INTRODUCTION

    With the veil over the brand new Core Ultra 200S CPUs finally lifted we'll now start focusing on motherboards based on the Z890 chipset which to some people might be the decisive factor in upgrading their systems (or building new ones) with one of these Intel CPUs. As always, the top motherboard manufacturers have already released numerous models based on the Z890 chipset by Intel for all consumer types (price ranges), ranging from regular users to gamers, enthusiasts and yes, all the way up to even professionals. The very first such model to arrive in the lab is the Z890 Tomahawk WiFi by MSI, part of their mid-range MAG (MSI Arsenal Gaming) product line.

    MSI is a leading provider of hardware solutions for gaming, content creation, and business productivity. Known for its innovation and reliability, MSI develops products that enhance user experience and improve efficiency in a wide range of applications.

    The latest MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi by MSI is an ATX sized motherboard based on the brand new LGA1851 socket by Intel (only supports the new Core Ultra 200S CPUs). MSI has equipped this particular model with a 16+1+1+1 duet rail power system (90A SPS), 6-layer 2oz thickened copper NPG-170D server-grade PCB, transient voltage suppressors (TVS) and flash BIOS and clear CMOS rear buttons making it a rather good choice for people who also want to take their chances overclocking the new Intel CPUs (and their RAM). The MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi also comes ready with 4 UDIMM DDR5 RAM slots (up to 256GB and frequencies up to 9200MHz - 9200MT/s -  and above / CUDIMM compatible), three PCIe x16 slots (1xPCie 5.0 EMI shielded and Steel Armor II reinforced, EZ release button / 2xPCIe 4.0), four M.2 tool-less slots with Shield Frozr II heatsinks  (1xGen5 / 3xGen4), four native SATA 6G ports (RAID 0/1/5/10 supported both for M.2 and SATA ports), Intel Killer E5000 5Gbps LAN and Killer BE1750x Wi-Fi 7 (with Bluetooth 5.4, MLO, 4KQAM) and the Realtek ALC1220P 7.1 channel HD audio codec. As for available connectivity MSI has placed a single HDMI v2.1 port (FRL / 4K@120Hz maximum resolution), two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports (support DisplayPort v2.1 with UHBR20 for a maximum resolution of 4K@120Hz / 8K@60Hz), USB-C 10Gbps port (rear), USB-C 20Gbps port (front via internal header), six USB-A 5Gbps ports (4 rear and 2 front via internal header), three USB-A 10Gbps ports (rear), four USB 2.0 ports (front via internal header), two Antenna ports, 5Gbps RJ45 port and the Realtek ALC1220P High Definition onboard audio ports. Yes, the MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi may not be among the top models by MSI, but it does come packed so let's see how well it performs.