Is The Msi Z370 Gaming Plus Worth It?

Final Thoughts

In terms of peripherals, components, and cooling, this board has so many alternatives that if you didn't know the price was just $120, you may imagine it was closer to $160.

If you're on a tight budget but still want a high-quality motherboard, the MSI Z370 GAMING PLUS is a great choice. It lacks high-end features like USB 3.1 Gen2 ports (10Gb/s), but it makes up for it in other ways. Although it lacks certain features, it more than makes up for them in others, so unless your only concern is a cheap but functional Z370 motherboard, you should probably seek elsewhere.

Beginning with cost, the MSI Z370 GAMING PLUS can be purchased for roughly £125/$129 (depending on the country of purchase), which is a very decent price. Yes, some high-end functions were left out in favour of lower prices in order to remain competitive with other firms' budget Coffee Lake-based Z370 motherboards. To put it bluntly, if a motherboard's audio is driven by the less expensive Realtek ALC892 codec rather of the more common Realtek 1220 seen on prior Z270 models, you can be sure that it is focused on value. Given the model's price point, we find it hard to believe that MSI is actually generating a profit off of this product, despite its respectable and intermediate-level features, simple PCB, and red and black aesthetic.

When compared to other boards we have examined, its performance was on par, thus everything seemed to be in working order. For multi-graphics card combinations, users may want to consider more costly and feature-rich boards, but this one should suffice. There are 2 PCIe x16 expansion slots, however only AMD CrossfireX is supported. A PLX chip is not included with this motherboard. There are no USB 3,1 Gen2 ports present either, which I have previously touched on, which is a bit surprising since this is a fresh new platform, but some compromises had to be made in order to keep the cost affordable.

In a market where many companies have opted for more neutral and modest visual adjustments from Z270 to Z370, the solid red and black motif injects some much-needed colour into the gaming industry. I think the design is great, and while the board isn't really RGB, it does have a single RGB header for a little more personalisation.

MSI's Z370 GAMING PLUS is a great option if you're searching for a more affordable method to upgrade to the new Z370 Intel Coffee Lake architecture. The board is decent overall, and it has to be acknowledged! The cost is fair, but perhaps a little pricier than I would like to see, and the design is undoubtedly simple with its red and black motif.

Conclusion

MSi Z370 Gaming Plus is an affordable motherboard that uses Intel's 8th generation Z370 platform. Support for AMD 2-way CrossFireX suggests it might be an excellent choice for someone constructing a low-cost PC. It's cheap, sturdy, and offers a plethora of ports, all without sacrificing quality. MSI Z370 GAMING PLUS is one of the most affordable Z370 variants available. Designed for gamers, rather than those interested in extreme overclockability or multiple graphics cards.

MSI Audio Boost utilises high-end audio components to provide excellent game-altering sound. The board supports up to 64GB of DDR4 memory at speeds of up to DDR-4000 across four available memory slots. It lacks high-end features like USB 3.1 Gen2 ports (10Gb/s), but it makes up for it in other ways. MSI's Z370 GAMING PLUS is a great option if you're searching for a more affordable way to upgrade to the new Z370 Intel Coffee Lake architecture. The board is decent overall, and it has to be acknowledged! The cost is fair, but perhaps a little pricier than I would like to see.

