Asus B850M AYW Gaming OC Wi-Fi7 W VS MSI B850MPower

Both the Asus B850M AYW Gaming OC Wi-Fi7 W and the MSI B850MPower share a number of similarities in terms of general features. Both motherboards feature the same CPU socket type, AM5, and use the B850 chipset. They also have the same Micro-ATX form factor, support Wi-Fi across multiple versions (Wi-Fi 4, 5, 6, 6E, and 7), and come equipped with Bluetooth 5.4. Additionally, both motherboards offer HDMI 2.1 support and have RGB lighting, making them comparable in terms of connectivity and visual appeal.

Where they slightly differ is in Bluetooth functionality: the MSI B850MPower includes aptX support, while the Asus B850M AYW Gaming OC Wi-Fi7 W does not. In terms of size, the Asus board measures 244 mm in both height and width, while the MSI board is just slightly smaller at 243.8 mm for both dimensions. Both motherboards also have a 3-year warranty period and share the same configuration for CPU sockets and integrated graphics (neither product includes integrated graphics or an integrated CPU).

For features related to BIOS, both motherboards are easy to reset and support overclocking, but only the Asus board has dual BIOS, while the MSI model lacks this feature. Both products have a similar warranty period of 3 years, and neither offers integrated CPU options. Overall, the two motherboards are quite similar, with the key differences being the presence of aptX in the MSI model and the dual BIOS feature in the Asus model.

Both the Asus B850M AYW Gaming OC Wi-Fi7 W and the MSI B850MPower support a maximum memory capacity of 128GB, and they are equipped with 2 memory slots and 2 memory channels, which is typical for this class of motherboards. Both boards also support DDR5 memory, ensuring compatibility with the latest generation of RAM.

The key difference between these two models lies in their overclocked RAM speeds. The Asus board supports an overclocked RAM speed of 9600 MHz, while the MSI board supports a higher overclocked speed of 10200 MHz. Both motherboards do not support ECC memory, which is consistent for most gaming and enthusiast boards.

Overall, while both products offer similar memory specifications, the MSI B850MPower has a slight advantage in terms of overclocked RAM speed with a 10200 MHz cap compared to the 9600 MHz cap of the Asus model.

The Asus B850M AYW Gaming OC Wi-Fi7 W and the MSI B850MPower offer similar connectivity options in terms of USB ports. Both motherboards feature 3 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-A) ports and 4 USB 3.2 Gen 1 (USB-A) ports. The Asus board, however, has no USB 3.2 Gen 2 or Gen 1 Type-C ports, while the MSI model includes 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-C) port. Additionally, both motherboards have 2 USB 2.0 ports and 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port, with no support for USB 4 or Thunderbolt ports of any kind.

In terms of display connectivity, both motherboards have an HDMI output, though the Asus board includes 1 DisplayPort output, while the MSI board lacks this feature. Both products have 1 RJ45 port for Ethernet connectivity and no PS/2, VGA, eSATA, DVI, or Thunderbolt ports. Neither motherboard offers a VGA connector or PS/2 ports.

Overall, the main difference between the two is the inclusion of a USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-C) port on the MSI B850MPower, as well as the additional DisplayPort output on the Asus B850M AYW Gaming OC Wi-Fi7 W. Both are quite similar in terms of USB 2.0 and USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, with identical HDMI output and Ethernet connectivity options.

The Asus B850M AYW Gaming OC Wi-Fi7 W and the MSI B850MPower offer similar connectors, though there are a few distinctions. Both motherboards provide 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports through expansion, 1 USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port through expansion, and 4 USB 2.0 ports through expansion. They also both include 2 SATA 3 connectors, 2 USB 3.0 ports through expansion, and no SATA 2 connectors. Both have a TPM connector, and neither supports an mSATA connector or U.2 sockets.

The key difference between these two models is in the number of fan headers and M.2 sockets. The Asus board has 5 fan headers and 3 M.2 sockets, while the MSI board has 6 fan headers and 4 M.2 sockets, providing slightly more flexibility in cooling and storage expansion for the MSI model.

In summary, while both products have very similar connector offerings, the MSI B850MPower has the edge in terms of fan headers and M.2 sockets, providing more options for system cooling and storage expansion.

Both the Asus B850M AYW Gaming OC Wi-Fi7 W and the MSI B850MPower have similar expansion slot configurations. Each board features 1 PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and 1 PCIe x4 slot. Neither board includes PCIe 4.0 x16, PCIe 3.0 x16, PCIe x1, or PCI slots, and both lack PCIe 2.0 x16 and PCIe x8 slots.

Overall, the two motherboards offer identical expansion slot configurations, with both supporting the latest PCIe 5.0 x16 and PCIe x4 slots, and no additional variations between the two products in this category.

Thus, there are no significant differences in the expansion slots between the Asus and MSI models, both offering the same set of options for expansion cards and storage devices.

Both the Asus B850M AYW Gaming OC Wi-Fi7 W and the MSI B850MPower offer 7.1 audio channels, providing support for high-quality audio output. However, they differ in terms of additional audio features. The Asus board does not include an S/PDIF Out port, while the MSI board does have this feature, allowing for digital audio output to compatible devices.

In terms of audio connectors, the Asus B850M AYW Gaming OC Wi-Fi7 W has 3 connectors, while the MSI B850MPower has 2. This means the Asus board provides slightly more flexibility for connecting external audio devices, such as speakers or headphones.

Overall, while both motherboards offer the same audio channel configuration, the MSI board stands out with its inclusion of the S/PDIF Out port, whereas the Asus board provides an extra audio connector.

Both the Asus B850M AYW Gaming OC Wi-Fi7 W and the MSI B850MPower support a variety of RAID configurations. Each motherboard supports RAID 1, RAID 10 (1+0), RAID 5, and RAID 0. However, neither of them supports RAID 0+1, as both boards lack this specific RAID option.

Overall, the storage RAID capabilities of the two motherboards are identical, with both offering the same set of RAID configurations for users looking to set up multiple storage drives for performance, redundancy, or a balance of both.

There are no differences between the two products in terms of supported RAID levels, making them equally capable in this area.