The Z87 MPOWER MAX Motherboard from MSI is an ATX form factor motherboard, compatible with Intel CPUs that use the Z87 Express chipset. The motherboard supports 4th Gen Intel Core, Pentium, and Celeron processors for the LGA 1150 socket. With a 20-phase DigitALL Power design, it features NVIDIA, SLI, and AMD Crossfire support.
The motherboard is equipped with advanced overclocking software tools such as Intel Extreme Tuning Utility, MSI Command Center Lite, and RAMdisk to fine-tune small OC settings without requiring extra power from your PC. It features one or more PCIe 3.0 slots perfectly aligned with enough space for optimal airflow when using multiple graphics cards. In addition, Lucid Virtu MVP 2.0, the GPU virtualization technology, allows you to utilize your CPU's integrated Intel HD graphics cores in combination with a powerful discrete graphics card to achieve superior gaming performance.
OC PCB
Higher Efficiency and Performance
OC PCB (Printed Circutit Board) is an advanced design where 50% more layers are used in the construction of the motherboard. This allows you to optimize all traces for overclocking. Power and signal traces are isolated, resulting in higher efficiency and performance, and more features can be installed relatively close to each other without causing interference. This MSI overclocking motherboard is tuned for better stability under extreme circumstances such as increased number of PCB layers, humidity resistance, ESD protection, and tight weave fiberless PCB.
DigitALL Power PWM
DigitALL PWM Controller
DigitALL Power digitally steers and receives feedback through a DigitALL PWM controller. This allows for pinpoint voltage delivery and lower power consumption. With the switch from analog feedback to digital feedback, you also have the opportunity to implement load line calibration.
Thermal Design
MPOWER Thermal Design
Besides inspiring visual awe, the motherboard delivers high cooling power in extreme situations with its thermal design. It is optimized to work in low-airflow situations, making it ideal to use with your liquid cooling setup.
OC Certified
OC Certified Motherboard
OC Certified is a burn-in test for motherboards. Running Prime 95 for over 24 hours with a highly overclocked CPU is already a stressing endeavor; however, the OC Certified test ensures that the motherboard is able to run in overclocked conditions in high temperatures with little or no airflow.
OC Essentials
OC Essentials comprises of a small set of tools that are essential to get superior performance out of your motherboard. These features increase stability, assist in troubleshooting, allow you to keep your complete system in check, and allow for simple management.
Overclocking Software
Intel Extreme Tuning Utility
The motherboard is equipped with advanced overclocking software tools to fine-tune small OC settings without requiring extra power from your PC. Intel Extreme Tuning Utility software gives you maximum control over your system whether it is the CPU, memory, system clocks, or monitoring system temperatures, voltages, or fan speeds.
MSI Command Center Lite
This lightweight overclocking tool doesn't need installation and doesn't occupy unnecessary system resources, lowering the system benchmark score. With a single mouse click you have access to the most important overclocking features.
RAMdisk
MSI Command Center integrates an unlimited RAMdisk. With a RAMdisk you can create a virtual drive from your system memory enabling speeds 20 x faster than the present-day SSDs. There are options to load complete game images, and you also can speed up your browser or your page file which increases gaming performance.
Click BIOS 4
Hardware Monitor
The MSI Click BIOS 4 is the current UEFI BIOS with optimizations for Windows 8. It reacts faster, runs smoother, and has better mouse support. This software gives you maximum control over your system whether it is the CPU, memory, system clocks, or monitoring system temperatures, voltages, or fan speeds. Hardware Monitor allows you to take control of the system through Total Fan and check your primary system characteristics through a clear graphical interface.
Board Explorer
This feature gives you a visual representation of all the connectors of the motherboard and displays which devices are connected. In case a device has a poor connection, you can easily trace it with the Board Explorer.
OC Profiles Preview
With OC Profiles Preview, you can quickly switch between settings and save up to 8 profiles. In the blink of an eye, you can see the differences between your current system settings and any of the stored profiles.
BIOS
The motherboard provides plug-and-play BIOS which detects any peripheral devices and expansion cards installed on the board automatically. In addition, the motherboard provides a Desktop Management Interface (DMI) function which records the your specific motherboard specifications.
Optimized for Multiple Graphics Cards
PCIe 3.0
The motherboard features PCIe 3.0 slots, perfectly aligned and with enough space for optimal airflow when using multiple graphics cards; this way, you will never have to worry about an overheating PC, while enjoying excellent graphics from your monitor when running an NVIDIA, SLI, or AMD Crossfire gaming setup.
Virtu MVP 2.0
Lucid Virtu MVP 2.0 is a GPU virtualization technology that allows you to utilize your CPU's integrated Intel HD graphics cores in combination with a powerful discrete graphics card to achieve superior gaming performance. Virtual V-Sync is the most important feature for gamers as it allows you to run at a smooth, fixed frame rate without compromising in mouse responsiveness compared to traditional V-Sync.
Audio
Audio Boost
Audio Boost delivers superior audio quality so you can enjoy crystal-clear sound and music. It features studio-level integrated 600Ω headphone amplifier, gold-plated audio jacks for pure audio signals; an EMI shielded audio codec, high-quality audio capacitors, and illuminated audio PCB separation.
Memory
Supports DDR3-3000 Memory
To achieve overclocking records you need fast memory. The Z87 MPOWER motherboard not only supports the T-Topology architecture, but also works with DDR3-3000 standards. This way you are ensured of superior memory performance.
Wireless Technology
Intel Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Intel Wi-Di
This overclocking-capable motherboard comes with an easily unpluggable Intel Wi-Fi/Bluetooth module which also supports Intel Wi-Di. This way you can easily connect to other wireless devices at your home. The support of 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0 ensures that you have fast available transfer speeds. With Intel Wi-Di (stands for Wireless Display) and a Wi-Di receiver,* you can watch movies on your TV without the need for any cables.
Note:
Not included
OC Genie 4
The revolutionary OC Genie 4 button with gaming mode boosts the system's gaming performance.
Super RAID by MSI
Super RAID by MSI support provides super-fast loading times for any operating system or PC games.
GO2BIOS
The GO2BIOS button is added for lightning-fast booting. Simply push the button before you start or restart your system and you will get straight to the system BIOS when your motherboard powers on.
Killer Ethernet
Through the detection and prioritization of gaming traffic, you can fully utilize the network without the fear of being kicked from an on-line game because of high ping.
Dual-Display and Triple-Display Functions
This platform supports dual-display and triple-display functions. In an extend mode, you can extend the desktop to the second and third monitor. In clone mode, the monitors have the same screen. You can connect 2 HDMI, single HDMI and DisplayPort, or 2 HDMI and single DisplayPort at a time.