The MSI Z490I Unify is a capable and well-equipped board, if not a little scant on the rear I/O USB support. To have Thunderbolt, MSI sacrificed a bit on the I/O, and I think that may have been a great choice. However, if you have a ton of peripherals, you may need to drop a little coin on a good USB hub.
Read more @ TweakTown
The MSI B550 Gaming Carbon Wifi Motherboard sports carbon fiber wrapped accessories along with MSI’s Mystic Light LED lighting controls can really take your PC to the next level in the looks department. But, with the carbon series, the goal is not just about looks, performance reliability, and stability all matter as well.
Read more @ Modders Inc
The RGB-free MSI B550I Gaming Edge Wi-Fi is a viable option for those looking for a tiny B550-based motherboard. But there are alternatives with similar features, better power delivery and RGB lighting available for around the same price.
Read more @ Tom’s Hardware
That’s where today’s three ITX motherboards come in to play. All three are the peak of their respective ranges in the ITX format, and we’re going to put them head to head. We have the ASUS ROG Strix Z490-I Gaming, the MSI MEG Z490I Unify, and the Gigabyte Z490-I Aorus Ultra. Let’s see how they stack up.
Read more @ OC3D
The MSI MAG B550 as a normal ATX board with currently 160 Euro is not a real cheap one and I will therefore put the focus of the review on the teardown, the voltage converters including cooling, the audio chip including output power at different impedances and the M.2 performance. I’d rather leave the unpacking and touching to the unboxers.
Read more @ Igor’s Lab
There is only a handful of Z490 mini-ITX boards currently available, with a couple of entry-level models, as well as some mid to high-end models like the pair we have for review today. Overall, the six mini-ITX Z490 boards that are on the market today range in price from $160 to $300, with both the GIGABYTE Z490I Aorus Ultra and MSI MEG Z490I Unify coming with an MSRP of $270.
Read more @ AnandTech
MSI is sensible in a couple of further ways. There’s a front-panel USB Type-C header (10Gbps) for the latest chassis and integrated Thunderbolt 3 via an Intel JHL7540 chip. Both are handy for such a small board. Those wanting RGB goodness can still use the two JRAINBOW addressable connectors at the top and side.
Read more @ Hexus
The MSI MPG Z490 Carbon EK X features a 12-phase Vcore VRM on a 6-layer PCB. There is also 2.5 Gb/s LAN and built-in WiFi 6, as well as two M.2 slot heatsinks and even a physical RGB LED off switch. EK is including a leak test kit with the MSI MPG Z490 Carbon EK X, so you can build with confidence.
Read more @ TechPowerUp
A slick-looking premium board for 10th Gen Intel, the MEG Z490 Ace has an attractive feature set and wise PCB arrangement, but issues with the firmware suggest waiting for some patching-up, especially considering the price.
Read more @ PC Mag
MSI has released the usual lineup of motherboards under several names including Pro, Tomahawk, Bazooka, Gaming, and the Mortar. While the actual name doesn’t have any bearing on the B550 chipset, the additional features each model provides is what is important. For those who favor only a system for gaming might consider the aptly named “Gaming” motherboards.
Read more @ Overclockers Club