Conclusion

Gamers are comprehensively catered for through a sensible number of value-adds that include Killer Gigabit Ethernet, amplified and isolated audio, and one-touch overclocking.

With Intel's Haswell Refresh processors rumoured to be in line for a June 2014 launch, enthusiasts have been handed Z97 as the accompanying chipset of choice.

Armed with improved storage possibilities, Z97 is a minor upgrade over Z87 yet retains all of the goodness available to the Haswell platform. Well-positioned for the new launch, MSI has taken its well-received Gaming formula and applied it to Z97 in pretty much just the right way. Board layout is again very tidy and particularly easy on the eye, graphics permutations are plentiful and it's backed by a well-stocked and trusted BIOS.

The lack of out-the-box SATA Express is a surprise omission, yet MSI continues to serve the target audience well. Gamers are comprehensively catered for through a sensible number of value-adds that include Killer Gigabit Ethernet, amplified and isolated audio, and one-touch overclocking.

Factor in a competitive £115 street price, and the Z97 Gaming 5 is an ideal candidate for high-end gamers looking to put together a cutting-edge ATX rig.

The Good

Attractive design
Competitive pricing
Debug LED with temperature display
M.2 support and six SATA 6Gbps
CrossFire and SLI capabilities
Well-stocked BIOS

The Bad

SATA Express is an optional extra
Lacks DisplayPort output

HEXUS.awards

MSI Z97 Gaming 5

HEXUS.where2buy

The MSI Z97 Gaming 5 motherboard will be available to purchase from Scan Computers* starting May 11, 2014.

HEXUS.right2reply

At HEXUS, we invite the companies whose products we test to comment on our articles. If any company representatives for the products reviewed choose to respond, we'll publish their commentary here verbatim.

*UK-based HEXUS community members are eligible for free delivery and priority customer service through the SCAN.care@HEXUS forum.