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ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi vs ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi: Comparison
ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi vs ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi chipset compared
They are built to different briefs, and chipset shows it, ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi B650 against ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi B850. There is a split on primary graphics slot gen as well, PCIe 4.0 on the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi versus PCIe 5.0 on the ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi. Rear usb 10gbps ports is not the same on both, 4 on the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi versus 5 on the ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi. Rear usb 2.0 ports is not the same on both, 4 on the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi versus 2 on the ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi.
ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi vs ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi: which one fits your build
it is not the pick for extreme overclockers who need more than 60A-rated VRM stages. It also earns its place with budget-conscious AM5 ITX builders who still want a Gen5 M.2 upgrade path. It is the wrong buy for anyone wanting a PCIe 5.0 GPU slot or premium ALC1220-tier audio. it is the wrong buy for anyone needing Thunderbolt/USB4 connectivity and builds requiring more than one full-length expansion slot. The same goes for Ryzen 9000 X3D builds in Mini-ITX cases wanting AI Cache Boost tuning.
Where the two are identical
Where they agree, they agree completely, socket, memory slots, max memory, m.2 slots and form factor included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 11 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi and ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi differ on networking?
Yes. Networking reads Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5GbE LAN, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 on the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi versus 2.5GbE , Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 on the ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi.
Is the Platform the same on the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi and ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming 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 B650I Lightning WiFi
- AMD
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- AMD
Model Number
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- B650I Lightning WiFi
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
Socket
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
Form Factor
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Mini-ITX
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- Mini-ITX
Chipset
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- B650
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- B850
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
Memory Type
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 2x DDR5 DIMM, dual-channel, up to 128GB, DDR5-7200+ (OC), XMP/EXPO
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- 2x DDR5, up to 128GB, up to 8200+ MT/s (OC) with Ryzen 9000, 9600+ MT/s (OC) with Ryzen 8000
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
CPU Overclocking Supported
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Memory Slots
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
Max Memory
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 128 GB
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- 128 GB
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 7200 MT/s
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- 9600 MT/sBest
M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- 0
SATA Ports
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- PCIe 4.0
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
Rear USB 10Gbps Ports
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 4
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- 5
Rear USB 2.0 Ports
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 4
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 8
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- 10
EPS 12V Configuration
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- One 8-pin
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- One 8-pin
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Wi-Fi 6E
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth Version
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 5.2
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- 5.4
Audio Codec
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Realtek ALC897, 7.1-channel HD Audio
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- Realtek ALC4080 + Savitech SV3H712 amp
Expansion
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 1x PCIe 4.0 x16; 1x M.2 PCIe 5.0 x4 (Blazing), 1x M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 (Hyper); 2x SATA III; 1x M.2 Key-E (Wi-Fi)
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- 1x PCIe 5.0 x16
Connectivity
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 3x Rear USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A (10Gbps), 1x Rear USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C (10Gbps), 4x Rear USB 2.0
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- Q-Latch tool-free M.2
Networking
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5GbE LAN, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- 2.5GbE (Intel), Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Special Features
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Gen5 M.2 despite Gen4-only GPU slot
- ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- AI Cache Boost, 2x PCIe 5.0 M.2
Which one should you pick?
Choose ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi if you want the higher memory slots (2 vs 2), the higher max memory (128 GB vs 128 GB) and the higher M.2 slots (2 vs 2).
Choose ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi | ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on 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.