Component Analysis

The single B850 chipset doesn't need a lot of cooling, so there's just one small heatsink that sat under the GPU release mechanism.


Probably one of the bigger disappointments here is the onboard audio. MSI has seen fit to include the Realtek ALC897 codec, which is inferior when it comes to dynamic range and noise levels to ALC1220 or ALC4080 included on more premium boards. Whether you'd tell the difference depends on the quality of your audio gear, but the fan remains that cheaper boards have better audio codecs. On the other hand, the 5 Gbps Ethernet is an advantage over many other boards at this price and lower, which often only have 2.5 Gbps.


The Wi-Fi 7 module is MediaTek's MT7925B22M, which has MSI's external EZ antenna connectors. To get at the module, you'll need to remove the large VRM heatsink above, which is held in place by two screws, then remove a further two screws from the back of the rear I/O panel that secure the two together. From there, you'll also need to remove the rear I/O panel itself to be able to then remove the Wi-Fi module.


MSI has used the Nuvoton super I/O hardware monitoring chip and the four rear USB 2.0 ports are powered by a Genesys Logic GL805 USB 2.0 controller hub.