Machinist X99 MR9A PRO: Full Review

X99 MR9A PRO is one of the most successful motherboards produced by Machinist. It’s a full‑size ATX model with plenty of ports and a power delivery subsystem capable of handling the most powerful processors for this socket.

Specifications

The standout feature of this model is its 8-virtual-phase VRM, which allocates three MOSFETs per phase. The power delivery relies on SM4503NHKP (80 A / 3 mΩ) high-side and SM4508NHKP (49 A / 6.8 mΩ) low-side MOSFETs, driven by four uP1961S doublers/drivers and managed by the uP1649Q PWM controller — a staple component on Chinese X99 motherboards. This configuration, especially with active cooling, can handle powerful CPUs such as the Xeon E5‑2699 v3.

The storage subsystem offers 6 SATA ports (only 4 of them are SATA 3) and two M.2 slots running at PCIe 3.0 x4. There are plenty of PCIe slots as well: the x16 and x4 slots are wired to the CPU, while the x1 slot is wired to the chipset and limited to PCIe 2.0.

Perks include a thick 10‑layer PCB, an integrated POST code display with a buzzer, and a pre-installed plastic I/O shield that gives the board a modern look.

The biggest compromise here is the use of a desktop rather than a server-grade chipset. Most commonly it’s B85, but variants with Q87 and even C226 exist. Functionally these variants are the same, but all of them have a limited number of USB 3.0 ports.

In addition, the board has all the traditional drawbacks:

Common Limitations of Budget Chinese X99 Motherboards:

Temperature Monitoring Issues

Temperature monitoring doesn’t work properly on most budget Chinese X99 boards. Onboard sensors are non-functional and display erratic readings (such as 120°C+ in monitoring software like AIDA64) due to faulty controller implementation. However, CPU temperature monitoring via the processor’s built-in sensors remains accurate.

Limited Fan Control

Automatic control is only available for 4-pin PWM fans. 3-pin case fans run at constant speeds without automatic regulation. You may need to use manual fan controllers or PWM splitters/hubs as a workaround.

BIOS Limitations

The stock BIOS is often unoptimized. While it contains numerous settings and options, many of them simply don’t function as intended or have no actual effect on system behavior.

Most critically, memory timing controls are hidden in the stock BIOS. This prevents manual RAM overclocking and fine-tuning. However, you can solve this by flashing modified BIOS versions that unlock these hidden advanced memory timing options and other locked features.

AIDA64 Freezing

Chinese boards with desktop chipsets (H81, B85, Q87, etc.) have incompatible or bugged temperature sensors that cause AIDA64 to freeze.

Fix: Disable the faulty sensor in AIDA64

• Turn on the status bar: Go to View → Status Bar
• Right-click the status bar at the bottom → HWMon Modules → uncheck PCH / Bibxy
• If this doesn’t work, disable all sensors and enable them one by one to identify the culprit.

Revisions

This motherboard has been in production for several years, during which the manufacturer rolled out multiple hardware revisions. The initial release featured a stripped-down VRM and a simpler audio chip. However, all subsequent builds upgraded to the full 8-phase power delivery and the familiar ALC897 codec. Beyond that, no other significant changes were made, and the firmware remains cross-compatible across all production runs.

Although early versions do not have a TPM 2.0 header, they all have a JLPC1 header, so getting a working TPM 2.0 is still possible. Learn more about TPM 2.0 on Chinese X99 motherboards — here.

Revision with TPM 2.0 support

A later revision with a 14-pin TPM 2.0 header is also on sale; full operation only requires inserting a compatible module—no board mods needed.

BIOS Capabilities

Stock firmware has never been a strong suit of Machinist boards, and the MR9A PRO is no exception. The BIOS provides no access to memory timings, cannot overclock unlocked CPUs, and includes the usual shortcomings: inaccurate board temperature and power readings, a non‑functional Smart Fan for all headers except the 4‑pin CPU header. Naturally, extras like Resizable BAR are also absent.

Fortunately, most of these shortcomings can be fixed by flashing BIOS images from third‑party vendors or other Chinese boards.

Simple BIOS Flashing Guide (Windows)

1. Download FPTW 9.1.10 from this page.
2. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
3. Copy your BIOS file (bios.bin or bios.rom) into the same folder as FPTW.
4. In the Command Prompt, navigate to the FPTW folder using the cd command.
5. Flash the BIOS with the following command: fptw64 -f bios.bin

Note: Replace bios.bin with the actual name of your modded BIOS file, if it’s different.
If you encounter an error where FPT cannot access specific regions, reboot your system, enter the setup utility, and disable the flash protection under: IntelRCSetup → PCH Configuration → Security Configuration → BIOS Lock: Disabled.

After flashing, we recommend performing a settings reset.

Must-have Tool

The CH341A is a compact USB tool that saves motherboards. It’s perfect for flashing SPI BIOS chips directly when the system won't boot.

🛒 Buy on AliExpress 🛒 Buy on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Frequently Asked Questions

The board won’t boot, black screen, etc. What should I do?

See our article about the most common LGA2011-3 issues.

Where can I find drivers for this board?

You can grab up-to-date drivers for LGA2011-3 platforms on this dedicated page.

I can’t install the audio drivers.

If none of the audio drivers worked, try a manual installation via Device Manager. To do this, extract the contents of the .cab files, which you can download here.

Conclusion

Written by

Dmitrii Sadikov

Senior Hardware Specialist proving you don't need top-tier gear to game. Expert in smart upgrades and budget-friendly PC restoration.

Published: September 12, 2025 Updated: June 3, 2026