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ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi vs ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi: Comparison
What is the difference between ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi and ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi?
Max memory is where these two genuinely part company, ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi 128 GB against ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi 96 GB, a 25% lead for ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi. Argb headers is not the same on both, 2 on the ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi versus 1 on the ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi. Audio codec is not the same on both, Realtek ALC1220 on the ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi versus Realtek ALC4080 + Savitech SV3H712 amp on the ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi.
Which should you buy, ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi or ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi?
it is not the pick for anyone wanting the heavier 10-layer PCB of the PG-ITX WiFi. The same goes for B850 builders who want a disclosed 110A SPS VRM at a lower price than PG-ITX. Avoid it for buyers assuming USB4 works with any Ryzen CPU on this board. The ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi suits builders who value tool-free M.2 installation in a cramped case, though it is not built for anyone who needs Thunderbolt/USB4 or 5GbE+ networking. It also earns its place with mainstream Ryzen ITX builds that want PCIe 5.0 without paying for X870E features. It is the wrong buy for extreme overclockers who want more VRM headroom than a mainstream ITX board offers.
What ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi and ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi have in common
The common ground is wider than the gap: socket, memory slots, m.2 slots, form factor and platform are identical here. They match on 19 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi and ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi differ on chipset?
Yes. Chipset reads B850 on the ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi versus B650E on the ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi.
Is the Newest CPU Family Supported the same on the ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi and ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi?
It is. Both are listed at Ryzen 9000, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Platform
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- AMD
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- AMD
Model Number
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- B850I Lightning WiFi
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
Socket
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
Form Factor
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Mini-ITX
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- Mini-ITX
Chipset
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- B850
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- B650E
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
Memory Type
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 2x DDR5, dual-channel, up to 128GB, up to 8200+ MT/s (OC), ECC and non-ECC unbuffered
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 2x DDR5, up to 96GB, up to 8000+ MT/s (OC)
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
Memory Slots
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
Max Memory
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 128 GBBest
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 96 GB-25%
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 8200 MT/sBest
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 8000 MT/s
ECC Memory Support
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Unbuffered ECC
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- Unbuffered ECC
M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
M.2 CPU Attached Slots
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
SATA Ports
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
Rear USB 10Gbps Ports
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 3
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 5
Rear USB 2.0 Ports
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 4
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
Front USB-C Header Speed
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 5Gbps
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 10GbpsBest
Fan and Pump Headers
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 3
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 3
ARGB Headers
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 10
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 10
EPS 12V Configuration
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- One 8-pin
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- One 8-pin
BIOS Flashback
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Wi-Fi 6E
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth Version
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 5.2
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 5.2
Audio Codec
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Realtek ALC1220
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- Realtek ALC4080 + Savitech SV3H712 amp
Expansion
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 1x PCIe 5.0 x16 (CPU; Gen5 x16 with Ryzen 9000/7000, Gen4 with Ryzen 8000)
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 1x PCIe 5.0 x16
Connectivity
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Rear USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C with DP-alt (up to 40Gbps with selected processors), 2x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen1, 4x USB 2.0
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- Q-Latch tool-free M.2, BIOS FlashBack
Networking
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 2.5GbE (Killer E3100G), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 2.5GbE (Intel), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Special Features
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- BIOS Flashback button, Blazing M.2 Gen5 slot, Nahimic Audio
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 2x M.2 (Gen5 + Gen4), SupremeFX audio
Which one should you pick?
Choose ASRock B850I 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 B650E-I Gaming WiFi if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi | ASUS ROG Strix B650E-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.