Product on Review: MPG X670E CARBON WIFI
Manufacturer: MSI
Street Price: GBP £509 | USD $479 | AUD $829

Editor: Tim Harmer

Today we’re continuing our coverage of motherboards based on AMD’s 600-series chipset with a design from Taiwanese component specialists MSI. Having investigated an entry-level X670E motherboard from ASRock and premium entrant form GIGABYTE, it’s time to split the difference by taking a look at the mid-tier MPG X670E CARBON WIFI. With PCI-Express 5.0 signalling support for both discrete GPU and M.2 NVMe SSDs, 18+2+1-phase power delivery, WiFi 6E and of course support for AMD’s new Ryzen 7000-series CPU, the CARBON WIFI is primed to be a popular choice for those looking for a whole system upgrade this holiday season.

AMD’s X670E chipset is the premium platform for Ryzen 7000-series CPUs. Featuring the new AM5 socket, new technologies including PCIe 5.0 graphics and storage, and a host of I/O options through the incorporation of two PCH chips on one motherboard, it underpins a no holds barred solution for gamers and enthusiasts alike. More cost conscious or less demanding end-users can instead opt for X670 or B650 motherboard models, each with a slightly more restrictive set of capabilities for a commensurate reduction in price, but for the true enthusiast X670E is the only game in town..



About MSI’s MPG Series:



Motherboards placed under the umbrella of MSI’s CARBON brand were previously recognised as excellent ‘bang for your buck’ models that didn’t quite sit cleanly in either gaming, mainstream or performance segments and exhibited few aesthetic frills. A stronger identity for the MPG lineup as a whole has funnelled the CARBON motherboards towards a mid-tier performance mainstay that’s typically a choice for gamers who appreciate its predominantly black aesthetics alongside a little flair (including RGB lighting). MSI’s no holds barred models within the current generation remain the province of the performance-oriented MEG X670E lineup, while the sole MAG X670E design caters to a more cost-conscious market.

With that in mind, it certainly seems like the MPG X670E CARBON WIFI has fallen victim to the costs associated with the X670E platform. £500 has historically been expensive for any motherboard (even after taking inflation into account), which means that the product labours somewhat under its branding. CARBON, like MSI’s GAMING moniker, doesn’t feel appropriate at this price point even if its featureset and the X670E landscape as a whole makes it a competitive option.

And one further point: the WiFi moniker is superfluous for X670E at this point. All X670E motherboards come with WiFi 6E as a standard aspect of the chipset, and we’re not fans of the implication that competitor X670E models might not be.

Because make no mistake, £500 certainly is mid-tier for X670E. ATX Motherboards equipped with this chipset start from £300 and rise to eye-watering levels, so in theory the MPG CARBON should offer some of the best value when balancing features and performance. They’re certainly pushing the envelope in terms of power delivery and bolstering the cooling performance out of the box, but a cursory investigation doesn’t make one aspect leap out as a killer feature.

MSI have certainly given themselves an uphill challenge to overcome from the get-go. Lets see how it shapes up with a closer look.