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ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi vs MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi: Comparison
ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi vs MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi: the chipset difference
The first real difference is chipset: ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi B650 against MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi X870E. Add m.2 slots to that, 3 on the ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi versus 4 on the MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi, and the pattern holds. M.2 pcie 5.0 slots is not the same on both, 1 on the ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi versus 2 on the MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi. They differ on sata ports too, 2 on the ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi versus 4 on the MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi.
Which should you buy, ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi or MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi?
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 built for anyone who wants the latest B850 or X870 chipset features and builds that want a fourth M.2 slot. it is not the pick for budget-focused AM5 builds. It is equally the pick for builders who want the fastest wired dual-LAN setup available on AM5. Avoid it for buyers who don't need dual LAN and would rather save money on a single-LAN X870E board.
Where the two are identical
Where they agree, they agree completely, socket, memory slots, max memory, max memory capacity and form factor included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 9 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi and MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi differ on m.2 slots onboard?
Yes. M.2 Slots Onboard reads 3 on the ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi versus 4 on the MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi.
Is the Platform the same on the ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi 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 B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- AMD
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- AMD
Model Number
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- MPG X870E CARBON WIFI
Socket
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
Form Factor
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- ATX
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- ATX
Chipset
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- B650
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- X870E
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
Memory Type
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, dual-channel, DDR5-7600+ (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 B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
Memory Slots
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4
Max Memory
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 256 GB
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 256 GB
Board Width
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 305 mm
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 244 mm
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 3-25%
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4Best
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- Yes
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Yes
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- Yes
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Yes
Max Memory Capacity
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 256 GB
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 256 GB
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 7600 MT/s
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 8400 MT/sBest
M.2 Slots Onboard
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 3
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4
M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 1
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 2
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 2
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 2
SATA Ports
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 2
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 2
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 3
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
Rear USB 10Gbps Ports
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 2
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 11
Front USB-C Header Speed
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 20Gbps
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 20Gbps
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 16
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 18
Power Stage Current Rating
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 60 A
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 110 A
EPS 12V Configuration
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- Two 8-pin
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Two 8-pin
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 5 GbpsBest
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 1
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 2
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- Wi-Fi 6E
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth Version
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 5.2
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 5.4
Audio Codec
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- Realtek ALC897, Nahimic, 7.1-channel
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Realtek ALC4080, 7.1-channel USB audio, optical S/PDIF
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)
- 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 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)
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 2x rear USB 40Gbps Type-C (USB4), HDMI 2.1, front USB 20Gbps Type-C header
Networking
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5G LAN, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Realtek 8126 5G + Realtek 8125 2.5G dual LAN, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Special Features
- ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi
- 3x M.2 (1x Gen5, 2x Gen4)
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4x M.2 (2x Gen5, 2x Gen4)
Which one should you pick?
Choose ASRock B650E Steel Legend WiFi 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 B650E Steel Legend WiFi | 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.