Following Asus' announcement of its B550 motherboards, MSI has also shared information on its upcoming B550 models. As an alternative to the X570 chipset, the B550 motherboards are a more affordable option if you're planning to build a Ryzen-based system, while still keeping support for PCIe 4.0.
The PCIe 4.0 support allows you to achieve higher data transfer speeds for graphics cards, storage devices, networking devices, and more. All MSI B550 motherboards will include PCIe and M.2 slots compatible with the PCIe 4.0 interface. Additionally, all B550 motherboards support addressable RGB LED (via the JRAINBOW pin header) to synchronise any RGB lighting in your system, while MSI has also included the Flash BIOS Button to easily flash the motherboard's BIOS, or clear the CMOS to quickly restore your BIOS to default settings.
MSI B550 motherboards also come with an “enhanced thermal solution” to improve cooling performance. MSI has added thermal pads with a rated 7W/mk of thermal conductivity to the MOS heatsinks, while the PCB uses 2oz of thickened copper, resulting in lower temperatures and improved heat transfer. There's also a USB Type-C connector on all B550 motherboards, allowing you to have USB Type-C connectivity on the front I/O panel of your case.
The new MSI B550 motherboards are divided into three series: MPG, MAG and Pro. MPG motherboards are aimed at gamers that want to “show their personal styles with advanced hardware design” while having the best feature set. The MAG motherboards are for entry-level gamers who still want reliability and stability. On the other hand, the Pro series is targeted at professionals and work systems without sacrificing the core feature set.
Motherboard | Form Factor | DRAM Slots/Capacity | Network Interface | Wi-Fi | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
MPG B550 Gaming Carbon WIFI | ATX | 4/128GB | Realtek RTL8125B 2.5Gb | Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 | Realtek ALC1200 |
MAG B550M Tomahawk | ATX | 4/128GB | Realtek RTL8125B 2.5Gb, Realtek RTL8111H 1Gb | No | Realtek ALC1200 |
MAG B550M Mortar WIFI | Micro ATX | 4/128GB | Realtek RTL8125B 2.5Gb | Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 | Realtek ALC1200 |
MAG B550M Mortar | Micro ATX | 4/128GB | Realtek RTL8125B 2.5Gb | No | Realtek ALC1200 |
B550-A Pro | ATX | 4/128GB | Realtek 8111H 1Gb | No | Realtek ALC892 Codec |
You can learn more about MSI's B550 motherboards HERE.
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KitGuru says: Are you thinking about buying a B550 motherboard? Which MSI B550 motherboard would you prefer?