MSI X299 Raider DDR4 Intel Motherboard

The MSI X299 Raider is an ATX form factor motherboard built on the Intel X299 chipset, designed to pair with Intel Core X-Series processors in the LGA2066 socket. It targets high-end desktop (HEDT) builders who need expanded memory capacity, versatile storage options, and multi-GPU support in a single platform. For memory, the board features eight DDR4 slots supporting up to 128 GB in quad-channel configuration when paired with 6-core or higher X-series processors (78XX/79XX families). Four-core processors such as the i7-7740X operate in dual-channel mode using four of those slots with a maximum of 64 GB. Intel Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) is supported, and overclocked speeds reach DDR4-4133 (OC) in quad-channel and DDR4-4500 (OC) in dual-channel configurations. Storage connectivity is comprehensive: eight SATA 6 Gb/s ports, two M.2 Key-M slots (both supporting PCIe 3.0 x4 and SATA 6 Gb/s), and one U.2 port for PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe drives. Intel Optane Memory is supported on all M.2 slots. RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 are available for SATA devices; RAID 0 and 1 are available for M.2 PCIe devices. Expansion slots include four PCIe 3.0 x16 slots and one PCIe 3.0 x1 slot, with bandwidth allocation scaling to the installed CPU's lane count. Both NVIDIA SLI and AMD CrossFire multi-GPU configurations are supported across three of the reinforced PCIe x16 slots. USB connectivity is delivered through a combination of the Intel X299 chipset (eight USB 3.1 Gen1 ports and five USB 2.0 ports) and an ASMedia ASM3142 controller adding two USB 3.1 Gen2 (10 Gbps) ports — one Type-A and one Type-C on the rear panel — plus an internal USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C header. Audio is handled by a Realtek ALC1220 codec providing 7.1-channel high-definition audio with S/PDIF optical output. Networking uses an Intel I219-V Gigabit LAN controller. Additional board features include EZ Debug LED indicators, Dual BIOS for recovery, a Clear CMOS button on the rear panel, a water pump header, four system fan headers, LED extension connector, TPM header, and a Thunderbolt add-on card connector. Key Specifications: - Form Factor: ATX, 12 in. x 9.6 in. (30.5 cm x 24.3 cm) - Socket: LGA2066 - Chipset: Intel X299 - Memory: 8 x DDR4 DIMM slots, up to 128 GB, quad-channel (6-core+ CPUs) / 4-slot dual-channel (4-core CPUs) - Max Memory Speed: DDR4-4133 (OC) quad-channel; DDR4-4500 (OC) dual-channel - Storage: 8 x SATA 6Gb/s, 2 x M.2 (PCIe 3.0 x4/SATA), 1 x U.2 (PCIe 3.0 x4) - PCIe Slots: 4 x PCIe 3.0 x16, 1 x PCIe 3.0 x1 - USB: 2 x USB 3.1 Gen2, 8 x USB 3.1 Gen1, 8 x USB 2.0 - Audio: Realtek ALC1220, 7.1-channel HD Audio, S/PDIF out - LAN: Intel I219-V Gigabit - Multi-GPU: NVIDIA SLI, AMD CrossFire - Warranty: 3 Years