Packaging and Contents

The MSI MPG Z490 Carbon EK X box's most distinctive feature is its size. With a good 30% of added width, extras have clearly been included.

The printing on the box is clear and informative, featuring all the highlights: a top-down shot of the board, several panels detailing prominent features, a diagram outlining the rear I/O, and the specifications list. The box design is well executed and a good fit for the board.


Opening the box, it is clear what the extra space is used for: the monoblock and leak tester kit sit to the left of the board with the other accessories stored underneath.


The leak tester kit consists of a pressure gauge and small air pump along with all the fittings needed to interface it with a custom liquid-cooling loop. Simply install the gauge in line with your loop before it is filled and pressurize the system with the air pump. If the pressure holds, there are no leaks.


The other accessories are mostly standard, with a few nice extras. MSI has included a variety of RGB extensions. Notably absent is any kind of rear I/O shield because the shield is integrated into the board.

The full list of accessories includes:

• Manual and support DVD
• MSI registration and rewards cards
• MSI product catalog
• 2x SATA 6 Gb/s cables
• 2x M.2 mounting screws
• EK leak tester kit
• MSI badge
• 3x Cable extensions
• WiFi antenna