MSI announced a trio of new 200 Series 'OPT BOOST' motherboards that will be bundled with a pre-installed 16GB Intel Optane Memory module. The company said the addition of the Optane Memory not only boosts hard drive performance but also represents an added $50 value for free.
Those of you who are unsure of the benefits of a bundle such as this need only read our Intel Optane Memory review to get caught up to speed. From our review:
The main component is an SSD that comes bristling not only with the hottest new memory technology, but also a combination of protocols, hardware, and software work together to transform Optane Memory into a caching solution, primarily for HDDs. For the uninitiated, caching learns your usage patterns and stores frequently-accessed data on a faster storage device to speed up boot times, application loading, and many other aspects of overall system performance.
In case you are wondering, this isn't MSI just tossing a 16GB Intel Optane Memory module in the box and calling it good. The company actually added a dedicated M.2 slot to two of the announced motherboards for the Optane Memory module, leaving an open M.2 slot available for PCIe SSD storage. The Z270 Tomahawk OPT BOOST is a full sized ATX motherboard with support for multiple GPUs by way of three PCI-E x16 slots. The B250M Bazooka OPT BOOST is an mATX motherboard with a single PCI-E x16 slot. Although it was also announced, no information is current available on the B250M PRO OPT BOOST motherboard.
MSI recommends updating your compatible MSI 200 series motherboards to the latest BIOS version before use.
Information on pricing and availability was not available at press time.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Z270 Tomahawk OPT BOOST | B250M Bazooka OPT BOOST |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | 1151 | 1151 |
| Chipset | Intel Z270 Chipset | Intel B250 Chipset |
| DDR4Memory | 3800(OC) / 3600(OC) / 3200(OC) / 3000(OC) / 2800(OC) / 2600(OC) / 2400 / 2133 MHz | 2400 / 2133 MHz |
| MemoryChannel | Dual | Dual |
| DIMM Slots | 4 | 4 |
| Max Memory | 64GB | 64GB |
| PCI-E x16 | 3 | 1 |
| PCI-E x1 | 3 | 2 |
| SATA III | 6 | 6 |
| M.2 Slot | 2 | 2 |
| TPM Header | 1 | 1 |
| LAN | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 |
| Rear I/O | DVI-D, HDMI, Realtek ALC892 Codec, x1 USB 3.1 (Gen2, Type A), x1 USB 3.1 (Gen2, Type C), x4 USB 3.1 (Gen1, Type A), x2 USB 2.0 | DVI-D, HDMI, Realtek ALC892 Codec, x3 USB 3.1 (Gen1, Type A) 1x USB 3.1 (Gen1, Type C), x2 USB 2.0 |
| CrossFire /SLI | Yes | No |
| Form Factor | ATX | mATX |
