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ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi vs MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi: Comparison
What is the difference between ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi and MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi?
The first real difference is chipset: ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi B860 against MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi X870. There is a split on oldest cpu family supported as well, Core Ultra Series 2 on the ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi versus Ryzen 7000 on the MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi. They differ on board width too, 244 mm on the ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi versus 243.84 mm on the MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi.
ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi vs MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi: which one fits your build
The ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi is the one to take 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. Buy the MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi for builders who want dual Gen5 M.2 slots without X870E pricing and mid-range AM5 builds that want fast 5G LAN, though it is not built for buyers who don't need dual Gen5 storage and budget-first AM5 builds.
What ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi and MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi have in common
Everything else lines up. Memory slots, max memory, m.2 slots, m.2 slots onboard and form factor read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 12 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi and MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi differ on socket?
Yes. Socket reads Intel Core Ultra Processors on the ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi versus AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series on the MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi.
Is the PCIe 5.0 Support the same on the ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi and MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk 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 B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Intel
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- AMD
Model Number
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
Socket
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Intel Core Ultra Processors (Series 2)
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
Form Factor
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- ATX
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- ATX
Chipset
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- B860
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- X870
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Core Ultra Series 2
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
Memory Type
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, up to 8666+ MHz (OC)
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 4x DDR5 UDIMM, up to 256GB, up to 8400+ MT/s (OC)
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Core Ultra Series 2
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
Memory Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 4
Max Memory
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 256 GB
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 256 GB
Board Width
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 244 mm
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 243.84 mm
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 4
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Yes
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- Yes
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Yes
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- Yes
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 8666 MT/sBest
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 8400 MT/s
ECC Memory Support
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- None
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- None
M.2 Slots Onboard
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 4
M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 1
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 2
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 3
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 2
M.2 CPU Attached Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 1
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 2
SATA Ports
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 4
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 2
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 3
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
Rear USB4 or TB Ports
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 1
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 2
Rear USB 20Gbps Ports
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 0
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 0
Rear USB 10Gbps Ports
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 2
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 3
Rear USB 5Gbps Ports
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 3
Rear USB 2.0 Ports
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 3
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 4
Front USB-C Header Speed
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 20Gbps
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 20Gbps
Fan and Pump Headers
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 8
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 8
ARGB Headers
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 3
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 3
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 14
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 14
Power Stage Current Rating
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 80 A
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 80 A
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 5 GbpsBest
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 1
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 1
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Wi-Fi 6E
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth Version
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 5.3
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 5.4
Audio Codec
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Realtek ALC1220, Nahimic
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- Realtek ALC4080, 7.1-channel
Expansion
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- PCIe 5.0 x16 + PCIe 4.0 x16 (x2)
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- PCIe 5.0 x16 + PCIe 4.0 x4 + PCIe 3.0 x1
Connectivity
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Nahimic audio software, Thunderbolt 4/USB4
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 2x rear USB 40Gbps Type-C (USB4), front USB 20Gbps Type-C with 27W PD
Networking
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 2.5G LAN, Wi-Fi 6E
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- Realtek 8126-CG 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)
- MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi
- 4x M.2 (2x Gen5, 2x Gen4)
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 4).
Choose MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi | MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon | |
| 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.