OVERALL
ALTERNATIVES
SPECS
VS AVERAGE
REVIEWS
Scored using Motherboards Methodology v3.0
Motherboards Methodology v3.0
Mathematical & Unbiased Scoring
Products in this category are scored under Frontum Motherboards Methodology v3.0: the technical score from the specifications is the base, and independent expert and video reviews (up to ±0.5 points), owner opinions (up to ±0.3) and best-of lists (up to +0.3) move it up or down.
Explore Motherboards Methodology v3.0

MSI B650 Gaming Plus WiFi review: 109 specs compared

Avg. price:~£120CPU socket:AM5Chipset:AMD B650Form factor:ATX

MSI B650 Gaming Plus WiFi Review: Compare 109 technical specifications, 5 expert and video reviews and 1 best-of list to see how this product ranks in the Motherboards category and whether it is worth buying.

MSI B650 Gaming Plus WiFi
7.5/10

Overall score

Score
7.5/ 10
✕
What it is
Our main score for this model, 1–10. It combines specs, expert reviews, best-of lists, owners and ratings from across the web.
How we count it
Parts: Technical score 40%, Reviews score 20%, List score 20%, Sentiment score 10%, User score 10%
Marks: Each part gets a mark out of 10. For reviews, lists and owners, a typical model in this category gets about 8 and the best one gets 10.
No data yet: A part with no data shows "?". It counts as the mark of a weaker model in this category (4 in 5 models with data score higher). This way, models with reviews, lists and owners usually come out ahead.
Score distribution
▼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
▲ Better than 68% of models
Score components

40%

7.2

Technical score

20%

7.2

Reviews score

20%

7.2

List score

10%

7.2

Sentiment score

10%

9.4

User score

▲Better than 68% of motherboards
8.2

Value for money

Value for money
8.2/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the motherboard's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a motherboard that offers a strong balance of features, performance, and price.
Score distribution
▼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
▲ Better than 78% of models
Score components

70%

7.5

Overall score

30%

9.9

Price

▲Better than 78%
7.2

Technical score

Technical score
7.2/ 10
✕
What it is
How good the specs are compared with the other models in this category, 1–10.
How we count it
Areas: We rate the specs in each area against the other models in this category.
Weighting: The areas that matter most to buyers count more. The shares are shown under Score components.
Share: The technical score is 40% of the overall score.
Score distribution
▼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
▲ Better than 71% of models
Score components

19%

8.9

Memory

16%

8.5

Platform

16%

5.4

Storage

15%

7.9

Network

13%

6.3

Ports

8%

4.1

Expansion

8%

8.5

Power & Cooling

5%

6.5

Audio

▲Better than 71%
7.2

Reviews score

Reviews score
7.2/ 10
✕
What it is
Average grade from independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers, 1–10.
How we count it
Grades: Each review's own score is converted to 1–10; without one, we grade the review ourselves. Big test sites count more, short reviews half as much as full tests. A video review counts half.
Score: The average grade is 80% of the review mark; the number of reviews is the other 20% (1 review = 5, the typical number in this category = 8, the most-reviewed model = 10).
Enough data: With few reviews, the average grade is pulled toward the typical grade of this category. No reviews yet: 7.8 for now.
Share: Reviews count 20% of the overall score.
Score distribution
▼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
▼ Worse than 65% of models

7.2

Mark 8.0 is below the typical mark 8.3 of this category, so it cannot lift the score above the technical score

80%

7.9

Average grade

20%

8.5

Popularity

Grades by review (5)
2 reviews: 1 with a printed score, 1 estimated from the review. 3 video reviews, each counting half as much as a written test. Reviews count 20% of the overall score.
Ratings from across the web count in the User score, not in this score.
▼Worse than 65%
9.4

User score

User score
9.4/ 10
✕
What it is
How happy buyers are with this model, based on ratings from across the web.
How we count it
Enough data: A model needs at least 1 rating from across the web. Without one, it counts as 7.9, the mark of a weaker rated model in this category.
Share: User score counts 10% of the overall score.
Score distribution
▼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
★ Better than 95% of models

