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ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi vs ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi: Comparison
ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi vs ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi: the chipset difference
The first real difference is chipset: ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi B850 against ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi Z890. They differ on oldest cpu family supported too, Ryzen 7000 on the ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi versus Core Ultra Series 2 on the ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi. There is a split on ecc memory support as well, Unbuffered ECC on the ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi versus None on the ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi.
ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi vs ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi: which one fits your build
it is not the pick 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 the wrong buy for buyers assuming USB4 works with any Ryzen CPU on this board. Take the ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi for Core Ultra 200S SFF builds that want dual Thunderbolt 4 and all-Gen5 M.2 storage. The same goes for builders using CUDIMM memory who want maximum memory OC headroom on ITX. Avoid it for anyone on a budget who doesn't need Thunderbolt 4 or CUDIMM support.
Where the two are identical
Where they agree, they agree completely, memory slots, max memory, m.2 slots, form factor and pcie 5.0 support included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 12 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi and ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi differ on socket?
Yes. Socket reads AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series on the ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi versus Intel Core Ultra 200S series on the ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi.
Is the Wi-Fi Onboard the same on the ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi and ASUS ROG Strix Z890-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 B850I Lightning WiFi
- AMD
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- Intel
Model Number
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- B850I Lightning WiFi
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
Socket
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- Intel Core Ultra 200S series
Form Factor
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Mini-ITX
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- Mini-ITX
Chipset
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- B850
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- Z890
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- Core Ultra Series 2
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 Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 2x DDR5 (CUDIMM), up to 128GB, up to 9200+ MT/s (OC)
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- Core Ultra Series 2
Memory Slots
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
Max Memory
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 128 GB
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 128 GB
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 8200 MT/s
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 9200 MT/sBest
ECC Memory Support
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Unbuffered ECC
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- None
M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 0
M.2 CPU Attached Slots
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
SATA Ports
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
Rear USB 10Gbps Ports
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 3
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 3
Rear USB 5Gbps Ports
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
Rear USB 2.0 Ports
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 4
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
Front USB-C Header Speed
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 5Gbps
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 20GbpsBest
Fan and Pump Headers
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 3
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 4
ARGB Headers
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 10
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 10
EPS 12V Configuration
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- One 8-pin
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- One 8-pin
BIOS Flashback
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Wi-Fi 6E
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth Version
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 5.2
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 5.4
Audio Codec
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- Realtek ALC1220
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 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 Z890-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 Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 2x Thunderbolt 4, M.2 Q-Release Duo
Networking
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- 2.5GbE (Killer E3100G), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 2.5GbE (Intel), Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Special Features
- ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi
- BIOS Flashback button, Blazing M.2 Gen5 slot, Nahimic Audio
- ASUS ROG Strix Z890-I Gaming WiFi
- 2x PCIe 5.0 M.2 (all-Gen5 storage)
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 128 GB) and the higher M.2 slots (2 vs 2).
Choose ASUS ROG Strix Z890-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 Z890-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.