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ASUS ROG STRIX B860-I GAMING WIFI vs MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against motherboards at a similar price

The ASUS ROG STRIX B860-I GAMING WIFI scores 7.1/10 overall, ahead of the MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK at 5.8/10.

The ASUS ROG STRIX B860-I GAMING WIFI leads on platform and features and connectivity.

They score the same on power delivery, BIOS and support and value.

The biggest difference is connectivity, where the ASUS ROG STRIX B860-I GAMING WIFI scores 9/10 to the MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK's 5/10.

ASUS ROG STRIX B860-I GAMING WIFI

ASUS ROG STRIX B860-I GAMING WIFI

7.1/10verdict: good, not the best

This is a Mini-ITX LGA1851 board for compact Intel builds that need a lot of fast I/O. It suits buyers who want Thunderbolt 4, a 20Gbps USB-C port and Wi-Fi 7 on a B860 platform. It is less suited to anyone who wants BIOS Flashback or needs settled memory behaviour.

Typically about £199.99 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

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MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK

MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK

5.8/10verdict: good, not the best

The MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK is an ATX AM4 board for people building or upgrading a Ryzen 3000 or 5000 system. It suits builders who want two wired LAN ports, six SATA ports and a cooled VRM without paying for Wi-Fi. It asks for some patience with BIOS updates and memory choice, so it fits buyers who are comfortable fiddling with settings.

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Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightASUS ROG STRIX B860-I GAMING WIFIMSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK
Platform and features25%7/106/10
Connectivity25%9/105/10
Power delivery20%7/107/10
BIOS and support15%5/105/10
Value15%6/106/10
Overall7.1/105.8/10

Specifications

SpecASUS ROG STRIX B860-I GAMING WIFIMSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK
CPU socket (e.g. AM5, AM4, LGA1851, LGA1700)LGA1851AMD Socket AM4
ChipsetIntel B860AMD B550
Form factor (ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX, E-ATX)Mini-ITX (6.7 x 6.7 in)ATX
Memory: type (DDR4 or DDR5), number of slots, maximum capacity and speedDDR5, 2 DIMM slots, max 128GB, up to 9066+ MT/s (OC), non-ECC unbuffered, CUDIMM supportedDDR4, 4 DIMM slots, dual channel, up to 128 GB
M.2 NVMe slots and their PCIe generation2 slots: M.2_1 PCIe 5.0 x4 (CPU-attached, 2260/2280); M.2_2 PCIe 4.0 x4 (chipset-attached, 2242/2260/2280)Two M.2 slots
PCIe slots1 x PCIe 5.0 x16One PCIe 4.0 x16 slot for graphics, one PCIe 3.0 x16 slot, two PCIe 3.0 x1 slots
Wired and wireless networking (e.g. 2.5GbE, Wi-Fi 7)Intel 2.5GbE (one port); Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) 2x2; Bluetooth 5.4Realtek RTL8125B 2.5GbE plus Realtek RTL8111H Gigabit LAN; no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth on the base model
Rear USB ports, including USB-C and USB4Rear: 1 Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, 1 USB 20Gbps USB-C, 1 USB 10Gbps Type-A, 3 USB 5Gbps Type-A, 2 USB 2.0 Type-A (8 ports); front USB-C 10Gbps header2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps rear ports (one Type-C, one Type-A); other sources list different rear counts

Strengths and weaknesses

ASUS ROG STRIX B860-I GAMING WIFI

  • + Thunderbolt 4, 20Gbps USB-C and Wi-Fi 7 on one board
  • + PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot
  • + 10+1+2+1 VRM with 80A DrMOS, praised by owners
  • − No BIOS Flashback, according to TechPowerUp
  • − Some memory boot and profile problems reported
  • − Armoury Crate software criticised by an owner and a reviewer

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who want BIOS Flashback for updating without a CPU installed.
  • Builders who need more than two DIMM slots or a second Ethernet port.
  • Anyone pairing the top LGA1851 chip with a cramped, poorly ventilated case.
Read the full ASUS ROG STRIX B860-I GAMING WIFI review ›

MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK

  • + Two wired LAN ports, including 2.5GbE
  • + Two separate metal VRM heatsinks
  • + Six SATA ports and two M.2 slots
  • − No Wi-Fi or Bluetooth on the base model
  • − Owners report memory speed and compatibility problems
  • − Only the graphics slot is PCIe 4.0

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need built-in Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
  • Anyone wanting many fast rear USB ports
  • Builders who want guaranteed rated memory speeds without tuning
Read the full MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK review ›

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