MSI X870E Tomahawk Max WiFi Project Zero Review

Conclusion

Conclusion

The aesthetic considerations are probably the two biggest ones when looking at the MSI X870E Tomahawk Max WiFi PZ. We still find the decision to go all silver/grey an odd one. If you like black systems it will stand out like a sore thumb. If you prefer white rigs it’s more useful, but still not in keeping with the overall theme. Perhaps it’s for people who want their extra hardware – CPU AIO, GPU and so on – to stand out against a uniform backdrop.

Certainly if that’s the case then the Tomahawk Project Zero ticks that box easily. MSI deserve a lot of credit for committing to it and going with grey plastics on the top. So often we see silver motherboards with black plastics. Kudos to them for going the extra mile. Flipping the Tomahawk over and you can see where all the black plastics have gone. It’s crazy how, free from being surrounded by other components, they stand starkly against the desolate wasteland of an empty PCB. They closely resemble the Sarsens of Stonehenge, or perhaps Ozymandias’ legs.

Our testing showed exactly what we hoped. Given that the Project Zero setup is still in its infancy as a design you don’t want to be compromising anywhere should you choose to take this path. The Tomahawk didn’t let up at all. Relentless performance in every test. We especially enjoyed the cool temperatures. Obviously with all the cables around the back there is nothing to get in the way of smooth airflow. Okay the Ryzen 9s are pretty toasty, but here the Tomahawk Max PZ showed why back connect is the way forwards.

The MSI Tomahawk range continues to impress. Okay we might have reservations about the all-silver aesthetics. But aesthetics are a matter of opinion. In every measurable way, and particularly in the pricing department, the MSI X870E Tomahawk Max WiFi PZ thoroughly deserves our OC3D Performance Award.

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