MSI today introduced the X299M-A Pro, a socket LGA2066 motherboard in the micro-ATX form-factor, its second micro-ATX board for the platform after the X299M Gaming Pro Carbon. The X299M-A Pro sticks to the "no frills" design of products such as the X299 Raider and X299 SLI Plus. Unlike the X299M Gaming Pro Carbon, this board is designed for two processor models only - the Core i5-7640X, and the i7-7740X. The board physically lacks DDR4 memory slots for channels 3 and 4, and makes do with the limited PCIe lane budget of the "Kaby Lake-X" processors. This is similar to the Aorus X299 Gaming.

Built in the micro-ATX form-factor, the MSI X299M-A Pro draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX, 8-pin EPS, and 6-pin PCIe (optional). It uses a 9-phase CPU VRM to condition power for the 112W TDP chips. The CPU socket is wired to four DDR4 DIMM slots, supporting up to 64 GB of dual-channel memory; and two PCI-Express 3.0 x16 (x8/x8 with both populated). The third x16 slot is electrical x4, and wired to the X299 PCH. Storage connectivity includes two 32 Gbps M.2 slots, and eight SATA 6 Gbps ports. USB connectivity includes two 10 Gbps USB 3.1 ports (including a type-C port). The onboard audio solution combines a Realtek ALC1220 CODEC with audio-grade capacitors and ground-layer isolation. The board's sole gigabit Ethernet interface is driven by an Intel i219-V controller. The board is expected to be priced around USD $170.

MSI, leader in true gaming hardware, today announces an all-new series of game controller, named Force. The Force GC30 and Force GC20 controllers are specifically designed for use on multiple platforms including Windows, Android and popular gaming consoles. PC gamers will be able to enjoy their sports, racing and role-playing games with the comfort of these new controllers.

For an optimal gaming experience, both the GC30 and GC20 controllers feature an 8-way D-pad (directional pad) with a replaceable metal cover kept in place by a premium magnetic design. Depending on the type of game like ACT, FPS or RPG, you can easily choose your preferred cover. Ergonomically designed, the new Force controllers feature rubber side grips on both handles to ensure a solid grip for long-term play. Equipped with dual vibration motors, GC30 and GC20 controllers are able to use haptic feedback to enhance the gaming experience and provide an additional dimension of sensory input.

MSI's next outing for the X399 platform seems to be the X399 SLI Plus. A downgrade from the company's X399 Gaming Pro Carbon, the X399 SLI Plus keeps all of the required features, and does away with some of the unneeded extras that are ever more creeping towards motherboards.

Specifically, the SLI Plus does away with the metallic RAM reinforcements and lowers the number of reinforced PCIe x16 slots to just two - by a wide margin, the most common configuration for the dwindling SLI or CrossFire crowds. It also sheds one extra PCIe x16 port - the Gaming Pro Carbon features 5 such ports, but the SLI Plus makes do with "only" 4, adding an extra PCIe x1 to the mix. It still features the same 3x M.2 ports, although MSI's M.2 Shield only makes its appearance on one of them, again, contrary to the Gaming Pro Carbon, which uses MSI's M.2 Shield in all three of them. All in all, it seems MSI's X399 SLI Plus motherboard does away with the extra frills, making clever cuts while keeping most of the functionality. Expect this motherboard to come in at a lower price bracket than the Gaming Pro Carbon.

Normally, motherboards go on shelves at the same time as processors do. In this occasion, Intel has confirmed that their Coffee Lake processors will launch on October 5. As per tradition, images of some of the upcoming motherboards from various brands have been leaked on the web. Meanwhile, we know that many of you are already planning your future Z370 builds or deciding on which motherboard to accompany your PC upgrade. If you're a fan of ASUS products, we have a treat for you. From what VideoCardz have gathered so far, ASUS plans to release sixteen different models from their Republic of Gamers (ROG), The Ultimate Force (TUF), Strix and Prime series.

