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GIGABYTE B850 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 (Rev. 1.x) vs MSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI

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

all judged against motherboards at a similar price

The MSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI scores 7.5/10 overall, ahead of the GIGABYTE B850 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 (Rev. 1.x) at 6.7/10.

The GIGABYTE B850 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 (Rev. 1.x) leads on power delivery.

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

They score the same on platform and features.

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)

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

CriterionWeightGIGABYTE B850 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 (Rev. 1.x)MSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI
Platform and features25%7/107/10
Connectivity25%7/109/10
Power delivery20%7/106/10
BIOS and support15%6/107/10
Value15%6/108/10
Overall6.7/107.5/10

Specifications

SpecGIGABYTE B850 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 (Rev. 1.x)MSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI
CPU socket (e.g. AM5, AM4, LGA1851, LGA1700)AM5LGA 1851, supports Intel Core Ultra Processors (Series 2)
ChipsetAMD B850Intel Z890
Form factor (ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX, E-ATX)ATX (retailer listing; not confirmed on the manufacturer page)ATX, PCB 243.84 x 304.8 mm
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 profiles4 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 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)4 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 from the CPU; two PCIe 3.0 x16-length slots running at x1 from the chipsetPCI_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)Realtek 2.5GbE RJ-45 LAN (2.5/1/0.1 Gbps); Realtek Wi-Fi 7 RTL8922AE with Bluetooth 5.4Intel Killer E5000B 5Gbps LAN; Intel Killer BE1750x Wi-Fi 7 with Bluetooth 5.4
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 totalRear: 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

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 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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