MSI B850M PLUS WIFI6E motherboard review: when compactness and stability are a priority

More and more often, when assembling a new PC, gamers are choosing compact motherboards that can easily find a place in small cases. Not everyone is willing to pay a lot of money for top-of-the-line chipsets, redundant features, and power supply that the older segment of motherboards offers. At the same time, you want to get reliability with compact dimensions and a set of modern interfaces. This is the combination offered by the MSI B850M PLUS WIFI6E, which arrived for our editorial review.

Technical characteristics

Format	micro-ATX
Socket	AM5
Chipset	AMD B850
Power supply phases	10+2+1 (VCore + SOC + MISC)
RAM	4 x DDR5 DIMM
Max. amount of RAM	256 GB
Max. frequency of RAM	8200 MT/s (OC)
Video outputs	1 x HDMI 2.1 1 x DisplayPort 1.4
LAN controller	1 x Realtek 2.5 Gbps
Wireless interfaces	Wi-Fi 6E (2.4GHz / 5GHz / 6GHz),  Bluetooth 5.3
PCI-E x16 connectors	1 x PCI Express 5.0 x16 (CPU), 2 x PCI Express x1
M2 connectors	1 x M.2 (M.2 2280/2260; PCIe 5.0 x4 from the processor) 1 x M.2 (M.2 2280/2260; PCIe 4.0 x4)
SATA connectors	4 x SATA 6 Gbps
USB (External ports)	1 x USB Type-C (10 Gbps) 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Type-A 4 x USB 2.0 Type-A
USB (Internal ports)	1 x USB 10Gbps Type-A port (From CPU) 3 x USB 10Gbps Type-A ports (From CPU) 4 x USB 5Gbps Type-A ports (From ASM 1074)
Sound	Realtek ALC897 Codec (7.1)
Illumination	3 x ARGB LED 1 x RGB LED
Processor power supply	2 x 8 pin
Power supply for coolers	5 x 4 pin
Dimensions	244 × 244 mm
Additionally	EZ DIY fasteners, 7W/mK thermal pads, EZ OC.

Test bench

The MSI B850M PLUS WIFI6E was tested with an AMD Ryzen 7 9700X processor and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT graphics card. This configuration allows you to unleash the potential of the motherboard and evaluate its capabilities in real-world conditions.System configuration:

• Body Cougar FV270 RGB WHITE;
• Motherboard MSI B850M PLUS WIFI6E;
• Processor AMD Ryzen 7 9700X;
• Cooling MSI MAG CORELIQUID A15 240;
• Drive Kingston FURY Renegade 3D NAND TLC 4TB;
• RAM Kingston Fury DDR5 Beast RGB (KF556C40BBAK2-64);
• Video card Gigabyte Radeon RX 9070 XT AORUS ELITE;
• Power supply MSI MPG GS 850W;
• Monitor Acer Predator XB273UV3bmiiprx.

Package and appearance

MSI B850M PLUS WIFI6E arrived for editorial review in an elegant gray box, but it’s not a gray box. The packaging is marked “AMD Ryzen 9000 Ready”, which emphasizes compatibility with the latest AMD processors. In addition, the manufacturer focuses on the Ready AI PC technology, which is the sum of technologies for optimizing system performance using artificial intelligence

The kit includes:

• SATA 6 Gbps cable;
• Antenna for the Wi-Fi 6E wireless module;
• EZ M.2 Clip II drive mount set for drives;
• EZ M.2 Clip II removal tool;
• EZ Conn 1-to-2 cable for connecting fans and lights;
• Information brochures, MSI stickers, and cable stickers.

The design of the board is not quite classic as for the Gaming Plus series — gray PCB with matte silver radiators and corner accents. It looks aesthetically pleasing and modern, without being too excessive. The MSI B850M PLUS WIFI6E is built on a 6-layer PCB containing, according to the manufacturer, 2 ounces of copper. This should have a positive effect on both stability and durability. In terms of strength, the board is subjectively on par with competitive solutions.

The EZ DIY approach makes assembling the system as comfortable as possible. The EZ M.2 Clip II mount allows you to install SSDs in just one motion without the need for screwdrivers. The only thing missing is the EZ PCIe Release, which makes it easy to remove the video card with a single button. But this prerogative was left for older models. Therefore, when working with massive graphics cards in a limited space of the case, you will have to “tinker” a little more.

RGB backlighting is not provided, at least — this is a minus for ordinary users. But when did this ever stop neon aesthetics lovers from turning their glass cases into an extravaganza of color? Moreover, the board supports a 4-pin RGB connector for connecting external LED strips and devices.

Not to forget the EZ Debug LED, which helps to quickly diagnose problems during assembly. Four LEDs indicate possible problems with the processor, memory, video card, or system boot, which greatly simplifies troubleshooting. This way, beginners can figure out at which stage the problem occurred and fix it without assistance.

