ASUS
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero
LGA1700 · Z790
90
/ 100
From $629
VS
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero wins by 2
MSI
MSI MAG B860 Tomahawk
LGA1851 · B860
88
/ 100
From $229
Specdex verdict
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero lands at 90 and MSI MAG B860 Tomahawk at 88. That puts ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero ahead by 2 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero if…
- ✓PCIe 5.0 support
- ✓Current-gen networking
- ✓Modern I/O
Pick MSI MAG B860 Tomahawk if…
- ✓PCIe 5.0 support
- ✓Current-gen networking
- ✓Modern I/O
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero 90
vs 88 MSI MAG B860 Tomahawk
Score breakdown
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero
90 vrm 90
features 88
bios 86
value 84
MSI MAG B860 Tomahawk
88 vrm 88
features 86
bios 84
value 84
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero | MSI MAG B860 Tomahawk |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1700 | LGA1851 |
| Chipset | Z790 | B860 |
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero
Pros
- +PCIe 5.0 support
- +Current-gen networking
- +Modern I/O
Cons
- −Firmware updates on launch
- −DDR5 required
- −Pricing varies week to week
MSI MAG B860 Tomahawk
Pros
- +PCIe 5.0 support
- +Current-gen networking
- +Modern I/O
Cons
- −Firmware updates on launch
- −DDR5 required
- −Pricing varies week to week
FAQ: ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero vs MSI MAG B860 Tomahawk
Which is better, ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero or MSI MAG B860 Tomahawk? +
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero scores 90 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 2. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero worth the price? +
At $629, ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero delivers a Specdex score of 90 — strongest in vrm.
Is MSI MAG B860 Tomahawk worth the price? +
At $229, MSI MAG B860 Tomahawk delivers a Specdex score of 88 — strongest in vrm.
Does ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero or MSI MAG B860 Tomahawk last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.