After months of complaining about MSI Z790 motherboard issues, users have finally been validated. The brand has acknowledged problems with its MAG Tomahawk WiFi model, pointing towards a design fault. Not only has MSI reassured us that it’s fixing the issue on subsequent releases, but it’s also replacing affected devices.
“We have discovered a minority of units might encounter non-functional PCH, potentially resulting in Dead on Arrival (DOA) of the motherboard products. We have isolated the cause to a previous used chipset heatsink screw design and have taken proactive measures to address this issue,” MSI tech support states in a statement on Reddit. “A revised chipset heatsink screw design has been implemented into our production, and the known cases have been resolved.”
We don’t know how many motherboards contain the issue, but the mandate is clear. If your system boots, your motherboard is perfectly fine. If your PC fails during POST (Power On Self-Test), then you might be one of the unlucky ones. This occurs when cracks appear on the PCH (Platform Hub Controller).
The fractures were recently spotlighted by YouTuber Joshi Repair, but sadly date back much further. Reddit posts grumbled about the problem at least nine months ago. It’s great to see MSI finally on the case, but we have to wonder why it’s taken so long.
MSI rounds off its statement by saying: “We uphold high standards of responsibility and accountability, and want to assure affected customers can promptly receive product replacements. Please contact our local customer service center for assistance.”
At the very least, MSI Tomahawk WiFi is the only model confirmed to crack. Still, if you experience the same defect with other motherboards, the RMA process is the same. Simply head over to the MSI Service and Support website and put in a request.
