The MSI X670E Gaming Plus Wi-Fi motherboard. Let's take a look at what you get and its features.
Watch the full review on YouTube:
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What's In The Box?
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| Quick start guide, SATA cables, M.2 clips, stickers, and Wi-Fi antenna included in the box. |
You get a quick start guide, but sadly no paper manual is included. I don't generally find much use in paper manuals, but motherboards are one of the few exceptions.
You get two SATA cables, some cable stickers (which are cute but not essential), MSI's custom M.2 clips, and a one M3 screw. These clip style screws are designed to be easier to use than the tiny standard screws. Also included is a Wi-Fi antenna that is magnetic, making it easy to place conveniently on most PC cases.
First Impressions and Physical Overview
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| Handling the hefty MSI X670E Gaming Plus Wi-Fi motherboard. |
Handling the motherboard, the first thing I noticed is its weight, it's very heavy compared to boards I've handled before, which gives it a high-quality feel. Though, the situation with motherboards has changed over the years so I can't compare it to anything current. The last components I've had were from the era of the Intel i7-6700 CPU (~2016).
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| The motherboard. |
The color scheme is a mix of black, silver, teal, and gray. I think it looks decent, nothing particularly special or overly "gamer", but it's fine with me.
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| The integrated rear I/O panel offers convenience and a clean look. |
A great feature is the fully integrated back I/O panel. It looks clean, and you don't have to worry about installing a separate I/O shield into the case or potentially losing that down the line. On the back, there's also a solid metal backplate for the CPU mounting area.
Configuration Matters: CPU and RAM Impact
Keep in mind that with AM5 motherboards, the specific CPU and RAM you use can affect the available features and speeds. For my testing, I used an AMD Ryzen 9 9900X CPU.
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| Patriot Viper Venom DDR5 64GB (2x32GB) RAM kit I use with this motherboard. |
I paired it with 64GB of Patriot Viper Venom DDR5 RAM (two 32GB sticks) that supports both AMD EXPO and Intel XMP profiles.
If you plan on using an AMD 8000 series CPUs, be aware of these limitations:
- Ryzen 8700/8600/8400: The main PCIe slot (PCI_E1) runs at PCIe 4.0 x8 speeds.
- Ryzen 8500/8300: The main PCIe slot drops further to PCIe 4.0 x4. This is a significant reduction from the PCIe 5.0 x16 speed available with Ryzen 7000 and 9000 series CPUs and could potentially impact GPU performance. Especially bad for lower-end cards with the PCIe 3.0 specification instead of 4.0 because they tend to have 8x PCIe lanes instead of 16.
- Ryzen 8500/8300 Series: The second M.2 slot (M2_2) operates at PCIe 4.0 x2 instead of the usual x4 speed available with other compatible CPUs.
It's also important to understand that some connectivity goes directly to the CPU, while other features route through the two X670 chipsets on this board which themselves have a PCIe based connection to the CPU.
It's difficult to find official information, but the connection between the CPU and chipset appears to be PCIe 4.0 x4, which will potentially limit speeds to everything connected through the chipsets.
Chipset and Connectivity: X670E Features
The X670E chipset sits in the higher-end range for AMD's AM5 platform. It's comparable to the newer X870E chipset, although USB4 support is optional on X670E, and this specific MSI board does not include USB4. If you absolutely need USB4 (up to 40 Gbps), you'll likely need to look at X870E motherboards. However, if you want to save some money and don't require USB4, X670E boards like this one are a solid choice.
Keep in mind that the total PCIe lanes are defined by the CPU, so the newer chipset boards have to sacrifice lanes somewhere else to offer that faster form of USB. Most likely giving you the option of the primary m.2 slot that's version 5.0 4x or the USB ports.
