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ASRock B650 PG Lightning vs MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi: Comparison
What is the difference between ASRock B650 PG Lightning and MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi?
They are built to different briefs, and chipset shows it, ASRock B650 PG Lightning B650 against MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi X870E. Add m.2 slots to that, 3 on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus 4 on the MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi, and the pattern holds. Board width is not the same on both, 305 mm on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus 244 mm on the MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi. Wi-fi onboard is not the same on both, No on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus Yes on the MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi. M.2 pcie 5.0 slots is not the same on both, 1 on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus 2 on the MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi.
ASRock B650 PG Lightning vs MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi: which one fits your build
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. it is the wrong buy for budget-focused AM5 builds. It is equally the pick for builders who want the fastest wired dual-LAN setup available on AM5. It is the wrong buy for buyers who don't need dual LAN and would rather save money on a single-LAN X870E board.
Where the two are identical
Everything else lines up. Socket, memory slots, max memory, max memory capacity and form factor read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 7 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B650 PG Lightning and MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi differ on m.2 slots onboard?
Yes. M.2 Slots Onboard reads 3 on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning versus 4 on the MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi.
Is the Platform the same on the ASRock B650 PG Lightning and MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi?
It is. Both are listed at AMD, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Platform
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- AMD
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- AMD
Model Number
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- B650 PG Lightning
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- MPG X870E CARBON WIFI
Socket
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
Form Factor
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- ATX
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- ATX
Chipset
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- B650
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- X870E
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Ryzen 9000
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
Memory Type
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, dual-channel, DDR5-7200+ (OC), XMP/EXPO
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4x DDR5 UDIMM, up to 256GB, up to 8400+ MT/s (OC, Ryzen 9000)
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Ryzen 7000
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
Memory Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4
Max Memory
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 256 GB
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 256 GB
Board Width
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 305 mm
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 244 mm
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3-25%
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4Best
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Yes
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Yes
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- No
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Yes
Max Memory Capacity
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 256 GB
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 256 GB
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 7200 MT/s
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 8400 MT/sBest
M.2 Slots Onboard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4
M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 1
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 2
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 2
SATA Ports
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 4
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 3
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- PCIe 4.0
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 14
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 18
Power Stage Current Rating
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 60 A
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 110 A
EPS 12V Configuration
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Two 8-pin
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Two 8-pin
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 2.5 Gbps
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 5 GbpsBest
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 1
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 2
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- None
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Wi-Fi 7
Audio Codec
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Realtek ALC897, 7.1-channel HD Audio with Nahimic
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Realtek ALC4080, 7.1-channel USB audio, optical S/PDIF
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 MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- PCIe 5.0 x16 + PCIe 5.0 x4 (CPU, x16/x0 or x8/x4) + PCIe 4.0 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
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 2x rear USB 40Gbps Type-C (USB4), HDMI 2.1, front USB 20Gbps Type-C header
Networking
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5GbE LAN (no built-in Wi-Fi)
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Realtek 8126 5G + Realtek 8125 2.5G dual LAN, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Special Features
- ASRock B650 PG Lightning
- 3x M.2 total (1x Gen5, 1x Gen4, 1x Gen4x2)
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4x M.2 (2x Gen5, 2x Gen4)
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 MPG X870E Carbon WiFi if you want the higher M.2 slots (4 vs 3).
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASRock B650 PG Lightning | MSI MPG X870E Carbon 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.