MSI Z790 GAMING PLUS WIFI ATX Motherboard Intel LGA1700 Socket Intel Z790 Chipset — Supports Intel 14th/13th/12th Gen Core, Pentium Gold, Celeron CPUs, 4x DDR5 up to 7200+(OC) MHz, PCIe 5.0 x16, 4x M.2 (PCIe 4.0), 6x SATA 6Gb/s, Intel Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth

General Information

The MSI Z790 GAMING PLUS WIFI is a high-performance ATX motherboard designed for Intel LGA1700 platform builds, supporting 12th, 13th, and 14th Gen Intel Core processors, as well as Pentium Gold and Celeron CPUs. It offers PCIe 5.0 x16 GPU support, DDR5-7200+ OC speeds, and Wi-Fi 6E, making it ideal for gaming rigs, content creation workstations, and high-end desktops.

With Duet Rail 14+1+1 power phases, M.2 Shield Frozr thermal protection, and reinforced PCIe slot, this board provides a reliable foundation for stable performance and easy upgrades.

CPU & Chipset

• Socket: LGA1700 – supports:
  • Intel® Core™ i9/i7/i5/i3 (12th, 13th, 14th Gen)
  • Pentium Gold, Celeron (12th–14th Gen)
• Chipset: Intel® Z790 – high-end chipset with full PCIe 5.0 support
• Memory Support:
  • 4 x DDR5 DIMM slots – dual-channel architecture
  • Max Capacity: 192GB (4x 48GB)
  • Speeds: Up to 7200+ MT/s (OC) via XMP/EXPO
  • Types: Non-ECC, ECC, unbuffered DDR5
  • Features:
    • Intel XMP 3.0 for easy overclocking
    • DIMM Flex & DIMM Fit for optimal slot compatibility

Graphics & Display Output

• Integrated Graphics: Supports Intel UHD Graphics (based on CPU)
• Display Outputs (Back Panel):
  • 1 x HDMI 2.1 – supports 4K@60Hz (with HDR)
• Multi-Monitor Support:
  • Can drive up to 1 display (HDMI only)
• Note: For high-performance gaming, a discrete GPU is recommended.

Expansion & Connectivity

• PCIe Slots:
  • 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 SMT – for next-gen GPUs (supports x16 or x8/x8 modes)
  • Multiple PCIe 4.0 x16 and PCIe 3.0 x16 slots – for expansion cards (sound, capture, etc.)
• Storage Options:
  • 4 x M.2 slots (Key M) – all support NVMe SSDs:
    • M.2_1: PCIe 4.0 x4 (max 64 Gbps)
    • M.2_2: PCIe 4.0 x4 (max 64 Gbps)
    • M.2_3: PCIe 4.0 x4 (max 64 Gbps)
    • M.2_4: PCIe 4.0 x4 (max 64 Gbps)
  • 6 x SATA 6Gb/s ports – for HDDs, SSDs, optical drives
• RAID Support:
  • Intel Rapid Storage Technology – supports RAID 0/1/5/10
  • Some PCIe slots share bandwidth with SATA ports

Networking & Wireless

• Ethernet:
  • 1 x Realtek 2.5 GbE LAN – wired gigabit connectivity
  • Supports WOL (Wake-on-LAN) and PXE boot
• Wireless:
  • Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) – dual-band (2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz)
  • Max speed: up to 2.4 Gbps
  • Bluetooth 5.3 – for wireless peripherals and audio
• Software Support:
  • Compatible with MSI Center and MSI Dragon Center

USB Ports

• Rear I/O:
  • 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C (20 Gbps)
  • 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (10 Gbps)
  • 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5 Gbps)
  • 2 x USB 2.0 Type-A (5 Gbps)
• Front Panel Headers:
  • 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 header (supports 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports)
  • 2 x USB 2.0 headers (supports 3 x USB 2.0 ports)

Cooling & Thermal Management

• VRM Heatsinks:
  • Large VRM heatsink for stable power delivery
  • PCH (Platform Controller Hub) heatsink for thermal regulation
• Fan Control:
  • AI-based Fan Xpert 4 – automatic fan curve optimization
  • 5 x 4-pin Chassis Fan headers
  • 1 x 4-pin CPU Fan header
  • 1 x 4-pin CPU OPT Fan header
  • 1 x 4-pin AIO Pump header
• M.2 Cooling:
  • M.2 Shield Frozr for all M.2 slots – prevents throttling under heavy load

RGB & Lighting

• RGB Headers:
  • 3 x Addressable Gen 2 RGB headers – compatible with MSI Mystic Light
  • 1 x Standard RGB header – for basic lighting effects
• Control Software:
  • MSI Mystic Light – customizable lighting effects and synchronization

Protection & Build Quality

• MSI 5X Protection:
  • DIGI+ VRM – digital power design with DrMOS
  • ESD Guards – protection against electrostatic discharge
  • LANGuard – network surge protection
  • Overvoltage Protection
  • SafeSlot – reinforced PCIe slot
  • Stainless-steel back I/O shield
• Build Material:
  • High-quality PCB with 6-layer design
  • Reinforced chassis and connectors

Special Features

• MSI Q-Design:
  • Q-Flash Plus – update BIOS without CPU or memory
  • EZ-Latch – tool-less PCIe slot
  • Q-DIMM – secure DIMM slot design
  • Q-Connector – simplified cable routing
  • Q-Dashboard – system monitoring
• ASUS EZ DIY:
  • BIOS FlashBack™ button – update BIOS without a CPU
  • Clear CMOS button
  • Pre-mounted I/O shield
  • SafeDIMM – prevents accidental DIMM removal
• ASUS Thermal Solution:
  • M.2 heatsink backplate
  • M.2 heatsink
  • VRM heatsink design