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GIGABYTE B550M AORUS ELITE vs MSI PRO B650M-A WIFI

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

all judged against motherboards at a similar price

The MSI PRO B650M-A WIFI scores 5.6/10 overall, ahead of the GIGABYTE B550M AORUS ELITE at 5.4/10.

The GIGABYTE B550M AORUS ELITE leads on platform and features and BIOS and support.

The MSI PRO B650M-A WIFI leads on connectivity and power delivery.

They score the same on value.

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 PRO B650M-A WIFI

MSI PRO B650M-A WIFI

5.6/10verdict: good, not the best

This is a micro-ATX AM5 board for people building a compact Ryzen 7000, 8000 or 9000 system on a mid-range chipset. It suits builders who want 2.5GbE, Wi-Fi 6E and a solid CPU power stage without paying for PCIe 5.0 storage. It fits best with two memory sticks and a modest storage plan.

Typically about £151.49 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 PRO B650M-A WIFI
Platform and features25%6/105/10
Connectivity25%4/105/10
Power delivery20%5/107/10
BIOS and support15%7/105/10
Value15%6/106/10
Overall5.4/105.6/10

Specifications

SpecGIGABYTE B550M AORUS ELITEMSI PRO B650M-A WIFI
SocketAMD Socket AM4; supports Ryzen 5000, 5000 G-Series, 4000 G-Series, Ryzen 3000 and 3000 G-SeriesAM5 (Ryzen 9000/8000/7000 series supported)
ChipsetAMD B550AMD B650
Form factorMicro ATX (24.4 × 24.4 cm)Micro-ATX (mATX), PCB 243.84 mm x 243.84 mm
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, max 256 GB; 7200+ MHz OC at 1DPC 1R, 6000+ MHz at 1DPC 2R and 2DPC 1R, 4800 MHz JEDEC base; AMD EXPO supported; not ECC or unbuffered only
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)2 M.2 slots, both PCIe 4.0 x4 from the CPU (M.2_1 and M.2_2); M.2_2 unavailable with Ryzen 8500/8300; Wi-Fi module uses a separate M.2 Key-E slot
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 5.0PCI_E1 PCIe 4.0 x16 (from CPU), PCI_E3 PCIe 4.0 x4 (from chipset), PCI_E2 PCIe 3.0 x1; no PCIe 5.0 slot stated
NetworkingRealtek GbE LAN, 1 Gbps; no 2.5GbE; no Wi-Fi on this non-AX revisionRealtek 8125BG 2.5GbE LAN; AMD Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) with Bluetooth 5.3; no Wi-Fi 7
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 headerConflicting on MSI page: summary lists 4x 5Gbps and 4x 10Gbps Type-A on rear plus 1x 10Gbps Type-C front; back-panel list shows 2x 10Gbps and 1x 5Gbps Type-A rear. No rear USB-C or USB4. Verify with datasheet.

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 PRO B650M-A WIFI

  • + 8-phase 55A DrMOS power stage with 8+4-pin CPU power
  • + Rear Flash BIOS button and four EZ Debug LEDs
  • + 2.5GbE and Wi-Fi 6E with Bluetooth 5.3 included
  • − No PCIe 5.0 slot stated; both M.2 slots are PCIe 4.0
  • − Owners report memory training and boot trouble with four DIMMs
  • − No rear USB-C or USB4, and no Wi-Fi 7

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who want a PCIe 5.0 NVMe slot or graphics slot
  • Anyone planning four DIMMs at high EXPO speeds
  • Builders who need rear USB-C, USB4 or Wi-Fi 7
Read the full MSI PRO B650M-A WIFI review ›

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