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The MSI Z270 Gaming M3 is a well-balanced, cost-effective motherboard that proves itself as a good mid-range Z270 option.
Performance numbers throughout testing were comparable to higher-priced competitors. There was no problem taking our Core i7-7700K to its 4.8GHz Prime-stable limit, thanks in large to MSI's easy-to-navigate UEFI and smart LLC options. The Game Boost overclocking preset also worked well, even if the AVX-loaded frequency of 4.4GHz was a little low for a Core i7-7700K.
MSI's chosen quota of features for the Z270 Gaming M3 includes clear compromise. SLI and high-bandwidth CrossFire support have been put on the chopping block and I think that's a fair move given the unlikelihood of such solutions being partnered with a mid-range Z270 part. With that said, lower-cost competing solutions offer multi-GPU support where MSI does not. Fast USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A and Type-C ports are made available and the M.2 slots support simultaneous usage of PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe SSDs.
RGB lighting is an area where MSI has clearly cut costs. Onboard LEDs are kept to a bare minimum on the Z270 Gaming M3 and only the 4-pin RGB header features a significant level of functionality in the OS-based LED control software.
However, fan control is superb and the distribution of six 4-pin fan headers makes for plentiful options when specifying your chassis cooling requirements. MSI's range of software tools is also very good and will likely provide functionality to several different usage cases.
The MSI Z270 Gaming M3 is available at Overclockers UK for £154.99. This makes it a reasonable option for the price but there are more feature-filled competitors available at a similar price or even lower. That is true even for the products from MSI's own stable, such as the Z270 Gaming Pro Carbon which is only very slightly more expensive, as well as the Z270 SLI Plus that is cheaper.
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Pros:
- Good storage capability – dual PCIe M.2 SSDs plus six SATA devices.
- Fast USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports.
- Game Boost overclocking preset worked well.
- Excellent fan control system with plenty of headers.
- Easy-to-navigate UEFI with straightforward overclocking options.
- Lots of gaming-orientated OS software.
Cons:
- High price for a motherboard without multi-GPU capability.
- Very limited RGB LED capability.
- No 4K60-capable video output may disappoint some users.
KitGuru says: A solid performer with a good overall set of features. A reasonable choice if it suits your needs but more feature-filled options are available at a similar price.
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