Introduction

We'd sympathize with you if you're confused as to which Socket AM5 motherboard chipset to buy right now. Even a mid-range PC could end up with any one of seven chipsets, and they're just those that support overclocking. In general, the new B850 chipset is touted as a more affordable option compared to X870 and X870E, although there's crossover when it comes to features and limitations ranging from PCIe lane sharing, cooling, tool-free features and I/O. The MSI MAG B850 Tomahawk Max Wi-Fi is one of the cheaper B850 options, though, sitting at $230, with a solid-looking specification, although it has cut a few features to get there.

If you're looking to build a PC or upgrade and your budget dictates spending no more than this, though, you're probably not too concerned about features such as USB4 or the likes of power and reset buttons, LED POST code displays or thermistor inputs and would rather optional features such as tool-free tech are ditched in favor of a lower price tag. That's partly what MSI had done here. There's no USB4, power or reset buttons and only one of its heatsinks is tool-free.



It still has Wi-Fi 7 and 5 Gbps Ethernet, though, and of course PCIe Gen 5 support across multiple M.2 ports and for your graphics card. The question is how does it compare to other B850 options and indeed similarly-priced models from previous generation chipsets, is it worth spending a little more, or has MSI nailed it like it often has with Tomahawk-branded boards?

Specifications