MSI Z170A GAMING M3 (MS-7978)

Performance Results

Benchmarks - missing SSD
Gaming 0% Incomplete	Desktop 0% Incomplete	Workstation 0% Incomplete


PC Status	Overall this PC is performing as expected (55th percentile). This means that out of 100 PCs with exactly the same components, 45 performed better. The overall PC percentile is the average of each of its individual components.
Processor	With a brilliant single core score, this CPU is the business: It demolishes everyday tasks such as web browsing, office apps and audio/video playback. Additionally this processor can handle light workstation, and even some light server workloads. Finally, with a gaming score of 78.5%, this CPU's suitability for 3D gaming is good.
Graphics	32.4% is a below average 3D score (RTX 2060S = 100%). This GPU can handle older games but it will struggle to render recent games at resolutions greater than 1080p. (Note: general computing tasks don't require 3D graphics)
Memory	32GB is enough RAM to run any version of Windows and it's far more than any current game requires. 32GB will also allow for large file and system caches, virtual machine hosting, software development, video editing and batch multimedia processing.
OS Version	Although Windows 10 is not the most recent version of Windows, it remains a great option.

Very high background CPU (34%). High background CPU reduces benchmark accuracy. How to reduce background CPU.

Run History

3 years ago, 3 years ago, 3 years ago, 3 years ago.

System	MSI MS-7978
Motherboard	MSI Z170A GAMING M3 (MS-7978) (all builds)
Memory	25.9 GB free of 32 GB @ 3.2 GHz
Display	1920 x 1080 - 32 Bit colors
OS	Windows 10
BIOS Date	20180704
Uptime	0.6 Days
Run Date	Mar 03 '21 at 18:48
Run Duration	175 Seconds
Run User	CAN-User
Background CPU	34%

Watch Gameplay: 480 + 9600K How to compare your gameplay

PC Performing as expected (55^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 4.1 GHz (avg) Performing above expectations (80^th percentile)	78.5% Very good	Memory 86.3 1-Core 130 2-Core 255 87% 157 Pts	4-Core 390 8-Core 507 57% 448 Pts	64-Core 493 30% 493 Pts
Poor: 57% ↑ This bench: 78.5% Great: 85%

Graphics Card	Bench	3D DX9	3D DX10	3D DX11
AMD RX 480-$75 261,163 User benchmarks, average bench 46% Asus(1043 04A8) CLim: 1266 MHz, MLim: 2000 MHz, Ram: 8GB, Driver: 21.2.1 Performing below potential (2^nd percentile) - GPU OC Guide	32.4% Below average	Lighting 35.9 Reflection 56.6 Parallax 58.8 29% 50.4 fps	MRender 61.5 Gravity 38.7 Splatting 43.3 38% 47.8 fps
Poor: 35% ↑ This bench: 32.4% Great: 53%

Drives	Sequential	Random 4k	Deep queue 4k
Crucial P5 3D NVMe PCIe M.2 500GB-$69 17,082 User benchmarks, average bench 256% 91GB free (System drive) Firmware: P4CR Max speed: PCIe 16,000 MB/s Relative performance n/a - sequential test incomplete	Read 1,801 Write 2,246 Mixed 1,667 427% 1,905 MB/s	4K Read 53.3 4K Write 128 4K Mixed 72.4 241% 84.4 MB/s	DQ Read 1,594 DQ Write 1,415 DQ Mixed 1,434 1,095% 1,481 MB/s
Poor: 168% Great: 332%
Samsung 850 Evo 250GB-$100 951,591 User benchmarks, average bench 103% 76GB free Firmware: EMT02B6Q Relative performance n/a - sequential test incomplete	Read 442 Write 422 Mixed 368 92% 410 MB/s	4K Read 39.7 4K Write 113 4K Mixed 59.3 196% 70.7 MB/s	DQ Read 384 DQ Write 346 DQ Mixed 359 271% 363 MB/s
Poor: 72% Great: 124%
Microsoft Storage Space Device 13TB 105 User benchmarks, average bench 66% 11.5TB free Firmware: 0.1 Relative performance n/a - sequential test incomplete	Read 356 Write 11.2 Mixed 16.7 92% 128 MB/s	4K Read 1.1 4K Write 2.2 4K Mixed 0.2 109% 1.17 MB/s
Poor: 17% Great: 100%
Microsoft Storage Space Device 2TB 3,439 User benchmarks, average bench 79% 557GB free Firmware: 0.1 Relative performance n/a - sequential test incomplete	Read 2,233 Write 1.5 Mixed 45.9 545% 760 MB/s	4K Read 738 4K Write 2.8 4K Mixed 0.9 30,923% 247 MB/s
Poor: 28% Great: 106%

Memory Kit	Bench	Multi core	Single core	Latency
G.SKILL F4 DDR4 3200 C16 4x8GB 30,689 User benchmarks, average bench 92% 4 of 4 slots used 32GB DIMM DDR4 clocked @ 3200 MHz Performing above expectations (84^th percentile)	104% Outstanding	MC Read 36.8 MC Write 41.1 MC Mixed 34.6 107% 37.5 GB/s	SC Read 21.1 SC Write 44 SC Mixed 29.3 90% 31.5 GB/s	Latency 71 56% 71 ns
Poor: 66% ↑ This bench: 104% Great: 118%

Take a copy of your results

System Memory Latency Ladder

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

Custom PC Builder (Explore upgrades for this PC) Build your perfect PC: compare component prices, popularity, speed and value for money

CHOOSE AN UPGRADE:

CPU

GPU

SSD

HDD

RAM

MBD

Typical Z170A GAMING M3 (MS-7978) Builds (Compare 2,310 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	818x
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 $95Bench 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 $295	Crucial MX500 250GB $40
Intel Core i5-12400F $133	Nvidia RTX 4060-Ti $385	Samsung 850 Evo 120GB $80
Intel Core i5-12600K $15	Nvidia RTX 4070 $539	Samsung 860 Evo 250GB $52

HDD	RAM	USB
Seagate Barracuda 1TB (2016) $39	Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 3200 C16 2x8GB $45	SanDisk Extreme 64GB $72
WD Blue 1TB (2012) $37	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