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ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi vs ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi: Comparison
ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi vs ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi: the max memory difference
The gap that matters here is max memory: ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi 256 GB against ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi 96 GB, which puts ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi 63% ahead. Add memory slots to that, 4 on the ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi versus 2 on the ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi, and the pattern holds. Add m.2 slots to that, 3 on the ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi versus 2 on the ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi, and the pattern holds.
Which should you buy, ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi or ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi?
Buy the ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi for compact micro-ATX builds that don't need heavy overclocking headroom, though it is the wrong buy for overclockers who need more than an 8+2+1 phase VRM and builds that want Wi-Fi 7 instead of Wi-Fi 6E. The same goes for budget AM5 builds that still want a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot. The ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi is the one to take for 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 is equally the pick for 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.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi and ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi differ on chipset?
Yes. Chipset reads B850 on the ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi versus B650E on the ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi.
Is the Socket the same on the ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi and ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi?
It is. Both are listed at AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Platform
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- AMD
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- AMD
Model Number
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- B850M Pro-A WiFi
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
Socket
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
Form Factor
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- Micro-ATX
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- Mini-ITX
Chipset
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- B850
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- B650E
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
Memory Type
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, up to 8000+ MT/s (OC)Best
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 2x DDR5, up to 96GB, up to 8000+ MT/s (OC)
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
Memory Slots
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 4Best
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 2-50%
Max Memory
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 256 GBBest
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 96 GB-62%
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 3Best
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 2-33%
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 8000 MT/s
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 8000 MT/s
ECC Memory Support
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- Unbuffered ECC
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- Unbuffered ECC
M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
M.2 CPU Attached Slots
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
SATA Ports
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 4
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
Rear USB 20Gbps Ports
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 0
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
Rear USB 10Gbps Ports
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 5
Rear USB 2.0 Ports
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 4
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 2
Front USB-C Header Speed
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 5Gbps
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 10GbpsBest
Fan and Pump Headers
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 5
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 3
ARGB Headers
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 3
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 8
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 10
EPS 12V Configuration
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 8-pin plus 4-pin
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- One 8-pin
BIOS Flashback
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- Yes
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 1
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- Wi-Fi 6E
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth Version
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 5.2
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 5.2
Audio Codec
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- Realtek ALC897, 7.1-channel
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- Realtek ALC4080 + Savitech SV3H712 amp
Expansion
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- PCIe 5.0 x16 + PCIe 4.0 x4
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 1x PCIe 5.0 x16
Connectivity
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- SATA3, USB 3.2
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- Q-Latch tool-free M.2, BIOS FlashBack
Networking
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 2.5G LAN, Wi-Fi 6E
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 2.5GbE (Intel), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Special Features
- ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi
- 3x M.2 (1x Gen5 Blazing, 2x Gen4 Hyper)
- ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi
- 2x M.2 (Gen5 + Gen4), SupremeFX audio
Which one should you pick?
Choose ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi if you want the higher memory slots (4 vs 2), the higher max memory (256 GB vs 96 GB) and the higher M.2 slots (3 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 B850M Pro-A 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.