PCIe Slots
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| PCIe slot configuration... |
3x PCIe x16 sized slots:
- PCI_E1 (From CPU)
- Supports up to PCIe 5.0 x16 (For Ryzen 9000 / 7000 Series processors)
- Supports up to PCIe 4.0 x8 (For Ryzen 8700 / 8600 / 8400 Series processors)
- Supports up to PCIe 4.0 x4 (For Ryzen 8500 / 8300 Series processors)
- PCI_E3 (From X670 chipset)
- Supports up to PCIe 3.0 x1
- PCI_E4 (From X670 chipset)
- Supports up to PCIe 4.0 x4
- PCI_E2 (From X670 chipset)
- Supports up to PCIe 3.0 x1
Display Outputs
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| The integrated rear I/O panel. |
- HDMI 2.1 (supporting 4K at 60 Hz)
- DisplayPort 1.4
M.2 Storage Slots
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| A manual page referring to the M.2 slots. |
There are 4x M.2 slots (Key M) slots on the motherboard:
- M2_1 slot (From CPU)
- Supports up to PCIe 5.0 x4
- Supports 2280 / 22110 storage devices
- M2_2 slot (From CPU)
- Supports up to PCIe 4.0 x4
- Supports up to PCIe 4.0 x2 (For Ryzen 8500 / 8300 Series processors)
- Supports 2260 / 2280 storage devices
- M2_3 slot (From X670 chipset)
- Supports up to PCIe 4.0 x4
- Supports 2260 / 2280 storage devices
- M2_4 slot (From X670 chipset)
- Supports up to PCIe 4.0 x4
- Supports 2260 / 2280 storage devices
All four M.2 slots come with heatsinks that have thermal pads pre-attached. Just remember to peel off the protective plastic film before installing your drives.
RGB Headers
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| Locations of the headers. |
For lighting enthusiasts, there are four RGB headers: two 12V (4-pin) and two 5V addressable (3-pin).
The JRGB connector supports up to 2 meters continuous 5050 RGB LED strips (12V/G/R/B) with the maximum power rating of 3A (12V).
The JARGB_V2 connectors allow you to connect the ARGB Gen2 and the ARGB-based LED strips. The JARGB_V2 connector supports up to 240 individually addressable RGB LEDs with maximum power rating of 3A (5V).
Rear Panel I/O
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| The integrated rear I/O panel. |
The rear panel is packed with connectivity:
- 1x Flash BIOS button
- 1x DisplayPort
- 1x HDMI port
- 3x USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps Type-A ports (From CPU & X670
- chipset)
- 4x USB 3.2 Gen 1 5Gbps Type-A ports (From CPU & X670
- chipset)
- 4x USB 2.0 Type-A ports (From X670 chipset)
- 1x 2.5 Gbps LAN (RJ45) port
- 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 20Gbps Type-C port (From X670
- chipset)
- 2x Wi-Fi antenna connectors
- 3x audio jacks
Internal USB Headers
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| Internal USB headers provide expansion options. |
For front panel connections or internal devices, the motherboard includes:
- 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps Type-C front panel port (From X670 chipset)
- 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 5Gbps connectors (From X670 chipset)
- Supports additional 4 USB 3.2 Gen 1 5Gbps ports
- 2x USB 2.0 connectors (From X670 chipset)
- Supports additional 4 USB 2.0 ports
Wireless Connections
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| A manual page. |
Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth specifications:
- The Wireless module is pre-installed in the M.2 (Key-E) slot
- Supports MU-MIMO TX/RX
- Supports 20MHz, 40MHz, 80MHz,160MHz bandwidth in
- 2.4GHz/ 5GHz or 6GHz* bands
- Supports 802.11 a/ b/ g/ n/ ac/ ax
- Supports Bluetooth 5.3**
* The usage of Wi-Fi 6 GHz band relies on Windows 11 support and depends on every country’s regulations.
** The Bluetooth version may be updated, please refer to the Wi-Fi chipset vendor’s website for details.
The built-in Wi-Fi 6E worked fine in my testing. Even though my router doesn't support 6E speeds, the connection was stable and actually faster than my wired powerline network based setup in the room that the PC is in.
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| Trying the XBox controller through Bluetooth (the cable was only for powering the controller) |
Bluetooth 5.3 is also included. I tested it with both a PS4 DualShock 4 and an Xbox Series X controller, and both connected easily without any issues. Having reliable wireless built-in is super convenient.
Built-in Audio
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| The orange line indicates where the separate sound components on the motherboard. |
The onboard audio uses a Realtek ALC897 codec. In simple listening tests with headphones, I found it a bit hard to notice major differences compared to my external Motu M2 audio interface. However, I'd say the onboard audio sounded a bit more bass-y, maybe with slightly more distortion than the dedicated interface.
Other Features: RAID and Debug LEDs
For storage, RAID configurations are supported. You should be able to set up RAID 0, 1, and 10 with SATA drives, and RAID 0 or 1 with M.2 NVMe drives.
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| The EZ Debug LED provides quick diagnostic feedback during boot. |
A helpful feature is the EZ Debug LED. It consists of four small LEDs that light up during boot to indicate potential issues.
