PC parts / Motherboards
MSIGaming motherboard
MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI II
Released March 2026.5Reviewthefpsreview.com/2026/06/29/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-motherboard-reviewRead 14 October 2026Review of the board as a full retail package. It arrived with BIOS 1B10 dated 2 Feb 2026 and was updated to a 31 Mar 2026 BIOS. MSI announced the board on 2026-03-11 for the Core Ultra 200S Plus launch. Last checked 23 October 2026.
- CPU socket
- LGA1851
- Chipset
- Intel Z890
- Form factor
- ATX
- M.2 slots
- 4
68 of 78 fields known.
At a glance
Max memory speed (overclocked)
Higher than 83% of other motherboards.
Ports
- USB-C USB4
- USB-C USB 3.2 Gen 2
- 3 USB-A USB 3.2 Gen 2
- 4 USB-A USB 3.2 Gen 1
- HDMI 2.1
- Ethernet (RJ45)
- 2 3.5 mm audio
- Optical S/PDIF
- USB-C header
- USB 3 header (19-pin)
- 2 USB 2.0 header (9-pin)
General
- Model numbers
- MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI II1Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026Cover and specification chapter name the board MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI II.
- GTIN / EAN
- Not available
- Predecessor
- MSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI4Reviewtomshardware.com/pc-components/motherboards/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-motherboard-reviewRead 14 October 2026Tom's Hardware calls the MAG Z890 Tomahawk Wifi II a streamlined revision of the original MAG Z890 Tomahawk.5Reviewthefpsreview.com/2026/06/29/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-motherboard-reviewRead 14 October 2026The FPS Review calls the MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi II a refreshed issue of the original Z890 Tomahawk.
- Successor
- Not available
- Launch price (US)
- $229.994Reviewtomshardware.com/pc-components/motherboards/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-motherboard-reviewRead 14 October 2026Review of 2026-06-29: listed at $229.99 on Newegg and on sale at $199.99 at the time. This is a retailer listing at review time, not an MSI statement. FPS Review says $229 is the usual price and $30 more than the $199 offer.5Reviewthefpsreview.com/2026/06/29/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-motherboard-reviewRead 14 October 2026The MSI store listed the board at $199 as a limited offer with a usual price of $229, 30 dollars less than on release.
- Launch price (EU)
- Not available
- Markets
- Not available
- Colours
- Not available
- Board revision
- Not available
Platform
- CPU socket
- LGA18511Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026
- Chipset
- Intel Z8901Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 20262Maker spec sheet (PDF)storage-asset.msi.com/datasheet/mb/jp/MAG-Z890-TOMAHAWK-WIFI-II.pdfRead 14 October 2026Specifications: Intel Z890 Chipset.
- Supported processors
- Intel Core Ultra (Series 2)1Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026Specifications chapter, page 16: Intel Core Ultra Processors (Series 2). The manual refers to msi.com for newer processors. Read on 2026-10-14.
- CPU overclocking
- Yes1Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026Page 30 (CPU socket chapter): this motherboard supports overclocking. The Performance feature list names Core Boost. Intel's Z890 chipset page also lists overclocking.8Maker product pageintel.com/content/www/us/en/products/sku/237777/intel-z890-chipset/specifications.htmlRead 14 October 2026Intel's Z890 chipset page lists Supports Overclocking: IA, BCLK, Memory. This is the chip maker's page, not the board maker's.
Board
Front and side, drawn to scale.
- Form factor
- ATX1Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026
- Board dimensions
- Width244Height305mm(9.6 × 12 in)1Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026Page 19: ATX form factor, 9.6 in. x 12 in. (244 mm x 305 mm).
- PCB layers
- 63Retailer pagevishalperipherals.com/products/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-motherboardRead 14 October 2026MSI text copied by the shop: 6-layer PCB made by 2oz thickened copper and server-grade level material.4Reviewtomshardware.com/pc-components/motherboards/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-motherboard-reviewRead 14 October 2026All-black 6-layer, server-grade PCB.5Reviewthefpsreview.com/2026/06/29/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-motherboard-reviewRead 14 October 2026MSI states the PCB is 6-layer with inlaid copper.6Reviewrealhardwarereviews.com/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-review/5Read 14 October 20266-layer PCB.
- RGB lighting on the board
- No4Reviewtomshardware.com/pc-components/motherboards/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-motherboard-reviewRead 14 October 2026The board has no RGB lighting, only headers for external lighting.5Reviewthefpsreview.com/2026/06/29/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-motherboard-reviewRead 14 October 2026No RGB on this motherboard or other fancy lighting. It has three ARGB headers.10Press articletechno-edge.net/release/prtimes2/20260904/24458.htmlRead 14 October 2026MSI Japan press release of 2026-09-04: black military-style design without LED lighting.
