Consumercarts is reader-supported. Learn more
ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi vs ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi: Comparison
ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi vs ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi: the chipset difference
They are built to different briefs, and chipset shows it, ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi B650 against ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi X870. Rear usb 2.0 ports is not the same on both, 4 on the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi versus 3 on the ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi. They differ on vcore power stages too, 8 on the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi versus 10 on the ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi. There is a split on wi-fi standard as well, Wi-Fi 6E on the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi versus Wi-Fi 7 on the ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi.
Who each one is for
it is the wrong buy 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. Take the ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi for SFF builders who want dual USB4 and Wi-Fi 7 in a Mini-ITX X870 board. The same goes for Ryzen 9000 builds in compact cases where PCIe 5.0 M.2 storage matters. Avoid it for anyone planning sustained extreme all-core overclocking, where ATX VRM headroom helps more.
Where the two are identical
The common ground is wider than the gap: socket, memory slots, max memory, m.2 slots and form factor are identical here. They match on 13 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi and ASUS ROG Strix X870-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 Intel 2.5GbE, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 on the ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi.
Is the Platform the same on the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi and ASUS ROG Strix X870-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 X870-I Gaming WiFi
- AMD
Model Number
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- B650I Lightning WiFi
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
Socket
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
Form Factor
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Mini-ITX
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- Mini-ITX
Chipset
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- B650
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- X870
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-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 X870-I Gaming WiFi
- 2x DDR5, up to 128GB, up to 8600+ MT/s (OC)
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
CPU Overclocking Supported
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Memory Slots
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
Max Memory
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 128 GB
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- 128 GB
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 7200 MT/s
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- 8600 MT/sBest
M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
SATA Ports
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- PCIe 4.0
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
Rear USB 10Gbps Ports
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 4
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- 5
Rear USB 2.0 Ports
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 4
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- 3
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 8
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- 10
EPS 12V Configuration
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- One 8-pin
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- One 8-pin
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Wi-Fi 6E
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth Version
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 5.2
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- 5.4
Audio Codec
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Realtek ALC897, 7.1-channel HD Audio
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- ESS SABRE9260Q DAC
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 X870-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 X870-I Gaming WiFi
- 2x USB4 (40Gbps), ROG Strix Hive II support
Networking
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5GbE LAN, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- Intel 2.5GbE, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Special Features
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Gen5 M.2 despite Gen4-only GPU slot
- ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi
- 2x M.2 (Gen5 + Gen4), compact ITX form factor
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 X870-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 X870-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.