Assessing the MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Wifi Motherboard: Dual PCIe 5.0 and USB4 Expansion Options Reviewed

Assessing the MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Wifi Motherboard: Dual PCIe 5.0 and USB4 Expansion Options Reviewed

Riding the bleeding edge of tech, we put the MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Wifi through its paces, giving you an unfiltered look at its performance. No stones are left unturned in this review, so buckle up and let's dive in!

Straight from the Horse's Mouth

To ensure fairness and consistency, we conducted our standard benchmarks using the CPU's stock frequencies, with power-saving features enabled. The memory was set to optimized defaults, including enabling the XMP profile. The Windows power scheme was set to Balanced so the PC idled appropriately.

Synthetic Benchmarks: Synthetics Serve their Purpose

Synthetics play a pivotal role in evaluating a board's performance, as identical settings yield similar results. Turbo boost wattage and advanced memory timings are areas where motherboard manufacturers can still tweak for stability or performance.

Our board delivered average results overall, with scores falling on the lower or higher end of reasonably tight groupings in various tests.

Timed Applications: Averagely Swift Times

In the timed applications, the Tomahawk Wifi showed average to above-average times across all tests.

3D Games and 3DMark: Gaming Performance Shines

We've revamped our game tests, keeping F1 racing game and upgrading to the visually stunning Cyberpunk 2077. The goal is to determine differences in performance at the most commonly used resolutions with settings most people use or aspire to.

Gaming results were excellent, with slightly above-average scores in the 3DMark tests and decent performances in the games. Witness a more-than-competent machine for gaming and anything else you can do with a PC.

Overclocking: Fun's Shrinking, But You're Getting More

Over the past few CPU generations, overclocking headroom has shrunk on both sides of the fence, with more power being found in out-of-box potential. For overclockers, this means less fun. For the average consumer, you're getting the most out of the processor without manual tweaking. Today's motherboards are more robust than ever and support power-hungry flagship-class processors, so we know the hardware can handle them.

While we won't be overclocking the CPU, we will test different memory kits to ensure they meet specifications. Our X870E Tomahawk passed our Team Group DDR5-7200 kit through a 30-minute stress test, but the DDR5-8000 kit didn't cooperate this time around. AMD's sweet spot is around 6000-6400 using the tightest timings and 1:1 ratio; you don't get much improvement at higher clocks except in bandwidth-heavy tests.

Power Consumption and VRM Temperatures: Efficient Power Delivery

For power testing, we used AIDA64's System Stability Test with CPU, FPU, Cache, and Memory enabled. The peak power consumption value was obtained from the wall using a Kill-A-Watt meter, capturing the total PC (excluding the monitor). The MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Wifi peaked at 264W and idled at 80W, a result that falls in the middle of the pack.

VRM temperatures on the Tomahawk were reasonable. The adequate power delivery and large heatsinks kept things under control, with temperatures reaching up to 55 degrees Celsius on our sensors and 60 degrees on the internal sensor.

Bottom Line: A Solid All-Around Motherboard

MSI's X870E Tomahawk is a versatile motherboard, boasting a 17-phase design where 14 phases are dedicated to Vcore, using 80A SPS MOSFETs. This setup can handle high-power processors, as well as increased power consumption up to 138-141W under stress tests with the UEFI settings adjusted for stability.

Compared to other motherboards in its class, the Tomahawk offers a well-rounded performance and power efficiency. It may not boast the most aggressive number of power phases compared to some flagship offerings, but its overall design and feature set make it competitive in terms of stability and cooling efficiency.

In conclusion, the MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Wifi motherboard is a solid, all-around choice for your build, offering a balance of power delivery, cooling efficiency, and core features. However, if you need 40 Gbps ports, consider the B850 Tomahawk Wifi for a more cost-effective alternative.

In the realm of integrated gadgets and cutting-edge technology, this MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Wifi stands tall, showcasing impressive performance across a multitude of applications. Whether it's the synthetic benchmarks, timed applications, or gaming performance, this motherboard demonstrates a high level of competency, making it an excellent choice for any PC build.

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