MSI Next-Gen GAMING 5 Preview

[cadaveca]

New products from Intel are on their way, and today, we take our first look at what the next-gen Intel platforms have to offer, starting with MSI's Next-Gen GAMING 5. This 3rd-generation GAMING design by MSI takes all the best of past GAMING products and adds new features to solve some of the problems users ran into with past products, all with a new take on what motherboards have to offer.

Show full review

 

[LAN_deRf_HA]

I guess I wasn't the only one complaining about having to pass up MSI stuff over the brown PCB issue. Now they have the blackest boards in the industry haha.

 

[mroofie]

Wow dat MotherBoard 0_0
You people can say what you want, but msi does make some quality sh*t

Hopefully the lower grade (G43 type) will look the same

lol I will buy one just because I want one

 

[Random Murderer]

I had a good chuckle looking at the QA sheet's test configuration section. 4770K, 780ti, Antec 1200W HCP, all top-end components, but let's throw two sticks of Samsung LP 1.35v DDR3-1600 in there. Only thing I can figure is that set was binned for some exceptional speeds.
Great to see another preview, Dave.

 

[scrum_half]

apparently this board takes a max of 16GB as shown in the spec list?

 

[souleet]

Great preview! I can't wait for MSI review. They have improve greatly throughout the years and probably a huge threat to Asus in the motherboard business.

 

[cadaveca]

apparently this board takes a max of 16GB as shown in the spec list?

Sorry, that's my bad for using a copy-pasta for the template. Fixed!

 

[dj-electric]

Intel's delay between their new CPUs and Z97 launch put us reviewers in an awkward positions like this. We have the products, we can't do much but show them to you now
We will review them with "previous gen" CPUs becuase who will want to wait another 3 weeks for the review with the new CPUs?

These delays suck.

 

[cadaveca]

Intel's delay between their new CPUs and Z97 launch put us reviewers in an awkward positions like this. We have the products, we can't do much but show them to you now
We will review them with "previous gen" CPUs becuase who will want to wait another 3 weeks for the review with the new CPUs?

These delays suck.

I didn't post this today because of Intel. I did, however, hold some infos back because of Intel. Just sayin'...

Probably half of what really makes these new boards interesting is still under wraps, and I cannot wait until I can show more. At the same time, I will NOT be doing reviews of these boards with only CPUs that are on store shelves today. At the same time, we aren't the only site with coverage of this platform today, and there ARE other sites showing numbers using the current Intel i7-4770K.

MSI has taken steps to really remove all of the complaints I had with the past generation of the GAMING lime-up, and there is way more to it than just physical design. I do kind of wish I could show more, but this delay that is present right now has offered me the opportunity to debut a whole new review style that focuses more on what boards actually offer, rather than just shoving out a bunch of graphs that don't really tell you anything about the motherboard itself. I'm pretty excited about that, to be honest, so I have no real problems with anything right now, other than keeping my mouth shut.

 

[andrewsmc]

I guess every single product needs to have this con...... Seriously an odd con. I don't think that there is any product that the color appeals to everyone.

• Color scheme used may not appeal to all

 

[cadaveca]

I guess every single product needs to have this con...... Seriously an odd con. I don't think that there is any product that the color appeals to everyone.

• Color scheme used may not appeal to all

Yes, in a way that is a "filler" comment, but at the same time, I do talk to people that aren't as into PCs are we are quite often, show them products, and the ones that they find interesting... are rather surprising.

Also, pure black seems to be one that MOST users like. Many users are a bit tired of red/black for gaming products.

 

[Hilux SSRG]

Nice preview. I'd love to see a Gigabyte preview as well!

From the pictures I see no Optical SPDIF Out - can it be true? I thought the Gaming 5 is Msi's midrange offering but can't imagine them excluding it.

 

[BiggieShady]

Previews should end with "not so final conclusion" section

 

[smoke22]

I would like to ask, if Audio Boost plug brings higher loudness to not only high-end headphones, but also to a cheap 16 or 32ohm headphones?

 

[cadaveca]

Nice preview. I'd love to see a Gigabyte preview as well!

From the pictures I see no Optical SPDIF Out - can it be true? I thought the Gaming 5 is Msi's midrange offering but can't imagine them excluding it.

No Gigabyte preview. I simply don't have the time, but they did offer. I'll do proper reviews in the coming weeks.

