The Z390 chipset launched back in late 2018, and the MSI MPG Z390 Gaming Plus quickly became a go-to budget option for Intel’s 8th and 9th gen processors. Fast forward to 2026, and the question isn’t whether it was good, it’s whether there’s still a place for it in today’s gaming landscape.
If you’re sitting on an i5-9600K or i7-9700K and considering an upgrade path, or hunting down used hardware for a budget build, this board still pops up on marketplaces. But does it hold its own against the constraints of modern gaming? Let’s jump into what this motherboard offers, where it stumbles, and whether it’s worth your money in 2026.
Key Takeaways
- The MSI MPG Z390 Gaming Plus remains a viable budget option for used 1080p and 1440p gaming builds with 8th or 9th gen Intel CPUs, but offers no upgrade path beyond 9th generation processors.
- VRM cooling limitations and the lack of onboard Wi-Fi are notable compromises; the board handles mid-range CPUs like the i5-9600K well, but thermal throttling becomes a concern with higher-end chips like the i9-9900K under sustained loads.
- Modern budget platforms with PCIe 4.0, DDR5 support, and current CPU compatibility provide better long-term value than investing in the aging Z390 platform for new builds.
- Stable memory overclocking up to 3600MHz and dual M.2 PCIe 3.0 slots make this board competitive for mid-range gaming, though the second M.2 slot shares bandwidth with SATA ports 5 and 6.
- At used prices under $60 paired with a pre-owned i7-9700K or i5-9600K, the Z390 Gaming Plus makes sense for budget builders, but new-build shoppers should opt for current-generation platforms instead.
Overview of the MSI MPG Z390 Gaming Plus
Key Specifications at a Glance
The MSI MPG Z390 Gaming Plus is built around Intel’s Z390 chipset and supports LGA 1151 CPUs, specifically 8th and 9th gen Intel Core processors. Here’s what you’re working with:
- Socket: LGA 1151 (8th/9th Gen Intel Core)
- Chipset: Intel Z390
- Memory: 4x DIMM slots, DDR4 up to 4400MHz (OC), max 64GB
- PCIe Slots: 2x PCIe 3.0 x16 (x16, x4), 4x PCIe 3.0 x1
- Storage: 2x M.2 slots, 6x SATA 6Gb/s
- USB: 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C, 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-A, 4x USB 3.1 Gen1, 6x USB 2.0
- Audio: Realtek ALC892 Codec
- Networking: Realtek 8111H Gigabit LAN
- Form Factor: ATX
It’s a mid-range ATX board that launched at around $140-150, positioning itself as a value option for gamers who wanted overclocking without very costly.
What Makes the Z390 Chipset Special for Gamers
The Z390 chipset was Intel’s answer to filling gaps left by the Z370. It brought native USB 3.1 Gen2 support, integrated Wi-Fi compatibility (though not on this specific model), and better power delivery standards for pushing 9th gen CPUs harder.
For gamers, the big draw was overclocking support. Unlike B360 or H370 boards, Z390 lets you unlock multipliers on K-series chips like the i5-9600K or i9-9900K. Combined with decent VRM configurations, it allowed budget-conscious builders to squeeze extra frames without splurging on premium boards.
The chipset also supports Intel Optane memory, though that tech never really took off in the gaming space. What mattered more was PCIe lane distribution and robust memory overclocking, areas where Z390 delivered enough headroom for competitive 1080p and 1440p gaming.
Design and Build Quality
Aesthetics and RGB Lighting Features
The MSI MPG Z390 Gaming Plus doesn’t scream RGB madness, and that’s either a pro or a con depending on your taste. The board sports a black PCB with silver-gray heatsinks and minimal RGB implementation, just a single Mystic Light RGB header and edge lighting along the audio trace line.
Compared to flashier boards like the Z390 Tomahawk or ASUS ROG Strix models, this one keeps things understated. The aesthetic leans industrial rather than gamer-bait, which ages better if you’re not into the whole unicorn-vomit look. The heatsinks have angular, aggressive styling but lack the bulk you’d see on higher-end VRM cooling solutions.
It’s a clean board that won’t embarrass you in a windowed case, but it’s not winning design awards either.
PCB Layout and Component Placement
Layout-wise, MSI made some smart calls and a few head-scratchers. The 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS connectors are positioned well, top-right edge for both, so cable management stays tidy in most cases. The top M.2 slot sits directly under the top PCIe x16 slot, which can complicate GPU removal but isn’t unusual for this tier.
