MSI B150M Night Elf and Z170I GAMING PRO AC Motherboards Unveiled
MSI is quite serious with their motherboard offerings for their gaming lineup, now including two new solutions with smaller form factors. The B150M NIGHT ELF and Z170I GAMING PRO AC mainboards are micro-ATX and mini-ITX mainboards that feature the latest in MSI’s gaming technology and provides performance conveniences that smartly utilize such a small space. Both use an Intel i219V PHY network solution for fast Gigabit Ethernet gaming, although the Z170I Gaming PRO sports an additional dual-band 802.11AC 8260 WiFi module for maximum portability.
Small size, great gaming …Introducing the B150M NIGHT ELF and Z170I GAMING PRO AC
A great gaming rig doesn’t have to be large anymore. The Z170I GAMING PRO AC is the next-generation ITX GAMING model featuring Wi-Fi AC while the B150M NIGHT ELF motherboard is the unique mATX GAMING choice featuring an imprinted NO.1 IN GAMING RED LED highlight to add style to gaming. The new B150M NIGHT ELF and Z170I GAMING PRO AC motherboards are the perfect foundation for a portable yet powerful system. MSI managed to pack the most advanced gaming features into these small sized powerhouses, ideal for gamers on the go.
B150M NIGHT ELF
The B150M NIGHT ELF has gaming in its looks but also in its DNA. This Micro-ATX motherboard is based on the Intel B150 chipset supporting 6th Gen Intel Core processors for LGA1151, combined with four DDR4 memory slots. DDR4 Boost technology provides maximum stability and compatibility while also improving memory performance. No more broken PCI-Express slots because of heavy high-end graphics cards, the Steel Armor reinforced slot can handle even the most extreme models. MSI Gaming LAN ensures lagfree gaming by automatically prioritizing games above other applications. The motherboard is also equipped with Audio Boost 3 technology for studio grade sound quality using an EMI-shielded HD audio processor and an isolated PCB for crystal clear audio. The red LED illumination makes the Night Elf a real eye-catcher in any gaming system.
Z170I GAMING PRO AC
When looking for an even smaller form factor gaming solution, the new Z170I GAMING PRO AC motherboard is the perfect choice. This full-featured Mini-ITX motherboard supports 6th Gen Intel Core processors for LGA1151 and comes with all the powerful features of the Intel Z170 chipset. By clever use of the back of the motherboard, the Z170I GAMING PRO AC is equipped with both SATA Express and Turbo M.2 for blazing fast storage solutions with speeds up to 32 Gb/s.
MSI even managed to add dual-antenna Intel Wi-Fi next to MSI GAMING LAN, supporting the newest 802.11 AC wireless standard which is capable of speeds up to 867 Mbps. The board is also great for multi-media applications thanks to DPC Latency Tuner, a convenient tool that helps you to optimize your PC settings to get a smooth audio/video playback and a fast responding system. USB Audio Power PRO delivers stable 5V power to a gold plated USB port to get the maximum performance out of your USB audio devices.
Specifications:
B150M NIGHT ELF | Z170I GAMING PRO AC | |
---|---|---|
CPU support | Supports 6th Gen Intel® Core® i3/i5/i7, Pentium® and Celeron® processors for Socket LGA1151 | Supports 6th Gen Intel® Core® i3/i5/i7, Pentium® and Celeron® processors for Socket LGA1151 |
Chipset | Intel® B150 | Intel® Z170 |
Network | Intel® I219 Gigabit Ethernet | Intel® I219 Gigabit Ethernet, Intel® DualBand Wireless-AC 8260 |
Storage | 6x SATA 6Gb/s | 1x M.2 32 Gb/s, 1x SATAe 10 Gb/s, 4x SATA 6Gb/s |
Display interface | 1x DVI-D | 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort |
Connectivity | 2x PCI-E 3.0 x16 (supports x16/x4 mode), 2x PCI-E 3.0 x1, 6x USB 3.1 Gen1, 6x USB 2.0, 8-channel Audio | 1x PCI-E 3.0 x16, 6x USB 3.1 Gen1, 5x USB 2.0, 8-channel Audio |