MSI Z170A GAMING M3 (MS-7978)

Performance Results

Benchmarks - missing SSD
Gaming 15% Tree trunk	Desktop 41% Speed boat	Workstation 11% Tree trunk


PC Status	Overall this PC is performing way below expectations (13th percentile). This means that out of 100 PCs with exactly the same components, 87 performed better. The overall PC percentile is the average of each of its individual components. Use the charts in the benchmark sections of this report to identify problem areas.
Processor	With a relatively low single core score, this CPU can handle email, light web browsing and basic audio/video playback, but it will struggle to handle CPU intensive tasks. Finally, with a gaming score of 31.5%, this CPU's suitability for 3D gaming is poor.
Graphics	43.9% is a reasonable 3D score (RTX 2060S = 100%). This GPU can handle the majority of recent games but it will struggle with resolutions greater than 1080p at ultra detail levels. (Note: general computing tasks don't require 3D graphics)
Memory	16GB is enough RAM to run any version of Windows and it's more than sufficient for nearly all games. 16GB also allows for very large file and system caches, software development and batch photo editing/processing.
OS Version	Although Windows 10 is not the most recent version of Windows, it remains a great option.

Run History

4 years ago, 4 years ago, 4 years ago, 4 years ago, 4 years ago.

System	MSI MS-7978
Motherboard	MSI Z170A GAMING M3 (MS-7978) (all builds)
Memory	11.6 GB free of 16 GB @ 2.4 GHz
Display	1920 x 1080 - 32 Bit colors
OS	Windows 10
BIOS Date	20170424
Uptime	0.2 Days
Run Date	May 18 '19 at 02:22
Run Duration	311 Seconds
Run User	USA-User
Background CPU	8%

Watch Gameplay: 1060-3GB + 9600K How to compare your gameplay

PC Performing way below expectations (13^th percentile)

Actual performance vs. expectations. The graphs show user score (x) vs user score frequency (y).

Processor	Bench	Normal	Heavy	Server
Intel Core i5-6600K-$81 342,244 User benchmarks, average bench 72% U3E1, 1 CPU, 4 cores, 4 threads Base clock 3.5 GHz, turbo 0.75 GHz (avg) Performing way below expectations (1^st percentile)	31.5% Below average	Memory 47.2 1-Core 25.7 2-Core 51.1 27% 41.3 Pts	4-Core 92.5 8-Core 94 12% 93.2 Pts	64-Core 94.4 6% 94.4 Pts
Poor: 57% ↑ This bench: 31.5% Great: 85%

Graphics Card	Bench	3D DX9	3D DX10	3D DX11
Nvidia GTX 1060-3GB-$119 627,793 User benchmarks, average bench 52% MSI(1462 3285) CLim: 1974 MHz, MLim: 2002 MHz, Ram: 3GB, Driver: 430.64 Relative performance (0^th percentile) - GPU OC Guide	43.9% Average	Lighting 46.2 Reflection 63.8 Parallax 64.7 38% 58.2 fps	MRender 71 Gravity 65.2 Splatting 69 56% 68.4 fps
Poor: 48% ↑ This bench: 43.9% Great: 56%

Drives	Bench	Sequential	Random 4k
Samsung 850 Evo 250GB-$100 951,591 User benchmarks, average bench 103% 161GB free (System drive) Firmware: EMT02B6Q SusWrite @10s intervals: 397 623 7.9 99 524 11 MB/s Relative performance n/a - RAM cached drive detected
Poor: 72% Great: 124%
Seagate FireCuda SSHD 2TB (2016)-$79 133,734 User benchmarks, average bench 85% 429GB free Firmware: CC41 SusWrite @10s intervals: 129 149 3.5 16 131 1.6 MB/s Performing way below expectations (3^rd percentile)	43.2% Average	Read 77.5 Write 142 Mixed 26.5 SusWrite 71.6 58% 79.4 MB/s	4K Read 1.3 4K Write 5 4K Mixed 2.1 380% 2.8 MB/s
Poor: 53% ↑ This bench: 43.2% Great: 110%
WD Black 1TB (2010)-$49 257,835 User benchmarks, average bench 57% 581GB free Firmware: 01.01V01 SusWrite @10s intervals: 91 107 2.3 12 94 1.2 MB/s Performing below expectations (28^th percentile)	49.4% Average	Read 120 Write 116 Mixed 99.5 SusWrite 51.1 72% 96.9 MB/s	4K Read 1 4K Write 2.4 4K Mixed 0.9 186% 1.43 MB/s
Poor: 35% ↑ This bench: 49.4% Great: 76%
Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 500GB-$36 203,102 User benchmarks, average bench 54% 391GB free Firmware: CC37 SusWrite @10s intervals: 76 89 2.5 9.4 79 1.5 MB/s Performing below expectations (28^th percentile)	47.4% Average	Read 122 Write 118 Mixed 68 SusWrite 42.8 65% 87.7 MB/s	4K Read 0.7 4K Write 1.9 4K Mixed 1 176% 1.2 MB/s
Poor: 28% ↑ This bench: 47.4% Great: 70%
WD Green 1TB (2009)-$65 103,919 User benchmarks, average bench 42% 223GB free Firmware: 01.01A01 SusWrite @10s intervals: 42 46 0.5 4.8 44 0.5 MB/s Performing way below expectations (15^th percentile)	30.8% Below average	Read 83.7 Write 81.3 Mixed 62 SusWrite 23 46% 62.5 MB/s	4K Read 0.6 4K Write 2.2 4K Mixed 0.9 166% 1.23 MB/s
Poor: 23% ↑ This bench: 30.8% Great: 57%

