MSI B760M Gaming Plus WiFi: A cheap motherboard with a surprise

Ľubomír Samák

2 weeks ago

Video encoding

The seemingly inconspicuous motherboard hides something you probably wouldn’t expect, it has both HDMI and DisplayPort video outputs doubled, in pairs. Otherwise, the B760M Gaming WiFi is an affordable solution also suitable for higher-end Intel Core processors designed for the LGA 1700 platform with DDR5 memory. Meanwhile, due to the smaller MicroATX format, you can also fit the motherboard into smaller cases.

A low-cost smaller motherboard for Intel Raptor Lake (Refresh) or possibly Intel Alder Lake? The MSI B760M Gaming Plus WiFi, which we will now take a closer look at, is certainly worth considering.


Parameters		MSI B760M Gaming WiFi

Socket		Intel LGA 1700
Chipset		Intel B760
Format		MicroATX (244 × 244 mm)
CPU power delivery		14-phase
Supported memory (and max. frequency)		DDR5 (6800 MHz)
Slots PCIe ×16 (+ PCIe ×1)		2× (+ 1×)
Centre of socket to first PCIe ×16 slot		83 mm
Centre of socket to first DIMM slot		56 mm
Storage connectors		4× SATA III, 2× M.2 (42–80 mm) PCIe 4.0 ×4 + PCIe 4.0 ×4/SATA III
PWM connectors for fans or AIO pump		4×
Internal USB ports		1× 3.2 gen. 2 type C, 4× 3.2 gen. 1 type A, 4× 2.0 type A
Other internal connectors		1× TPM, 2× ARGB LED, 1× RGB LED, 1× jumper Clear CMOS
POST display		no (but has debug LED)
Buttons		none
External USB ports		2× 3.2 gen. 2 type A, 2× 3.2 gen. 1 type A, 4× 2.0 type A
Video outputs		2× HDMI 2.1, 2× DisplayPort 1.4
Network		1× RJ-45 (2,5 GbE) – Realtek 8125BG, WiFi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
Audio		Realtek ALC897 (7.1)
Other external connectors		–
Suggested retail price		150 EUR

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MSI B760M Gaming Plus WiFi

One of the cheapest motherboards for Intel processors (LGA 1700). And although there are even cheaper models, these are usually characterized by weaker features that, among other things, push for the use of less powerful CPU processor models or at least more aggressive limiting of their power. The B760M Gaming Plus WiFi doesn’t really require that to be capable of operation. But let’s take it one step at a time.

The format of the MSI B760M Gaming Plus WiFi is μATX, square (244 × 244 mm). Compared to ATX motherboards, this one is therefore shorter, which results in a smaller number of PCI Express M.2 slots for SSDs.

There are “only” two SSD slots, but both are connected by four PCIe 4.0 lanes (so full-size ones…). The bottom slot (M.2) also supports SATA SSDs. The latter shares a lane with one of the four SATA connectors for inch storage, the use of which disables the M.2_2 slot.

Thanks to a cooler, the first M.2 slot is also ready for heavier loads or long-term operation of an SSD at higher performance.

About PCI Express slots: there are three of them, which is a common number even on larger boards. Compared to them, the gap between the first and the last one is smaller on this one, 60 mm. Thicker graphics cards, for example, will block the bottom PCIe ×16 (but that one only has four lanes). Between the first (×16) and the last PCIe slot (×4) there is a short PCIe ×1 slot suitable for simpler expansion cards.

It’s worth praising that the 19-pin connectors for the USB 3.2 gen. 1 are in a pair. This is definitely not the rule and even with more expensive or larger boards, there is only one connector. In this case, it won’t happen that some 5-gigabit USB-A ports are left unconnected on a front panel of a case.

On the 14-phase (12+1+1) power delivery, there are two coolers, larger aluminum monoliths (135 + 95 grams), where you can also see the effort of finning with a view to achieving higher cooling efficiency.

