ASRock B860 Pro RS VS Gigabyte B860 Gaming X WiFi6E

Both the ASRock B860 Pro RS and the Gigabyte B860 Gaming X WiFi6E share the same foundational platform: the LGA 1851 socket with a B860 chipset in a standard ATX form factor. They support overclocking, include dual BIOS for firmware recovery, and carry a 3-year warranty — so on the fundamentals, neither board has a structural advantage over the other.

The most consequential difference in this group is connectivity. The Gigabyte board includes Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth, while the ASRock offers neither. In practical terms, this means the Gigabyte can be installed anywhere without routing an Ethernet cable, and it pairs natively with wireless peripherals and audio devices — features that add real convenience, especially in compact or living-room builds. The ASRock, by contrast, requires a separate PCIe or USB wireless adapter to achieve the same, adding cost and potentially consuming an expansion slot. On the other side, the ASRock includes RGB lighting, which the Gigabyte omits — a cosmetic differentiator that matters only if the build is displayed in a windowed case. The 10 mm difference in height (254 mm vs. 244 mm) is negligible for any standard ATX chassis.

For this spec group, the Gigabyte B860 Gaming X WiFi6E holds a clear functional edge: built-in Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth are hardware-level conveniences that directly affect where and how the system can be used, and adding them externally on the ASRock costs extra money. The ASRock's RGB advantage is purely aesthetic and does not close that gap for most buyers.

Both the ASRock B860 Pro RS and Gigabyte B860 Gaming X WiFi6E support a maximum memory amount of 256GB. They each have 4 memory slots and support DDR5 memory, as well as two memory channels. Neither board supports ECC memory.

The two boards differ in memory speed capabilities. The ASRock B860 Pro RS supports a maximum RAM speed of 5600 MHz and can be overclocked to 8666 MHz, while the Gigabyte B860 Gaming X WiFi6E supports a maximum RAM speed of 6400 MHz, with an overclocked speed of 9066 MHz.

Overall, while both motherboards support similar memory configurations, the Gigabyte model offers higher RAM speed potential, both in its maximum and overclocked speeds compared to the ASRock board.

The ASRock B860 Pro RS and Gigabyte B860 Gaming X WiFi6E offer several similar and different options when it comes to ports. Both motherboards provide an HDMI output and a DisplayPort output, allowing video connectivity. They each feature one RJ45 port for Ethernet and support USB Type-C. The ASRock B860 Pro RS has a total of 6 USB 3.2 Gen 1 USB-A ports, 2 USB 2.0 ports, and one USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port. The Gigabyte B860 Gaming X WiFi6E, on the other hand, offers 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-A port, 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 USB-A ports, and 5 USB 2.0 ports. Additionally, it has one USB 4 40Gbps port and one Thunderbolt 4 port, neither of which the ASRock model includes.

The ASRock B860 Pro RS does not have any USB 4 or Thunderbolt ports, while the Gigabyte board offers more advanced connectivity options with a USB 4 40Gbps port and a Thunderbolt 4 port. In terms of older connection types, both motherboards lack PS/2 ports, VGA connectors, and eSATA ports. However, the ASRock board has one DisplayPort output, which is also present in the Gigabyte board.

Both motherboards provide similar core connectivity, but the Gigabyte B860 Gaming X WiFi6E stands out with its inclusion of faster USB and Thunderbolt ports, offering greater future-proofing for high-speed peripheral devices.

The ASRock B860 Pro RS and Gigabyte B860 Gaming X WiFi6E both provide a similar set of connectors, with some slight differences. Both motherboards feature 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (through expansion), 4 USB 2.0 ports (through expansion), 2 USB 3.0 ports (through expansion), and 4 SATA 3 connectors. They also both have 3 M.2 sockets and include a TPM connector. Neither board offers any U.2 or mSATA connectors, and neither has SATA 2 connectors.

The primary difference between the two models is in the number of fan headers. The ASRock B860 Pro RS has 7 fan headers, while the Gigabyte B860 Gaming X WiFi6E has 6. This gives the ASRock model one more fan header for additional cooling options.

Overall, both motherboards offer similar connectivity options, with the ASRock board having a slight advantage in the number of fan headers available for users who require more cooling solutions.

The ASRock B860 Pro RS and Gigabyte B860 Gaming X WiFi6E differ in their expansion slot configurations. The ASRock B860 Pro RS features one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot and one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, with no PCIe x1, PCIe x4, PCIe x8, or PCI slots. In contrast, the Gigabyte B860 Gaming X WiFi6E offers one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, two PCIe x1 slots, and no PCIe 3.0 x16, PCIe x4, PCIe x8, or PCI slots.

While both motherboards offer one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, the ASRock board has the advantage of also supporting PCIe 4.0 x16. The Gigabyte model, however, includes two PCIe x1 slots, which the ASRock board lacks.

In terms of expansion flexibility, the Gigabyte B860 Gaming X WiFi6E offers more options with its additional PCIe x1 slots, whereas the ASRock B860 Pro RS provides a more straightforward PCIe x16 setup with the added benefit of PCIe 4.0 support.

Both the ASRock B860 Pro RS and Gigabyte B860 Gaming X WiFi6E provide similar audio features. They both support 7.1 audio channels, offering high-quality surround sound. Additionally, neither motherboard includes an S/PDIF Out port, so users looking for this specific feature will not find it on either board.

Both motherboards are equipped with 3 audio connectors, providing standard audio input and output options for various setups. As far as the core audio specifications go, there are no significant differences between the two models.

In summary, both boards offer identical audio capabilities, with the same number of channels, audio connectors, and lack of S/PDIF Out ports.

The ASRock B860 Pro RS and Gigabyte B860 Gaming X WiFi6E offer identical storage capabilities in terms of RAID support. Both motherboards support RAID 1, RAID 10 (1+0), RAID 5, and RAID 0. Neither motherboard supports RAID 0+1.

With both models providing the same set of RAID configurations, users will have the same storage management options, including mirroring, striping, and parity, but neither option offers RAID 0+1 for those seeking that specific configuration.

Overall, there are no differences between the two boards in their storage features related to RAID support.