The MicroATX section for Intel 700-series chipsets is suffering from low-budget motherboards meant for primary house and workplace use. The number of MicroATX boards with richer function units, together with help for fifth-gen requirements like DDR5 and PCI Categorical 5.0, is kind of restricted by comparability. Into this gulf steps MSI with the MAG B760M Mortar Wi-Fi motherboard ($179.99). It makes a number of good selections, but additionally suffers a number of missteps that preserve it from being a standout for the cash on this price-aggressive slice of the board market.
Board Design, CPU, and Reminiscence
MSI payments its MAG collection as gaming merchandise with military-inspired parts, meant to offer off vibes of durability and sturdiness. The B760M Mortar encompasses a six-layer black PCB with (in keeping with MSI) 2 ounces of thickened copper used for the traces. The aluminum heatsinks over the VRM, major M.2 slot, and chipset have a blasted matte end and share diagonal cuts and design accents. The VRM heatsink extends over the rear I/O panel, and the rear cowl is built-in.
The B760 chipset is focused at enterprise and primary house use as a substitute of lovers and overclockers, so choices and connectivity are diminished in comparison with the top-tier Z790 platform. CPU overclocking is restricted, whereas PCIe and SATA lanes are minimize in half. This possible sounds worse on paper than it’s in precise use: The chipset nonetheless helps as much as 4 SATA ports and sufficient PCIe lanes for as many as three 4.0 x4 drives (along with the PCIe 4.0 x4 slot from the processor). The DMI 4.0 x4 connection between the chipset and CPU may bottleneck PCIe storage, however provided that you are operating a number of PCIe drives and connected USB3 drives all below full I/O load.
The MAG Mortar Wi-Fi makes use of a 12+1+1 energy regulation design with 75A chokes to feed the CPU. The heatsink on the highest a part of the VRM is minimize away to make room for the 2 8-pin EPS connectors, and the 24-pin ATX energy connector is on the entrance edge as regular. The VRM heatsink towards the again wraps round to the I/O panel and appears a lot larger than it truly is; seen from the underside, it is not very thick. Whereas higher-end boards usually use 16+2 and even bigger VRMs, this barely smaller setup is completely sufficient for the extra modest CPU-boosting {that a} B-chipset board will deal with.
4 DDR5 reminiscence slots are onboard; MSI says the Mortar helps speeds as much as DDR5-7000 relying on reminiscence configuration and the standard of the DIMMs. Our overview pattern would not boot with one RAM equipment utilizing a DDR5-6000 CAS 36 profile, however had no drawback with one other equipment utilizing a DDR5-6200 CAS 40 profile. The board can maintain as much as 192GB of reminiscence in complete.
Growth and Storage
Three PCI Categorical slots can be found. The strengthened prime slot is PCIe 5.0 x16 and connects to the CPU as you’d anticipate. A PCIe 3.0 x1 slot is 2 areas down (leaving a spot for a double-slot GPU), with one other full-length slot instantly beneath that. Although it is a full-length slot, the underside slot is simply wired for PCIe 4.0 x4. Each slots run by way of the chipset.
The Mortar offers all 4 attainable SATA slots however presents them in an odd method: Two are forward-facing to the suitable of the chipset heatsink, and although there’s house for a second stack of ports there, the opposite two SATA slots are positioned perpendicularly alongside the underside fringe of the board.
Two M.2 slots can be found for PCIe storage. The primary is slightly below the CPU socket below its personal heatsink and connects by way of the CPU at PCIe 4.0 x4 speeds. A second 4.0 x4 connector resides between the x1 PCIe slot and the chipset heatsink, although it would not have a warmth protect. The second M.2 slot and fourth SATA port share lanes, so you may’t use each on the similar time. Each M.2 slots can match 2242 (42mm), 2260 (60mm), and 2280 (80mm) drives and have fast clips for mounting. The mounting screws for the higher M.2 warmth protect have shouldered threads, capturing the screws so they will not fall out.
