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ASRock B650 PG Lightning vs ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi: Comparison
ASRock B650 PG Lightning vs ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi chipset compared
The first real difference is chipset: ASRock B650 PG Lightning B650 against ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi B850. They differ on wi-fi onboard too, No on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus Yes on the ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi. There is a split on primary graphics slot gen as well, PCIe 4.0 on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus PCIe 5.0 on the ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi. Rear usb 5gbps ports is not the same on both, 7 on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus 4 on the ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi. They differ on rear usb 2.0 ports too, 4 on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus 2 on the ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi.
ASRock B650 PG Lightning vs ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi: which one fits your build
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 the wrong buy for anyone who wants WiFi included without buying the separate variant and builds that want more than two M.2 slots. The ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi suits builders who prioritize TUF's component durability certification and mainstream B850 builds that want Wi-Fi 7 included, though it is not built for gamers who want RGB styling and ROG software and builds that need more than three M.2 slots.
Where the two are identical
The common ground is wider than the gap: socket, memory slots, max memory capacity, m.2 slots and m.2 slots onboard are identical here. They match on 14 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B650 PG Lightning and ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi differ on networking?
Yes. Networking reads Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5GbE LAN on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus Realtek 2.5Gb LAN, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 on the ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi.
Is the Form Factor the same on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning and ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi?
It is. Both are listed at ATX, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Platform
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- AMD
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- AMD
Model Number
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- B650 PG Lightning
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
Socket
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
Form Factor
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- ATX
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- ATX
Chipset
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- B650
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- B850
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Ryzen 9000
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
Memory Type
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, dual-channel, DDR5-7200+ (OC), XMP/EXPO
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, up to 8000+ MT/s (OC)
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Ryzen 7000
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
CPU Overclocking Supported
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Yes
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- Yes
Memory Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- 4
Board Width
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 305 mm
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- 244 mm
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- 3
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Yes
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- Yes
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- No
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- Yes
Max Memory Capacity
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 256 GB
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- 256 GB
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 7200 MT/s
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- 8000 MT/sBest
M.2 Slots Onboard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- 3
M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 1
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- 1
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- 2
SATA Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- 4
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- 2
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- PCIe 4.0
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
Rear USB 20Gbps Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 1
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- 1
Rear USB 5Gbps Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 7
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- 4
Rear USB 2.0 Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- 2
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 14
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- TUF military-grade certified (phase count not officially disclosed)
EPS 12V Configuration
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Two 8-pin
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- Two 8-pin
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2.5 Gbps
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 1
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- 1
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- None
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- Wi-Fi 7
Audio Codec
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Realtek ALC897, 7.1-channel HD Audio with Nahimic
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- Realtek ALC1220P, 7.1-channel
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 TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- PCIe 5.0 x16 + PCIe 4.0 x16 (x4) + 2x PCIe 4.0 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 TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- 1x rear USB 20Gbps Type-C, 3x rear USB 10Gbps Type-A, 4x rear USB 5Gbps, 2x rear USB 2.0; front USB 10Gbps Type-C header
Networking
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5GbE LAN (no built-in Wi-Fi)
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- Realtek 2.5Gb LAN, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Special Features
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3x M.2 total (1x Gen5, 1x Gen4, 1x Gen4x2)
- ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- 3x M.2 (1x Gen5 CPU-attached, 2x Gen4 chipset), 4x SATA 6Gb/s
Which one should you pick?
Choose ASRock B650 PG Lightning if you want the higher memory slots (4 vs 4) and the higher M.2 slots (3 vs 3).
Choose ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASRock B650 PG Lightning | ASUS TUF Gaming B850-Plus 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.