MSI B760M MSI PROJECT ZERO LGA 1700 mATX Motherboard Review
Welcome to our in-depth review of the MSI B760M MSI PROJECT ZERO LGA 1700 mATX Motherboard. This motherboard is designed for users seeking a feature-rich and powerful platform for their Intel 14th/13th/12th Gen CPU builds. We put this board through rigorous testing and real-world usage to deliver a comprehensive analysis of its performance, features, and overall value.
Table of Contents
Introduction
The MSI B760M MSI PROJECT ZERO is a compelling motherboard that targets both budget-conscious builders and those who demand a high level of performance. Its mATX form factor allows for compact PC builds, while its array of features caters to demanding users.
Features
This motherboard is packed with features that enhance its usability and expand its capabilities. Here are some notable highlights:
- Intel B760 Chipset: Provides a solid foundation for Intel 14th/13th/12th Gen CPUs, delivering reliable performance and stability.
- DDR5 Support: With support for up to 192GB of DDR5 memory, you have ample room for demanding applications and multitasking. The motherboard supports a wide range of DDR5 memory speeds, ensuring compatibility and performance flexibility.
- Wi-Fi 6E & Bluetooth 5.3: The onboard Wi-Fi 6E provides blazing-fast wireless connectivity for seamless online gaming and streaming, while Bluetooth 5.3 enables reliable connections with your peripherals. The Wi-Fi 6E support allows for high-bandwidth internet connections, especially when using a router that also supports the 6GHz band.
- 2.5Gbps LAN: Enjoy faster wired connections with the integrated 2.5Gbps LAN port. This is ideal for users who need reliable and high-speed network access, whether for gaming, file transfers, or streaming.
- Two PCI-E x16 Slots: The motherboard provides two PCI-E x16 slots, supporting both PCIe 5.0 and PCIe 3.0 standards. This gives you flexibility for configuring multiple graphics cards or other expansion cards.
- Two M.2 Slots: The MSI B760M MSI PROJECT ZERO boasts two M.2 slots, offering PCIe 4.0 and SATA support. This allows you to connect high-performance NVMe SSDs for lightning-fast storage speeds.
- Abundant USB Ports: The motherboard features a generous selection of USB ports, including USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports for high-speed data transfer and charging.
- Onboard Graphics Output: The motherboard supports integrated graphics, allowing for basic display output if you opt for a CPU with integrated graphics capabilities.
Performance
We tested the MSI B760M MSI PROJECT ZERO with an Intel Core i7-13700K processor, 32GB of DDR5-6000 RAM, and a high-end NVMe SSD. Here are our performance observations:
- CPU Performance: The motherboard delivered excellent CPU performance, allowing our Intel Core i7-13700K to run at its full potential without any bottlenecking. In benchmark tests, we saw consistently high scores, demonstrating the motherboard’s capacity to handle demanding workloads.
- Memory Performance: The DDR5 support was impressive, enabling us to achieve high memory speeds and low latency. This resulted in smooth multitasking, fast application loading, and overall system responsiveness.
- Storage Performance: The NVMe SSD connected to the M.2 slot delivered exceptional read and write speeds, enhancing boot times, application loading, and data transfer rates.
- Gaming Performance: In our gaming benchmarks, the motherboard provided a stable and smooth gaming experience. We were able to run demanding titles at high resolutions and frame rates without encountering any issues.
- Overclocking: The motherboard’s BIOS provided a range of overclocking options, allowing for tweaking various components to push the system’s limits. We achieved stable overclocks on both the CPU and memory, further enhancing performance.
Pros & Cons
Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons based on our experience:
Pros
- Strong performance for Intel 14th/13th/12th Gen CPUs
- Support for DDR5 memory with a wide range of speeds
- Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 for seamless connectivity
- 2.5Gbps LAN for faster wired connections
- Two PCI-E x16 slots for multiple graphics cards or expansion cards
- Two M.2 slots with PCIe 4.0 and SATA support
- Abundant USB ports, including USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports
- Onboard graphics output for flexibility
- Robust feature set
- User-friendly BIOS with overclocking options
- mATX form factor for compact builds
Cons
- Limited RGB lighting options
- No built-in sound card for high-end audio enthusiasts
Final Verdict
The MSI B760M MSI PROJECT ZERO LGA 1700 mATX Motherboard is an excellent option for anyone looking to build a high-performance PC with an Intel 14th/13th/12th Gen CPU. It offers a strong feature set, solid performance, and ample expansion options, making it a great value for its price. While the limited RGB lighting and lack of a dedicated sound card might be drawbacks for some, the overall performance and feature set outweigh these minor downsides. If you’re seeking a reliable and feature-packed mATX motherboard for your next PC build, the MSI B760M MSI PROJECT ZERO is a strong contender.
