Asus TUF Gaming B650E-Plus Wi-Fi

Name: Asus TUF Gaming B650E-Plus Wi-Fi
Brand: Asus
SKU: 3358

Manufacturer: Asus

The Asus TUF Gaming B650E-Plus Wi-Fi is an ATX-form-factor motherboard built around AMD's AM5 socket and B650 chipset. It supports Wi-Fi 6E connectivity alongside Bluetooth 5.3, and includes RGB lighting as well as HDMI 2.1 output. The board carries a three-year warranty and is noted as easy to overclock.

On the memory side, it accommodates up to 256GB of DDR5 across four slots in a dual-channel configuration, with overclocked speeds reaching 8000 MHz. Expansion options include one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, while storage is served by three M.2 sockets, four SATA 3 connectors, and full RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 support. The rear panel provides three USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, one USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port, six USB 2.0 ports, and a single RJ45 jack, complemented by a 7.1-channel audio solution rated at 120 dB signal-to-noise ratio.

Pros

Supports PCIe 5.0 x16, enabling compatibility with the latest high-bandwidth expansion cards
Three M.2 sockets provide ample room for fast NVMe storage without consuming SATA ports
Wi-Fi 6E support ensures access to the latest wireless standard for reduced congestion and wider bandwidth
DDR5 memory with overclocked speeds up to 8000 MHz and a maximum capacity of 256GB across four slots
Full RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 support offers flexible storage redundancy and performance configurations
7.1-channel audio with a 120 dB signal-to-noise ratio delivers clean onboard sound for analog setups

Cons

No TPM connector limits hardware-based security module integration
Lacks a dedicated BIOS reset button, making recovery from a failed BIOS update more cumbersome
No USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C rear port limits high-speed connectivity for newer Type-C peripherals at the back panel
ECC memory is not supported, ruling out use in workloads that require error-correcting RAM
No S/PDIF Out port restricts digital audio output options for home theater or external DAC setups
Dual BIOS is absent, removing a common failsafe for motherboard firmware recovery

Who is this for?

This motherboard is well-suited to users building a capable AM5-based desktop system who want room to grow, particularly those planning to install high-speed NVMe storage across multiple M.2 slots or take advantage of the PCIe 5.0 x16 slot for the latest expansion cards. The support for DDR5 memory up to 256GB at overclocked speeds makes it a solid fit for content creators or power users who run memory-intensive workloads, while the inclusion of Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 suits those who prefer a wireless-first setup without relying on add-in cards. The full RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 support also makes it a reasonable choice for users who need flexible multi-drive storage configurations on a mainstream platform.

Who is this NOT for?

Users with strict hardware security requirements will find this board limiting, as it lacks a TPM connector and does not support ECC memory, making it unsuitable for workstation or server environments where data integrity is critical. Those who rely on digital audio output via S/PDIF for home theater setups or external DACs will need to look elsewhere, as that port is absent. Additionally, the lack of dual BIOS and a clear CMOS button makes this board less forgiving for inexperienced users who frequently experiment with BIOS settings, as recovery from a failed firmware update becomes a more involved process.

General info:

CPU socket	AM5
chipset	B650
form factor	ATX
supports Wi-Fi	✓
Wi-Fi version	Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
Has Bluetooth	✓
Bluetooth version	5.3
HDMI version	HDMI 2.1
Easy to overclock	✓
has RGB lighting	✓
Easy to reset BIOS	✕
Has dual BIOS	✕
has aptX	✕
CPU sockets	1
Has integrated graphics	✕
warranty period	3 years
height	244 mm
width	305 mm
Has integrated CPU	✕

The Asus TUF Gaming B650E-Plus Wi-Fi is built around the AM5 socket with a B650 chipset and follows the standard ATX form factor, measuring 305 mm wide and 244 mm tall. It comes with built-in Wi-Fi spanning versions 4 through 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, though aptX audio codec support is not included. The board features RGB lighting and is designed to be easy to overclock, while a dedicated BIOS reset button and dual BIOS are absent. Video output is handled via an HDMI 2.1 port, though no integrated graphics or integrated CPU are present on the board itself. There is a single CPU socket, no support for a second processor, and the product comes backed by a 3-year warranty.

