Sunday, October 2nd 2022
First B650 Motherboard Pricing Detailed by B&H
US retailer B&H has kindly provided the first B650 motherboard pricing and it's something of a mixed bag. The company has listed no less than seven different models from MSI, ranging in price from US$199.99 to US$329.99. It doesn't appear as if any of these boards are based on the B650E chipset, but based on information TPU were given at Computex, we know that some higher-end B650 boards will cost around the same as some lower-end B650E boards.
As B&H has only listed key features of the boards, it's hard to tell what features some of the boards offer, but the base model is the mATX Pro B650M-A WiFi, which at the very least has one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, one PCIe 4.0 x4 slot, one PCIe 3.0 x1 slot and two M.2 slots. The board obviously also has WiFi 6E and somewhat surprisingly has 2.5 Gbps Ethernet. On the other hand, it only has a front header for a USB-C port and none around the back. This type of board was supposed to start at or below the US$150 mark and we'll hopefully see a transition to there in due time.A step up is the Pro B650-P WiFi which removes the PCIe 3.0 x1 slot, but adds a pair of unspecified full-length slots—most likely PCIe 3.0 based—as this is a full size ATX board. Here MSI has also added a rear mounted USB-C port that could be of the 20 Gbps variety. For an extra $20 over the mATX version, this seems like a more reasonable product offering overall in the now rather expensive budget segment.At the $239.99 price point, MSI has two boards, the mATX MAG B650M Mortar WiFi and the Mini-ITX MPG B650I Edge WiFi. The boards have a pre-installed I/O shield, which helps identify the rear port configuration. As such, we know that both boards come with a 20 Gbps rear mounted USB-C port and 2.5 Gbps Ethernet. The Mortar has two full-length x16 PCIe slots, with the primary being a x16 slot. There's also a x1 PCIe slot, that is most likely PCIe 3.0, as well as two M.2 slots. The Edge only has a single PCIe 4.0 x16 slot due to form factor limitations, plus at least one M.2 slot and a small fan on the heatsink that appears to cover the chipset and the M.2 slot.The next full-size board is the $259.99 MAG B650 Tomahawk WiFi, which is pretty much an ATX version of the Mortar, with an additional M.2 slot for a total of three. At $289.99 sits the MPG B650 Edge WiFi, which alongside the MPG B650I Edge gets white/silver heatsinks. The overall board layout is almost identical to the Tomahawk, but here we know for sure that the top-most M.2 slot supports a PCIe 5.0 drive.Finally MSI's top of the range B650 board in the line-up listed by B&H is the MPG B650 Carbon WiFi, which is a souped up version of the previous two boards, which gains a third M.2 slot and a bit fancier heatsinks. It also gains "proper" buttons around the back for the BIOS flash and clear CMOS buttons, but there's very little extra you get for the $329.99 asking price. All of the boards are listed as coming soon, so we don't have an actual retail date for B650 motherboards as yet.
Sources:
B&H, via @momomo_us
As B&H has only listed key features of the boards, it's hard to tell what features some of the boards offer, but the base model is the mATX Pro B650M-A WiFi, which at the very least has one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, one PCIe 4.0 x4 slot, one PCIe 3.0 x1 slot and two M.2 slots. The board obviously also has WiFi 6E and somewhat surprisingly has 2.5 Gbps Ethernet. On the other hand, it only has a front header for a USB-C port and none around the back. This type of board was supposed to start at or below the US$150 mark and we'll hopefully see a transition to there in due time.A step up is the Pro B650-P WiFi which removes the PCIe 3.0 x1 slot, but adds a pair of unspecified full-length slots—most likely PCIe 3.0 based—as this is a full size ATX board. Here MSI has also added a rear mounted USB-C port that could be of the 20 Gbps variety. For an extra $20 over the mATX version, this seems like a more reasonable product offering overall in the now rather expensive budget segment.At the $239.99 price point, MSI has two boards, the mATX MAG B650M Mortar WiFi and the Mini-ITX MPG B650I Edge WiFi. The boards have a pre-installed I/O shield, which helps identify the rear port configuration. As such, we know that both boards come with a 20 Gbps rear mounted USB-C port and 2.5 Gbps Ethernet. The Mortar has two full-length x16 PCIe slots, with the primary being a x16 slot. There's also a x1 PCIe slot, that is most likely PCIe 3.0, as well as two M.2 slots. The Edge only has a single PCIe 4.0 x16 slot due to form factor limitations, plus at least one M.2 slot and a small fan on the heatsink that appears to cover the chipset and the M.2 slot.The next full-size board is the $259.99 MAG B650 Tomahawk WiFi, which is pretty much an ATX version of the Mortar, with an additional M.2 slot for a total of three. At $289.99 sits the MPG B650 Edge WiFi, which alongside the MPG B650I Edge gets white/silver heatsinks. The overall board layout is almost identical to the Tomahawk, but here we know for sure that the top-most M.2 slot supports a PCIe 5.0 drive.Finally MSI's top of the range B650 board in the line-up listed by B&H is the MPG B650 Carbon WiFi, which is a souped up version of the previous two boards, which gains a third M.2 slot and a bit fancier heatsinks. It also gains "proper" buttons around the back for the BIOS flash and clear CMOS buttons, but there's very little extra you get for the $329.99 asking price. All of the boards are listed as coming soon, so we don't have an actual retail date for B650 motherboards as yet.
72 Comments on First B650 Motherboard Pricing Detailed by B&H
And those prices.....holy hell. $230 for a mid range chipset. My asus P8Z77 V-PRO cost $230 brand new... Looks like I'll be keeping my 5000 series until it cant boot anymore.
