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ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi vs Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX: Comparison
ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi vs Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX max memory compared
Max memory is where these two genuinely part company, ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi 128 GB against Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX 64 GB, a 50% lead for ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi. There is a split on oldest cpu family supported as well, Ryzen 7000 on the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi versus Ryzen 3000 on the Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX. There is a split on pcie 5.0 support as well, Yes on the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi versus No on the Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX.
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. Avoid it for anyone wanting a PCIe 5.0 GPU slot or premium ALC1220-tier audio. The Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX is the one to take for SFF cases where rear-mounted M.2 storage improves front-panel airflow. It is equally the pick for AM4 builders wanting genuinely strong VRM headroom for Ryzen 5000 X3D chips. It is the wrong buy for buyers who specifically want built-in Thunderbolt like the ASRock X570 ITX board.
What ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi and Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX have in common
Everything else lines up. Memory slots, m.2 slots, m.2 slots onboard, form factor and platform read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 8 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi and Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX differ on chipset?
Yes. Chipset reads B650 on the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi versus B550 on the Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX.
Is the CPU Overclocking Supported the same on the ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi and Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX?
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
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- AMD
Model Number
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- B650I Lightning WiFi
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- B550I AORUS Pro AX
Socket
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- AMD Ryzen 5000 / 4000 / 3000 series (AM4)
Form Factor
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Mini-ITX
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- Mini-ITX
Chipset
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- B650
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- B550
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- Ryzen 5000
Memory Type
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 2x DDR5 DIMM, dual-channel, up to 128GB, DDR5-7200+ (OC), XMP/EXPO
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- 2x DDR4, up to 64GB, up to DDR4-5300 (OC)
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- Ryzen 3000
CPU Overclocking Supported
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- Yes
Memory Slots
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- 2
Max Memory
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 128 GBBest
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- 64 GB-50%
Board Width
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 170 mm
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- 170 mm
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- 2
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- No
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- Yes
Max Memory Capacity
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 128 GBBest
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- 64 GB
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 7200 MT/sBest
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- 5300 MT/s
M.2 Slots Onboard
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- 2
SATA Ports
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- 4
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- 1
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- PCIe 4.0
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- PCIe 4.0
Rear USB 10Gbps Ports
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 4
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- 2
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 8
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- 8
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- 2.5 Gbps
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- 1
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Wi-Fi 6E
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- Wi-Fi 6
Bluetooth Version
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- 5.2
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- 5
Audio Codec
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Realtek ALC897, 7.1-channel HD Audio
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- Realtek ALC1220-VB
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)
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- 1x PCIe 4.0 x16 (3.0 with G-series APUs), 2x M.2, 4x SATA 6Gb/s
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
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- Q-Flash Plus, rear-mounted M.2 for airflow
Networking
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5GbE LAN, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- 2.5GbE (Realtek), Wi-Fi 6 (Intel AX200), Bluetooth 5
Special Features
- ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi
- Gen5 M.2 despite Gen4-only GPU slot
- Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX
- Rear M.2 slot keeps front airflow clear
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 64 GB) and the higher M.2 slots (2 vs 2).
Choose Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASRock B650I Lightning WiFi | Gigabyte B550I AORUS Pro AX |
|---|---|---|
| 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.