MSI X99A Gaming 7 Motherboard Review

In this review we looked at the MSI X99A Gaming 7 motherboard and after having used the board for several weeks I have come to the conclusion that it really is a perfect design for gaming on the X99 and maybe one of the better designs I have used up to this point.  While this might be a rather bold statement lets go down the list.

First off, I mentioned in this review how hardware enthusiasts are gamers and vice versa however, with that being said there is a fine line between what makes a good build for gaming and what constitutes a good system for showing off.  4-Way SLI (or Crossfire) is a good way to show off however in the gaming world things are optimized for 2-Way and is what the X99A Gaming 7 is designed for.  Adding a third GPU is very easy, not only does the PCI Express layout support a modern gaming chassis but you can run 3-Way on both 40-Lane and 28-Lane Haswell-E processors.  The Multi GPU Index reflects this optimization by scoring near identical numbers across both processor options.

Next is overall layout and component placement.  I counted 5 PWM enabled fan headers on this motherboard with three of them in easy proximity of the CPU which can facilitate an AIO watercooler with two fans perfectly.  You also get a “realistic” SATA connection block that doesn’t confuse SATA Express with normal drives with the realization that most everyone will be running M.2 anyway.  Finally, the motherboard heatsinks are large, look great and are out of the way.  The X99 does produce some heat but not enough to warrant elaborate coolers.

Overclocking is a big part of Hardware Asylum and no enthusiast motherboard would be complete without a few overclocking controls.  The MSI X99A Gaming 7 is no expectation and actually comes with a good mix of performance features from enthusiast gamers and a few for those looking to dabble with LN2.  Of these features I am most impressed with the choice in LGA 2011v3 socket design with a heatsink mounting plate that secures from the backside of the motherboard.  Not only does this give the CPU area a cleaner look but adds strength for when you transport your gaming PC or want to use large or heavy CPU coolers. 

Overall I really like this motherboard.  It comes with everything you need to build a solid gaming computer and the designers left off the ones that didn’t matter.  For instance there is no wireless networking on this motherboard and I am ok with that.  This is a gaming motherboard and while Wi-Fi is getting faster it can lag at times which is bad.  Likewise the motherboard supports overclocking and while this isn’t new for MSI I am surprised to see OC level controls on a Gaming motherboard and generally extremely solid performance.

Black Color Scheme
Oversized VRM Heatsink
Excellent UEFI  Menus
Flexible PCI Express Layout
3-Way SLI Support
DDR4 Performance
Onboard M.2
Clean Audio

Nothing really comes to mind