70%

9.2

Rating

30%

9.8

Popularity

★Better than 95%
7.2

List score

List score
7.2/ 10
✕
What it is
How often independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers put this model in their best-of lists for this category.
How we count it
Points: The model in the most lists of this category gets 10; the others get 8 to 10 in proportion. In no list yet: 7.5. Lists count 20% of the overall score.
Enough data: Every list counts, even a single one. With fewer than 5 best-of lists in the category, this part is left out.
Lists with this model (1)
List score: in 1 of 62 lists (2%)
▲Better than 88%
  • msi-b650-gaming-plus-wifi
  • msi-b650-gaming-plus-wifi
  • msi-b650-gaming-plus-wifi
  • msi-b650-gaming-plus-wifi
  • msi-b650-gaming-plus-wifi
  • msi-b650-gaming-plus-wifi
  • msi-b650-gaming-plus-wifi
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Where to buy
*As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.

What reviewers say about the MSI B650 Gaming Plus WiFi

Based on 2 · 3

Reviewers like the USB ports, broad CPU compatibility and solid wireless, with few complaints raised.
Praised
Pick a topic to see who said what

What owners say about the MSI B650 Gaming Plus WiFi

Based on 125 owners sharing their experience in online comments

36%positive6%mixed58%negative

Owners praise the value and useful features, but frequent boot failures, finicky BIOS flashing, and unreliable wireless dominate complaints.

What owners dislike

  • Boards often show red or yellow CPU and DRAM lights with a blank screen or no display, and owners say these failures persist after a BIOS update.36
  • Owners say the BIOS flash via USB stick often never starts, blinks for 20 minutes, or stops partway, and the board stays unbootable afterwards.15
  • Owners report Wi-Fi and Bluetooth dropping out, not connecting, or not showing networks, sometimes until the antennas are fitted or the BIOS is updated.10
  • Owners say some M.2 SSDs go undetected, especially in slot 2 or after a warm restart, and the board does not accept some Gen 3 drives.6
  • Owners say RAM only works in certain slots, four sticks fail to boot, and some kits fail to run at EXPO speeds with blue screens.5
  • Owners say the board takes well over a minute to boot and restart, though enabling Memory Context Restore in the BIOS helps a little.4
  • Some owners received boards with bent CPU socket pins or delaminated circuit board material, and returned them as defective.3

Points mentioned by at least 3 owners, most mentioned first.

Loading category ranking...

Technical Specifications of motherboard MSI B650 Gaming Plus WiFi

Technical score
Technical score
7.2/ 10
✕
What it is
How good the specs are compared with the other models in this category, 1–10.
How we count it
Areas: We rate the specs in each area against the other models in this category.
Weighting: The areas that matter most to buyers count more. The shares are shown under Score components.
Share: The technical score is 40% of the overall score.
Score distribution
▼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
▲ Better than 71% of models
Score components:

19%

8.9

Memory

16%

8.5

Platform

16%

5.4

Storage

15%

7.9

Network

13%

6.3

Ports

8%

4.1

Expansion

8%

8.5

Power & Cooling

5%

6.5

Audio

7.2
Reviews score
7.2
User score
9.4
List score
7.2
Value for money
Value for money
8.2/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the motherboard's overall rating with its cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for a motherboard that offers a strong balance of features, performance, and price.
Score distribution
▼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
▲ Better than 78% of models
Score components:

