While "GODLIKE" may still be a stretch, the MEG Z390 GODLIKE is indeed a contender for the title of "one board to rule them all". MSI pulled out all the stops for this one, and it shows everywhere you look. From the monochromatic screen to the included Streaming Boost card, the MEG Z390 GODLIKE screams premium. This soon after a release, it can be difficult to gauge overclocking success as the CPU sample is as new as the boards. Still, I am confident that the numbers put forward by the MEG Z390 GODLIKE will prove to be quite good. Power consumption and temperatures were within reasonable bounds considering the monstrous nature of the 9th Gen Core processors, though cooling is going to be a bigger priority than with past generations.

MSI did make some controversial choices, namely removing all video outputs from the rear I/O. The MEG Z390 GODLIKE requires a dedicated GPU to function even if the installed CPU has an iGPU built in. This move is not too surprising, though, as no one would pay so much for a board and not have any dedicated graphics. While troubleshooting problems may be harder without onboard graphics, between the postcode display and monochromatic screen, very few problems would be difficult to diagnose on the MEG Z390 GODLIKE.

Additionally, the back panel only has five Type-A USB ports, which many would say is too few. I disagree and commend MSI for implementing a greater number of Gen2 ports than Gen1 on the rear I/O. I do have to bring up the uninspiring storage performance. The GODLIKE didn't bomb any of the benchmarks, but it didn't top any either. If history serves, this is a gripe MSI can and will quickly correct through BIOS revisions. The lesser performance is completely undetectable in real-world usage, but when consumers pay for the best, they expect the best.

Now, $599.99 US is a whole lot of money even for a flagship motherboard. Most users don't need a fraction of the extra features the MEG Z390 GODLIKE includes, and even the most avid enthusiasts may struggle to justify some of them. If you want the best of the best, every possible bell and whistle, all tied into a beautifully engineered package, then I strongly recommend giving the MEG Z390 GODLIKE a serious look. The board is an impressive feat of design, and while it only caters to a small segment of the market, it goes a long way to demonstrate what MSI is capable of.