Legit Reviews

At CES 2017, MSI introduced their latest motherboards designed to support the Intel Kaby Lake processors with the Intel Z270 chipset. Their motherboard line-up covers all users with 14 different models across three segments of motherboards. The highest end of these segments is the Enthusiast Gaming class. This segment includes four models, which focus's on high performance, overclockability, VR and the latest technology. Of these four models, the Z270 XPower Gaming Titanium, is their flagship motherboard which aims to be the best motherboard you can buy. Read on to see how it performs!



Article Title: MSI Z270 XPower Gaming Titanium Motherboard Review
Article URL: http://www.legitreviews.com/msi-z270-xp ... iew_190395
Pricing At Time of Print: $329.99 with free shipping

Is there a reason manufacturers still include usb 2.0 ports? I mean usb is backwards compatible from what I understand....

KnightRid wrote:Is there a reason manufacturers still include usb 2.0 ports? I mean usb is backwards compatible from what I understand....

You only have 10x USB 3.0 ports on the Intel Z270 chipset, but you also have 14x USB 2.0 ports.

MSI offers 10 USB 3.1/3.0 ports and 7 USB 2.0 ports. So, they are using all 10 USB 3.0 ports and half the USB 2.0 ports. I think the two USB 2.0 ports on the rear I/O are done on purpose for mouse/keyboard/printer where USB 3.0 isn't needed as it frees up those ports for better uses. MSI is using all of the free USB 3.0 lanes, so to do more USB 3.0 ports they would have to add a 3rd party controller to the board and that will add cost and take up board space.

They basically used up all the USB 3.0 ports, so that is why they went with USB 2.0 ports.

You know what I am going to ask next

So why do they include usb 2.0 in the chipset rather than just usb 3.0/3.1?

Just seems foolish to keep old technology floating around out there when the newer tech supports the older tech but the older tech does not support the newer tech.

Oh, nothing against the motherboard BTW, just keep seeing the USB 2.0 popping up and wanted to find out why from the expert(s)!

KnightRid wrote:You know what I am going to ask next

So why do they include usb 2.0 in the chipset rather than just usb 3.0/3.1?

Just seems foolish to keep old technology floating around out there when the newer tech supports the older tech but the older tech does not support the newer tech.

Oh, nothing against the motherboard BTW, just keep seeing the USB 2.0 popping up and wanted to find out why from the expert(s)!

I believe it is mainly due to power/space/cost.

USB 2.0 delivers up to 500mA (2.25W) of power and USB 3.0 is 900mA (4.5 Watts) with dedicated charging ports offering 1,500mA (7.5 Watts). So, USB 3.0 is almost twice the power and that means the chipset has to be able to deliver that, handle the heat and the boards power management has to be able to handle it.

14 USB 2.0 Ports and 10 USB 3.0 ports = 16,000mA or 80 Watts of power
Going say 24 USB 3.0 ports = 21,600mA or 108 Watts of power

you sir, are a fountain of knowledge!

I never even thought about the power requirements needed to sustain all the ports at full load.

Damn, you answered it too well, I don't have anything else to question now