Core Boost: With premium layout and fully digital power design to support more cores and provide better performance. Adding to the list of downsides of this low-end chipset, we have the low memory OC threshold. Surprisingly, it’s not as much of a problem as it might seem, as it can still reach speeds of up to 6400MHz. The Wi-Fi has native support to WIFI 6Ghz, and the wireless module is pre-installed in the M.2 (Key-E) slot. Literally the same as the x670-P. Another thing that is the same on this board is Bluetooth® 5.3. However, once we reach the audio codec, the similarity falls apart. Not deviating too much from its older brother’s, this one has 12+2+1 phases, with 12 PHASE CORE POWERSPS/75A, 2 PHASE SOC POWER, and 1 PHASE MISC POWER. That explains why this board shows very similar, if not just a little bit worse cooling power to the Msi Pro X670-P Wifi. Still, it has a shorter heatsink as we mentioned, so it can’t keep up with its competitor in the end. Power connectors and SSD

Due to chipset and price limitations, this board doesn’t have a very large number of SSD slots. Having said that, it definitely has a sufficient amount for casual users. Of course, design is a matter of personal preference, so feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section. Then, we have the Asus Prime series, which includes the Prime B650M-A WiFi, Prime B650-Plus, and Prime B650M-A WiFi II. Unfortunately, we must recommend avoiding these. Like the ultra-affordable Gigabyte B650M K, the Asus Prime boards all use discrete MOSFETs, resulting in poor VRM thermals. DDR4 Boost: Advanced technology to deliver pure data signals for the best gaming performance and stability. Indeed, we tested it with the main and most popular 7000 CPUs, namely the: Ryzen 5 7600x, Ryzen 7 7700x, Ryzen 9 7900x, and even the Ryzen 9 7950x.Available only on processors featuring integrated graphics. Graphics specifications may vary depending on the CPU installed. DIY Friendly Design: Patented Screwless M.2 Shield Frozr, EZ M.2 Clips, Pre-installed I/O Shield, Steel Armor Having said that, be sure to go for a 6000MHz memory for optimal performance unless you’re on a restricted budget and need to save money for other components.

As expected, while the heatsink is shorter and the board is less sturdy, the materials used for the board are exactly the same. Either way, if you have a decent airflow in your case, I wouldn’t use my M.2 in this first slot. Both slots have PCIe 4.0 support, so you won’t be losing performance by doing so. And using the secondary slot will make it easier if you want to take the SSD off in the future. Lightning Gen4 Solution: The latest Gen4 PCI-E and M.2 solution with up to 64GB/s bandwidth for maximum transfer speed. For WiFi 6E support out of the box, either the MSI Pro B650-P WiFi or Gigabyte B650 Aorus Elite AX will serve you well. I have to say, now that I’m comparing both side by side, the first one is starting to grow on me, but let’s leave that behind.

Q & A

In comparison, Gigabyte's B650 Aero G appears to be a superior creator-type motherboard. The VRM is significantly upgraded with sixteen 90A power stages for the vcore. It also includes WiFi 6E and more USB 3.2 ports, making it a better board overall.

I feel like I’m repeating myself here, but as I said in the MSI Pro X670-P Wifi Review, this is one of my least favorite designs MSI has ever come up with for their new motherboard series. Another viable option at this price point is the Gigabyte B650M Aorus Elite AX, which includes a dozen 60A power stages for the vcore VRM, albeit with just two PCIe expansion slots. It includes a PCIe 5.0-enabled M.2 port, an additional PCIe 4.0 M.2, eleven USB 3.2 ports, eight USB 2.0 ports, and WiFi 6E. M.2 Shield FROZR: Strengthened built-in M.2 thermal solution. Keeps M.2 SSDs safe while preventing throttling, making them run faster.On the other hand, it only has 2x slots for normal JRGB headers. Due to that, if you plan on matching all RGB colors in your case, buy yourself a hub, or use the one that often comes with the case or AIO. Besides that, it has only 4x Fan headers, which emphasizes the necessity of getting a proper hub to do the hard job. PCI connectors, WIfi, and Audio Surprisingly, the MSI Pro B650-P WiFi didn’t give us any headaches, and everything went smoothly from the moment we boot the PC to all the gaming and rendering tests. On the other hand, the Riptide is a Micro ATX board, employing a dozen 50A power stages for the vcore. It manages to fit in four PCIe slots, though full usage is only possible with a single slot graphics card. It has two M.2 slots, with the primary slot being PCIe 5.0 compatible. It also features 9 USB 3.2 ports, eight USB 2.0 ports, a 2.5Gbit LAN, and WiFi 6E. The fact that it offers two PCIe 5.0 enabled x16 slots is a big plus. We're not saying you need that, but if you want it, this is the cheapest means of acquiring that configuration. The second one works with x4 and also has PCIe 4.0 but don’t use your graphics card in that one, as you’ll be losing performance. Also, it has 2x PCIe x1 slots.