MSI Z490-A pro DDR4 Intel Motherboard

The MSI Z490-A PRO is an ATX form-factor motherboard built around the Intel Z490 chipset, designed for 10th Generation Intel Core, Pentium Gold, and Celeron processors using the LGA1200 socket. It offers a solid foundation for productivity builds, content creation rigs, and gaming systems that demand reliable performance and a broad feature set without unnecessary frills. At the heart of its power delivery is a 12+1+1 Duet Rail Power System paired with both an 8-pin and a 4-pin ATX 12V CPU power connector, giving builders the headroom needed for demanding processors. MSI's Core Boost technology works in tandem with this power architecture to help maintain stable CPU frequencies under sustained workloads. Memory support spans four DDR4 DIMM slots capable of holding up to 128 GB in total, with standard speeds starting at 2133 MHz and XMP overclocked profiles reaching up to 4800 MHz in single-rank, single-channel configurations. Dual-channel mode is fully supported, and the board carries Intel Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) certification for straightforward memory tuning. Storage flexibility is a notable strength. Two M.2 Key-M slots both support PCIe 3.0 x4 and SATA 6 Gb/s devices, with M2_1 accommodating form factors up to 22110 mm. Six SATA 6 Gb/s ports round out the storage array, while RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 configurations are available for SATA drives and RAID 0 and 1 for M.2 PCIe devices. Intel Optane Memory compatibility is also present for caching scenarios. Networking is handled by a Realtek RTL8125B-CG 2.5G LAN controller, stepping above standard Gigabit for faster local transfers and improved throughput in multimedia and professional environments. USB connectivity is comprehensive: two USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) ports — one Type-A and one Type-C — sit on the rear panel alongside two USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Type-A ports, two USB 2.0 Type-A ports, and an HDMI and DisplayPort output for systems using Intel integrated graphics. Audio is powered by a Realtek ALC892 codec delivering 7.1-channel high-definition audio output. For RGB customisation, the board includes one 4-pin RGB LED connector and two 3-pin RAINBOW LED connectors. Six 4-pin system fan connectors, a dedicated CPU fan header, and a water-pump connector provide ample thermal management options. Verified Specifications: - Form Factor: ATX, 30.5 cm x 24.4 cm (12 in. x 9.6 in.) - Socket: LGA1200 (10th Gen Intel Core / Pentium Gold / Celeron) - Chipset: Intel Z490 - Memory: 4x DDR4 slots, up to 128 GB; up to 4800 MHz (OC, XMP) - Expansion: 1x PCIe 3.0 x16 (CPU), 1x PCIe 3.0 x16 (PCH, x4 mode), 3x PCIe x1 (PCH) - Storage: 6x SATA 6 Gb/s, 2x M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 / SATA slots - LAN: Realtek RTL8125B-CG 2.5G - Audio: Realtek ALC892, 7.1-channel HD - USB (rear): 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2x USB 2.0 - Display Out: 1x HDMI (up to 4096x2160 @ 30Hz), 1x DisplayPort (up to 4096x2304 @ 60Hz) - Multi-GPU: 2-Way AMD CrossFire - Warranty: 3 Years