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GIGABYTE B850 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 (Rev. 1.x) vs MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK

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

all judged against motherboards at a similar price

The GIGABYTE B850 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 (Rev. 1.x) scores 6.7/10 overall, ahead of the MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK at 5.8/10.

The GIGABYTE B850 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 (Rev. 1.x) leads on platform and features, connectivity and BIOS and support.

They score the same on power delivery and value.

GIGABYTE B850 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 (Rev. 1.x)

GIGABYTE B850 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 (Rev. 1.x)

6.7/10verdict: good, not the best

This is an AM5 board for Ryzen 7000 and 9000 builders who want a full-size B850 platform with Wi-Fi 7 and 2.5GbE. It suits people who need several NVMe drives, PCIe 5.0 for the graphics card and a fast front USB-C port. It is less suited to anyone who needs rear USB faster than 10Gbps or still runs Windows 10.

Typically about £200 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

CriterionWeightGIGABYTE B850 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 (Rev. 1.x)MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK
Platform and features25%7/106/10
Connectivity25%7/105/10
Power delivery20%7/107/10
BIOS and support15%6/105/10
Value15%6/106/10
Overall6.7/105.8/10

Specifications

SpecGIGABYTE B850 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 (Rev. 1.x)MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK
CPU socket (e.g. AM5, AM4, LGA1851, LGA1700)AM5AMD Socket AM4
ChipsetAMD B850AMD B550
Form factor (ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX, E-ATX)ATX (retailer listing; not confirmed on the manufacturer page)ATX
Memory: type (DDR4 or DDR5), number of slots, maximum capacity and speedDDR5, 4 DIMM slots, up to 256 GB (64 GB per DIMM), dual channel, base speeds 5200/4800/4400 MT/s, up to 8200 MT/s with overclocking profilesDDR4, 4 DIMM slots, dual channel, up to 128 GB
M.2 NVMe slots and their PCIe generationThree M.2 slots: M2A_CPU PCIe 5.0 x4/x2 (Ryzen 9000/7000); M2B_CPU PCIe 4.0 x4/x2 (Ryzen 9000/7000); M2C_SB PCIe 4.0 x4/x2 (chipset)Two M.2 slots
PCIe slotsOne PCIe 5.0 x16 slot from the CPU; two PCIe 3.0 x16-length slots running at x1 from the chipsetOne 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)Realtek 2.5GbE RJ-45 LAN (2.5/1/0.1 Gbps); Realtek Wi-Fi 7 RTL8922AE with 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 x USB-C USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 5 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 4 x USB 2.0/1.1; 12 rear ports in total2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps rear ports (one Type-C, one Type-A); other sources list different rear counts

Strengths and weaknesses

GIGABYTE B850 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 (Rev. 1.x)

  • + PCIe 5.0 for graphics slot and primary M.2 slot
  • + Front USB-C header runs at 20Gbps
  • + 14+2+2 phase design with 60A DrMOS on CPU rail
  • − Fastest rear USB port is 10Gbps
  • − Wi-Fi 7 needs Windows 11; no Windows 10 driver
  • − Both chipset PCIe slots run at x1 only

Skip it if:

  • Windows 10 users who want to use the Wi-Fi 7 adapter
  • Buyers who need rear USB faster than 10Gbps
  • Builders planning several wide PCIe expansion cards
Read the full GIGABYTE B850 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 (Rev. 1.x) 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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