Asus B850M AYW Gaming Wi-Fi VS MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E

The Asus B850M AYW Gaming Wi-Fi and MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E are both based on the AM5 CPU socket and use the B850 chipset, with a Micro-ATX form factor. Both boards support Wi-Fi, but the MSI model includes Wi-Fi 6E (Wi-Fi 6, 802.11ax), while the Asus model supports up to Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), lacking Wi-Fi 6E support.

In terms of Bluetooth, both products feature Bluetooth 5.3. The HDMI version is identical, with both motherboards offering HDMI 2.1. For overclocking enthusiasts, both boards are easy to overclock. RGB lighting is included on both, adding a customizable aesthetic. However, the Asus board does not have an easy BIOS reset feature, unlike the MSI board which supports this feature.

Both products feature dual BIOS and lack aptX support. The dimensions of the boards differ slightly, with the Asus B850M AYW Gaming Wi-Fi measuring 221 mm in height and 244 mm in width, compared to the MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E, which is 243.8 mm in height and width. Both motherboards come with a 3-year warranty period. Neither product includes integrated graphics or an integrated CPU.

The Asus B850M AYW Gaming Wi-Fi and MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E both support DDR5 memory and offer dual memory channels. The Asus board has a maximum memory capacity of 128GB, while the MSI board supports up to 256GB, giving it a significantly higher maximum memory limit.

In terms of overclocked RAM speed, the Asus board can handle up to 8400 MHz, while the MSI board supports a slightly lower maximum of 8200 MHz. The Asus model has 2 memory slots, compared to 4 slots on the MSI board, which allows for more flexibility in expanding memory.

Both boards do not support ECC (Error Correcting Code) memory, so neither is intended for workloads that require that specific memory feature.

The Asus B850M AYW Gaming Wi-Fi and MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E both offer HDMI outputs, but the MSI board also includes a DisplayPort output, which the Asus board does not. For USB ports, the Asus board provides 2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-A) ports, 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 (USB-A) ports, and 4 USB 2.0 ports. In contrast, the MSI board has 4 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-A) ports, 4 USB 3.2 Gen 1 (USB-A) ports, and 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-C) port, which the Asus model lacks.

The MSI model also supports USB Type-C, unlike the Asus board. Neither motherboard offers USB 4, Thunderbolt, or eSATA ports, and both lack DVI outputs, VGA connectors, and PS/2 ports.

When it comes to networking, both boards have a single RJ45 port, providing similar Ethernet connectivity options.

Both the Asus B850M AYW Gaming Wi-Fi and MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E have 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (through expansion), 4 USB 2.0 ports (through expansion), and 4 SATA 3 connectors. In terms of fan headers, the Asus board provides 4, while the MSI board offers 5, giving it an additional header for cooling options.

Both boards include 2 M.2 sockets, but the MSI board has a TPM connector, which the Asus board lacks. Neither motherboard has U.2 or mSATA connectors, and both boards do not support SATA 2 connectors.

Overall, the MSI board stands out with the inclusion of a TPM connector and an extra fan header, while both boards are similar in terms of USB, SATA, and M.2 connectivity options.

The Asus B850M AYW Gaming Wi-Fi and MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E both feature one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot. However, the Asus board includes an additional PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, while the MSI board does not support PCIe 5.0 at all. On the other hand, the MSI board offers 2 PCIe x1 slots, which the Asus board lacks.

Neither board has PCI slots, PCIe 2.0 x16 slots, PCIe x4 slots, or PCIe x8 slots, so both are limited to the available PCIe 4.0 x16 and x1 slots for expansion.

Overall, the Asus board has a more advanced PCIe slot setup with PCIe 5.0 support, while the MSI board provides extra PCIe x1 slots for more flexibility in connecting devices.

Both the Asus B850M AYW Gaming Wi-Fi and MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E support 7.1 audio channels, providing a similar high-quality audio experience. Neither board includes an S/PDIF Out port, and both motherboards have 3 audio connectors.

There are no differences in the audio specifications between the two products. Both offer the same number of audio channels, lack S/PDIF Out, and provide the same number of connectors for audio output.

Both the Asus B850M AYW Gaming Wi-Fi and MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi6E support RAID 1 and RAID 10 (1+0), allowing for flexible storage configurations. The Asus board also supports RAID 5, while the MSI board does not. Neither board supports RAID 0+1.

Both motherboards offer RAID 0 support, providing the ability for striped drives to boost performance.

In summary, the Asus board has an additional RAID 5 feature, while the MSI board lacks it but matches the Asus in other RAID configurations.