Memory Kit	Bench	Multi core	Single core	Latency
G.SKILL Ripjaws V DDR4 2400 C15 2x8GB-$40 98,777 User benchmarks, average bench 71% 2 of 4 slots used 16GB DIMM DDR4 clocked @ 2400 MHz Performing way below expectations (6^th percentile)	45% Average	MC Read 15.6 MC Write 16.2 MC Mixed 20.7 50% 17.5 GB/s	SC Read 6 SC Write 9.6 SC Mixed 8.4 23% 8 GB/s	Latency 171 23% 171 ns
Poor: 44% ↑ This bench: 45% Great: 88%

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System Memory Latency Ladder

L1/L2/L3 CPU cache and main memory (DIMM) access latencies in nano seconds

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SSD

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MBD

Typical Z170A GAMING M3 (MS-7978) Builds (Compare 2,306 builds) See popular component choices, score breakdowns and rankings

Gaming 51%

Yacht

Desktop 87%

Aircraft carrier

Workstation 44%

Speed boat

Motherboard: MSI Z170A GAMING M3 (MS-7978) - $150

CPU
Core i7-6700KIntel $180Bench 81%, 588,978 samples	816x
Core i5-6600KIntel $81Bench 72%, 342,244 samples	630x
Core i7-6700Intel $180Bench 72%, 282,363 samples	226x

GPU
GTX 1060-6GBNvidia $117Bench 56%, 1,368,019 samples	316x
GTX 1070Nvidia $132Bench 80%, 1,459,281 samples	305x
GTX 970Nvidia $200Bench 49%, 834,238 samples	221x

SSD
850 Evo 250GBSamsung $100Bench 103%, 951,591 samples	117x
850 Evo 500GBSamsung $109Bench 112%, 695,664 samples	74x
970 Evo Plus NVMe PCIe M.2 1TBSamsung $76Bench 310%, 455,997 samples	55x

RAM
Vengeance LPX DDR4 3000 C15 2x8GBCorsair $43Bench 82%, 606,405 samples	98x
Ripjaws V DDR4 2400 C15 2x8GBG.SKILL $40Bench 71%, 98,777 samples	83x
Fury DDR4 2133 C14 2x8GBHyperX $125Bench 73%, 59,072 samples	71x

EDIT WITH CUSTOM PC BUILDER

Value: 86% - Excellent

Total price: $589

CPU	GPU	SSD
Intel Core i5-13600K $273	Nvidia RTX 4060 $300	Crucial MX500 250GB $40
Intel Core i5-12400F $131	Nvidia RTX 4060-Ti $385	Samsung 850 Evo 120GB $80
Intel Core i5-12600K $186	Nvidia RTX 4070 $409	Samsung 860 Evo 250GB $52

HDD	RAM	USB
Seagate Barracuda 1TB (2016) $34	Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 3200 C16 2x8GB $40	SanDisk Extreme 64GB $72
WD Blue 1TB (2012) $35	Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 3000 C15 2x8GB $43	SanDisk Extreme 32GB $28
Seagate Barracuda 2TB (2016) $51	G.SKILL Trident Z DDR4 3200 C14 4x16GB $351	SanDisk Ultra Fit 32GB $16