The MOSFET ICs used are AONS36308 (Alpha & Omega Semiconductor) and the PWM driver is Richtek RT3628AE. Technically, the VRM of the MSI B760M Gaming WiFi motherboard is also suitable for the most powerful supported processors without having to limit the power in BIOS. Naturally there’s then the question of power efficiency, temperature and potential longevity. In a PC case where system cooling isn’t downright mishandled, there’s always going to be more of a struggle to keep the CPU itself cool (than its VRM).

In terms of wireless network connectivity, WiFi 6E (Intel AX211) is supported, the signal of which can be amplified by two supplied SMA antennas. Ethernet is 2.5-gigabit, Realtek 8125BG.

And now for the surprise. There are double HDMI and DisplayPort connectors on the rear panel, for a total of four digital video outputs. These can be used simultaneously across all generations of processors with iGPUs that you can put into the motherboard.

This makes the B760M Gaming Plus WiFi also attractive for workstations that depend on multiple monitors, which you can’t connect to other boards. Unless, that is, you have a graphics card. But users who don’t need high GPU performance and only care about the ability to “undemandingly” view stuff, don’t need that and would only buy it for that purpose – to connect three or four monitors. A design with four video outputs is quite rare among motherboards (overall, not just within this price range).

And yes, there are fewer USB ports at the expense of that (only six, and all Type-A, no Type-C). As always, though, it’s about choice, about priorities.

Please note: The article continues in following chapters.

What it looks like in the BIOS

The user interface is traditional, as you’re used to with MSI. That is, with a kind of information panel in the middle with basic CPU parameters, and on the sides with buttons and toggles for more advanced options.

From EZ Mode you can access the “advanced settings” via the F7 key. This interface is specific with the Gaming logo wallpaper, which refers to the model range of this motherboard. Otherwise, everything is “as always”, with logically divided tiles on the sides that take you to the dedicated settings.

For those who like to tweak and tune, the most attractive tile will be the “OC” tile, in whose settings it is possible to modify the CPU and memory operation according to your own preferences.

We won’t go through it item by item (you probably wouldn’t enjoy that, you wouldn’t read it – “boring”) and we’ll jump straight into those settings that adjust the power limits.

“CPU Cooler Tuning” allows you to make quick adjustments according to the cooler or the expected cooling performance available to you. Depending on the CPU model installed, this setting varies, but with the more powerful ones (also valid for the test Core i9-13900K processor) all profiles (Boxed Cooler, Tower Air Cooler and even Water Cooler) have PL1 set to a fixed 253 W. Obviously, it is assumed that you don’t have a “boxed” cooler with such a processor (it is not even included with K processors) and that you own a more powerful one that can handle cooling such performance in the long run.

The PL2 is also set to 253 W and the performance, as long as the cooler is not a bottleneck, will be constant with that setting. But we use slightly different settings in our tests. Firstly with PL1 limited to 125 W, and secondly with PL2 raised to “4096 W” (i.e. no power limits).

You may then need to increase the current limit to achieve maximum performance. This is perhaps the thing that MSI is doing to prevent the much-discussed instability of more powerful processors that push CPU clock speeds to (or beyond?) the edge of what is possible. But it may also be unrelated. What current limit MSI has set for this board in the past we don’t know, but with the latest BIOS (7D99vH3) and the Ci9-13900K at the time of testing, it’s “only” 280A. If MSI has been setting it this way for a long time, and historically it hasn’t been otherwise, then the lower current limit may also be preventing the VRM from overheating.

With the G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo test modules (2×16 GB, 6000 MHz/CL30), the memory controller is set to “Gear 2” after XMP/EXPO activation (indicating halved memory controller bandwidth). With slower modules (than our test ones) it can be even “Gear 1”, which can of course also be achieved by manual tuning.

To reach ReSizable BAR management you have to go to the “Settings” section (PCI Sub-system Settings), the switch on the EZ Mode screen in the UEFI of MSI motherboards is still missing.

Hardware Monitor: The interface for controlling the fans is feature-rich, and each of the four headers can be customized well.