The ROG line will father five Maximus X models: Apex, Formula, Code, Hero with Wi-Fi AC, and Hero. There is no mention of an Extreme model, but our experience tells us that model usually comes at a later date. It's also possible that it may never see the light of day for this generation. From what we can make of the images, the Maximus X Hero will employ a 10-phase digital VRM design. The motherboard retains the black and grey theme with RGB illuminated heatsinks just like its predecessor. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functionality were present on the Code models and above in the previous generation. We're happy to see ASUS offering a Hero variant this time with those two functionalities.

MSI has recently added a new member to their Vortex family of gaming solutions with the minuscule Vortex G25. Unlike its predecessor, the Vortex G65, the G25 has abandoned the cylinder shape in favor of a sleek console design. The specifications are nothing short of impressive for a system crammed into a 2.5-liter enclosure weighing in at just 2.5 kilograms. Based on Intel's latest Z370 platform, the Vortex G25 is powered by a 8th Generation Core i7-8700 processor with six cores, 12 threads, and a boost clock up to 4.3 GHz. MSI's Cooler Boost Titan solution, consisting of eight heatpipes and dual Whirlwind Blade fans, provides adequate cooling for the Coffee Lake processor and Pascal graphics card.

According to the manufacturer, the Vortex G25 was designed with focus on expandability. It's equipped with four DDR4 SO-DIMM slots to house DDR4 2400 MHz modules and support up to 64 GB of memory. In terms of storage, two PCIe 3.0 M.2 slots are available for creating high-speed RAID arrays with NVMe drives. Another 2.5" slot is present to provide additional storage if need be. Performing upgrades to the Vortex G25 is a walk in the park thanks to a rapid disassembly design that employs slotted screws.

While we're still waiting to see AMD's Vega graphics cards undergo a proper custom treatment from the company's AIB partners (MSI included), Micro-Star International has announced at the Tokyo Game Show that they'll be launching yet another version of NVIDIA's GTX 1080 Ti graphics card. This new design revision picks up the triple fan design that has been the staple of MSI's Lightning series of graphics cards, and applies it to the Gaming X brand. The MSI GTX 1080 Ti Gaming X Trio will thus feature 3x of the company's Torx 2.0 fans. The card features a 2.5-slot design that exhausts the hot air to the inside of your case (a minor inconvenience, since MSI's graphics cooling designs are generally considered some of the best out there), and features MSI's Mystic Light RGB tech.

MSI's "custom" take on AMD's RX Vega graphics card has made an appearance in front of the camera. Dubbed Air Boost edition, this is really a glorified, MSI-branded reference edition Vega, with the same blower-type cooler that AMD seems to have used since forever. It keeps to MSI's Gaming X color scheme (and AMD's own at that) with black and red colors, and breathes custom innovation in the increased breathing space on the I/O port's second slot, since all 3x DisplayPort and 1x HDMI connectors have been moved to the first slot. As recent reports peg AMD's AIB's custom cards as coming only towards the second half of October, it seems that for now, this is the most "custom" edition of a Vega graphics card we're going to get.

After we've had a slight, unofficial teaser for MSI's awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, wallet fear-mongering highest end MSI Z370 GODLIKE Gaming, now is the time for some information on the rest of MSI's Z370 motherboard lineup. There's even some tentative pricing information here, so you can start planning your budgetary constraints on a jump to Intel's newste platform, which brings some caffeine to their Lake code names, and an added two extra cores and four extra threads to their top-end, mainstream desktop Core i7-8700 parts.

The MSI Z370 Gaming Pro Carbon will come in two variants (AC and non-AC), whose basic difference is the inclusion of (you guesed it) a Wi-Fi expansion card. It features three Pcie x16 ports (two of them reinforced), two M.2 connectors and 1x Gigabit Ethernet. The MSI Z370 Gaming 5, on the other hand, will add to this a slight change in aesthetics and connectors placement, as well as the addition of a post error code LED. Next up is the MSI Z370M GAMING PRO AC, which stands as an interesting offer considering it's the only mATX motherboard in this lineup leak. It also features a Wi-Fi AC module, though there are some cuts on PCIe and M.2 connectors, due to the size constraints.

