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MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI 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 X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI scores 7.2/10 overall, ahead of the MSI PRO B650M-A WIFI at 5.6/10.

The MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI leads on platform and features, connectivity, power delivery and value.

The MSI PRO B650M-A WIFI leads on BIOS and support.

The biggest difference is connectivity, where the MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI scores 9/10 to the MSI PRO B650M-A WIFI's 5/10.

MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI

MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI

7.2/10verdict: good, not the best

The MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI is for people building a high-end AM5 system around a Ryzen 9000 chip. It suits buyers who want USB4, Wi-Fi 7, 5G LAN and fast NVMe storage on one ATX board. It is a better fit for a single graphics card plus drives than for a build full of expansion cards.

Typically about £255 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 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)

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

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightMSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFIMSI PRO B650M-A WIFI
Platform and features25%7/105/10
Connectivity25%9/105/10
Power delivery20%8/107/10
BIOS and support15%4/105/10
Value15%7/106/10
Overall7.2/105.6/10

Specifications

SpecMSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFIMSI PRO B650M-A WIFI
CPU socket (e.g. AM5, AM4, LGA1851, LGA1700)AM5, supports Ryzen 9000, 8000 and 7000 series desktop CPUsAM5 (Ryzen 9000/8000/7000 series supported)
ChipsetAMD X870AMD B650
Form factor (ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX, E-ATX)ATX, 304.8 × 243.84 mmMicro-ATX (mATX), PCB 243.84 mm x 243.84 mm
Memory: type (DDR4 or DDR5), number of slots, maximum capacity and speedDDR5, 4 × UDIMM slots, maximum 256GB, non-ECC unbuffered only; overclocked 8400–5600 MT/s, JEDEC 5600–4800 MT/sDDR5, 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 generation4 slots: M.2_1 and M.2_2 from CPU at PCIe 5.0 x4 (M.2_2 shares bandwidth with rear USB4 ports); M.2_3 PCIe 4.0 x2 and M.2_4 PCIe 4.0 x4 from chipset2 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 slots3 × x16 physical slots: PCI_E1 PCIe 5.0 x16 from CPU; PCI_E2 PCIe 3.0 x1 from chipset; PCI_E3 PCIe 4.0 x4 from chipset, drops to x2 when M2_3 is populatedPCI_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 8126-CG 5G LAN; Wi-Fi 7 with Bluetooth 5.4 pre-installed in M.2 Key-E slotRealtek 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 USB412 rear ports: 4 × USB 2.0, 3 × USB 5Gbps Type-A, 2 × USB 10Gbps Type-A, 1 × USB 10Gbps Type-C, 2 × USB 40Gbps Type-C (USB4); front: 1 × USB 20Gbps Type-C header, 4 × USB 5Gbps Type-AConflicting 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 X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI

  • + Two USB4 ports and a 20Gbps front Type-C header
  • + 14+2+1 phase VRM with 80A power stages
  • + Wi-Fi 7 and 5G LAN, with four M.2 slots
  • − Owners report boot loops after BIOS updates
  • − M.2_2 shares bandwidth with the rear USB4 ports
  • − X870 chipset, not X870E

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who want X870E rather than X870
  • Builders who need several fast expansion slots alongside multiple NVMe drives
  • Anyone who wants to avoid any risk of BIOS update trouble or CUDIMM boot problems
Read the full MSI MAG X870 TOMAHAWK WIFI 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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