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ASRock B650 PG Lightning vs ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero: Comparison
ASRock B650 PG Lightning vs ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero: the chipset difference
Chipset is the dividing line, ASRock B650 PG Lightning B650 against ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero Z590. Add m.2 slots to that, 3 on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus 4 on the ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero, and the pattern holds. Memory type is not the same on both, 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, dual-channel, DDR5-7200+ ,... on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus 4x DDR4 DIMM, up to 128GB, up to DDR4-5333 on the ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero.
Who each one is for
The ASRock B650 PG Lightning is the one to take for the most budget-conscious full-ATX AM5 builds and builders who don't need built-in WiFi, though it is not the pick for anyone who wants WiFi included without buying the separate variant and builds that want more than two M.2 slots. The ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero suits enthusiasts completing a high-end LGA1200 system, though it is the wrong buy for budget-first LGA1200 builds. The same goes for builders who want the best available 11th/10th Gen Intel board with Thunderbolt 4. It is not the one for new builds better served by a current-generation Intel or AMD platform.
Where the two are identical
Everything else lines up. Memory slots, form factor, cpu overclocking supported, primary graphics slot gen and vcore power stages read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 2 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B650 PG Lightning and ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero differ on socket?
Yes. Socket reads AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus Intel 11th / 10th Gen Core, Pentium Gold, Celeron on the ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero.
Is the EPS 12V Configuration the same on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning and ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero?
It is. Both are listed at Two 8-pin, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Platform
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- AMD
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Intel
Model Number
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- B650 PG Lightning
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- ROG Maximus XIII Hero (WiFi 6E)
Socket
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Intel 11th / 10th Gen Core, Pentium Gold, Celeron
Form Factor
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- ATX
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- ATX
Chipset
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- B650
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Z590
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Ryzen 9000
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Core 13th Gen
Memory Type
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, dual-channel, DDR5-7200+ (OC), XMP/EXPO
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 4x DDR4 DIMM, up to 128GB, up to DDR4-5333 (OC)
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Ryzen 7000
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Core 10th Gen
CPU Overclocking Supported
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Yes
Memory Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 4
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3-25%
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 4Best
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- No
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- No
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Yes
Max Memory Capacity
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 256 GBBest
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 128 GB
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 7200 MT/sBest
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 5333 MT/s
M.2 Slots Onboard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 4
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 1
SATA Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 6
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 3
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- PCIe 4.0
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- PCIe 4.0
Rear USB 2.0 Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 2
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 14
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 14
EPS 12V Configuration
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Two 8-pin
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Two 8-pin
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2.5 Gbps
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 2.5 Gbps
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 1
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 2
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- None
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Wi-Fi 6E
Audio Codec
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Realtek ALC897, 7.1-channel HD Audio with Nahimic
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- ROG SupremeFX 7.1 Surround Sound HD Audio CODEC ALC4082 with ESS SABRE9018Q2C DAC/AMP
Expansion
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2x PCIe 4.0 x16 (2nd slot at x2), 2x PCIe 4.0 x1; 1x M.2 PCIe 5.0 x4, 1x M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4, 1x M.2 PCIe 4.0 x2; 4x SATA III; 1x M.2 Key-E (Wi-Fi)
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 2x PCIe 4.0/3.0 x16 + 1x PCIe 3.0 x16 (x4) + 1x PCIe 3.0 x1
Connectivity
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 1x Rear USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C (20Gbps), 7x Rear USB 3.2 Gen1 (5Gbps), 4x Rear USB 2.0
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Thunderbolt 4 onboard
Networking
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5GbE LAN (no built-in Wi-Fi)
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 2x Intel 2.5Gb LAN, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Special Features
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3x M.2 total (1x Gen5, 1x Gen4, 1x Gen4x2)
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 4x M.2/NVMe SSD slots
Which one should you pick?
Choose ASRock B650 PG Lightning if you want the higher memory slots (4 vs 4).
Choose ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero if you want the higher M.2 slots (4 vs 3).
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASRock B650 PG Lightning | ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon | |
| Newegg | View on Newegg | View on Newegg |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.