Here's the first picture of MSI's flagship socket LGA1151(v2) motherboard for 8th generation Core "Coffee Lake" processors, the Z370 GODLIKE Gaming. The board features the latest design theme by MSI for its top-tier Enthusiast Gaming series. It will be the company's most feature-rich motherboard for the platform. Drawing power from a 6-pin PCIe power connector, besides 8-pin EPS and 24-pin ATX; the board conditions it using an 18-phase VRM. The CPU is wired to reinforced DRAM and PCI-Express slots.

The Z370 GODLIKE Gaming from MSI appears to feature a plethora of onboard overclocking controls, and top-grade connectivity, which could include Killer DoubleShot Pro networking, a staggering five M.2 slots (two of which come from a riser), the company's highest-grade next-generation onboard audio solution, a large number of USB 3.1 gen 2 ports, metallic I/O shroud elements, besides the chipset and VRM heatsinks. The board lights up like a Christmas tree with RGB LEDs all over, and features several RGB LED headers. The Z370 GODLIKE Gaming could be among the first wave of socket LGA1151(v2) motherboards by the company, which could launch a littler later in Q3-2017.

MSI is hyping up the launch of their GE63VR/73VR gaming-oriented laptops as having some of the best displays this side of laptop-bound LCDs. What's being touted as the world's first 3 ms, 120Hz display panel on a laptop also features a wider color gamut (up to 94-percent of the NTSC spectrum) and HDR, which means not only better color reproduction, but also increased contrast. The GE63VR comes in a 15.6" screen size with either Full HD or 4K resolution, while the GE73VR ups the ante to a 17,3" panel with the same resolution choices.

Powering that display is an Intel 7th Gen i7 processor, paired with an NVIDIA GPU configurable starting at the GTX 1050 Ti through to a GTX 1070. Memory is handled by a two-stick configuration of 2400 MHz memory with up to 32 GB capacity. Storage-wise, MSI is proposing a 2,5" HDD paired with an NVMe drive, or, for those who really want to overcharge their storage, a "Super Raid" arrangement comprised of 2x NVMe SSDs paired in RAID0. Audio-wise, there is an ESS SABRE HiFi DAC onboard, which should deliver a pretty interesting sound quality. Networking falls to a KIller DoubleShot Pro solution.

The previously announced Infinite A gaming desktop from MSI is now officially shipping to consumers, retailers and etailers worldwide, with a wide choice of configuration being available for users who know exactly what they want (from MSI's portfolio of products, naturally.) The desktop is built around a custom-designed chassis by MSI, which incorporates RGB LED elements (controlled by MSI's Mystic Light RGB software), along with a standoffish, tempered glass side panel.

MSI says the Infinite A is infinitely upgradeable, which I guess is true of most ATX cases. The vertical GPU mount is surely a distinguishing feature, though MSI seems to have found that the perfect solution for correct cooling of the graphics card was the usage of standoffs in the tempered glass panel, which seem a little impractical in dusty environments. There goes the benefit of all those dust filters in your case! The Infinite A desktop is available now directly from MSI and other etailers; luckily, pricing isn't infinite, as the base Infinite A starts at $1,299 and goes up to $1,999 according to the chosen configuration.

MSI, the leading gaming motherboard brand, is proud to announce the X299M GAMING PRO CARBON AC, world's fastest microATX X299 motherboard. Built on the Intel LGA Socket 2066 means it offers up to 44 PCIe lanes and Quad Channel DDR4 memory support. This model is specifically designed for Intel Skylake-X processors to ensure a flawless operation of any heavy gaming rig during long gaming sessions. The new X299M GAMING PRO CARBON AC is future-proof, ready for the upcoming 12,14,16 and 18-core Intel Core-X Series CPUs.

By adding a 16 GB Intel Optane Memory device on the 2 new OPT BOOST motherboards, MSI not only delivers support for the latest Intel technology, besides this you get an added value of $50,-. Optimize your computer by delivering a responsive computer experience with short boot times, fast application launches, extraordinary gaming, and responsive browsing. Gamers can now enjoy SSD levels of high performance and have a large storage capacity at the same time.

