Following the launch of AMD’s B850 and B840 chipsets, each manufacturer is scrambling to share the specs and features of its roster. From super-fast USB 4 and 5GbE LAN to PCIe Gen 5 and debug displays, you get all you need for a nice machine without the exorbitant costs of X870E alternatives.
For this list, we will focus on the best models from each brand to give you an idea of what you can expect. This way you will know if AMD’s mid-range has all the features you care about. Spoiler alert, for most users, there is no need to shell out for a higher X870/X870E board.
Asus ROG Strix B850-E Gaming WiFi
Starting with Asus, we have an ATX board packing more features than some X870 solutions. For starters, you get all the fancy latest technologies such as PCIe Gen 5 for GPU and storage, USB 4, super-fast wired and wireless networking, and a plethora of DIY-friendly aspects. Plus, thanks to its 16+2+2 90A phase power design, you can be sure all Ryzen chips are well-fed, unlocking greater potential for overclocking.
| ROG Strix B850-E Gaming WiFi | |
| Form Factor | ATX |
| VRM Design | 16+2+2, 90A |
| DRAM slots | 4, DDR5-8000 |
| Visuals | DisplayPort 1.4a (x1) HDMI 2.1 (x1) USB 4 (x1) |
| Expansions | PCIe 5.0 x16 (x1) PCIe 4.0 x4 (x1) |
| Audio | Realtek ALC4080 |
| Storage | PCIe 5.0 x4 (x3), Main PCIe runs at x8 when using more than one M.2 Gen 5. PCIe 4.0 x4 (x2), When second PCIe is used, second M.2 Gen 4 turns off. SATA 6Gbps (x4) |
| Rear USB | 4 40Gbps (x1) 3.2 20Gbps (x1) 3.2 10Gbps (x6) 2.0 (x4) |
| Front USB | 3.2 10Gbps (x1) 3.2 5Gbps (x1) 2.0 (x2) |
| LAN | Realtek 5Gbps |
| Wireless | WiFi 7 Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Features | M.2 Q-Latch, M.2 Q-Release, M.2 Q-Slide PCIe Slot Q-Release Slim Q-Code, Q-LED BIOS FlashBack button |
In addition to the ROG Strix B850-E Gaming WiFi, Asus is also releasing the:
- ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi
- ROG Strix B850-A Gaming WiFi
- ROG Strix B850-I Gaming WiFi
- TUF Gaming B850-Plus WiFi
- TUF Gaming B850M-Plus WiFi
- TUF Gaming B850M-Plus
- Prime B840-Plus WiFi
- Prime B840M-A WiFi
- Prime B840M-A
Gigabyte B850 AI TOP
Moving on to Gigabyte, we find once more a subtle board with all the bells and whistles you could need. Heaps of PCIe and M.2 slots, check. Copious RAM support, check. Large VRM design, check. There is even a PCIe button for hassle-free graphics card removal. A dual 10GbE ethernet and DDR5-8600 round of high-end support. My only complaint is the lack of USB 4. Otherwise, without checking the name, many would mistake it for a higher-tier product.
| B850 AI TOP | |
| Form Factor | ATX |
| VRM Design | 16+2+2, 110A |
| DRAM slots | 4, DDR5-8600 |
| Visuals | USB 3.2 Type-C (x1) HDMI 2.1 (x1) |
| Expansions | PCIe 5.0 x16 (x2), run in x8/x8 when both are used. PCIe 4.0 x2 (x1) |
| Audio | Realtek ALC1220 |
| Storage | PCIe 5.0 x4 (x2) PCIe 4.0 x4 (x1) SATA 6Gbps (x4) |
| Rear USB | 3.2 5Gbps (x4) 3.2 10Gbps (x3) 3.2 10Gbps Type-C (x1) 2.0 (x4) |
| Front USB | 3.2 20Gbps (x1) 3.2 5Gbps (x2) 2.0 (x4) |
| LAN | Marvell AQtion AQC113C 10GbE (x2) |
| Wireless | Realtek RTL8922AE WiFi 7 Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Features | Q-Flash / Q-Flash Plus Smart Backup EZ-Latch for PCIe and M.2 slots Multi-key Debug LEDs Power Button |
As you can guess, this is not the only B850/B840 board Gigabyte is releasing. The full list goes as follows:
- B850 AI TOP
- B850 Aorus Elite WiFi7
- B850 Aorus Elite WiFi7 Ice
- B850M Aorus Elite WiFi6E Ice
- B850I Aorus Pro
- B850M Gaming X WiFi6E
- B850 Gaming X WiFi6E
- B850 Eagle WiFi6E
- B850M D3HP
- B850M DS3H
- B850 Gaming WiFi6
- B840M Aorus Elite WiFi6E
- B840M Eagle WiFi6
ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
For its part, ASRock went ham with no less than 16 models to cover all angles. The most appealing and arguably the most powerful of which is the B850 Steel Legend WiFi. Pretty much a carbon copy of the B850 Riptide WiFi, this board packs 14+2+1 80A Dr.MOS power phases alongside four DIMM slots supporting up to DDR5-8000 memory. That said, this time, no fancy 10Gbps LAN or USB 4, you only get a reasonable feature set, likely to reduce the final price. Fortunately, all aspects that could influence general performance are well covered, from Gen 5 PCIe to fast RAM support.
| B850 Steel Legend WiFi | |
| Form Factor | ATX |
| VRM Design | 14+2+2, 80A |
| DRAM slots | 4, DDR5-8000 |
| Visuals | HDMI 2.1 (x1) |
| Expansions | PCIe 5.0 x16 (x1) PCIe 4.0 x4 (x1) |
| Audio | Realtek ALC4082 |
| Storage | PCIe 5.0 x4 (x1) PCIe 4.0 x4 (x3) SATA 6Gbps (x4) |
| Rear USB | 3.2 10Gbps Type-C (x2) 3.2 10Gbps (x2) 3.2 5Gbps (x3) 2.0 (x4) |
| Front USB | 3.2 10Gbps (x1) 3.2 5Gbps (x4) 2.0 (x4) |
| LAN | Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5GbE |
| Wireless | WiFi 7 Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Features | Lightning Gaming Ports Sound Tracker SignalRGB support BIOS Flashback Toolless M.2 Heatsink Auto Driver Installer |
As we mentioned, ASRock isn’t joking when it comes to its B850/B840 series with 16 models, going as follows:
- B850 Riptide WiFi
- B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- B850 LiveMixer WiFi
- B850 Pro RS WiFi
- B850 Pro RS
- B850 Pro-A WiFi
- B850 Pro-A
- B850M Riptide WiFi
- B850M Steel Legend WiFi
- B850M Pro RS WiFi
- B850M Pro RS
- B850M Pro-A WiFi
- B850M Pro-A
- B850M-X WiFi
- B850M-X
- B850I Lightning WiFi
