News MSI Z790 motherboards reportedly failing with cracked PCH chipset — a manufacturing error may have affected a few hundred units

[Admin]

Users and repair experts have identified an issue with MSI Z790 motherboards where the PCH has cracked, causing the boards to fail. According to reports, this problem may have affected hundreds of boards, but there's no official statement on the subject at the time of writing.

MSI Z790 motherboards reportedly failing with cracked PCH chipset — a manufacturing error may have affected a few hundred units : Read more

 

[artk2219]

That is unfortunate, at least it seems like these motherboard should be covered under warranty, provided MSI doesn't decide to be weird about it for some reason.

 

[Eximo]

I have been recommending MSI Z790 boards quite often lately. Dang.

 

[PushinPetunias]

Oh dang. I just finished a new build and had the MSI z790 tomahawk in my cart for weeks. The day I went to order it I noticed the Asus Z790 was on sale for a reasonable chunk of money less, so ordered that instead. I don't have that kind of luck often, but I'll take it.

Hopefully MSI is quick to rectify the issue and looks after those affected by it

 

[Amdlova]

My h670 board overheat the chipset... need to incrase the airflow

These z690 z790 have moar power heat little more. Easy to crack when cool too rapidly

 

[d8mach]

Oh dang. I just finished a new build and had the MSI z790 tomahawk in my cart for weeks. The day I went to order it I noticed the Asus Z790 was on sale for a reasonable chunk of money less, so ordered that instead. I don't have that kind of luck often, but I'll take it.

Hopefully MSI is quick to rectify the issue and looks after those affected by it

I picked up a MSI z790 pro a few days ago as part of a bundle. I haven't yet opened any of the boxes. What to do what to do?

 

[Max The Dragon]

I have high doubts about this post and "defects", the post on MSI forum is related to bend CPU socket pins, but its not related to PCH Defects.

YouTube video (reported a similar failed BOOT process)... well its can be anything, single CPU debug led shows that PCH is working fine, because CPU debug LEDs are hardwired to PCH and CPU signals:

And if PCH is damaged, there will be no PGOOD signals at all and Debug LED will not lit up or all will be lit up.
So maybe guy just damaged something in progress of building his rig.

About Joshi Repair vid. The damage on PCH crystal looks like physical damage (something impacted the PCH radiator and applied force cracked the PCH). And i assume its just a typical DOA, but Joshi just added some hype to it.

TLDR
So. IF you allready have that MSI Z790 Tomahawk MB, you have nothing to fear, because chipsets are does not blow by itself. And i guees there is some hype point, because i have high doubt about qty of defective mb.
BUT, YOU need to always check ANY PC part for DOA. Because any Manufacture can have DOA.

 

[artk2219]

I picked up a MSI z790 pro a few days ago as part of a bundle. I haven't yet opened any of the boxes. What to do what to do?

Try it out, if it works, great your good, if it doesn't, swap it out. You should know pretty immediately if you have one with an issue.

 

[Max The Dragon]

I picked up a MSI z790 pro a few days ago as part of a bundle. I haven't yet opened any of the boxes. What to do what to do?

Test any new hardware for DOA before assembly, just put it together outside the pc case (put mobo on cardboard box, install ram and cpu, put cpu cooler and connect the psu) and do a test boot. If it works - there is nothing to worry about. Just carefully put it inside your case and test again, and it should be in working condition.

 

[Max The Dragon]

BTW, i guess i found way how they are destroying PCH. Maybe some users being uncareful and just jam GPU into PCI-E slot with force.
On this and on other mobos with big rad on PCH, you can apply extensive force to one side of PCH radiator very simply, when you jam GPU into slot you can press GPU into PCH radiator. And since mounting holes are located near the PCH and fastening screws are spring-loaded, you can just crush the PCH when installing GPU uncarefuly.
So, always be careful when assembly PC`s.

I marked area of possible force concentration zone, especially if the GPU is long:

And mounting holes are doesn't overlap with the force application area, so Radiator may sag into force application direction and crush the chip (and maybe there is problems with spring loaded bolts, that can't prevent oversag):

And, well, you can see how damage to PCH is being given here and the damage on PCH is more concentrated on GPU SLOT side:

And i assume that damage is given when someone inadvertently pressed too hard on the edge of the radiator, so its more Mechanical damage, than MSI fault.
And well, i guess someone over-hyped here.

 

[Kent Ferguson]

I have been recommending MSI Z790 boards quite often lately. Dang.

nothing is perfect, msi mobo's are still good lol - do you not "have a few cracks" somewhere too?
my msi B660 mainboard under a review still has the lowest temperatures compared to the rest,
some mainboards (gigabyte, asus) were hitting 100 celsius..

View: https://youtu.be/PEa0vcJ0lRY?t=999

 

[Mike500]

I have high doubts about this post and "defects", the post on MSI forum is related to bend CPU socket pins, but its not related to PCH Defects.

Exactly. They linked the wrong thread. This would be a correct thread to link: https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?threads/mag-z790-tomahawk-wont-power-on.389589/

 

[Max The Dragon]

Exactly. They linked the wrong thread. This would be a correct thread to link: https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?threads/mag-z790-tomahawk-wont-power-on.389589/

Well, that's all still a typical DOA, and i guess amazon its just a crappy place to buy PC parts (i don't have it in my country either).

 

[Max The Dragon]

nothing is perfect, msi mobo's are still good lol - do you not "have a few cracks" somewhere too?
my msi B660 mainboard under a review still has the lowest temperatures compared to the rest,
some mainboards (gigabyte, asus) were hitting 100 celsius..

View: https://youtu.be/PEa0vcJ0lRY?t=999

As electrical engineer, i can tell that ~100 degrees C, is kinda OK temperature for N-channel MOSFETS. Since their rated working temperatures are up to 125-150C (depends of structure).
And only way here to lower the temperature is:
Lower the switching frequency (modern PWM IC are smart enough to read thermals from MOS and adjust frequency on the fly, as you can see here:

)
Or add more metallization (bigger ground plane, more PCB layers or thicker layers themself), radiators on top of MOS are not effective, since the most of thermal conductivity are between solder joints, because there is metal to metal connection (not metal from rad to thermal pad to plastic case of MOS).

TLDR and so, thermals is not a big deal if we speak about "stupid" stuff like FETs in VRM. When we speak about "smart" stuff likeCPU, APU, GPU, etc - thermals are big deal here.
And tests like hardware unboxed did, are not so representative, since they are doesn't measure the VRM switching frequency and so on. Plus VRM components can vary between different revisions of same motherboard.