Hey everyone! I'm considering some upgrades for my setup. I have a Ryzen 9 9900X and a Sapphire Nitro+ 9070 XT, and I'm on the lookout for a MATX motherboard. I found a B650 for $85 and a B850 for $160, but I'm unsure about whether the newer generation is worth the extra cash. Currently, I'm using a Gigabyte Aorus X670 Elite AX, but I want to switch to MATX since I don't really utilize the full capabilities of my X670. Can anyone help explain the differences between these two motherboards?
3 Answers
It really comes down to the specific boards you're looking at. Not all B650s and B850s are the same! If you're checking out the ASRock B650 PG Riptide and the ASRock B850 PG Riptide, just keep an eye on their detailed features and reviews.
The B650 could be perfectly fine for you, but I'm curious—why are you switching to MATX? Are you downsizing your rig, or just wanting a change?
Yeah, I’m downsizing! I currently have a full tower, and I'm pretty excited about switching to MATX. I got a Lian Li A3 Wood case in white and can't wait to set it up.
Honestly, there's not much difference between the B650 and B850 chipsets. Both have similar specs, but you really should check the individual motherboard features rather than just the chipset. For instance, required PCI-E 5.0 slots are a must in the B850, while they’re optional for B650. So, if you don't mind that, a B650 could be a solid choice. Just be wary of the quality of the specific boards, as cheaper ones might have worse power delivery and build quality. If you don't need the extra PCI-E lane, I'd look for a model that matches your needs without overspending.
Good point! I am looking at those specific models, so I'll dig into their features more closely.