Between the ROG Strix Z890-E and MAG B850 Tomahawk, the ROG Strix Z890-E comes out ahead in m.2 slots, while the MAG B850 Tomahawk wins on several specs. Overall, the ROG Strix Z890-E scores 70.7 and the MAG B850 Tomahawk scores 65 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The ROG Strix Z890-E edges ahead on the Mars Score (70.7 vs 65), but the 5.7-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the ROG Strix Z890-E if you care most about m.2 slots. The biggest gaps in its favor are m.2 slots.
The MAG B850 Tomahawk similarly doesn't carry a headline advantage on the popular specs — look at the full table for category-specific deltas.
Both ship with comparable max memory, ram slots, pcie slots, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the ROG Strix Z890-E is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why ASUS - ROG Strix Z890-E wins
- ▲M.2 slots — 1.00 more. 5 vs 4.
Why MSI - MAG B850 Tomahawk wins
- No decisive advantages.
Spec comparison
Platform
| Spec | ASUS - ROG Strix Z890-E | MSI - MAG B850 Tomahawk |
|---|---|---|
| Socketⓘ | LGA1851 | AM5 |
| Chipset | Z890 | B850 |
| Form factor | ATX | ATX |
Expansion
| Spec | ASUS - ROG Strix Z890-E | MSI - MAG B850 Tomahawk |
|---|---|---|
| RAM slots | 4 | 4 |
| Max memory | 192 GB | 192 GB |
| PCIe slots | 3 | 3 |
| M.2 slotsⓘ | 5lead | 4 |
I/O
| Spec | ASUS - ROG Strix Z890-E | MSI - MAG B850 Tomahawk |
|---|---|---|
| USB ports | 12lead | 10 |
| 2.5GbE LAN | true | true |
| Wi-Fi 7ⓘ | true | true |
Frequently asked
Spec-level deep dives
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