MSI Launches MEG X570S Ace Max Motherboard, Max Out Ryzen 5000
by Gavin Bonshor on August 18, 2021 5:30 PM EST- Posted in
- Motherboards
- AMD
- MSI
- AM4
- Zen 3
- X570
- MEG
- Ryzen 5000
- X570S
- MEG X570S Ace Max
- Max
On the back of a myriad of new motherboard launches based on AMD's X570 chipset, we have the MSI MEG X570S Ace Max. The new Max motherboard supersedes the previous X570 Ace, and fittingly has lots of new and improved features. Some of the biggest features of the new Ace Max include a large 18-phase power delivery with premium 90 A power stages and the inclusion of an Intel Wi-Fi 6E wireless interface. Other features include four PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slots, support for DDR4-5300 memory, and 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet.
Perhaps on par with MSI's flagship X570 model, the Godlike, the MSI MEG X570S Ace Max looks to take things to the next level with a stylish all-black design with contrasting gold stripes and multiple areas of integrated RGB lighting. Looking at PCIe support on the X570S Ace Max, it includes three full-length PCIe 4.0 slots that operate at x16 or x8/x8/+x4, with a single PCIe 4.0 x1 slot. The latter of which unfortunately shares bandwidth with the Wi-Fi 6E module, so when that is in use, the slot is disabled.
Looking at storage options, the MSI MEG X570S Ace Max has four PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slots, including three with support for SATA drives, as well as eight SATA ports with support for RAID 0, 1, and 10 arrays. MSI also includes an M.2 Xpander-Z Gen4 S M.2 PCIe 4.0 addon card for users looking to add more M.2 storage. Memory support is also impressive, with support for up to DDR4-5300 and a maximum supported capacity of up to 128 GB across four memory slots. Keeping the system cool is a combined total of eight 4-pin headers, including one designated to a CPU fan, one for a water pump, and six for chassis fans. MSI also has a premium power delivery, with an 18-phase design using 90 A power stages versus the 60 A power stages used on the original MEG X570 Ace.
The rear panel has a solid array of input and output befitting a premium model, including one USB 3.2 G2x2 Type-C, three USB 3.2 G2 Type-A, four USB 3.2 G1 Type-A, and four USB 2.0 ports. It uses a Realtek RTL8125B 2.5 GbE controller for Ethernet, and Intel's latest AX210 Wi-Fi 6E wireless interface for Wi-Fi, offering access to the 6 GHz band and support for BT 5.2 devices. There's also a premium onboard audio pairing of a Realtek ALC4082 HD audio codec and an ESS Sabre 9018Q2C DAC.
At the time of writing, we don't have pricing information or when the MSI MEG X570S Ace Max will be available at retail, but we expect this to be within the coming months.
Source: MSI
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Exotica - Thursday, August 19, 2021 - link
No thunderbolt. Or usb4. Eww.Leeea - Thursday, August 19, 2021 - link
I like the back panel layout with all the normal USB ports. So handy to have.Tomatotech - Friday, September 10, 2021 - link
Indeed. I was so pleased when I got a mobo with all USB3 / USBC ports. Finally no more crappy USB2 ports, no need to peer at the back of my case and worry about where to plug my USB devices.Then I discovered I have some USB2 stuff (wireless dongles) that DO NOT WORK when plugged into USB3 ports. Something to do with USB3 frequencies interfering with the wireless radios. I had to frankenstein a USB2 header cable connected to one of the motherboard internal USB headers and leave it hanging out of one of the case's card slots, like an exposed dangling flaccid willy.
Oxford Guy - Friday, August 20, 2021 - link
‘a large 18-phase power delivery with premium 90 A power stages’Which CPU requires this?