OVERALL
ALTERNATIVES
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REVIEWS
Scored using Motherboards Methodology v1.0
Motherboards Methodology v1.0
Mathematical & Unbiased Scoring
Products in this category are scored under Frontum Motherboards Methodology v1.0: technical specifications plus authentic consumer ratings, with 0% commercial bias.
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MSI Z170 A Pro Review | 107 Data compared

Avg. price:~£110CPU socket:LGA 1151Chipset:Intel Z170Form factor:ATX

MSI Z170 A Pro Review: Compare 107 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Motherboards category and whether it is worth buying.

4.9/10

Overall score

Score
4.9/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of the motherboard's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference to identify the best motherboards on the market.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 85% of models
Score components

90%

4.9

Technical score

10%

?

User score

â–¼Worse than 85% of motherboards
6.4

Value for money

Value for money
6.4/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the motherboard's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a motherboard that offers a strong balance of features, performance, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 85% of models
Score components

70%

4.9

Overall score

30%

9.9

Price

â–¼Worse than 85%
4.9

Technical score

Technical score
4.9/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Motherboards category across these key areas: Platform & Features, Memory, Storage, Expansion, Ports & USB, Network, Audio, Power & Cooling.
When it matters
When you want to compare motherboards based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 81% of models
Score components

19%

5.9

Memory

16%

7.0

Platform & Features

16%

5.2

Storage

15%

3.3

Network

13%

2.3

Ports & USB

8%

3.8

Expansion

8%

5.2

Power & Cooling

5%

6.6

Audio

â–¼Worse than 81%
?

User score

User score
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the motherboard.
When it matters
When you want to understand how a motherboard performs in real-world builds and how reliable it is in terms of stability, BIOS usability, connectivity, and long-term ownership.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 63% of models
Score components

70%

?

User ratings

30%

?

Number of reviews

  • No image
No image
Best prices
    N/A~ £110
Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
Loading category ranking...

Technical Specifications of motherboard MSI Z170 A Pro

Technical score
Technical score
4.9/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Motherboards category across these key areas: Platform & Features, Memory, Storage, Expansion, Ports & USB, Network, Audio, Power & Cooling.
When it matters
When you want to compare motherboards based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 81% of models
Score components:

19%

5.9

Memory

16%

7.0

Platform & Features

16%

5.2

Storage

15%

3.3

Network

13%

2.3

Ports & USB

8%

3.8

Expansion

8%

5.2

Power & Cooling

5%

6.6

Audio

4.9
User score
User score
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the motherboard.
When it matters
When you want to understand how a motherboard performs in real-world builds and how reliable it is in terms of stability, BIOS usability, connectivity, and long-term ownership.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 63% of models
Score components

70%

?

User ratings

30%

?

Number of reviews

?
Popularity
Popularity
1.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the motherboard.
When it matters
When you prefer a motherboard that has already been bought and reviewed by many other users.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 99% of models
Popularity:
MSI Z170 A Pro has a popularity score of 1 point, which is lower than that of 79.1% of products in this category.
1.0
Value for money
Value for money
6.4/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the motherboard's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a motherboard that offers a strong balance of features, performance, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 85% of models
Score components:

