MSI MPG X870E Carbon Max Wifi Review: Small tweaks, same Carbon DNA

'Tis the season for refreshed motherboards, and we have another in the test lab. This time, we get a chance to look at MSI’s X870E Carbon Max Wifi, a refresh of the original X870E Carbon Wifi we covered all the way back in 2024, just after release. The updated Carbon Max Wifi offers a couple of changes over the original, including the OC Engine chip for overclocking, a 64MB BIOS, and a slightly different design aesthetic to the premium mid-range offering. Outside of that, it’s a boring update (and to be fair, most refreshes are). But there’s not a lot you can do hardware-wise at this point to freshen things up without blurring the lines between SKUs.

At $499, the Carbon Max Wifi isn’t not cheap, but still offers some high-end hardware, including multiple LAN ports (5 and 2.5 GbE) and Wi-Fi 7, 13 USB ports on the rear IO (2x 40 Gbps Type-C), ample storage options with four M.2 sockets (two PCIe 5.0) and four SATA ports, a solid current-gen audio solution, and robust power delivery designed to support flagship-class processors and overclocking. MSI also packs the Carbon Max with EZ DIY features, including PCIe Release, EZ M.2, and EZ Button features to simplify installation and removal of parts. Like most others, it also offers ‘AI’ functionality to help with overclocking, networking, cooling, and even an NPU boost (if your CPU has one).

Performance using the latest BIOS and AGESA was average overall. It was slower in our Handbrake encoding tests, but otherwise performed well across a wide variety of activities, including rendering, office work, and, of course, gaming. In short, performance isn’t a concern. The board happily ran our Ryzen 9 9900X and RTX 4080 combo without issue.

Below, we’ll examine the board's performance and other features to determine whether it deserves a spot on our list of the best motherboards. But before we share test results and discuss details, here are the specifications from MSI’s website.

Specifications of the X870E Carbon Max Wifi

Inside the Box

The X870E Carbon Max includes a few accessories to get you started. You get your typical collection of cables, clips, and screws, but nothing extraordinary. In fact, it isn’t much different than the X870 Edge Ti we recently covered. Below is the full list.

• EZ Wi-Fi Antenna
• Cable Stickers/Installation Guide
• 1 to 3 EZ Conn-cable (v2)
• 1 to 3 ARGB Gen 2 extension cable
• (2) SATA cable
• EZ Front Panel cable
• EZ M.2 Clip II remover
• EZ M.2 Clip II

Design of the Carbon Max Wifi

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The X870E Carbon Max maintains the carbon-black aesthetic of its predecessor, featuring a ‘server-grade’ 8-layer PCB and a reflective Mystic Light RGB lighting accent (the MSI dragon) atop the VRM heatsink. Compared to the non-Max, it doesn’t look much different, with the only changes being accent lines on the plate heatsinks and the VRM. The large M.2 Shields Frozr II heatsink for the top PCIe 5.0 M.2 socket also features RGB, with the Carbon branding tastefully shining through. We rarely mention the back of the board, but in this case, MSI’s PinSafe design uses a pin-less backside so you don’t get poked, or your clothing doesn’t get caught on the solder points all over the rear.

In the end, we still like the board’s aesthetic, and there’s no doubt it looks good inside a chassis, but it isn’t significantly changed over the already good-looking original.

Focusing on the top half of the board gives us a better view of the large heatsink cooling the VRMs. The oversized heatsinks are connected by a direct-touch heat pipe that distributes the load between them. There’s a lot of mass and surface area, so we expect them to perform well during testing. Above the VRMs are two 8-pin EPS power connectors (one required) for the processor. Between the capable MOSFETs below and the large cooler, you can overclock any compatible processor, whether with PBO or manually, without worry.

Moving right and past the socket area, the next thing we see are four DRAM slots, with a single locking mechanism at the top (where you have more room for access). MSI lists support for up to DDR5-9000 (with an APU, 8400 MT/s with a desktop-class processor), which is well past AMD’s sweet spot. Our DDR5-7200 kit worked without issue with the desktop-class CPU. With our recently acquired Ryzen 5 8600G APU, the board also happily ran our Klevv DDR5-8000 kit.

