MSI MEG Z490 Godlike Review

MSI MEG Z490 Godlike Preview

Introduction

We’re looking at the three flagship Z490 motherboards for launch, the ASUS Maximus XII Extreme, Gigabyte Aorus Xtreme, and this motherboards, the MSI MEG Z490 Godlike. One of the things that we find endlessly fascinating with motherboards is how they are all so similar because of the needs of layouts and adhering to specifications, and yet there is still so much room for a manufacturer to show off their own style. Whilst all three of those motherboards are ultra-high-end, they look so very different.

You would imagine that “chipset here, PCI slots here, CPU socket at the top” etc etc would thoroughly limit any difference, but a mere glance at the many models currently available on the market will show that isn’t remotely the case. We all have preferences, whether in designs or features or how much or little lighting there is. For me, personally, the Godlike was one of the most attractive motherboards around when we first saw it, and here in the Z490 guise it is still gobsmackingly gorgeous. Just the right balance of lighting, shiny surfaces, matte ones, it just ticks my boxes. If only my income wasn’t better suited to ‘no brand motherboard type 2’.

But we’re not here to discuss my personal aesthetics and feature preferences. We’re here to show off the MSI MEG Z490 Godlike and tell you all about the flagship model in the MSI range and what it has to offer those of you who are looking to bring the latest Intel framework to your system. Naturally as befits a model called the Godlike, and indeed what we’ve already seen from MSIs flagship models on different chipsets, the MEG Z490 Godlike comes with every possible feature squeezed onto the PCB from Thunderbolt 3 through M.2 to USB 3.2 Gen2. With the Godlike you also get some blazing LAN bandwidth if you have the infrastructure to support it.

Technical Specifications

MSI MEG Z490 Godlike Preview  

It’s no surprise that a motherboard with the moniker Godlike comes with insane amounts of power delivery potential. If futureproofing can still be considered a thing, then the Godlike certainly will handle whatever processors Intel have on the horizon.

MSI MEG Z490 Godlike Preview

For those of you who clamour for an overview of the fan headers available, and can’t be bothered looking closely at the photographs we take and carefully explain, here is a one stop shop for all your cooling needs.

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