If you want to build using Intel's Z390 platform in an mATX form factor this is really the only motherboard to consider. The rest are missing features or options that are inexcusable oversights on a Z390 platform.
The MSI MPG Z390M Gaming Edge is well laid out and includes all the bells and whistles. A better audio chipset and audio ports than the other mATX offerings, built in Intel AC 9560 Wifi (Asus being the only other to include Wifi) and larger heatsinks on the components around the CPU (the ASRock is especially pathetic in this regard). It also has 3 case fan headers.
My build is:
* i7-9700k
* MSI MPG Z390M Gaming Edge
* Be Quiet Dark Rock Pro 4 CPU cooler
* Grizzly Kryonaut thermal paste
* Corsair LPX 32GB DDR4 3200Mhz RAM (CMK32GX4M2B3200C16)
* MSI RTX 2080 Duke GPU
* 1TB Samsung Evo 970 m.2 NVMe SSD
* Seasonic FOCUS Plus 850watt Platinum PSU (SSR-850PX)
* Fractal Design Mini C mATX Silent Case (no window)
* 4x Be Quiet Silentwings 3 PWM 120mm Case fans (BL066)
* 2x Be Quiet Silentwings 3 PWM 140mm Case fans (BL067)
* 2x DeepCool 1 to 4 Fan hubs.
* Dell 2716DGR 27" 1440p 144Hz G-Sync Monitor
I have the i7-9700k overclocked to 5Ghz, the GPU overclocked using OC Scanner on the cores and +1000Mhz on the RAM. I am scoring in the 11,400 range on 3d Mark Time Spy (places me in the top 100 of people using the 9700k + 1x RTX 2080).
The BIOS/UEFI MSI uses is intuitive, informative and looks pretty good. If you have not used an MSI board you should seek out some images or videos of their BIOS. The top displays things like temps, CPU and RAM speeds and boot device priority. They have a built in option to take screenshots (and store them to a USB stick) directly in the BIOS. They have ~10 profiles for storing various OC's/BIOs settings which is handy for switching between OC's for benchmarking, Gaming, everyday use and tweaking OC's without loosing previously working settings.
The typical settings are easy to work with, the OC settings are nicely laid out and the graphical Hardware monitoring section is awesome. It has graphs per fan (CPU, Pump, Chassis 1/2/3) and makes adjusting fan curves and settings easy.
Overall, its super stable. I have not seen any sign of issues related to the UEFI/BIOS. It just works.
Lastly, placement is important especially when dealing with smaller form factors. Mounting the CPU was pretty easy. The RAM slots are far enough away that even my massive cooler fit without issue. Ports and headers on the motherboard are in locations that can be easily reached and are not blocked by addin cards or the CPU cooler. I like that the 1st m.2 port is above the first PCIe slot (which would most likely and in my case has a GPU in it). This way its not just pumping out heat right under the GPU. The 2nd m.2 is at the lower end of the board leaving it out of the way in single GPU setups.
I like that they didn't situate the PCIe slots x16, 1x, 1x, x16 as well. If your planning on a dual GPU setup this might be a problem, but for me it meant that with a single GPU in, a 1x slot was still usable (which I am using an expansion card in). I also appreciate that they didn't put any headers around the 1st PCIe slot or in the middle of the board. No wires running over or across the GPU thanks to this.
Overall, this is the best quality and feature rich option for Z390 in an mATX form factor. The other 3 currently available options at this time all have compromises at best or are plain bad. Sure it costs a little more than the other options, but at roughly $175 its not really breaking the bank either.
I would highly recommend this board for those looking to build Z390 in an mATX form factor.
UPDATE (5/6/2019): I have been very happy with the board over the last few months. The only complaint I have is regarding BIOS updates. It appears that all modifications/customization are lost on update. Further, saved profiles are not compatible version to version. For some this may not be a big issue but I am using the fan curves, overclocking, secure boot, etc. and its all lost on update. Very frustrating. At this stage I have to snap a handful of pics of my settings before applying an update and then spend ~10 mins post update to reconfigure everything properly.
Otherwise its stable and works as needed.
| Processor | pentium |
|---|---|
| RAM | DDR4 |
| Memory Speed | 2400 MHz |
| Wireless Type | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac |
