MSI has teased the MEG Z690 Godlike for the past few months, but the company is now giving us the most comprehensive look at one of its headline features: the onboard display. We previously learned from leaks that the LCD measures 3.5 inches across and includes touch support; however, MSI today confirmed that the display is also detachable.
Looking at the video render that MSI posted to Twitter, we see tabs for “Basic” and “Advanced” UI settings. There are also controls for adjusting CPU clock speed and virtual buttons for Safe Boot, Clear CMOS, Shut Down and Restart. Given that the display is detachable, we’d assume that there’s a built-in battery so that you can wirelessly control system settings. Unfortunately, MSI didn’t provide any additional “official” information on the MEG Z690 Godlike.
What did you imagine that MEG Z690 GODLIKE would be like? 🔥 The first motherboard with a built-in touch panel is finally here, which supports system tuning and detached mode. It’s just beyond your imagination! 💥 #Z690GODLIKE #GamingMotherboard pic.twitter.com/RaYhPZOmVuDecember 12, 2021
According to our previous reporting, the MEG Z690 Godlike measures 305 x 310 mm, making it the largest motherboard yet for the best CPUs for gaming. The motherboard also has four DDR5 DIMM slots, six M.2 slots, 10 GbE and 2.5 GbE network ports, eight USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-A) ports, and two USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-C) ports.
It’s expected that there will be at least two versions of the MEG Z690 Godlike released to gaming enthusiasts. A base SKU will reportedly include the MSI PCI-Express Card to enable support for future PCIe 5.0 SSDs. MSI will also offer a more expensive SKU that bundles 32GB of Kingston Fury DDR5-6000 memory and a MEG CoreLiquid S360 CPU cooler.
(Image credit: @9550pro)
Although we don’t have any official pricing information from MSI, rumors suggest that the MEG Z690 Godlike could start at $999. For gamers that have their eyes on the bundle SKU, pricing could start at $1,499 or higher given DDR5 prices and the $279 MSRP of the MEG Core Liquid S360.
Currently, the most expensive MSI Z690 motherboard is the MPG Z690 Carbon WiFi, which retails for $399.99 at Newegg before a $10 rebate card. So, the MEG Z690 Godlike is on an even higher echelon regarding pricing.
Stay tuned for CES 2022, which is what we’re most likely to get the full run-down on the MEG Z690 Godlike and its wealth of features for Alder Lake CPUs.
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Brandon Hill is a senior editor at Tom's Hardware. He has written about PC and Mac tech since the late 1990s with bylines at AnandTech, DailyTech, and Hot Hardware. When he is not consuming copious amounts of tech news, he can be found enjoying the NC mountains or the beach with his wife and two sons.
