Sunday, April 19th 2020
MSI Z490 Motherboard Lineup Leaked
A large selection of socket LGA1200 motherboards by MSI, based on Intel Z490 chipset, was leaked to the web. MSI is bringing at least 10 motherboard models based on the Z490, with prices starting around 200€ (likely inclusive of taxes). It looks like socket LGA1200 motherboards will be significantly pricier than the previous-generation, owing to steeper CPU VRM requirements, or Intel merely aligning its partners to march AMD X570 chipset in average motherboard pricing. The lineup begins with the Z490-A Pro at 200€. The Z490 Gaming Plus and Z490 Tomahawk are allegedly priced at 210€ and 240€, respectively. The Z490M Gaming Edge WiFi, Z490 Gaming Edge WiFi, and Z490 Gaming Pro Carbon go for 250€, 250€ and 330€, respectively. The premium MEG lineup includes the Z490I Unify at 330€, its ATX sibling, the Z490 Unify at 360€, the Z490 Ace at 520€, and the crown jewel, the Z490 GODLIKE, at a whopping 960€, according to pricing leaked by momomo_us.
Komachi Ensaka posted pictures of four motherboard models. Besides all the modern connectivity options you could possibly want, including Thunderbolt, 10 GbE, USB 3.2 x2 (20 Gbps), 802.11ax WLAN, and five M.2 slots, the MEG Z490 GODLIKE appears to have an HEDT-like 18-phase VRM that pulls power from two 8-pin EPS connectors, and enough overclocking muscle to try and justify its near-four-figure price. The MPG Z490M Gaming Edge WiFi forms the "mid-range" of the lineup, covering all the bases for serious gaming PC builds with any of the upcoming 10th generation Core LGA1200 processors. The MPG Z490 Gaming Plus is a fascinating board design, in that it finally sheds the red+black color scheme of its predecessors, trading it with a solid black color scheme with just a touch of RGB LEDs. It covers all the essentials that the platform has to offer. Lastly, there's the Z490-A Pro, the "entry level product that still appears to have a beefy VRM and platform essentials.
Sources:
momomo_us (Twitter), Komachi Ensaka (Twitter), via VideoCardz
Komachi Ensaka posted pictures of four motherboard models. Besides all the modern connectivity options you could possibly want, including Thunderbolt, 10 GbE, USB 3.2 x2 (20 Gbps), 802.11ax WLAN, and five M.2 slots, the MEG Z490 GODLIKE appears to have an HEDT-like 18-phase VRM that pulls power from two 8-pin EPS connectors, and enough overclocking muscle to try and justify its near-four-figure price. The MPG Z490M Gaming Edge WiFi forms the "mid-range" of the lineup, covering all the bases for serious gaming PC builds with any of the upcoming 10th generation Core LGA1200 processors. The MPG Z490 Gaming Plus is a fascinating board design, in that it finally sheds the red+black color scheme of its predecessors, trading it with a solid black color scheme with just a touch of RGB LEDs. It covers all the essentials that the platform has to offer. Lastly, there's the Z490-A Pro, the "entry level product that still appears to have a beefy VRM and platform essentials.
10 Comments on MSI Z490 Motherboard Lineup Leaked
Yea yea I know its pcie 4, R&D, marketing and all that, but we can easily buy several top-tier, full-featured X570/pcie 4 boards right now for a good bit less than these....
Besides, the boards are offering nothing new to the average user vs the Z390.
Crossing fingers Apex 12 is EATX and "loaded" like a baked potato. :p
F*ck You MB manufacturers for this bullsh*t...