Test System

Initial Setup

After having played with the MSI Z170A GAMING PRO, I really cannot deny how some boards have spoiled me. Getting my gear ready was no problem, but with no onboard switches and no POST display, I was left feeling a bit unsure of what was going on during boot until I noticed a little set of three LEDs by the 24-pin power plug. These LEDs light up in succession as the board goes through its boot process. So if it fails, you do have some idea as to where to look for the problem, which is so simple, yet so effective.


It is also worth noting that MSI makes knowing which DIMM slots to install your memory into for the best performance really obvious by printing a guide right onto the board's surface, next to the DIMM slots. This kept me from checking the manual for sure, saving me some time as I got the MSI Z170A GAMING PRO up and running.


Once I got it all set, I could see the audio's isolation light up as expected, as did the opposite side of the board.


What I didn't expect were the two LEDs under the PCH cooler that really help tie the entire lighting scheme together. I know not everyone is into flashy lights, but if included, I want them to be all over the place!