Consumercarts is reader-supported. Learn more
ASRock B650 PG Lightning vs Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX: Comparison
ASRock B650 PG Lightning vs Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX networking compared
The first real difference is networking: ASRock B650 PG Lightning Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5GbE LAN against Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX Realtek 2.5GbE LAN, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5. Rear usb 5gbps ports is not the same on both, 7 on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus 5 on the Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX. They differ on wi-fi standard too, None on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus Wi-Fi 6E on the Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX. They differ on audio codec too, Realtek ALC897, 7.1-channel HD Audio with Nahimic on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus Realtek codec, 8-channel HD Audio on the Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX.
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 the wrong buy for anyone who wants WiFi included without buying the separate variant and builds that want more than two M.2 slots. Buy the Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX for budget-to-mainstream AM5 builds that want a proven, well-supported board and builders who don't need PCIe 5.0 GPU support, though it is not built for builders who specifically want a PCIe 5.0 x16 GPU slot and anyone who wants Wi-Fi 7 instead of Wi-Fi 6E.
Where the two are identical
Where they agree, they agree completely, chipset, socket, memory slots, max memory and max memory capacity included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 13 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B650 PG Lightning and Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX differ on memory type?
Yes. Memory Type reads 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, dual-channel, DDR5-7200+ ,... on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, up to 8000... on the Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX.
Is the Form Factor the same on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning and Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX?
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
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- AMD
Model Number
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- B650 PG Lightning
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- B650 AORUS ELITE AX
Socket
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
Form Factor
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- ATX
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- ATX
Chipset
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- B650
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- B650
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Ryzen 9000
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- Ryzen 9000
Memory Type
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, dual-channel, DDR5-7200+ (OC), XMP/EXPO
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, up to 8000 MT/s (OC)
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Ryzen 7000
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- Ryzen 7000
CPU Overclocking Supported
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Yes
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- Yes
Memory Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- 4
Max Memory
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 256 GB
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- 256 GB
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- 3
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Yes
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- No
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- No
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- Yes
Max Memory Capacity
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 256 GB
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- 256 GB
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 7200 MT/s
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- 8000 MT/sBest
M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 1
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- 1
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- 2
SATA Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- 4
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- 1
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- PCIe 4.0
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- PCIe 4.0
Rear USB 5Gbps Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 7
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- 5
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 14
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- 14
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2.5 Gbps
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- 2.5 Gbps
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 1
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- 1
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- None
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- Wi-Fi 6E
Audio Codec
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Realtek ALC897, 7.1-channel HD Audio with Nahimic
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- Realtek codec, 8-channel HD Audio
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)
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- 1x PCIe 4.0 x16, 2x 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
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- 4x SATA 6Gb/s, USB 3.2
Networking
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5GbE LAN (no built-in Wi-Fi)
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- Realtek 2.5GbE LAN, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5
Special Features
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3x M.2 total (1x Gen5, 1x Gen4, 1x Gen4x2)
- Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX
- 3x M.2 (2x CPU, 1x chipset)
Which one should you pick?
Choose ASRock B650 PG Lightning if you want the higher memory slots (4 vs 4), the higher max memory (256 GB vs 256 GB) and the higher M.2 slots (3 vs 3).
Choose Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASRock B650 PG Lightning | Gigabyte B650 AORUS ELITE AX |
|---|---|---|
| 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.