Hey everyone! I'm in the process of building my PC and I'm considering going with DDR5 RAM (starting with 2x16GB and later upgrading to 2x32GB) paired with a Ryzen 5 9600X. I've got an RTX 3070 and two M.2 NVMe SSDs for storage. I'm trying to decide between two MSI motherboards:
1. [MSI MAG B650 Tomahawk WiFi](https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/LwNxFT/msi-mag-b650-tomahawk-wifi-atx-am5-motherboard-mag-b650-tomahawk-wifi)
2. [MSI B650 Gaming Plus WiFi](https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/szfxFT/msi-b650-gaming-plus-wifi-atx-am5-motherboard-b650-gaming-plus-wifi)
I'd love to know the differences between the two and if there's a better option out there that's budget-friendly but still offers longevity. I'm having a tough time finding detailed info on both. Also, since I might be upgrading later, all suggestions are welcome! Thanks a lot! 😀
1 Answer
Here's a breakdown of the two MSI boards:
- **Optical Audio Out**: Tomahawk has it, Gaming Plus doesn't.
- **VRM Quality**: Tomahawk has better VRM, which is crucial for stability under load.
- **USB Ports**: Tomahawk offers 9 USB Type-A ports, while Gaming Plus has 7.
- **PCIe Slot**: The secondary PCIe slot on Tomahawk runs at 4x2, whereas Gaming Plus is at 4x4.
- **SATA Ports**: Tomahawk comes with 6 SATA ports compared to 4 on Gaming Plus.
- **M.2 Slots**: Tomahawk supports 3 M.2 devices, while Gaming Plus supports 2.
Overall, either board will work fine for your setup! If you’re looking for something more affordable, you might also consider the Asus Prime B650M-A AX II. Just note that it has slightly fewer features but supports your setup well!
Thanks for the info! I'm mainly looking to upgrade my cooling and PSU for better performance. Planning to switch to a 4090/50 series in the future!