Asus TUF Gaming B850M-Plus Wi-Fi7 VS Sapphire Nitro+ B850M Wi-Fi

The Asus TUF Gaming B850M-Plus Wi-Fi7 and Sapphire Nitro+ B850M Wi-Fi share several similarities in their general features, but there are some key differences. Both motherboards use the AM5 CPU socket, the B850 chipset, and have a Micro-ATX form factor. They also both support Wi-Fi, though the Asus TUF model supports a broader range of Wi-Fi versions, including Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), and Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), while the Sapphire Nitro+ is limited to Wi-Fi 4, 5, and 6 (802.11ax). Additionally, both motherboards have Bluetooth, but the Asus TUF features Bluetooth 5.4, while the Sapphire Nitro+ has Bluetooth 5.3.

In terms of design and additional features, the Asus TUF Gaming motherboard offers RGB lighting and dual BIOS support, which the Sapphire Nitro+ lacks. The Asus board also includes an easy-to-reset BIOS function, which the Sapphire model does not. Both products support overclocking, have no integrated graphics, and come with a 3-year warranty. However, the Sapphire Nitro+ does not mention features such as aptX support or integrated CPU, which are also missing in the Asus TUF model.

Physical dimensions differ slightly: the Asus TUF Gaming board has a height of 244 mm, while the Sapphire Nitro+ is slightly shorter at 235 mm, though they share the same width of 244 mm. Both motherboards have a single CPU socket and no integrated CPU, ensuring compatibility with external processors.

The Asus TUF Gaming B850M-Plus Wi-Fi7 and Sapphire Nitro+ B850M Wi-Fi both feature similar memory capabilities, but with a few notable differences. Both motherboards support DDR5 memory, have 4 memory slots, and support dual memory channels. Additionally, both support an overclocked RAM speed of 8000 MHz. However, the Asus TUF has a higher maximum memory capacity of 256GB, compared to the Sapphire Nitro+'s 192GB maximum capacity.

Neither motherboard supports ECC memory, which is consistent across both models. Both boards also offer the same memory channels and DDR5 memory version. The primary distinction here is the difference in the maximum supported memory amount, with the Asus TUF providing more headroom for larger memory configurations.

In summary, while both motherboards share many common features in the memory department, the Asus TUF Gaming B850M-Plus Wi-Fi7 stands out with its ability to support a higher total memory capacity of 256GB, compared to the Sapphire Nitro+ B850M's 192GB limit.

The Asus TUF Gaming B850M-Plus Wi-Fi7 and Sapphire Nitro+ B850M Wi-Fi offer a similar range of ports, but with some key differences. Both motherboards provide 3 USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-A) and 4 USB 2.0 ports. The Asus model has no USB 3.2 Gen 2 or Gen 1 USB-C ports, while the Sapphire Nitro+ offers 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-C port. The Asus motherboard supports 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port, which is absent in the Sapphire Nitro+.

Both boards feature an HDMI output and a DisplayPort output, and they each have a single RJ45 port for Ethernet connectivity. USB Type-C support is present on both motherboards. Neither product includes Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 ports, and both lack USB 4 40Gbps and 20Gbps ports.

Neither motherboard has an eSATA port, DVI output, VGA connector, or PS/2 ports, keeping these features consistent between the two models. Overall, the primary difference between the two products in this group is the extra USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port on the Asus TUF Gaming B850M-Plus Wi-Fi7 and the presence of a USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-C port on the Sapphire Nitro+ B850M Wi-Fi.

The Asus TUF Gaming B850M-Plus Wi-Fi7 and Sapphire Nitro+ B850M Wi-Fi share similar connector configurations but with a few differences. Both motherboards provide 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports and 2 USB 3.0 ports through expansion. The Asus TUF Gaming model offers 3 USB 2.0 ports through expansion, whereas the Sapphire Nitro+ has only 2. Both motherboards include 4 SATA 3 connectors and no SATA 2 connectors, making their storage connection options identical in these areas.

One notable difference is in the M.2 sockets: the Asus TUF Gaming B850M-Plus Wi-Fi7 features 3 M.2 sockets, while the Sapphire Nitro+ B850M only has 2. Both boards lack U.2 sockets and mSATA connectors, so there are no differences in these features.

In summary, the key difference between these two models in the connectors group is the additional M.2 socket on the Asus TUF Gaming B850M-Plus Wi-Fi7, providing more flexibility for storage expansion compared to the Sapphire Nitro+ B850M Wi-Fi.

The Asus TUF Gaming B850M-Plus Wi-Fi7 and Sapphire Nitro+ B850M Wi-Fi both offer a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, but their expansion slot configurations differ in a few key areas. The Asus TUF Gaming model provides 1 PCIe x1 slot and no PCIe x4 or PCIe x8 slots. In contrast, the Sapphire Nitro+ offers a PCIe x4 slot but lacks a PCIe x1 slot.

Both motherboards lack PCIe 4.0 x16 slots, PCIe 3.0 x16 slots, PCI slots, and PCIe 2.0 x16 slots. The absence of PCI slots on both products ensures no legacy support in this regard. The key difference remains in the availability of the PCIe x1 slot on the Asus TUF Gaming B850M-Plus Wi-Fi7 and the PCIe x4 slot on the Sapphire Nitro+ B850M Wi-Fi.

In summary, while both motherboards include a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, the Asus TUF Gaming model offers a PCIe x1 slot, whereas the Sapphire Nitro+ provides a PCIe x4 slot, which may influence the type of expansion cards each motherboard is better suited for.

The Asus TUF Gaming B850M-Plus Wi-Fi7 and Sapphire Nitro+ B850M Wi-Fi differ in their audio capabilities. The Asus TUF model supports 7.1 audio channels, while the Sapphire Nitro+ supports 5.1 audio channels. Both motherboards provide 3 audio connectors, which are identical between the two products. Neither motherboard includes an S/PDIF Out port.

In summary, the main difference between these two models is the number of audio channels. The Asus TUF Gaming B850M-Plus Wi-Fi7 offers a 7.1-channel audio setup, while the Sapphire Nitro+ B850M Wi-Fi is limited to 5.1 channels.