MSI MAG Z690 Torpdeo EK X DDR5 Intel Motherboard

The MSI MAG Z690 Torpedo EK X is a full-size ATX motherboard built around the Intel Z690 chipset for 12th Generation Intel Core, Pentium Gold, and Celeron processors using the LGA1700 socket. Its defining feature is a custom-designed EK monoblock that simultaneously cools both the CPU mounting area and the VRM heatsink zone, channelling liquid cooling directly over the power delivery components to help sustain sustained performance under demanding workloads without relying on noisy air cooling. Memory support centres on four DDR5 DIMM slots with a maximum capacity of 128 GB. At JEDEC baseline the board runs 1R modules at 4800 MHz; with Intel XMP 3.0 profiles enabled, a single-rank, single-DIMM-per-channel configuration can reach 6400+ MHz, while dual-rank or dual-DIMM configurations top out at 4000+ MHz. Dual Controller Dual-Channel mode is supported alongside non-ECC unbuffered memory. Expansion is handled by three PCIe x16-length slots: the primary slot, sourced directly from the CPU, supports PCIe 5.0 x16, delivering up to 128 GB/s of bandwidth. The remaining two slots operate at PCIe 3.0 x4 and PCIe 3.0 x1 respectively via the Z690 chipset. AMD CrossFire multi-GPU configurations are supported. Storage options include four M.2 Key-M slots and six SATA 6 Gb/s ports. The CPU-attached M2_1 slot supports PCIe 4.0 x4; slots M2_2 and M2_4 connect through the chipset at PCIe 4.0 x4 and also accept SATA; M2_3 operates at PCIe 3.0 x4 or SATA 6 Gb/s. All M.2 slots are covered by MSI's M.2 Shield Frozr thermal solution to reduce thermal throttling of installed NVMe drives. Intel Optane Memory readiness is included for chipset-attached M.2 slots. RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 are supported across SATA devices; RAID 0, 1, and 5 across NVMe M.2 devices. Connectivity includes a single Intel I225V 2.5 Gbps LAN controller. The rear panel provides HDMI 2.1 (4K 60 Hz with HDR) and DisplayPort 1.4 (HBR3, 4K 60 Hz) for integrated graphics output, a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 20 Gbps Type-C port, three USB 3.2 Gen 2 10 Gbps Type-A ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 5 Gbps Type-A ports, two USB 2.0 Type-A ports, optical S/PDIF output, HD Audio jacks, a Flash BIOS button, and the 2.5G LAN port. Onboard audio is handled by a Realtek ALC4080 codec delivering 7.1-channel HD audio. The board includes dedicated water-pump and CPU fan headers alongside six 4-pin system fan headers, a TBT Thunderbolt connector with RTD3 support, EZ Debug LEDs, RGB and RAINBOW ARGB LED headers, and an EZ LED Control switch. A clear CMOS jumper and TPM module connector are also present. Verified Specifications: - Form Factor: ATX, 305 mm x 244 mm (12 in x 9.6 in) - Socket: LGA1700 - Chipset: Intel Z690 - Memory: 4x DDR5 DIMM, max 128 GB, up to 6400+ MHz (XMP 3.0, 1DPC 1R) - Primary PCIe Slot: PCIe 5.0 x16 (CPU) - M.2 Slots: 4x Key-M (PCIe 4.0 x4 / PCIe 3.0 x4 / SATA) - SATA: 6x 6 Gb/s - LAN: Intel I225V 2.5 Gbps - USB (rear): 1x 20 Gbps Type-C, 3x 10 Gbps Type-A, 2x 5 Gbps Type-A, 2x USB 2.0 Type-A - Audio: Realtek ALC4080, 7.1-channel HD - Display Output: HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4 - Warranty: 3 Years