MSI MEG Z890 ACE Motherboard Review

The I/O panel is always an interesting part of the motherboard as it dictates what connectivity options will be available.  The MSI MEG Z890 ACE has quite the I/O layout that is not quite like anything I have seen before.

Red USB sockets are all USB 10Gbps including the USB Type-C connections.  A single full-sized HDMI is available for when using processors with graphics support.   There is a single 10G Marvell AQC113CS Ethernet connection along with two Wi-Fi 7 Antenna ports supporting the Intel Killer BE1750x module.

At the center you will find three buttons.  Two are rather self-explanatory supporting the CMOS flash and clear features.  The Smart Button is a diagnostic option that can be programmed for a variety of different things such as rebooting the PC or even changing the Mystic LED light pattern.

The Type-C connections with the white border are USB4 Thunderbolt connections with a 40Gbps transfer rate and support for an 8k display.

One of the major disappointments with motherboard design is the lack of decent (aka familiar) audio connections.  What was once a multiport array is now been reduced to a single optical connection and two gold plated jacks. 

The Realtek ALC4082 Coded + ESS9219Q Combo DAC/HPA audio controllers will deliver up to 7.1 channel sound with a 32-bit 384k playback.  Sadly, these are USB audio controllers making them on par with that USB headset you are already using.

One of the benefits to upgrading to a specialized motherboard is that you get a pretty awesome motherboard and some pretty nice accessories in the box.  The Z890 ACE comes with a number of nice accessories including what you see below.

What you won’t find is a full printed manual.  This has been an ongoing problem with motherboard makers looking to cut costs and while a user manual is rarely used and often lost shortly after assembling your build, it is a nice accessory to have when you are looking for information on a certain connector or want to know which memory sockets to use.  You can download one from the MSI MEG Z890 ACE product page along with firmware updates and drivers so, at least there is that.

I do like that you’ll get a USB key with software and drivers pre-loaded instead of having to rely on the embedded apps to download those for you.  The other key you will get is rather unique and helps you set the location of the M.2 clips.  So, while the installation and operation is toolless you will get the tool to support your storage addiction.