70%

4.9

Overall score

30%

9.9

Price

6.4
Brand name
MSI
CPU socket
LGA 1151
This motherboard uses the LGA 1151 CPU socket, which is less advanced than that of 70.4% of motherboards and equal to that of 13.8% of motherboards.
CPU platform
Intel
This motherboard is built for the Intel CPU platform, which is more versatile than that of 31.6% of motherboards and equal to that of 68.4% of motherboards.
Chipset
Intel Z170
This motherboard uses the Intel Z170 chipset, which is less advanced than that of 75.4% of motherboards and equal to that of 2.5% of motherboards.
Form factor
ATX
This motherboard has the ATX form factor, which is more versatile than that of 47.8% of motherboards and equal to that of 52.2% of motherboards.
Show more
DDR memory version
DDR4
This motherboard uses DDR4 memory, which is newer than that of 13.5% of motherboards and equal to that of 50.8% of motherboards.
Memory slots
4
Market range: <2 – >4
This motherboard has 4 Memory slots, which is more than 21.5% of motherboards and equal to 72.5% of motherboards.
Maximum memory capacity
64 GB
Market range: <32 GB – >256 GB
This motherboard supports up to 64 GB of memory, which is less than 62.6% of motherboards and equal to 24.3% of motherboards.
Memory channels
2
This motherboard supports 2 memory channels, which is more than 0.2% of motherboards and equal to 92.6% of motherboards.
Maximum RAM speed
2,400 MT/s
Market range: <2k MT/s – >8k MT/s
This motherboard supports memory speeds up to 2,400 MT/s, which is lower than that of 83.9% of motherboards and equal to that of 3.2% of motherboards.
Show more
N. of M.2 sockets
1
Market range: <0 – >4
This motherboard has 1 M.2 sockets, which is fewer than 69.3% of motherboards and equal to 19.1% of motherboards.
M.2 slot interface per slot
1x PCIe 3.0 x4/SATA
This motherboard offers 1x PCIe 3.0x4/SATA for M.2 slot interfaces, which is slower than that of 74.3% of motherboards and equal to that of 10.4% of motherboards.
N. of SATA 3 connectors
6
Market range: <4 – >8
This motherboard has 6 SATA 3 connectors, which is more than 52.6% of motherboards and equal to 32.1% of motherboards.
some SATA ports disabled with certain M.2 use
Supported RAID levels
0/1/5/10
This motherboard supports RAID levels 0/1/5/10, which is broader than 32% of motherboards and equal to 68% of motherboards.
JBOD excluded from RAID-level set
NVMe RAID support
yes
This motherboard supports NVMe RAID. 40.3% of motherboards support this feature.
Intel RST support
Show more
N. of PCIe 5.0 x16 slots
0
Market range: <0 – >1
This motherboard has 0 PCIe 5.0x16 slots, which is fewer than 31.5% of motherboards and equal to 68.5% of motherboards.
N. of PCIe 4.0 x16 slots
0
Market range: <0 – >1
This motherboard has 0 PCIe 4.0x16 slots, which is fewer than 44.5% of motherboards and equal to 55.5% of motherboards.
N. of PCIe 3.0 x16 slots
2
Market range: <0 – >3
This motherboard has 2 PCIe 3.0x16 slots, which is more than 67.3% of motherboards and equal to 15.4% of motherboards.
PCIe slot electrical configuration
x16/x4, x16/x0
This motherboard uses x16/x4, x16/x0 for PCIe slot electrical configuration, which is more flexible than that of 50.3% of motherboards and equal to that of 0.3% of motherboards.
PCIe bifurcation support
no
This motherboard does not support PCIe bifurcation. 59.7% of motherboards support this feature.
Show more
Total USB ports (rear I/O)
6
Market range: <6 – >10
This motherboard has 6 USB ports (rear I/O), which is fewer than 64.3% of motherboards and equal to 32.7% of motherboards.
Total USB ports (including headers)
12
Market range: <11 – >19
This motherboard has 12 USB ports (including headers), which is fewer than 72.6% of motherboards and equal to 16.3% of motherboards.
Total USB-C ports (rear I/O)
0
Market range: <0 – >2
This motherboard has 0 USB-C ports (rear I/O), which is fewer than 64.6% of motherboards and equal to 35.4% of motherboards.
Total USB-C ports (including headers)
0
Market range: <0 – >3
This motherboard has 0 USB-C ports (including headers), which is fewer than 69.7% of motherboards and equal to 30.3% of motherboards.
N. of USB 3.2 Gen2x2 ports (USB-C)
0
Market range: <0 – >1
This motherboard has 0 USB 3.2 Gen2x2 ports (USB-C), which is fewer than 18.3% of motherboards and equal to 81.7% of motherboards.
Show more
LAN speed
1 Gbps
Market range: <1 Gbps – >2.5 Gbps
This motherboard supports LAN speeds up to 1 Gbps, which is lower than that of 50.8% of motherboards and equal to that of 49.2% of motherboards.
LAN controller
Killer + Intel + Realtek
This motherboard uses the Killer + Intel + Realtek LAN controller, which is less advanced than that of 64.6% of motherboards and equal to that of 28.7% of motherboards.
N. of RJ45 ports
1
Market range: <1 – >2
This motherboard has 1 RJ45 ports, which is fewer than 14.4% of motherboards and equal to 85.6% of motherboards.
Wi-Fi connectivity
no
This motherboard does not support Wi-Fi connectivity. 50.1% of motherboards support this feature.
Wi-Fi version
N/A
Show more
Audio codec
Realtek ALC892
This motherboard uses the Realtek ALC892 audio codec, which is less advanced than that of 79.6% of motherboards and equal to that of 9% of motherboards.
Audio channels
7.1
This motherboard offers 7.1 audio channels, which is more than 4.9% of motherboards and equal to 95.1% of motherboards.
Audio SNR
95 dB
Market range: <95 dB – >120 dB
This motherboard has an audio SNR of 95 dB, which is lower than that of 82.5% of motherboards and equal to that of 10.6% of motherboards.
Headphone amp support
yes
This motherboard supports a headphone amp. 40.8% of motherboards support this feature.
supports up to 600Ω.
N. of 3.5mm audio jacks
3
Market range: <2 – >6
This motherboard has 3 3.5mm audio jacks, which is fewer than 50.4% of motherboards and equal to 38.1% of motherboards.
Show more
VRM phases
6
This motherboard has 6 VRM phases, which is fewer than 84.5% of motherboards and equal to 2.7% of motherboards.
N. of CPU power connectors
1
Market range: <1 – >2
This motherboard has 1 CPU power connectors, which is fewer than 45.5% of motherboards and equal to 54.5% of motherboards.
N. of fan headers
5
Market range: <3 – >8
This motherboard has 5 fan headers, which is fewer than 50% of motherboards and equal to 14.6% of motherboards.
Pump header
yes
This motherboard has a pump header. 21.9% of motherboards include this feature.
Pump header max current
2 A
Market range: <0 A – >3 A
This motherboard supports up to 2 A on the pump header, which is higher than that of 45.4% of motherboards and equal to that of 32.4% of motherboards.
Show more

