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ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi vs ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero: Comparison
ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi vs ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero chipset compared
The first real difference is chipset: ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi B860 against ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero Z590. There is a split on pcie 5.0 support as well, Yes on the ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi versus No on the ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero. They differ on m.2 pcie 4.0 slots too, 3 on the ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi versus 1 on the ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero.
Who each one is for
Buy the ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi for mainstream Intel builds that don't need Wi-Fi 7, though it is not the pick for anyone who specifically wants Wi-Fi 7. It is equally the pick 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. The ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero is the one to take for enthusiasts completing a high-end LGA1200 system, though it is the wrong buy for budget-first LGA1200 builds. It also earns its place with builders who want the best available 11th/10th Gen Intel board with Thunderbolt 4. It is the wrong buy for new builds better served by a current-generation Intel or AMD platform.
Where the two are identical
The common ground is wider than the gap: memory slots, m.2 slots, m.2 slots onboard, form factor and platform are identical here. They match on 7 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi and ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero differ on socket?
Yes. Socket reads Intel Core Ultra Processors on the ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi versus Intel 11th / 10th Gen Core, Pentium Gold, Celeron on the ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero.
Is the Wi-Fi Onboard the same on the ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi and ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero?
It is. Both are listed at Yes, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Platform
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Intel
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Intel
Model Number
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- ROG Maximus XIII Hero (WiFi 6E)
Socket
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Intel Core Ultra Processors (Series 2)
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Intel 11th / 10th Gen Core, Pentium Gold, Celeron
Form Factor
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- ATX
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- ATX
Chipset
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- B860
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Z590
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Core Ultra Series 2
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Core 13th Gen
Memory Type
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, up to 8666+ MHz (OC)
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 4x DDR4 DIMM, up to 128GB, up to DDR4-5333 (OC)
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Core Ultra Series 2
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Core 10th Gen
Memory Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 4
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 4
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- No
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Yes
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 8666 MT/sBest
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 5333 MT/s
ECC Memory Support
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- None
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- None
M.2 Slots Onboard
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 4
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 3
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 1
SATA Ports
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 6
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 3
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- PCIe 4.0
Rear USB4 or TB Ports
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 2
Rear USB 10Gbps Ports
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 2
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 6
Rear USB 2.0 Ports
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 3
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 2
Fan and Pump Headers
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 8
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 7
ARGB Headers
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 3
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 3
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 14
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 14
EPS 12V Configuration
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Two 8-pin
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Two 8-pin
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 2.5 Gbps
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 1
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 2
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Wi-Fi 6E
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Wi-Fi 6E
Bluetooth Version
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 5.3
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 5.2
Audio Codec
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Realtek ALC1220, Nahimic
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- ROG SupremeFX 7.1 Surround Sound HD Audio CODEC ALC4082 with ESS SABRE9018Q2C DAC/AMP
Expansion
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- PCIe 5.0 x16 + PCIe 4.0 x16 (x2)
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 2x PCIe 4.0/3.0 x16 + 1x PCIe 3.0 x16 (x4) + 1x PCIe 3.0 x1
Connectivity
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Nahimic audio software, Thunderbolt 4/USB4
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- Thunderbolt 4 onboard
Networking
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 2.5G LAN, Wi-Fi 6E
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 2x Intel 2.5Gb LAN, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Special Features
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4x M.2 (1x Gen5, 2x Gen4, 1x Gen4 x2)
- ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero
- 4x M.2/NVMe SSD slots
Which one should you pick?
Choose ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi if you want the higher memory slots (4 vs 4) and the higher M.2 slots (4 vs 4).
Choose ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi | ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon | |
| Newegg | View on Newegg | View on Newegg |
| Best Buy | View 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.