ASUS ROG CROSSHAIR X870E HERO vs MSI MAG B850 TOMAHAWK MAX WIFI
Key differences
- ASUS ROG CROSSHAIR X870E HERO: m.2 slots 5 vs 4 (20% higher)
- ASUS ROG CROSSHAIR X870E HERO: max memory speed 8,600 MT/s vs 8,400 MT/s
Same on both: wi-fi Wi-Fi 7, socket AM5, ethernet 5 Gbps, bluetooth 5.4, sata ports 4, fan headers 8, form factor ATX, memory type DDR5, gpu slot PCIe 5.0, max memory 256 GB, memory slots 4, bios flashback Yes, front usb-c header 20Gb/s.
| ASUS ROG CROSSHAIR X870E HERO | MSI MAG B850 TOMAHAWK MAX WIFI | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024 | 2025 |
| Power stages (VRM) | 18+2+2 | — |
| USB4 | Yes | No |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots | 3 | 2 |
| Socket | AM5 | AM5 |
| Chipset | X870E | B850 |
| Ethernet | 5 Gbps | 5 Gbps |
| M.2 slots | 5 | 4 |
| Rear USB | 2× USB4 40Gb/s Type-C, 2× 10Gb/s Type-C, 6× 10Gb/s Type-A | 3× 10Gb/s Type-C, 2× 10Gb/s Type-A, 1× 5Gb/s Type-A, 4× USB 2.0 |
| M.2 slots (detail) | 3× PCIe 5.0 x4, 2× PCIe 4.0 x4 | 2× PCIe 5.0 x4, 1× PCIe 4.0 x4, 1× PCIe 4.0 x2 |
| Rear USB-A | 6 | 7 |
| Rear USB-C | 4 | 3 |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.4 |
| PCIe slots | 2× PCIe 5.0 x16 (x16 or x8/x8) | 1× PCIe 5.0 x16, 1× PCIe 4.0 x4 (x16 slot), 1× PCIe 3.0 x1 (x16 slot) |
| SATA ports | 4 | 4 |
| Audio | Realtek ALC4082 | Realtek ALC4080 |
| Fan headers | 8 | 8 |
| Form factor | ATX | ATX |
| Memory type | DDR5 | DDR5 |
| GPU slot | PCIe 5.0 | PCIe 5.0 |
| RGB headers | 3× ARGB | 3× ARGB, 1× RGB |
| Internal USB headers | 2× USB-C 20Gb/s, 2× USB 5Gb/s (4 ports), 2× USB 2.0 (4 ports) | 1× 20Gb/s Type-C, 4× 5Gb/s ports, 4× USB 2.0 ports |
| Max memory | 256 GB | 256 GB |
| Memory slots | 4 | 4 |
| Thunderbolt / USB4 | USB4 | — |
| BIOS flashback | Yes | Yes |
| Ethernet controller | Intel 2.5Gb + Realtek 5Gb | Realtek RTL8126VB 5Gb |
| Video outputs | 1× HDMI 2.1, 2× USB4 Type-C (DP Alt) | 1× HDMI 2.1 |
| Front USB-C header | 20Gb/s | 20Gb/s |
| Max memory speed | 8,600 MT/s | 8,400 MT/s |