Rear I/O and Inside Connectors
The Mortar’s rear enter/output panel is properly featured with out getting too busy. On the left is a stack of 4 USB 2.0 ports from the chipset, appropriate for primary peripherals comparable to your keyboard and mouse. Subsequent to them is a stack with HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 connectors for built-in graphics. They’re adopted by the USB3 ports—three 10Gbps Kind-A ports that run off an add-on GL3590 controller, and a single Kind-C port that connects to the chipset at 2×2 signaling for 20Gbps bandwidth.
An Ethernet port is on prime of the USB3 stack. MSI determined to disregard the B760’s built-in controller and as a substitute add a Realtek 812BG chip to the board for two.5Gbps networking. The wi-fi antenna mounts (two primary swivel antennas are within the field) run off a preinstalled Intel M.2 combo card offering each Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. A Realtek ALC897 codec powers the audio cluster, a typical 5 3.5mm jacks and one fiber-optic connector.
The Mortar’s different inside headers are pretty typical. There are six 4-pin fan headers on the board: two within the prime proper nook, supposed for CPU and water pump use, and one slightly below and to the left of the CPU socket, helpful for rear exhaust followers or some AIO coolers. The opposite three fan headers are alongside the underside, two towards the again and one on the entrance nook. The pump header is able to 3A/36W whereas the remainder are 2A/24W.
A complete of 4 USB headers can be found, with a 10Gbps USB-C and 5Gbps USB-A header on the entrance edge and two USB 2.0 headers centered on the underside edge. Different headers embrace a chassis intrusion connector, a entrance audio header at backside rear, a Thunderbolt AIC connector, a TPM header, and three RGB headers (one 12V, two generic addressable).
The Construct Expertise
MicroATX boards have the benefit of becoming into instances that may be a little bit cosy for full ATX motherboards. MSI prints standoff clearance markings on the again of the Mortar, which generally is a good reminder to verify your case standoffs to ensure you’re not bridging solder factors on the again of the board. The 2 EPS connectors on the prime of the board, regardless of the cutaway on the VRM heatsink, are nonetheless a bit tight, and it may be finicky to get the cable latch engaged. MSI additionally offers a sheet of label stickers you should utilize to assist set up and determine the assorted cables.
Fan header format is nice, with headers inside simple attain for prime and entrance case followers or radiators. The fast set up clips on the M.2 slots are additionally welcome so that you needn’t fiddle with or lose tiny screws. On the minus aspect, the solder joints holding the M.2 screw mounts really feel a little bit flimsy.
Full ATX boards have a tendency to position their prime growth card slots within the second card place, utilizing solely six of their allowed seven slots. MicroATX boards solely have 4 accessible card slots, so most place their prime card slots within the first place. The Mortar isn’t any totally different. This does place the GPU nearer to the CPU socket, however there’s nonetheless enough space to suit a big tower cooler. To assist with these tighter confines, MSI makes use of a bigger launch tab on the cardboard slots. This wider tab extends additional below what can be the cardboard’s PCB and backplate, making it simpler to activate and launch the cardboard.
The B760M Mortar Wi-Fi is not what I would name well-equipped for the tinkering crowd. There aren’t any onboard energy or reset buttons. Close to the 24-pin energy connector is a color-coded LED strip for normal boot errors, however there isn’t a debug code show. These are comprehensible omissions as B760 boards aren’t supposed for the fanatic and power-user crowd, however the lack of a clear-CMOS button on the motherboard or the rear I/O—there’s merely a clear-CMOS jumper on the board—looks like a letdown.
The Mortar BIOS
On first boot (or after clearing the CMOS), getting into the UEFI brings a pop-up window to pick out what sort of CPU cooler is in use. This not solely modifications the default cooling fan conduct but additionally units the CPU’s most energy allowance.
By default, the BIOS opens in primary mode. From this display screen, you may change boot order, interact CPU increase, set reminiscence XMP, change fan profiles, and replace firmware. In contrast to many new motherboards, the Mortar doesn’t help a BIOS flashback function, so you may’t replace firmware with out having the ability to boot the board.
