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Comparison MSI Z370 SLI PLUS vs MSI Z370 KRAIT GAMING

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MSI Z370 SLI PLUS
MSI Z370 KRAIT GAMING
MSI Z370 SLI PLUSMSI Z370 KRAIT GAMING
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Featuresgaming for overclockinggaming for overclocking
SocketIntel LGA 1151 v2Intel LGA 1151 v2
Form factorATXATX
Power phases10
VRM heatsink
LED lighting
Lighting syncMSI Mystic Light SyncMSI Mystic Light Sync
Size (HxW)305x244 mm305x244 mm
Chipset
ChipsetIntel Z370Intel Z370
BIOSAmiAmi
UEFI BIOS
RAM
DDR44 slot(s)4 slot(s)
Memory moduleDIMMDIMM
Operation mode2 channel2 channel
Max. clock frequency4000 MHz4000 MHz
Max. memory64 GB64 GB
XMP
Drive interface
SATA 3 (6Gbps)66
M.2 connector22
M.22xSATA/PCI-E 4x2xSATA/PCI-E 4x
Integrated RAID controller
 /RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10/
 /RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10/
Expansion slots
1x PCI-E slots33
PCI-E 16x slots33
PCI Modes16x/0x/4x, 8x/8x/4x16x/0x/4x, 8x/8x/4x
PCI Express3.03.0
CrossFire (AMD)
SLI (NVIDIA)
Steel PCI-E connectors
Internal connections
USB 2.022
USB 3.2 gen122
Video outputs
DVI outputDVI-DDVI-D
HDMI output
Integrated audio
AudiochipRealtek ALC1220Realtek ALC1220
Sound (channels)7.17.1
Optical S/P-DIF
Network interfaces
LAN (RJ-45)1 Gbps1 Gbps
LAN ports11
LAN controllerIntel I219VIntel I219-V
External connections
USB 2.022
USB 3.2 gen144
USB 3.2 gen211
USB C 3.2 gen211
PS/211
Power connectors
Main power socket24 pin24 pin
CPU power8 pin8 pin
Fan power connectors66
Added to E-Catalogoctober 2017october 2017

Power phases

The number of processor power phases provided on the motherboard.

Very simplistically, phases can be described as electronic blocks of a special design, through which power is supplied to the processor. The task of such blocks is to optimize this power, in particular, to minimize power surges when the load on the processor changes. In general, the more phases, the lower the load on each of them, the more stable the power supply and the more durable the electronics of the board. And the more powerful the CPU and the more cores it has, the more phases it needs; this number increases even more if the processor is planned to be overclocked. For example, for a conventional quad-core chip, only four phases are often enough, and for an overclocked one, at least eight may be needed. It is because of this that powerful processors can have problems when used on inexpensive low-phase motherboards.

Detailed recommendations on choosing the number of phases for specific CPU series and models can be found in special sources (including the documentation for CPU itself). Here we note that with numerous phases on the motherboard (more than 8), some of them can be virtual. To do this, real electronic blocks are supplemented with doublers or even triplers, which, formally, increases the number of phases: for example, 12 claimed phases can represent 6 physical blocks with doublers. However, virtual phases are much inferior to real ones in terms of capabilities — in fact, t...hey are just additions that slightly improve the characteristics of real phases. So, let's say, in our example, it is more correct to speak not about twelve, but only about six (though improved) phases. These nuances must be specified when choosing a motherboard.

LAN controller

Model of the LAN controller installed in the motherboard.

The LAN controller provides data exchange between the card and the network port(s) of the computer. Accordingly, both general characteristics and individual features of the network functionality of the "motherboard" depend on the characteristics of this module: support for special technologies, connection quality in case of unstable communication, etc. Knowing the model of the LAN controller, you can find detailed data on it — including including practical reviews; this information is rarely needed by the average user, but it can be useful for online game enthusiasts and for some specific tasks.

Thus, the LAN controller model is specified mainly in cases where it is a rather advanced solution that is noticeably superior to standard models. Such solutions are currently produced mainly under the brands Intel(middle level), Realtek(relatively simple models), Aquntia and Killer(mostly advanced solutions).
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