Packaging & Accessories: 3 out of 5
The included accessories are a touch spares but all the basics are more than covered. Equaly important is the shipping container is rather pretty and should prove not hardship finding a place to tuck it away in case you have to RMA the board at a later date.
Layout & Aesthetics: 14 out of 15
While the camo pattern is going to be a love it or leave it affair, it is relatively low key so that even if you don’t like it it’s easy to ignore. On the other hand it is hard to ignore how good the layout of this motherboard is. Even though MSI has packed in a lot of features all are easily accessible. That is impressive.
Build Quality & Warranty: 18 out of 20
A three year warranty is certainly nothing to write home about.. even if it is industry standard. On the other hand the well above average build quality more than makes up for it. Put simply this motherboard does not look, act, or feel like an inexpensive X99 board. Instead it exudes quality.
BIOS & Software: 18 out of 20
The MSI BIOS and software solution is pretty darn good. They both may have a few small quirks but overall are very good in that they work and do their best to not get in your way.
Special Features: 18 out 20
With everything from U.2 to Steel Armor clad PCIe slots the MSI X99A Tomahawk is packed with features that you are all but guaranteed to consider ‘special’.
Value: 19 out 20
This motherboard is packed to the rafters will value added features. Everything from its U.2 to sound solution combine to make justifying this reasonable asking price a down right synch. Color us impressed.
Final Score: 90 out of 100
