MSI X99S MPower Motherboard Review

We measured the power consumption with the system resting at the Windows 7 desktop, representing idle values.

The power consumption of our entire test system (at the wall) is measured while loading only the CPU using Prime95′s in-place large FFTs setting. The rest of the system’s components were operating in their idle states, hence the increased power consumption values (in comparison to the idle figures) are largely related to the load on the CPU and motherboard power delivery components.

Power consumption numbers for the stock-clocked X99S MPower are positive. The overclocking-geared board shows its efficiency and voltage-control capacity by undercutting the power consumption levels of Asus' X99-A. Gigabyte's excellent CPU power delivery system on the X99-UD4 still wins on the energy usage front, however.

That outlook changes when overclocking is added into the equation. While load power consumption numbers are where we would expect them to be, idle levels are significantly higher than the competition that uses almost identical settings. This is due to a static voltage level being applied to the MPower, and the CPU power controller maintaining that BIOS-set level even during periods of low CPU load.

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