MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI Motherboard ATX Review: The New Mid-Range Champion for AMD’s Zen 5?

There’s a unique blend of excitement and anxiety that accompanies every new CPU generation launch. As an enthusiast who has built countless systems over the years, I still feel it. With AMD’s Ryzen 9000 series, codenamed “Zen 5,” the promise of a new era of performance is intoxicating. But that promise is entirely dependent on the foundation you build it upon: the motherboard. Choosing the wrong one can lead to a cascade of frustrations—throttled performance, unstable overclocks, connectivity bottlenecks, and a build process that feels more like a wrestling match than a rewarding project. The motherboard isn’t just a circuit board; it’s the central nervous system of your entire PC, dictating what’s possible today and what you’ll be capable of tomorrow. This is why the launch of the X870 chipset felt so significant. We needed a hero board—something that could harness Zen 5’s power without demanding a king’s ransom. The question on my mind, and likely yours, was whether MSI’s legendary Tomahawk line could once again hit that perfect sweet spot.

What to Consider Before Buying a High-Performance Motherboard

A motherboard is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for unlocking the full potential of your other expensive components. It acts as the high-speed communications hub for your processor, RAM, graphics card, and storage. A quality board provides stable, clean power for demanding tasks and overclocking, ensures maximum data transfer speeds with the latest standards like PCIe 5.0 and Wi-Fi 7, and offers a user-friendly layout that makes building and upgrading a pleasure. Without a capable motherboard, your top-tier CPU could be starved for power, your next-gen SSD could run at half its advertised speed, and your dream build could become a thermal nightmare.

The ideal customer for a product like the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI Motherboard ATX is an enthusiast, a serious gamer, or a content creator who is building a new system around AMD’s latest Ryzen 9000, 8000, or 7000 series processors. This user intends to leverage cutting-edge technology, demanding features like PCIe 5.0 for a new graphics card or NVMe SSD, blazing-fast DDR5 memory, and robust networking. It’s for someone who wants to future-proof their investment and have the thermal and power headroom to push their system to its limits. Conversely, this motherboard might be overkill for a casual user or someone on a tight budget building with older components. If you’re building a simple office PC or a budget gaming rig with an AM4 CPU, a more modest B550 or A520 board would be a far more cost-effective solution.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: The MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI Motherboard ATX uses the standard ATX form factor. Before purchasing, you must ensure your PC case can accommodate it. Check your case’s specifications for motherboard compatibility (ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX) and ensure there is enough clearance for large CPU coolers and long graphics cards, which this board is designed to handle.
• Capacity/Performance: This is where the X870 chipset shines. Consider the board’s VRM (Voltage Regulator Module)—this one boasts a 14-phase, 80A system, crucial for stably powering high-core-count Ryzen 9 processors. Evaluate the RAM support (DDR5 up to 8400+ MT/s OC) and storage options (two Gen5 M.2 slots), as these directly impact system responsiveness and load times.
• Materials & Durability: A high-end motherboard should feel substantial. Look for features like a multi-layered PCB (Printed Circuit Board), reinforced PCIe slots (like MSI’s Steel Armor II) to prevent GPU sag, and large, effective heatsinks on the VRMs, chipset, and M.2 slots. The quality of these components ensures longevity and consistent thermal performance under load.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: Builder-friendly features are a godsend. Look for things like MSI’s EZ M.2 clips, which eliminate the need for tiny, easy-to-lose screws. A well-labeled board, a clear CMOS button on the rear I/O, and an intuitive BIOS make the initial build, troubleshooting, and future tuning significantly easier.

Keeping these factors in mind, the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI Motherboard ATX stands out in several areas. You can explore its detailed specifications here.

While the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI Motherboard ATX is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

Unboxing the Arsenal: First Impressions and Key Features

Pulling the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI Motherboard ATX from its packaging, the first thing we noticed was its sheer heft. This isn’t a flimsy, budget-oriented board; it feels dense and exceptionally well-made, a sentiment echoed by users who described it as “heavy and beautifully matte.” The all-black PCB is stealthy and premium, serving as a perfect canvas for almost any build theme. The large, angular heatsinks covering the VRMs, chipset, and M.2 slots are not just for show; they’re substantial blocks of metal designed for serious heat dissipation. MSI’s military-inspired aesthetic is present but refined—less overt “gamer” and more tactical and purposeful. The subtle lime-green accents mentioned by one user are surprisingly tasteful in person and don’t detract from the board’s menacing look. Compared to its B650 predecessor, the cooling solution feels even more robust, clearly engineered with the power demands of Ryzen 9000 in mind. The layout is clean and logical, with fan headers, USB ports, and SATA connectors placed intuitively around the edges, promising a straightforward build process.

