MSI Z170A GAMING M3 (MS-7978)

Performance Results


Gaming 23% Surfboard	Desktop 76% Battleship	Workstation 19% Surfboard


PC Status	Overall this PC is performing below expectations (37th percentile). This means that out of 100 PCs with exactly the same components, 63 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 good single core score, this CPU can easily handle the majority of general computing tasks. Despite its good single core score this processor isn't appropriate for workstation use due to its relatively weak multi-core performance. Finally, with a gaming score of 70.4%, this CPU's suitability for 3D gaming is good.
Graphics	29.6% 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)
Boot Drive	73.6% is a good SSD score. This drive enables fast boots, responsive applications and ensures minimum system IO wait times.
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.

Very high background CPU (55%). High background CPU reduces benchmark accuracy. How to reduce background CPU.

Run History

6 years ago, 6 years ago, 6 years ago, 6 years ago.

System	MSI MS-7978
Motherboard	MSI Z170A GAMING M3 (MS-7978) (all builds)
Memory	7.9 GB free of 16 GB @ 2.1 GHz
Display	1920 x 1080 - 32 Bit couleurs
OS	Windows 10
BIOS Date	20151218
Uptime	3 Days
Run Date	Mar 21 '18 at 19:00
Run Duration	264 Seconds
Run User	FRA-User
Background CPU	55%

PC Performing below expectations (37^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 3.55 GHz (avg) Performing below expectations (39^th percentile)	70.4% Very good	Memory 74.1 1-Core 104 2-Core 200 71% 126 Pts	4-Core 388 8-Core 374 51% 381 Pts	64-Core 397 25% 397 Pts
Poor: 57% ↑ This bench: 70.4% Great: 85%

Graphics Card	Bench	3D DX9	3D DX10	3D DX11
Nvidia GTX 980-$500 167,107 User benchmarks, average bench 59% Asus(1043 8518) ≥ 4GB CLim: 1443 MHz, MLim: 1752 MHz, Ram: 4GB, Driver: 391.1 Relative performance (0^th percentile) - GPU OC Guide	29.6% Poor	Lighting 35.6 Reflection 42.2 Parallax 32.7 29% 36.8 fps	MRender 43.1 Gravity 34.3 Splatting 36 31% 37.8 fps
Poor: 53% ↑ This bench: 29.6% Great: 66%