When I get the right information and the apologists started mouthing off about how CHEAP the B series motherboards are you KNOW THERE ARE PROBLEMS. I am now in my 34th year in this industry and I've seen it all.
I knew what Dr. Lisa Su was going to do as I've been watching her/AMD business/financial moves for the past 2 years.
So as I was stating before. AMD is going to make their money off of the sales of the Chipsets to the Motherboard Companies.
There is already a push back from people siting low CPU sales in Europe, because.. well you are going to have to basically build yourself a BRAND NEW computer instead of plopping a new CPU into an existing set up. The Excuses of the Excessive Temps and excessive wattages is utter crap. This in many ways reminds me of AMD's BullDozer CPU years ago. It was not that bad CPU but damn it was hot and watt pig.
I fully expect a decrease in CPU Price by $50. And the Reason why I am thinking of this is because of the financial data I've collected from AMD. I'll be somewhat surprised if this did not happen a few months down the road so they can make their 4th quarter performance look good on paper.
People forget that they did not have a good 2nd quarter and it looks like they are going to miss market expectations for the 3rd quarter.
Again it is going to cost $1000 more than the cost of my current rig if I want to get that top end type of build. I sure as hell not going to buy that and I can afford TOP END equipment. But I rather save my money and put it into something else. Well... Sorry to tell you this but my information was way above the $150 mark. That is why I got so pissed off. This is just price gouging by AMD.
Again I bought the X570 MSI A-Pro for $125.00 and it has ran beautifully, REGARDLESS what the talking heads on YOUTUBE have stated on this board.
"B" Series of motherboards were at the $80 to $100 at the time of purchase.
Everything is essentially Double the cost than last generations costs. For around 30% increase in overall performance??? Then add the heat issues and wattage to the mix?
THEN trying to sell this to a market that is in a GLOBAL RECESSION??? Yea... Real Smart. People are just not going to buy this right now.
If anything the market will dictate the price. Just like the CPU's the motherboard Prices will probably go down a bit. Maybe at the $150 mark a few months down the road. But this is a "B" series of mother board and there is no big deal to them.
BUT again I will take my money elsewhere. This IMHO this is again price gouging. AMD is not the only company guilty of this, just look at Ngreedia right now.
But because of looking at the financials of the company and how Dr. Su is running it, then getting the information I found. well...
This is what I fell you can expect. Excessive high prices.
www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1730066-REG/msi_b650pwifi_pro_b650_p_wifi_am5.html
MSI PRO B650-P WIFI $219.99 USD
Audio Codec: Realtek ALC897
Asrock boards are usually cheap (in more ways than one).
videocardz.com/newz/asrock-amd-b650-motherboard-specs-leaked-b650e-taichi-is-e-atx-with-27-phase-vrm
And for $60 USD more an MSI Z790 DDR5 board and not the cheapest one offered by far.
www.newegg.com/p/N82E16813144569
MSI PRO Z790-A WIFI $279.99 USD
Audio Chipset: Realtek ALC4080
www.msi.com/Motherboard/PRO-Z790-A-WIFI/Overview
8 PCIe 3.0 lanes (often used by WiFi, Ethernet, a second M.2 key M slot, etc)
2 PCIe 3.0 lanes that can also become 2 SATA ports
4 SATA ports
Bunch of USB.
B650:
8 PCIe 4.0 lanes
4 PCIe 3.0 lanes that can also become 4 SATA ports (IMO, board vendors will go with 4 SATA). Can also do 2 SATA with 2 PCIe 3.0 lanes.
Bunch of USB
My guess is a slight regression for most boards, if 4 SATA ports are still presented. Furthermore, in AM5, the CPU socket no longer presents any SATA interface either, whereas AM4 could have 2 SATA ports (at the cost of 2 PCI lanes).
AFAIK, Intel's B660 isn't much better off, since it shares its PHY assignments with USB 3 ports as well. Z790 doesn't seem to fundamentally change that, so I'm not expecting much of the future B760 either.
EDIT: B550 and X570 slides have some notes at the bottom, which are to be read as representing the entire platform's IO, not just the chipset. B650 slide doesn't have those notes.
EDIT: just for fun, X570.
X570:
8 PCIe 4.0
4 PCIe 4.0 or 4 SATA
4 PCIe 4.0 or 4 SATA (again)
4 SATA
£100-120 used to be my budget / HTPC price point, £180-200 for my main desktop. It looks like everything went up by 100 quid (1 USD MSRP usually equals 1 GBP store price).
Between B550 and B650 you trade 2 pcie 3.0 lanes/2 sata ports for 1 20gbps/2 10gbps usb ports. Everything else is either the same or upgraded to a new standard (usb 5gbps are now 10gbps, 8x pcie 3.0 are now 4.0)
X570 - X670 haven't looked at it side by side, but x670 is MOAR USB!!! galore imo
For Ryzen 7000, I think for my use case (gaming) these parts don't offer enough performance for the asking price, so I won't buy it. You can do the same, no need to get angry. Companies follow the money, if parts don't move, they'll be forced to lower prices.
Besides, what percentage of consumers are going to have a dual 4090 system anyhow? Price, size, power requirements, lack of usage cases for gaming and productivity, etc.
Dual 4090 systems would be workstation class builds for content creators and technical users.
ooook lol
generation: skipped!
I was just reading a whole bunch of complaints about how they can't get enough memory out of single cards & having to buy this card isn't appiling to content creators.
AMD got rid of the physical Crossfire interlink years ago so clearly they didn't have a compelling reason to keep that option available.
I'm not familiar with either company's professional solutions for multi-card connectivity but for sure the era of this option has ended on GeForce and Radeon branded products.