Urgent the F7 key takes you to the Superior menu, which makes use of MSI’s typical six-tile format with headings and descriptive subtext serving to you discover the settings contained inside.
The Settings tile at prime left holds many of the configuration menus. You may discover a system standing view web page, primary boot configuration, and a submenu the place you may configure storage, onboard gadgets, USB ports, and the like.
At center left are the overclocking settings, together with CPU multipliers, RAM timings, and energy administration. Inside this menu you can too change the facility/cooling profile you selected in the beginning.
The OC Profile tile at higher proper permits you to save your overclocking settings and the remainder of the board configuration to one in every of six slots. You can even export and import these profiles to a USB flash drive.
The {Hardware} Monitor tile at center proper permits you to modify the fan curves and monitor system temperature and voltage standing.
The M-Flash tile at decrease left is not a menu; it launches the flashing utility to replace the board firmware. The Beta Runner at backside proper has beta options and utilities. When exiting the UEFI, the Mortar presents a abstract pop-up displaying which settings have been modified, letting you overview and make sure the alterations earlier than committing to modifications.
Further Utilities
Present variations of Home windows will mechanically detect the wired Ethernet controller and cargo the right driver. When connecting to a community with web entry, an computerized driver set up utility is launched. This utility lists drivers and utilities accessible to obtain and allows you to choose which of them you need.
The MSI Heart app is an all-in-one utility that permits additional configuration for the motherboard and the system as a complete. It really works through the use of separate modules to configure teams of settings comparable to RGB management, recreation playback recording, computerized overclocking, and extra. Just a few presets can be found to mechanically obtain and set up sure modules, or you may choose and select your individual.
Verdict: Only a Function or Two Shy of a Star
MicroATX appears to be a forgotten board measurement in comparison with its full ATX and Mini-ITX siblings. That is unlucky, as a result of MicroATX might arguably be essentially the most versatile and versatile measurement for a contemporary motherboard. Full ATX boards have all of the options and gizmos you may want, however they require bigger instances (particularly Prolonged ATX variants). Mini-ITX boards often is the darlings for small-form-factor techniques, however their drastic discount in board measurement limits essential options comparable to energy regulation circuitry, RAM slots, and storage interfaces. Regardless of utilizing much less materials, Mini-ITX boards are additionally usually extra expensive than their bigger counterparts as a consequence of costlier manufacturing strategies comparable to advanced hint routes.
MicroATX boards occupy a candy spot within the center: They provide extra expansion-card slots than Mini-ITX and adequate PCB house for respectable VRM circuitry and storage connections while not having advanced riser playing cards and daughterboards, and might slot in smaller microtower instances in addition to regular ATX chassis. As a bonus, they are usually the least-expensive measurement. Desire a smaller laptop, however not one so small that meeting and part placement turns into tedious? MicroATX. Do not need to pay additional for a board with extra slots and connectors than you want, however don’t desire one crippled with a weak VRM? Additionally MicroATX.
The MSI MAG B760M Mortar Wi-Fi might have a mouthful of a reputation for a diminutive board, nevertheless it checks a number of the suitable containers. The VRM is sufficient for the mainstream use case and the non-overclocking nature of the B760 chipset. The Mortar has PCIe 5.0 for forward-looking graphics playing cards, 4 DDR5 slots, and two M.2 slots regardless of its compact measurement. The wraparound VRM heatsink and built-in rear I/O protect makes it look extra premium than many funds mainstream boards.
Given its steepish MSRP, nonetheless, it is odd that MSI minimize out a number of additional options as a substitute of absolutely embracing a “premium midrange” vibe. Together with supporting DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 graphics playing cards, why not additionally implement a 5.0 storage choice? Why no BIOS flashback perform? On the very least, why no clear-CMOS button? Options like this may have distinguished the B760M Mortar from its opponents, although it is nonetheless a worthy member of the pack.
