MSI Fixes “PCH Cracking” Issue On A Small Batch of Z790 Motherboards, Offers Replacements To Affected Users

MSI has officially responded to its "PCH Cracking" issue encountered on a few Z790 motherboards and resolved the issue speedily.

The YouTuber Joshi Repair reignited the issue after it had been discussed for months on public forums. The repairman investigated fixing MSI's Z790 Tomahawk Wi-Fi motherboard, which had its Platform Controller Hub cracked. This ultimately resulted in the PC not going into its usual boot routine, causing massive trouble for new consumers who were utterly unaware of why the motherboard was faulty in the first place. However, after plenty of outcries on public forums like Reddit, MSI has finally released a statement on the issue, and here is what they had to say:

Regarding the MAG Z790 TOMAHAWK WIFI incident, we've discovered that a minority of units may encounter non-functional PCH potentially resulting in Dead on Arrival (DOA) of the motherboard product. We have isolated the cause to a previously used chipset heatsink screw design and have taken proactive measures to address this issue.

A revised chipset heatsink screw design has been implemented into our production, and the known cases have been resolved. We uphold high standards of responsibility and accountability, and want to assure affected customers can promptly receive product replacements. Please contact our local customer service center for assistance.

- MSI via Reddit

So, finally, it was confirmed that the issue is a somewhat faulty PCH, which comes under the "Dead on Arrival" terms and conditions, which means that MSI would be responsible for all the defective units. Moreover, the firm has also confirmed a flaw in the heatsink design of their Z790 Tomahawk motherboards, and they have already pushed out a fix, so we can expect that the problem won't occur in future SKUs.

If you are a victim of PCH cracking, we suggest you follow the steps for MSI's RMA process, and since the issue has been categorized as DOA, affectees will likely get compensated, and you can visit MSI's website here to start the process.

News Sources: MSI, Tom's Hardware