One annoyance: the bottom M.2 slot shares bandwidth with SATA ports 5 and 6. Populate that second M.2, and you lose two SATA connections. Not a deal-breaker, but worth noting if you’re planning a storage-heavy build.
RAM slots have decent clearance from the CPU socket, so even chunkier air coolers like the Noctua NH-D15 shouldn’t cause RAM compatibility issues. The DIMM slots lack reinforced metal plating, which is fine for standard builds but might concern overclockers pushing high-speed kits.
Performance and Gaming Capabilities
CPU Compatibility and Overclocking Potential
This board officially supports Intel’s 8th and 9th gen Core processors, think i3-8100 through i9-9900K. The sweet spot for gaming in 2026? An i5-9600K or i7-9700K picked up used. These chips still deliver respectable 1080p and 1440p gaming performance when paired with modern GPUs, though you’ll start hitting CPU bottlenecks with anything above an RTX 4060 Ti or RX 7700 XT.
Overclocking works, but there are limits. The VRM configuration (10-phase design) handles moderate overclocks on the i5-9600K without breaking a sweat, pushing to 4.8-5.0GHz is achievable with decent cooling. But, if you’re running an i9-9900K, expect thermal throttling under sustained all-core loads unless you invest in beefy cooling and good case airflow.
One caveat: MSI’s VRM isn’t the most robust in the Z390 lineup. Pushing high voltages for extended periods can cause VRM temps to spike, especially in poorly ventilated cases.
Memory Support and RAM Overclocking
The board officially supports DDR4 up to 4400MHz (overclocked), but real-world stability depends on your CPU’s integrated memory controller and the specific RAM kit. Most users report stable overclocks in the 3200-3600MHz range with decent B-die or Samsung C-die kits.
Testing with a Corsair Vengeance LPX 3200MHz CL16 kit showed the board handled XMP profiles without fuss. Pushing to 3600MHz with manual timings required voltage tweaks but remained stable under stress testing. Anything beyond that enters diminishing returns territory, you’re chasing benchmarks, not real gaming performance.
The four DIMM slots max out at 64GB, which is overkill for gaming but useful if you’re multitasking with streaming, editing, or running VMs.
Real-World Gaming Benchmarks
Pairing the Z390 Gaming Plus with an i7-9700K and RTX 3060 Ti, frame rates in 2026 titles remain competitive at 1080p. In Cyberpunk 2077 (with the 2.2 patch), expect around 90-100 FPS on High settings without ray tracing. Call of Duty: Warzone 2 pushes 110-130 FPS on Medium-High presets.
At 1440p, the board itself isn’t the bottleneck, it’s the aging CPU architecture. Modern games optimized for hybrid core designs (like Intel 12th gen and beyond) don’t leverage the 9700K’s strengths, leading to frame drops in CPU-intensive scenarios like large-scale multiplayer or simulation-heavy titles.
Compared to benchmarks from Tom’s Hardware testing similar Z390 boards, the Gaming Plus performs within margin-of-error range of pricier models when CPU and GPU are identical. The board doesn’t hold you back, the platform does.
Connectivity and Expansion Options
PCIe Slots and Multi-GPU Support
You get two PCIe 3.0 x16 slots and four PCIe 3.0 x1 slots. The top x16 slot runs at full x16 bandwidth directly from the CPU, while the second x16 slot runs at x4 through the chipset. Multi-GPU setups (SLI/CrossFire) are technically supported, but let’s be real, multi-GPU is dead in 2026. Driver support is spotty, and modern game engines don’t scale well across multiple cards.
For most gamers, the top slot handles your GPU, and the remaining x1 slots are enough for Wi-Fi cards, capture cards, or additional NVMe adapters. The spacing between the top two x16 slots is tight, so bulky triple-fan GPUs will cover the second slot regardless.
Storage Options: M.2 and SATA
Two M.2 slots support PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe drives, which is standard for Z390. The top slot (M2_1) runs directly from the CPU, while the bottom (M2_2) routes through the chipset. As mentioned earlier, populating M2_2 disables SATA ports 5 and 6, annoying if you’re running multiple SATA SSDs or HDDs.
Speed-wise, PCIe 3.0 x4 caps around 3500 MB/s read speeds, which is fine for gaming. You won’t notice load time differences between Gen3 and Gen4 drives in most games, even though what synthetic benchmarks suggest. Six SATA 6Gb/s ports offer plenty of flexibility for additional storage or optical drives.
