Today we are going to be talking about two incredible models. They are the MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon Max s Asus Rog Strix B450-F Gaming II gaming motherboards. MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon Max model is priced only at a $160 price point.
We felt that it could be termed as the best AM4 model priced under $170. As a result of that, the maker has managed to outdo themselves with this unit. The unit is exceptional in several ways and a better buy than every X470 model that there is in the market.
Its performance was beyond words, and the scores got during the testing were quite good. Our tester was highly impressed with the overclocking. The unit is exceptional to design any kind of 2nd generation Zen PC of your choice.
When you look at the Ryzen unit, the Carbon Max is able to provide with everything you need. How is it able to differentiate from the earlier B350 chipset? The B450 is quite similar to the X470 and the X370 chipsets.
In a sense, it comes with a better memory configuration and opulent compatibility too. Gamers can note the slight changes done on the VRMs and power distribution on the motherboard.
You can also notice major enhancements like the precision boost overdrive and the StoreMI. Though the specification is good, you may want to combine drives together for opulent performance.
The unit is an intelligent system that comes unsupported by the earlier board. It also has a precision boost overdrive to be configured using BIOS. The model provides you with immense several threading performances and single-core frequency using other settings.
Similarly, we have the Asus Rog Strix B450-F Gaming II motherboard that comes with intense features embedded in it. The unit has some enhancements to support the very excellent software storage acceleration technology.
Using it, you can intelligently move drive data to an SSD and enhanced layout. This unit is a sublime, prodigious contender in the under $170 market for AMD AM4 boards for the price range.
The Republic of Gamers lineup is specific on the specific premium devices, which comes with splendid features. The unit provides support for Crossfire and SLI multi-GPU configurations.
You will be glad to know that it supports a full range of Ryzen processors. The B450-F Gaming II is a phenomenal unit providing you with a stunning array of pleasing features. It is a solid option for designing a gaming PC compared to the X470 motherboard as they offer more graphics and quicker storage.
Let us read on to find out more about the gaming motherboards. You know the winner at the end.
 |  |
|---|---|
| MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon Max | Asus Rog Strix B450-F Gaming II |
| PROS | PROS |
| The unit supports 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen processors. The model comes with mystic light and compatible devices. It provides you with a speedy gaming experience. It comes with a DDR4 boost. The product comes with an audio boost 4 Nahimic. | The unit comes with an improved layout. The model provides you with stable performance. It has splendid software. It comes with high-end audio. The board has stunning VRMs. |
| CONS | CONS |
| It is slightly expensive compared to its counterpart. | Use longer M.2 slot to suppress PCI Express x16 bandwidth. |
FEATURES & LAYOUT
MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon Max features & layout come with the traditional color scheme. They have a black and dark grey, with occasional silver around them. You can also notice the color of red & white here and there.
Overall, it is nicely done. MSI always had a reputation for stunning-looking motherboards. Users can notice that you can find a Ps2 combination port, speaker, LAN, and audio connectors for 7.1 audio at the rear.
Then you have the optical s/pdif out, display port, LAN connector, USB 2 connectors, HDMI. The combination of the USB 3.1 gen 1 and gen 2 are of type A and C. You can attach aerials that provide Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, with a BIOS FlashBack button.
We also noticed that the unit has PCIe 3.0 x16 slot, 3x PCIe x1 slots, and a PCIe 2.0 x16 slot. The unit supports dual graphics solutions. However, it can support 2 AMD GPUs in the crossfire. Though the unit supports ADATA memory kit review, it can work at 2667 MHZ.
We found that it was able to get rid of the temperature in the Crucial MX500 drive by a few degrees. You can also find the front audio, a CPU fan, 4x 4pin fan connectors, and a pump fan. Not to mention, there are 2 5050 RGB led strip connectors, a single 2 pin led power connector, and 1 WS2812B connector.
You can also find a TPM connector and support for an additional set of USB ports. It is helpful to PC designers and system builders. It makes use of the RichTek rt8894 PWM controller and the 4+2 layout phase design.
On the whole, you can find the unit comes designed nicely with everything where it is to be. Our tester was highly appreciative of that. However, you can note a dual 8 and 4 pin connector; we felt that the area was slightly cramped.