MSI, the leading gaming motherboard brand, is proud to announce the all-new X399 GAMING PRO CARBON AC with the launch of new high-end AMD's flagship Ryzen Threadripper processors. Built on the SocketTR4 platform, featuring up to 16 cores and 32 threads, the new Ryzen Threadripper 1950X CPU is capable of scoring over 3000 points in Cinebench, showing its true colors as the new ultra-premium desktop processor.

Like AMD, MSI continuously strives to push the gaming industry forward and emphasizes on gamers' demand. To deliver pure, unprecedented, power and great efficiency when using the new high-end 16-core Threadripper processor, the MSI X399 GAMING PRO CARBON AC is built on a massive 13 phase (10+) DrMOS power design. This not allows for better overclocking, it also helps harness all the power and temperature generated by the massive number of cores. The X399 GAMING PRO CARBON comes with the strongest power design when comparing it to other brands and their current offerings. Besides this, it also features plenty of genuine gaming features and exclusive technologies.

AMD did not just announce retail availability on Ryzen Threadripper today, they also had some on-site and arranged for a fun LN2 overclocking event as part of Capsaicin SIGGRAPH 2017. As always, such events are to give day one estimates on the maximum performance potential of the silicon which in turn guides end users and board partners alike on the worst case scenarios as far as power draw and cooling requirements go.

Monstru from Lab501 was kind enough to share a couple of pictures of the actual event with us while AMD followed up with a Cinebench R15 screenshot as seen below. All 16 cores of the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X were overclocked to 5.2 GHz with a x52 multiplier on a standard 100 MHz bus speed. Core VID from CPU-Z is not trustworthy at these temperatures, so presumably it was more in the range of 1.6 V than 1.16 V. They did have DDR4 RAM in quad channel but at the JEDEC base of 2133 MHz to get as high a CPU frequency without the IMC being a factor. The Cinebench R15 score of 4122 cb is very impressive, given the previous high score for a 16-core CPU was 2867 cb, and it took a 28 core CPU to beat this score before. Sure, the days of high core count overclockable CPUs is only coming now but it goes to show where we were before AMD and Intel both decided to go big this generation.After the break we have some photographs of X399 motherboards from various manufacturers, so be sure to take a look.

AMD has announced full and immediate retail availability of their Wraith Max cooler through retail channels. The 140 W TDP Wraith Max cooler was previously only available through a bundle with AMD's top of the line Ryzen 7 1700X and 1800X. However, through popular demand, AMD have decided to make that cooler available solo. Ease of installation through AMD's Spring-Screw mechanism, jolly good looks, LED lighting, relatively silent performance (38 dBa) and respectable performance seem to have been enough to convince AMD users.

The Wraith Max cooler is compatible with AMD AM4, AM3+, and FM2 motherboards. The RGB ring's color can be customized through a myriad of RGB control apps from various manufacturers, such as Asus' Aura Sync, Gigabyte's RGB Fusion, MSI's Mystic Light, Biostar's Vivid LED DJ, and ASRock's RGB LED tools. AMD also offers the AMD Wraith Max RGB lighting control software (powered by Cooler Master) as a free download. The Wraith Max comes with both a USB header cable and an RGB LED header to control the lighting feature. A copper base plate and heatpipes, along with pre-applied thermal paste and a 92mm Cooler Master fan. The down-blowing fan also provides an extra bit of cooling for the socket area and VRMs. Perhaps the $59 price-tag will turn some prospective buyers off, but still, this remains the best stock cooler option in the market, and for someone who wants to keep an AMD cooling identity, is the best available option.

MSI B350/A320 GAMING AND PRO SERIES MOTHERBOARDS FULLY SUPPORT THE NEW AMD RYZEN 3 PROCESSORS
MSI, world leading in gaming motherboards design, is pleased to announce that all its X370, B350 and A320 based GAMING & PRO Series motherboards support the all-new Ryzen 3 line of processors, out of the box.

