New year, new motherboards – in this case, we have the new MSI MPG B850M EDGE TI MAX WIFI to unbox, before we commence a full review of MSI’s latest mid-range model for AMD processors. Let’s see if there’s anything new on the table this time around.
MSI MPG B850M EDGE TI MAX WIFI: Unboxing
Note that the B850M EDGE TI MAX is actually a brand-new variant under MSI’s MPG “EDGE TI” series, with the existing two models being the full-size ATX-based B850 EDGE TI, and the mITX-based B850I EDGE TI. This new model takes the mATX form factor and is exclusively available in the refreshed ‘MAX’ variant, which introduces some mid-cycle updates like 64MB BIOS, among other things.
Right away, we spotted an unusual design in the storage and expansion section of the motherboard, as the primary M.2 SSD slot – usually sits right below the CPU and on top of the primary PCIe slot – is actually below the primary PCIe slot, and sits in parallel with the other two M.2 slots. It also shares the same piece of heatsink, which can be removed by pressing on the latch located on the left side of the heatsink.
Another small detail is the installation mechanism: the first two slots uses plastic clips to secure the slots, whereas the third slot instead uses MSI’s more recent EZ M.2 Clip II design that clips the drive by simply pressing into it. We’re not entirely sure the reason behind this discrepancy, but they all serve the same purpose of securing the drives into their respective slots, just with different means.
Fun fact: this motherboard has a fourth SSD slot, which is mounted behind the motherboard instead. You usually see this on super small mITX boards, so it’s quite surprising to see this implementation on a relatively big mATX form factor. To be fair, the motherboard already bucked the trend of having the primary SSD slot above the primary PCIe slot, so it’s all a bit unusual here.
Like many other MSI motherboards, the MSI MPG B850M EDGE TI MAX WIFI also comes with a 3-in-1 EZ-Conn (JAF_2) header onboard, which combines PWM 4-pin, ARGB 3-pin, and USB 2.0 4-pin into a single combo connector for cleaner cabling. Some MSI AIO coolers support this connector natively, but for everything else, the included adapter cable will come in handy too.
Some other features we found include: the PCIe slot release arm with a button-based mechanism, and a 7-segment BIOS status code LED, which is immensely useful for troubleshooting. Minor detail – MSI conveniently grouped one ARGB, one chassis PWM and one CPU fan PWM into the same spot (right above the LED), so all the cables will go in a single direction to help with cable management.
That concludes our preview of the MSI MPG B850M EDGE TI MAX WIFI motherboard for now – stay tuned for the full review here on Pokde.NET.