If you own modern fans with a 4-pin connector, make sure the board has set the PWM control correctly.

The fan curve in each header can be derived from one of the five temperature sensors (including the VRM) that the B760M Gaming Plus WiFi has. While you won’t find preset speed profiles here, adjusting the speed (or PWM duty cycle) depending on the temperature of a selected source is here.

Gaming tests…

The vast majority of tests is based on the methodology for processors and graphics cards. The choice of games is narrower with motherboards, but for this purpose there is no need for more of them. We always use the powerful Core i9-13900K processor, which will highlight the strengths and weaknesses of any motherboard well. In the past we have tested with two processors, including a cheaper, more low-power model, but we don’t do that anymore. The hypothesis that more expensive motherboards might “advantage” cheaper processors in performance has not been confirmed, so it’s rather pointless.

We’ve selected five titles from games we’re testing in two resolutions. There are significantly fewer games than in the CPU or graphics card tests, but these are just enough for the motherboard tests. Few people consider performance in a particular game when choosing a motherboard. But an indicative overview of which motherboard shapes gaming performance in what way (compared to another motherboard) is necessary. To avoid significant discrepancies over time, we’ve reached for relatively older titles that no longer receive significant updates.

These are Borderlands 3, F1 2020, Metro Exodus, Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Total War Saga: Troy. With newer games, there might be some performance changes over time (updates) and especially in high resolutions with high details. This is one of the test setups (2160p and Ultra, or the highest visual detail but without ray-tracing graphics) that focuses on comparing performance for which the bottleneck is the graphics card. In other words, it will be clear from these tests which motherboard can affect the performance of which graphics card to what extent, for any reason. In contrast, a setup with Full HD resolution and with graphical details reduced to “High” will also reflect the CPU’s contribution to the final gaming performance.

We use OCAT to record fps, or the times of individual frames, which are then used to calculate fps, and FLAT to analyze the CSV. The developer and author of articles (and videos) for the GPUreport.cz website is behind both.
For the highest accuracy, all runs are repeated three times and average values of average and minimum fps are displayed in the graphs. These multiple repetitions also apply to non-game tests.

… Computing tests, SSD tests, USB ports and network tests

We test application performance in a very similar way to the processor tests. Almost all tests are included, from the easier ones (such as those in a web environment) to those that push the CPU or graphics card to the limit. These are typically tests such as 3D rendering, video encoding (x264, x265, SVT-AV1) or other performance-intensive computing tasks. As with processors or graphics cards, we have a wide range of applications – users editing video (Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve Studio), graphic effects creators (Adobe Premiere Pro), graphic designers or photographers (Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, Affinity Photo, AI applications Topaz Labs, …) will find their own in the results, and there are also tests of (de)encryption, (de)compression, numerical calculations, simulations and, of course, tests of memory.

SSD performance tests are also important for motherboards. Therefore we test the maximum sequential read and write speeds on an empty Samsung 980 Pro SSD (1 TB) in the well distributed CrystalDiskMark, in all slots. We approach the USB port tests in the same way. We use a WD Black P50 external SSD to test them. It supports fast USB 3.2 gen. 2×2, so it won’t be a bottleneck for even the fastest USB controllers. We report only one result for each USB standard. This is calculated from the average of all available ports.

We won’t deprive you of network bandwidth tests either. We move large files in both directions within a local network between the motherboard network adapters and the Sonnet Solo10G 10-gigabit PCIe card. This from the aforementioned Samsung 980 Pro SSD to the Patriot Hellfire (480 GB), which is still fast enough to not slow down even the 10 Gb adapter.

The results of all performance tests are averaged over three repeated measurements for best accuracy.

CPU settings…

We primarily test processors without power limits, the way most motherboards have it in factory settings. For tests that have an overlap with power, temperature and CPU clock speed measurements, we also observe the behavior of boards with a power limit according to Intel’s recommendations, where we set PL1 to the TDP level (125 W) while respecting the Tau timeout (56 s). The upper limit of the power supply (PL2/PTT) is set in the BIOS according to the official values. For Core i9-13900K it is 253 W, for Core i9-12900K it is 241 W. Aggressive overclocking technologies such as PBO2 (AMD) or MCE (Asus) and similar are not covered in standard motherboard tests.

