MSI's X99A GAMING PRO CARBON makes for a great option for a high-end multi-GPU, multi-drive system that is clocked hard. The quality of hardware and design used to put the X99A GAMING PRO CARBON together are some of the best, and a well-tuned BIOS allows for extremely easy overclocking of Haswell-E or Broadwell-E CPUs. The all-black aesthetic is ready for whatever type of thematic build you might want, and the fully customizable Mystic LED system means you can make this board whatever color, or blend of colors, you want. Drive efficiency is great and the use of an Intel LAN controller should have those who favor certain LAN controllers smiling as well. I pushed this board hard, and it didn't hesitate to do what I asked of it.

Broadwell-E CPUs with high core counts are not that easy to overclock under standard air or AIO cooling. So in order to check on the real abilities of MSI's X99A GAMING PRO CARBON, I employed my trusty 5.0 GHz 5930K and got to 5.1 GHz. The X99A GAMING PRO CARBON is built to please, and when paired with supporting hardware of the right caliber, the X99A GAMING PRO CARBON is one of those boards I don't want to pull out of my test system to set everything up for another review. Rather than tossing in every additional possible socket pin, MSI obviously tested each and found just the right ones. The expansion-slot configuration is just too perfect for dual GPU use, and paired with the excellent drive connectivity and decent audio, this board is sure to make its way into my own personal system within the next few days. I just need to get another PSU!

The price of this board might be a bit high, but not by much. Not many people are willing to pay over $400 for a motherboard, and only a couple of the offered features set this board apart from other options on the market that are priced lower. The U.2 port is one of those features; if you have plans to make use of such specific features, this is most definitely a board you need to consider. The MSI X99 A GAMING PRO CARBON is also an excellent choice if you want a high-end board that clocks really well and can be completely devoid of color (or if you plan on using a case without a window). Got one of your own? Let us know your thoughts in the forums!