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ASRock B650 PG Lightning vs MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi: Comparison
What is the difference between ASRock B650 PG Lightning and MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi?
The first real difference is chipset: ASRock B650 PG Lightning B650 against MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi Z790. MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi also leads on m.2 slots, 3 on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus 4 on the MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi. 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 DDR5, up to 256GB, up to 7200+ MT/s on the MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi. There is a split on oldest cpu family supported as well, Ryzen 7000 on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus Core 12th Gen on the MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk 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 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 MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi for mainstream LGA1700 builders who want MSI's Frozr thermal design and builds that don't need flagship-tier VRM headroom, though it is not built for enthusiasts who want Thunderbolt 4 or dual LAN. Avoid it for new builds better served by the newer Core Ultra Series 2 platform.
Where the two are identical
Everything else lines up. Memory slots, max memory, max memory capacity, form factor and pcie 5.0 support read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 6 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B650 PG Lightning and MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi differ on socket?
Yes. Socket reads AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus Intel 12th / 13th / 14th Gen Core on the MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi.
Is the Max Rated Memory Speed the same on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning and MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi?
It is. Both are listed at 7200 MT/s, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Platform
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- AMD
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- Intel
Model Number
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- B650 PG Lightning
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
Socket
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- Intel 12th / 13th / 14th Gen Core
Form Factor
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- ATX
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- ATX
Chipset
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- B650
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- Z790
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Ryzen 9000
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- Core 14th Gen
Memory Type
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, dual-channel, DDR5-7200+ (OC), XMP/EXPO
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 4x DDR5, up to 256GB, up to 7200+ MT/s (OC)
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Ryzen 7000
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- Core 12th Gen
Memory Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 4
Max Memory
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 256 GB
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 256 GB
Board Width
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 305 mm
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 243.84 mm
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3-25%
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 4Best
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Yes
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- Yes
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- No
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- Yes
Max Memory Capacity
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 256 GB
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 256 GB
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 7200 MT/s
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 7200 MT/s
M.2 Slots Onboard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 4
M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 1
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 0
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 4
SATA Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 7
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 2
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- PCIe 4.0
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
Rear USB 20Gbps Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 1
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 1
Rear USB 5Gbps Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 7
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 4
Rear USB 2.0 Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 0
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 14
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 16
Power Stage Current Rating
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 60 A
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 90 A
EPS 12V Configuration
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Two 8-pin
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- Two 8-pin
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2.5 Gbps
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 1
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 1
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- None
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- Wi-Fi 6E
Audio Codec
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Realtek ALC897, 7.1-channel HD Audio with Nahimic
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- Realtek 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)
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 1x PCIe 5.0 x16 (CPU), 1x PCIe 4.0 x4 (x16 physical), 1x 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 Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- Rear USB 20Gbps Type-C, M.2 Shield Frozr
Networking
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5GbE LAN (no built-in Wi-Fi)
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- Intel 2.5Gb LAN, Intel Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Special Features
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3x M.2 total (1x Gen5, 1x Gen4, 1x Gen4x2)
- MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
- 4x PCIe 4.0 M.2, 7x SATA
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 MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi if you want the higher M.2 slots (4 vs 3).
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASRock B650 PG Lightning | MSI MAG Z790 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.