… and application updates

Tests should also take into account that over time, individual updates may skew performance comparisons. Some applications we use in portable versions that do not update or can be kept on a stable version, but for some this is not the case. Typically games get updated over time, which is natural, and keeping them on old versions out of reality would also be questionable.

In short, just count on the fact that the accuracy of the results you are comparing with each other decreases a bit as time goes on. To make this analysis easier, we’ve listed when each board was tested. You can find this out in the dialog box, where you can find information about the date of testing. This dialog is displayed in the interactive graphs, next to any result bar. Just hover over it.

Methodology: How we measure power draw

<In contrast to the Z690/B660 tests, we’ll simplify it a bit and measure only the CPU power draw on the EPS cables. This means that (also for the sake of best possible clarity) we omit the 24-pin measurements. We have already analysed it thoroughly and the power draw on it doesn’t change much across boards. Of the ten boards tested with an Alder Lake processor (Core i9-12900K), the power draw at 12 volts of the 24-pin connector ranges from 37.3–40.4 W (gaming load, graphics card power supply via PCI Express ×16 slot), at 5V (memory, ARGB LEDs and some external controllers) then between 13.9–22.3 W and finally at the weakest, 3.3-volt branch, the power draw of our test setup tends to be 2.2–3.6 W.

On top of the CPU power draw, which also takes into account the efficiency of the power delivery, this adds up to some 53–66 W under gaming/graphics load and only 15–25 W outside of it, with the graphics card idle. We already know all this from older tests, and it will be no different on the new boards, and as the number of measurements increases, reducing measurements that worsen orientation is beneficial. But from the text above, you know how much to add for the total power draw of the motherboard components to the CPU’s majority power draw.

The situation will be a bit different on AMD platforms, for those we will deal with what is the power draw on which branch of the 24-pin, but already in a separate article that will better highlight this topic. In a large comprehensive motherboard test, these measurements disappear, they do not attract enough attention.

We measure the power draw of the CPU (and its VRM) on the power supply cables, with calibrated Prova 15 current clamps and a calibrated Keysight U1231A multimeter. The clamps measure the electric current, the multimeter measures the electric voltage. In the union of these two electrical quantities, we finally obtain the exact power draw. We measure this in different loads on the CPU. The maximum multithreaded load is represented by Cinebench R23.

Lower, gaming load by Shadow of the Tomb Raider (1080p@high), single-threaded load by audio encoding (reference encoder 1.3.2, FLAC with bitrate 200 kbps) and idle power draw is measured on the Windows 10 desktop when only basic operating system processes and launchers of some test applications are running in the background.

Methodology: Temperature and frequency measurements

By far the most critical part in terms of temperatures on the motherboard is the power delivery (VRM) for the CPU. This is where we return to the Fluke Ti125 thermal imager, which produces temperature maps that can be used to locate the average temperature, as well as the hottest point. We record both these values (average and maximum temperature on the Vcore) in graphs, and we will later evaluate the efficiency of the VRM heatsinks based on the maximum one. However, we lack a suitable thermometer for that yet. Of course, the thermovision is implemented without a heatsink, and a thermocouple needs to be installed on the hottest MOSFET to detect the reduction of temperature with a heatsink. This will be added soon.

Thermal imaging always relates to operating with the more powerful of the pair of test processors. With it, the differences and possible limitations or impending risks (for example, even from thermal throttling) become more apparent. In order to have a good view of the VRM, we use an Alphacool Eisbaer 360 liquid cooler with the fans fixed at full power (12 V) instead of a tower cooler (from the CPU tests). The temperature tests also include CPU temperatures for completeness, and we also test the efficiency of the supplied SSD heatsinks as part of the motherboard tests. These are already included with virtually all better motherboards, and so the question naturally arises whether to use them or replace them with other, more finned ones. We will test these heatsinks on a Samsung 980 Pro SSD during ten minutes of intense load in CrystalDiskMark. Finally, the temperature of the chipset’s southbridge and the cooling efficiency in this direction is noteworthy as well.

