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ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi vs MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi: Comparison
ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi vs MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi chipset compared
The first real difference is chipset: ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi B860 against MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi X870E. They differ on oldest cpu family supported too, Core Ultra Series 2 on the ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi versus Ryzen 7000 on the MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi. M.2 pcie 5.0 slots is not the same on both, 1 on the ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi versus 2 on the MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi.
ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi vs MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi: which one fits your build
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. Avoid it for enthusiasts who want the higher memory OC ceiling of the Z890 Steel Legend. it is the wrong buy for budget-focused AM5 builds. It also earns its place with builders who want the fastest wired dual-LAN setup available on AM5. It is not the one for buyers who don't need dual LAN and would rather save money on a single-LAN X870E board.
Where the two are identical
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 9 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi and MSI MPG X870E Carbon 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 MPG X870E Carbon WiFi.
Is the Board Width the same on the ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi and MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi?
It is. Both are listed at 244 mm, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Platform
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Intel
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- AMD
Model Number
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- MPG X870E CARBON WIFI
Socket
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Intel Core Ultra Processors (Series 2)
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- AMD Ryzen 9000 / 8000 / 7000 series
Form Factor
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- ATX
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- ATX
Chipset
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- B860
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- X870E
Newest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Core Ultra Series 2
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Ryzen 9000
Memory Type
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4x DDR5 DIMM, up to 256GB, up to 8666+ MHz (OC)
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4x DDR5 UDIMM, up to 256GB, up to 8400+ MT/s (OC, Ryzen 9000)
Oldest CPU Family Supported
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Core Ultra Series 2
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Ryzen 7000
Memory Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4
Max Memory
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 256 GB
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 256 GB
Board Width
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 244 mm
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 244 mm
M.2 Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4
PCIe 5.0 Support
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Yes
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Yes
Wi-Fi Onboard
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Yes
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Yes
Max Rated Memory Speed
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 8666 MT/sBest
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 8400 MT/s
ECC Memory Support
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- None
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- None
M.2 Slots Onboard
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4
M.2 PCIe 5.0 Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 1
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 2
M.2 PCIe 4.0 Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 3
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 2
M.2 CPU Attached Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 1
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 2
SATA Ports
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 4
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 4
PCIe x16 Slots
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 2
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 3
Primary Graphics Slot Gen
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- PCIe 5.0
Rear USB4 or TB Ports
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 1
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 2
Rear USB 10Gbps Ports
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 2
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 11
Front USB-C Header Speed
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 20Gbps
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 20Gbps
Fan and Pump Headers
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 8
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 7
ARGB Headers
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 3
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 3
Vcore Power Stages
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 14
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 18
Power Stage Current Rating
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 80 A
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 110 A
EPS 12V Configuration
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Two 8-pin
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Two 8-pin
Max Ethernet Speed
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 2.5 Gbps
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 5 GbpsBest
Ethernet Port Count
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 1
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 2
Wi-Fi Standard
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Wi-Fi 6E
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth Version
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 5.3
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 5.4
Audio Codec
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Realtek ALC1220, Nahimic
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Realtek ALC4080, 7.1-channel USB audio, optical S/PDIF
Expansion
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- PCIe 5.0 x16 + PCIe 4.0 x16 (x2)
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- PCIe 5.0 x16 + PCIe 5.0 x4 (CPU, x16/x0 or x8/x4) + PCIe 4.0 x4 (chipset)
Connectivity
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- Nahimic audio software, Thunderbolt 4/USB4
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- 2x rear USB 40Gbps Type-C (USB4), HDMI 2.1, front USB 20Gbps Type-C header
Networking
- ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi
- 2.5G LAN, Wi-Fi 6E
- MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi
- Realtek 8126 5G + Realtek 8125 2.5G dual 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 MPG X870E Carbon 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 MPG X870E Carbon WiFi if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | ASRock B860 Steel Legend WiFi | MSI MPG X870E Carbon 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.