Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite X3D Ice VS MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Max Wi-Fi PZ

The Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite X3D Ice and MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Max Wi-Fi PZ share a very similar set of specifications. Both motherboards use the AM5 CPU socket and X870 chipset, and they are both ATX form factor boards. They also both support a wide range of Wi-Fi standards, from Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) to Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), and come with Bluetooth 5.4. Additionally, both motherboards feature HDMI 2.1 for video output and support easy overclocking. Both models are also equipped with RGB lighting, an easy-to-reset BIOS, and have one CPU socket.

In terms of size, the Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite X3D Ice is slightly taller at 244 mm compared to the MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Max Wi-Fi PZ, which measures 243.8 mm. The width of both boards is nearly identical, with the Gigabyte board at 305 mm and the MSI board at 304.8 mm. Both motherboards also feature a 3-year warranty and do not include integrated graphics or an integrated CPU.

Neither product includes dual BIOS support, aptX, or integrated CPU capabilities. Both models share the same warranty period of 3 years, ensuring similar long-term support.

The Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite X3D Ice and MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Max Wi-Fi PZ offer very similar memory specifications. Both motherboards support a maximum memory capacity of 256GB, with four memory slots and two memory channels. They also both support DDR5 memory, with the same memory version (DDR5) across both models. Neither motherboard supports ECC memory.

However, the two boards differ in terms of RAM speed. The Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite X3D Ice supports a maximum RAM speed of 5200 MHz, whereas the MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Max Wi-Fi PZ can handle a higher maximum speed of 5600 MHz. When it comes to overclocked RAM speed, the Gigabyte board can push speeds up to 9000 MHz, while the MSI board supports a lower overclocked speed of 8400 MHz.

In summary, while both motherboards offer similar base memory features, the MSI model has a slightly higher maximum RAM speed, while the Gigabyte model offers a higher overclocked RAM speed.

The Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite X3D Ice and MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Max Wi-Fi PZ offer a similar range of ports, but there are a few differences worth noting. Both boards feature two USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-A) ports, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-C) port, and two USB 4 40Gbps ports. They also both include Thunderbolt 4 ports, with two available on each board. Additionally, both models have an HDMI output, but no DisplayPort outputs, DVI outputs, or VGA connectors.

In terms of USB 2.0 ports, the Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite X3D Ice has one, while the MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Max Wi-Fi PZ offers four. The MSI board also has three USB 3.2 Gen 1 (USB-A) ports, compared to the four available on the Gigabyte board. Both motherboards feature one RJ45 port for Ethernet connectivity and a USB Type-C port.

Neither motherboard has eSATA ports, PS/2 ports, or VGA connectors. Overall, the main differences lie in the number of USB 2.0 and USB 3.2 Gen 1 (USB-A) ports, with the MSI model offering slightly more in both categories.

The Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite X3D Ice and MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Max Wi-Fi PZ offer nearly identical connector options, with a few minor differences. Both motherboards feature the same number of USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (through expansion) at four, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports (through expansion) at one, and USB 2.0 ports (through expansion) at four. They also both have the same number of USB 3.0 ports (through expansion) at four, and four M.2 sockets.

One notable difference is in the number of SATA 3 connectors. The Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite X3D Ice includes two SATA 3 connectors, while the MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Max Wi-Fi PZ has four SATA 3 connectors. Both motherboards have the same number of fan headers, at eight, and neither supports U.2 sockets or mSATA connectors. Both models also have a TPM connector.

Overall, the key distinction in the connectors group is the number of SATA 3 connectors, with the MSI model offering more, but the rest of the connector specifications match between the two products.

The Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite X3D Ice and MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Max Wi-Fi PZ share similar expansion slot configurations. Both motherboards include one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, with no PCIe 4.0 x16, PCIe 3.0 x16, or PCIe 2.0 x16 slots. Both boards also have one PCIe x4 slot and no PCIe x8 slots. The key difference is in the number of PCIe x1 slots: the Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite X3D Ice has no PCIe x1 slots, while the MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Max Wi-Fi PZ has one PCIe x1 slot.

Both models also lack PCI slots entirely. Therefore, the main distinction between the two in this category is the additional PCIe x1 slot on the MSI model.

The Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite X3D Ice and MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Max Wi-Fi PZ share identical audio specifications. Both motherboards offer a 120 dB signal-to-noise ratio (DAC), supporting 7.1 audio channels. They both include an S/PDIF Out port and feature two audio connectors. As a result, there are no differences between these two products in terms of audio capabilities.

The Gigabyte X870 Aorus Elite X3D Ice and MSI MAG X870E Tomahawk Max Wi-Fi PZ both support the same RAID configurations. Both motherboards support RAID 1, RAID 10 (1+0), RAID 5, and RAID 0. Neither board supports RAID 0+1.

There are no differences between these two models in terms of supported RAID levels, and both offer identical storage capabilities in this regard.