- Red: CPU is not detected or fail
- Yellow: DRAM is not detected or fail
- White: GPU is not detected or fail
- Green: Booting device is not detected or fail
BIOS Exploration
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| Hybrid Graphics option in the BIOS settings. |
The board supports AMD's Hybrid Graphics feature. If you want to use this, you'd connect your monitors directly to the motherboard's display outputs (not your discrete GPU) and enable the setting in the BIOS. I didn't test this, but the option is there.
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| Navigating the MSI Click BIOS 5 interface (Advanced Mode shown). |
The MSI Click BIOS 5 on this board offers a huge amount of options. There's a basic 'EZ Mode', but pressing F7 switches to the 'Advanced Mode' where the real tweaking happens. If you enjoy overclocking, underclocking, adjusting RAM timings, or fine-tuning power limits (like setting TDP from 45W up to 170W or using Precision Boost Overdrive with thermal limits), you'll find plenty of settings to explore.
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| Enabling AMD EXPO profiles for RAM is straightforward in the BIOS. |
Enabling RAM performance profiles like AMD EXPO or Intel XMP is very easy.
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| Detailed fan control options are available in the BIOS. |
Fan control is also comprehensive, allowing you to set curves and choose between PWM or DC control for connected fans. This is great for building a quiet PC, which is important to me.
The Good and The Bad: My Opinion
Based on my experience, here's my breakdown of the pros and cons.
The Bad:
- Visuals: The design is okay, but not particularly exciting or gamer looking. I'm totally fine with it, but the motherboard's name doesn't seem like a great fit.
- No USB4: Lack of the latest 40 gigabits/s USB standard might be a downside for future-proofing or specific high-speed peripherals. As someone into video production, I could see using USB4 based storage for large video files. Though USB 3.2 gen 2x2 will get you half way there at 20 gigabits/s.
- PCIe Lane Confusion: Some x16 physical slots only have x1 or x4 electrical lanes, which could be confusing if you're expecting full speed. Considering these come from the chipset, ultimately everything is limited by the CPU to chipset connection.
- RAM with 4 DIMMs: Like all of the AM5 platform currently, using all four RAM slots limits the maximum achievable speed (up to 5400 MT/s with 2DPC 2R configurations according to the manual). It's generally best to stick with two DIMMs for optimal speed. I've seen news of faster speeds, but it currently seems like specific motherboards and RAM kits.
- No Paper Manual: While excluding them is probably common now, a paper manual for motherboards is often helpful for installation and referencing it years into the future.
- Extras: The included cable stickers feel a bit unnecessary; I'd prefer that cost go into the board or a manual. Similarly, MSI's focus on extra software (like AI features) feels less valuable than potential hardware improvements instead.
- CPU Power Connector Placement: The location of the 8-pin CPU power connectors felt a little awkward to route with my specific power supply cables. I'm not sure if this is the standard location or more so an issue with my power supply's daisy chained cable.
- SATA Ports: Only four SATA ports are included, which might be limiting for users that want to use a lot of drives through this interface.
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| So many heatsinks! |
- MSI Reliability based on my personal experience: I've had good long-term success with MSI motherboards compared to some other brands I've used in the past. They generally feel high quality. For example, my previous build based an Intel i7-6700 started with an ASRock board that had serious issues until it stopped booting. I replaced it with an MSI board that still works fine.
- X670E Value: This chipset offers a great balance of features and price compared to the newer 800-series, especially if you don't want USB4.
- Built-in Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 are convenient additions, working well for networking and peripherals.
- Magnetic Antenna: A small but nice detail that makes antenna placement easy.
- BIOS Updates: MSI seems to be providing ongoing BIOS support, which is important for the longevity of the AM5 platform.
- Heatsinks: Comprehensive cooling with heatsinks on all four M.2 slots and the VRM components.
- PCIe Slot Convenience: While electrically limited, having physically larger x16 sized slots can still be useful for installing any expansion cards.
- Windows 11 Ready: Fully supports TPM 2.0 and the latest CPUs for Windows 11 compatibility.
Final Thoughts
Overall, there's a lot to like about the MSI X670E Gaming Plus Wi-Fi. It's been functional and reliable for me so far. The level of configurability in the BIOS is impressive, and the inclusion of features like four M.2 slots with heatsinks and wireless connectivity makes it a well-rounded board for the price point, provided you don't need USB4.
That was a look at the MSI X670E Gaming Plus Wi-Fi motherboard. I hope you found this overview helpful!