All tests are conducted in a wind tunnel, so full system cooling is provided. This consists of three Noctua NF-S12A PWMs@5V (~550 rpm) . Two of which are intake, one is exhaust. But the three fast AIO fans also function as exhaust fans, so there is negative pressure inside the case.

The temperature at the entrance to the tunnel is properly controlled and ranges between 21-21.3 °C. Maintaining a constant temperature at all times during testing is important not only for the accuracy of the temperature measurements, but also because a higher or lower ambient temperature also affects the eventual behavior of the processors’ boost. And we also properly monitor and compare the clock speeds, whether under all-core load or even single-threaded tasks. We use the HWiNFO application to record the clock speeds and temperatures of the cores (sampling is set to two seconds).

Maintaining a constant temperature at the intake is necessary not only for a proper comparison of processor temperatures, but especially for objective performance comparisons. The clock speed development, and specially the single core boost, is precisely based on the temperature. Typically in summer, at higher temperatures than is normal in living quarters in winter, processors can be slower.

Temperatures are always read as maximum (both from the VRM thermovision and average, but still from the local maximum values at the end of Cinebench R23). For Intel processors, for each test we read the maximum temperature of the cores, usually all of them. These maxima are then averaged and the result represents the final value in the graph. From the single-threaded workload outputs, we extract only the recorded values from the active cores (there are usually two of these, and they alternate between each other during the test). For AMD processors it is a bit different. They don’t have temperature sensors for each core. In order to make the procedure methodically as similar as possible to the one we apply on Intel processors, we define the average temperature of all cores by the highest value reported by the CPU Tdie (average) sensor. However, for single-core workloads we already use the CPU sensor (Tctl/Tdie), which usually reports a slightly higher value that better corresponds to hotspots of one or two cores. However, these values as well as the values from all internal sensors should be taken with a grain of salt, the accuracy of sensors across CPUs varies.

Clock speed evaluation is more accurate, each core has its own sensor even on AMD processors. However, unlike the temperatures, we write the average values of the clock speeds during the tests in the graphs. We monitor the temperatures and clock speed of the CPU cores in the same tests in which we also measure power draw. Thus, sequentially from the lowest desktop idle load in Windows 10, through audio encoding (single-threaded load), gaming load in Shadow of the Tomb Raider to Cinebench R23.

Test setup

Note: To be able to compare results with older Z790 motherboard models, the tests are not run with an Intel Raptor Lake Refresh processor, but with the Intel Core i9-13900K (Raptor Lake).

Alphacool Eisbaer Aurora 360 liquid cooler w/ the metal backplate

G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo memory (2×16 GB, 6000 MHz/CL30). Motherboards with DDR4 memory support are tested with Patriot Blackout (4×8 GB, 3600 MHz/CL18) and Z690/B660 motherboards with DDR5 memory support are tested with Kingston Fury Beast (2×16 GB, 5200 MHz/CL40)

MSI RTX 3080 Gaming X Trio graphics card

Patriot Viper VP4100 (1 TB) and Patriot Viper VPN100 (2 TB) SSDs

Poznámka.: Graphics drivers used at the time of testing: Nvidia GeForce 466.77 and OS Windows 10 build 19045.

3DMark

We use 3DMark Professional for our tests and from the tests, Night Raid (DirectX 12), Fire Strike (DirectX 11) and Time Spy (DirectX 12). In the graphs you will find the CPU sub-scores, the combined scores, as well as the graphics scores. From this you can see to what extent a given CPU is limiting the graphics card.

Borderlands 3

Test environment: resolution 1920 × 1080 px; graphics settings preset High; API DirectX 12; extra settings Anti-Aliasing: None; test scene: built-in benchmark.

