I would also like to note the odd results in WPrime 1024. Since we first started testing the new Alder Lake CPUs, the WPrime 1024 results seemed a bit off now with some updates, and they’re more in line with what we were expecting. Gaming Tests Above the DRAM slots are 4-pin fan headers and RGB headers. In this location, there are CPU_FAN1 and PUMP_FAN1 headers, plus six others on the board for a total of eight. All headers support both PWM and DC-controlled fans. CPU_FAN1 defaults to auto control and outputs up to 2A/24W. PUMP_FAN1 defaults to PWM mode and outputs up to 3A/36W, while the SYS_FAN1-6 headers default to DC mode and output 1A/12W. There are plenty of headers and power to support your cooling ecosystem through the board. You can control the fans through the BIOS as well as MSI’s Center software. Our memory tests show that the different RAM generations make little difference in the CPU and FPU tests aside from Photoworx, which appears to get a significant boost from the extra bandwidth. The DDR5 also had an advantage in the memory benchmark with increased bandwidth but sacrificed latency by nearly 30 ns compared to the EDGE. Looking at the two DDR4 options, the MPG Z690 EDGE pulled ahead in most tests, but the gains are marginal. Real-World Tests Cinebench, Corona, and 7Zip Benchmarks Cinebench R11.5/R15, POVRay, x265 (HWBot), 7Zip – Raw Data Using USB 3.2 devices has never been faster! MPG Z690 series motherboards offer a wide variety of options to connect and boost your USB devices, offering never before seen USB speeds up to 20Gb/s when connecting the Rear USB Type-C. Across the bottom are a ton of headers. We’ll just put these in a bulleted list for ease of reading (from Left to Right).

Next to the CPU and PUMP fan headers are two RGB headers. There are two 3-pin ARGB headers here, while on the bottom edge of the board is a 4-pin RGB and a third 3-pin ARGB. If the RGB lighting on the board isn’t enough, use these to light up your chassis and MSI’s Mystic Light software to control the lightshow. The MPG series from MSI sits at the higher end of their products but is still quite affordable. The z690 EDGE we have here today is a sleek-looking motherboard and appears to be well equipped so let’s dive in. Specifications and FeaturesThe Z690 EDGE WIFI has four DIMM slots that support up to 128 GB of dual-channel non-ECC, unbuffered memory with speeds up to 5200 MHz. However, the highest-rated kit on the QVL is 5133 MHz single rank memory using one DIMM per channel. We first saw Gear settings with the eleventh-generation Intel CPU, which controls the IMC (internal memory controller) speed. With an updated BIOS, we were able to run our i9 12900K sample at DDR4 4000 MHz in Gear1 or at a 1:1 ratio. Results may vary as this is CPU-dependent. Dual Thunderbolt 4 ports: Thunderbolt USB-C at true 40 Gb/s speeds, 8K display support, Daisy-Chaining and Multi-Port Accessory Architecture provide reliable connectivity and better user experience. A full Alder Lake-S will processor can include 8 Golden Cove cores and 8 Gracemont cores. It will be manufactured utilizing Intel's Intel 7 technology, which was previously known as the Intel 10 nm Enhanced SuperFin process. As previously stated, Alder Lake-S will have 8 Golden Cove cores, which are high-performance cores, and 8 Gracemont cores, which are high-efficiency cores. Due to the fact that Gracemont cores do not support Hyper-Threading (HT), Alder Lake-S will only be able to provide 16 cores and 24 threads, which is the same as the i9-12900K configuration. LAN with LAN Manager and Intel Wi-Fi 6 Solution: Upgraded network solution for professional and multimedia use. Delivers a secure, stable and fast network connection

Starting with the launch of the Z690 chipset, we’ve updated our game tests. We’ve updated Far Cry: New Dawn to Far Cry 6 and shifted from F1 2020 to F1 2021. We run the games at 1920x1080 resolution, using the Ultra preset (details listed above). As the resolution goes up, the CPU tends to have less impact. The goal with these settings is to determine if there are differences in performance at the most commonly used resolution with settings that most people use (or at least strive for). We expect the difference between boards in these tests to be minor, with most falling within the margin of error. We've also added a minimum FPS value, as that can affect your gameplay and immersion experience.

Premium Thermal Solution: Enlarged heatsink with heat-pipe, MOSFET thermal pads rated for 7W/mk, additional choke thermal pads and M.2 Shield Frozr are built for high performance system and non-stop gaming experience Starting at the left is a large shroud covering the I/O. Unlike most, this shroud is part of the aluminum heatsink with access beneath for the RGB LEDs that illuminate the MSI Gaming dragon. We also have a smaller heat sink for the upper VRM connected via a heat pipe with the “MPG” series embossed on it. The 3DMark Firestrike results are very similar across the board as well. Power Consumption Power Consumption Comparison This board breaks from the typical Z690 motherboard on the networking front and offers only a single Intel I225-V 2.5 Gbs port. We also have Intel Wi-Fi6 / Bluetooth 5.2 wireless connectivity out of the box with an included Wi-Fi antenna that connects at the rear I/O shield. If you can’t find it in the OC section, head to the Settings section, as you’ll most likely find it here. We see the Boot settings, Save & Exit, and Advanced subsections here. The Advanced subsection has the remaining system control settings for storage, USB, and Power Management, to name a few.