stated above, you can customize your work and game profiles.
In each profile, you can configure 5 options. The first option is: Performance.
In this mode, you can select the appropriate performance profile for your system. There are 3 presets available to you: OC, Gaming and Silent.
- OC sets overclocking settings for your system
- Gaming sets a profile to get gaming performance
- Silent makes your system as quiet as possible
When you select the appropriate profile, a pop-up window of the corresponding application appears. MSI Gaming App. In this application, you can overclock your GPU even further. For more information on the MSI Gaming App, see.
Second setting for your profile: ScenaMax
This setting allows you to select the display parameters. There are 5 preset options to choose from here. In the description of the third function, we will dwell on this setting in detail, but if you are interested in this right now, scroll down.
Third setting: Nahimic
Nahimic software is an audio technology that improves audio quality for playback and voice processing on your computer. Nahimic has three sound presets for use with Games, Music or Movies. For more information on Nahimic technology,.
Fourth option: Theme
This setting allows you to select a Windows theme. For example, if you select ‘Working Mode’ you can use the default blue Windows theme. But if you are going to play, with a single click, you can change the Windows theme to something more suitable for the game.
Last option: Sound
Thanks to this feature, you can set the sound volume to the default value or turn it off altogether. For example, when you use headphones while playing and speakers while listening to music while working, you can easily mute the sound.
EXTRA:
When EZ-SWAP is enabled, 2 new large buttons will appear on the screen. With these buttons you can easily switch between customized profiles. You can place these buttons anywhere on the screen. You don't need to launch Gaming Center if you want to quickly switch between profiles.
The Utility feature is the easiest to use feature in the Gaming Center. It automatically detects if the MSI application is installed on your system and places its shortcut to the Gaming Center. In this case, if you want to customize your gaming PC, one application will be enough for you. In this photo, you can see the MSI Gaming App, which has detected the presence of XSplit on your computer.
The MSI Gaming App can also be used to customize your MSI GAMING graphics card. More information can be found.
XSplit is a convenient and easy way to stream and record videos with a free 6 month subscription when purchasing MSI products.
ScenaMax
With ScenaMax, you can control your display settings. There are three setting modes, one of which is completely manual.
GAMING MODE: This effect will adjust your screen for optimal use in games. Slightly increased brightness will allow you to better see enemies on the battlefield.
CINEMA MODE: This effect will adjust your screen for optimal use when watching movies. Slightly increased brightness and saturation will allow you to enjoy watching movies.
EYE CARE MODE: Your display will emit less blue light, which will be more beneficial for your eyes during extended use.
PERSONAL SETTINGS: In this mode, you can set any parameters for the settings of your display. Adjust color, brightness and contrast as you like.
Device Setting
Device Setting allows you to configure various parameters of the PC. You can control the sensitivity of the microphone (or mute it completely), adjust the volume level (or mute the sound completely), turn WiFi on and off, and activate special function MSI Super Charger to charge your phone at incredible speed.
The latest feature of the Gaming Center is System Monitor... The name speaks for itself. This function monitors system performance. You can monitor the following parameters:
- Disk load
- Memory load
- CPU load
- GPU load
- Data transfer rate via Ethernet and WiFi interfaces
Do you want to completely control your gaming computer with just one program? Be sure to try MSI Gaming Center!