Test environment: resolution 3840 × 2160 px; graphics settings preset Ultra; API DirectX 12; no extra settings; test scene: built-in benchmark.

F1 2020

Test environment: resolution 1920 × 1080 px; graphics settings preset High; API DirectX 12; extra settings Anti-Aliasing: off, Skidmarks Blending: off; test scene: built-in benchmark (Australia, Clear/Dry, Cycle).

Test environment: resolution 3840 × 2160 px; graphics settings preset Ultra High; API DirectX 12; extra settings Anti-Aliasing: TAA, Skidmarks Blending: off; test scene: built-in benchmark (Australia, Clear/Dry, Cycle).

V testoch sme sa venovali základnej doske Mini-ITX. Nad tento formát sa zvykne v súvislosti s výkonnými procesormi dávať varovný prst, ale často neopodstatnene. To by bolo dokonca aj v prípade jedného z najlacnejších modelov pre platformu LGA 1700 – B760I Aorus Pro DDR4. „Odrezané“ je predovšetkým to, čo nemusíte potrebovať napríklad preto, že väčší počet slotov nielenže nevyužijete, ale ani nezapadá do vízie priestorovo úspornej PC zostavy.

Metro Exodus

Test environment: resolution 1920 × 1080 px; graphics settings preset High; API DirectX 12; no extra settings; test scene: built-in benchmark.

Test environment: resolution 3840 × 2160 px; graphics settings preset Extreme; API DirectX 12; no extra settings; test scene: built-in benchmark.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Test environment: resolution 1920 × 1080 px; graphics settings preset High; API DirectX 12; extra settings Anti-Aliasing: off; test scene: built-in benchmark.

Test environment: resolution 3840 × 2160 px; graphics settings preset Highest; API DirectX 12; extra settings Anti-Aliasing: TAA; test scene: built-in benchmark.

Total War Saga: Troy

Test environment: resolution 1920 × 1080 px; graphics settings preset High; API DirectX 11; no extra settings; test scene: built-in benchmark.

Test environment: resolution 3840 × 2160 px; graphics settings preset Ultra; API DirectX 11; no extra settings; test scene: built-in benchmark.

PCMark

Geekbench

Speedometer (2.0) and Octane (2.0)

Test environment: To ensure that results are not affected by web browser updates over time, we use a portable version of Google Chrome (91.0.472.101), a 64-bit build. Hardware GPU acceleration is enabled as well, as it is by default for every user.

Note: The values in the graphs represent the average of the scores obtained in the subtasks, which are grouped according to their nature into seven categories (Core language features, Memory and GC, Strings and arrays, Virtual machine and GC, Loading and Parsing, Bit and Math operations, and Compiler and GC latency).

Cinebench R20

Cinebench R23

Upozornenie: On the LGA 1700 platform, in the reduced power mode (IPL) to the long-term 125 W level, we observe lower computing performance than it was with older BIOSes since December last year. The power consumption is indeed as expected, but that’s with inefficient clock speed management. Within it, the E cores get more space (manifested by their higher clock speeds) than the P cores, for which there is not much left. This typically results in very low clock speeds (of the P cores of the test CPU model).

Blender@Cycles

Test environment: We use well distributed projects BMW (510 tiles) and Classroom (2040 tiles) and the renderer Cycles. Render settings are set to None, with which all the work falls on the CPU.

LuxRender (SPECworkstation 3.1)

Adobe Premiere Pro (PugetBench)

Test environment: PugetBench tests set. We keep the version of the application (Adobe Premiere Pro) at 15.2.

DaVinci Resolve Studio (PugetBench)

Test environment: set of PugetBench tests, test type: standard. App version of DaVinci Resolve Studio is 17.2.1 (build 12).

Visual effects: Adobe After Effects

Test environment: set of PugetBench tests. App version of Adobe After Effects is 18.2.1.