Drives	Bench	Sequential	Random 4k	Deep queue 4k
Corsair Force 3 120GB-$109 22,358 User benchmarks, average bench 48% 100GB free Firmware: 5.03 Max speed: SATA 3.0 600 MB/s Performing as expected (56^th percentile) (ID) Attribute Now Worst Value (01) Raw read error rate 108 108 19144549 (05) Reallocated sector count 100 100 0 (09) Power-on hours count 0 0 919123042249 (0C) Power cycle count 90 90 10941 (AB) Unknown 0 0 0 (AC) Unknown 0 0 0 (AE) Unknown 0 0 266 (B1) Unknown 0 0 16 (B5) Unknown 0 0 0 (B6) Unknown 0 0 0 (BB) vendor-specific 100 100 0 (C2) HDA temperature 30 30 128850984990 (C3) Hardware ECC recovered 120 120 19144549 (C4) Reallocation count 100 100 0 (C9) Soft read error rate 120 120 19144549 (CC) Soft ECC correction 120 120 19144549 (E6) GMR head amplitude 100 100 100 (E7) Temperature 98 98 0 (E9) Unknown 0 0 22395 (EA) Unknown 0 0 18447 (F1) Unknown 0 0 18447 (F2) Unknown 0 0 11142	48.5% Average	Read 198 Write 103 Mixed 124 31% 142 MB/s	4K Read 21.7 4K Write 96.9 4K Mixed 14.5 103% 44.4 MB/s	DQ Read 99 DQ Write 110 DQ Mixed 28.8 43% 79.4 MB/s
Poor: 32% ↑ This bench: 48.5% Great: 61%
HyperX Fury 240GB-$193 27,826 User benchmarks, average bench 71% 71GB free (System drive) Firmware: 608ABBF0 Max speed: SATA 3.0 600 MB/s Performing above expectations (66^th percentile) (ID) Attribute Now Worst Value (01) Raw read error rate 95 95 29167423 (05) Reallocated sector count 100 100 0 (09) Power-on hours count 87 87 47923245100251 (0C) Power cycle count 100 100 227 (AB) Unknown 100 100 0 (AC) Unknown 100 100 0 (AE) Unknown 0 0 106 (B1) Unknown 0 0 2 (B5) Unknown 100 100 0 (B6) Unknown 100 100 0 (BB) vendor-specific 100 100 0 (BD) vendor-specific 48 57 51543343152 (C2) HDA temperature 48 57 51543343152 (C3) Hardware ECC recovered 120 120 29167423 (C4) Reallocation count 100 100 0 (C9) Soft read error rate 120 120 29167423 (CC) Soft ECC correction 120 120 29167423 (E6) GMR head amplitude 100 100 100 (E7) Temperature 98 98 42949672961 (E9) Unknown 0 0 13822 (EA) Unknown 0 0 6842 (F1) Unknown 0 0 6842 (F2) Unknown 0 0 12916 (F4) Unknown 99 99 4390961	73.6% Very good	Read 476 Write 206 Mixed 316 73% 333 MB/s	4K Read 21.5 4K Write 95.5 4K Mixed 21.6 111% 46.2 MB/s	DQ Read 180 DQ Write 233 DQ Mixed 61.4 87% 158 MB/s
Poor: 54% ↑ This bench: 73.6% Great: 84%
WD Green 1TB (2010)-$139 139,542 User benchmarks, average bench 44% 95GB free Firmware: 80.00A80 Max speed: SATA 2.0 300 MB/s Performing as expected (45^th percentile) (ID) Attribute Now Worst Value (01) Raw read error rate 200 200 0 (03) Spinup time 126 121 6666 (04) Start/Stop count 77 77 23079 (05) Reallocated sector count 200 200 0 (07) Seek error rate 200 200 0 (09) Power-on hours count 30 30 51464 (0A) Spinup retry count 100 100 0 (0B) Calibration retry count 100 100 0 (0C) Power cycle count 89 89 11394 (C0) Power-off retract count 200 200 275 (C1) Load/Unload cycle count 1 1 704302 (C2) HDA temperature 101 87 46 (C4) Reallocation count 200 200 0 (C5) Current pending sector count 200 200 0 (C6) Offline scan uncorrectable count 200 200 0 (C7) UDMA CRC error rate 200 200 0 (C8) Write error rate 200 200 0	42.4% Average	Read 82.1 Write 65.6 Mixed 62.9 53% 70.2 MB/s	4K Read 0.48 4K Write 1.06 4K Mixed 0.15 57% 0.56 MB/s
Poor: 29% ↑ This bench: 42.4% Great: 59%
Generic STORAGE DEVICE 64GB 428 User benchmarks, average bench 25% 58GB free, PID 0732 Operating at USB 3.0 Speed Performing way below expectations (2^nd percentile)	5.87% Terrible	Read 21.6 Write 8.74 Mixed 7.3 13% 12.5 MB/s	4K Read 3.15 4K Write 0.03 4K Mixed 1.17 52% 1.45 MB/s
Poor: 9% ↑ This bench: 5.87% Great: 45%

Memory Kit	Bench	Multi core	Single core	Latency
G.SKILL Ripjaws V DDR4 3000 C15 1x16GB 751 User benchmarks, average bench 46% 1 of 4 slots used 16GB DIMM DDR4 clocked @ 2133 MHz Performing below potential (11^th percentile) - ensure that an XMP BIOS profile is enabled: How to enable XMP	36.2% Below average	MC Read 13.3 MC Write 12.9 MC Mixed 12 36% 12.7 GB/s	SC Read 8.6 SC Write 9.4 SC Mixed 8.8 26% 8.93 GB/s	Latency 92.3 43% 92.3 ns
Poor: 33% ↑ This bench: 36.2% Great: 58%

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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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Typical Z170A GAMING M3 (MS-7978) Builds (Compare 2,308 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	817x
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 $279	Nvidia RTX 4060 $300	Crucial MX500 250GB $40
Intel Core i5-12400F $134	Nvidia RTX 4060-Ti $385	Samsung 850 Evo 120GB $80
Intel Core i5-12600K $184	Nvidia RTX 4070 $409	Samsung 860 Evo 250GB $52

HDD	RAM	USB
Seagate Barracuda 1TB (2016) $39	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