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ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi vs ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi: Comparison
ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi vs ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi: the max memory difference
Start with max memory, because it is the widest measured gap between them: ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi 128 GB against ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi 96 GB, 25% in favour of ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi. There is a split on memory type as well, 2x DDR5, dual-channel, up to 128GB, up to 8200+... on the ASRock B850I 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 B850I Lightning WiFi versus Core 12th Gen on the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi.
Who each one is for
it is not built for anyone wanting the heavier 10-layer PCB of the PG-ITX WiFi. It also earns its place with B850 builders who want a disclosed 110A SPS VRM at a lower price than PG-ITX. It is not the one for buyers assuming USB4 works with any Ryzen CPU on this board. it is the wrong buy 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 B850I Lightning WiFi and ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi have in common
Where they agree, they agree completely, memory slots, m.2 slots, form factor, pcie 5.0 support and wi-fi onboard included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 14 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi and ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi differ on chipset?
Yes. Chipset reads B850 on the ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi versus Z790 on the ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi.
Is the M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots the same on the ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi and ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi?
It is. Both are listed at 1, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Platform
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- AMD
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Intel
Model Number
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- B850I Lightning WiFi
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
Socket
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Intel 12th / 13th / 14th Gen (LGA1700)
Form Factor
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Mini-ITX
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Mini-ITX
Chipset
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- B850
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Z790
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Core 14th Gen
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 Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 2x DDR5, up to 96GB, up to 7600 MT/s (OC)
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Core 12th Gen
Memory Slots
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
Max Memory
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 128 GBBest
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 96 GB-25%
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 8200 MT/sBest
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 7600 MT/s
ECC Memory Support
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Unbuffered ECC
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- None
M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
SATA Ports
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
Rear USB 10Gbps Ports
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 3
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 3
Rear USB 5Gbps Ports
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
Rear USB 2.0 Ports
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 4
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
Front USB-C Header Speed
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 5Gbps
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 20GbpsBest
Fan and Pump Headers
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 3
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 3
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 10
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 10
EPS 12V Configuration
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- One 8-pin
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- One 8-pin
BIOS Flashback
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Wi-Fi 6E
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth Version
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 5.2
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 5.3
Audio Codec
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Realtek ALC1220
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- ALC4050 + ESS SABRE9260Q DAC
Expansion
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 1x PCIe 5.0 x16 (CPU; Gen5 x16 with Ryzen 9000/7000, Gen4 with Ryzen 8000)
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 1x PCIe 5.0 x16 (x16 or x8/x8)
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 Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- 2x Thunderbolt 4, bundled ROG Strix Hive module
Networking
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 2.5GbE (Killer E3100G), 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 B850I Lightning WiFi
- BIOS Flashback button, Blazing M.2 Gen5 slot, Nahimic Audio
- ASUS ROG Strix Z790-I Gaming WiFi
- Bundled I/O expansion module
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 Z790-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 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.