70%

7.5

Overall score

30%

9.9

Price

8.2
CPU socket
AM5
This motherboard uses AM5, which is more up-to-date than 85.5% of Motherboards and the same as 14.5% of Motherboards.
CPU platform
AMD
Chipset
AMD B650
This motherboard uses AMD B650, which is more capable than 72.2% of Motherboards and as capable as 4.1% of Motherboards.
Form factor
ATX
Integrated graphics support
yes
This motherboard supports integrated graphics. 10.2% of motherboards support this feature.
Rear outputs: HDMI + DisplayPort.
Show more
What reviewers say
DDR memory version
DDR5
This motherboard uses DDR5, which is more modern than 63.8% of Motherboards and the same as 36.2% of Motherboards.
Memory slots
4
Market range: <2 – >4
This motherboard has 4 Memory slots, which is more than 21.9% of motherboards and equal to 72% of motherboards.
Maximum memory capacity
192 GB
Market range: <32 GB – >256 GB
This motherboard supports up to 192 GB of memory, which is more than 72% of motherboards and equal to 10.4% of motherboards.
Memory channels
2
Maximum RAM speed
7,200 MT/s
Market range: <2.1k MT/s – >8k MT/s
This motherboard supports memory speeds up to 7,200 MT/s, which is higher than that of 77.6% of motherboards and equal to that of 3.2% of motherboards.
maximum depends on CPU configuration
Show more
N. of M.2 sockets
2
Market range: <0 – >4
This motherboard has 2 M.2 sockets, which is more than 30.5% of motherboards and equal to 34.5% of motherboards.
M.2 slot interface per slot
2x PCIe 4.0 x4
This motherboard offers M.2 slots: 2x PCIe 4.0x4, which is faster than 55.7% of Motherboards and the same as 5.5% of Motherboards.
N. of SATA 3 connectors
4
Market range: <4 – >8
This motherboard has 4 SATA 3 connectors, which is more than 6.1% of motherboards and equal to 46.8% of motherboards.
Supported RAID levels
0/1/10
This motherboard RAID support: 0/1/10, which is less flexible than 67.6% of Motherboards and the same as 23.6% of Motherboards.
JBOD excluded from RAID-level set
NVMe RAID support
yes
This motherboard supports NVMe RAID. 40.2% of motherboards support this feature.
Show more
N. of PCIe 5.0 x16 slots
0
Market range: <0 – >1
This motherboard has 0 PCIe 5.0x16 slots, which is fewer than 31.6% of motherboards and equal to 68.4% of motherboards.
N. of PCIe 4.0 x16 slots
2
Market range: <0 – >1
This motherboard has 2 PCIe 4.0x16 slots, which is more than 90.9% of motherboards and equal to 6.4% of motherboards.
runs at x4 mode
N. of PCIe 3.0 x16 slots
0
Market range: <0 – >3
This motherboard has 0 PCIe 3.0x16 slots, which is fewer than 59.6% of motherboards and equal to 40.4% of motherboards.
PCIe slot electrical configuration
x16/x0/x4, x16/x4, x8/x4, x4/x4
This motherboard splits its PCIe lanes as x16/x0/x4, x16/x4, x8/x4, x4/x4, which is more generous than 76.3% of Motherboards.
PCIe bifurcation support
yes
This motherboard supports PCIe bifurcation. 40.3% of motherboards support this feature.
x16/x4.
Show more
Total USB ports (rear I/O)
8
Market range: <6 – >10
This motherboard has 8 USB ports (rear I/O), which is more than 40.6% of motherboards and equal to 30.3% of motherboards.
Total USB ports (including headers)
15
Market range: <11 – >19
This motherboard has 15 USB ports (including headers), which is more than 47.7% of motherboards and equal to 13.5% of motherboards.
Total USB-C ports (rear I/O)
1
Market range: <0 – >2
This motherboard has 1 USB-C ports (rear I/O), which is more than 35.8% of motherboards and equal to 48.3% of motherboards.
Total USB-C ports (including headers)
2
Market range: <0 – >3
This motherboard has 2 USB-C ports (including headers), which is more than 51.7% of motherboards and equal to 33% of motherboards.
N. of USB 3.2 Gen2x2 ports (USB-C)
1
Market range: <0 – >1
This motherboard has 1 USB 3.2 Gen2x2 ports (USB-C), which is more than 82.1% of motherboards and equal to 17.7% of motherboards.
Show more
What reviewers say
LAN speed
2.5 Gbps
Market range: <1 Gbps – >2.5 Gbps
This motherboard supports LAN speeds up to 2.5 Gbps, which is higher than that of 49% of motherboards and equal to that of 41.4% of motherboards.
LAN controller
Killer + Intel + Realtek
This motherboard has a Killer + Intel + Realtek LAN controller, which is slower than 64.6% of Motherboards and equal to 28.7% of Motherboards.
N. of RJ45 ports
1
Market range: <1 – >2
This motherboard has 1 RJ45 ports, which is fewer than 14.4% of motherboards and equal to 85.6% of motherboards.
Wi-Fi connectivity
yes
This motherboard supports Wi-Fi connectivity. 50% of motherboards support this feature.
Wi-Fi version
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
This motherboard uses Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), which is newer than 71.5% of Motherboards and the same as 16.7% of Motherboards.
Show more
What reviewers say
Audio codec
Realtek ALC897
This motherboard uses Realtek ALC897, which is higher-end than 20.2% of Motherboards and the same as 29.9% of Motherboards.
Audio channels
7.1
This motherboard offers 7.1 audio channels, which is more than 4.7% of motherboards and equal to 95.3% of motherboards.
Audio SNR
97 dB
Market range: <95 dB – >120 dB
This motherboard has an audio SNR of 97 dB, which is lower than that of 65.7% of motherboards and equal to that of 16.9% of motherboards.
Headphone amp support
no
This motherboard does not support a headphone amp. 58.8% of motherboards support this feature.
N. of 3.5mm audio jacks
6
Market range: <2 – >6
This motherboard has 6 3.5mm audio jacks, which is more than 87% of motherboards and equal to 13% of motherboards.
Show more
VRM phases
12+2+1
This motherboard has 12+2+1 VRM phases, which is more than 72.5% of motherboards and equal to 1.9% of motherboards.
N. of CPU power connectors
2
Market range: <1 – >2
This motherboard has 2 CPU power connectors, which is more than 54.9% of motherboards and equal to 44.8% of motherboards.
N. of fan headers
6
Market range: <3 – >8
This motherboard has 6 fan headers, which is more than 50% of motherboards and equal to 22.3% of motherboards.
Pump header
yes
This motherboard has a pump header. 22.1% of motherboards include this feature.
Pump header max current
3 A
Market range: <0 A – >3 A
This motherboard supports up to 3 A on the pump header, which is higher than that of 77.8% of motherboards and equal to that of 22.2% of motherboards.
Show more

