Gigabyte B850M Force VS MSI MAG B850M Mortar

The Gigabyte B850M Force and MSI MAG B850M Mortar both feature the same AM5 CPU socket and B850 chipset, making them comparable in terms of processor compatibility and overall platform support. Both motherboards are designed in the Micro-ATX form factor and offer the same HDMI 2.1 version for video output. Neither board supports Wi-Fi nor has Bluetooth capabilities, which is important to note for users looking for those features.

In terms of additional features, both motherboards offer RGB lighting and support overclocking, making them appealing to users who want to tweak performance. Both models also come with a dual BIOS setup for additional safety and reliability, though only the MSI MAG B850M Mortar includes an easy-to-reset BIOS feature, while the Gigabyte B850M Force does not. The warranty period is identical for both, lasting 3 years.

Dimensions are nearly identical, with the Gigabyte B850M Force measuring 244 mm by 244 mm, and the MSI MAG B850M Mortar being just slightly smaller at 243.8 mm by 243.8 mm. Neither motherboard has integrated graphics or an integrated CPU, which is typical for this class of motherboard.

The Gigabyte B850M Force and MSI MAG B850M Mortar both support DDR5 memory, with the Gigabyte board offering a maximum memory amount of 128GB and the MSI board supporting up to 256GB. This makes the MSI board a better choice for users looking to install more RAM. In terms of RAM speed, the Gigabyte B850M Force supports a maximum speed of 5200 MHz, while the MSI MAG B850M Mortar can handle slightly faster speeds at 5600 MHz.

For overclocked memory speeds, the Gigabyte B850M Force can reach an impressive 9600 MHz, while the MSI MAG B850M Mortar maxes out at 8200 MHz, indicating that the Gigabyte motherboard offers higher overclocking potential for memory.

Regarding memory slots, the Gigabyte B850M Force has 2 slots, whereas the MSI MAG B850M Mortar offers 4 slots, which could provide more flexibility for memory upgrades. Both motherboards feature dual memory channels, which is common for this class. Additionally, the Gigabyte board supports ECC memory, while the MSI board does not.

The Gigabyte B850M Force and MSI MAG B850M Mortar both provide a similar range of ports, but there are some differences in quantity and type. The Gigabyte B850M Force offers 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-A) port, 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 (USB-A) ports, and 1 USB 3.2 Gen 1 (USB-C) port. In contrast, the MSI MAG B850M Mortar provides more USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-A) ports with 3, and it also has 4 USB 3.2 Gen 1 (USB-A) ports. The MSI board includes 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-C) port, while the Gigabyte board does not have any. Additionally, the MSI board supports USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports, which the Gigabyte board lacks.

Both motherboards include 2 USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI output, and a DisplayPort output. However, the Gigabyte B850M Force offers 1 DisplayPort output, while the MSI MAG B850M Mortar has no DisplayPort output. For networking, both have 1 RJ45 port. In terms of legacy connections, the Gigabyte board includes a PS/2 port, while the MSI board does not.

Neither motherboard has eSATA, DVI, VGA connectors, or Thunderbolt ports. Both support USB Type-C connectivity, with the Gigabyte board having 1 USB Type-C port and the MSI board having 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-C) port.

The Gigabyte B850M Force and MSI MAG B850M Mortar have similar connector setups, with both offering 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, 4 USB 2.0 ports, and 2 USB 3.0 ports through expansion. Both boards also come with 4 SATA 3 connectors and 3 M.2 sockets, providing ample storage options. Neither board supports SATA 2 connectors, and neither includes an mSATA connector. Both motherboards also support TPM connectors, which is useful for enhanced security.

One key difference between the two is the number of fan headers. The Gigabyte B850M Force includes 4 fan headers, while the MSI MAG B850M Mortar has 6 fan headers, offering more flexibility for users looking to connect multiple fans to their system.

Neither motherboard supports U.2 sockets, so that feature is not available on either product.

Both the Gigabyte B850M Force and MSI MAG B850M Mortar offer similar expansion slot configurations. Each motherboard includes 1 PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and 1 PCIe x4 slot, which provides flexibility for expansion cards such as GPUs and storage devices. Neither motherboard includes a PCIe 3.0 x16 slot, PCIe 2.0 x16 slots, or PCI slots, so users will need to rely on the available PCIe 5.0 and x4 slots for expansion.

One key similarity between the two boards is the absence of PCIe x1 and PCIe x8 slots, meaning they both lack additional low-latency expansion options in these form factors.

Overall, the expansion slot configurations are identical across both the Gigabyte B850M Force and the MSI MAG B850M Mortar, offering a balanced number of high-speed slots but no support for older or smaller PCI configurations.

Both the Gigabyte B850M Force and MSI MAG B850M Mortar offer 7.1 audio channels, ensuring high-quality sound for users seeking an immersive audio experience. However, there is a difference in the number of audio connectors. The Gigabyte board features 3 audio connectors, while the MSI board has only 2.

Additionally, the MSI MAG B850M Mortar includes an S/PDIF Out port, which the Gigabyte B850M Force lacks. The S/PDIF Out port provides a digital audio output option, ideal for connecting to high-quality audio systems or home theater setups.

Overall, while both motherboards provide solid audio performance, the MSI board offers slightly more audio output options with the inclusion of the S/PDIF Out port, while the Gigabyte board offers more audio connectors for direct connections.

Both the Gigabyte B850M Force and MSI MAG B850M Mortar support the same RAID configurations, including RAID 1, RAID 10 (1+0), RAID 5, and RAID 0. However, neither motherboard supports RAID 0+1, so users seeking this specific configuration will need to look elsewhere. Both motherboards offer solid RAID support for redundancy and performance in storage setups.

In terms of RAID capabilities, there are no differences between the two products. Both provide the same level of storage flexibility for users who want to implement various RAID levels for data protection or performance gains.

Overall, the storage-related features of the Gigabyte B850M Force and MSI MAG B850M Mortar are nearly identical, with both boards offering the same RAID options and lacking support for RAID 0+1.