HandBrake

Test environment: For video conversion we’re using a 4K video LG Demo Snowboard with a 43,9 Mb/s bitrate. AVC (x264) and HEVC (x265) profiles are set for high quality and encoder profiles are “slow”. HandBrake version is 1.3.3 (2020061300).

x264 and x265 benchmarks

Naposledy sme sa zaoberali základnou doskou, ktorá, ktorá je aj vďaka nižšej cene vhodná najmä na použitie s lacnejšími procesormi. Teraz tu máme o zhruba 50 eur drahšiu Gigabyte B660 Aorus Master DDR4. Príplatok tu má jasné opodstatnenie a odzkadľuje sa na lepších vlastnostiach. Napájacia kaskáda je výrazne efektívnejšia, chladiče sú účinnejšie a výbava je celkovo bohatšia, vrátane svetielok.

Audio encoding

Test environment: Audio encoding is done using command line encoders, we measure the time it takes for the conversion to finish. The same 42-minute long 16-bit WAV file (stereo) with 44.1 kHz is always used (Love Over Gold by Dire Straits album rip in a single audio file).

Encoder settings are selected to achieve maximum or near maximum compression. The bitrate is relatively high, with the exception of lossless FLAC of about 200 kb/s.

Note: These tests measure single-thread performance.

FLAC: reference encoder 1.3.2, 64-bit build. Launch options: flac.exe -s -8 -m -e -p -f

MP3: encoder lame3.100.1, 64-bit build (Intel 19 Compiler) from RareWares. Launch options: lame.exe -S -V 0 -q 0

AAC: uses Apple QuickTime libraries, invoked through the application from the command line, QAAC 2.72, 64-bit build, Intel 19 Compiler (does not require installation of the whole Apple package). Launch options: qaac64.exe -V 100 -s -q 2

Opus: reference encoder 1.3.1, Launch options: opusenc.exe –comp 10 –quiet –vbr –bitrate 192

Adobe Photoshop (PugetBench)

Test environment: set of PugetBench tests. App version of Adobe Photoshop is 22.4.2.

Affinity Photo (benchmark)

Test environment: built-in benchmark.

Topaz Labs AI apps

Topaz DeNoise AI, Gigapixel AI and Sharpen AI. These single-purpose applications are used for restoration of low-quality photos. Whether it is high noise (caused by higher ISO), raster level (typically after cropping) or when something needs extra focus. The AI performance is always used.

Test settings for Topaz Labs applications. DeNoise AI, Gigapixel AI and Sharpen AI, left to right. Each application has one of the three windows

Test environment: As part of batch editing, 42 photos with a lower resolution of 1920 × 1280 px are processed, with the settings from the images above. DeNoise AI is in version 3.1.2, Gigapixel in 5.5.2 and Sharpen AI in 3.1.2.

The processor is used for acceleration (and high RAM allocation), but you can also switch to the GPU

WinRAR 6.01

7-Zip 19.00

TrueCrypt 7.1a

Aida64 (AES, SHA3)

Aida64, FPU tests

FSI (SPECworkstation 3.1)

Kirchhoff migration (SPECworkstation 3.1)

Python36 (SPECworkstation 3.1)

SRMP (SPECworkstation 3.1)

Octave (SPECworkstation 3.1)

FFTW (SPECworkstation 3.1)

Convolution (SPECworkstation 3.1)

CalculiX (SPECworkstation 3.1)

RodiniaLifeSci (SPECworkstation 3.1)

WPCcfd (SPECworkstation 3.1)

Poisson (SPECworkstation 3.1)

LAMMPS (SPECworkstation 3.1)

NAMD (SPECworkstation 3.1)

Memory tests…

… and cache (L1, L2, L3)

M.2 (SSD) slots speed

USB ports speed

Ethernet speed

In the second test setup we use a Sonnet Solo10G network card to measure the LAN adapter transfer speeds

Analysis of power draw without power limits

Analysis of power draw with power limits

Achieved CPU clock speed w/o power limits…

… and with power limits

CPU temperature

Disclaimer: The temperatures of the Core i9-12900K with the Core i9-13900K are incomparable. With the Intel Raptor Lake processor (Core i9-13900K) we use a metal backplate, while with Alder Lake (Core i9-12900K) the Alphacool Eisbaer Aurora 360 cooler has a plastic backplate. The latter has lower pressure and the heat transfer intensity is worse, as our tests show.

