ASUS ROG STRIX B860-I GAMING WIFI vs MSI MAG B850 TOMAHAWK WIFI

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

all judged against motherboards at a similar price

The MSI MAG B850 TOMAHAWK WIFI scores 7.5/10 overall, ahead of the ASUS ROG STRIX B860-I GAMING WIFI at 7.1/10.

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

The MSI MAG B850 TOMAHAWK WIFI leads on power delivery, BIOS and support and value.

They score the same on platform and features.

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

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MSI MAG B850 TOMAHAWK WIFI

7.5/10verdict: buy

This board is for AM5 builders who want a full-size ATX B850 platform with 80A power stages and 5Gbps networking. It suits people planning a high-end Ryzen chip, including the 9950X3D, which one reviewer says the VRM can handle at stock limits. Buyers who need USB4 or more than one Gen5 NVMe slot should read the limits below first.

Typically about £189.99 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK

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Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	ASUS ROG STRIX B860-I GAMING WIFI	MSI MAG B850 TOMAHAWK WIFI
Platform and features	25%	7/10	7/10
Connectivity	25%	9/10	8/10
Power delivery	20%	7/10	8/10
BIOS and support	15%	5/10	6/10
Value	15%	6/10	8/10
Overall		7.1/10	7.5/10

Specifications

Spec	ASUS ROG STRIX B860-I GAMING WIFI	MSI MAG B850 TOMAHAWK WIFI
CPU socket (e.g. AM5, AM4, LGA1851, LGA1700)	LGA1851	AMD Socket AM5
Chipset	Intel B860	AMD B850
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 speed	DDR5, 2 DIMM slots, max 128GB, up to 9066+ MT/s (OC), non-ECC unbuffered, CUDIMM supported	DDR5, 4 DIMM slots, dual channel, up to 256GB, DDR5-8200+ MT/s (OC)
M.2 NVMe slots and their PCIe generation	2 slots: M.2_1 PCIe 5.0 x4 (CPU-attached, 2260/2280); M.2_2 PCIe 4.0 x4 (chipset-attached, 2242/2260/2280)	3 slots: 1x M.2 Gen5 x4 (CPU-sourced), 2x M.2 Gen4 x4
PCIe slots	1 x PCIe 5.0 x16	1x PCIe 5.0 x16, 1x PCIe 4.0 x4, 1x PCIe 3.0 x1
Wired and wireless networking (e.g. 2.5GbE, Wi-Fi 7)	Intel 2.5GbE (one port); Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) 2x2; Bluetooth 5.4	Realtek 5G LAN (5Gbps), Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Rear USB ports, including USB-C and USB4	Rear: 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 header	1x USB 20Gbps Type-C, 4x USB 10Gbps (2 Type-A, 2 Type-C), 4x USB 5Gbps Type-A, 8x USB 2.0; no USB4

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 B850 TOMAHAWK WIFI

+ 5Gbps LAN and Wi-Fi 7 included
+ 14+2+1 phase VRM with 80A power stages
+ Rear Flash BIOS button
− No USB4
− Only one PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot
− Just one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot

Skip it if:

Buyers who need USB4 for docks or external GPU enclosures
Builders planning several PCIe 5.0 NVMe drives
Anyone wanting a smaller micro-ATX or mini-ITX board

Read the full MSI MAG B850 TOMAHAWK WIFI review ›

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