MSI MPG Z590 Carbon EK X (Intel 1200)

Mit den neuen Mainboards der 500-Chipsatzserie führt auch Intel endlich offiziell den PCIe-4.0-Standard ein, allerdings nur in Verbindung mit den dazugehörigen Rocket-Lake-S-Prozessoren, wie dem Core i5-11600K, Core i7-11700K und dem Core i9-11900K (Hardwareluxx-Test). Unsere allererste Z590-Platine im Test ist auch gleich ein besonderes Modell, denn MSIs MPG Z590 CARBON EK X ist speziell für Enthusiasten mit einer Custom-Wasserkühlung konzipiert.

Users looking to go with a full custom water-cooled loop in their PC will find the simplicity of the MPG Z590 CARBON EK X to be rather enjoyable. Again, it comes with a monoblock and leak tester in the box, so the need to source those elsewhere is negated. This means you can spend more time and money on the things that matter, like actually trying to find a GPU at non-scalper prices, which is near impossible these days. The MPG Z590 CARBON EK X also has loads of features to ensure you are getting the most performance from your system possible. PCIe Gen4, 2.5G LAN, WiFi 6e and more USB ports than you can shake a stick at will allow users as much performance and control over their system as possible. The MPG Z590 CARBON EK X can also keep up with the performance of more higher-tiered motherboards, so no need to worry there, either.

The MSI MPG Z590 Carbon EK X is a beautiful board. Its great looks start with the carbon-fiber aesthetic the excellent RGB implementation nicely builds upon. With an integrated rear I/O shield, full-coverage M.2 heatsinks, and good storage options, the MSI MPG Z590 Carbon EK X has a lot to offer.

The MSI MPG Z590 Carbon EK X is a beautiful board. Its great looks start with the carbon-fiber aesthetic the excellent RGB implementation nicely builds upon. With an integrated rear I/O shield, full-coverage M.2 heatsinks, and good storage options, the MSI MPG Z590 Carbon EK X has a lot to offer.

The MSI MPG Z590 Carbon EK X finds a nice niche spot in the motherboard market by pairing a mid-range board and custom monoblock at a much more palatable price point than its competitors. Between the leak tester and EKWB coupon, it will be difficult finding a better deal on the same components bought on your own (consider most monoblocks cost at least $180 and can range to almost $400). Given that, plus this board’s healthy list of features makes it easy to recommend if you’re looking for a motherboard that supports CPU and VRM water cooling out of the box. At this price, the Carbon EK X is the only game in town.