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ASUS ROG STRIX X870E-E GAMING WIFI vs MSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI

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

all judged against motherboards at a similar price

The ASUS ROG STRIX X870E-E GAMING WIFI and MSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI both score 7.5/10 overall.

The ASUS ROG STRIX X870E-E GAMING WIFI leads on platform and features and power delivery.

The MSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI leads on connectivity and value.

They score the same on BIOS and support.

ASUS ROG STRIX X870E-E GAMING WIFI

ASUS ROG STRIX X870E-E GAMING WIFI

7.5/10verdict: buy

This board is for builders putting a Ryzen 7000, 8000 or 9000 chip into an AM5 system. It suits people who want several PCIe 5.0 NVMe drives, USB4 and Wi-Fi 7 on one ATX board. It also fits those who value strong power delivery and a BIOS that owners describe as stable.

Typically about £415.99 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

MSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI

MSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI

7.5/10verdict: buy

This is for builders putting a Core Ultra (Series 2) CPU on a Z890 board who want strong connectivity without paying flagship money. It suits people who want 5Gbps LAN, Wi-Fi 7 and Thunderbolt 4 on one ATX board. It is less suited to anyone who wants RGB lighting or onboard power and reset buttons.

Typically about £283.89 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightASUS ROG STRIX X870E-E GAMING WIFIMSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI
Platform and features25%8/107/10
Connectivity25%8/109/10
Power delivery20%8/106/10
BIOS and support15%7/107/10
Value15%6/108/10
Overall7.5/107.5/10

Specifications

SpecASUS ROG STRIX X870E-E GAMING WIFIMSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI
CPU socket (e.g. AM5, AM4, LGA1851, LGA1700)AM5 (LGA 1718), supports Ryzen 7000, 8000 and 9000 desktop CPUsLGA 1851, supports Intel Core Ultra Processors (Series 2)
ChipsetAMD X870EIntel Z890
Form factor (ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX, E-ATX)ATXATX, PCB 243.84 x 304.8 mm
Memory: type (DDR4 or DDR5), number of slots, maximum capacity and speedDDR5, 4 DIMM slots, maximum 192GB, up to 8000+ MT/s (OC), AMD EXPO support4 x DDR5 UDIMM slots, maximum 256GB, 9200+ MT/s (OC) with 1DPC 1R, 6400 (OC) / 4800 (JEDEC) MT/s headline spec, also supports CUDIMM and non-ECC unbuffered memory
M.2 NVMe slots and their PCIe generationFive M.2 slots: three PCIe 5.0 NVMe and two PCIe 4.0, all with heatsinks4 x M.2 slots: M.2_1 PCIe 5.0 x4 (CPU), M.2_2 PCIe 4.0 x4 (CPU), M.2_3 PCIe 4.0 x4 (chipset), M.2_4 PCIe 4.0 x4 or SATA (chipset); separate Key-E slot for the Wi-Fi module
PCIe slotsOne PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot (sources conflict; ASUS UK page says two PCIe 5.0 x16 SafeSlots)PCI_E1 PCIe 5.0 x16 (CPU); PCI_E2 and PCI_E3 PCIe 4.0 x4 each (chipset)
Wired and wireless networking (e.g. 2.5GbE, Wi-Fi 7)Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with ASUS Q-Antenna, Realtek 5Gb EthernetIntel Killer E5000B 5Gbps LAN; Intel Killer BE1750x Wi-Fi 7 with Bluetooth 5.4
Rear USB ports, including USB-C and USB4Two rear USB4 Type-C ports, plus two front USB 20Gbps Type-C connectors (one with Quick Charge 4+ up to 60W)Rear: 3 x USB 10Gbps Type-A, 4 x USB 5Gbps Type-A, 1 x USB 10Gbps Type-C, 2 x Thunderbolt 4 Type-C (up to 40Gbps); front: 1 x 20Gbps Type-C with USB PD 27W, 2 x 5Gbps Type-A, 4 x USB 2.0 headers

Strengths and weaknesses

ASUS ROG STRIX X870E-E GAMING WIFI

  • + Five M.2 slots, three of them PCIe 5.0
  • + Two rear USB4 Type-C ports and Wi-Fi 7
  • + 18+2+2 VRM with dual 8-pin power
  • − Ethernet is 5Gb, not 10Gb
  • − Top memory speeds of 8000+ MT/s need overclocking

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need 10GbE built into the board.
  • Builders who only need a few drives and basic USB and don't need a premium feature set.
  • Anyone building in a small case that cannot take a full ATX board.
Read the full ASUS ROG STRIX X870E-E GAMING WIFI review ›

MSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI

  • + 5Gbps LAN, Wi-Fi 7 and two Thunderbolt 4 ports
  • + Front 20Gbps USB-C header with 27W USB PD
  • + Four M.2 slots, one of them PCIe 5.0
  • − Owners report hot VRMs with no active cooling
  • − No onboard power or reset buttons
  • − No RGB lighting

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who want several PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots for multiple Gen 5 drives.
  • Builders who want RGB lighting on the motherboard.
  • Open-bench or test-rig users who want onboard power and reset buttons.
Read the full MSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI review ›

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