MSI sorts its motherboards into four ranges with three-letter names: MEG at the top, MPG below it, MAG for the mid-range and PRO for plain, good-value boards. Learn those four and the handful of suffixes below, and you can place almost any board on our MSI motherboard deals page at a glance.
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The product lines, from top to entry
- MEG (MSI Enthusiast Gaming): the flagships, found only on top chipsets such as Z790, Z890, X670E and X870E. Godlike is the largest and most heavily equipped, Ace is the mainstream flagship and Unify models are aimed at overclockers and tend to skip the lighting.
- MPG (MSI Performance Gaming): the upper mid-range. Carbon is the best-known name, with Edge boards alongside it, usually in a lighter colour scheme.
- MAG (MSI Arsenal Gaming): the mid-range, and where much of the value sits. Tomahawk is the ATX board, Mortar is its micro-ATX counterpart, and Bazooka has been used for cheaper micro-ATX models.
- PRO: no-frills boards for home and office builds, such as PRO B650-P or PRO B760M-A. Within PRO, an -A board is generally better equipped than a -P board on the same chipset.
- Gaming Plus: MSI also sells boards named simply by chipset, such as B650 Gaming Plus WiFi or X870 Gaming Plus WiFi. These sit around the PRO and lower MAG level: a sensible feature set with gaming styling.
The family tells you the tier, not the platform. A MAG B850 Tomahawk and an MPG B850 board run exactly the same AM5 processors. What you pay for higher up is more M.2 slots, more and faster USB, stronger power delivery and better audio, all of which vary by board.
How to read an MSI model name
Take MAG B760M MORTAR WIFI II DDR4: range (MAG), chipset with a size letter (B760M), model name (Mortar), then the extras.
| Part of the name | What it means |
|---|---|
| M after the chipset (B650M, B760M) | Micro-ATX board |
| I after the chipset (B650I, Z790I) | Mini-ITX board |
| WIFI | Wireless and Bluetooth built in. MSI often sells the same board with and without it |
| DDR4 | The DDR4 version of an Intel LGA1700 board. Without the suffix, the board takes DDR5 |
| MAX | A refreshed version of an existing board. On AM4 it marked boards updated for newer Ryzen chips; on Z790 it marked the later refresh with newer WiFi |
| II | A second revision of the board |
| TI | A silver or white colour scheme. The hardware matches the standard board closely, but check the listing |
The DDR4 suffix is the one that catches people out. LGA1700 boards take DDR4 or DDR5, never both, and MSI sells several Tomahawk, Mortar and PRO boards in both versions. Our DDR4 vs DDR5 guide covers which to choose.
Flash BIOS Button
MSI's name for updating the BIOS without a processor is the Flash BIOS Button. On boards that have it, you put the renamed BIOS file on a USB stick, plug it into the marked rear USB port, connect the power supply and press the button on the rear panel. No CPU, memory or graphics card is needed. This is useful when a board has been in a warehouse since before your processor was released, which is a realistic prospect with older AM5 and LGA1700 stock.
The button is present only on some boards. Most recent MEG, MPG and MAG boards have it and so do many PRO models, but older and cheaper boards may not. Look for it in the rear-panel photo or the specification list. Our guide to BIOS updates and CPU compatibility explains when you are likely to need it.
Warranty and support in the UK
MSI motherboards are generally sold in the UK with a three-year manufacturer warranty. Terms can change and may differ by model, so confirm on the listing or MSI's support pages. The retailer is your first port of call for a fault, and with Amazon that normally means a return or replacement through your order page within its returns window.
A board bought from Amazon Warehouse comes under Amazon's returns policy and does not necessarily carry the full manufacturer warranty that a new one does. Check the terms on the offer, and test the board as soon as it arrives with our used motherboard checklist. Like every large maker, MSI draws both good and bad support stories; we hold no data to rank brands and do not try to.
What to look for when buying
- Decide the socket and chipset first using how to choose a motherboard, then pick the MSI tier that has the ports you need.
- Read the full name. WIFI, DDR4, MAX and II each describe a different product, and listings for them often sit side by side.
- Tomahawk and Mortar boards are popular, so they appear often as price drops and as Warehouse offers. Compare against the board's own history rather than the list price.
- M.2 slot count, USB4, WiFi version and PCIe 5.0 wiring vary by board. Check the specification rather than assuming from the range name.
See what is reduced today on the MSI deals page, or browse every current price drop.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between MEG, MPG, MAG and PRO?
They are tiers. MEG is the enthusiast flagship range, MPG the upper mid-range, MAG the mid-range and PRO the plain value range. On the same chipset they all run the same processors; higher tiers add ports, M.2 slots, stronger power delivery and styling.
What does MAX mean on an MSI motherboard?
It marks a refreshed version of an existing board. On AM4 boards such as B450 it indicated an update for newer Ryzen processors, and on Z790 it marked the later refresh. Treat a MAX board as a separate model and check its own specification.
Is the MSI Tomahawk ATX or micro-ATX?
Tomahawk boards are ATX. The micro-ATX equivalent in the MAG range is the Mortar. An M straight after the chipset name, as in B650M, also tells you a board is micro-ATX.
Do all MSI motherboards have a Flash BIOS Button?
No. It is fitted to most recent MEG, MPG and MAG boards and to many PRO boards, but not to every model, particularly older and cheaper ones. Check the rear-panel photo or the specification before relying on it.