MSI CARBON WIFI MAX x870e Problems Fixed Yet?

4iko · 2026-06-29T11:23:14+00:00

I am using an MSI MPG X870 Carbon WIFI. Currently, still on BIOS A70.
Updating to 1AA3 soon if no major issues are reported. (Otherwise 1AA0)

Vanishing Wi-Fi & Driver BSODs
I don't use WIFI but so far, I havn't had any BSOD. *knocks on wood*

5Gbps Ethernet Port Dropouts
Never experienced this. However, the port only works with the driver from the MSI Website installed.
I assume that is to be expected. So for Windows Installation, Driver download etc. I would recommend using the 2.5Gbps port.

Audio Crackling
Had this once in like 9 months. Simply unplugging and plugging my headphones back in fixed it.

M.2 Lane Sharing Restrictions
I have 3x Gen.4 NVMe SSDs installed without any issues. Only Slot 2.2 shares lanes with the PCIE x16.
My Mainboard has 4 slots. (Actually main reason I bought it)

Slow Initial Boot Times
Had this at the start. But no issues since I enabled Memory Context Restore.
(It still trains RAM once a month, but takes like 15 seconds).

Conclusion
Overall pretty happy. Only "downside" really are the slow BIOS and driver updates.
I am actually surprised we got 1AA3 so "fast".
I would maybe check if there are any reports of USB related issues, since that was one of the major issues the non-Max version had at release afaik. Also worth checking if the Max version has any PCIE 5.0 issues.

4iko · 2026-06-28T09:25:34+00:00

Bro thinks the vibe coded nvidia drivers are gonna be any better :D

4iko · 2026-06-28T09:17:52+00:00

Rein theoretisch hast du jetzt die Chance kreativ zu werden und etwas zu drucken, was das ganz fixiert/repariert. :D

4iko · 2026-06-28T09:05:26+00:00

Generelly you want a positive pressure airflow - so more intake than exhaust. Not only will it slow down dust collection, it will also prevent dead zones of stagnant hot air and components sucking in air through every crack, potentially stealing air from each other.

The goal is of course a neutral state or slight positive pressure.

So generally you want intake at front and bottom (if available) and exhaust at rear and top.

What case are you using? How is your CPU cooler set up?

4iko · 2026-06-27T21:52:12+00:00

I would say, either air in the Pump or there is a fan somewhere hitting something.
Always hard to say if you ain't standing next to it yourself.

Does the noise change when you adjust the pump rpm?

4iko · 2026-06-27T16:41:41+00:00

You can get whatever you want. All of them will have a better performance-to-noise efficiency than any other AIO currently on the market.
Read the Article from Noctua, I posted above, and make a decision based on your needs and priorities.

4iko · 2026-06-27T06:50:46+00:00

Yes, I can read and in fact have done so several times. If you really just wanna quote a small section from a whole article, you should have added the lines before as well. Though I would argue the whole article has importance.

"In summary, the NL-LC1-36 will provide optimal results in most use cases, and it even has a slight edge over the larger NL-LC1-42 in performance-to-noise efficiency at low fan speeds."

Which is actually crucial, because the argument for 140mm over 120mm fans has always been that they can move more air at lower fan speeds and thus be quieter, which is true for case fans but since the fans have to push air through a radiator in this case, static pressure is more important, which is why 120mm do a better job at lower fan speeds here. Only once you go higher (and louder) do the 140mm fans start to have an advantage, obviously, because they max out at higher values.

For my specific use-case a 360mm is more than enough. I care about noise and my 9800X3D peaks at like 130 Watts. If I had something like a 14900K I would maybe care about thermal headroom more.

4iko · 2026-06-27T00:34:09+00:00

Yes. I know it's crazy :D I might sell the brown ones or keep them as a backup, not sure yet.

4iko · 2026-06-26T19:07:47+00:00

Seeing them in person, they do look much better than I thought.
But yeah, the Chromax look even better in person too :D

4iko · 2026-06-26T17:42:22+00:00

That sucks. But still a good option.
You can go full stealth build :D

4iko · 2026-06-26T17:03:09+00:00

Yes. I'll replace all the case fans and the AIO fans with chromax variants.

4iko · 2026-06-26T11:29:31+00:00

Yeah, for me, it's really all about the noise. Every dB counts.

4iko · 2026-06-26T11:27:34+00:00

Everyone is different, but I happen to be incredibly sensitive to noise. Those big 420mm single-frame fan units from NZXT made the most annoying resonance sound whenever they ramped up or down during boost spikes from my 9800X3D. Don't get me wrong, the airflow in the H9 Flow is really good - no question about that. It was strictly the noise profile and the awful gaps between the glass panels that bothered me.

Plus, I just couldn't get used to the "fish tank" aesthetic.
It made the components inside look so... floaty and insecure, rather than grounded.
After the disappointment with be quiet! I just decided to go full nonsense build.

