Overclocking

So, how far can the MEG X299 CREATION go? Pretty far actually. I got my 7980XE up to 4.6 GHz all core with a simple change of the multiplier within MSI's excellent BIOS. Not only that, but I left the voltage on auto, and it didn't massively overshoot the requirements, staying at a very respectable 1.21 V under load. This board has loads of overclocking options and is capable of far more than my 240 mm AIO can handle.


Now, for Game Boost, just like on the MEG Z390 GODLIKE, the MEG X299 CREATION has a dial on the board, and it goes to 11. Unlike on the GODLIKE, my system actually booted in with that over-the-top setting enabled. According to the manual, this would be an all-core overclock of 4.9 GHz.

Unfortunately, what actually happened was a huge voltage increase with significantly steeper fan curve and a slower-than-stock clock profile. After some testing with manual settings, I believe this to be due to a power limit. Frankly, I am glad that this board will not force the CPU into potentially dangerous settings through the simple turn of a knob. Better to have some turn-key overclocking, but leave extensive safety nets in place for all but those who know good and well what they are doing, especially for a platform where CPUs can approach the two thousand dollar mark.

As for RAM, the MEG X299 CREATION got my T-Force Gaming Xstreem sticks up to their XMP profile with the click of a button. I would say that the MEG X299 CREATION is ready for and more than capable of pushing some serious memory clocks. Overall, my overclocking experience on the CREATION was excellent, and I didn't even scratch the surface of what this board is capable of in the hands of a true expert with truly expert cooling.