Gigabyte B650M Gaming Plus WiFi

Name: Gigabyte B650M Gaming Plus WiFi
Brand: Gigabyte
SKU: 1693

Manufacturer: Gigabyte

The Gigabyte B650M Gaming Plus WiFi is a Micro-ATX motherboard built around AMD's AM5 platform, making it a practical option for those working with the B650 chipset. It carries a dual BIOS implementation for added reliability during firmware updates, and the board ships with integrated Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.3, covering wireless connectivity without requiring an add-in card. The board measures 244 mm × 244 mm and comes backed by a three-year warranty.

On the memory side, the board provides four DDR5 slots across two channels, supporting speeds up to 5200 MHz natively and up to 8000 MHz with overclocking, with a ceiling of 256GB total capacity. Storage options include two M.2 sockets, four SATA 3 connectors, and RAID 0, 1, and 10 support. The rear I/O offers three USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port, two USB 2.0 ports, dual DisplayPort outputs, and an HDMI 2.1 connector. Expansion is handled through one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot and one PCIe x1 slot, while onboard audio runs at 7.1 channels across three audio connectors.

Pros

Dual BIOS provides a fallback option if a firmware update fails or corrupts the primary BIOS
Wi-Fi 6E support covers the latest wireless standard without needing an add-in card
DDR5 memory support with overclocked speeds up to 8000 MHz allows significant headroom for memory tuning
Four memory slots with a 256GB ceiling offer generous capacity expansion for the Micro-ATX form factor
RAID 0, 1, and 10 support gives useful flexibility for both performance-focused and redundancy-oriented storage setups
Three-year warranty provides a longer coverage period than the typical two-year offering in this category

Cons

Only three fan headers limits thermal management options in more demanding builds
No USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports on the rear I/O means all rear USB connections are capped at Gen 1 speeds
A single PCIe 4.0 x16 slot and one PCIe x1 slot leave little room for multi-card or high-bandwidth expansion
S/PDIF Out is absent, removing the option for digital optical audio output
No tool-free CMOS reset makes BIOS recovery slightly more involved
RAID 5 is not supported, limiting options for parity-based redundancy across larger drive arrays

Who is this for?

This board suits builders assembling a compact AMD desktop around the AM5 platform who want capable wireless connectivity and memory performance without stepping up to a full ATX footprint. The inclusion of Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 makes it a practical fit for setups where running ethernet cables is impractical. Users who plan to tune their system will appreciate the overclocking support and DDR5 headroom up to 8000 MHz, while the dual BIOS adds a layer of safety for those who intend to experiment with firmware settings. The RAID 0, 1, and 10 support also makes it workable for home users or small workstation builds that require basic drive redundancy.

Who is this NOT for?

This board is a poor match for users who need high-bandwidth USB connectivity, as the rear I/O lacks USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports entirely, which can be a bottleneck for fast external drives or docking stations. Those planning multi-GPU setups or needing several high-speed expansion cards will find the single PCIe 4.0 x16 slot and one PCIe x1 slot too restrictive. It is also not well suited to workstation or server environments that rely on ECC memory for data integrity, as ECC support is absent. Additionally, the limited fan headers make this board a less comfortable choice for thermally demanding builds that require more granular cooling control.

General info:

CPU socket	AM5
chipset	B650
form factor	Micro-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	244 mm
Has integrated CPU	✕

The Gigabyte B650M Gaming Plus WiFi uses the AM5 socket with B650 chipset compatibility and comes in a Micro-ATX form factor, measuring 244 mm × 244 mm. It supports Wi-Fi across multiple generations — 802.11n, 802.11ac, and up to Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) — alongside Bluetooth 5.3, though aptX audio codec support is not included. The board features dual BIOS for firmware redundancy and supports overclocking, while HDMI 2.1 is available for display output. It does not include integrated graphics, an integrated CPU, or RGB lighting, and the CMOS reset process is not tool-free. A single CPU socket is present, and the board carries a three-year warranty.

Memory:

maximum memory amount	256GB
RAM speed (max)	5200 MHz
overclocked RAM speed	8000 MHz
memory slots	4
DDR memory version	5
memory channels	2
Supports ECC memory	✕

The board supports DDR5 memory across four slots in a dual-channel configuration, with a maximum capacity of 256GB. Native RAM speeds reach up to 5200 MHz, and with overclocking that ceiling extends to 8000 MHz. ECC memory is not supported.

Ports:

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

The rear I/O provides three USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports and one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port, alongside two USB 2.0 ports; there are no USB 3.2 Gen 2, USB 4, Thunderbolt 3, or Thunderbolt 4 ports present. Display output is handled through one HDMI port and two DisplayPort outputs, while DVI and VGA connectors are absent. Networking is covered by a single RJ45 port, and a PS/2 port is also included. eSATA is not available on this board.

Connectors:

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

Internal connectivity includes two M.2 sockets and four SATA 3 connectors for storage, while SATA 2, U.2, and mSATA are not available. For USB expansion, the board offers two USB 3.2 Gen 1 headers and four USB 2.0 headers, with an additional two USB 3.0 expansion ports. Cooling is supported through three fan headers, and a TPM connector is present for security module integration.

Expansion slots:

PCIe 4.0 x16 slots	1
PCIe 5.0 x16 slots	0
PCIe 3.0 x16 slots	0
PCIe x1 slots	1
PCI slots	0
PCIe 2.0 x16 slots	0
PCIe x4 slots	0
PCIe x8 slots	0

Expansion options are modest, as expected from a Micro-ATX board: one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot is available for a primary graphics card or similar full-bandwidth card, accompanied by one PCIe x1 slot for lower-bandwidth add-in cards. There are no PCIe 5.0, PCIe 3.0, PCIe 2.0, PCIe x4, PCIe x8, or legacy PCI slots on this board.

Audio:

audio channels	7.1
Has S/PDIF Out port	✕
audio connectors	3

The board's audio implementation supports 7.1-channel output through three analog audio connectors. A S/PDIF Out port is not included.

Storage:

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

The board supports RAID 0, RAID 1, and RAID 10 (1+0) configurations for drive arrays, offering flexibility for both performance and redundancy setups. RAID 5 and RAID 0+1 are not supported.

Final Verdict

The Gigabyte B650M Gaming Plus WiFi is a focused Micro-ATX motherboard that delivers a well-rounded AM5 platform experience within its form factor constraints. Its Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, DDR5 support with overclocking capability up to 8000 MHz, and dual BIOS make it a dependable choice for compact desktop builds where wireless convenience and memory tuning matter. The board does carry notable limitations — particularly around USB speed options and expansion slot count — meaning it serves a defined audience rather than a universal one. For builders seeking a space-efficient AMD setup with solid wireless and memory headroom, it represents a coherent and well-specified option; those with more demanding connectivity or multi-card requirements will need to look beyond what this board can offer.