Deep Dive: Deconstructing the Tomahawk’s Performance

A motherboard’s spec sheet only tells half the story. The real test is how it performs under pressure, how it feels to build with, and whether its features deliver tangible benefits. We put the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI Motherboard ATX through its paces, pairing it with a flagship AMD Ryzen 9 9950X, 64GB of high-speed DDR5 memory, and a Gen5 NVMe SSD to see if it truly is the new king of the upper mid-range.

Power, Performance, and Thermals: The Foundation for Ryzen 9000

The heart of any modern motherboard’s performance capabilities lies in its Voltage Regulator Module (VRM). This is the component responsible for converting the 12V power from your PSU into the precise, low voltage your CPU needs. A weak VRM will overheat and throttle, kneecapping your processor’s performance. With the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI Motherboard ATX, this is a non-issue. It employs a formidable 14 Duet Rail Power System with 80A Smart Power Stages. In layman’s terms, this is a power delivery system built to handle the most demanding CPUs AMD has to offer, including the beastly 16-core Ryzen 9 9950X. During our stress tests, running synthetic benchmarks that push all cores to 100% for extended periods, the power delivery remained flawlessly stable. There was no noticeable voltage drop (vDroop), and temperatures on the VRM, monitored via onboard sensors, stayed well within their optimal range. This is a direct result of the massive “Extended Heatsink” design. These aren’t just decorative shrouds; they are functional, heavy-duty heatsinks connected by a heatpipe, with high-quality 7W/mK thermal pads making contact with the MOSFETs. One user successfully paired this board with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D, a notoriously power-hungry gaming chip, and reported excellent stability, which confirms our findings. For overclockers or anyone running a high-end chip, this robust thermal and power solution provides the peace of mind that your motherboard will never be the bottleneck.

Next-Generation Connectivity and Storage Supremacy

Future-proofing is a key reason to invest in a new platform, and the X870 chipset is all about next-generation I/O. The MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI Motherboard ATX executes this perfectly. The primary PCIe slot is a Gen 5.0 x16, reinforced with MSI’s Steel Armor II. This not only provides the full 128 GB/s bandwidth for upcoming graphics cards but also offers physical rigidity to support their increasing weight. More impressively, the board includes not one, but two PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots. We installed a Gen5 NVMe SSD and recorded sequential read speeds that were nearly double that of the fastest Gen4 drives, a staggering advantage for transferring massive files or loading complex game worlds. The cooling for these drives is also top-notch, with the double-sided EZ M.2 Shield Frozr II keeping our drive from thermal throttling even during extended benchmark runs. Beyond storage, the networking suite is truly class-leading. The inclusion of Wi-Fi 7 provides the lowest latency and highest throughput currently available for wireless connections, while the 5Gbps LAN port is a significant step up from the 1Gbps or 2.5Gbps standard on older boards. The rear I/O is a dream for peripheral-heavy users, a point many online have celebrated. It’s packed with high-speed USB ports, but the star is the USB4 Type-C port, offering a massive 40Gbps of bandwidth for external drives, docks, or even display output. This level of comprehensive, forward-looking connectivity is what sets a great motherboard apart from a merely good one.

The Build Experience: Is It Truly an “EZ DIY”?

MSI has clearly invested significant effort in refining the building process, and it shows. From start to finish, assembling our test system on the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI Motherboard ATX was a remarkably smooth experience. First-time builders will particularly appreciate the details. As one user noted, the manual includes QR codes that link directly to video installation guides, a brilliant touch that demystifies the process. All headers are clearly labeled and logically placed. The angled USB 3.2 Gen 1 header for the front panel, for instance, is a small but thoughtful design choice that makes routing that notoriously thick cable much easier. The real star, however, is the EZ M.2 Clip II system. Anyone who has ever fumbled with and inevitably lost the minuscule M.2 mounting screw will understand what a game-changer this is. A simple plastic latch secures the drive in place—it’s fast, secure, and tool-free. The BIOS, MSI’s Click BIOS 5, is clean and easy to navigate for both novices and experienced overclockers. We did find, as one reviewer mentioned, that our board shipped with a launch BIOS. Flashing to the latest version was essential for optimal memory stability and performance, but thankfully, MSI makes this easy with the dedicated Flash BIOS button on the rear I/O, allowing you to update even without a CPU installed. These quality-of-life features collectively make for a frustration-free build, letting you get to the fun part—powering on your new rig—that much faster.

