MSI Z890 Godlike Motherboard Review: All the features for all the money

Motherboards come in all shapes, sizes, and price points. Over the years, and through this latest generation for Intel, we have reviewed dozens of models, ranging from Mini-ITX to E-ATX and from sub-$100 to over $1,000. Today, we’re on the high end of the spectrum—the highest, actually—with the MSI MEG Z890 Godlike. Priced at $1,329, it’s the most expensive consumer-focused motherboard I can remember. This flagship model features top-of-the-line components and boasts a premium appearance, making it the perfect centerpiece for your showcase build.

Hardware-wise, you do get the best of the best, including the most robust power delivery for the platform, 10 GbE and Wi-Fi 7, a premium audio solution with an integrated DAC, ample storage with eight M.2 sockets (M.2 Xpander-z Slider Gen 5), a Thunderbolt 5 card, and an EZ Control Hub for fans and lighting. If you sift through the additional details, you’re almost certain to find the kitchen sink. In addition to the hardware, you get MSI’s updated Click BIOS X and several “EZ” features, including EZ Link and Ai Overclocking.

Below, we’ll examine the board's details and determine whether it deserves a spot on our Best Motherboards list. However, before we share the test results and discuss the details, the specifications from MSI’s site are listed below.

Specifications of the MSI MEG Z890 Godlike

Inside the Box…

Inside the large motherboard box, you'll find a bunch of extras. Some, like the M.2 Xpander-z Slider Gen5 card, Thunderbolt 5 card, and the Wi-Fi antenna, are snug in foam padding. The rest—cables, stickers, guides, and whatnot—are packed in a separate box.

• M.2 Xpander-z Slider Gen5 AIC
• Thunderbolt 5 AIC
• EZ Control Hub
• USB drive (drivers)
• EZ Wi-Fi Antenna
• EZ M.2 Clips II Remover
• 1 to 3 ARGB G2 extension cable
• 1 to RGB extension cable
• 1 to 3 EZ Conn-Cable (V2)
• EZ Link Cable
• EZ Control Hub SATA power cable
• M.2 Xpander card fan control cable
• Thunderbolt 5 header cable
• EZ Front Panel cable
• (4) SATA cables
• (2) Thermistor cables
• M.2 Xpander card thermal pads
• M.2 screw and standoff set
• EZ Control Hb screw seets
• Cable stickers
• Flyer/installation guide/EU regulatory notice

Image 1 of 2

Design of the Z890 Godlike

Image 1 of 3

The Z890 Godlike certainly looks the part of a flagship motherboard. Nearly all of the matte-black 10-layer PCB is covered by shrouds and heatsinks or the EZ Bridge. On top of the VRM heatsink is one of three RGB features, this one sporting the MSI Dragon. On top of the EZ Bridge is a 3.99-inch full-color TFT offering several features, including real-time hardware monitoring, troubleshooting, BIOS update status, and clock display. You can also personalize it with your own image.

The bottom is covered in plate-style heatsinks with a powder-coat finish, along with grooves for increased thermal dissipation. The top M.2 heatsink and chipset also feature RGB lighting. Overall, the board exudes a premium vibe, and the all-black look is sure to blend in with most builds, while the Dynamic Dashboard III feature sets it apart from others.

Focusing on the top half of the board, we gain a clearer view of the RGB feature and the VRM heatsink, which features a wavy fin design and a direct-touch cross-heatpipe. This design, in part, comprises the Frozr design, which also includes the backplate, thermal pads, and other components. There’s plenty of mass and surface area to keep the high-end power delivery components running cool, no matter which processor and what overclock you’re using.

To the right of the CPU socket are four DRAM slots with a locking mechanism on the bottom side only. MSI lists support for up to 256GB of DDR5 RAM with speeds up to 9200+ MT/s. We had no issues running our DDR5-8200 kit during testing, and I’m sure the board will reach advertised speeds with the proper kit and chip.

MSI’s EZ Bridge consolidates multiple headers and connectors into a single area. With all headers on one side, it creates a more organized cluster of cables, as opposed to having them scattered across the board. At the top are the two front-panel headers, the hub connection, dual 2-pin thermistor headers, tuning controller header, EZConn header, and a USB 2.0 header. At the bottom, there are a total of three fan headers, an ATX and PD Power Connector (up to 60W for the motherboard), a front-panel 20 Gbps USB Type-C header, and an additional Type-C connector for front-panel Thunderbolt 4 support.