MSI Z170 A Pro vs the average motherboard

246810TotalPlatform & FeaturesMemoryStorageExpansionPorts & USBNetworkAudioPower & Cooling
  • 1 more USB 3.2 Gen1 headers
    This motherboard has more USB 3.2 Gen1 headers than the average motherboard (2 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 USB 3.2 Gen1 header/s.
    two internal headers
    2 vs 1
  • 3 more PCIe x1 slots
    This motherboard has more PCIe x1 slots than the average motherboard (4 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 PCIe x1 slot/s.
    4 vs 1
  • Supports ECC memory
    This motherboard supports ECC memory, while the average motherboard does not. 21% of motherboards support ECC memory.
  • 1 more DVI outputs
    This motherboard has more DVI outputs than the average motherboard (1 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 DVI outputs.
    1 vs 0
  • 2 more SATA 3 connectors
    This motherboard has more SATA 3 connectors than the average motherboard (6 vs 4). The average motherboard has 4 SATA 3 connectors.
    some SATA ports disabled with certain M.2 use
    6 vs 4
  • Includes VGA connector
    This motherboard has a VGA connector, while the average motherboard does not. 24.7% of motherboards include a VGA connector.
  • Supports ECC memory
    This motherboard supports ECC memory, while the average motherboard does not. 21% of motherboards support ECC memory.
  • 2 more SATA 3 connectors
    This motherboard has more SATA 3 connectors than the average motherboard (6 vs 4). The average motherboard has 4 SATA 3 connectors.
    some SATA ports disabled with certain M.2 use
    6 vs 4
  • 3 more PCIe x1 slots
    This motherboard has more PCIe x1 slots than the average motherboard (4 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 PCIe x1 slot/s.
    4 vs 1
  • 1 more USB 3.2 Gen1 headers
    This motherboard has more USB 3.2 Gen1 headers than the average motherboard (2 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 USB 3.2 Gen1 header/s.
    two internal headers
    2 vs 1
  • 1 more DVI outputs
    This motherboard has more DVI outputs than the average motherboard (1 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 DVI outputs.
    1 vs 0
  • Includes VGA connector
    This motherboard has a VGA connector, while the average motherboard does not. 24.7% of motherboards include a VGA connector.
  • More basic motherboard chipset
    This motherboard has more basic motherboard chipset than the average motherboard (Intel Z170 vs Intel B860). The average motherboard uses Intel B860 chipset.
    Intel Z170 vs Intel B860
  • 60% lower LAN speed
    This motherboard has a lower LAN speed than the average motherboard (1 Gbps vs 2.5 Gbps). The average motherboard offers LAN speed of 2.5 Gbps.
    1 Gbps vs 2.5 Gbps
  • Slower M.2 slot interfaces
    This motherboard has slower M.2 slot interfaces than the average motherboard (1x PCIe 3x4/SATA vs 1x PCIe 5x4, 2x PCIe 4x4). The average motherboard uses 1x PCIe 5.0x4, 2x PCIe 4.0x4 M.2 slot interfaces.
    1x PCIe 3.0x4/SATA vs 1x PCIe 5.0x4, 2x PCIe 4.0x4
  • 2 fewer rear USB ports
    This motherboard has fewer rear USB ports than the average motherboard (6 vs 8). The average motherboard has 8 rear USB port/s.
    6 vs 8
  • 50% less maximum memory capacity
    This motherboard has fewer maximum memory capacity than the average motherboard (64 GB vs 128 GB). The average motherboard supports 128 GB of memory.
    64 GB vs 128 GB
  • 1 fewer M.2 sockets
    This motherboard has fewer M.2 sockets than the average motherboard (1 vs 2). The average motherboard has 2 M.2 socket/s.
