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When testing the MSI Big Bang Motherboard we used a selection of components we know a large portion of our audience will own. We also wanted to select components we know will overclock well later – so we can test the motherboard limits.
Processor: Intel Core i7 920 (default)
Motherboard: MSI Big Bang XPower
Comparison Motherboard: eVGA X58 SLI
Memory: Kingston DDR3 1600 6GB Kit
Monitor: LaCie 730
Cooler: Thermaltake Contac29 Cooler
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 1TB Sata 32MB
Power Supply: Enermax Mod87+ 700W
Graphics: HIS 5870 icooler V Turbo
Chassis: Open Bench configuration
Thermal Diodes
Digital Sound Level Noise Decibel Meter Style 2
Raytek Laser Temp Gun 3i LSRC/MT4 Mini Temp
Keithley Integra 2700
Windows 7 Ultimate 64 Bit
Catalyst 10.6
3DMark Vantage
PCMark Vantage
Super Pi
FRAPS Professional
SiSoftware Sandra 2010
Cinebench 11.5
KitGuru Photoshop Benchmark 1(4)
3D Studio Max 2011
Handbrake
Encoding
Colin McRae Dirt 2
Alien V Predator
Crysis Warhead
All our results are gathered from five individual runs to analyze and remove any possible result abnormalities.
bugger me with a bargepole, thats bloody impressive.
MSi really are pulling out all the stops recently to get seen in high end circles. I think its working !
Looks like a mega product again from MSI. price is high but I expected that after reading the review.
Love the design, they look to have covered everything from design to connectivity. the OC genie is a great idea and I was surprised to hear it worked well, thats a bit of a shocker.
Very good review Zardon, thank you.
That bundle is crazy good, so much in it, no wonder it costs so much. Seems a good price I think its cheaper than the asus rampage board just released.
Seems to be low stock levels of this everywhere, must be popular or a low build rate for MSI.
hard to get in some parts of the world, so ive heard, yah.
They need to realise a board like this for the 1156 platform also. that platform has such crappy boards throughout the ranges.
Good review and I was interested to see the power drain was lower than competiting products. thats always a good sign.
MSI are underrated in the motherboard market, but I love to see them creating these products to go head to head with ASUS and the top level players on the market right now. This looks to be better than the Ramage from what ive seen on kitguru and other review sites.
Its a really good looking board, I hate all the ordinary capacitors we normally see around the CPU socket, but those HIc capacitors are a huge selling point, for me anyway.
I think AMD motherboards are better equipped, but this one really helps Intel 1366 buyers. so much on it and a great variety of high quality components onboard.
I currently own a gigabyte board which i love, but I want to move to 1366, I think this would be top of my list, its well priced considering the quality throughout.
Its impresive, but I feel ASUS still have the quality edge. the rampage board is the cream of the crop.
@ Derek, normally I would agree, but I cant see there being any better 1366 motherboard on the market right now. MSI are really doing their homework before releasing these products.
excellent, really excellent. way out of my price range, but I can dream
MSI rock, they really do, I loved the review of the R5870 card on kitguru last month. all their changes arent just for show or talk,. they really make a difference
Very good product, the price isnt as bad as I thought, I had surmissed it would be £320.
No real weaknesses indeed. even the sata ports are in the right places. so many makers (yes im looking at you intel), put sata ports right under a long graphics card which is useless, even with a 90 degree designed connector.