MSI MAG Z690 Tomahawk Wifi DDR4 Intel Motherboard

The MSI MAG Z690 Tomahawk WiFi DDR4 is a full-size ATX motherboard built around the Intel Z690 chipset, designed to support 12th Generation Intel Core, Pentium Gold, and Celeron processors in the LGA1700 socket. With its feature-rich layout and thermal engineering, it is suited to gamers, content creators, and PC enthusiasts who want a stable, high-bandwidth platform without moving to DDR5. Memory support is a standout: four DDR4 slots accommodate up to 128 GB of non-ECC unbuffered RAM in dual-channel mode. JEDEC profiles cover 2133 through 3200 MHz, while XMP overclocking pushes a single-rank, single-DIMM-per-channel configuration to 5200+ MHz. Users running two DIMMs per channel in a dual-rank arrangement can reach up to 4000+ MHz, giving substantial headroom for tuning. Storage options are comprehensive. Four M.2 Key-M slots serve the board — the CPU-connected M2_1 slot reaches PCIe 4.0 x4, two additional chipset slots also support PCIe 4.0 x4, and the fourth handles PCIe 3.0 x4 with optional SATA 6 Gb/s. Six rear SATA 6 Gb/s ports round out the configuration, with RAID 0/1/5/10 support across SATA devices and RAID 0/1/5 for NVMe arrays. The primary PCIe x16 slot, routed directly from the CPU, operates at PCIe 5.0 x16 — future-proofing GPU bandwidth. AMD CrossFire multi-GPU configurations are supported via the reinforced Steel Armor slots. Connectivity is handled by an Intel I225V 2.5 Gbps wired LAN controller and an Intel Wi-Fi 6 module pre-installed in the M.2 Key-E slot. Wi-Fi 6 delivers up to 2.4 Gbps theoretical throughput across 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands using MU-MIMO and OFDMA, while Bluetooth 5.2 is also included. The rear I/O panel provides an HDMI 2.1 port (4K 60 Hz) and a DisplayPort 1.4 with HBR3 (4K 60 Hz) for systems with integrated graphics. USB connectivity includes a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C port at 20 Gbps, three USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports at 10 Gbps, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports at 5 Gbps, and two USB 2.0 Type-A ports — all on the back panel. Internal headers expand USB availability further. Audio is handled by a Realtek ALC4080 codec delivering 7.1-channel HD audio with S/PDIF optical output. Fan control extends to six 4-pin system fan headers plus dedicated CPU fan and water-pump headers, all manageable through MSI's BIOS or software. Verified Specifications: - Form Factor: ATX, 30.5 cm × 24.4 cm (12 in × 9.6 in) - Socket: LGA1700 (12th Gen Intel Core / Pentium Gold / Celeron) - Chipset: Intel Z690 - Memory: 4× DDR4 DIMM, max 128 GB, dual-channel, XMP, up to 5200+ MHz (OC, 1DPC 1R) - PCIe: 1× PCIe 5.0 x16 (CPU), 1× PCIe 3.0 x4, 1× PCIe 3.0 x1 (chipset) - M.2: 4× Key-M (PCIe 4.0 x4 / PCIe 3.0 x4 / SATA) - SATA: 6× SATA 6 Gb/s - RAID: 0/1/5/10 (SATA); 0/1/5 (NVMe) - LAN: Intel I225V 2.5 Gbps - Wireless: Intel Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), MU-MIMO, up to 2.4 Gbps; Bluetooth 5.2 - Audio: Realtek ALC4080, 7.1-channel HD, S/PDIF out - Rear USB: 1× USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C (20 Gbps), 3× USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (10 Gbps), 2× USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5 Gbps), 2× USB 2.0 Type-A - Display outputs: HDMI 2.1 (4K 60 Hz), DisplayPort 1.4 HBR3 (4K 60 Hz) — integrated graphics only - Multi-GPU: AMD CrossFire - RGB: 1× 4-pin RGB, 3× 3-pin ARGB headers; 4× EZ Debug LED - Warranty: 3 years