Test System
Test System |
---|
CPU: | Intel Core i7-6700K (ES) 4.0 GHz, 8 MB Cache |
---|
Memory: | 16 GB DDR4 (4x 4 GB) G.Skill F4-3200C16-4GRKD @ 2133 MHz |
---|
Cooling: | Corsair H110 |
---|
Motherboard: | MSI Z170A MPOWER GAMING TITANIUM Intel Z170 Chipset, BIOS 1.22 |
---|
Video Card: | MSI GTX980 GAMING 4 GB |
---|
Harddisk: | 1 x Crucial M4 128 GB SATA 6 Gb/s SSD (OS) 1 x Crucial BX200 256 GB SATA 6 Gb/s SSD (DATA) 1 x Samsung M.2 950PRO(NVMe) |
---|
Power Supply: | Thermaltake ToughPower Platinum 1250W |
---|
Case: | Corsair Carbide Air 540 |
---|
Software: | Windows 10 Pro 64-bit, NVIDIA GeForce 368.81 |
---|
Initial Setup
If you won't fill up all four slots, MSI printed which DIMM slots you need to use first right on the PCB, which makes figuring out which to use easier. There's also an internal USB 3.1 Type-C port on the board's right edge should you use the board for benching and need to image your OS quickly. There is even a right-angled USB 3.0 plug for some better cable management.
The MSI Z170A MPOWER GAMING TITANIUM includes an LED header, so you can attach some 5050 RGB LEDs and have the board's software manage their function.
That enables you to completely change the look of your PC easily. Since the MSI Z170A MPOWER GAMING TITANIUM is silver, it just kind of naturally matches any color.
There are some onboard LEDs on the MSI Z170A MPOWER GAMING TITANIUM as well, with a few around the board's PCH cooler and along the board's audio section. The audio LEDs are in many cases hidden away by the board's backplate and plastic cover.
Once in the OS, I captured a screenshot of the board's tested clocks. The MSI Z170A MPOWER GAMING TITANIUM uses a completely standard Intel Turbo Profile at stock with a focus on power savings as defined by Intel's Z170/Skylake platform.