Memory:

maximum memory amount	256GB
overclocked RAM speed	8000 MHz
memory slots	4
DDR memory version	5
memory channels	2
Supports ECC memory	✕

This motherboard supports DDR5 memory across four slots in a dual-channel configuration, with a maximum capacity of 256GB. Overclocked RAM speeds can reach up to 8000 MHz, offering headroom for high-frequency memory kits. ECC memory is not supported on this board.

Ports:

USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-A)	3
USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (USB-A)	0
USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-C)	0
USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (USB-C)	0
USB 2.0 ports	6
USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports	1
USB 4 40Gbps ports	0
USB 4 20Gbps ports	0
Thunderbolt 4 ports	0
Thunderbolt 3 ports	0
has an HDMI output	✓
DisplayPort outputs	1
RJ45 ports	1
Has USB Type-C	✓
eSATA ports	0
DVI outputs	0
has a VGA connector	✕
PS/2 ports	0

The rear I/O panel provides three USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports and one USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C port, alongside six USB 2.0 ports for legacy device connectivity. There are no USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports in either Type-A or Type-C form, and USB 4 as well as Thunderbolt 3 and 4 are absent. Display output is covered by one HDMI port and one DisplayPort output, while VGA, DVI, and eSATA connectors are not present. Networking is handled by a single RJ45 port, and there are no PS/2 connectors on the board.

Connectors:

USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (through expansion)	2
USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports (through expansion)	1
USB 2.0 ports (through expansion)	4
SATA 3 connectors	4
fan headers	6
USB 3.0 ports (through expansion)	2
M.2 sockets	3
Has TPM connector	✕
U.2 sockets	0
Has mSATA connector	✕
SATA 2 connectors	0

For internal expansion, the board offers two USB 3.2 Gen 1 headers, one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 header, and four USB 2.0 headers, along with two additional USB 3.0 expansion ports. Storage connectivity is provided through three M.2 sockets and four SATA 3 connectors, while SATA 2, mSATA, and U.2 are not available. Cooling is well covered with six fan headers on board. A TPM connector is not included on this model.

Expansion slots:

PCIe 4.0 x16 slots	1
PCIe 5.0 x16 slots	1
PCIe 3.0 x16 slots	0
PCIe x1 slots	2
PCI slots	0
PCIe 2.0 x16 slots	0
PCIe x8 slots	0

The board features one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot for full-sized expansion cards, complemented by two PCIe x1 slots for smaller add-in cards. There are no PCIe 2.0 x16, PCIe 3.0 x16, PCIe x8, or legacy PCI slots present on this motherboard.

Audio:

Signal-to-Noise ratio (DAC)	120 dB
audio channels	7.1
Has S/PDIF Out port	✕
audio connectors	5

The onboard audio solution supports 7.1-channel output and delivers a signal-to-noise ratio of 120 dB from the DAC, with five audio connectors available for analog connections. An S/PDIF Out port is not included on this board.

Storage:

Supports RAID 1	✓
Supports RAID 10 (1+0)	✓
Supports RAID 5	✓
Supports RAID 0	✓
Supports RAID 0+1	✕

The board supports a broad range of RAID configurations, including RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10, covering needs from performance striping to mirroring and combined redundancy setups. RAID 0+1 is not supported.

Final Verdict

The Asus TUF Gaming B650E-Plus Wi-Fi is a well-specified ATX motherboard that covers the essentials for an AM5-based build with meaningful headroom for demanding use cases. Its PCIe 5.0 x16 slot combined with three M.2 sockets and DDR5 support up to 256GB gives it a solid foundation for users who want a platform capable of handling current and near-future hardware without compromise. While the absence of ECC support, a TPM connector, and dual BIOS keeps it firmly in the mainstream rather than workstation territory, these trade-offs are unlikely to affect the majority of its intended audience. For users seeking a feature-complete AM5 motherboard with Wi-Fi 6E, versatile storage options, and broad RAID support, this board delivers a coherent and capable package.