    1 vs 2
  • 1 fewer rear USB-C ports
    This motherboard has fewer rear USB-C ports than the average motherboard (0 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 rear USB-C port/s.
    0 vs 1
  • No Wi-Fi connectivity
    This motherboard does not support Wi-Fi connectivity, while the average motherboard does. 50% of motherboards support Wi-Fi connectivity.
  • 6.26x less popular
    MSI Z170 A Pro is less popular than the average motherboard (1 vs 6.3).
    1 vs 6.26
  • 15.5% worse value for money
    MSI Z170 A Pro has worse value for money than the average motherboard (6.42 vs 7.4).
    6.42 vs 7.41
  • More basic motherboard chipset
    This motherboard has more basic motherboard chipset than the average motherboard (Intel Z170 vs Intel B860). The average motherboard uses Intel B860 chipset.
    Intel Z170 vs Intel B860
  • No BIOS flashback support
    This motherboard does not support BIOS flashback, while the average motherboard does. 50.9% of motherboards support BIOS flashback.
  • Not ready for Windows 11
    This motherboard is not ready for Windows 11, while the average motherboard is. 76.9% of motherboards are ready for Windows 11.
  • Narrower Windows support
    This motherboard has narrower Windows support than the average motherboard (Windows 10 vs Windows 11, Windows 10). The average motherboard supports Windows 11, Windows 10.
    Windows 10 vs Windows 11, Windows 10
  • 6 older release date
    This motherboard is older than the average motherboard (2015 vs 2021). The average motherboard was released in 2021.
    August 2015
    2015 vs 2021
  • Fewer useful accessories
    This motherboard has fewer useful accessories than the average motherboard (2x SATA cables, I/O shield, GPU bridge vs 2x SATA cables, Wi-Fi antenna, M.2 kit, front-panel adapter, RGB cable). The average motherboard comes with 2x SATA cables, Wi-Fi antenna, M.2 kit, front-panel adapter, RGB cable.
    2x SATA cables, I/O shield, GPU bridge vs 2x SATA cables, Wi-Fi antenna, M.2 kit, front-panel adapter, RGB cable
  • 50% less maximum memory capacity
    This motherboard has fewer maximum memory capacity than the average motherboard (64 GB vs 128 GB). The average motherboard supports 128 GB of memory.
    64 GB vs 128 GB
  • 49.3% lower maximum RAM speed
    This motherboard has a lower maximum RAM speed than the average motherboard (2400 MT/s vs 4733 MT/s). The average motherboard supports RAM speed of 4733 MT/s.
    2,400 MT/s vs 4,733 MT/s
  • 35.1% lower overclocked RAM speed
    This motherboard has a lower overclocked RAM speed than the average motherboard (3200 MT/s vs 4933 MT/s). The average motherboard supports overclocked RAM speed of 4933 MT/s.
    top speed depends on CPU and memory setup
    3,200 MT/s vs 4,933 MT/s
  • Slower M.2 slot interfaces
    This motherboard has slower M.2 slot interfaces than the average motherboard (1x PCIe 3x4/SATA vs 1x PCIe 5x4, 2x PCIe 4x4). The average motherboard uses 1x PCIe 5.0x4, 2x PCIe 4.0x4 M.2 slot interfaces.
    1x PCIe 3.0x4/SATA vs 1x PCIe 5.0x4, 2x PCIe 4.0x4
  • 1 fewer M.2 sockets
    This motherboard has fewer M.2 sockets than the average motherboard (1 vs 2). The average motherboard has 2 M.2 socket/s.
    1 vs 2
  • No PCIe bifurcation support
    This motherboard does not support PCIe bifurcation, while the average motherboard does. 59.7% of motherboards support PCIe bifurcation.
  • Less flexible PCIe lane configuration
    This motherboard has less flexible PCIe lane configuration than the average motherboard (x16/x4, x16/x0 vs x16/x0/x4, x8/x8/x4). The average motherboard uses x16/x0/x4, x8/x8/x4 PCIe slot lane configuration.
