SFF.Network MSI Z890 and B860 Motherboards List Posted: Two Mini-ITX Boards Listed.

Image Credit – MSI
 
Thanks to Tom’s Hardware for spotting this.
MSI’s motherboard list for Arrow Lake-S has leaked. There were 12 new motherboards listed in Z890 and B860 guise. From a SFF point perspective, we have two new mini-ITX options, and two mATX options.
 

ITX
MSI will be launching the MPG Z890I Edge TI WIFI for their premium board...

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[hrh_ginsterbusch]

MSI MPG Z790I EDGE TI WIFI

You probably mean the "MSI MPG Z790I Edge WIFI" (geizhals link). But the price is a total no-go. Its basically the same configuration and specs as the B760 board, but with the "B760" replaced with a "Z790". Also, its current steep price of 328 euro (its become "cheaper", its been wandering between 380 and 360 Euro since release) vs. feature set (eg. anti-feature: sys fan located right below the M2 tower, and yeah, that m2 tower blocking installation for a lot of coolers) doesnt make it attractive in any kind of way.

I do like MSI, and I do own both the Z690M Mortar and the B760i Edge Wifi, but this "offering" is not a good one. If the price to feature ratio was less skewed (eg. with additional USB4 or TB4), it'd been great, but with this setup, it feels more like an overpriced Asrock Z790M-ITX with a bit of "premium" sprinkling.

cu, w0lf.

 

[Revenant]

You probably mean the "MSI MPG Z790I Edge WIFI" (geizhals link). But the price is a total no-go. Its basically the same configuration and specs as the B760 board, but with the "B760" replaced with a "Z790". Also, its current steep price of 328 euro (its become "cheaper", its been wandering between 380 and 360 Euro since release) vs. feature set (eg. anti-feature: sys fan located right below the M2 tower, and yeah, that m2 tower blocking installation for a lot of coolers) doesnt make it attractive in any kind of way.

I do like MSI, and I do own both the Z690M Mortar and the B760i Edge Wifi, but this "offering" is not a good one. If the price to feature ratio was less skewed (eg. with additional USB4 or TB4), it'd been great, but with this setup, it feels more like an overpriced Asrock Z790M-ITX with a bit of "premium" sprinkling.

cu, w0lf.

Good perspective from across the pond. I appreciate it.

In the US, the price difference between the MSI ITX B760 and Z790 is minimal. I rated it recommended albeit not editors choice as it's currently one of the least expensive boards for that segment while also providing large USB rear port selection, stable performance (as much as can be attained on the 13 and 14 series), and up to three M.2 slots albeit with certain heat limitations. The slipping of prices to the area of roughly $250 US ($230 Euros) was certainly an influence on that choice as the prices you quoted for it are simply ridiculous. . In regard to the M.2 stack, I've run into similar limitations with almost all recent boards in one form or another. It's not weighted as heavily though against the Z790 board due to the much higher likelihood of using a liquid cooling solution.

The largest complaint I have about the board though is the stock power delivery is very conservative. While easily remedied, and now practically recommenced by Intel, users could get confused as to why their 13900K is only performing at 12900K levels in CineBench.

Good seeing you w0lf!

 

[hrh_ginsterbusch]

In regard to the M.2 stack, I've run into similar limitations with almost all recent boards in one form or another. It's not weighted as heavily though against the Z790 board due to the much higher likelihood of using a liquid cooling solution.

The issue is, that those m2 stacks also clash with CPU water blocks. Eg. the Artic Liquid Freezer II site lists quite a few boards that are incompatible thanks to issues with the VRM or m2 stacks interfering with the mounting mechanisms. The other issue is with routing tubes - with the most common design of having the tube connectors / rotable fittings attached to the side of the CPU water block, its either over RAM or from the top, but the top is also hindered with the VRM.

With eg the Asrock Z690 PG-ITX/TB4, thanks to its singular flat m2 space, you get the option of routing it over here, via RAM or maybe VRM (albeit thats already pretty high).

I personally see this "stack" issue as a continuing issue for the forseeable future. ITX being somewhat of a niche, manufacturers seem to randomly decide on how to do things, but "lets stack things" seems to be the new fad. My guess is the decision makers are people who are removed from the actual build process, so they simply dont know this might be detrimental for the product.

The other option is that dongle orgy, which Asus started, but if this was a bit more standardized, one could actually work with a more modular approach to the mainboard hardware, similar to eg. the Framework laptop.

cu, w0lf.

 

[Skripka]

Is Intel finally allowing people to name them, unlike Computex where mentioning the Socket and Chipset That Shall Not Be Named was forbidden?

"The rules are stupid and I reject them"-Steve Burke 2024