MSI B850 Tomahawk Max WiFi: Cheaper chipset, but better features

We’re concluding the tests of B850 motherboards with the MSI Tomahawk Max WiFi. In terms of price, it sits between the already tested B850 Aorus Elite WiFi7 and Asus ROG Strix B850-F Gaming WiFi, with its features leaning closer to the latter. In some aspects, it even surpasses it. The word “Max” in its name is well justified – three PCIe 5.0 slots, 5-gigabit Ethernet, more USB ports…

Adobe Photoshop (PugetBench)

Test environment: set of PugetBench tests. App version of Adobe Photoshop is 22.4.2.



















Affinity Photo (benchmark)

Testing environment: built-in benchmark.





Topaz Labs AI apps

Topaz DeNoise AI, Gigapixel AI and Sharpen AI. These single-purpose applications are used for restoration of low-quality photos. Whether it is high noise (caused by higher ISO), raster level (typically after cropping) or when something needs extra focus. The AI performance is always used.

Test settings for Topaz Labs applications. DeNoise AI, Gigapixel AI and Sharpen AI, left to right. Each application has one of the three windows

Test environment: As part of batch editing, 42 photos with a lower resolution of 1920 × 1280 px are processed, with the settings from the images above. DeNoise AI is in version 3.1.2, Gigapixel in 5.5.2 and Sharpen AI in 3.1.2.



The processor is used for acceleration (and high RAM allocation), but you can also switch to the GPU


Analysis: What have we learned from motherboard tests

Over time, we have tested ten motherboards with Intel B660 and Z690 chipsets in great detail. From more than 5000 different measurements, we can thus confidently deny some speculations that are usually spread on the Internet from the ignorance of the authors of articles or comments (in discussions). But this is natural. The less substantial the reviews are, the more fertile ground they create for various confusions. Read more “Analysis: What have we learned from motherboard tests” »

Better than on paper. Low-cost “OC” mobo MSI Pro Z690-A DDR4

MSI’s second cheapest motherboard with the Intel Z690 chipset costs significantly less compared to the higher-end Tomahawk DDR4. The difference in features is small. And perhaps too small, as the specifications artificially downgrade some components. The power delivery is less efficient and the heatsinks are more modest, but the roughly 80 EUR saved is almost as much as the cost of upgrading from a Core i5-12600K to a Core i7-12700K(F). Read more “Better than on paper. Low-cost “OC” mobo MSI Pro Z690-A DDR4″ »

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