    x16/x4, x16/x0 vs x16/x0/x4, x8/x8/x4
  • 2 fewer rear USB ports
    This motherboard has fewer rear USB ports than the average motherboard (6 vs 8). The average motherboard has 8 rear USB port/s.
    6 vs 8
  • 1 fewer rear USB-C ports
    This motherboard has fewer rear USB-C ports than the average motherboard (0 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 rear USB-C port/s.
    0 vs 1
  • 3 fewer total USB connections
    This motherboard has fewer total USB connections than the average motherboard (12 vs 15). The average motherboard has 15 total USB connections.
    12 vs 15
  • 1 fewer USB 3.2 Gen2 ports
    This motherboard has fewer USB 3.2 Gen2 ports than the average motherboard (0 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 USB 3.2 Gen2 port/s.
    0 vs 1
  • Older HDMI version
    This motherboard has older HDMI version than the average motherboard (1.4 vs 2.1). The average motherboard supports HDMI 2.1.
    1.4 vs 2.1
  • 1 fewer total USB-C connections
    This motherboard has fewer total USB-C connections than the average motherboard (0 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 total USB-C connections.
    0 vs 1
  • 60% lower LAN speed
    This motherboard has a lower LAN speed than the average motherboard (1 Gbps vs 2.5 Gbps). The average motherboard offers LAN speed of 2.5 Gbps.
    1 Gbps vs 2.5 Gbps
  • No Wi-Fi connectivity
    This motherboard does not support Wi-Fi connectivity, while the average motherboard does. 50% of motherboards support Wi-Fi connectivity.
  • No Wi-Fi antenna included
    This motherboard does not include a Wi-Fi antenna, while the average motherboard does. 51.1% of motherboards include a Wi-Fi antenna.
  • 20 dB lower audio SNR
    This motherboard has a lower audio SNR than the average motherboard (95 dB vs 115 dB). The average motherboard has audio SNR of 115 dB.
    95 dB vs 115 dB
  • 2 fewer 3.5mm audio jacks
    This motherboard has fewer 3.5mm audio jacks than the average motherboard (3 vs 5). The average motherboard has 5 3.5mm audio jacks.
    3 vs 5
  • More basic audio codec
    This motherboard has more basic audio codec than the average motherboard (Realtek ALC892 vs Realtek ALC897). The average motherboard uses Realtek ALC897 audio codec.
    Realtek ALC892 vs Realtek ALC897
  • No optical S/PDIF out
    This motherboard does not have optical S/PDIF out, while the average motherboard does. 55.8% of motherboards include optical S/PDIF out.
  • Fewer VRM phases
    This motherboard has fewer VRM phases than the average motherboard (6 vs 10). The average motherboard has 10 VRM phase/s.
    6 vs 10
  • 2 fewer ARGB headers
    This motherboard has fewer ARGB headers than the average motherboard (0 vs 2). The average motherboard has 2 ARGB header/s.
    0 vs 2
  • No onboard RGB lighting
    This motherboard does not have onboard RGB lighting, while the average motherboard does. 50.4% of motherboards include onboard RGB lighting.
  • 1 fewer RGB headers
    This motherboard has fewer RGB headers than the average motherboard (0 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 RGB header/s.
    0 vs 1
  • 61 mm wider
    This motherboard is wider than the average motherboard (305 mm vs 244 mm). The average motherboard width is 244 mm.
    305 mm vs 244 mm
  • 0.5 fewer fan headers
    This motherboard has fewer fan headers than the average motherboard (5 vs 5.5). The average motherboard has 5.5 fan header/s.
    5 vs 5.5

