Consumercarts is reader-supported. Learn more
ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi vs MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi: Comparison
ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi vs MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi: the chipset difference
They are built to different briefs, and chipset shows it, ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi B850 against MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi X870E. They differ on m.2 pcie 4.0 slots too, 3 on the ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi versus 2 on the MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi. Pcie x16 slots is not the same on both, 2 on the ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi versus 3 on the MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi. There is a split on rear usb4 or tb ports as well, 0 on the ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi versus 2 on the MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi.
Which should you buy, ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi or MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi?
The ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi suits builders who want four M.2 slots at a B-series price and mainstream AM5 builds with Steel Legend styling preference, though it is not the pick for enthusiasts who need X870-level chipset lanes and builds needing dual LAN. it is not built for budget-focused AM5 builds. The same goes for builders who want the fastest wired dual-LAN setup available on AM5. It is not the one for buyers who don't need dual LAN and would rather save money on a single-LAN X870E board.
What ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi and MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi have in common
Where they agree, they agree completely, socket, memory slots, max memory, m.2 slots and m.2 slots onboard included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 16 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi and MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi differ on networking?
Yes. Networking reads 2.5G LAN, Wi-Fi 7 on the ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi versus Realtek 8126 5G + Realtek 8125 2.5G dual LAN,... on the MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi.
Is the Form Factor the same on the ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi and MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi?
It is. Both are listed at ATX, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Platform
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- AMD
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- AMD
Model Number
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- MPG X870E CARBON WIFI
Socket
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
Form Factor
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- ATX
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- ATX
Chipset
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- B850
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- X870E
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
Memory Type
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, up to 8000+ MT/s (OC)
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4x DDR5 UDIMM, up to 256GB, up to 8400+ MT/s (OC, Ryzen 9000)
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
Memory Slots
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4
Max Memory
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 256 GB
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 256 GB
Board Width
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 244 mm
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 244 mm
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- Yes
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Yes
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- Yes
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Yes
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 8000 MT/s
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 8400 MT/sBest
ECC Memory Support
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- Unbuffered ECC
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- None
M.2 Slots Onboard
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4
M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 1
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 2
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 3
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 2
M.2 CPU Attached Slots
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 2
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 2
SATA Ports
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 2
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 3
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
Rear USB4 or TB Ports
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 0
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 2
Rear USB 10Gbps Ports
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 11
Front USB-C Header Speed
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 20Gbps
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 20Gbps
Fan and Pump Headers
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 6
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 7
ARGB Headers
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 3
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 3
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 14
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 18
Power Stage Current Rating
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 80 A
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 110 A
EPS 12V Configuration
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- Two 8-pin
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Two 8-pin
BIOS Flashback
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- Yes
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Yes
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 5 GbpsBest
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 1
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 2
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- Wi-Fi 7
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth Version
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 5.4
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 5.4
Audio Codec
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- Realtek ALC4082, Nahimic, 7.1-channel
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Realtek ALC4080, 7.1-channel USB audio, optical S/PDIF
Expansion
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- PCIe 5.0 x16 + PCIe 4.0 x16 (x4)
- 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 B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- USB 3.2, Nahimic audio software
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 2x rear USB 40Gbps Type-C (USB4), HDMI 2.1, front USB 20Gbps Type-C header
Networking
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 2.5G LAN, Wi-Fi 7
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Realtek 8126 5G + Realtek 8125 2.5G dual LAN, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Special Features
- ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4x M.2 (1x Gen5, 3x Gen4)
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4x M.2 (2x Gen5, 2x Gen4)
Which one should you pick?
Choose ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi if you want the higher memory slots (4 vs 4), the higher max memory (256 GB vs 256 GB) and the higher M.2 slots (4 vs 4).
Choose MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASRock B850 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.