Interfaces, connectors, accessories

The MSI B850M PLUS WIFI6E is based on the AMD B850 chipset, which is the best choice for Ryzen 7000, 8000, and 9000 series processors if you don’t want to overpay for extra bells and whistles. It provides enough functionality for most users without overpaying for the features of the top X-series.

There are four cooling radiators on the board. The VRM uses a split design with two heatsinks that effectively remove heat from the power elements. There are 7 W/mK thermal pads between it and the element base. The power supply is built according to the model (10 VCORE + 2 SOC + 1 MISC). The M.2 Shield Frozr II radiator protects the drive from overheating, but it does not have a quick-detachable system. A separate heatsink cools the B850 chipset.

The board supports up to 256 GB of DDR5 memory via four DIMM slots. Officially supported speeds are 4800-5600 MT/s (JEDEC), but can be achieved at much higher speeds of — 8200 MT/s. MSI’s Memory Boost technology optimizes memory performance by ensuring stability at high frequencies. Support for AMD EXPO profiles makes it easy to set up optimal settings with just one click.

The MSI B850M PLUS WIFI6E has one full PCI-Express 5.0 x16 slot with Steel Armor reinforcement for a video card. Keep in mind, however, that the motherboard’s connection points may prevent the installation of very large graphics cards

At least with the Gigabyte Radeon RX 9070 XT AORUS ELITE, we had to tinker a bit and reorganize the connections of the water cooling system power supply and its backlight. And this is not the largest video card yet. Additionally, there are two PCIe 3.0 x1 slots for peripherals.

Two M.2 slots are available for the drives: one PCIe 5.0 x4 for the fastest next-generation SSDs and one PCIe 4.0 x4. All slots support 2280 form factor drives. Please note that the maximum speed of the main M.2 slot is only available for Ryzen 9000 and 7000 series processors. Additionally, there are four SATA ports for traditional disks with support for RAID 0, 1, 5, 10.

The rear I/O panel contains a balanced set of ports. USB is represented by one Type-C at 10 Gbps, three Type-A at 10 Gbps, and four USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A at 5 Gbps. For video output, there are HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4. They work simultaneously, so the motherboard can be connected to two monitors even without a discrete video adapter. Of course, provided that your processor has a built-in video core. Also on the rear panel are the Flash BIOS Button and Clear CMOS Button.

Wi-Fi 6E is perfect for VR/AR headsets, which we published a separate article. The technology also facilitates faster transmission of high-resolution video and the exchange of very large files thanks to increased bandwidth and support for multi-gigabit traffic.

Using the 6 GHz band is a big advantage. Its advantage is the absence of interference from other devices, such as microwaves.
Wi-Fi 6E can provide a reliable and stable low-latency connection for mission-critical applications.

Bluetooth 5.3 demonstrated stable connection to peripherals even across multiple walls. Realtek’s network controller delivers 2.5 Gbps speeds — a happy medium between legacy gigabit and 5G/10G solutions.

The audio system is based on the Realtek ALC897 codec with support for 7.1-channel sound. It’s a budget model with a mediocre signal-to-noise ratio, but it’s good enough for most gaming headphones and speakers. Although sophisticated audiophiles are unlikely to use the built-in sound.

There are three ARGB LED and one RGB LED connectors for aesthetic customization. The processor is powered via two 8-pin connectors, and five 4-pin connectors are provided for coolers

MSI B850M PLUS WIFI6E software

The CLICK BIOS X interface continues the evolution of MSI’s UEFI, making system setup intuitive even for beginners. Most of the common options are placed on the main screen for quick access.

The BIOS is divided into two modes: EZ Mode for basic settings and Advanced Mode for advanced users. In EZ Mode, you can quickly change the boot order, activate EXPO profiles for automatic memory overclocking, customize fan curves, and view basic system information.

Advanced Mode gives you full access to all board parameters. Here you can fine-tune memory timings, CPU power, voltage, PBO settings, and much more. The interface is logically structured with Settings, OC, M-Flash, and Hardware Monitor sections. For AMD Ryzen 7 9700X, don’t forget to disable the power consumption limit (105 W), because then it won’t work at full capacity.

MSI Center is a proprietary Windows utility with a modular architecture. It allows you to install only the necessary components without cluttering up your system. The program allows you to monitor temperatures and frequencies, control the backlight, update drivers and BIOS, and customize performance profiles.

Frozr AI Cooling automatically adjusts fan speeds based on component temperatures. User Scenario allows you to create profiles for different usage scenarios — quiet mode for office work, balanced for everyday tasks, and productive for gaming.

