MSI Z370 Gaming Pro Carbon AC Review

👤by David Mitchelson Comments 📅08-10-17
Conclusion

So far in our venture into the world of Intel’s Z370 chipset we’ve experienced some capable mid-range options and in today’s review we’ve clearly seen what MSI brings to the table in their GAMING PRO CARBON AC.

Casting a look back to the Z270 GAMING PRO CARBON, we can see quite a positive improvement with this new Z370 variant from a visual standpoint. MSI has tweaked the design somewhat and it definitely looks more aggressive while still maintaining the popular, neutral theme that a variety of brands are pursuing at the moment.

There actually isn’t a lot that separates this motherboard from other mid-range solutions we’ve already encountered. The differentiator which sits in MSI’s favour would probably boil down to the inclusion of wireless connectivity with the 802.11ac and Bluetooth add-in card. Though we are paying an extra £20-30 and we don’t get some extras we’d expect, like a USB 3.1 header.


Feature-wise, this motherboard does carry quite an extensive set of options for those wanting to get the most out of Intel’s 8th Generation processors. There is support for up to 4000MHz DDR4, dual M.2 slots with an M.2 shield, RGB headers and RGB lighting out of the box and a plethora of fan headers – including one which is specially designed to work in conjunction with Corair’s LINK technology.

Shifting on to the performance, MSI’s efforts do not shy away from delivering great performance in a range of different scenarios. Against other boards, GAMING PRO CARBON AC managed to provide us with reliable results, and even managed to allow us to overclock our 8700K to 5GHz, which is currently our best result.

Current pricing means that Z370 GAMING PRO CARBON AC is positioned at £200 / $220. This is nudged up by the wireless capabilities, but looking at other options of the same calibre (minus the WiFi) and there are boards for around £160-180 boasting equivalent features/performance. However, there aren’t many options which include WiFi and if this is a must, then GAMING PRO CARBON AC is a great choice!

MSI’s Z370 GAMING PRO CARBON AC is doesn’t shy away from showcasing top-class features and performance. Gamers unable to use a wired LAN connection will be pleased to know wireless connectivity too!

Pros
+ Neutral, desirable theme
+ Arrives with 802.11ac + Bluetooth 4.2
+ Includes RGB features
+ Excellent performance
+ Great for overclocking
+ Uses strengthened PCI Express & memory slots
+ Plenty of fan headers inc. Corsair LINK
+ Features dual-M.2
+ Decent audio capabilities

Cons
- Pricey
- No USB 3.1 header

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