MSI MAG B860 Tomahawk WiFi

Manufacturer: MSI

The MSI MAG B860 Tomahawk WiFi is an ATX form factor motherboard built around Intel's LGA 1851 socket and the B860 chipset. It ships with integrated Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) and Bluetooth 5.4, making wired-only network adapters unnecessary for most builds. The board includes RGB lighting, a dual BIOS setup for straightforward firmware recovery, and a clear CMOS button for quick resets — details that reflect a design oriented toward accessible system configuration. A 3-year warranty rounds out the package.

On the memory side, the board provides four DDR5 slots across two channels, supporting up to 256 GB at a rated maximum of 6400 MHz or up to 9200 MHz with overclocking. Expansion is handled by two PCIe 5.0 x16 slots alongside a single PCIe x1 slot, while storage connectivity includes three M.2 sockets and four SATA 3 ports with support for RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10. The rear panel carries four USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, one USB 4 40 Gbps port, one Thunderbolt 4 port, HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort outputs, and a 7.1-channel audio stack with S/PDIF out.

Pros

Supports Wi-Fi 7 alongside all previous Wi-Fi generations down to Wi-Fi 4, covering a wide range of wireless standards without needing an add-in card
Dual BIOS and a clear CMOS button provide straightforward options for firmware recovery and BIOS resets
Four DDR5 slots with overclocked RAM speeds reaching up to 9200 MHz offer considerable memory headroom for demanding workloads
Three M.2 sockets combined with four SATA 3 connectors give flexible storage configuration options
A Thunderbolt 4 port and a USB 4 40Gbps port on the rear panel enable high-bandwidth connections for compatible devices
Seven fan headers allow for thorough cooling control across a range of system builds

Cons

ECC memory is not supported, limiting suitability for workstation or server use cases that require error-corrected RAM
No USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports are available on the rear panel, leaving only Gen 2 and USB 2.0 as the Type-A rear options
Only two audio connectors are present on the board, which may be limiting for setups requiring more physical audio jack outputs
RAID 0+1 configuration is not supported, reducing flexibility for certain multi-drive redundancy setups
No integrated graphics support means a discrete GPU is required even for basic display output

Who is this for?

This board is a solid fit for users building a capable consumer desktop around Intel's LGA 1851 platform who want extensive wireless connectivity without relying on add-in cards — Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 are both onboard. The combination of three M.2 sockets, four SATA 3 ports, and support for RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 makes it well-suited to users who need flexible multi-drive storage configurations. The dual BIOS, clear CMOS button, and overclocking support up to 9200 MHz DDR5 also make it a reasonable choice for enthusiasts who want some headroom to tune their system without getting into overly complex territory.

Who is this NOT for?

This board is not suited to professional or enterprise environments that require ECC memory support, as it explicitly lacks that capability, ruling it out for workloads where memory error correction matters. Users who need integrated graphics as a fallback — such as those troubleshooting display issues without a discrete GPU, or building a compact system without a dedicated card — will find it inadequate since no onboard graphics are available. Additionally, the absence of legacy ports like PS/2, eSATA, DVI, and VGA means it is a poor fit for anyone relying on older peripheral equipment or display hardware.

General info:

CPU socket	LGA 1851
chipset	B860
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), Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
Has Bluetooth	✓
Bluetooth version	5.4
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	243.8 mm
width	304.8 mm
Has integrated CPU	✕

The MSI MAG B860 Tomahawk WiFi uses a single LGA 1851 socket paired with the B860 chipset and follows the standard ATX form factor, measuring 304.8 mm wide by 243.8 mm tall. It does not include an integrated CPU or onboard graphics, so a discrete processor and GPU are required. Wireless connectivity is well covered, with built-in support spanning Wi-Fi 4 through Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) alongside Bluetooth 5.4, though aptX audio codec support is absent. The board features RGB lighting, a dual BIOS for firmware resilience, a clear CMOS button for easy BIOS resets, and is noted as straightforward to overclock. Video output is handled via an HDMI 2.1 port, and the board carries a 3-year warranty.

Memory:

maximum memory amount	256GB
RAM speed (max)	6400 MHz
overclocked RAM speed	9200 MHz
memory slots	4
DDR memory version	5
memory channels	2
Supports ECC memory	✕

The board supports DDR5 memory across four slots arranged in a dual-channel configuration, with a maximum capacity of 256 GB. Standard rated speeds reach up to 6400 MHz, while overclocking can push that figure to 9200 MHz. ECC memory is not supported, making this configuration suited to consumer rather than workstation or server use cases.

Ports:

USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-A)	4
USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (USB-A)	0
USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-C)	1
USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (USB-C)	0
USB 2.0 ports	4
USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ports	0
USB 4 40Gbps ports	1
USB 4 20Gbps ports	0
Thunderbolt 4 ports	1
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 panel offers a broad range of connectivity, starting with four USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports and four USB 2.0 ports for general peripherals, alongside one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port. High-speed options include one USB 4 40Gbps port and one Thunderbolt 4 port, while USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, USB 4 20Gbps, and Thunderbolt 3 are absent. Display output is handled by an HDMI port and one DisplayPort, with no DVI or VGA connectors present. Networking is covered by a single RJ45 port, and there are no eSATA or PS/2 ports on this 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	7
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

Internal connectivity is well provisioned, with three M.2 sockets and four SATA 3 connectors available for storage devices, while SATA 2, mSATA, and U.2 options are not present. USB expansion headers include two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port, and four USB 2.0 ports, all accessible through case or accessory connections. Cooling is supported by seven fan headers, and a TPM connector is included for security module use.

Expansion slots:

PCIe 4.0 x16 slots	0
PCIe 5.0 x16 slots	2
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

The board provides two PCIe 5.0 x16 slots as its primary expansion options, complemented by a single PCIe x1 slot for smaller add-in cards. There are no PCIe 4.0, 3.0, or 2.0 x16 slots, and no PCIe x4, x8, or legacy PCI slots are present, keeping the layout focused on current-generation high-bandwidth expansion.

Audio:

audio channels	7.1
Has S/PDIF Out port	✓
audio connectors	2

The board supports 7.1-channel audio output and includes an S/PDIF Out port for digital audio passthrough to external receivers or DACs. Physical audio connectivity is provided through two onboard audio connectors.

Storage:

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

The board supports RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 (1+0) configurations, covering a range of performance and redundancy setups for multi-drive arrays. RAID 0+1 is not supported.

Final Verdict

The MSI MAG B860 Tomahawk WiFi is a well-specified ATX motherboard that covers the essentials of a modern consumer Intel build without overreaching. Its Wi-Fi 7 support, DDR5 overclocking headroom up to 9200 MHz, and a strong port selection including Thunderbolt 4 make it a capable platform for enthusiast desktop builds where wireless connectivity and storage flexibility matter. The absence of ECC support and integrated graphics keeps it firmly in the consumer space, but within that scope it delivers a coherent feature set backed by dual BIOS, seven fan headers, and broad RAID support. For users building around the LGA 1851 platform who want a reliable, feature-complete board without venturing into workstation territory, the MAG B860 Tomahawk WiFi presents a well-rounded option.