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ASRock B650 PG Lightning vs ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi: Comparison
ASRock B650 PG Lightning vs ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi chipset compared
They are built to different briefs, and chipset shows it, ASRock B650 PG Lightning B650 against ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi B850. ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi also leads on m.2 slots, 3 on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus 4 on the ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi. There is a split on sata ports as well, 4 on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus 2 on the ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi. They differ on primary graphics slot gen too, PCIe 4.0 on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus PCIe 5.0 on the ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi.
Who each one is for
The ASRock B650 PG Lightning suits the most budget-conscious full-ATX AM5 builds and builders who don't need built-in WiFi, though it is not built for anyone who wants WiFi included without buying the separate variant and builds that want more than two M.2 slots. Buy the ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi for gamers who want ROG styling on a B850 budget and builds that want Wi-Fi 7 without X870E pricing, though it is not the pick for enthusiasts who need X870E-level VRM headroom and builds that want dual LAN.
Where the two are identical
Where they agree, they agree completely, socket, memory slots, max memory, form factor and platform included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 11 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B650 PG Lightning and ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi differ on networking?
Yes. Networking reads Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5GbE LAN on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus Intel 2.5GbE LAN, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 on the ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi.
Is the Newest CPU Family Supported the same on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning and ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi?
It is. Both are listed at Ryzen 9000, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Platform
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- AMD
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- AMD
Model Number
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- B650 PG Lightning
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
Socket
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
Form Factor
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- ATX
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- ATX
Chipset
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- B650
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- B850
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Ryzen 9000
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
Memory Type
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, dual-channel, DDR5-7200+ (OC), XMP/EXPO
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, up to 8000+ MT/s (OC)
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Ryzen 7000
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
CPU Overclocking Supported
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Memory Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- 4
Max Memory
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 256 GB
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- 256 GB
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3-25%
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- 4Best
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- No
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 7200 MT/s
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- 8000 MT/sBest
M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- 2
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- 2
SATA Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- 2
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- 2
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- PCIe 4.0
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
Rear USB 20Gbps Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- 1
Rear USB 5Gbps Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 7
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- 4
Rear USB 2.0 Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- 4
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 14
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- ASUS Extreme Engine Digi+ (phase count not officially disclosed)
EPS 12V Configuration
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Two 8-pin
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- Two 8-pin
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2.5 Gbps
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- 1
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- None
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- Wi-Fi 7
Audio Codec
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Realtek ALC897, 7.1-channel HD Audio with Nahimic
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- ROG SupremeFX ALC4080
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 Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- PCIe 5.0 x16 + PCIe 4.0 x16 (x4)
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 Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- USB 20Gbps Type-C, Aura Sync headers
Networking
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5GbE LAN (no built-in Wi-Fi)
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- Intel 2.5GbE LAN, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Special Features
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3x M.2 total (1x Gen5, 1x Gen4, 1x Gen4x2)
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- 4x M.2 (2x PCIe 5.0 CPU, 2x PCIe 4.0 chipset), PCIe 5.0 GPU slot
Which one should you pick?
Choose ASRock B650 PG Lightning if you want the higher memory slots (4 vs 4) and the higher max memory (256 GB vs 256 GB).
Choose ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi if you want the higher M.2 slots (4 vs 3).
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASRock B650 PG Lightning | ASUS ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on 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.