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

Third-party reviews

What we like about MSI Z170 A Pro

  • Excellent value for a mid-range Z170 motherboard with good durability
  • Intuitive UEFI Click BIOS 5 with easy-to-use overclocking options
  • Includes M.2 slot for high-speed storage up to 32 Gb/s
  • Features 'Easy Debug LED' to quickly identify CPU, RAM, or GPU issues
  • Military Class 5 components provide solid reliability and stability
  • Supports multiple RAID configurations (0, 1, 5, 10) for data security and speed

What we don't like about MSI Z170 A Pro

  • Lacks advanced features found on higher-end 'Gaming' models, such as RGB lighting or a Type-C port
  • Audio chip is relatively basic compared to more premium motherboard options
  • Limited overclocking headroom; not ideal for enthusiasts seeking extreme performance
  • SATA ports 5 and 6 are disabled when using the M.2 slot
  • No official support for Windows 11 without manual workarounds

Verdict

The MSI Z170-A PRO is an ATX motherboard featuring the Intel Z170 chipset and LGA 1151 socket, designed to support 6th and 7th Gen Intel Core processors. It is equipped with four DDR4 DIMM slots supporting up to 64GB of memory at overclocked speeds of 3200MHz, alongside a Turbo M.2 slot offering up to 32Gb/s bandwidth and two PCIe 3.0 x16 slots for AMD CrossFire support. Main pros include its durable Military Class 4 components, DDR4 Boost technology for memory stability, and a versatile I/O that includes DisplayPort, DVI, and VGA outputs for 4K and legacy support. However, notable cons include the lack of an onboard HDMI port, no support for NVIDIA SLI multi-GPU configurations, and the disabling of specific SATA ports when the M.2 slot is in use.

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