MSI Previews 100-Series Motherboards Beside RGB-Lit X99A "Godlike Gaming"

By Thomas Soderstrom
last updated

While many of our readers continue to ask questions about Intel's sixth-generation platform, MSI was trying to steal the show by flaunting its RGB LED X99A Godlike Gaming motherboard at the front of the booth.

A phone app controls the "Godlike Gaming's" lighting, while aluminum frames add rigidity to PCIe x16 slots. We'll let you guess which of these two features make the board a better-functioning product, and which simply adds flair.

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Header Cell - Column 0 Z170A-G45-GamingB150M Pro-VDZ170A-G43B150M Pro-VDHZ170A PC Mate
Form FactorATXMicro ATXATXMicro ATXATX
Expansion Slots3x x16, 4x x11x x16, 2x x12x x16*, 2x x1, 3x PCI2x x16*, 1x x12x x16*, 2x x1, 3x PCI
Memory Slots4x DDR42x DDR3L4x DDR42x DDR34x DDR4
Storage1x 32 Gb/s 6x 6 Gb/s (2 for SATA-E)6x 6 Gb/s (2 for SATA-E)6x 6 Gb/s (2 for SATA-E)6x 6 Gb/s (2 for SATA-E)1x 32 Gb/s 6x 6 Gb/s (2 for SATA-E)
Rear USBRow 4 - Cell 1 4x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.02x USB 3.1, 4x 3.0, 2x USB 2.04x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.06x USB 3.0
VideoRow 5 - Cell 1 DVI, VGADVI, VGA, HDMIDVI, VGADVI, VGA, DisplayPort
AudioRow 6 - Cell 1 3 Analog5 Analog, 1 Optical3 Analog5 Analog, 1 Optical
Network2x Gig-E, 1x 867 Mbit Wi-Fi1x Gig-E1x Gig-E1x Gig-E1x Gig-E
*unspecified lane count
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The design of its other boards helped us to confirm the extra four PCIe 3.0 lanes of the Skylake integrated PCIe controller. While the enthusiast-grade Z170A-G45 Gaming shows PCI-Express switches for setting SLI-enabling x8-x8 mode, MSI only confirmed CrossFire capability for lower-priced models. Unlike SLI, AMD CrossFire can run on x4 slots.

Thomas Soderstrom
Thomas Soderstrom
Thomas Soderstrom is a Senior Staff Editor at Tom's Hardware US. He tests and reviews cases, cooling, memory and motherboards.
24 Comments Comment from the forums
  • 3ogdy
    Godlike....Jesus H Christ. What's next? Bible-Z-Power? CondomStrength-X?
    MSI G-Zus' E-ster? The Sacredblood competing with Sabertooh?
    Put a Devil's Canyon on a Pope's PowerLight 2016? Let's hope they won't have children.
    MSI 6-5P0T? The FL35HL16HT 4 (in collaboration with) YO'MOMMA stick?

    Introducing the new gaming seat from MSI: The Rectum Z! The ultimate X-perience!

    FFS...

    Seriously now,
    What if I happen to have boot problems or lag while gaming on that motherboard? Does that mean GOD doesn't LIKE me?
    What does it mean if there's a better board around? That God is gaming on bullshit hardware? I bet God can game better, right?

    And isn't it strange that it's nothing but a GodLike motherboard that's using the 2 most typical colors from hell - red and black? Wasn't heaven supposed to be white and all that?
    Reply
  • PlowHouse
    @3ogdy, Thank you for this lol... Great comment to start the morning.
    Reply
  • Larry Litmanen
    MSI G-Zus' E-ster?..

    That's a good one.
    Reply
  • eklipz330
    i can imagine the 14yo who would purchase this
    Reply
  • gio2vanni86
    Be nice if they continue this onto skylake. I'm quite interested in the lighting scheme the board has, that is just wicked cool.
    Reply
  • josejones
    ha ha, why on earth do they still have VGA and USB 2.0 ... how stupid.
    Reply
  • TechyInAZ
    ha ha, why on earth do they still have VGA and USB 2.0 ... how stupid.

    I would have to agree on the vga part. Sure, it's good to have compatibility on older monitors however VGA only monitors are so far in the past now that it's strange to have it on board.

    As for USB 2.0, we NEED usb 2.0 still. New gaming mice and keyboards are still usb 2.0. I have a new corsair vengeance headset that absolutely hates being in a USB 3.0, but loves a usb 2.0 port.
    Reply
  • nukemaster
    ha ha, why on earth do they still have VGA and USB 2.0 ... how stupid.

    In some parts of the world, you still see plenty of VGA monitors(not everyone one replaces something that works just fine.). To add to this, some TV's still have VGA in(I know it means not bluray, but yeah).

    Less than a year ago I was using VGA input for second system. Guess what it looked just fine(even at 1920 x 1200). A very tiny bit less sharp on small text, but un-noticable in video or even games. I should have just threw it out because it was out of style right?

    USB 3.0 does not work with quite a bit of hardware. I mean my capture card will not even be seen on a 3.0 port.
    Reply
  • Frozen Fractal
    FOR 3 YEARS +
    WARNING: CHOCKING HAZARD, SMALL PARTS. NOT FOR CHILDREN UNDER 3 YEARS.

    seriously???????????????????
    RGB lighting on a mobo????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    what on earth is this??? Or should I be saying "what on cosmos is this (since it is GODLIKE you know)"
    I mean, okay, we like RGB lighting on our builds, and pc parts, but this is just ridiculous. It makes it look like nothing more than a 3 year old's toy.


    And that IO cover, WHAT ON EARTH IS WRONG WITH MSI?????? That thing is simply plain writing, no design, no nothing, like someone thought putting "GODLIKE" in Calibri font a great idea, (microsoft office word style, no design, just plain white screen). Hell, even Tom's Hardware's website looks better than this GODLIKE mobo.

    I don't know about others, but if MSI doesn't bring to the final sample of this mobo any good design (and GOD!, please remove this RGB lighting, it looks gooey) they are sure to lose a customer.

    EDIT: I like X99A Gaming 9 AC(K) way way way way way way way way way way way way (and I just can keep saying that) better. It is aesthetically very profound than this gooey looking GODLIKE (GOD, why did MSI defamed the god himself!) motherboard, and is very, {VERY x (VERY) } cool. MSI could've included RGB lighting beneath a matte white plexi on the PCH, VRM Heatsink for a nice glow, or around the PCH heatsink, VRM heatsink and along the audio isolation sheild for a proper aesthetics. I think MSI's R&D failed themselves on this. BOOOOO!!!!! :kaola:
    Reply
  • Bimo Pradana
    Nope. Will choose Asrock z170, better feature and design tho..
    Reply