Content Summary

• When picking a motherboard, everyone wants the most performance for their dollar.
• The MSI Z370 Gaming Plus is packed with useful extras, but if you're on the hunt for a cheap board that still delivers solid performance, you might want to look elsewhere.
• If you're ready to replace your old computer, the MSI Z370 Gaming Plus is a fantastic option.
• It's cheap, sturdy, and offers a plethora of ports, all without sacrificing quality.
• Most cutting-edge features can be obtained on other motherboards in the same price range, therefore the motherboard itself is very typical.
• The MSI Z370 Gaming Plus is compatible with all of your existing hardware as well as any future components that may be released, regardless of whether they are based on the AMD or Intel microarchitectures.
• Introduction To Msi Z370 Gaming PlusWhen spec'ing out a final build, the difference between a midrange and highend graphics card may be the deciding factor between a budget and highend board.
• One part of MSI's marketing approach for its gaming goods is to give customers inexpensive and feature-rich hardware that is also rock solid in its reliability.
• Today we're taking a look at the MSI Z370 GAMING PLUS, an affordable motherboard that uses Intel's 8th generation Z370 chipset.
• This board's compatibility for AMD 2-way CrossFireX suggests it might be an excellent choice for someone constructing a low-cost PC on a popular chipset like the Z370 platform.
• Supporting Intel's 8th generation Coffee Lake CPUs, the MSI Z370 Gaming Plus motherboard is a regular ATX board with the LGA1151 socket.
• Z370 series motherboards include an LGA1151 socket, although they are not compatible with older Intel CPUs like Kaby Lake or Skylake.
• The MSI Z370 features four RAM slots and can accommodate up to 64GB of DDR4 RAM with speeds ranging from 2133MHz to 4000MHz in a dual-channel setup.
• Two PCI Express 3.0 x16 slots and four PCI Express x1 slots are also provided.
• There are six SATA III ports and one M.2 slot on this motherboard, and it is compatible with storage devices using the 2242, 2260, 2280, and 22110 interface standards and with Intel Optane memory.
• Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)Slots2 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slots (Modes: 16, 4)4 x PCIe 3.0 x1 slotOnboard Graphics1 x DVI-D1 x D-Sub1 x Displayport™ port (1.2)Multi-GPUSupports 2-Way AMD® CrossFire™ TechnologyStorageIntel® Z370 Chipset6 x SATA 6Gb/s ports1 x M.2 slot (Supports Intel Optane Memory – 8th Gen Processor required)RAIDIntel® Z370 Chipset– Supports RAID 0, RAID1, RAID 5 and RAID 10 for SATA storage devicesAudioRealtek ALC 892 Codec– 7.1-Channel High Definition AudioLAN 1 x Intel i219 Gigabit LAN controllerBack Panel I/O Ports– 1 x PS/2 mouse/keyboard combo port– 2 x USB 2.0 ports– 1 x VGA port– 1 x DVI-D port– 1 x DisplayPort port– 1 x LAN (RJ45) port– 4 x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A ports– 6 x OFC audio jacksDimension12 inch x 9.6 inch (30.5 cm x 24.4 cm)ATX Form FactorFeaturesWith everything out of the way, what are you actually receiving with this board now that we've covered the technical details?It's a motherboard, therefore... An excellent motherboard with many features and a low price tag of $120.Sound That Pulls You Into The GameMaximize your gaming experience with the best audio.
• MSI Audio Boost utilises high-end audio components to provide excellent sound.
• This enables you to experience magnificent, game-altering sound, allowing you to make the most engaging games possible.
• SoftwareApps To Greatly Improve EfficiencyThe best tools, developed by experts with years of expertise making efficient software, are at your disposal.
• Take use of your motherboard's full potential with the help of these accessories and dominate the competition.
• MemoryUnmatched Memory PerformanceMSI motherboards are loaded with features that boost the speed, overclockability, and stability of your gaming rig's RAM.MS​​I Z370 GAMING PLUS Closer LookThe Z370 GAMING PLUS is one of the most affordable Z370 variants available; its design prioritises performance and value for gamers rather than those interested in extreme overclocking or running multiple graphics cards in SLI.
• The board supports up to 64GB of DDR4 memory at speeds of up to DDR-4000 across four available memory slots.
• When compared to the prior generation of models, in which only the most overclocking-focused boards were capable of running memory at 4000MHz and higher, this is a major gain.
• There is only one M.2 slot on the board, located above the primary PCIe x16 3.0 slot, since 6 SATA 6Gb/s ports should be more than enough for most customers.
• Please be aware that owing to bandwidth requirements, its use will prevent you from using the SATA1 slot on your motherboard.
• Final ThoughtsIn terms of peripherals, components, and cooling, this board has so many alternatives that if you didn't know the price was just $120, you may imagine it was closer to $160.If you're on a tight budget but still want a high-quality motherboard, the MSI Z370 GAMING PLUS is a great choice.
• It lacks high-end features like USB 3.1 Gen2 ports (10Gb/s), but it makes up for it in other ways.
• Although it lacks certain features, it more than makes up for them in others, so unless your only concern is a cheap but functional Z370 motherboard, you should probably seek elsewhere.
• Beginning with cost, the MSI Z370 GAMING PLUS can be purchased for roughly £125/$129 (depending on the country of purchase), which is a very decent price.
• Yes, some high-end functions were left out in favour of lower prices in order to remain competitive with other firms' budget Coffee Lake-based Z370 motherboards.
• To put it bluntly, if a motherboard's audio is driven by the less expensive Realtek ALC892 codec rather of the more common Realtek 1220 seen on prior Z270 models, you can be sure that it is focused on value.
• Given the model's price point, we find it hard to believe that MSI is actually generating a profit off of this product, despite its respectable and intermediate-level features, simple PCB, and red and black aesthetic.
• When compared to other boards we have examined, its performance was on par, thus everything seemed to be in working order.
• For multi-graphics card combinations, users may want to consider more costly and feature-rich boards, but this one should suffice.
• There are 2 PCIe x16 expansion slots, however only AMD CrossfireX is supported.
• A PLX chip is not included with this motherboard.
• There are no USB 3,1 Gen2 ports present either, which I have previously touched on, which is a bit surprising since this is a fresh new platform, but some compromises had to be made in order to keep the cost affordable.
• In a market where many companies have opted for more neutral and modest visual adjustments from Z270 to Z370, the solid red and black motif injects some much-needed colour into the gaming industry.
• I think the design is great, and while the board isn't really RGB, it does have a single RGB header for a little more personalisation.
• MSI's Z370 GAMING PLUS is a great option if you're searching for a more affordable method to upgrade to the new Z370 Intel Coffee Lake architecture.
• The board is decent overall, and it has to be acknowledged!
• The cost is fair, but perhaps a little pricier than I would like to see, and the design is undoubtedly simple with its red and black motif.