Power delivery
- Power stage layout
- 16+1+1+13Retailer pagevishalperipherals.com/products/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-motherboardRead 14 October 2026The shop copies MSI's text: 16+1+1+1 Duet Rail Power System 90A SPS. FPS Review says MSI states 16+1+1+1. Another MSI product page text seen in a search snippet groups the rails as 16+2+1. The Vcore number is 16 in all of them.5Reviewthefpsreview.com/2026/06/29/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-motherboard-reviewRead 14 October 2026MSI states 16+1+1+1 (Duet 8 phase) with Smart Power Stage support and 90 A.
- CPU core (Vcore) power stages
- 164Reviewtomshardware.com/pc-components/motherboards/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-motherboard-reviewRead 14 October 202619 phases, 16 of them for Vcore, from 16 MPS 90A SPS MOSFETs (spec table: 16x 90A SPS MOSFETs for Vcore).6Reviewrealhardwarereviews.com/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-review/5Read 14 October 202616x 90A Smart Power Stages doubled on the eight phases that feed the CPU cores, in a (7+1)+1+1 true phase layout.7Reviewprofesionalreview.com/2026/03/23/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-review/ampRead 14 October 202619 phases: 16 for VccCore, 1 for VccGT, 1 for VccSA and 1 for VNNAON, with 16 MPS 90 A MOSFETs for Vcore.
- Vcore power stage rating
- 90A3Retailer pagevishalperipherals.com/products/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-motherboardRead 14 October 2026MSI text copied by the shop: 90A SPS (Smart Power Stage). Tom's Hardware and Real Hardware Reviews read 16 MPS 90A stages.6Reviewrealhardwarereviews.com/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-review/5Read 14 October 202616x 90A stages, 1440 A in total.
- VRM controller
- Not available
- CPU power connectors
- 8+8 pin1Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026Page 17: 2x 8-pin +12V power connectors. The page also lists the 24-pin ATX connector.
- Extra slot power connector
- Yes1Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026Page 17: 1x 8-pin PCIe power connector (PCIE_PWR1). The special features list names a Supplemental PCIe Power Connector.7Reviewprofesionalreview.com/2026/03/23/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-review/ampRead 14 October 2026An 8-pin PCIe header supplements power to the PCIe slots and the internal USB-C with Power Delivery. The review says the Wi-Fi card is a Killer BE1750x like the original, which conflicts with MSI's datasheet and two other reviews and is not used.
Memory
- Memory type
- DDR51Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026
- Memory slots
- 41Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026
- Max memory
- 256GB1Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026
- CUDIMM support
- Yes1Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026Page 16: supports CUDIMM. The manual states no clock driver bypass limit. FPS Review also says CU-DIMMs are fully supported.5Reviewthefpsreview.com/2026/06/29/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-motherboard-reviewRead 14 October 2026Memory up to 256 GB, advertised up to 9200 MT/s (OC) which includes CU-DIMMs, with XMP 3.0.
Expansion slots
- Expansion slots
Physical slot Electrical lanes PCIe generation Connected to Count PCIe x16 16 5 CPU 1 PCIe x16 4 4 Chipset 2 - Full-length PCIe slots
- 3
- Fastest PCIe x16 slot generation
- 5
Storage
- M.2 storage slots
Slot PCIe generation PCIe lanes Connected to Longest drive Takes SATA drives Heatsink M2_1 5 4 CPU M.2 2280 No Yes M2_2 4 4 Chipset M.2 22110 No Yes M2_3 4 4 Chipset M.2 2280 No Yes M2_4 4 4 Chipset M.2 2280 Yes Yes Source1Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026Page 17: M2_1 PCIe 5.0 x4 for 2260 and 2280. M2_2 PCIe 4.0 x4 for 2260, 2280 and 22110. M2_3 PCIe 4.0 x4 for 2242, 2260 and 2280. M2_4 PCIe 4.0 x4 and SATA for 2242, 2260 and 2280. The longest module is stored. The manual and its block diagram say M2_2 comes from the CPU. MSI's web specification text copied by Vishal Peripherals, Tom's Hardware and Profesional Review all say the chipset, so chipset is stored. This is a doubt. Heatsinks: pages 36 to 43 show a screwless M.2 Shield Frozr heatsink on M2_1, a screw-down M.2 Shield Frozr on M2_2 and a screwless one over M2_3 and M2_4. FPS Review and