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MSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFI vs TUF GAMING B650-PLUS 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 TUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI at 6.3/10.

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

They score the same on power delivery.

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 itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

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

TUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI

TUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI

6.3/10verdict: good, not the best

This is an ATX AM5 board for builders who want a B650 platform with PCIe 5.0 NVMe, three M.2 slots and 2.5GbE. It suits Ryzen 7000, 8000 and 9000 builds that need a good spread of rear ports and a front USB-C header. Buyers who want Wi-Fi 7, rear USB4 or a PCIe 5.0 graphics slot need to look elsewhere.

Typically about £127.99 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

CriterionWeightMSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFITUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI
Platform and features25%7/106/10
Connectivity25%9/107/10
Power delivery20%6/106/10
BIOS and support15%7/105/10
Value15%8/107/10
Overall7.5/106.3/10

Specifications

SpecMSI MAG Z890 TOMAHAWK WIFITUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI
SocketLGA 1851, supports Intel Core Ultra Processors (Series 2)AM5 (supports Ryzen 9000, 8000 and 7000 series desktop processors)
ChipsetIntel Z890AMD B650
Form factorATX, PCB 243.84 x 304.8 mmATX, 30.5 x 24.4 cm
Memory4 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 memoryDDR5, 4 DIMM slots, speeds 4800 to 7600+ (OC), ECC and non-ECC unbuffered, EXPO; spec page lists 256GB maximum, user manual lists 128GB
M.2 slots4 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 moduleThree M.2 Key M slots (2242/2260/2280; M.2_2 also 22110). M.2_1 PCIe 5.0 x4 and M.2_2 PCIe 4.0 x4 with Ryzen 9000/7000; M.2_3 PCIe 4.0 x4 from chipset, sharing bandwidth with the second x16 slot. Four SATA 6Gb/s ports.
PCIe slotsPCI_E1 PCIe 5.0 x16 (CPU); PCI_E2 and PCI_E3 PCIe 4.0 x4 each (chipset)With Ryzen 9000/7000: one PCIe 4.0/3.0 x16 slot. With Ryzen 8000: one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot (x8/x4). From B650 chipset: one PCIe 4.0/3.0 x16 slot (x4 mode) and two PCIe 4.0/3.0 x1 slots.
NetworkingIntel Killer E5000B 5Gbps LAN; Intel Killer BE1750x Wi-Fi 7 with Bluetooth 5.4Realtek 2.5Gb Ethernet with TUF LANGuard; 2x2 Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with Bluetooth 5.2; no Wi-Fi 7
Rear USBRear: 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 headersRear: 8 ports (1 USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C, 3 USB 3.2 Gen 2 including 1 Type-C, 4 USB 2.0 Type-A); no rear USB4. Front: 1 USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C plus USB 3.2 Gen 1 and USB 2.0 headers.

Strengths and weaknesses

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 ›

TUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI

  • + PCIe 5.0 x4 M.2 slot plus two more M.2 slots
  • + Rear USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C and 2.5GbE
  • + Owners praise its value and rear I/O
  • − Wi-Fi 6 only, with no Wi-Fi 7
  • − Four of eight rear USB ports are USB 2.0
  • − One reviewer found BIOS and RGB setup bothersome

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who want Wi-Fi 7 or rear USB4
  • Builders who want a PCIe 5.0 graphics slot
  • People who need many fast rear USB ports
Read the full TUF GAMING B650-PLUS WIFI review ›

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