Test Setup & Methodology

Notes: We’ve revamped our benchmark regime by removing a number of tests which reveal little, to no difference between each motherboard model. Gaming performance is one such area which has been removed due to the inability for each motherboard to offer any advantage over another. Instead, we have focussed on meaningful/tangible analysis which examines the VRM/chipset design, and the storage performance which will be far more informative to the end user.

TEST SETUP

CPU Intel Core i9-11900K
Cooling: Corsair Hydro Series H110i
Motherboard: MSI MAG B560M Mortar WiFi
Memory: 16GB Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO SL 3600MHz
Storage: Crucial MX300 SATA SSD + Kingston KC2500 PCIe 3.0 SSD
PSU: Corsair HX1050 80 Plus Gold Certified PSU
Monitor: AOC U2879VF

BENCHMARKS

PCMark 10 – Overall Extended Score
SiSoftware SANDRA – SATA/PCIe Storage Tests
SiSoftware SANDRA – Processor Image Processing

OTHER SOFTWARE

Temperature Analysis: HWMonitor
Stress Testing Software: AIDA64 Stability Test
CPU Specification Monitoring: CPU-Z

Benchmarks: Power Consumption

Benchmarks: VRM & Chipset Cooling

Benchmarks: PCMark 10

Benchmarks: SATA Performance

Benchmarks: PCIe M.2 Performance

Benchmarks: CPU Image Processing

Overclocking

For the overclocking phase, we already know that our CPU (Intel Core i9-11900K) is capable of having all cores operate at 5.3GHz without any stress being applied, and at 5.0GHz with stress/stability test approval, so this is the target which we aimed for with Mortar.

To our surprise, Mortar managed to hit 5GHz on all-cores and required 1.35v. This is a superb result- especially so considering one of our Z590s failed to achieve this milestone.

Conclusion

It’s been refreshing to step away from the Intel Z590 chipset and focus on the Intel B560 chipset today and see what is on offer from a cheaper, more affordable solution and we have to say, we’re impressed.

The Mortar may omit RGB lighting both in the form of integrated LEDs and dedicated headers but the overall look and design is appealing. We’re very well accustomed to all-black themes nowadays but by injecting some silver into the scheme we have a distinct livery which we quite admire.

There are some obvious features missing from using a B560 motherboard and a Micro-ATX variant at that, but this may not matter to many enthusiasts who are simply wanting to indulge in Intel’s Rocket Lake without having it hit their wallet hard. Some of the higher-end features are missing but we still get USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 and of course, PCIe 4.0 (provided we use an 11th Gen CPU) for storage and the expansion slots. One disappointing inclusion is the sheer number of USB 2.0 and USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, this feels stagnant and we would have really liked to see more USB 3.2 Gen 2 instead.


Mortar may use the B560 chipset, but is still kept up with other Z590 motherboards in our benchmark tests and we were particular pleased to see the VRM and chipset thermals were within the realms of acceptable. Furthermore, we were able to ramp up out Intel Core i9-11900K to a 5GHz all-core overclock which is the limit of our CPU, but even so, it highlights how capable this motherboard is.

One of the perks of choosing Mortar is the price-tag which sees it available for: GBP £150| USD $170 | AUD $260. This creates an affordable pathway to Intel’s 11th Gen and it means that the cash saved can be funnelled off towards other components.

If you’re looking to save some cash and have your sights set on a compact build then the MSI MAG B560M Mortar WiFi is a brilliant pick. It performs very well and comes with some good features!




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