MSI B650 Gaming Plus WiFi vs the average motherboard

246810TotalPlatformMemoryStorageExpansionPortsNetworkAudioPower & Cooling
  • More up-to-date socket
    This motherboard uses a more up-to-date socket than the average motherboard (AM5 vs LGA 1151).
    AM5 vs LGA 1,151
  • More modern memory type
    This motherboard uses a more modern memory type than the average motherboard (DDR5 vs DDR4).
    DDR5 vs DDR4
  • 2 more USB 3.2 Gen2 ports
    This motherboard has more USB 3.2 Gen2 ports than the average motherboard (3 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 USB 3.2 Gen2 port/s.
    3 vs 1
  • 1 more USB 3.2 Gen2x2 USB-C ports
    This motherboard has more USB 3.2 Gen2x2 USB-C ports than the average motherboard (1 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 USB 3.2 Gen2x2 USB-C port/s.
    1 vs 0
  • 2 more PCIe 4.0x16 slots
    This motherboard has more PCIe 4.0x16 slots than the average motherboard (2 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 PCIe 4.0x16 slot/s.
    runs at x4 mode
    2 vs 0
  • 50% more maximum memory capacity
    This motherboard has more maximum memory capacity than the average motherboard (192 GB vs 128 GB). The average motherboard supports 128 GB of memory.
    192 GB vs 128 GB
  • 1 more CPU power connectors
    This motherboard has more CPU power connectors than the average motherboard (2 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 CPU power connectors.
    2 vs 1
  • More recent Wi-Fi standard
    This motherboard has a more recent Wi-Fi standard than the average motherboard (Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) vs Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)).
    Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) vs Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
  • 27.0% higher user score
    User score
    9.4/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    How happy buyers are with this model, based on ratings from across the web.
    How we count it
    Enough data: A model needs at least 1 rating from across the web. Without one, it counts as 7.9, the mark of a weaker rated model in this category.
    Share: User score counts 10% of the overall score.
    Score distribution
    ▼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    ★ Better than 95% of models

