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ASRock B650 PG Lightning vs Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS: Comparison
What is the difference between ASRock B650 PG Lightning and Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS?
They are built to different briefs, and chipset shows it, ASRock B650 PG Lightning B650 against Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS Z890. Add m.2 slots to that, 3 on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus 4 on the Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS, and the pattern holds. There is a split on memory type as well, 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, dual-channel, DDR5-7200+ ,... on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus 4x DDR5 DIMM, dual-channel, up to 256GB, up to... on the Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS. They differ on oldest cpu family supported too, Ryzen 7000 on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus Core Ultra Series 2 on the Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS.
Which should you buy, ASRock B650 PG Lightning or Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS?
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 the pick for anyone who wants WiFi included without buying the separate variant and builds that want more than two M.2 slots. The Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS is the one to take for the most budget-conscious Core Ultra 200S Plus builds and buyers who don't need USB4, Wi-Fi, or premium audio, though it is not built for anyone who wants USB4 connectivity and buyers prioritizing audio quality or wireless networking.
What ASRock B650 PG Lightning and Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS have in common
The common ground is wider than the gap: memory slots, max memory, max memory capacity, form factor and cpu overclocking supported are identical here. They match on 9 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B650 PG Lightning and Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS differ on socket?
Yes. Socket reads AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus Intel Core Ultra Processors on the Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS.
Is the PCIe 5.0 Support the same on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning and Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS?
It is. Both are listed at Yes, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Platform
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- AMD
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- Intel
Model Number
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- B650 PG Lightning
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- Z890 D PLUS
Socket
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- Intel Core Ultra Processors (Series 2)
Form Factor
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- ATX
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- ATX
Chipset
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- B650
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- Z890
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Ryzen 9000
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- Core Ultra Series 2
Memory Type
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, dual-channel, DDR5-7200+ (OC), XMP/EXPO
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- 4x DDR5 DIMM, dual-channel, up to 256GB, up to 9466+ MT/s (OC), CUDIMM support
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Ryzen 7000
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- Core Ultra Series 2
CPU Overclocking Supported
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Yes
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- Yes
Memory Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- 4
Max Memory
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 256 GB
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- 256 GB
Board Width
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 305 mm
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- 244 mm
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3-25%
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- 4Best
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Yes
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- Yes
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- No
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- No
Max Memory Capacity
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 256 GB
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- 256 GB
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 7200 MT/s
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- 9466 MT/sBest
M.2 Slots Onboard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- 4
M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 1
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- 1
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- 3
SATA Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- 4
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- 3
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- PCIe 4.0
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- PCIe 5.0
Rear USB 5Gbps Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 7
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- 4
Rear USB 2.0 Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- 4
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 14
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- 12
EPS 12V Configuration
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Two 8-pin
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- Two 8-pin
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2.5 Gbps
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- 2.5 Gbps
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 1
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- 1
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- None
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- None
Audio Codec
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Realtek ALC897, 7.1-channel HD Audio with Nahimic
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- Realtek HD Audio codec, 2/4/5.1-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)
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- 1x PCIe 5.0 x16 (CPU), 2x PCIe 4.0 x16 running at x4 (chipset)
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 Z890 D PLUS
- 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C rear (No USB4), 1x DisplayPort
Networking
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5GbE LAN (no built-in Wi-Fi)
- Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS
- Realtek 2.5GbE LAN (No Onboard Wi-Fi)
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 Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS if you want the higher M.2 slots (4 vs 3).
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASRock B650 PG Lightning | Gigabyte Z890 D PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon | |
| 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.