MSI X870E Gaming Plus Wi-Fi

Manufacturer: MSI

The MSI X870E Gaming Plus Wi-Fi is an ATX form factor motherboard built around the AM5 socket and X870 chipset, offering a well-rounded feature set for desktop PC builds. It includes integrated wireless connectivity with Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) and Bluetooth 5.4, along with RGB lighting, dual BIOS support, and a clear CMOS function for straightforward BIOS management. The board carries a three-year warranty and measures 304.8 mm by 243.84 mm.

On the memory side, the board provides four DDR5 slots across two channels, supporting up to 256GB at a base speed of 5600 MHz and up to 8200 MHz with overclocking enabled. Expansion options include one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, complemented by three M.2 sockets and four SATA 3 connectors with full RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 support. The rear I/O panel offers a Thunderbolt 4 port, a USB 4 40Gbps port, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, four USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI 2.1 output, and a single RJ45 ethernet jack, while the 7.1-channel audio solution is served by three onboard audio connectors.

Pros

Supports Wi-Fi 7 alongside all previous Wi-Fi generations down to Wi-Fi 4, covering a wide range of wireless use cases
Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4 40Gbps ports provide high-bandwidth connectivity options on the rear I/O
DDR5 memory can be overclocked up to 8200 MHz across four slots, with a maximum capacity of 256GB
Dual BIOS and easy CMOS reset reduce the risk of an unrecoverable firmware issue during updates or failed overclocks
Eight fan headers give substantial flexibility for managing airflow and cooling across the system
RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 support allows for a variety of storage redundancy and performance configurations

Cons

No USB 3.2 Gen 2 or Gen 1 Type-C ports on the rear I/O, limiting direct USB-C device connectivity without adapters
ECC memory is not supported, ruling out error-correcting RAM for workloads that require it
No S/PDIF Out port, which may affect users relying on digital optical audio output
Only three M.2 sockets available, which may be limiting for builds with multiple NVMe drives
No DisplayPort output on the rear panel, restricting video output to a single HDMI 2.1 connection

Who is this for?

This motherboard is well suited to enthusiast desktop builders targeting the AM5 platform who want room to grow, particularly those interested in memory overclocking given the DDR5 support with headroom up to 8200 MHz. The combination of a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, three M.2 sockets, and full RAID support makes it a strong fit for users who prioritize fast storage and high-bandwidth GPU configurations. The inclusion of Wi-Fi 7, Thunderbolt 4, and a USB 4 40Gbps port also makes it appealing to users who rely on cutting-edge wireless connectivity and high-speed peripheral or external device ecosystems.

Who is this NOT for?

This board is not well suited to users who need ECC memory support, such as those running workstation or data-integrity-sensitive workloads, as that capability is entirely absent. It would also be a poor fit for anyone who depends on digital optical audio output via S/PDIF or requires multiple USB-C ports on the rear panel for direct device connectivity without adapters. Additionally, users with no interest in the AM5 platform or those looking to build a compact system will find the ATX form factor and chipset-specific socket incompatible with their needs.

General info:

CPU socket	AM5
chipset	X870
form factor	ATX
supports Wi-Fi	✓
Wi-Fi version	Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
Has Bluetooth	✓
Bluetooth version	5.4
HDMI version	HDMI 2.1
Easy to overclock	✓
has RGB lighting	✓
Easy to reset BIOS	✓
Has dual BIOS	✓
has aptX	✕
CPU sockets	1
Has integrated graphics	✕
warranty period	3 years
height	243.84 mm
width	304.8 mm
Has integrated CPU	✕

The MSI X870E Gaming Plus Wi-Fi is built around the AM5 socket with a single CPU socket configuration, pairing with the X870 chipset in a standard ATX form factor measuring 304.8 mm wide and 243.84 mm tall. It supports Wi-Fi across multiple generations — from Wi-Fi 4 through to Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) — and includes Bluetooth 5.4, though aptX audio codec support is absent. The board features dual BIOS along with an easy CMOS reset option, onboard RGB lighting, and HDMI 2.1 output, while overclocking is supported through a straightforward interface. It does not include integrated graphics or an integrated CPU, and the board carries a three-year warranty.

