MSI X299 Gaming Pro Carbon Motherboard Review

In the fast paced world of computer hardware it can be difficult to keep track of things.  In this year alone, 2017, there have been three major Intel processor launches, two from AMD and countless numbers of motherboards.  More motherboards than any of us would care to count and they are all carefully designed to match a pre-defined segment in the marketplace.   MSI has been hitting the gaming segment extremely hard and might have actually hit a home run using a processor where gaming isn’t a primary focus.

For this review I will be looking at the MSI X299 Gaming Pro Carbon motherboard.  This is a gaming ready motherboard built on the new Intel X299 chipset supporting Core X Series processors on the LGA 2066 socket platform.  Those of you familiar with LGA 2066 or X-Series processors in general will know that these are the HEDT (High End DeskTop) processors normally reserved for hardware enthusiasts who build without limits or industry professionals who prefer workstation style systems who can leverage everything X-Series has to offer.

I had mentioned that this motherboard is designed for gaming and is part of the MSI Performance Gaming series of motherboards designed to offer the best possible gaming experience. 

I’ll be going over the specific features that make this possible later in this review.

• Supports New Intel Core X-series Processor Family for LGA 2066 socket
• Support Quad Channel DDR4-4133(OC)+, Dual Channel DDR4-4500(OC)+
• MYSTIC LIGHT: 16.8 million colors / 17 effects controlled in one click with MYSTIC LIGHT APP or mobile devices.
• 3D Printing Support: Modify and customize your system with the use of special 3D screws.
• Designed for Extreme Performance: TURBO SOCKET with GAME BOOST, DIGITALL POWER Design
• Lightning Fast Game experience: TWIN TURBO M.2 with M.2 Shield and Intel Optane Memory Ready, Turbo U.2, LIGHTNING USB 3.1 GEN2
• VR READY and VR BOOST: Best virtual reality game experience without latency, reduces motion sickness. Supports Nahimic VR & TriDef VR.
• AUDIO BOOST 4 with NAHIMIC 2+: Reward your ears with studio grade sound quality for the most immersive gaming experience
• DDR4 BOOST with STEEL ARMOR: Give your DDR4 memory a performance boost
• GAMING LAN, powered by Intel^®: The best online gaming experience with lowest latency and bandwidth management.
• MULTI-GPU: With STEEL ARMOR PCI-E slots. Supports 3-Way NVIDIA SLI & AMD Crossfire
• SYSTEM SAVER: 3 easy to use options to successfully boot your system again.
• In-Game Weapons: GAME BOOST, GAMING HOTKEY, X-BOOST, XSPLIT GAMECASTER, APP MANAGER
• GAMING CERTIFIED: 24-hour on- and offline game and motherboard testing by eSports players
• Click BIOS 5: Award-winning BIOS with high resolution scalable font, favorites and search function
• WHQL certified for Windows 10