MSI MAG B460 Tomahawk DDR4 Intel Motherboard

The MSI MAG B460 Tomahawk is an ATX-form-factor motherboard built around the Intel B460 chipset and LGA1200 socket, designed to support 10th Generation Intel Core, Pentium Gold, and Celeron processors. It occupies the MAG (Military Grade) product line within MSI's lineup, positioning it as a durable and reliable platform for PC builders who want solid performance without overclocking requirements inherent to the B460 chipset. One of the standout features is the dual-LAN configuration: a Realtek RTL8125B 2.5Gbps controller and an Intel I219V 1Gbps controller operate simultaneously, enabling power users and content creators to take advantage of high-bandwidth wired networking while keeping a secondary connection available. Combined with MSI's LAN Manager software for traffic prioritization, latency-sensitive applications receive preferential bandwidth allocation. Memory support is handled by four DDR4 DIMM slots accommodating up to 128 GB of non-ECC unbuffered RAM in dual-channel configuration. Core i7 and i9 processors unlock speeds up to DDR4-2933 MHz, while i5 and below are rated to DDR4-2666 MHz. Intel XMP profiles are also supported for compatible memory kits. Storage options are comprehensive: six SATA 6Gb/s ports and two M.2 Key-M slots provide considerable flexibility. M2_1 accepts both PCIe 3.0 x4 and SATA devices in 2242/2260/2280/22110 lengths, while M2_2 supports PCIe 3.0 x4 in 2242/2260/2280 lengths. Intel Optane Memory and Smart Response Technology are also supported. RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 configurations are available for SATA drives. USB connectivity includes a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 20Gbps Type-C port on the rear panel via an ASMedia ASM3241 controller — notably fast for a B460 board — alongside six USB 3.2 Gen 1 5Gbps ports and six USB 2.0 ports spread across the rear panel and internal headers. Onboard audio is driven by a Realtek ALC1200 codec with 7.1-channel HD Audio output and S/PDIF optical output. For display output, the board provides one HDMI port (up to 4096×2160 @ 30Hz) and one DisplayPort (up to 4096×2304 @ 60Hz) to support CPU-integrated graphics. Four EZ Debug LEDs assist in rapid fault diagnosis during POST, and two 4-pin RGB headers plus two 3-pin ARGB headers enable Mystic Light-compatible lighting control. Verified Specifications: - Chipset: Intel B460 - Socket: LGA1200 (10th Gen Intel Core / Pentium Gold / Celeron) - Form Factor: ATX, 12 in. x 9.6 in. (30.5 cm x 24.4 cm) - Memory: 4x DDR4 DIMM, up to 128 GB; DDR4-2933 (i7/i9), DDR4-2666 (i5 and below); XMP supported - Storage: 6x SATA 6Gb/s; 2x M.2 (PCIe 3.0 x4); Intel Optane Ready; RAID 0/1/5/10 - PCIe: 1x PCIe 3.0 x16 (CPU), 1x PCIe 3.0 x16 (PCH, x4 mode), 2x PCIe 3.0 x1 - USB: 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 20Gbps Type-C (rear); 6x USB 3.2 Gen 1; 6x USB 2.0 - LAN: Realtek RTL8125B 2.5Gbps + Intel I219V 1Gbps - Audio: Realtek ALC1200, 7.1-channel HD Audio, S/PDIF output - Display: 1x HDMI (4K@30Hz), 1x DisplayPort (4K@60Hz) - BIOS: UEFI AMI, 128 Mb flash, ACPI 6.2, SMBIOS 3.2 - I/O Controller: Nuvoton NCT6687 - Fan Headers: 1x CPU, 1x water-pump, 6x system (all 4-pin) - Warranty: 3 Years