ASUS
ASUS ROG Strix Z890-E
LGA1851 · Z890
89
/ 100
From $499
VS
ASUS ROG Strix Z890-E wins by 1
MSI
MSI B860 Tomahawk Wi-Fi
LGA1851 · B860 · Wi-Fi 7 · $229
88
/ 100
From $229
Specdex verdict
ASUS ROG Strix Z890-E takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, ASUS ROG Strix Z890-E lands at 89 and MSI B860 Tomahawk Wi-Fi at 88. That puts ASUS ROG Strix Z890-E ahead by 1 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick ASUS ROG Strix Z890-E if…
- ✓PCIe 5.0 support
- ✓Current-gen networking
- ✓Modern I/O
Pick MSI B860 Tomahawk Wi-Fi if…
- ✓Great value Arrow Lake board
- ✓Wi-Fi 7 + 2.5 GbE
- ✓Solid VRM for mid-range
ASUS ROG Strix Z890-E 89
vs 88 MSI B860 Tomahawk Wi-Fi
Score breakdown
ASUS ROG Strix Z890-E
89 vrm 89
features 87
bios 85
value 84
MSI B860 Tomahawk Wi-Fi
88 vrm 88
features 88
bios 88
value 94
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | ASUS ROG Strix Z890-E | MSI B860 Tomahawk Wi-Fi |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1851 | LGA1851 |
| Chipset | Z890 | B860 |
| RAM slots | — | 4× DDR5-7200 |
| Networking | — | 2.5 GbE + Wi-Fi 7 |
ASUS ROG Strix Z890-E
Pros
- +PCIe 5.0 support
- +Current-gen networking
- +Modern I/O
Cons
- −Firmware updates on launch
- −DDR5 required
- −Pricing varies week to week
MSI B860 Tomahawk Wi-Fi
Pros
- +Great value Arrow Lake board
- +Wi-Fi 7 + 2.5 GbE
- +Solid VRM for mid-range
Cons
- −Only 1× PCIe 5.0 x16
- −No USB4
- −Memory overclocking headroom limited
FAQ: ASUS ROG Strix Z890-E vs MSI B860 Tomahawk Wi-Fi
Which is better, ASUS ROG Strix Z890-E or MSI B860 Tomahawk Wi-Fi? +
ASUS ROG Strix Z890-E scores 89 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 1. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is ASUS ROG Strix Z890-E worth the price? +
At $499, ASUS ROG Strix Z890-E delivers a Specdex score of 89 — strongest in vrm.
Is MSI B860 Tomahawk Wi-Fi worth the price? +
At $229, MSI B860 Tomahawk Wi-Fi delivers a Specdex score of 88 — strongest in value.
Does ASUS ROG Strix Z890-E or MSI B860 Tomahawk Wi-Fi 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.