MSI Z87A-GD65 Gaming Motherboard Review
Overview
Hardware: CPU & MotherboardsWHAT WE LIKED:
Great Aesthetic Appeal, Overclocking Stability, Feature Rich SoftwareWHAT WE DISLIKED:
The rear panel VGA connector may be a waste, but this is a minor gripe.Discuss in the Forum
Introduction
Haswell has been on store shelves for a little over two weeks now, and we have seen an abundance of motherboard releases. Choosing the right one for your needs is the challenge. Some are looking for pure aesthetics, some are looking for pure performance, and some look for both. Today we are going to take a look at an MSI motherboard to see if it can live up to that last one. We have in for review today the MSI Z87A-GD65 Gaming Edition motherboard. MSI’s release of their gaming series motherboards stood out with both aesthetics and performance during its Z87 chipset series. Today we are going to see if they were able to maintain that same level of performance and aesthetic appeal to capture the widest audience.
To test the MSI Z87A-GD65 Gaming Edition, we are going to use the latest Haswell processor, the Intel i7 4770K. The 4770K works with the lastest Z87 chipset and comes with great performance changes that we are going to put to the test. But, before we do, let’s talk a little bit about MSI.
“Founded in August 1986, MSI has continued to uphold a business philosophy that stresses “Award-winning product quality and outstanding customer service.” MSI specializes in the design and manufacture of motherboards, graphics card, add-on cards, servers/workstations, iPC, barebones, communication devices, CE products, Notebooks, car infotainment products, and All-in-One PC. “Quality Products Create Faithful Customers” is a motto that guides all that we do at MSI. For this reason, MSI goes all out to be the best of the best in research and development.”
Now, let’s talk about this newly developed Z87 Chipset.
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One quick question. MPower or Gamer (color scheme aside)?
Hi Stephen,
When it comes to the MPower, there are allot other factors that can come into play. The MPower does have a beefy Power Phase compared to the Gaming which will be better for overclock, however the gaming still does great as it is… also the MPower has the built in Wifi and Bluetooth. And that is just to name a few of the items, What I would do it take a look at the MPower and see if you will use all of its features. If not, the gaming edition will probably suit your needs. IMO, the gaming edition board will suite 90% of users today and comes with a great price.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for taking the time to answer my question. I’m torn between theses series and the ASUS brand (their software adds a lot of value IMHO). 5 years ago I’d go Gigabyte and call it a day.
Hi Stephen,
No Problem, I can understand what you mean. The software package that is included now a days can play a role into purchasing decisions.
I would say, over the last few years, MSI has done a great job in revamping its design and software. I currently own (on a personal level) 5 MSI Boards for both Intel and AMD platforms. Infact, my MSI AMD APU board has been one of the best I have used.
I currently still own 2 Z77 GD65 boards and both are running my gaming systems without issues. So hope that helps you with your buying decision.
Asus is also a great company, so I wouldn’t discount them all together, but I would compare the features and software vs pricing and see what comes out on top for you.
How important would you say on-board WiFi is? This is really the crunch point for me. Do I pay an extra $60 to get the MPower, when the only additional feature I am likely to use is on-board WiFi?
At the moment I am using a WiFi set up and do play online games.
The Wifi on the Mpower board worked great with no issues during our testing, Wheater its’s worth it will depend on if you have the space to add on a wifi card you need with the GD65 Gaming.
If Wifi is important factor for you, then the Mpower board will suit your needs better. Most Decent Wifi cards now a days will cost upwards of $50+, so having one on board with that little cost and getting a better motherboard is a no brainier.
what about the G45? Any discernible differences between the two? If yes, is the GD65 worth the higher price?
We haven’t reviewed the G45, however based on my comparisons they are rather similar with a few extra SATA ports on the GD65 and some of the onboard power and OC genue features. Otherwise, they are pretty much the same board. So unless you need the extra SATA ports and want the OC Genie Feature button, I would assume they are close in performance.
question would you suggest or recommend this motherboard for gaming or not? if yes would you suggest a spec for gaming with this board.. thanks
This is def. a great gaming motherboard. I can def. see allot of people using this with the i5 4670k and a couple of high end graphics cards. The GTX770 Gaming card or GTX760 will be a great match esp for the price.
Love this board, lots of nice features. Post codes, Power/reboot buttons, OC genie button and 2 setting switch, dual bios.
Overclocking is a breeze with this board, got G.Skill (2x8gb 1600Mhz 1.5v) to 2400 1.605v just by changing the frequency and the voltage, the board handled everything else, same goes with the CPU.