Subsystem Testing
Memory Bandwidth
In this test, our MSI MAG B760 TOMAHAWK WIFI achieved a result of 68.07GB/s compared to 67.66GB/s on the Z690 APEX. Not much of an uplift despite the clock speed increase. Intel versus MSI defaults had virtually no impact on the test either, which was within our expectations.
AIDA64 Memory Read
In our AIDA 64 test, we saw the MSI MAG B760 TOMAHAWK WIFI achieve a result of 86,344 using MSI’s default settings and 87,920 using Intel’s default power limits. In contrast, both settings were faster than ASUS’s ROG Z690 APEX board and certainly worlds faster than the Z690 Gaming X from GIGABYTE which is obviously a DDR4 motherboard.
AIDA64-Memory Write
In our AIDA64 memory write test, the MSI MAG B760 TOMAHAWK WIFI scored a result of 79,051MB/s using Intel’s default power settings and 78,287MB/s using MSI’s.
AIDA64-Memory Copy
In this test, the MSI MAG B760 TOMAHAWK WIFI achieved a result of 78,972MB/s and 78,406MB/s using Intel and MSI’s defaults respectively.
M.2 Performance
For this test, we used a Corsair MP600 1TB PCI-Express 4.0 compatible NVMe drive for our benchmark testing. Fortunately, there isn’t much to say about M.2 performance on the MSI MAG B760 TOMAHAWK WIFI. It’s performing as it should with the test results being within the drive manufacturer’s specification for the model.
Discussion (6 replies)
Join Discussion →Thanks for the review and also good to know about the budget 2.5G NICs.
They have to cut the costs somewhere. To be fair, this isn't normally going to be an issue. I think Realtek NICs are fine most of the time. Most people aren't running 16+ port managed switches in their homes like I do.
The Realtek 2.5Gbit NICs might even be more reliable for some folks than the Intel ones, if going by internet complaints. I know I've seen some weird behavior off and on myself with the i225 and i226 NICs that are very atypical of Intel network controllers.
Yeah. I was kinda taken-aback at the level of complaints made against the current Intel i225/i226 solutions. Intel used to have rock solid adapters, and was what you'd strive for getting.
I'm just surprised it's been going on this long. You don't hear those complaints from the Linux community really, and on the Windows side it seems to be a driver / firmware thing.
Main symptom I've seen personally is that the interface just drops its connection and ceases passing traffic, seemingly at random, but regularly enough to be annoying. Fixing it is as simple as disabling and re-enabling the interface in Control Panel, or unplugging and replugging the cable.
Either way, complaints have largely died down, but Intel is likely going to have to get another spin with another name ("Odd-Windows-Release-Syndrome") to regain consumer faith. Could be that they just move up to producing 5Gbit controllers.
The i225v and i226v's are indeed problematic. I've had my share of issues with those as well. Though more recently, I've had fewer issues with them as the firmware problems have been pretty well ironed out.
More recently, I've had good luck with Aquantia, Marvell, and newer Realtek adapters. This adapter, as I recall is an older one.