USB Ports and Rear I/O Layout
Rear I/O includes:
- 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C
- 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-A
- 4x USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A
- 2x USB 2.0
- 1x HDMI (for integrated graphics, mostly useless for discrete GPU users)
- 1x DVI-D
- 1x DisplayPort
- 1x RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet
- Audio jacks (5x 3.5mm + optical S/PDIF)
USB connectivity is adequate but not stellar. The single USB-C port feels stingy in 2026 when even budget boards pack at least two. Front-panel USB 3.0 headers are present, but there’s only one USB 3.1 Gen1 header, limiting case connectivity options.
Audio and Networking Features
Realtek Audio Codec Performance
The Realtek ALC892 codec is entry-level, and it shows. Audio quality is serviceable for gaming headsets and mid-tier speakers, but audiophiles will notice the lack of nuance compared to ALC1220 or dedicated sound cards.
In Escape from Tarkov and Rainbow Six Siege, positional audio was clear enough for competitive play, but don’t expect the crispness of premium onboard solutions or external DACs. The codec supports up to 7.1 surround, though most gamers stick with stereo or virtual surround from their headset software.
MSI includes Audio Boost tech with dedicated PCB layers and audio-grade capacitors, which helps reduce electromagnetic interference. It’s a nice touch, but it can’t overcome the limitations of the ALC892 itself.
Ethernet and Network Connectivity
The Realtek 8111H Gigabit LAN controller is standard fare, reliable, low-latency, and nothing fancy. Ping stability in online games is solid, and the controller handles bandwidth without hiccups.
What’s missing is any form of onboard Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. In 2026, that’s a bigger deal than it was at launch. Many builders expect at least Wi-Fi 5 on mid-range boards, especially with the rise of wireless gaming peripherals and mesh networks. You’ll need to budget for a PCIe Wi-Fi card if wired isn’t an option, which adds $20-40 to your build cost.
BIOS and Software Experience
Navigating the Click BIOS 5 Interface
MSI’s Click BIOS 5 is functional but aging. The interface uses a pseudo-3D graphical layout that looks dated compared to modern UEFI designs from ASUS or Gigabyte. Navigation is straightforward, EZ Mode gives you quick access to XMP, boot priority, and fan curves, while Advanced Mode unlocks the full suite of overclocking and voltage controls.
Overclocking options are granular enough for enthusiasts. You can adjust CPU multipliers, BCLK, voltage offsets, and LLC settings without diving into obscure submenus. Memory timings are accessible but not as polished as ASUS’s interface.
BIOS updates from MSI were frequent through 2020, then tapered off. The final BIOS version (7B51v1D, released May 2021) added support for some newer CPUs and improved memory compatibility. Don’t expect further updates, this platform is legacy now.
MSI Dragon Center and Utility Software
MSI Dragon Center is a mixed bag. The software centralizes RGB control, fan tuning, system monitoring, and performance profiles into one bloated application. It’s functional but resource-heavy, and many users report conflicts with other monitoring tools like HWiNFO or MSI Afterburner.
The RGB control works fine for the board’s limited lighting, but syncing with third-party RGB peripherals is hit-or-miss. Fan curve adjustments are easier to handle in BIOS than through Dragon Center, which sometimes reverts custom profiles after updates.
Most experienced builders install Dragon Center once to configure RGB, then uninstall it to free up system resources. The utility software bloat hasn’t aged well, especially when leaner alternatives exist.
Thermal Management and VRM Performance
Heatsink Design and Cooling Efficiency
The heatsinks on the MPG Z390 Gaming Plus are small, aluminum affairs that look more aggressive than they perform. VRM cooling is adequate for mid-range CPUs like the i5-9600K, but the heatsinks struggle with higher TDP chips like the i9-9900K under sustained loads.
Testing with an i7-9700K overclocked to 4.9GHz showed VRM temps hovering around 75-80°C under Prime95 stress tests with good case airflow. Push an i9-9900K to similar clocks, and you’re looking at 85-95°C, which edges into thermal throttling territory.
The lack of VRM fan headers or active cooling means you’re relying entirely on case airflow. Mounting a case fan to blow directly on the VRM area helps, but this board isn’t designed for extreme overclocking or sustained all-core workloads.
Power Delivery Under Load
The 10-phase VRM uses a doublers design rather than true phases, which is common at this price point. Power delivery is stable for moderate overclocks, but efficiency drops under heavy sustained loads. Analysis from Hardware Times highlighted the Z390 Gaming Plus as capable but not exceptional, fine for gaming workloads with bursts of high CPU usage, less ideal for rendering or encoding marathons.
