MSI MEG Z790 Godlike DDR5 Intel Motherboard

The MSI MEG Z790 Godlike is MSI's flagship Intel Z790 platform motherboard, built in the E-ATX form factor (304.8 mm x 310 mm) and engineered to support 12th and 13th Generation Intel Core, Pentium Gold, and Celeron processors via the LGA 1700 socket. At the heart of its power delivery sits a 26+2 phase design with 105A Smart Power Stage modules and dual CPU power connectors, providing the headroom needed for sustained high-frequency operation on demanding workloads and overclocking sessions. Memory support reaches up to DDR5-7800+ MHz (OC) across four UDIMM slots with a maximum capacity of 128 GB. The board supports Intel XMP 3.0 profiles and a Dual-Controller Dual-Channel mode for maximised bandwidth. Seven M.2 connectors are on board — one of which (M.2_4) connects directly to the CPU and runs at PCIe 5.0 x4, while the remaining six slots operate at PCIe 4.0 x4, PCIe 3.0 x4, or SATA depending on the slot, complemented by six SATA 6 Gbps ports and RAID 0/1/5/10 support for both SATA and NVMe arrays. Connectivity is defined by two PCIe 5.0 x16 slots (one at x16, one at x8, both routed from the CPU), dual Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports operating at 40 Gbps per port via the JHL8540 controller, a Marvell AQC113CS 10 Gbps Super LAN port, an Intel 2.5 Gbps LAN port, and an Intel Wi-Fi 6E module (802.11ax, tri-band 2.4/5/6 GHz, up to 2.4 Gbps) with Bluetooth 5.3. The rear USB array includes seven USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports and one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, while the front panel headers add two USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C connectors each capable of 20 Gbps with 60 W USB Power Delivery. The M-Vision Dashboard is a 4.5-inch touchable full-color IPS LCD panel embedded on the board itself, providing real-time hardware monitoring, debug readouts, and system control without external software. Audio is handled by a Realtek ALC4082 codec paired with an ESS ES9280AQ combo DAC and headphone amplifier, delivering 7.1-channel USB audio with up to 32-bit/384 kHz playback and S/PDIF optical output. Thermal management is addressed through a wavy-fin heatsink design, a Direct Touch Cross Heat-pipe, 7 W/mK thermal pads, Double-Sided M.2 Shield Frozr covers on M.2 slots, and Frozr AI software. The PCB uses an 8-layer construction with 2 oz thickened copper for signal integrity and long-term stability. Addressable RGB and standard RGB headers are present (three JARGB_V2 and one JRGB), along with EZ Debug LEDs and a 2-digit POST code display for straightforward troubleshooting. The board ships with a pre-installed I/O shield, screwless magnetic M.2 Shield Frozr, EZ M.2 clips, and a Metal Backplate. MSI backs the MEG Z790 Godlike with a 3-year warranty. Verified Specifications: - Chipset: Intel Z790 - Socket: LGA 1700 - Form Factor: E-ATX (304.8 mm x 310 mm) - CPU Support: 12th/13th Gen Intel Core, Pentium Gold, Celeron - Memory: 4x DDR5 UDIMM, max 128 GB, DDR5-4800 (JEDEC) to DDR5-7800+ (OC), XMP 3.0 - PCIe Slots: 2x PCIe 5.0 x16 (CPU); x16 + x8 configuration - M.2 Slots: 7x (1x PCIe 5.0 x4 from CPU; 5x PCIe 4.0 x4; 1x PCIe 3.0 x4; SATA on select slots) - SATA: 6x SATA 6 Gbps, RAID 0/1/5/10 - LAN: Marvell AQC113CS 10 Gbps + Intel 2.5 Gbps - Wireless: Intel Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3 - Thunderbolt: 2x Thunderbolt 4 (JHL8540, 40 Gbps, USB-C) - Audio: Realtek ALC4082 + ESS ES9280AQ, 7.1-ch, 32-bit/384 kHz - USB Rear: 7x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 2x Thunderbolt 4 Type-C - Power Design: 26+2 phase, 105A SPS, dual CPU power connectors - OS Support: Windows 11 64-bit, Windows 10 64-bit - Warranty: 3 Years