MSI X99A Gaming 7 Motherboard Review

The MSI X99A Gaming 7 is a full ATX motherboard featuring a matte black PCB accented with red and black heatsinks.  These heatinks are very ornate and have two physical layers.  The red parts are painted directly on the heatsink which are then accented with a black anodized decorative cover.  While many of the details are covered once the motherboard is installed however, there is no denying the attention to detail when viewing the motherboard in the box or on the shelf.

Looking at the back of the motherboard we can get an indication as to how the PCI Express slots are wired and determine which slots are primary and secondary in terms of bandwidth.  You won't find any surface components aside from the cpu backplate and a few screws for the various heatsinks.  Along the top you will find a VRM heatspreader used to normalize MOSFET temperatures.

On the X99A Gaming 7 you will find a total of eight power phases for the CPU, Ring and PCI Express.  This may not seem like much but is typical of an X99 motherboard, even those designed for LN2 overclocking. 

Quad channel memory comes standard on the LGA 2011 platform and the X99A Gaming 7 supports DDR4 modules at 3333Mhz+ with a maximum of 128GB usable.  24pin ATX power is located in the traditional location near the upper edge of the motherboard and out of the way of most intake fans.

Behind the PWM cooler you'll find the CPU Power connection made up of a single 8-pin connector.  Given the location the cables they should be easy to hide in any modern chassis and is well hidden behind the large VRM cooler.