Just above the RAM slots are the first three (of seven, plus the JAF header, detailed in the next paragraph) four-pin fan headers. Each header supports both PWM- and DC-controlled devices, with the output varying for each. The system fans are the lowest at 1A/12W, CPU_FAN1 next at 2A/24W, and the PUMP-SYS1-2 header (defaults to PWM mode) is the most at 3A/24W. This is plenty of power for most cooling systems. If you’re pushing the limits, be sure to connect the supplemental PCIe (6-pin) power to ensure the board can safely output all that juice.

Working our way down the right edge, we find another fan header and the first 3-pin ARGB header. MSI Control Center and the company’s Mystic Light application control the integrated RGBs and those attached to the headers. Next up is the two-character debug (a new, smaller, less chunky version than we’ve seen), 24-pin ATX power for the board, and the combo JAF_2 header that combines fan, USB, and RGB into one connector (EZ Con-cable included).

Power delivery on the X870E Carbon Max consists of 21 total phases, with 18 dedicated to Vcore. Power heads from the 8-pin EPS connector(s) in the top-left corner, then to a Renesas RAA229620 controller. From there, it moves to the 18 Renesas R2209004 110A SPS MOSFETs. It’s a robust solution that matches the more expensive X870E Ace Max and will handle anything you throw at it, including the Ryzen 9 9950X or the purported Ryzen 9 9950X3D2.

On the bottom half of the board, hidden under a metal shroud labeled Audio Boost 5 on the left side, is the audio section. The Carbon Max uses the mid-range Realtek ALC4080 codec. You won’t find any fancy DAC/AMPs, but this audio solution will be fine for an overwhelming majority of users.

In the middle are three full-length PCIe slots for graphics and expansion. The top two slots connect to the CPU. The top slot, which is primary for graphics and runs at PCIe 5.0 x16, uses the EZ PCIe release button, while the middle slot runs at PCIe 5.0 x8. If the second slot is populated, the top slot drops to x8 as well. The bottom x4 slot connects through the chipset and supports PCIe 4.0 x4.

Among the slots are four M.2 sockets, with a fifth on the back of the board. The top two sockets, M.2_1/2, source their bandwidth from the CPU and run up to PCIe 5.0 x4 (128 Gbps) while supporting up to 80mm devices. M.2_3/4/ receive their bandwidth from the chipset and all run up to PCIe 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps) while supporting 80mm devices (M.2_3 supports up to 110mm).There is some bandwidth sharing; M.2_2 shares with the USB4 Type-C ports. So when that specific M.2 socket is used, bandwidth drops to x2 speeds for both. Like PCIe lanes, you can force an x4 connection, but you’ll lose both USB4 ports in the process. If you have many M.2 drives and would like to use the full bandwidth of the USB4 ports, do not populate M.2_2.

Past the one-touch plate heatsinks to the right edge, we run into the front-panel USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps with 27W charging) connector, followed by four SATA ports and two 19-pin USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) connectors—standard fare, and again, the same as on the more expensive Ace Max.

We also included images of several chips used on the board. MSI uses mainly Realtek (audio, USB, PWM controller, ASMedia (USB4), and Renesas (PWM and MOSFETs).

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Along the bottom are several headers, ranging from the front panel to fans and supplemental PCIe power, and more. From left to right, we’ve listed them below. One item worth mentioning is the supplemental PCIe power connector for additional board power, so the board can actually output everything it’s rated for as well as the 2-pin Direct OC jumper (connect a simple button to raise/lower BLCK manually).

• Front panel audio
• 4-pin RGB
• 3-pin ARGB
• 2-pin LED on/off header
• (2) 2-pin thermistor headers
• (2) 4-pin System fan
• PCIe supplemental power
• (1) 4-pin System fan
• (2) USB 2.0 headers
• 3-pin ARGB
• Reset/Power buttons
• BCLK jumpers
• 2-pin battery header(CMOS reset)
• Front panel

The rear IO on the X870E Carbon Max is full of connectivity, including 13 USB ports. Starting on the left, there are six (of nine) USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps, red) ports, followed by the HDMI output and the two USB-C 40 Gbps ports. In the middle are three convenient buttons: BIOS Flashback, Clear CMOS, and a programmable Smart button. Next to that are the two Ethernet ports, 5 and 2.5 GbE, respectively, while below that are the other three USB 3.2 Gen2 ports. Finally, on the right is the quick-connect Wi-Fi 7 (fast 5.8 Gbps) and audio stack (two 3.5mm and SPDIF out)—plenty of ports to go around.

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