    70%

    9.2

    Rating

    30%

    9.8

    Popularity

    9.4 vs 7.4
  • More up-to-date socket
    This motherboard uses a more up-to-date socket than the average motherboard (AM5 vs LGA 1151).
    AM5 vs LGA 1,151
  • More modern memory type
    This motherboard uses a more modern memory type than the average motherboard (DDR5 vs DDR4).
    DDR5 vs DDR4
  • 50% more maximum memory capacity
    This motherboard has more maximum memory capacity than the average motherboard (192 GB vs 128 GB). The average motherboard supports 128 GB of memory.
    192 GB vs 128 GB
  • 53.2% higher maximum RAM speed
    This motherboard has a higher maximum RAM speed than the average motherboard (7,200 MT/s vs 4,699.5 MT/s). The average motherboard supports RAM speed of 4,699.5 MT/s.
    maximum depends on CPU configuration
    7,200 MT/s vs 4,699.5 MT/s
  • 2 more PCIe 4.0x16 slots
    This motherboard has more PCIe 4.0x16 slots than the average motherboard (2 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 PCIe 4.0x16 slot/s.
    runs at x4 mode
    2 vs 0
  • 2 more USB 3.2 Gen2 ports
    This motherboard has more USB 3.2 Gen2 ports than the average motherboard (3 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 USB 3.2 Gen2 port/s.
    3 vs 1
  • 1 more USB 3.2 Gen2x2 USB-C ports
    This motherboard has more USB 3.2 Gen2x2 USB-C ports than the average motherboard (1 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 USB 3.2 Gen2x2 USB-C port/s.
    1 vs 0
  • 1 more USB 3.2 Gen2 headers
    This motherboard has more USB 3.2 Gen2 headers than the average motherboard (1 vs 0). The average motherboard has 0 USB 3.2 Gen2 header/s.
    1 vs 0
  • 1 more total USB-C connections
    This motherboard has more total USB-C connections than the average motherboard (2 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 total USB-C connections.
    2 vs 1
  • More recent Wi-Fi standard
    This motherboard has a more recent Wi-Fi standard than the average motherboard (Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) vs Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)).
    Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) vs Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
  • Supports Bluetooth
    This motherboard supports Bluetooth, while the average motherboard does not. 49% of motherboards support Bluetooth.
    Bluetooth 5.3.
  • 3 more 3.5mm audio jacks
    This motherboard has more 3.5mm audio jacks than the average motherboard (6 vs 3). The average motherboard has 3 3.5mm audio jacks.
    6 vs 3
  • 1 more CPU power connectors
    This motherboard has more CPU power connectors than the average motherboard (2 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 CPU power connectors.
    2 vs 1
  • More VRM phases
    This motherboard has more VRM phases than the average motherboard (12+2+1 vs 10). The average motherboard has 10 VRM phase/s.
    12+2+1 vs 10
  • 1 more RGB headers
    This motherboard has more RGB headers than the average motherboard (2 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 RGB header/s.
    2 vs 1
  • Includes onboard RGB lighting
    This motherboard has onboard RGB lighting, while the average motherboard does not. 50% of motherboards include onboard RGB lighting.
  • 1 A higher pump header current limit
    This motherboard has a higher pump header current than the average motherboard (3 A vs 2 A). The average motherboard provides pump header current of 2 A.
    3 A vs 2 A
  • Slower NVMe storage slots
    This motherboard has slower M.2 slots than the average motherboard (2x PCIe 4x4 vs 1x PCIe 5x4, 2x PCIe 4x4).
    2x PCIe 4.0x4 vs 1x PCIe 5.0x4, 2x PCIe 4.0x4