The smaller cases may be a problem for plugging in the cable or even unplugging. You know that the 4-pin is not required. On the other hand, the Asus Rog Strix B450-F Gaming II unit comes with remarkable features & layout.
Our tester felt that the unit comes nicely improved to the earlier version. We noticed that in the previous version, one of the PCIe 1 slots was placed below the primary PCIe x16 slot. That is because the M.2 Key-M 22110 slot does the space.
We noted that the SATA 3.0 ports are separated, which makes it appear more organized. You would want to know that the unit improves on most fronts by relocating the M.2 Key-M 22110 slot below the heatsink.
You can also find a second M.2 Key-M slot above the primary PCIe x16 slot. It does not complete the entire space to move the PCIe x1 slots above the primary x16 slot as well. We liked the way the 6 SATA 3.0 ports are arranged together as they should be.
The longer M.2 Key-M 22110 slot comes easier to access. You might want to avoid using that as your first option when using a graphics card. This slot is used PCI Express 3.0 lanes from the CPU for locking the primary PCIe x16 slot.
It happens when an M.2 storage device is placed in the M.2 Key-M 22110 slot to an electrical PCI Express 3.0 x8 connection. You may not notice that, but it can reduce the performance. Our tester thought that the Type-22110 slot would have been configured differently.
The SATA interface or PCI Express 2.0 lanes like the M.2 Key-M 2280 slot. When you want to improve the unit’s design, you may want to add a shroud and an RGB light. The lighting is found at the rear I/O ports.
We noticed that the 8-phase power design of the earlier version is provided in it. The model is infused with 3 PCIe x16 slots and 3 PCIe x1 slots. You can find the top having data from the CPUs PCI Express controller.
Like we said before, you may want only to use the M.2 Key-M 22110 slot. The second PCIe x16 slot is fed through the CPU and capable of the PCIe 3.0 x8 connection. In the last PCIe x16 slot and the 3 PCIe x1 slots, you can get data through the B450 chipset.
All in all, the features & layout of the gaming motherboards are astounding. You can make use of them to ensure that the PC runs smoothly. We are confident that users and gamers should not face any problems when working with them.
SOFTWARE AND FIRMWARE
The software and firmware of the gaming motherboards are sublime. The MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon Max gaming motherboard comes with astounding software. The unit is simple to operate and packed with features.
Users have almost access to the settings on the board. You can note that it comes with two different modes, the first of which is EZ Mode, which is the default when you boot in the BIOS. You might also see the main Window that comes with an overview of the system specifications.
You can note the BIOS revision that is installed CPU and RAM at the top position. These are some of the board features and clock of the CPU. You can make use of the options for configuring and tweaking for automatically setting the RAM.
Users have many advanced options for using the power. Here you can find the overclocking features and user-configurable timings. You can also adjust CPU features and also disable the built-in components.
The Asus Rog Strix B450-F Gaming II gaming motherboard comes with an application called Ai Suite 3. It helps you to monitor the system, fan control, overclocking, and more. You also have the Dual Intelligent Processors 5 (DIP5) using the application.
It comes with a TPU section for CPU multiplier and voltage control. There is also the EPU for enabling you to adjust the power plans. You can use Fan Expert 4 to change the fan speed and curves and DigiVRM to improve power delivery.
With the monitoring information present at the bottom of the application anchored in place. You can find the monitoring that comes with the CPU speed, temperature, voltage, and fan speeds.
OVERCLOCKING
MSI and Asus are known for their overclocking capabilities. We were not surprised by their stunning performances in this segment. Let us read to find out which one was better than the other.
MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon Max gaming motherboard is an exceptional model here. The model is packed with several features. It comes with sublime quality, and the specifications are sturdy for boot.
Our tester used the motherboard on the Ryzen 5 2600X CPU, and it could easily reach the mark of 4.3GHz. It was not able to reach 4.4, though, which made us a little surprised. Sometimes, the unit could boot, and most of the time, get inside Windows.
Everything went on smoothly. The CPU was able to reach stable power and impress us. Most gamers are quite happy with the chipset. The VRMs are not an issue when you want to operate and perform intense overclocking using them.
The VRMs were quite remarkable, and the overclocking process was stable. Our tester did not find any issues whatsoever when working on it. We also liked the memory support, and our tester made use of the vital kits, and they were able to reach maximum overclocks.
