MSI MPG X870E Carbon MAX WIFI Motherboard Review

It has been three years since the AMD AM5 motherboard platform and 600 series motherboards were launched. Since its launch, the platform has launched several CPUs in the Ryzen 7000, Ryzen 8000, and Ryzen 9000 families. While the 600 series motherboards provide great features & compatibility with the newer Zen 5 CPUs, motherboard makers are always looking to improve the user experience through the latest technology, so AMD introduced a new line of chipsets called the 800 series.

Now, AMD has introduced the X870 and B850 series chipsets for high-end and mainstream AM5 motherboards. Both chips provide a fresh design and new features that are sure to entice new AMD builders and existing AM4 users to invest in new motherboards for their gaming and content creation needs.

We receive a ton of motherboards from a variety of manufacturers, so let’s start by taking a look at these updated designs. For this review, we will be testing MSI’s latest AM5 refresh motherboard, which is part of the “MAX” series, the MPG X870E Carbom MAX WIFI.

AMD AM5 platform

AMD’s AM4 platform has been the longest-running modern platform to date, having first been introduced in 2017 and going live in 2025. The company just launched a new chip for the platform, and it looks like it will be around for another year until 2025.

AMD is now launching the 2nd Gen AM5 platform under its new 800 series family. This product line will initially target high-end fans with the X870E and X870 chipsets. The chipset is designed to offer better features, memory IO support, and additional OC features for Ryzen CPUs such as the Zen 5-based “Granite Ridge” family and future Ryzen launches.

Certain aspects that have been improved on AMD X870E & X870 motherboards include:

• USB 4.0 standard on all X870/X870E motherboards
• PCIe Gen5 on Graphics & NVME on all X870/X870E motherboards
• Higher EXPO memory clock support on X870/X870E motherboards

AMD revealed that there will be new PBO and CO algorithms introduced with the Ryzen 9000 CPUs, and these new motherboards will fully support them. Apart from the X870E and X870 motherboards, the company is also planning to introduce B850 & B840 chipsets, which will cater to the mainstream segment. The following is an appearance of the chipset lineup:

• X870E (Cape 21 x2)
• X870 (Cape 21 x1)
• B650 (Cape 21 x1)
• B840 (Cape 19 x1)

So in terms of what each chipset offers, the X870E series will use two Promontory 21 dies on a USB4-enabled motherboard & both support Gen5 GPU/SSD. The X870 (Non-E) will only feature 1 print but maintain the same support in terms of I/O. It’s just that there will be fewer paths.

AMD Chipset Features and Specifications:

These motherboards will feature support for DDR5-5600 MT/s memory speeds natively and transfer speeds of over 8000 MT/s on some of the higher-end motherboards we’ll get in the July timeframe.

AMD B850 motherboards will feature the same Promontory 21 die, without native USB4 support. They will bring Gen5 GPU support, but Gen5 M.2 support is optional. The B840 will be the entry-level option in the series, with the older Promontory 19 dead, meaning you’ll only get Gen4 GPU/SSD support, no CPU overclocking, and only memory overclock support. The price of the B840 motherboard will be very affordable, so it will compete with sub-$200 US options from Intel.

AMD will also have the A620/A620A series which continues its role in serving the entry-level segment. There are plans to offer more price adjustments, making it a great choice for ODMs and system builders to attract more customers.

AMD AM5 Chipset Comparison:

Meet the LGA 1718 Socket – How Long Will This One Last?

As mentioned previously, the reign of the AM4 has finally come to an end, and the AM5 socket is now here. The new socket moves from a PGA (Pin-Grid-Array) design to an LGA (Land-Grid-Array) layout. The new LGA 1718 socket offers more pin connections to the CPU, allowing more communication channels with the board itself and enabling support for the advanced features the new platform offers.

For longevity, AMD has committed to a 2027+ plan for its newest AM5 socket. The AM4 platform is a testament to AMD’s support for its consumers, and although the newer 500 series lineup is not initially available, the company and its partners are working to expand support for older processors on new chipsets and new CPUs on older motherboards. The AM4 platform continues to be the best seller in the Ryzen lineup, but that will change with the introduction of more budget-friendly and feature-rich designs for the AM5 socket, such as the 800 series.

Cooler Compatibility With AM5 Socket

The AMD Ryzen 7000/8000/9000 Desktop CPUs will feature a perfectly square shape (45x45mm), but will house a very thick integrated heat spreader or IHS. The CPU will be the same length, width, and height as existing Ryzen Desktop CPUs and be sealed on all sides, so applying thermal paste will not saturate the inside of the IHS with TIM. That’s also why today’s coolers will be fully compatible with the latest Ryzen CPUs.

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