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GIGABYTE B550M AORUS ELITE 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 GIGABYTE B550M AORUS ELITE at 5.4/10.

The GIGABYTE B550M AORUS ELITE leads on BIOS and support.

The MSI MAG B850 TOMAHAWK WIFI leads on platform and features, connectivity, power delivery and value.

The biggest difference is connectivity, where the MSI MAG B850 TOMAHAWK WIFI scores 8/10 to the GIGABYTE B550M AORUS ELITE's 4/10.

GIGABYTE B550M AORUS ELITE

GIGABYTE B550M AORUS ELITE

5.4/10verdict: good, not the best

This is a micro-ATX AM4 board for compact Ryzen 5000 builds that need fast storage and simple setup. It suits buyers who want PCIe 4.0, two M.2 slots and four SATA ports without paying for extras. It is less suited to anyone who wants 2.5GbE, Wi-Fi or USB-C built in.

Typically about £87 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

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

MSI MAG B850 TOMAHAWK WIFI

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 itCheck price at 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

CriterionWeightGIGABYTE B550M AORUS ELITEMSI MAG B850 TOMAHAWK WIFI
Platform and features25%6/107/10
Connectivity25%4/108/10
Power delivery20%5/108/10
BIOS and support15%7/106/10
Value15%6/108/10
Overall5.4/107.5/10

Specifications

SpecGIGABYTE B550M AORUS ELITEMSI MAG B850 TOMAHAWK WIFI
SocketAMD Socket AM4; supports Ryzen 5000, 5000 G-Series, 4000 G-Series, Ryzen 3000 and 3000 G-SeriesAMD Socket AM5
ChipsetAMD B550AMD B850
Form factorMicro ATX (24.4 × 24.4 cm)ATX
MemoryDDR4 only; 4 DIMM slots, dual channel, up to 128 GB (32 GB per DIMM); DDR4 4733 overclock, 3200 and below standard; ECC and non-ECC unbuffered; XMP; ECC mode depends on CPUDDR5, 4 DIMM slots, dual channel, up to 256GB, DDR5-8200+ MT/s (OC)
M.2 slotsTwo M.2 slots: M2A_CPU (PCIe 4.0 x4 with Ryzen 5000/3000, PCIe 3.0 x4 with G-Series; 2242/2260/2280/22110; SATA or NVMe) and M2B_SB (chipset, PCIe 3.0 x2; 2242/2260/2280)3 slots: 1x M.2 Gen5 x4 (CPU-sourced), 2x M.2 Gen4 x4
PCIe slotsOne PCIEX16 slot from CPU (PCIe 4.0 x16 with Ryzen 5000/3000, 3.0 with G-Series); one x16-length slot wired PCIe 3.0 x4 from chipset; one PCIe 3.0 x1 slot; no PCIe 5.01x PCIe 5.0 x16, 1x PCIe 4.0 x4, 1x PCIe 3.0 x1
NetworkingRealtek GbE LAN, 1 Gbps; no 2.5GbE; no Wi-Fi on this non-AX revisionRealtek 5G LAN (5Gbps), Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Rear USBRear: 4 × USB 3.2 Gen 1 from CPU, 4 × USB 2.0/1.1; no rear USB-C, no USB4. Internal: 1 × USB 3.2 Gen 1 header, 1 × USB 2.0 header; no front USB-C header1x 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

GIGABYTE B550M AORUS ELITE

  • + PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slot wired to the CPU
  • + Q-Flash Plus updates BIOS without a CPU installed
  • + Owners report easy BIOS access and good memory compatibility
  • − Only 1GbE and no Wi-Fi on this non-AX revision
  • − No rear USB-C and no front USB-C header
  • − Owners report too few fan headers

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who want 2.5GbE or Wi-Fi without adding a card or choosing the AX model
  • Builders who need a front USB-C header or rear USB-C for their case and peripherals
  • Anyone planning a high-wattage Ryzen build beyond the 65W to 95W range the Vividrepairs review describes
Read the full GIGABYTE B550M AORUS ELITE 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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