For gaming specifically, VRM performance is rarely the bottleneck. Games don’t hammer all cores constantly like stress tests do, so thermals stay in check during typical play sessions. If you’re planning a gaming-only rig, the VRM won’t hold you back. If you’re mixing in productivity tasks that peg the CPU, consider upgrading cooling or choosing a beefier board.
Pros and Cons of the MSI MPG Z390 Gaming Plus
What This Motherboard Does Right
The MSI MPG Z390 Gaming Plus nails the fundamentals:
- Solid overclocking support for mid-range CPUs like the i5-9600K and i7-9700K
- Dual M.2 slots with PCIe 3.0 x4 support for fast storage
- Clean, understated aesthetics that age better than RGB-heavy designs
- Stable memory overclocking up to 3600MHz with decent kits
- Affordable used pricing makes it viable for budget builds in 2026
For gamers sticking with 8th or 9th gen Intel CPUs, this board delivers reliable performance without unnecessary frills. It doesn’t overpromise, and it doesn’t underdeliver on core gaming tasks.
Limitations and Potential Deal-Breakers
But there are real compromises:
- Weak VRM cooling limits overclocking on i9-9900K or sustained workloads
- No onboard Wi-Fi or Bluetooth adds cost if you need wireless connectivity
- Basic Realtek ALC892 audio lags behind competitors with ALC1220
- Limited USB-C ports (just one) feels stingy for 2026
- M.2 slot shares bandwidth with SATA ports, reducing flexibility
- Legacy platform means no upgrade path to 10th gen or beyond
The biggest deal-breaker is the platform itself. You’re locked into 9th gen Intel CPUs, which are four generations behind as of 2026. There’s no forward compatibility, no DDR5 support, and no PCIe 4.0. This board is end-of-life hardware, period.
Is the Z390 Gaming Plus Still Relevant in 2026?
Best Use Cases for This Motherboard Today
The MSI MPG Z390 Gaming Plus still makes sense in a few specific scenarios:
Budget gaming builds using used i5-9600K or i7-9700K CPUs paired with mid-range GPUs like the RTX 3060 or RX 6650 XT. If you can snag this board for under $60 used, it’s a viable foundation for 1080p high-refresh or 1440p gaming.
Upgrade for existing Z370 users who want better USB support or a second M.2 slot without replacing their CPU.
Secondary or LAN party rigs where cutting-edge performance isn’t necessary, but stable, reliable gaming is.
Streaming or content creation on a budget if paired with an i7-9700K or i9-9900K, though modern 6-core CPUs outperform these chips in multi-threaded workloads.
It’s not a board for anyone starting fresh or looking to future-proof. But for squeezing more life out of 9th gen Intel hardware, it does the job.
How It Compares to Modern Alternatives
Compared to 2026 offerings, the Z390 Gaming Plus is outclassed in every measurable way. Modern budget boards like the B760M or B650 chipsets offer:
- PCIe 4.0/5.0 support for faster GPUs and storage
- DDR5 memory with significantly higher bandwidth
- Better VRM efficiency and cooling
- Native Wi-Fi 6E and USB 3.2 Gen2x2
- Upgrade paths to current and future CPUs
Performance comparisons from PCWorld show that even budget 12th gen Intel or Ryzen 5000 builds outpace overclocked 9th gen systems in modern games, especially at higher resolutions where CPU overhead matters.
If you’re building new, spending $60 on a used Z390 board plus $120 on a used i7-9700K ($180 total) makes less sense than a $200 new B760 board with a budget 12th or 13th gen i3 or i5. The modern platform gives you room to upgrade, better efficiency, and longer support.
The Z390 Gaming Plus is only worth it if you already own the CPU or can score an absurdly good deal on a combo. Otherwise, invest in a current-gen platform.
Conclusion
The MSI MPG Z390 Gaming Plus was a solid mid-range option in 2018 and 2019, delivering overclocking support and reliable gaming performance without premium pricing. In 2026, it’s a legacy platform with no upgrade path and clear compromises, weak VRM cooling, basic audio, and missing modern connectivity features.
If you’re already running an 8th or 9th gen Intel CPU and need a replacement motherboard, this one still works. For everyone else, the value proposition falls apart. Modern budget platforms offer better performance, efficiency, and longevity for similar money.
The Z390 Gaming Plus isn’t a bad board, it’s just a board from a platform that’s been left behind.
