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ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi vs ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero: Comparison
ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi vs ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero chipset compared
The first real difference is chipset: ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi B650 against ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero Z590. Add m.2 slots to that, 3 on the ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi versus 4 on the ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero, and the pattern holds. There is a split on memory type as well, 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, dual-channel, DDR5-7600+ ,... on the ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi versus 4x DDR4 DIMM, up to 128GB, up to DDR4-5333 on the ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero.
Which should you buy, ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi or ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero?
The ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi suits builders who want extra SATA ports for legacy drives and budget AM5 builds that don't need Wi-Fi 7, though it is not the pick for anyone who wants the latest B850 or X870 chipset features and builds that want a fourth M.2 slot. Buy the ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero for enthusiasts completing a high-end LGA1200 system, though it is the wrong buy for budget-first LGA1200 builds. It also earns its place with builders who want the best available 11th/10th Gen Intel board with Thunderbolt 4. It is the wrong buy for new builds better served by a current-generation Intel or AMD platform.
Where the two are identical
The common ground is wider than the gap: memory slots, form factor, cpu overclocking supported, wi-fi onboard and rear usb 2.0 ports are identical here. They match on 4 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi and ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero differ on socket?
Yes. Socket reads AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series on the ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi versus Intel 11th / 10th Gen Core, Pentium Gold, Celeron on the ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero.
Is the EPS 12V Configuration the same on the ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi and ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero?
It is. Both are listed at Two 8-pin, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Platform
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- AMD
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Intel
Model Number
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- ROG Maximus XIII Hero (WiFi 6E)
Socket
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Intel 11th / 10th Gen Core, Pentium Gold, Celeron
Form Factor
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- ATX
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- ATX
Chipset
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- B650
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Z590
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Core 13th Gen
Memory Type
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, dual-channel, DDR5-7600+ (OC), XMP/EXPO
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 4x DDR4 DIMM, up to 128GB, up to DDR4-5333 (OC)
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Core 10th Gen
CPU Overclocking Supported
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Yes
Memory Slots
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 4
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 3-25%
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 4Best
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- No
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Yes
Max Memory Capacity
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 256 GBBest
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 128 GB
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 7600 MT/sBest
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 5333 MT/s
M.2 Slots Onboard
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 3
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 4
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 1
SATA Ports
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 6
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 3
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- PCIe 4.0
Rear USB 10Gbps Ports
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 6
Rear USB 2.0 Ports
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 2
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 16
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 14
EPS 12V Configuration
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- Two 8-pin
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Two 8-pin
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 2.5 Gbps
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 2
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- Wi-Fi 6E
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth Version
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 5.2
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 5.2
Audio Codec
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- Realtek ALC897, Nahimic, 7.1-channel
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- ROG SupremeFX 7.1 Surround Sound HD Audio CODEC ALC4082 with ESS SABRE9018Q2C DAC/AMP
Expansion
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 1x PCIe 5.0 x16, 1x PCIe 3.0 x16 (x4 mode); 1x M.2 PCIe 5.0 x4, 2x M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4; 2x SATA III; 1x M.2 Key-E (Wi-Fi)
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 2x PCIe 4.0/3.0 x16 + 1x PCIe 3.0 x16 (x4) + 1x PCIe 3.0 x1
Connectivity
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 1x Rear USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A (10Gbps), 1x Rear USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C (10Gbps), 4x Rear USB 3.2 Gen1 (5Gbps), 2x Rear USB 2.0; 1x Front Panel USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C header (20Gbps)
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Thunderbolt 4 onboard
Networking
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5G LAN, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 2x Intel 2.5Gb LAN, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Special Features
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 3x M.2 (1x Gen5, 2x Gen4)
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 4x M.2/NVMe SSD slots
Which one should you pick?
Choose ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi if you want the higher memory slots (4 vs 4).
Choose ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero if you want the higher M.2 slots (4 vs 3).
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi | ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero |
|---|---|---|
| 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.