MSI Reveals Hidden-Cable Motherboards for AMD and Intel

It's been over a year since we first caught wind of MSI's Project Zero, an initiative to make hardware that hides all PC cables for a cleaner build. The first look featured an Intel Z690 motherboard with all its connectors on the back of the PCB, and it was presented as a concept for future development. Now that it is the future, the company appears ready to launch official Project Zero motherboards in both AMD and Intel flavors, though several (big) caveats are involved.

MSI now has live landing pages for two Project Zero motherboards, denoted by the letters PZ in their titles (via TweakTown). MSI is showing off an AMD B650M board and an Intel B760M model, both mATX motherboards. That's the first big caveat because many people prefer ATX. But it's also become less relevant recently, as PCIe add-on cards have largely become unnecessary. Each motherboard only supports DDR5 memory, which is expected on the AM5 AMD board, but less so on the Intel side because some LGA 1700 boards also support DDR4.

Project Zero motherboards sport backside connectors, even for the CPU fan or water pump. Credit: MSI

The first version we saw was an Intel ATX Z690 motherboard, so it was a high-end offering. It even had a cheeky "For Professionals Only" badge on it. These new models are decidedly midrange, as neither board supports the platforms' high-end chipset, namely Z790 and X670. They're also mATX, as we noted above, but still offer high-end features like 2.5G LAN, Wi-Fi 6e, and thick VRM heatsinks. Also, while the AMD board is almost completely covered with metal heat spreaders, the Intel version looks more like a midrange motherboard with exposed circuitry.

One feature we find that runs counter to the clean look the company is aiming for is the huge "Project Zero" branding emblazoned across them. It's more subtle on the Intel board, but it rubs us the wrong way that they'd hide all the connectors but then put their branding in huge font across the heat spreaders. Thankfully, it looks like it mostly disappears behind a thick GPU.

The AMD version certainly provides a clean look, with all cables rerouted to the backside and the front covered in heat spreaders. Credit: MSI

Also, both motherboards require a compatible case, of which few options exist. If you scroll to the bottom of both landing pages, it notes that MSI cases are "coming soon," which is a misstep, as those should be ready now. However, it indicates there are compatible cases from Lian Li and a company named Sama, but we couldn't find them online. Thermaltake and Silverstone are also reportedly making compatible cases, but those are also TBD, it seems.