Tech Hardware MSI 2017 Z270 and H270 Motherboard Lineup Leaked – Includes Next-Generation GAMING,...

MSI 2017 Z270 and H270 Motherboard Lineup Leaked – Includes Next-Generation GAMING, Tomahawk, Bazooka, and Pro Series

Dec 22, 2016

Ahead of the planned January 2017 launch, MSI’s Z270 and H270 motherboard lineup leaked. The lineup consists out of next-generation GAMING, Bazooka, Tomahawk, and Pro series. The leaked motherboards are targeted towards gaming and enthusiast markets. The lineup features 13 Z270 and H270 motherboards in total. At launch, it is expected for the lineup to be expanded with new models such as XPOWR and Gaming 9, models with higher prices aimed towards a high-end market that cherishes additional features.

MSI Z270 Gaming M7

Sharp and aggressive design, lots of heatsinks, and a combination of black and red give the motherboard powerful looks that will interest gamers and overclockers. The board features the LGA 1151 socket compatible with 6th and 7th generation of Intel’s Core CPUs.

MSI Z270 Gaming M7 offers 12 phase PWM supply, four DDR4 DIMM slots supporting dual-channel memory and 4000 MHz memory speed. There are four PCI-e 3.0 x16 slots along with three PCI-e 3.0 x1 and three M.2 slots. All expansion slots feature metal covers for additional PCB protection, and all heatsinks feature Mystic Light RGB LEDs.

The motherboard offers six SATA III and one Turbo U.2 port meant for NVMe SSDs; further, there;s an USB 3.0 connector and a diagnostic panel. Aggressive design, lots of expansion slots and support for ultra-fast RAM are the main features of the board.

MSI Z270 Gaming M5 Motherboard

The MSI Z270 Gaming M5 is quite similar to the Z270 Gaming M7, but with more black and less red. There are 4 DDR4 DIMM slots along with metal covers, three PCI-e 3.0 x16 slots, three PCI-e 3.0 x1 and one M.2 slot.

The PCH is protected with a cover that houses Mystic Aura lighting. The board features 6 SATA III and a single Turbo U.2 port (supporting NVMe SSDs). The I/O panel packs two USB 2.0, two USB 3.0, dual USB 3.1, HDMI 2.0, Display Port, one Lighting USB port, an Ethernet port and a 7.1 channel audio jack.

MSI Z270 Gaming Pro Carbon Motherboard

This model features a similarly aggressive design found on the last two boards, but with more LEDs and a combination of gray and black colors. The board packs an LGA 1151 socket (support for 6th and 7th generation of Intel Core CPUs), and a 10+1 phase PWM supply. DDR4 DIMM slots support up to 4000 MHz RAM speed and are shielded by a metal cover.

Expansion slots include three PCI-e 3.0 x16 as well as three PCI-e 3.0 x1 slots; there’s also two Turbo M.2 slots. All expansion slots are protected with metal covers. Storage ports include 4 SATA III of which two are angled to the top. There’s also a right angled USB 3.0 connector, and the Audio Boost G chip (isolated on its own PCB). I/O port includes two USB 2.0, four USB 3.0, dual USB 3.1, HDMI 2.0, DVI, PS/2 port, an Ethernet port and a 7.1 channel audio jack.

MSI Z270I Gaming Pro Carbon AC Motherboard

The MSI Z270I Gaming Pro Carbon AC is basically a Mini-ITX version of the Gaming Pro Carbon. It features lots of metal covers, Mystic Light LEDs, CPU socket powered by a by a 5 phase PWM supply, two DIMM slots support memory with speeds of up to 4000 MHz (supporting up to 32 GB of RAM).

There is a single PCI-E 3.0 x16 slot. Both DIMM slot and PCI-e slot are protected by steel covers. As for the storage expansions, you can find four SATA III ports. Featured are a USB 3.0 front panel connector and an Audio Boost chip for providing superb audio quality. As is the case with many Mini-ITX boards, A single Wi-Fi + BT 802.11 AC card can be found, offering wireless connectivity, along with antenna connectors and two antennas bundled with the board.

I/O panel hosts dual USB 2.0, dual USB 3.0, dual USB 3.1, a PS/2 port, HDMI, DisplayPort and an HD audio jack.