What Other Users Are Saying

Across various online platforms, the consensus on the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI Motherboard ATX is overwhelmingly positive. Many users, like us, are immediately impressed by the physical build quality. One reviewer captured this perfectly, stating, “The board itself is well made, it’s heavy and beautifully matte… The main PCie slot seems well reinforced, even more so than my old X470.” This sentiment of a premium, durable product is a recurring theme. The feature set is another major point of praise, with another happy customer noting, “Loving this motherboard so far! The easy-open M.2 slots are a game-changer for quick installs, and the rear I/O is packed with ample connection options.”

However, no product is perfect, and some valid criticisms have been raised. The most specific and frequently mentioned issue is with the Wi-Fi antenna. As one technically-minded user pointed out, “My ONLY complaint about this board… is the Wifi 7 connectors aren’t your standard SMA connectors but MCX which makes it difficult to connect better antennas instead of the (rubbish) supplied one.” This is a crucial detail for users who need to place their antenna far from their PC or prefer high-gain aftermarket options. While the stock antenna performs adequately, the lack of flexibility is a definite drawback. Another minor gripe mentioned was the need to immediately flash the BIOS, though most agree MSI’s M-Flash makes this a simple task.

How Does the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI Motherboard ATX Compare to the Alternatives?

While the Tomahawk is a formidable contender, the motherboard market is fiercely competitive. It’s important to understand where it sits relative to other popular options, especially those at different price points and on different platforms.

1. ASUS PRIME A520M-K Motherboard

This board exists in a completely different universe from the Tomahawk. The ASUS PRIME A520M-K is an entry-level, Micro-ATX board for the previous generation AM4 socket. It’s designed for budget builds using older Ryzen CPUs and DDR4 memory. It lacks virtually all of the advanced features of the X870 Tomahawk: no PCIe 5.0, no Wi-Fi 7, limited M.2 slots, and a much more basic power delivery system. This is not a competitor but an alternative for someone with a dramatically smaller budget whose primary goal is to get a functional PC running for basic tasks or light gaming, without any consideration for future-proofing or high-end performance.

2. ASUS TUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI Motherboard

Here we have a much more direct competitor, though from the previous chipset generation. The ASUS TUF B650-PLUS WIFI is a popular mid-range AM5 board that offers a solid foundation for Ryzen 7000 series CPUs. It provides DDR5 support and PCIe 5.0 for one M.2 slot but typically sticks to PCIe 4.0 for the main GPU slot. Its networking is a step behind, with Wi-Fi 6 instead of Wi-Fi 7 and 2.5Gb Ethernet instead of 5Gb. A user might choose the TUF B650 to save money while still getting onto the AM5 platform. It’s a great value proposition for a Ryzen 7000 or 8000 series build today, but the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI Motherboard ATX offers superior future-proofing and a more robust feature set for the new Ryzen 9000 series.

3. ASUS ROG Strix B650-A Gaming WiFi DDR5 ATX Motherboard

The ROG Strix B650-A is another strong B650 contender, often chosen for its distinct silver-and-white aesthetic and the premium branding of the Republic of Gamers line. It generally features a strong VRM, good cooling, and a healthy set of features comparable to other high-end B650 boards. However, like the TUF model, it is still based on the older chipset. It lacks the dual Gen5 M.2 slots, Wi-Fi 7, 5G LAN, and native USB4 support that the X870 Tomahawk provides. The choice between this and the Tomahawk comes down to priorities: if a specific white aesthetic is paramount and you don’t need the absolute latest connectivity standards, the Strix B650-A is a stylish option. But for pure performance and future-readiness, the Tomahawk’s X870 platform has the clear advantage.

Our Final Verdict: Is the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI Motherboard ATX Worth It?

After extensive testing and analysis, our conclusion is clear: the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI Motherboard ATX is a resounding success. MSI has once again crafted a board that perfectly balances high-end features, robust performance, and a builder-friendly design without straying into the exorbitant price territory of flagship models. Its powerful VRM and excellent thermal solution provide a rock-solid foundation for even the most demanding Ryzen 9000 series processors. The comprehensive, next-generation feature set—including dual PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots, Wi-Fi 7, and a 40Gbps USB4 port—ensures this board will remain relevant for years to come.

While the non-standard antenna connectors are a minor annoyance and the need for a day-one BIOS update is a small hurdle, these are easily outweighed by the board’s immense capabilities. We wholeheartedly recommend the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI Motherboard ATX to any enthusiast, gamer, or creator building a high-performance system for AMD’s new Zen 5 architecture. It is, without a doubt, one of the best all-around X870 motherboards you can buy today.

If you’ve decided the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI Motherboard ATX is the right fit, you can check its current price and purchase it here.