Memory:

maximum memory amount	256GB
RAM speed (max)	5600 MHz
overclocked RAM speed	8200 MHz
memory slots	4
DDR memory version	5
memory channels	2
Supports ECC memory	✕

This motherboard supports DDR5 memory across four slots arranged in a dual-channel configuration, with a maximum capacity of 256GB. Standard operation runs up to 5600 MHz, while overclocked speeds can reach up to 8200 MHz for users looking to push memory performance further. ECC memory is not supported.

Ports:

USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-A)	2
USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (USB-A)	2
USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-C)	0
USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (USB-C)	0
USB 2.0 ports	4
USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports	1
USB 4 40Gbps ports	1
USB 4 20Gbps ports	0
Thunderbolt 4 ports	1
Thunderbolt 3 ports	0
has an HDMI output	✓
DisplayPort outputs	0
RJ45 ports	1
Has USB Type-C	✓
eSATA ports	0
DVI outputs	0
has a VGA connector	✕
PS/2 ports	0

The rear I/O panel offers a broad range of connectivity options, including two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, and four USB 2.0 ports, alongside one USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C port. High-speed connections are covered by one USB 4 40Gbps port and one Thunderbolt 4 port, while no USB 4 20Gbps or Thunderbolt 3 ports are present. Video output is handled through a single HDMI output, with no DisplayPort, DVI, or VGA connectors available. Networking is served by one RJ45 port, and there are no eSATA or PS/2 ports on this board.

Connectors:

USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (through expansion)	4
USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports (through expansion)	1
USB 2.0 ports (through expansion)	6
SATA 3 connectors	4
fan headers	8
USB 3.0 ports (through expansion)	4
M.2 sockets	3
Has TPM connector	✓
U.2 sockets	0
Has mSATA connector	✕
SATA 2 connectors	0

For internal expansion, the board provides four USB 3.2 Gen 1 headers, one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 header, and six USB 2.0 ports through onboard connectors, along with four additional USB 3.0 ports via expansion. Storage connectivity is handled by three M.2 sockets and four SATA 3 connectors, while no SATA 2, U.2, or mSATA connectors are present. Cooling is well catered for with eight fan headers distributed across the board, and a TPM connector is included for security module support.

Expansion slots:

PCIe 4.0 x16 slots	1
PCIe 5.0 x16 slots	1
PCIe 3.0 x16 slots	0
PCIe x1 slots	2
PCI slots	0
PCIe 2.0 x16 slots	0
PCIe x4 slots	0
PCIe x8 slots	0

The board's expansion slot layout includes one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, offering bandwidth options for discrete cards, supplemented by two PCIe x1 slots for smaller add-in cards. There are no PCIe 3.0, PCIe 2.0, PCIe x4, PCIe x8, or legacy PCI slots present on this board.

Audio:

audio channels	7.1
Has S/PDIF Out port	✕
audio connectors	3

The onboard audio solution supports 7.1-channel output and is accessible through three audio connectors on the rear panel. An S/PDIF Out port is not included on this board.

Storage:

Supports RAID 1	✓
Supports RAID 10 (1+0)	✓
Supports RAID 5	✓
Supports RAID 0	✓
Supports RAID 0+1	✕

The board supports RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 (1+0) configurations, covering a practical range of performance and redundancy setups. RAID 0+1 is not supported.

Final Verdict

The MSI X870E Gaming Plus Wi-Fi is a capable ATX motherboard for the AM5 platform that covers most bases an enthusiast builder would expect — from Wi-Fi 7 and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity to DDR5 overclocking headroom and a PCIe 5.0 primary slot. Its storage and expansion flexibility, combined with dual BIOS and extensive fan header coverage, make it a practical choice for users who value reliability and forward-looking connectivity. The absence of ECC support and limited rear USB-C options mean it falls short for certain workstation or professional use cases, but for a mainstream enthusiast build centered on the AM5 ecosystem, it delivers a well-rounded and feature-complete package.