Gigabyte B550I AORUS PRO AX vs MSI B450 TOMAHAWK MAX Motherboard

Great features for a mini ITX motherboard
Chunky VRM heatsinks
Easy to navigate BIOS
Great price to performance ratio
One of the best B450 motherboards available
Reliable and cost-effective option for building a gaming or workstation PC
Not having a front Type C header
Only one front USB 3 header
Some users have experienced issues with used or older models
Not ideal for overclocking
Limited PCIe gen4 support
Some users have reported issues with BIOS updates

Verdict

Overall, the Gigabyte B550I AORUS PRO AX is a solid choice for those looking for a mini ITX motherboard with good features and performance. The VRM heatsinks are chunky and the BIOS is easy to navigate, but there are some minor drawbacks such as the lack of a front Type C header and only one front USB 3 header. It is recommended to update the BIOS to avoid CPU temperature spikes and to ensure compatibility with Windows 11 in the future. It is also important to note that some users have experienced issues with used or older models, so thorough physical inspection is recommended.

Verdict

The MSI B450 TOMAHAWK MAX Motherboard is highly recommended by reviewers for its price to performance ratio and affordability. It is considered one of the best B450 motherboards available and is a great choice for those not planning to upgrade their components in the near future. Reviewers suggest pairing it with a Ryzen 5 3600 or 5600X processor, and recommend using 2x8GB DDR4-3200 or DDR4-3600 RAM. Some reviewers also suggest upgrading to a B550 motherboard for PCIe gen4 support, but note that it is not necessary. Overall, the MSI B450 TOMAHAWK MAX Motherboard is a reliable and cost-effective option for building a gaming or workstation PC.

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