…. and with power limits

VRM temperature w/o power limits…

… and with power limits

SSD temperature

Chipset temperature (south bridge)

Conclusion

A solid, affordable mATX motherboard with the added value of four video outputs. When considering a purchase, this may be a crucial aspect that you don’t see in competing models. With such (video) equipment, it is possible to take full advantage of the “output” capabilities of an integrated graphics core. In builds with other motherboards, a graphics card is required to connect four monitors, which makes the computer rather unnecessarily expensive in cases where both the performance and multimedia capabilities of an Intel iGPU are sufficient.

Aside from the above, the B760M Gaming Plus WiFi is still a motherboard that, even at its lower price, can run even a 300-watt processor without the slightest difficulty. Sure, the VRM efficiency is weaker at this high power, temperatures (VRM) higher, with smaller headroom, but it “still runs”. Although, of course, this board is primarily intended for use with lower-power, non-K processors of lower classes or even higher, but with limited power (for example, to the PL2 level of the more powerful Raptor Lake Refresh models – 253 W). Under such conditions, the VRM will not melt even in PC cases with weaker/quieter system cooling.

But either way, the power efficiency of the B760M Gaming Plus WiFi is below average, even at lower or very low loads, where this model is at the very tail end of LGA 1700 motherboards, with the highest power consumption. In some places, you’ll be able to tame it by a bit, in others you won’t, but either way, you should know about these characteristics. It’s nothing terrible, nothing that stands out, but we have to say that it’s below average in this respect.

In sifting through the results of the gaming and computational tests, we didn’t come across anything that was below or above average. In short, everything is as you’d probably expect. This is also the case regarding the speeds of M.2 slots, ethernet or USB ports. Among the latter, some may miss a faster (than 10-gigabit) port, but the B760M Gaming Plus WiFi internally has up to four USB-A 3.2 gen. 1 standard ports. Even MSI’s more expensive model – the MAG B760M Mortar WiFi – only has two, making the cheaper board paradoxically more suitable in terms of PC cases with more (than two) 5-gigabit USB ports on the front panel.

The lower class (Gaming Plus) here also means, for example, fewer PWM headers (4) for connecting fans, “only” a Realtek ALC897 audio adapter, but you still have a 2.5-gigabit LAN. There are also fewer, and this has a bit to do with space constraints, M.2 slots for SSDs. There are two of them, and the first one has a cooler. Its results compared to other coolers can also be found in our database. They are not dazzling by any means, but still the SSD temperature is lower than without a cooler.

This MSI motherboard needs to be evaluated with respect to its price class. For about 150 EUR, it is hard to complain about anything here and on the contrary, we can recommend the B760M Gaming Plus WiFi with a clear conscience. For that kind of money, it won’t be a step in the wrong direction, unless there is something missing in the features that you need. And those four video outputs…

English translation and edit by Jozef Dudáš


MSI B760M Gaming WiFi
+ Lower price
+ Decent 14-phase power delivery (VRM)...
+ ... can handle the Core i9-14900K processor (without power limits) without performance loss
+ As many as four video outputs (2× HDMI + 2× DP)
+ Attractive value for money
+ Two fast M.2 SSD slots
+ Very detailed fan management options
+ Fast Ethernet connection in both directions
+ Up to six external USB ports...
+ ... and up to two connectors for four USB 3.2 gen. 1 ports internally
- Lower VRM efficiency... even with lower load
- Higher temperature of voltage regulators (Vcore)
- Only four SATA connectors
Suggested retail price: 150 EUR

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Some of the tested boards are also available in the Datacomp e-store

Special thanks also to Blackmagic Design (for the license to DaVinci Resolve Studio) and Topaz Labs (for the licenses to DeNoise AI, Gigapixel AI and Sharpen AI)

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