MSI B850 Gaming Plus WiFi VS MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi

The MSI B850 Gaming Plus WiFi and the MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi share the same foundational DNA: both use the AM5 socket with the B850 chipset, support identical Wi-Fi 7 connectivity alongside Bluetooth 5.4, offer overclocking support, RGB lighting, dual BIOS, and easy BIOS reset — all backed by a 3-year warranty. For a buyer focused purely on features and connectivity, these two boards are virtually identical on paper.

The one meaningful differentiator in this group is form factor. The B850 Gaming Plus WiFi is a full-size ATX board measuring 304.8 × 243.8 mm, while the B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi is a Micro-ATX board at a more compact 243.8 × 243.8 mm. In real-world terms, ATX means more PCIe slots, more room for VRM cooling, and compatibility with a wider range of mid-tower and full-tower cases. Micro-ATX trades some of that expansion headroom for a smaller footprint, making it the better fit for compact builds or smaller chassis.

If case size and build compactness are not a concern, the ATX model gives a modest edge in long-term expandability. However, for users prioritizing a smaller system without sacrificing features, the Micro-ATX board delivers the same core capabilities in a tighter package — making the choice here entirely dependent on your chassis and expansion needs rather than any feature gap.

The MSI B850 Gaming Plus WiFi and the MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi both support a maximum memory capacity of 256GB, with 4 memory slots and DDR5 support. These two motherboards are identical in terms of their memory specifications, including the maximum RAM speed of 5600 MHz and the overclocked RAM speed of 8200 MHz. Both models operate with dual memory channels for enhanced performance, and neither supports ECC memory.

In summary, both motherboards offer the same memory features, providing users with similar performance capabilities when it comes to RAM capacity and speeds. There is no distinction in the memory specifications between the MSI B850 Gaming Plus WiFi and the MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi.

The MSI B850 Gaming Plus WiFi and the MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi differ in their USB port configurations. The B850 Gaming Plus WiFi has 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-A port, 1 USB 3.2 Gen 1 USB-A port, and 2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-C ports, along with 4 USB 2.0 ports. In contrast, the B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi offers 3 USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-A ports, 3 USB 3.2 Gen 1 USB-A ports, and 2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-C ports, but it does not have any USB 2.0 ports. Both motherboards support USB Type-C.

For display connectivity, the B850 Gaming Plus WiFi lacks an HDMI output but features a DisplayPort output. On the other hand, the B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi includes an HDMI output alongside the DisplayPort. Both models have 1 RJ45 port for Ethernet connectivity.

In terms of other ports, neither motherboard includes Thunderbolt 3 or 4, eSATA, DVI, or PS/2 ports. Additionally, both lack VGA connectors. Overall, while both motherboards offer a solid range of ports, the B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi provides more USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-A ports and an HDMI output, which may be a deciding factor depending on user needs.

The MSI B850 Gaming Plus WiFi and the MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi differ in several aspects of their connectors. Both motherboards provide 4 SATA 3 connectors, 4 USB 2.0 ports (through expansion), and a TPM connector. However, the B850 Gaming Plus WiFi offers more expansion options than the B850M model. It provides 4 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (through expansion), 4 USB 3.0 ports (through expansion), and 3 M.2 sockets. In comparison, the B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi has only 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (through expansion), 2 USB 3.0 ports (through expansion), and 2 M.2 sockets.

Additionally, the B850 Gaming Plus WiFi has 6 fan headers, compared to 5 on the B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi. Both motherboards lack U.2 and mSATA connectors, and neither provides any SATA 2 connectors.

Overall, the MSI B850 Gaming Plus WiFi offers a greater number of USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, M.2 sockets, and fan headers, which may be beneficial for users looking for more expansion and cooling options.

The MSI B850 Gaming Plus WiFi and the MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi differ in their expansion slot configurations. The B850 Gaming Plus WiFi has 1 PCIe 4.0 x16 slot and 1 PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, along with 2 PCIe x1 slots. In comparison, the B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi has 1 PCIe 5.0 x16 slot but no PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, and only 1 PCIe x1 slot. Additionally, the B850M model includes 1 PCIe x4 slot, which the B850 Gaming Plus WiFi lacks. Both motherboards do not have any PCI, PCIe 2.0 x16, or PCIe x8 slots.

In summary, the MSI B850 Gaming Plus WiFi offers more options for high-speed PCIe slots, with a PCIe 4.0 x16 slot in addition to the PCIe 5.0 x16 slot. On the other hand, the B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi provides a PCIe x4 slot, which might be useful for specific expansion cards.

Both the MSI B850 Gaming Plus WiFi and the MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi support 7.1 audio channels, offering high-quality surround sound for users. However, the two motherboards differ in their audio connectors and features. The B850 Gaming Plus WiFi has 2 audio connectors and includes an S/PDIF Out port, while the B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi has 3 audio connectors but does not feature an S/PDIF Out port.

In summary, while both motherboards provide the same 7.1 audio channels, the B850 Gaming Plus WiFi offers more advanced audio output with the inclusion of the S/PDIF Out port, whereas the B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi has an additional audio connector.

Both the MSI B850 Gaming Plus WiFi and the MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi support RAID 1 and RAID 0 configurations, allowing for data redundancy and improved performance, respectively. However, there is a difference in their RAID 10 support. The B850 Gaming Plus WiFi does not support RAID 10, while the B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi does, offering more flexibility for users seeking a combination of redundancy and performance. Neither motherboard supports RAID 5 or RAID 0+1.

In summary, the main difference in the storage capabilities of these two models is that the MSI B850M Gaming Plus Wi-Fi offers RAID 10 support, which the MSI B850 Gaming Plus WiFi lacks.