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ASRock B650 PG Lightning vs MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi: Comparison
ASRock B650 PG Lightning vs MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi max memory compared
The gap that matters here is max memory: ASRock B650 PG Lightning 256 GB against MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi 128 GB, which puts ASRock B650 PG Lightning 50% ahead. Add m.2 slots to that, 3 on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus 2 on the MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi, 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, dual-channel, up to 128GB, up to... on the MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi.
ASRock B650 PG Lightning vs MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi: which one fits your build
Buy the ASRock B650 PG Lightning for 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. The MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi is the one to take for AM4 builders who prioritize MSI's military-class component certification and mid-range Ryzen 5000 builds completing an existing system, though it is not the pick for anyone who wants Wi-Fi 6 or faster wired networking and new builds better served by AM5.
Where the two are identical
Where they agree, they agree completely, memory slots, form factor, platform, m.2 pcie 4.0 slots and pcie x16 slots included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 3 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B650 PG Lightning and MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi differ on chipset?
Yes. Chipset reads B650 on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus X570 on the MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi.
Is the Primary Graphics Slot Gen the same on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning and MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi?
It is. Both are listed at PCIe 4.0, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Platform
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- AMD
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- AMD
Model Number
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- B650 PG Lightning
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
Socket
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 5000 / 3000 / 2000 series, Ryzen 4000 G-Series
Form Factor
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- ATX
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- ATX
Chipset
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- B650
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- X570
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Ryzen 9000
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- Ryzen 5000
Memory Type
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, dual-channel, DDR5-7200+ (OC), XMP/EXPO
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- 4x DDR4 DIMM, dual-channel, up to 128GB, up to 4600+ MT/s (A-XMP OC, 3rd Gen Ryzen)
Memory Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- 4
Max Memory
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 256 GBBest
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- 128 GB-50%
Board Width
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 305 mm
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- 244 mm
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3Best
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- 2-33%
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Yes
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- No
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- No
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- Yes
Max Memory Capacity
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 256 GBBest
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- 128 GB
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 7200 MT/sBest
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- 4600 MT/s
M.2 Slots Onboard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- 2
M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 1
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- 0
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- 2
SATA Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- 6
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- 2
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- PCIe 4.0
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- PCIe 4.0
Rear USB 20Gbps Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 1
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- 0
Rear USB 5Gbps Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 7
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- 2
Rear USB 2.0 Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- 2
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 14
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- Digital PWM IC
EPS 12V Configuration
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Two 8-pin
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- 8-pin plus 4-pin
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2.5 Gbps
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 1
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- 1
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- None
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- Wi-Fi 6
Audio Codec
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Realtek ALC897, 7.1-channel HD Audio with Nahimic
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- Realtek ALC1200
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)
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- 1x PCIe 4.0 x16, 1x PCIe 4.0 x4 (x16 physical), 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
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- HDMI 1.4, rear USB 10Gbps Type-C
Networking
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5GbE LAN (no built-in Wi-Fi)
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- Realtek 8125B 2.5G LAN, Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200, Bluetooth 5.2
Special Features
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3x M.2 total (1x Gen5, 1x Gen4, 1x Gen4x2)
- MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi
- 2x M.2 (PCIe 4.0 NVMe), M.2 Shield Frozr
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 128 GB) and the higher M.2 slots (3 vs 2).
Choose MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASRock B650 PG Lightning | MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi |
|---|---|---|
| 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.