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ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi vs ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi: Comparison

B860 Steel Legend WiFi vs Z890 Steel Legend WiFi: the chipset difference

Chipset is the dividing line, B860 Steel Legend WiFi B860 against Z890 Steel Legend WiFi Z890. B860 Steel Legend WiFi also leads on m.2 slots, 4 on the B860 Steel Legend WiFi versus 3 on the Z890 Steel Legend WiFi. Rear usb4 or tb ports is not the same on both, 1 on the B860 Steel Legend WiFi versus 2 on the Z890 Steel Legend WiFi. They differ on rear usb 2.0 ports too, 3 on the B860 Steel Legend WiFi versus 2 on the Z890 Steel Legend WiFi.

Who each one is for

The B860 Steel Legend WiFi suits mainstream Intel builds that don't need Wi-Fi 7, though it is the wrong buy for anyone who specifically wants Wi-Fi 7. The same goes for builders who want four M.2 slots at a B-series price with Steel Legend styling. It is not the one for enthusiasts who want the higher memory OC ceiling of the Z890 Steel Legend. Buy the Z890 Steel Legend WiFi for memory overclockers who want a high single-DIMM OC rating and builders who want distinctive Steel Legend styling on Z890, though it is not built for builders who need more than three M.2 slots and enthusiasts who want 5G or 10G LAN.

Where the two are identical

Everything else lines up. Socket, memory slots, max memory, form factor and platform read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 16 further specifications as well.

Frequently asked questions

Do the B860 Steel Legend WiFi and Z890 Steel Legend WiFi differ on m.2 slots onboard?

Yes. M.2 Slots Onboard reads 4 on the B860 Steel Legend WiFi versus 3 on the Z890 Steel Legend WiFi.

Is the Newest CPU Family Supported the same on the B860 Steel Legend WiFi and Z890 Steel Legend WiFi?

It is. Both are listed at Core Ultra Series 2, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.

Specs and benchmarks

  • Platform

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    Intel
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    Intel
  • Model Number

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
  • Socket

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    Intel Core Ultra Processors (Series 2)
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    Intel Core Ultra Processors (Series 2)
  • Form Factor

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    ATX
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    ATX
  • Chipset

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    B860
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    Z890
  • Newest CPU Family Supported

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    Core Ultra Series 2
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    Core Ultra Series 2
  • Memory Type

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, up to 8666+ MHz (OC)
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, up to 9466+ MHz (OC, single-DIMM)
  • Oldest CPU Family Supported

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    Core Ultra Series 2
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    Core Ultra Series 2
  • Memory Slots

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    4
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    4
  • Max Memory

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    256 GB
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    256 GB
  • M.2 Slots

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    4Best
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    3-25%
  • PCIe 5.0 Support

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    Yes
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    Yes
  • Wi-Fi Onboard

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    Yes
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    Yes
  • Max Rated Memory Speed

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    8666 MT/s
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    9466 MT/sBest
  • ECC Memory Support

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    None
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    None
  • M.2 Slots Onboard

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    4
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    3
  • M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    1
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    1
  • M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    3
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    2
  • M.2 CPU Attached Slots

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    1
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    1
  • SATA Ports

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    4
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    4
  • Primary Graphics Slot Gen

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    PCIe 5.0
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    PCIe 5.0
  • Rear USB4 or TB Ports

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    1
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    2
  • Rear USB 10Gbps Ports

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    2
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    2
  • Rear USB 5Gbps Ports

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    4
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    4
  • Rear USB 2.0 Ports

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    3
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    2
  • Front USB-C Header Speed

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    20Gbps
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    20Gbps
  • Vcore Power Stages

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    14
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    18
  • EPS 12V Configuration

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    Two 8-pin
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    Two 8-pin
  • Max Ethernet Speed

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    2.5 Gbps
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    2.5 Gbps
  • Ethernet Port Count

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    1
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    1
  • Wi-Fi Standard

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    Wi-Fi 6E
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    Wi-Fi 7
  • Bluetooth Version

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    5.3
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    5.4
  • Audio Codec

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    Realtek ALC1220, Nahimic
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    Realtek ALC1220, Nahimic
  • Expansion

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    PCIe 5.0 x16 + PCIe 4.0 x16 (x2)
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    PCIe 5.0 x16 + PCIe 4.0 x16 (x4) + PCIe 4.0 x4
  • Connectivity

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    Nahimic audio software, Thunderbolt 4/USB4
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    4x SATA3, Nahimic audio software
  • Networking

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    2.5G LAN, Wi-Fi 6E
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    2.5G LAN, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
  • Special Features

    ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
    4x M.2 (1x Gen5, 2x Gen4, 1x Gen4 x2)
    ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    3x M.2 (1x Gen5 Blazing, 2x Gen4 Hyper)

    Which one should you pick?

    Choose ASRock B860 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 3).

    Choose ASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.

    Price comparison

    RetailerASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFiASRock Z890 Steel Legend WiFi
    AmazonView on AmazonView on Amazon
    NeweggView on NeweggView on Newegg
    Best BuyView on Best Buy

    Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.

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