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MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK vs MSI PRO B650M-A WIFI

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

all judged against motherboards at a similar price

The MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK scores 5.8/10 overall, ahead of the MSI PRO B650M-A WIFI at 5.6/10.

The MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK leads on platform and features.

They score the same on connectivity, power delivery, BIOS and support and value.

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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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 itSearch Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

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Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightMSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWKMSI PRO B650M-A WIFI
Platform and features25%6/105/10
Connectivity25%5/105/10
Power delivery20%7/107/10
BIOS and support15%5/105/10
Value15%6/106/10
Overall5.8/105.6/10

Specifications

SpecMSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWKMSI PRO B650M-A WIFI
CPU socket (e.g. AM5, AM4, LGA1851, LGA1700)AMD Socket AM4AM5 (Ryzen 9000/8000/7000 series supported)
ChipsetAMD B550AMD B650
Form factor (ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX, E-ATX)ATXMicro-ATX (mATX), PCB 243.84 mm x 243.84 mm
Memory: type (DDR4 or DDR5), number of slots, maximum capacity and speedDDR4, 4 DIMM slots, dual channel, up to 128 GBDDR5, 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 NVMe slots and their PCIe generationTwo M.2 slots2 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 PCIe 4.0 x16 slot for graphics, one PCIe 3.0 x16 slot, two PCIe 3.0 x1 slotsPCI_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
Wired and wireless networking (e.g. 2.5GbE, Wi-Fi 7)Realtek RTL8125B 2.5GbE plus Realtek RTL8111H Gigabit LAN; no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth on the base modelRealtek 8125BG 2.5GbE LAN; AMD Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) with Bluetooth 5.3; no Wi-Fi 7
Rear USB ports, including USB-C and USB42x USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps rear ports (one Type-C, one Type-A); other sources list different rear countsConflicting 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

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 ›

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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