Between the X870E Taichi and MAG B850 Tomahawk, the X870E Taichi comes out ahead in max memory and m.2 slots, while the MAG B850 Tomahawk wins on several specs. Overall, the X870E Taichi scores 74.6 and the MAG B850 Tomahawk scores 65 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The X870E Taichi is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 9.6 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the X870E Taichi if you care most about max memory and m.2 slots. The biggest gaps in its favor are max memory, 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 ram slots, pcie slots, wi-fi 7, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the X870E Taichi is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why ASRock - X870E Taichi wins
- ▲Max memory — 33.33% more. 256 GB vs 192 GB.
- ▲M.2 slots — 1.00 more. 5 vs 4.
Why MSI - MAG B850 Tomahawk wins
- No decisive advantages.
Spec comparison
Platform
| Spec | ASRock - X870E Taichi | MSI - MAG B850 Tomahawk |
|---|---|---|
| Socketⓘ | AM5 | AM5 |
| Chipset | X870E | B850 |
| Form factor | ATX | ATX |
Expansion
| Spec | ASRock - X870E Taichi | MSI - MAG B850 Tomahawk |
|---|---|---|
| RAM slots | 4 | 4 |
| Max memory | 256 GBlead | 192 GB |
| PCIe slots | 3 | 3 |
| M.2 slotsⓘ | 5lead | 4 |
I/O
| Spec | ASRock - X870E Taichi | MSI - MAG B850 Tomahawk |
|---|---|---|
| USB ports | 13lead | 10 |
| 2.5GbE LAN | true | true |
| Wi-Fi 7ⓘ | true | true |
Frequently asked
Spec-level deep dives
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