The Intel Z490 Overview: 44+ Motherboards Examined
by Gavin Bonshor on April 30, 2020 10:00 AM ESTMSI MEG Z490 Unify
Coming later on during the X570 product cycle, MSI debuted the Unify series catering to enthusiasts and gamers with an all-black aesthetic and improved power delivery. Now a staple range in its arsenal, the MSI MEG Z490 Unify is part of its MEG range of enthusiast and premium desktop models. It includes an RGB-less all-black design, with a 16-phase power delivery for the CPU, three PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 slots, and a Realtek 2.5 G Ethernet controller.
Looking at the design of the MSI MEG Z490 Unify, it has a regimented all-black design with no RGB LEDs for users that don't care for flashy styling. It has an elegant MSI Dragon embossed onto the rear panel cover, with black metallic heatsinks, on a black PCB. For expansion cards, there are three full-length PCIe 3.0 slots which operate at x16, x8/x8, and x8/x8+4, with two PCIe 3.0 x1 slots. A total of three PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 slots each with heatsinks, and four SATA ports make up the storage, with four memory slots with support for up to 128 GB of DDR4-4800 memory. It uses a beefy 16-phase power delivery for the CPU, with ISL based 90 A power stages, with two 8-pin 12 V ATX CPU power inputs.
While it has an enthusiast-level flavor, it has plenty on the rear panel for gamers and content creators. The rear panel has a single Realtek RTL8125B 2.5 G Ethernet port, connectors for the Intel AX201 Wi-Fi 6 and BT 5.1 wireless interface, and a BIOS Flashback and CMOS reset button pairing. There is a single USB 3.2 G2 20 Gbps Type-C, three USB 3.2 G2 10 Gbps Type-A, two USB 3.2 G1 Type-A, and two USB 2.0 ports. For onboard audio, the Z490 Unify is using a Realtek ALC1220 HD audio codec which powers the five 3.5 mm audio jacks and the S/PDIF optical output.
The MSI MEG Z490 Unify represents its enthusiast Z490 product stack. With a Realtek 2.5 G Ethernet controller, Wi-Fi 6 support and three PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 slots, it has plenty for users to sink their teeth into that are looking for a more modest and simplistic design. The large 16-phase power delivery will please users looking to push Intel 10th generation Comet Lake desktop processors through overclocking, and its design makes it one of the best-looking motherboards on the Z490 chipset without RGB LEDs. At present MSI hasn't provided pricing information.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
52 Comments
View All Comments
DanNeely - Thursday, April 30, 2020 - link
I really hate when new articles are inserted below the lead spot because it's hit or miss if I ever notice them. I missed this one during several visits to the site and only found it when Google suggested it in response to a search I made.Jedibeeftrix - Friday, May 1, 2020 - link
agreed, i found this by accident, and check AT twice or more a day.sunshinerevans55 - Sunday, May 3, 2020 - link
I basically make about $12,000-$18,000 a month online. It’s enough to comfortably replace my I was amazed how easy it was after I tried it . This is what I’ve been doing old jobs income, especially considering I only work about 10-13 hours a week from home… www.iⅭash68.ⅭomYB1064 - Monday, May 4, 2020 - link
This must have taken some writing. Kudos to the author(s). A good one stop article for anybody planning on going the Intel route. Intel seem to be adept at packaging old milk (not wine) in a new bottle. At least increase the number of PCIe lanes...boozed - Monday, May 4, 2020 - link
I recommend using the RSS feed, then you get everything and you get it chronologically.Exodite - Wednesday, May 6, 2020 - link
+1 on RSS!The "magazine layout" that plagues many sites and makes it impossible to distinguish between old articles, new articles and commercials can thankfully still be avoided through RSS.
Wardrop - Friday, May 1, 2020 - link
Funny that ASRock are the only manufacturers to have a mATX X570 motherboard for AMD's platform, yet for Intel they're the only one's NOT to have a mATX motherboard.Beaver M. - Saturday, May 2, 2020 - link
You mean they are relevant again, because they have fixed their stereotypical USB issues?Marlin1975 - Friday, May 1, 2020 - link
So in other words a re-spin of previous chipset with little to no real useful extra features but will require a new board. Classic intel. This is one of many reasons my last system was Intel and my new system is AMD now.Unless you are a intel fanboy why keep supporting this?
regsEx - Friday, May 1, 2020 - link
New networking controllers, support for PCIe 4 CPUs (RKL-S that will be released in future).Some boards also have USB Gen 2x2 support with external ASMedia controller. I know no any X570 board with USB Gen 2x2 support. Only Gen 2x1.