Specifications
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Chipset | INTEL B760 |
| CPU | Support Intel® Core™ 14th/13th/12th Gen Processors, Intel® Pentium® Gold and Celeron® Processors, LGA1700 |
| Memory | 4x DDR5, Maximum Memory Capacity 192GB, Memory Support 7800+(OC)/7600(OC)/7400(OC)/7200(OC)/7000(OC)/6800(OC)/6600(OC)/6400(OC)/6200(OC)/6000(OC)/5800(OC)/5600(JEDEC)/5400(JEDEC)/5200(JEDEC)/5000(JEDEC)/4800(JEDEC) MHz, Max. overclocking frequency: 1DPC 1R Max speed up to 7800+ MHz, 1DPC 2R Max speed up to 6600+ MHz, 2DPC 1R Max speed up to 6400+ MHz, 2DPC 2R Max speed up to 5600+ MHz, Supports Dual-Channel mode, Supports non-ECC, un-buffered memory, Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Profile |
| Onboard Graphics | 1x HDMI™ (HDMITM 2.1 with HDR, maximum resolution of 4K 60Hz*), 1x DisplayPort (Support DP 1.4, maximum resolution of 4K 60Hz*) *Available only on processors featuring integrated graphics. Graphics specifications may vary depending on the CPU installed. |
| Slot | 2x PCI-E x16 slot, 1x PCI-E x1 slot, PCI_E1 Gen PCIe 5.0 supports up to x16 (From CPU), PCI_E2 Gen PCIe 3.0 supports up to x1 (From Chipset), PCI_E3 Gen PCIe 4.0 supports up to x4 (From Chipset) |
| Storage | 2x M.2 (M.2_1 Source (From CPU) supports up to PCIe 4.0 x4, supports 2280/2260/2242 devices, M.2_2 Source (From Chipset) supports up to PCIe 4.0 x4 / SATA mode, supports 2280/2260/2242 devices), 4x SATA 6G, Supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10 for SATA storage devices |
| USB | 4x USB 2.0 (Rear), 4x USB 2.0 (Front), 2x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type A (Front), 3x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type A (Rear), 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type C (Front), 1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type C (Rear) |
| LAN | Realtek® 2.5Gbps LAN |
| Wireless LAN & Bluetooth | Intel® Wi-Fi 6E, Supports MU-MIMO TX/RX, 2.4GHz/5GHz/6GHz* (160MHz) up to 2.4Gbps, Supports 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Supports Bluetooth® 5.3, FIPS, FISMA * Wi-Fi 6E 6GHz may depend on every country’s regulations and will be ready in Windows 11. ** Bluetooth 5.3 will be ready in Windows 10 build 21H1 and Windows 11. |
| Audio | Realtek® ALC897 Codec, 7.1-Channel High Performance Audio, Supports S/PDIF output |
| Internal IO | 1x Power Connector(ATX_PWR), 2x Power Connector(CPU_PWR), 1x CPU Fan, 1x Pump Fan, 4x System Fan, 2x Front Panel (JFP), 1x Chassis Intrusion (JCI), 1x Front Audio (JAUD), 1x TBT connector (JTBT, supports RTD3), 1x Tuning Controller connector(JDASH), 2x Addressable V2 RGB LED connector (JARGB_V2), 2x RGB LED connector(JRGB), 1x TPM pin header(Support TPM 2.0), 4x USB 2.0 ports, 2x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type A ports, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type C ports |
| LED Feature | 4x EZ Debug LED |
| Back Panel Ports | USB 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4, USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps Type-A, 2.5G LAN Port, Wi-Fi / Bluetooth Antenna, HD Audio Connectors, HDMI™ 2.1 Port, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 20Gbps Type-C, Optical S/PDIF OUT |
| Operating System | Support for Windows® 11 64-bit, Windows® 10 64-bit |
| PCB Info | mATX, 243.84mmx243.84mm |