When you are in the market looking for a top-notch B450 motherboard, then you may want to choose a unit like this. But when you are looking for under $100 motherboards, then you choose others too as they come with plenty of specifications.
The Asus Rog Strix B450-F Gaming II motherboard came with standard benchmarks. Not to mention, the power tests were performed using the CPU stock frequencies. This is where you can find the stock frequencies.
The XMP setting was used here to not to tweak it manually. As you know, XMP is an Intel feature, and all the motherboards can read it properly. At times, it may show you different timings.
You may set the DOCP/XMP, and our tester ran them on 16-17-17-39. Maybe it was possible because of the memory difference; the entire process was run using the primary settings. The results were quite similar.
When you enter the BIOS, you are greeted by the EZ Mode menu that provides the system’s basic specifications and operating conditions. Using the menu, you can set the boot order and get the system up and running.
You can perform automated overclocking with the EZ Tuning Wizard. When you want to overclock or learn, you can use a sophisticated AI Tweaker menu. This one is found under the Advanced Mode menu to give access to all the controls.
Using them, you can now push our processor to the limit as you want to. Besides, you can adjust the RAM settings. Besides the Sonic Studio III software, the maker has also included Aura Sync RGB software that you can adjust to the color of the unit’s built-in RGB lights.
You can also find additional lights that are connected to the Aura RGB strip headers. There is the GameFirst IV that allows you to pull data from several network connections simultaneously. Though the app is limited because of other networking factors, it can improve the performance while gaming and downloading large files in the right scenario.
PRICE
The MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon Max gaming motherboard is priced under $160. Our tester felt that the MSI model is always a premium one coming infused with good features. Likewise, you also have the software and the VRMs.
The Asus Rog Strix B450-F Gaming II gaming motherboard is priced under $150. Our tester thought that the Rog motherboards come with their own set of exceptional features, and the cooling system embedded in them is always mind blowing.
The price difference of $10 should not make too much of a hassle for the MSI B450 gaming. Similarly, the Rog Strix has tremendous potential for being a powerful chipset for gaming PCs. Whether you want to use the MSI Carbon Max or the Asus Gaming II unit, it will work flawlessly.
MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon Max vs Asus Rog Strix B450-F Gaming II: Verdict
We have ended our discussion on the MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon Max vs Asus Rog Strix B450-F Gaming II gaming motherboards. We hope you enjoyed reading the post. The MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon Max model comes with its own set of features that make it a magnificent model.
The layout, software, and cooling technology infused in the unit are quite note-worthy. You can get stunning results from them. Likewise, the Asus Rog Strix B450-F Gaming II model comes with powerful features on it too.
Our tester was convinced that the earlier B350 chipset came with distinctive features too. Though it is a replacement for the B350-F model, the unit is much stronger than its previous model.
There is an improved feature set, eloquent layout, and an additional M.2 Key-M slot. Our tester was convinced about the M.2 Key-M 22110 slot. The MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon Max gaming motherboard comes with a wireless LAN integrated.
Additionally, it supports the following RAM types that are not supported by counterpart DDR4 3733MHz, 3466MHz, 3600MHz, 4000MHz, 4133MHz, and 3866MHz. The Asus Rog Strix B450-F Gaming II gaming motherboard is cheaper than its counterpart and comes with slots PCI-E x16.
The Asus Rog Strix B450-F Gaming II gaming motherboard provides you with plenty of features for the price point. You can get intense overclocking of 4.2 GHz on the 2700X. It nicely was able to handle the running of the memory without issue.
It also comes with the standard SATA port allotment, plenty of USB ports, and dual M.2 slots. A USB Type-C port also has a pre-mounted IO shield offering the unit a premium appearance.
Our winner in the comparison review is the Asus Rog Strix B450-F Gaming II motherboard. It comes with spectacular features and a reasonable price range. Something that you will find very difficult to ignore.
James Smith has always been intrigued by electronic products since his childhood. After his post graduation in electronics from a popular university, he decided to pursue a career in the electronics sector. But his calling for writing about these marvellous pieces of work got the better of him. That is how UBG was started. With a writing career spanning more than 12 years, James has worked on several hundred product reviews. During his free time, he like to spend time with his pet dog and relax in the swimming pool.