Furthermore, by choosing MSI B350/A320 motherboards, one can get better performance and higher efficiency from AMD's newest Dual Core and Quad-core RYZEN offerings. MSI enabled world's first 1-second DDR4 performance and stability feature for AM4 based motherboards, A-XMP. By using A-XMP MSI AM4 motherboard owners can simply set their memory timings and speed to its optimal settings in a single click for the best performance and stability. A-XMP also enables support for higher rated DDR4 memory kits to work without any hassle. A-XMP is available in the BIOS, on all MSI AM4 motherboards.

AMD is organizing the "Meet the Experts" webinar, which will focus on AMD's upcoming Ryzen Threadripper motherboard designs and offerings from AMD partners. As we inch closer to AMD's HEDT X399 platform launch, we've gotten confirmation from AMD on Threadripper's specs and pricing. However, the actual motherboards where you're expected to sit your awe-inducing 12 and 16-core processors have largely been absent from the show.

And since AMD knows that processors without a motherboard don't really equate to anything much, the company has invited ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI and ASRock to detail at least some of their X399 motherboards. So far, the motherboards we have some info are the GIGABYTE X399 AORUS Gaming 7 (which has 5x PCIe x16 slots, no PCIe x1 slots, and 3x M.2 slots in an ATX form-factor); the ASUS X399 ROG ZENITH EXTREME (EATX, 4x PCIe x16 slots, 1x PCIe x1 slots, and 2x M.2 slots); the ASROCK X399 Professional Gaming (ATX, 4x PCIe x16 slots, 1x PCIe x1 slots, and 3x M.2 slots); and finally, the ASROCK X399 TAICHI, which counts with the usual ATX form-factor, and offers 4x PCIe x16 slots, 1x PCIe x1 slots, and 3x M.2 slots. All of these seem to be marketed toward gamer enthusiasts, though we'll see some increasingly workstation-geared motherboards closer to or after the launch.

In this issue of the Ryzen BIOS update digest, we have the latest updates. Our BIOS update digest lets you keep track of crucial BIOS updates that improve stability of your AMD Ryzen machine. As per usual, only updated BIOSes from the last digest are listed. Changes are listed after each BIOS, sans beta BIOSes which do not always include change logs. You can find it all below.

In this release, we have several new betas, mostly all consisting of fresh AGESA 1.0.0.6a code.

MSI is extremely proud to launch the Immerse GH70 Gaming Headset as the latest addition to its Gaming Gear line of peripherals. The Immerse GH70 is a gorgeous gaming headset that features driver unit with Hi-Res certification for incredibly detailed sound quality and virtual 7.1 audio for precise positioning. Fitting in seamlessly with the latest MSI high-end gaming products, Mystic Light RGB delivers brilliant lighting effects to let gamers light up the battlefield in the style of their choice.

Using 50 mm Neodymium driver units with Hi-Res certification, the Immerse GH70 provides highly detailed and crystal clear sound. Whether you're trying to hear the enemy's slightest movements or just looking to enjoy your favorite music in all its glory. Virtual 7.1 channel surround sound puts you right in the middle of the action and creates a 360 degrees soundscape where accurate positional audio allows you to pinpoint your opponent's exact location.

MSI's flagship Lightning series made a comeback to the green side with the NVIDIA GTX 1080 Ti GPU, and they are now available for purchase on Newegg.com in the USA. In a relatively pleasant surprise, they are also selling for a lot lower than what we were originally told by MSI, and at $869.99 for the top-of-the-line Lightning Z, it comes in at $170 more than what the NVIDIA reference (no more Founders Edition price hike, if you may recall) is listed for.

We took a detailed look at the MSI GTX 1080 Ti Lightning Z earlier this week and were quite impressed with the overall build quality and cooler: "MSI's GTX 1080 Ti Lightning is huge, having three slots, taking up 32 cm in length and 14 cm in height - make sure your case has room for it. As expected, a powerful thermal solution is included, which seems to be the best cooler I've seen in a long time. Temperatures are outstanding and better than any other GTX 1080 Ti, even with the overclock out of the box, which is higher than any other GTX 1080 Ti. At the same time, fan noise also matches the quietest GTX 1080 Tis (33 dBA), which clearly adds up to 'best cooler'."

