Gigabyte B850 Eagle Wi-Fi7 Ice VS MSI B850 Gaming Plus Wi-Fi PZ

Both the Gigabyte B850 Eagle Wi-Fi7 Ice and the MSI B850 Gaming Plus Wi-Fi PZ feature an AM5 CPU socket and are built on the B850 chipset, with an ATX form factor. They also support Wi-Fi 4, Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 6E, and Wi-Fi 7, ensuring excellent wireless connectivity across different standards. Both boards are equipped with Bluetooth 5.4, offer easy overclocking, and come with RGB lighting. However, the Gigabyte model does not feature an easy BIOS reset option or dual BIOS, while the MSI board provides an easy BIOS reset, though neither board has dual BIOS functionality.

Both motherboards are similar in physical size, with the Gigabyte board measuring 244 mm in height and 305 mm in width, while the MSI board is slightly smaller at 243.8 mm in height and 304.8 mm in width. Both offer a 3-year warranty period. Neither board has integrated graphics or an integrated CPU, and both are designed for a single CPU socket.

In terms of Bluetooth functionality, neither board supports aptX, and neither includes integrated graphics. The warranty period for both is identical at 3 years, but the Gigabyte model lacks the easy-to-reset BIOS feature that the MSI board offers.

Both the Gigabyte B850 Eagle Wi-Fi7 Ice and the MSI B850 Gaming Plus Wi-Fi PZ support a maximum memory amount of 256GB. Both motherboards have 4 memory slots, DDR5 memory support, and 2 memory channels. In terms of RAM speed, the Gigabyte board supports a maximum speed of 5200 MHz, while the MSI board supports a slightly higher maximum speed of 5600 MHz. For overclocked RAM speeds, both boards are capable of reaching 8200 MHz.

Neither board supports ECC (Error-Correcting Code) memory, so users will need to rely on standard memory configurations for error handling. In summary, the key differences between the two boards lie in their maximum supported RAM speed, with the MSI model offering a higher maximum RAM speed of 5600 MHz compared to the Gigabyte model's 5200 MHz.

The Gigabyte B850 Eagle Wi-Fi7 Ice and the MSI B850 Gaming Plus Wi-Fi PZ offer similar USB port options, though there are some differences. The Gigabyte board has 2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-A), 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (USB-A), 1 USB 3.2 Gen 1 port (USB-C), and 4 USB 2.0 ports. In contrast, the MSI board features only 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 port (USB-A), 1 USB 3.2 Gen 1 port (USB-A), but it has 2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-C), with 4 USB 2.0 ports as well.

Both boards include 1 DisplayPort output and 1 RJ45 port, but only the Gigabyte model has an HDMI output. The MSI board lacks an HDMI output, which might be a consideration for users needing additional display connectivity. Neither board offers Thunderbolt 3 or 4 ports, USB 4, or eSATA ports, and neither has a VGA connector or DVI outputs. The Gigabyte board includes a PS/2 port, while the MSI board does not.

Overall, the primary differences between these two motherboards in terms of ports are the number of USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-A and USB-C), the presence of an HDMI output on the Gigabyte model, and the inclusion of a PS/2 port on the Gigabyte board that the MSI board lacks.

Both the Gigabyte B850 Eagle Wi-Fi7 Ice and the MSI B850 Gaming Plus Wi-Fi PZ come with a similar set of connectors, with some key differences in the USB 3.2 Gen 1 and USB 3.0 expansion ports. The Gigabyte board offers 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (through expansion) and 2 USB 3.0 ports (through expansion), while the MSI board provides more expansion options, with 4 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports and 4 USB 3.0 ports. Both boards feature 4 SATA 3 connectors, 6 fan headers, and 3 M.2 sockets. Additionally, both motherboards have a TPM connector, but neither includes U.2 or mSATA connectors, nor SATA 2 connectors.

The fan header count is the same for both boards, with 6 headers available. Similarly, both models lack SATA 2 connectors, mSATA connectors, and U.2 sockets, and both have 3 M.2 sockets. The primary difference lies in the number of USB expansion ports, with the MSI model offering more connectivity options in this area.

In summary, the Gigabyte and MSI boards are quite similar in their connector offerings, with the MSI model providing more USB 3.2 Gen 1 and USB 3.0 expansion ports, while the rest of the connector specs are identical.

Both the Gigabyte B850 Eagle Wi-Fi7 Ice and the MSI B850 Gaming Plus Wi-Fi PZ are equipped with 1 PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, offering high-speed expansion for graphics cards or other devices. Neither board includes PCIe 4.0 x16 slots, PCIe 3.0 x16 slots, or PCIe 2.0 x16 slots. Each motherboard also has 2 PCIe x1 slots, and both provide 1 PCIe x4 slot, but neither has PCI slots or PCIe x8 slots.

Overall, the expansion slot configurations on both boards are identical, offering the same mix of PCIe 5.0 x16, x1, and x4 slots. No additional expansion options such as PCI slots or x8 slots are available on either board.

Both the Gigabyte B850 Eagle Wi-Fi7 Ice and the MSI B850 Gaming Plus Wi-Fi PZ support 7.1 audio channels, providing robust sound output. However, the two boards differ in their audio connector options. The Gigabyte model offers 3 audio connectors, while the MSI model has 2 audio connectors.

Another difference is that the MSI board includes an S/PDIF Out port, which the Gigabyte board does not have. The presence of the S/PDIF Out port on the MSI model could be beneficial for users looking to connect to high-quality external audio equipment.

In summary, the Gigabyte and MSI motherboards offer similar audio channel support, but the MSI model has the added advantage of an S/PDIF Out port and one fewer audio connector compared to the Gigabyte model.

Both the Gigabyte B850 Eagle Wi-Fi7 Ice and the MSI B850 Gaming Plus Wi-Fi PZ support the same RAID configurations: RAID 1, RAID 10 (1+0), RAID 5, and RAID 0. However, neither of the boards supports RAID 0+1, which is common in some higher-end systems. RAID support on both motherboards is identical, making them equally capable in terms of storage configurations.

Overall, both models offer robust storage options with support for multiple RAID levels, and there is no difference between them in this category.