For most users, the three available 4-pin fan headers won’t be sufficient. But don’t fret, as MSI includes the EZ Control Hub with seven additional fan headers, a 3-pin water flow header, two 3-pin ARGB headers, and a single 4-pin RGB header. The Sys fan headers output 1A/12W, the CPU Fan header 2A/24W, and the two pump headers each output 3A/36W. If you find yourself short on power or headers, you may want to re-evaluate your needs. MSI's EZ Bridge streamlines cable management by grouping numerous headers and connectors on one side of the motherboard. This creates a concentrated (albeit busy) area for connections, which can be more organized than a scattered set of headers.

This consolidated section includes: two front panel headers, the hub connection, two 2-pin thermistor headers, a tuning controller header, an EZConn header, and a USB 2.0 header. Located along the bottom edge are three fan headers, an ATX and PD Power Connector (supporting up to 60W for the board), a front panel 20 Gbps USB Type-C header, and another Type-C connector enabling front panel Thunderbolt 4.

Power delivery on this board is one of the ‘Godlike’ features. Totaling a whopping 30 phases, MSI splits off 26 dedicated to Vcore. Power heads from the two 8-pin EPS connectors at the top of the board onto the Renesas RAA229131 PWM controller. Power then goes to the 26 Renesas R2209004 110A SPS MOSFETs in a Deut Rail configuration. Some napkin math yields 2,860A available to Vcore, which is enough to support any overclocking adventure, even sub-ambient sessions. You’ll get everything the chip will give you with this board.

Image 1 of 1

On the bottom half of the board, on the left and hidden under metal shrouds, is the flagship Realtek ALC4082 audio codec. Supporting the codec is the ESS9219Q DAC/HBA Combo. This is one of the best native audio solutions available; anything better will come from a discrete sound card.

In the middle of the board are two full-length PCIe slots and a single x4 slot. The top two slots are reinforced and PCIe 5.0-capable. The top slot supports up to PCIe 5.0 x16, while the bottom slot supports up to x8. Anytime the bottom slot is in use, the top slot drops to x8. When using the Xpander-x Slider Gen5 card in that slot, it splits to 5.0 x4/x4. If you have an M.2 drive in M.2_6, the second slot runs at 5.0 x4. You can configure the lanes in the BIOS (Advanced> PCIe Subsystem settings). Lastly, the bottom x4 slot operates at PCIe 4.0 speeds and connects directly through the chipset.

Hiding underneath plate heatsinks and one slightly larger heatsink are six M.2 sockets. M.2_1 hides under the RGB-topped heatsink and runs at PCIe 5.0 x4 (218 Gbps). M.2_2-5 are all PCIe 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps). M.2_5 also supports SATA- based M.2 modules. M.2_6 is unique, as it connects through the chipset and CPU, running up to PCIe 5.0 x4. If, somehow, these six M.2 sockets aren' t enough, the included M.2 Xpander-z Slider Gen5 card adds two more PCIe 5. 0 x 4- capable sockets. I like how the board separates the generally hot-running PCIe 5.0 M.2s, with the second on the bottom and not tucked directly under a video card.

Along the right edge are several more headers, including two 19-pin USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps) for USB, and another PCIe 6+2 pin for additional board/PCIe power. Next to that are the four SATA ports, a USB 2.0 header, and finally, the front-panel audio. If you're wondering where some connectivity is, it's probably along the right edge.

While an overwhelming majority of headers and connectivity run down the entire right edge, there are still some other headers and switches along the bottom. You'll find things like the TB 5 header, LED and BIOS switches, and even a couple for extreme overclocking. Below is a complete list, from left to right.

• Reset and Power jumpers
• Thunderbolt 5 header
• Dashboard/LED/BIOS switches
• TPM header
• Power LED 1
• Slow Mode/LN2
• Battery
• OC retry button connector
• Safe boot jumper

Looking at the rear IO, the first thing that jumped out to me is the copious number of USB ports. You can connect just about anything back here, including the fast Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gbps) Type-C. In the middle are three convenience buttons (Flash BIOS, Clear CMOS, Smart Button), Marvell 10 GbE and Killer 5 GbE ports, Killer-based Wi-Fi antenna connections, and last, the 2-plug plus SPDIF audio stack.

Although it’s not part of the rear IO the included Thunderbolt 5 accessory card adds even faster ports to the back of the PC. Boasting 160 Gbps transmission speeds (120/40) it’s the fastest port around. The two DisplayPorts support multiple 8K external displays and 27W charging power. What’s missing?

MORE: Best Motherboards

MORE: How To Choose A Motherboard

MORE: All Motherboard Content