MSI today introduced the GK-701 RGB mechanical gaming keyboard. Built with a standard 104-keyset, the GK701 RGB features Cherry MX Speed Silver mechanical switches with RGB LED lighting, which can be controlled using MSI Mystic Light RGB software. You get hotkeys that set LED lighting and color from across a 16.7 million color palette on-the-fly, as well as some groovy lighting effect presets. The keyboard also offers multimedia hotkeys, and macro keys. The keyboard is rated for up to 50 million key presses per key. The company didn't reveal pricing.

MSI, the leading gaming motherboard brand, is proud to announce its newest X299 flagship motherboard, the X299 XPOWER GAMING AC. Designed for PC enthusiasts and overclockers who love sheer performance, the new XPOWER features an incredible 14 phase (12+1+1) DigitALL premium power design with Loadline Calibration to harness even the most powerful Intel Core X-Series processors. With the addition of MSI's Turbo Socket and External Clock Gen, powered by top quality components from Military Class 6, such as Titanium Choke II for higher efficiency and power delivery, even the most demanding overclockers are being challenged to push the new XPOWER to its limits.

With the rise of bitcoin/ethereum mining, AMD graphics cards once again became one of the top-selling graphics card series in the market. However, it is relatively harder to acquire the economic mining motherboard due to the fact that Intel slowly discontinued the H81 and B85 chipset, and this caused the shortage of mining motherboards in the market. Users found a new way out along with the release of the 100-series chipset, yet many of them found that when they attached 6 AMD graphics cards on the 100-series motherboard, even though the board successfully recognized 6 graphics cards, there were always exclamation marks on 3 or 4 graphics cards within device manager in the OS. And, of course, the cards with exclamation marks would not function properly during mining. MSI consistently heard such inquiries from customers.

Hence, MSI does a series of tests for its products and picked a couple motherboards including Z170-A PRO, Z170A SLI PLUS, Z170 KRAIT GAMING, Z170A KRAIT GAMING, Z170A KRAIT GAMING 3X, Z270-A PRO, H270-A PRO which fit the purpose of mining. There are few things that need to be done before mining and it will be explained in the paragraph below using MSI Z270-A PRO as example.DOWNLOAD: MSI Motherboard BIOS Update for Mining Builds

MSI unveiled some of its first gaming monitors, under the MSI OPTIX brand. These include two models, the 27-inch OPTIX G27C, and the 24-inch OPTIX G24C. Both models feature Samsung-made TN-film display panels with 1800R curvature, Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution, 144 Hz refresh-rate, 4 ms (GTG) response time, 178°/178° viewing-angles, and support for AMD FreeSync technology. Display inputs on both include DisplayPort 1.2a, HDMI 1.4a, and DVI. The 24-incher features a simpler design with a stand that allows basic height adjustment, while the 27-incher allows tilt adjustments. The company didn't reveal pricing.

Adding to their Clutch gaming mice line-up, MSI has just released two new models. The Clutch GM60 and GM70 both feature RGB functionality and interchangeable thumb rests, which should make these appealing to both right-handed and left-handed people. There are two differentiating factors between these two models. The first is the PMW 3360 sensor: the GM60 allows sensitivity to be set anywhere between 1-10,800, while the GM70 increases that margin to 1-18,000 DPI resolution. Both do this in 100 DPI steps, with an adjustable 1,000-3,000 Hz polling rate. The second stands with the connection type: while the GM60 supports a corded connection only, the GM 70 supports both corded and wireless connections. The change between wired and wireless increases response time from 0.33 ms corded to 1 ms wireless. I'm not a professional gamer, but that doesn't seem like much to me.

The rest of the specs are pretty much equal between both rodents: 2 m braided cables, Omron Gaming switches, aluminum frame, a pouch, as well as the ubiquitous LED lighting controlled by MSI's Mystic Light software. The GM70 weighs in at 129 g, while the GM 60 is a slightly less meaty 115 g. The company said the Clutch GM70 and Clutch GM60 gaming mice are expected to be in stores worldwide starting July 2017.