Asus B650E Max Gaming Wi-Fi VS MSI Pro B850-S Wi-Fi6E

The Asus B650E Max Gaming Wi-Fi and MSI Pro B850-S Wi-Fi6E both feature an AM5 CPU socket, and both support Wi-Fi, with each offering compatibility with Wi-Fi 4, 5, 6, and 6E. However, the Asus B650E Max supports a range of Bluetooth 5.3, while the MSI Pro also includes Bluetooth 5.3. Both motherboards feature HDMI 2.1 and support easy overclocking, and both have RGB lighting, making them similar in terms of connectivity and customization options.

When it comes to specific differences, the Asus B650E Max does not offer an easy BIOS reset function, while the MSI Pro B850-S does. Additionally, the MSI motherboard has a warranty period that matches the Asus B650E Max at 3 years, and their dimensions are very similar, with the Asus motherboard being slightly taller at 244 mm compared to the MSI's 243.8 mm. The width of both boards is almost identical, with a small difference of 0.2 mm, where the MSI board measures 304.8 mm and the Asus board is 305 mm.

Neither product includes integrated graphics or an integrated CPU. The Asus B650E Max does not have dual BIOS, just like the MSI Pro B850-S, and neither features aptX support. Both motherboards come with a single CPU socket, ensuring compatibility with a range of processors within their respective generations.

The Asus B650E Max Gaming Wi-Fi and MSI Pro B850-S Wi-Fi6E both support a maximum memory capacity of 256GB, and both feature 4 memory slots and 2 memory channels. Additionally, both motherboards support DDR5 memory, ensuring compatibility with the latest generation of memory modules. However, there are differences in their memory speed capabilities. The Asus B650E Max supports a maximum RAM speed of 4000 MHz, whereas the MSI Pro B850-S supports a higher maximum of 5600 MHz.

When it comes to overclocked RAM speeds, the Asus B650E Max can reach up to 8000 MHz, while the MSI Pro B850-S can achieve an even higher overclocked RAM speed of 8200 MHz. Both motherboards do not support ECC (Error-Correcting Code) memory, which is important for specific use cases like enterprise-level applications.

In summary, while both motherboards offer similar core features, such as maximum memory amount, memory slots, and DDR5 support, the MSI Pro B850-S offers faster RAM speeds both at the base and when overclocked compared to the Asus B650E Max.

The Asus B650E Max Gaming Wi-Fi and MSI Pro B850-S Wi-Fi6E both offer similar port configurations in several areas, with both providing 3 USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-A ports, 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-C port, 1 DisplayPort output, 1 HDMI output, and 1 RJ45 port. Additionally, both motherboards include USB Type-C support, making them equally versatile for modern peripherals.

One difference between the two products is in the number of USB 3.2 Gen 1 USB-A ports: the Asus B650E Max offers 2, while the MSI Pro B850-S provides 4. The Asus board also includes 2 USB 2.0 ports, while the MSI Pro does not have any USB 2.0 ports. Both motherboards lack USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports, USB 4 ports, Thunderbolt ports, eSATA ports, DVI outputs, VGA connectors, and PS/2 ports.

In terms of other I/O features, both motherboards have identical DisplayPort and HDMI output options, but neither has a VGA connector or PS/2 ports. The port layouts are similar overall, with small differences in the number of USB 3.2 Gen 1 USB-A and USB 2.0 ports between the two models.

The Asus B650E Max Gaming Wi-Fi and MSI Pro B850-S Wi-Fi6E both offer a similar number of USB 3.2 Gen 1 and USB 3.0 ports through expansion, with both providing 2 of each type. The Asus B650E Max has 6 USB 2.0 ports available through expansion, while the MSI Pro B850-S offers 4. In terms of storage connectivity, both motherboards come with 4 SATA 3 connectors, but the Asus board has 3 M.2 sockets, while the MSI board has 2 M.2 sockets.

Both motherboards include a TPM connector for added security, and neither features U.2 or mSATA connectors. Additionally, the Asus B650E Max has 4 fan headers, whereas the MSI Pro B850-S offers 6 fan headers, providing a slightly higher capacity for cooling options.

Overall, the two motherboards share many similar features, but the MSI Pro B850-S provides more fan headers and slightly fewer USB 2.0 ports through expansion. The Asus B650E Max, on the other hand, supports more M.2 sockets for storage expansion.

The Asus B650E Max Gaming Wi-Fi and MSI Pro B850-S Wi-Fi6E both offer a PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, but the Asus board also includes a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, while the MSI board does not. In terms of PCIe 3.0 x16 slots, the Asus B650E Max has 2, while the MSI Pro B850-S has none. The Asus board does not have any PCIe x1, x4, or x8 slots, whereas the MSI Pro B850-S offers 1 PCIe x1 slot and 1 PCIe x4 slot.

Both motherboards do not have PCI slots or PCIe 2.0 x16 slots, and neither product includes more than one type of PCIe slot beyond the x16 configurations. The MSI Pro B850-S has a slightly more varied expansion slot configuration, offering a mix of x1 and x4 slots, while the Asus B650E Max focuses on high-speed PCIe x16 slots with an additional PCIe 5.0 slot.

In summary, while both motherboards provide similar core expansion options with PCIe 4.0 x16 slots, the Asus B650E Max offers a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot for next-generation graphics and storage options, whereas the MSI Pro B850-S provides more diverse expansion with PCIe x1 and x4 slots.

The Asus B650E Max Gaming Wi-Fi and MSI Pro B850-S Wi-Fi6E both support 7.1 audio channels, providing high-quality surround sound. Neither motherboard includes an S/PDIF Out port, and both offer 3 audio connectors for connecting audio devices.

These two motherboards are identical in terms of audio features, with the same number of channels, absence of S/PDIF Out, and the same number of audio connectors. No differences are observed in the audio capabilities between the Asus and MSI models based on the provided specifications.

In conclusion, both motherboards deliver comparable audio performance with 7.1 channel support and similar connector options, making them equally equipped for audio tasks.

The Asus B650E Max Gaming Wi-Fi and MSI Pro B850-S Wi-Fi6E both support RAID 1, RAID 10 (1+0), and RAID 0. However, the Asus B650E Max supports RAID 5, while the MSI Pro B850-S does not. Neither motherboard supports RAID 0+1, a configuration available on some other boards.

In summary, the two motherboards are largely similar in terms of supported RAID levels, with the Asus B650E Max offering the additional option of RAID 5. Both models exclude RAID 0+1 support, but provide common support for RAID 1, RAID 10, and RAID 0.

Overall, the key difference is the Asus board's support for RAID 5, which is absent from the MSI board.