With LGA1700 continuing to be relevant to gamers, motherboard manufacturers continue to revise or launch new products on this platform. The latest such product from MSI is the new B760 MPOWER, targeting the performance segment. The board is designed for those picking the non-K variants of 14th Gen Core "Raptor Lake Refresh" processors with superior gaming performance to non-K variants of "Arrow Lake-S." Built in the microATX form-factor, the board is powered by the mid-range Intel B760 chipset. MSI has given the board a PCI-Express 5.0 x16 slot wired to the PEG interface of the processor. There are no M.2 Gen 5 slots that eat into this PEG slot, the board only puts out two M.2 Gen 4, one of which is wired to the processor, and the other to the PCH.

While the board lacks multiplier-based CPU overclocking, it supports BCLK-based OC, besides a fully capable DDR5 memory overclocking feature-set in its UEFI BIOS, letting you use the fastest XMP kits supported by "Raptor Lake." Besides the PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, you get a PCIe 4.0 x4 and x1 slots from the PCH. Networking connectivity includes 2.5 GbE, there is surprisingly no WLAN, not even an M.2 E-key slot. The onboard audio solution uses an entry-level Realtek ALC892 CODEC. In all, we're not sure where MSI is going with this product, other than diluting the MPOWER brand.

MSI is finally bringing its legendary MPOWER series back to AMD platforms with the B850 MPOWER motherboard, which will officially launch in China on September 17 at 1,599 RMB, or 1,549 RMB for early buyers, with pre-orders starting tomorrow. At this year's Computex, we managed to catch a glimpse of the motherboard, which set nine overclocking records in live demonstrations, proving that MSI means business with this AMD comeback. The company had promised a Q3 launch, and they're delivering exactly on schedule with what appears to be a genuine enthusiast-grade platform rather than a half-hearted effort.

What makes this board special is the engineering underneath. MSI built this on an 8-layer server-grade PCB with 2oz copper foiling for serious thermal management, while the signature dual-DIMM design creates direct CPU-to-memory pathways that overclockers dream about. Interestingly, the newer Ryzen 9000 chips can achieve memory speeds of 8,400 MT/s or higher, while the older Ryzen 8000 processors can surpass 10,200 MT/s. The 12-phase VRM with 60 A stages and dual 8-pin CPU connectors delivers the clean power required for extreme performance. VRM phases are covered in low-profile heatsinks so that LN2 coolers, often large and chunky, don't interfere with motherboard elements, which would usually require removal and later thermal isolation. Connectivity options include 20 Gbps USB-C, Wi-Fi 7, and 5-gigabit Ethernet. MSI has even launched the "MPOWER D5 Alliance" with 12 memory manufacturers like G.SKILL and ADATA to ensure optimal compatibility, so buyers know which memory kits to use for maximum overclocking performance.

Over a year ago, hardcore overclocking fanatics celebrated MSI's resurrection of the much missed MPOWER motherboard product line. After a seven-year hiatus, the Taiwanese manufacturer revived this series—beginning with a brand-new Z790MPOWER option. Back then, an exclusive Wccftech news report put a spotlight on the (then) brand-new model's support of Intel Core 12th, 13th, and 14th Gen processors (on LGA 1700/1800). Returning to the present day, MSI seems to be prepping a new MPOWER motherboard model—leaked shots imply a return to an old school color theme (black/yellow, rather than metallic tones). Wccftech has uploaded two close-up teaser images, from a "brief glimpse" preview session. There is evidence of AI upscaling here—despite the presence of anomalies/aberrations, we can see MSI logo and MPOWER branding on attached heatsinks.

Wccftech believes that the proposed "MSI MPOWER AMD series" will be: "a strong and cost-effective design for overclockers. The previous Z790 MPOWER motherboard brought great OC capabilities in an affordable design, offering 8000 MT/s DDR5 support and the new design will be no exception...Starting with the details, the...motherboard will feature an AM5 socket and is likely to leverage the B850E chipset. The new MPOWER motherboard also comes with a microATX form factor." Like last year's edition, MSI has readied the board with two DDR5 DIMM slots—ideal for ardent memory overclocking enthusiasts. This twin-stick setup reportedly supports up to 128 GB capacities. An extra bit of real estate is freed up; thus granting room for an additional M.2 bay. Wccftech did not disclose every tidbit of insider info, but they have hinted about the board's prowess: "it's awesome that we are finally getting an MPOWER motherboard from MSI for AM5 builders. The MPOWER series is great for overclocking and this motherboard should be just as good. We also managed to get information regarding the OC capabilities which are going to rival some of the high-end AM5 offerings as far as memory tuning is concerned."