Performance, energy consumption and heating

MSI B850M PLUS WIFI6E was tested in a number of synthetic benchmarks to check its behavior and stability in real-world scenarios. The DDR5 modules operated at 6000 MHz with CL28-37-37-97 timings

Test	Result
CPU-Z	Single — 837 Multi — 8 306 140 wt 849 8923
Octane 2.0 Plus	Single — 138 465 Multi — 879 993
WebXPRT 4	461
Speedometr 3.0	43.8
GeekBench 6 (CPU)	Single — 3 355 Multi — 17 525
GeekBench 6 (RX 9070 XT)	Open CL – 176 745 Vulkan – 183 995
AIDA64, Memory test (DDR5-6000)	Read — 58 880 Write  — 80 902 Copy — 55 695  Latency — 75.3
Cinebench R23	Single — 2 189 Multy — 22 145

When tested with Ryzen 7 9700X in PBO mode, the temperature on the heatsinks did not exceed 42°C even after an hour of Prime95 stress testing. This is an excellent result for a mid-range board. “The hottest was the chipset heatsink at —44°C. The CPU heated up to 86°C.

The system’s power consumption under full load was about 500 watts. In the idle mode, the system consumed only 80 W thanks to the active power saving functions. The maximum power consumption of the processor was recorded at 142 Vn.The speed of the drives:

• PCIe 5.0 x4 — 13,225 MB/s read, 13,234 MB/s write (Samsung-9100-PRO-2TB)
• PCIe 4.0 x4 — 7,041 MB/s read, 6,542 MB/s write (Kingston FURY Renegade 3D NAND TLC 4TB).

In games, the board showed stable operation without suspicious FPS drops or delays. Testing in Cyberpunk 2077, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, and the “foggy” new release — Silent Hill f at maximum settings did not reveal any performance or stability issues.

Experience of use

Assembling the system on the MSI B850M PLUS WIFI6E was extremely easy thanks to the thoughtful EZ DIY solutions. I still find the EZ M.2 Clip II to be the most convenient solution for installing M.2 drives. No additional tools are required. However, to install the drive in the fastest port, you will still need to arm yourself with a Phillips screwdriver.

The layout of the motherboard connectors turned out to be quite successful. Usually, one massive video card overlaps all other PCI-E slots and their presence may seem like a waste of PCB space. In MSI B850M PLUS WIFI6E, at least one PCI-E x1 is located behind the video card, so it can be used under any conditions.

The hidden CMOS battery (CR2032) is often a source of complaints, but not in this case. Here, everything is out in the open, and the only thing that can cover it in the future is a discrete video card.The Flash BIOS Button and Clear CMOS Button will be appreciated by overclockers. It’s a good thing, because they eliminate the need to constantly search for the necessary switches or built-in buttons on the motherboard.

MSI Center is stable and simplifies the process of setting up the system and monitoring updates. The all-in-one approach allows you to avoid the sea of segmented software, between which manufacturers usually distribute the necessary functions.Wi-Fi 6E worked stably with the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 router. The speed in the 6 GHz band reached 2.8 Gbps at a distance of 5 meters through one wallThe BIOS was updated without any problems via M-Flash — just downloaded the file to the flash drive and ran the update. The process took about 5 minutes with an automatic reboot. All settings were saved.

I was especially pleased with the DDR5-6000 memory. Activation of the EXPO profile is elementary, and the system has been running stably at the declared frequency for a whole week without any crashes. Manual overclocking to 6400 MT/s was also successful after a slight voltage increase.

There are all the conditions for those who want to play with extreme overclocking, and the Ryzen 7 9700X test processor has quite a good potential. It accelerates to 5.7 GHz, although the built-in settings of the MSI B850M PLUS WIFI6E raise its frequency to 5.5 GHz. But keep in mind that for successful overclocking, you’ll need a good case and good thermal paste, not “folk methods” like Chinese GD. Whether the extra 300 MHz is worth the extra heat is up to you.

In general, if we compare the results of the processor benchmarks with the motherboard MSI MPG B650 CARBON WIFI on the previous chipsetT. he results of the MSI B850M PLUS WIFI6E are much more refreshing in WebXPRT 4 and Speedometer 3.0.

Price and competitors

MSI B850M PLUS WIFI6E can be purchased at a price starting at UAH 7,999. There are plenty of competitors in a compact format and with the B850 chipset to suit every taste and budget.

Gigabyte B850M FORCE offers a more moderate price, but the price for this is a simple 8-pin power supply, because there are only 8 phases of VCore. It has half the maximum amount of RAM, a poorer USB set, and no Wi-Fi 6E. But it has a second full-size PCI-E slot 16x (x4). Someone may need it, for example, to connect a second video card that supports PhysX x64, which RTX 50 is no longer able to work with.ASRock B850M Pro RS WiFi

decided not to neglect RGB backlighting. It has more M.2 connectors, but lacks high-speed USB. There are fewer processor phases than in the hero of our review and the design is “for amateurs”. And finally Asus PRIME B850M-A WIFI also falls short in terms of the number of power phases, although it tries to offer up-to-date wireless interfaces.