MSI Z270 KRAIT Gaming Motherboard

The board features urban black and white design that looks strikingly awesome. The board features 10+1 phase PWM supply, and the LGA 1151 socket supporting 6th and 7th generation of Core CPUS. As with previous boards, the I/O panel is protected with a cover, along with metal covers shielding DDR4 DIMM slots (four slots supporting speeds up to 4000 MHz) and expansion slots (three PCI-e 3.0 x16 slots, three PCI-e 3.0 x1 slots, and two Turbo M.2 slots).

There are 4 SATA III connectors, along with two USB 3.0 connectors and the Audio Boost G chip. the I/O panel includes two USB 2.0, four USB 3.0, dual USB 3.1, HDMI 2.0, DVI, PS/2 port, an Ethernet port and a 7.1 channel audio jack.

MSI Z270 TOMAHAWK ARSENAL Gaming Motherboard

The MSI Z270 TOMAHAWK ARSENAL Gaming is a part of the Arsenal Gaming series sporting an aggressive design with lots of covers and a combination of silver, red, and black colors. Again, we can see a 10+1 phase PWM supply that features top-of-the-line components such as black solid-state capacitors. The board packs the LGA 1151 socket, there are four DDR4 DIMM slots, three PCI-e 3.0 x16 slots, and two Turbo M.2 slots; all expansion slots are shielded with steel covers.

Storage ports include 6 SATA III connectors. Additionally, the motherboard includes two USB 3.0 connectors and the Audio Boost G chip (isolated on its own PCB that is indicated by a LED strip).

MSI Z270 SLI PLUS Motherboard

One cool looking motherboard. A supreme combination of black and white gives it premium looks. The board features a 10+1 Phase PWM supply, cooled down by two large heatsinks, an LGA 1151 socket; the board is powered by one 24-pin ATX connector.

Four DIMM slots support MSI’s DDR4 Boost feature, allowing the board to host memory with XMP profiles. There are three PCI-e 3.0 x16 (x16/x8/x8 electrical), three PCI-e 3.0 x1 and two Turbo M.2 slots that run over the PCI-e bus. The board hosts dual USB 3.0 front panel ports as well as 6 SATA III ports. All expansion ports are covered with metal shielding. I/O port is also protected, and it features a single PS/2, two USB 2.0, four USB 3.0, dual USB 3.1, HDMI, DVI, Ethernet port and an audio jack. You can also find the latest Audio Boost panel offering supreme audio experience.

MSI Z270 SLI Motherboard

A simplified version of the MSI Z270 SLI PLUS, the MSI Z270 SLI comes with all black stealthy design. The LGA 1151 socket is powered by a 10+1 phase PWM, supplied via a single 8-pin connector.

There are four DIMM slots in total, supporting DDR4 Boost tech (which can run XMP profile memory). Expansion slots include three PCI-e 3.0 x16 (x16/x8/x8 electrical), three PCI-e 3.0 x1 and two Turbo M.2 slots. As for the storage, the board features 6 SATA III ports and dual USB 3.0 front panel ports.

As with other models, the MSI Z270 SLI comes with Audio Boost panel. The price should be around $150.

MSI Z270 PC Mate Motherboard

Again, lots of blacks and lots of covers, although without metal protection for DIMM and expansion slots. The motherboard features a 6+1 phase PWM, four DIMM slots support DDR4 Boost and can take up to 64 GB of memory.

There are two PCI-e 3.0 x16 slots, three PCI-e 3.0 x1, a single PCI slot, and two M.2 slots (Non-Turbo). You can find six SATA III ports and dual USB 3.0 front panel connectors. As for the I/O panel, it includes a PS/2 port, dual USB 2.0 ports, four USB 3.0 ports, dual USB 3.1 (Type-A, Type-C) ports, HDMI, DVI, VGA, an Ethernet jack and a 3 channel audio jack.

Aside from the high-end motherboards, MSI has a selection of H270 and B250 motherboards to offer. They will sport a lower price tag and will offer the same features as their high-end counterparts. The upcoming H270 and B250 motherboard line will include PC Mate series, Pro, and Bazooka series. Some features that won’t be transferred from the high-end lineup are RGB Lighting, metal covers, and various special features.