As to the digital audio output...it does be true. The thing is, most gamers use headphones with online chat, etc. So the audio side of things has been optimized for that user. Look at the rear I/O as see all the black ports...and just a single red port...

The KillerNIC software is pre-optimized for online gaming while streaming, and the board includes a 6-month premium license for XSplit Gamecaster. Both MSI GAMING boards and MSI GAMING GPUs come with a one-click modest OC that tunes board, CPU, GPU, and memory. If you need other features... there's other boards for that. You might pay a little bit for that added stuff, too.

Current products from nearly everyone is very tightly designed and marketed towards a specific user based on features offered. This should allow for greater diversification in the long run, but in order to get there, many things are going to get dropped by the way-side in order to make that happen.

I would like to ask, if Audio Boost plug brings higher loudness to not only high-end headphones, but also to a cheap 16 or 32ohm headphones?

I'll let you know in the full review.

Previews should end with "not so final conclusion" section

Wow. you know... that's excellent feedback and could not be more awesome.

 

[Hilux SSRG]

No Gigabyte preview. I simply don't have the time, but they did offer. I'll do proper reviews in the coming weeks.

As to the digital audio output...it does be true. The thing is, most gamers use headphones with online chat, etc. So the audio side of things has been optimized for that user. Look at the rear I/O as see all the black ports...and just a single red port...

The KillerNIC software is pre-optimized for online gaming while streaming, and the board includes a 6-month premium license for XSplit Gamecaster. Both MSI GAMING boards and MSI GAMING GPUs come with a one-click modest OC that tunes board, CPU, GPU, and memory. If you need other features... there's other boards for that. You might pay a little bit for that added stuff, too.

Current products from nearly everyone is very tightly designed and marketed towards a specific user based on features offered. This should allow for greater diversification in the long run, but in order to get there, many things are going to get dropped by the way-side in order to make that happen.

I'll let you know in the full review.

Wow. you know... that's excellent feedback and could not be more awesome.

Thanks for the update, I guess Msi is focusing on the usb headphones market. I think the better audio quality still resides with Coaxial/Optical SPDIF Out.

I look forward to the full reviews.

 

[cadaveca]

Thanks for the update, I guess Msi is focusing on the usb headphones market. I think the better audio quality still resides with Coaxial/Optical SPDIF Out.

I look forward to the full reviews.

If you want to use your own amp, then sure, I say optical all the way. I use optical myself to a proper HT amp and speakers. But I do think that user that wants that high-end audio connectivity, and the users this board directly targets, and not the same. I'm sure MSI has a different board that is similar to the GAMING 5 for that user.

 

[evilacg]

There is a "Z97" in the picture, is it OK to leave it there?

 

[Assimilator]

No mention about the lack of SATA Express, which only MSI's boards seem to lack among the 9-series lineup?

 

[ChaoticG8R]

I didn't post this today because of Intel. I did, however, hold some infos back because of Intel. Just sayin'...

Probably half of what really makes these new boards interesting is still under wraps, and I cannot wait until I can show more. At the same time, I will NOT be doing reviews of these boards with only CPUs that are on store shelves today. At the same time, we aren't the only site with coverage of this platform today, and there ARE other sites showing numbers using the current Intel i7-4770K.

MSI has taken steps to really remove all of the complaints I had with the past generation of the GAMING lime-up, and there is way more to it than just physical design. I do kind of wish I could show more, but this delay that is present right now has offered me the opportunity to debut a whole new review style that focuses more on what boards actually offer, rather than just shoving out a bunch of graphs that don't really tell you anything about the motherboard itself. I'm pretty excited about that, to be honest, so I have no real problems with anything right now, other than keeping my mouth shut.

Good to see you excited about these new boards, it gets me even more excited

 

[Nordic]

he past MSI Z87-GD56 has won many accolades,

In the conclusion.

 

[souleet]

Who uses SATA Express anyways? I don't know anybody that does so having it is pretty much another marketing ploy.

 

[Nordic]

Who uses ddr4? That must be a marketing ploy for haswell-e.

 

[eidairaman1]

Yeah Lets Throw SAS in on these boards shall we?

 

[fullinfusion]

Love the deep black but I'll pass till I see the real high end stuff from msi before going Z97.

Great preview Dave!