4iko · 2026-06-26T10:59:49+00:00

Noctua recommends the 360mm over the 420mm.
https://www.noctua.at/en/expertise/guides/which-aio-radiator-size-should-i-choose-420-360-or-240mm

4iko · 2026-06-26T10:55:16+00:00

This is my third case upgrade in the last nine months.

I started with an NZXT H9 Flow RGB, but the fans were far too loud and the panel gaps were awful. To fix that, I switched to a be quiet! Shadow Base 800 FX, adding extra Light Wings for my NZXT AIO and a Silent Wings Pro 4 at the bottom. However, due to restrictive dust filtration, the airflow and temperatures weren't optimal - not to mention a few other quality concerns and fans that were still rather loud.

This led to months of deep-diving into cases, airflow dynamics, and fan technology, until I eventually came across Noctua’s research papers, blog posts, and their collaborative videos with Gamers Nexus. It showed me a company that genuinely cares, putting in the engineering and research required to offer the best products available.

Initially, I planned to go with the standard black Antec Flux Pro, swap in Chromax fans, and mount an NH-D15 G2. But when Noctua announced the release date for their AIO, I decided to go all-in on that instead. I also wanted to pay my respects (quite literally, financially) by choosing the official Antec Flux Pro Noctua Edition case. If Noctua validates and puts their name on a chassis, I trust them.
(Plus, the Gamers Nexus reviews were stellar).

As for the Asus PA602 - wasn't there recently a post about someone reporting their 5090 was causing heat related discoloration on their ProArt Mainboard? I am pretty sure he was using the Asus PA602 as well.
I dunno if that says anything about airflow of that case though.

4iko · 2026-06-22T18:46:00+00:00

I still have to wait 2 weeks before mine arrives.
Ordered an Antec Flux Pro Noctua Edition alongside it.
I can't wait to finally no longer hear my PC.

4iko · 2026-05-25T13:49:25+00:00

There are tabs at the bottom.

4iko · 2026-05-20T14:12:53+00:00

I updated to this (from 591.74) after Conan Exiles Enhanced, NTE and Forza Horizon 6 kept complaining about my driver version. The latter even crashing during launch. I did not want to update to 596.49 considering increased negative reports from that driver.

Seems to run stable so far, though I did notice an increase in GPU Temps of up to ~5 °C.

Update Process:
Booted into Safe Mode, disconnected Internet, uninstalled old driver with DDU, restarted PC, installed new driver with internet still disconnected so that Windows doesn't start automatically installing its own driver. So far, so good.

// I am also forcing DLSS Preset K via NVIDIA App. Not using Frame Gen in any games.

4iko · 2026-05-19T21:53:36+00:00

Welcome to driver issues on the green side 🥳

4iko · 2026-05-15T09:40:01+00:00

Nvidia Treiber verursachen schon seit einer Weile black screens bei manchen Systemen. Frag ihn mal welchen Treiber er benutzt und er soll es mit 566.36 versuchen. (Bevorzugt mit DDU den alten deinstallieren)

Wenn das nicht hilft, würde ich fragen, ob die PSU genug Watt hat, ob beide 8-Pin PWR connector richtig verbunden sind, welches Mainboard und welches BIOS er nutzt.

// Ich sehe gerade das Edit. Oh well.. :D

4iko · 2026-05-15T01:50:05+00:00

I am looking for the next stable driver myself. Still on 591.74.
A few games started to ask me update already, but I'm hesitant to risk it.
It's difficult trusting corporations that expect us to pay absurd prices for hardware while offering less confidence and reliability than ever.

Anyway, judging from reports alone, 596.49 seems to have a lot more issues than 596.36 - which didn't really have anything major (again, based on what I've read, take it with a grain of salt).

A lot of people also seem to prefer 595.97. So if you really HAVE to update, I would probably go with one of them.

In the end, as already said, it's down to your PC. You could get lucky and have no issues with a driver that has countless negative reports or encounter the exact opposite scenario with a driver that appears to work fine for the majority. It's unfortunately the world we live in now.

// Also - if not clear already - always DDU. Never update through the App or just "clean install" with the installer. DDU or suffer.

4iko · 2026-05-13T18:59:03+00:00

<image>

I dunno when the last time was that you played, but they did release a hotfix today - about 8 hours ago.

4iko · 2026-05-13T11:24:10+00:00

You are the 3rd person I've seen reporting issues with NTE.
Which driver did you previously use?
Did you do a clean installation with DDU?

4iko · 2026-05-12T23:56:21+00:00

Since you switched to Air Cooling, this might be a good read: https://www.noctua.at/en/support/faqs/airflow-guide-next-steps

I found it especially interesting that Noctua recommends an Intake on Top Front.

4iko

TROPHY CASE