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ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi vs ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi: Comparison
What is the difference between ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi and ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi?
They are built to different briefs, and chipset shows it, ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi B860 against ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi Z890. There is a split on rear usb 2.0 ports as well, 3 on the ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi versus 0 on the ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi. Fan and pump headers is not the same on both, 8 on the ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi versus 7 on the ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi.
Which should you buy, ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi or ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi?
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 also earns its place with builders who want four M.2 slots at a B-series price with Steel Legend styling. It is the wrong buy for enthusiasts who want the higher memory OC ceiling of the Z890 Steel Legend. The ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi is the one to take for long-term builds where TUF's durability certification matters, though it is the wrong buy for enthusiasts who want dual LAN or six M.2 slots and budget-first Intel builds better served by a Prime board. The same goes for Intel builders who want CUDIMM memory OC headroom without Maximus pricing.
Where the two are identical
Where they agree, they agree completely, socket, memory slots, m.2 slots, m.2 slots onboard and form factor included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 20 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi and ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi differ on networking?
Yes. Networking reads 2.5G LAN, Wi-Fi 6E on the ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi versus Intel 2.5GbE, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 on the ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi.
Is the Platform the same on the ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi and ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi?
It is. Both are listed at Intel, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Platform
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Intel
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- Intel
Model Number
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
Socket
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Intel Core Ultra Processors (Series 2)
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- Intel Core Ultra Processors (Series 2)
Form Factor
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- ATX
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- ATX
Chipset
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- B860
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- Z890
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Core Ultra Series 2
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- Core Ultra Series 2
Memory Type
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, up to 8666+ MHz (OC)
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 4x DDR5 DIMM (CUDIMM), up to 256GB, up to 9066+ MT/s (OC)
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Core Ultra Series 2
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- Core Ultra Series 2
Memory Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 4
Board Width
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 244 mm
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 244 mm
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 4
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- Yes
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Yes
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- Yes
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 8666 MT/s
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 9066 MT/sBest
ECC Memory Support
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- None
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- None
M.2 Slots Onboard
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 4
M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 1
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 1
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 3
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 3
M.2 CPU Attached Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 1
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 1
SATA Ports
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 4
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 2
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 2
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
Rear USB4 or TB Ports
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 1
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 1
Rear USB 20Gbps Ports
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 0
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 1
Rear USB 10Gbps Ports
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 2
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 3
Rear USB 5Gbps Ports
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 3
Rear USB 2.0 Ports
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 3
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 0
Front USB-C Header Speed
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 20Gbps
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 20Gbps
Fan and Pump Headers
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 8
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 7
ARGB Headers
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 3
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 3
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 14
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 16
Power Stage Current Rating
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 80 A
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 80 A
EPS 12V Configuration
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Two 8-pin
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- Two 8-pin
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 1
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 1
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Wi-Fi 6E
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth Version
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 5.3
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 5.4
Audio Codec
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Realtek ALC1220, Nahimic
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- Realtek ALC1220P, 7.1-channel
Expansion
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- PCIe 5.0 x16 + PCIe 4.0 x16 (x2)
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- PCIe 5.0 x16 + PCIe 4.0 x16 (x4) + PCIe 4.0 x4 + 2x PCIe 4.0 x1
Connectivity
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Nahimic audio software, Thunderbolt 4/USB4
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 1x Thunderbolt 4 Type-C, 1x USB 20Gbps Type-C, 3x USB 10Gbps, 3x USB 5Gbps (rear); front USB 20Gbps Type-C header
Networking
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 2.5G LAN, Wi-Fi 6E
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- Intel 2.5GbE, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Special Features
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4x M.2 (1x Gen5, 2x Gen4, 1x Gen4 x2)
- ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi
- 4x M.2 (1x Gen5 CPU-attached, 3x Gen4 chipset), 4x SATA 6Gb/s, TUF military-grade certification
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 TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi | ASUS TUF Gaming Z890-Plus WiFi |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on 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.