| Product Overview | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | MSI (Micro-Star International) |
| Category | High-Performance Gaming ATX Motherboard |
| Model | MAG Z790 TOMAHAWK WIFI |
| Form Factor | ATX (30.48 cm x 24.38 cm) |
| Chipset | Intel® Z790 |
| Technical Specifications | |
| CPU Socket | LGA 1700 for Intel® 14th, 13th & 12th Gen Core™, Pentium® Gold and Celeron® Processors |
| Memory Support | 4 x DIMM slots, Max. 128GB (some sources state 192GB, but 128GB is more consistently listed for the non-MAX), DDR5 Supports up to 7200+ MT/s (OC) Dual Channel Memory Architecture, Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) 3.0 |
| Expansion Slots | 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 slot (from CPU) 1 x PCIe 4.0 x4 slot (from Chipset) 1 x PCIe 3.0 x1 slot (from Chipset) |
| Storage Support | Total 4 x M.2 slots: 1 x M.2 2242/2260/2280/22110 (from CPU, supports PCIe 4.0 x4 mode – *Note: Some early info suggested PCIe 5.0 M.2, but official specs primarily indicate PCIe 4.0 for this model*) 3 x M.2 2242/2260/2280 (from Chipset, supports PCIe 4.0 x4 mode; one also supports SATA) 7 x SATA 6Gb/s ports Supports RAID 0/1/5/10 for NVMe and SATA |
| USB Ports (Rear I/O) | 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C® port (20Gbps) 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C® port (10Gbps) 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports (10Gbps) 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports (5Gbps) |
| USB Ports (Front Headers) | 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C® connector (10Gbps) 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 header (supports 2 additional USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports) 2 x USB 2.0 headers (support 4 additional USB 2.0 ports) |
| Network | 1 x Intel® 2.5Gb Ethernet Intel® Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) 2×2 with MU-MIMO (2.4/5/6GHz bands, 160MHz bandwidth) Bluetooth® v5.3 |
| Audio | Realtek® ALC4080 Codec 7.1-Channel USB High Performance Audio Supports up to 32-Bit/384 kHz playback on front panel Optical S/PDIF out |
| Power Delivery | 16 + 1 + 1 Duet Rail Power System (DRPS) (VRM phases, specifications similar to MAX) Dual 8-pin CPU power connectors Extended Heatsink Design, M.2 Shield Frozr, Heavy Plated VRM Heatsink, 7W/mK Thermal Pads, 6-layer PCB with 2oz thickened copper |
| Special Features | MSI Core Boost, Memory Boost Lightning Gen 5 (PCIe 5.0 x16 slot for GPU) M.2 Shield Frozr (for all M.2 slots) Pre-installed I/O Shield, EZ Debug LED, Flash BIOS Button, Clear CMOS Button Mystic Light RGB (1x RGB header, 3x Addressable Gen 2 headers) Game Boost |
| Display Output | 1 x HDMI™ port (HDMI 2.1, max 4K 60Hz) 1 x DisplayPort™ (DP 1.4, max 8K 60Hz) *Only available on processors with integrated graphics. Graphics specifications may vary depending on the installed CPU. |
| Operating System Support | Windows® 11 64-bit, Windows® 10 64-bit |
| Bundled Accessories | Wi-Fi antenna, SATA cables, EZ M.2 clips, USB Drive (with drivers), Front panel connector, Cable stickers, Documentation. |
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The **MSI MAG Z790 TOMAHAWK WIFI** serves as a robust and feature-rich ATX motherboard, making it an excellent choice for building a high-performance gaming or workstation PC based on Intel’s 12th, 13th, or 14th generation processors.
While sharing many core features with its “MAX” counterpart, the primary distinction lies in its wireless connectivity: this model utilizes **Intel Wi-Fi 6E**, offering excellent wireless speeds and support for the 6GHz band, though not the very latest Wi-Fi 7 found in the MAX version. It also supports DDR5 memory speeds up to **7200+ MT/s (OC)**.
The motherboard boasts a strong **16+1+1 Duet Rail Power System** with dual 8-pin CPU power connectors, ensuring stable and efficient power delivery for even the most demanding CPUs. Its thermal design includes **Extended Heatsink Design** and **M.2 Shield Frozr** for all M.2 slots, crucial for maintaining optimal performance under heavy loads. The **6-layer PCB with 2oz thickened copper** further enhances stability and signal integrity.
For expansion, it includes a **PCIe 5.0 x16 slot** for the latest graphics cards. Storage is well-covered with **four M.2 slots** (one PCIe 4.0 x4 directly from the CPU, and three PCIe 4.0 x4 from the chipset) and seven SATA 6Gb/s ports, all supporting RAID configurations.
Connectivity options are comprehensive, featuring **2.5Gb Intel Ethernet** and a robust set of USB ports, including a high-speed **USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C (20Gbps)** port. User-friendly features such as the **Pre-installed I/O Shield**, **EZ Debug LED**, and **Flash BIOS Button** contribute to a smooth building and troubleshooting experience. With MSI’s Mystic Light RGB, users can also personalize their system’s aesthetics.
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