Profesional Review count three M.2 heatsinks for the four slots. The manual lists no lane sharing for the M.2 slots.3Retailer pagevishalperipherals.com/products/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-motherboardRead 14 October 2026Shop copy of the MSI specification: M.2_1 from the CPU, PCIe 5.0 x4, 2280/2260. M.2_2 from the chipset, PCIe 4.0 x4, 22110/2280/2260. M.2_3 from the chipset, PCIe 4.0 x4, 2280/2260/2242. M.2_4 from the chipset, PCIe 4.0 x4 or SATA mode, 2280/2260/2242.4Reviewtomshardware.com/pc-components/motherboards/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-motherboard-reviewRead 14 October 2026M.2_1 is the CPU-connected PCIe 5.0 x4 socket. The other three connect through the chipset at PCIe 4.0 x4, M.2_4 also takes SATA. The text says all sockets take up to 80 mm modules, but the spec table and MSI's manual list 110 mm for M.2_2. No lane sharing between PCIe, M.2, USB and SATA.- M.2 slots
- 4
- PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots
- 1
Rear ports
- Rear ports
Type Version Count Max link rate (Gbps) Thunderbolt or USB4 Power out (W) DP Alt Mode USB-C USB4 1 40 Thunderbolt 4 15 Yes USB-C USB 3.2 Gen 2 1 10 Not available Not available Not available USB-A USB 3.2 Gen 2 3 10 Not available Not available Not available USB-A USB 3.2 Gen 1 4 5 Not available Not available Not available HDMI HDMI 2.1 1 Not available Not available Not available Not available Ethernet (RJ45) Not available 1 5 Not available Not available Not available 3.5 mm audio Not available 2 Not available Not available Not available Not available Optical S/PDIF Not available 1 Not available Not available Not available Not available Source1Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026Pages 19 and 23: 1 HDMI 2.1 with FRL, 1 Thunderbolt 4 USB-C (from the CPU, DisplayPort over USB Type-C, 40 Gbps per the datasheet), 1 USB 10Gbps Type-C, 3 USB 10Gbps Type-A, 4 USB 5Gbps Type-A, 1 5Gbps LAN (RJ45), line-out and mic-in jacks and 1 optical S/PDIF out. The datasheet gives the Thunderbolt 4 port charging up to 5V/3A, 15W. The board has no rear USB 2.0 port. The 4 USB 2.0 and 6 USB 5Gbps Type-A counts in the datasheet include front-panel ports. The Flash BIOS and Clear CMOS buttons and the two Wi-Fi antenna connectors are not ports. The Thunderbolt port is stored as USB4 with the Thunderbolt 4 marking, since it is a USB4 port.2Maker spec sheet (PDF)storage-asset.msi.com/datasheet/mb/jp/MAG-Z890-TOMAHAWK-WIFI-II.pdfRead 14 October 2026Thunderbolt 4 row: 1x USB Type-C up to 40Gbps, charging support up to 5V/3A, 15W. Connections list: 1 Flash BIOS button, 1 Clear CMOS button, S/PDIF-Out, Thunderbolt 4 40Gbps Type-C.- Rear USB ports
- 9
- Rear USB-C ports
- 2
- Fastest rear USB port
- 40Gbps
- Thunderbolt
- Yes
Internal connectors
- Internal USB headers
Header Max data rate (Gbps) Headers Front ports served Power out (W) USB-C header 20 1 1 27 USB 3 header (19-pin) 5 1 2 Not available USB 2.0 header (9-pin) 0.48 2 4 Not available - Front USB-C header speed
- 20Gbps
- Fan headers
- 81Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026Page 18: 1 CPU fan, 1 water-pump/system fan and 6 system fan connectors, all 4-pin, make 8 headers. The EZ Conn-Header V2 (JAF_2) is a combination connector and is not counted.6Reviewrealhardwarereviews.com/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-review/5Read 14 October 2026Eight 4-pin fan headers plus the JAF v2 header.
Networking
- Ethernet controllers
- Intel Killer E50001Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026Page 17: 1x Intel Killer E5000 5Gbps LAN controller. The datasheet writes E5000B. Tom's Hardware's table says Killer E5000 Realtek RTL8125 at 2.5 GbE, which does not fit the 5 Gbps port and is not used.2Maker spec sheet (PDF)storage-asset.msi.com/datasheet/mb/jp/MAG-Z890-TOMAHAWK-WIFI-II.pdfRead 14 October 2026Specifications: Intel Killer E5000B 5G LAN.
- Ethernet ports
- 1
- Ethernet speed
- 5Gbps
- Wi-Fi standard
- Wi-Fi 71Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026Page 17: Wi-Fi 7, 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be.
- Wi-Fi bands
- 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz1Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026Page 17: 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz. 6 GHz support may depend on country regulations.
