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ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi vs ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi: Comparison
ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi vs ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi max memory compared
Max memory is where these two genuinely part company, ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi 128 GB against ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi 96 GB, a 25% lead for ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi. There is a split on memory type as well, 2x DDR5 DIMM, dual-channel, up to 128GB, DDR5-7200+ ,... on the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi versus 2x DDR5, up to 96GB, up to 7600 MT/s on the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi. They differ on oldest cpu family supported too, Ryzen 7000 on the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi versus Core 12th Gen on the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-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. it is not the pick for anyone wanting CUDIMM memory support or the newest Intel platform and builds needing more than two M.2 slots. It is equally the pick for LGA1700 builders who want dual Thunderbolt 4 without moving to Arrow Lake.
What ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi and ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi have in common
The common ground is wider than the gap: memory slots, m.2 slots, form factor, cpu overclocking supported and pcie 5.0 support are identical here. They match on 9 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi and ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi differ on chipset?
Yes. Chipset reads B650 on the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi versus Z790 on the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi.
Is the Wi-Fi Onboard the same on the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi and ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi?
It is. Both are listed at Yes, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Platform
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- AMD
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Intel
Model Number
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- B650I Lightning WiFi
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
Socket
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Intel 12th / 13th / 14th Gen (LGA1700)
Form Factor
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Mini-ITX
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Mini-ITX
Chipset
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- B650
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Z790
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Core 14th Gen
Memory Type
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 2x DDR5 DIMM, dual-channel, up to 128GB, DDR5-7200+ (OC), XMP/EXPO
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 2x DDR5, up to 96GB, up to 7600 MT/s (OC)
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Core 12th Gen
CPU Overclocking Supported
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Memory Slots
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
Max Memory
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 128 GBBest
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 96 GB-25%
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 7200 MT/s
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 7600 MT/sBest
M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
SATA Ports
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- PCIe 4.0
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
Rear USB 10Gbps Ports
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 4
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 3
Rear USB 2.0 Ports
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 4
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 8
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 10
EPS 12V Configuration
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- One 8-pin
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- One 8-pin
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Wi-Fi 6E
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth Version
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 5.2
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 5.3
Audio Codec
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Realtek ALC897, 7.1-channel HD Audio
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- ALC4050 + 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 Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 1x PCIe 5.0 x16 (x16 or x8/x8)
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 Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 2x Thunderbolt 4, bundled ROG Strix Hive module
Networking
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5GbE LAN, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 2.5GbE (Intel), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Special Features
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Gen5 M.2 despite Gen4-only GPU slot
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Bundled I/O expansion module
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 96 GB) and the higher M.2 slots (2 vs 2).
Choose ASUS ROG Strix Z790-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 Z790-I Gaming 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.




