LilMatrixMisfit: MSI Z170A Gaming Rig - feralcoder/shared GitHub Wiki

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LilMatrixMisfit

Tutorials and intros, and other data useful to a certain type... LilMatrixMisfit: Getting Started With Linux LilMatrixMisfit: Hardware Testing LilMatrixMisfit: Start Coding Servers: SkyLake KabyLake

Notes on Buying Used

Low power chips age better than hot chips. Generally: People sell low power chips because they want faster. People sell high power chips because they become buggy. Overclockable chips are a giant liability - overclockers aren't known for being cautious with heat. NEVER buy used PC components from an eBay seller with < 99.5% reputation.

MSI Support

Download firmware, check RAM compatibility, etc... https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/Z170A-KRAIT-GAMING.html#support-cpu Manual: https://download.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/E7984v2.0.zip Utilities: https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/Z170A-KRAIT-GAMING.html#down-driver&Win10_64

SkyLake or KabyLake?

Servers: SkyLake KabyLake KabyLake comes with HD630 graphics over SkyLake's HD530. If you're running a gaming rig, you'll bring your own graphics, so that difference isn't very meaningful.

KabyLake does squeeze out faster cycles, at a high price premium for the top chips in each line.

This motherboard does not run KabyLake by default, but Kaby is 100% supported afte a BIOS upgrade.

Upgrade the BIOS

Details here: https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/will-my-z170a-motherboard-support-kaby-lake-processors.3107431/ Version A.B released on 2016-10-18 is required for Kaby Lake processors. Version A.F comes with numerous compatibility improvements: https://download.msi.com/bos_exe/mb/7984vAF.zip

Memory

While the SkyLake / KabyLake family support both DDR3 / DDR4 DIMMs, this motherboard only supports DDR4. The fastest RAM these CPU's support, by default, are:

  • SkyLake: DDR4-2133 1.2 V
  • KabyLake: DDR4-2400 1.2 V

This MSI board does support faster RAM, and it sounds trivial, by the forum posts. I'm unsure how linearly these faster speeds translate to faster operation.

Current used RAM prices (2021-03-09) are way up since Covid. Average minimum eBay prices for a 2133MHz DDR4 stick are:

  • 16GB: $55 (HARD TO FIND COMPATIBLE STICKS)
  • 8GB: $30
  • 4GB: $20

Add up to 20% for speeds up to 2666MHz.

Overclocking

To support CPU overclocking you need a processor ending in "K". This mobo's BIOS comes with XMP, so memory overclocking is also possible.

Do not attempt either without an abundance of cooling! You should also find your temperature sensors in Windows and keep an eye on them until you have a good sense of the heat baseline under different operating conditions.