- Wi-Fi module
- Not available
- Bluetooth
- 5.41Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026Page 17: Bluetooth 5.4. The manual says the version may be updated, so check the Wi-Fi chipset vendor.2Maker spec sheet (PDF)storage-asset.msi.com/datasheet/mb/jp/MAG-Z890-TOMAHAWK-WIFI-II.pdfRead 14 October 2026Specifications: Wi-Fi 7 Solution, Bluetooth 5.4.
Audio
- Audio codec
- Realtek ALC1220P1Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026Page 17: Realtek ALC1220P, 7.1-channel High Definition Audio with S/PDIF output.
- DAC chip
- Not available
Features
- Clear CMOS button (rear)
- Yes1Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026Page 19 and the rear panel chapter: Clear CMOS button. The board also has a JBAT1 jumper.
- Power button on the board
- No1Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026The manual lists no power or reset button on the board. Real Hardware Reviews says MSI left out the power and reset buttons to fit the debug LEDs, and Profesional Review sees no integrated buttons.6Reviewrealhardwarereviews.com/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-review/5Read 14 October 2026MSI left out the power and reset buttons found on higher models to fit the debug LED and digital display.
- Pre-installed I/O shield
- Yes1Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026Special features list on page 21: Pre-installed I/O Shield.
- Tool-free features
- Tool-free M.2 latch, Tool-free M.2 heatsink, PCIe slot release, Push-on antenna connector1Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026Special features list: EZ M.2 Clip II (screwless M.2 drive clip), EZ M.2 Shield Frozr II (tool-free heatsink), EZ PCIe Release (button that frees the graphics card, pages 33 to 35) and EZ Antenna. The press release says the EZ Antenna design needs no twisting.5Reviewthefpsreview.com/2026/06/29/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-motherboard-reviewRead 14 October 2026Two EZ-Release Shield-FROZR II M.2 heatsinks and one that needs a Phillips screwdriver, an EZ-PCIe Release button, all M.2 slots tool-less with a rotary or EZ Clip, and EZ antenna ports.9Press articlefunkykit.com/news/msi-motherboards-support-new-intel-core-ultra-200s-plus-series-processorsRead 14 October 2026EZ Antenna design simplifies Wi-Fi antenna installation without the need for twisting.
Measured
In the box
- In the box
- 1 x Quick installation guide, 1 x European Union Regulatory Notices, 2 x SATA Cables, 1 x 1 to 3 EZ Conn-Cable (V2), 1 x EZ Wi-Fi antenna, 1 x Cable sticker, 2 x EZ M.2 Clip II, 1 x EZ M.2 Clip II Remover1Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026Page 22 package contents, without the board itself. Real Hardware Reviews says the drivers come on a USB drive. The manual list does not include it, so it is left out.
Links
- Product page
- www.msi.com/Motherboard/MAG-Z890-TOMAHAWK-WIFI-II11Maker product pagemsi.com/Motherboard/MAG-Z890-TOMAHAWK-WIFI-IIRead 14 October 2026msi.com blocks agents, so the page was not read. Its address appeared in web search results and in the job brief. No value comes from it.
- Spec sheet
- storage-asset.msi.com/datasheet/mb/jp/MAG-Z890-TOMAHAWK-WIFI-II.pdf2Maker spec sheet (PDF)storage-asset.msi.com/datasheet/mb/jp/MAG-Z890-TOMAHAWK-WIFI-II.pdfRead 14 October 2026MSI datasheet generated 2026-02-19. The file sits in the jp folder but the text is English.
- Manual
- download-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdf1Owner's manualdownload-2.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/mb/MAGZ890TOMAHAWKWIFIII_English.pdfRead 14 October 2026MSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI II User Guide, 44 pages, English PDF on download-2.msi.com. The Japanese and German files have the same name pattern.
- EPREL registration number
- Not available
Warranty
- Manufacturer warranty (source market)
- 3years4Reviewtomshardware.com/pc-components/motherboards/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-motherboard-reviewRead 14 October 2026Spec table: 3 years, in a US-focused review.5Reviewthefpsreview.com/2026/06/29/msi-mag-z890-tomahawk-wifi-ii-motherboard-reviewRead 14 October 2026The warranty is listed at 3 years on the MSI store.
Compare with
Pick a motherboard to see both side by side. Differences are marked yellow.
Sources
We read 11 sources for this motherboard. The numbers match the markers in the sheet.
- Maker spec sheet (PDF)storage-asset.msi.com/datasheet/mb/jp/MAG-Z890-TOMAHAWK-WIFI-II.pdf
- Press articletechno-edge.net/release/prtimes2/20260904/24458.html
- Maker product pagemsi.com/Motherboard/MAG-Z890-TOMAHAWK-WIFI-II
See a wrong value? Tell us and name the field.
PredecessorMSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI