The MSI Z490-A PRO LGA 1200 ATX Motherboard is built on the Intel Z490 chipset, supporting 10th generation Intel Core and Pentium Gold/Celeron processors with an LGA 1200 socket. It has four memory slots for up to 128GB of dual-channel DDR4 RAM, which can be overclocked to up to 4800 MHz and above. For storage, it's equipped with six SATA III ports and two M.2 slots. There are two PCIe 3.0 x16 slots for graphics cards and three PCIe 3.0 x1 slots for other PCI-based hardware. Other integrated features include Realtek 8125B 2.5 GbE and Realtek ALC892 7.1-channel HD audio.
Intel Z490 Chipset
The Intel Z490 chipset is designed around 10th generation Intel processors. Along with multiple improvements and a socket change, it also features increased PCIe lanes, which is beneficial for graphics cards, networking devices, NVMe drives, and more.
Cooling
The Z490-A PRO utilizes heavy-duty heatsinks on the MOSFETs for reliable processor power delivery and on the chipset to ensure the system stays operational under intense workloads. It's also equipped with multiple DC/PWM fan headers for users to connect additional cooling solutions. Users can set their cooling preference (Boost/Balance/Silence) as needed within the Dragon Center software or its UEFI BIOS. Moreover, MSI's M.2 SHIELD FROZR heatsink helps to prevent SSD throttling.
CPU
A combination of an optimized circuit layout and MSI's CoreBoost CPU power delivery system ensures performance and stability for high-end processors. Additional features include load-line calibration, overvoltage protection, a digital power deign, and double power connectors.
Memory
MSI motherboards feature an optimized memory circuit layout and extensive compatibility testing with major memory manufacturers. Users can also easily overclock their RAM with A-XMP profiles within BIOS.
Storage
This motherboard is equipped with two M.2 slots and six SATA III ports for traditional hard drives. Additional features include Intel Optane support and M.2 Genie for easily setting up RAID configurations.
USB 3.2 Gen 1 & Gen 2
USB 3.2 Gen 1 features a maximum throughput of 5 Gb/s. USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB 3.1 Gen 1, and USB 3.0 are synonymous. Doubling the speed of its predecessor, USB 3.2 Gen 2 features a maximum throughput of 10 Gb/s when used with compatible devices and is synonymous with USB 3.1 Gen 2.
Audio
The Z490-A PRO is built with multiple hardware and software enhancements to improve sound quality including a Realtek ALC892 audio processor, high quality audio capacitors, HD audio connectors and an isolated left- and right-channel design.
MSI Mystic Light
MSI Mystic Light includes multiple color options and a variety of lighting effects for users to customizes their build. The motherboard also has multiple RGB headers for additional lighting components and LED strips. Users can also sync their compatible RGB components and peripherals for a unified theme.