  • Fewer RAID options
    This motherboard offers fewer RAID levels than the average motherboard (0/1/10 vs 0/1/5/10).
    JBOD excluded from RAID-level set
    0/1/10 vs 0/1/5/10
  • No multi-GPU support
    This motherboard does not support multi-GPU, while the average motherboard does. 53.9% of motherboards support multi-GPU.
  • 18 dB lower audio SNR
    This motherboard has a lower audio SNR than the average motherboard (97 dB vs 115 dB). The average motherboard has audio SNR of 115 dB.
    97 dB vs 115 dB
  • More basic chipset
    This motherboard uses a more basic chipset than the average motherboard (AMD B650 vs Intel B860).
    AMD B650 vs Intel B860
  • No headphone amp support
    This motherboard does not support a headphone amp, while the average motherboard does. 58.8% of motherboards support a headphone amp.
  • 7.7% lower list score
    List score
    7.2/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    How often independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers put this model in their best-of lists for this category.
    How we count it
    Points: The model in the most lists of this category gets 10; the others get 8 to 10 in proportion. In no list yet: 7.5. Lists count 20% of the overall score.
    Enough data: Every list counts, even a single one. With fewer than 5 best-of lists in the category, this part is left out.
    Lists with this model (1)
    List score: in 1 of 62 lists (2%)
    7.2 vs 7.8
  • 1 fewer PCIe 3.0x16 slots
    This motherboard has fewer PCIe 3.0x16 slots than the average motherboard (0 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 PCIe 3.0x16 slot/s.
    0 vs 1
  • 7.7% lower list score
    List score
    7.2/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    How often independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers put this model in their best-of lists for this category.
    How we count it
    Points: The model in the most lists of this category gets 10; the others get 8 to 10 in proportion. In no list yet: 7.5. Lists count 20% of the overall score.
    Enough data: Every list counts, even a single one. With fewer than 5 best-of lists in the category, this part is left out.
    Lists with this model (1)
    List score: in 1 of 62 lists (2%)
    7.2 vs 7.8
  • More basic chipset
    This motherboard uses a more basic chipset than the average motherboard (AMD B650 vs Intel B860).
    AMD B650 vs Intel B860
  • Slower NVMe storage slots
    This motherboard has slower M.2 slots than the average motherboard (2x PCIe 4x4 vs 1x PCIe 5x4, 2x PCIe 4x4).
    2x PCIe 4.0x4 vs 1x PCIe 5.0x4, 2x PCIe 4.0x4
  • Fewer RAID options
    This motherboard offers fewer RAID levels than the average motherboard (0/1/10 vs 0/1/5/10).
    JBOD excluded from RAID-level set
    0/1/10 vs 0/1/5/10
  • No multi-GPU support
    This motherboard does not support multi-GPU, while the average motherboard does. 53.9% of motherboards support multi-GPU.
  • 1 fewer PCIe 3.0x16 slots
    This motherboard has fewer PCIe 3.0x16 slots than the average motherboard (0 vs 1). The average motherboard has 1 PCIe 3.0x16 slot/s.
    0 vs 1
  • 18 dB lower audio SNR
    This motherboard has a lower audio SNR than the average motherboard (97 dB vs 115 dB). The average motherboard has audio SNR of 115 dB.
    97 dB vs 115 dB
  • No headphone amp support
    This motherboard does not support a headphone amp, while the average motherboard does. 58.8% of motherboards support a headphone amp.

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

3.0
Ultra Game World
≈ estimated
13/09/2025
Unboxing and test boot · used unit, build stopped
Verdict
MSI B650 Gaming Plus WiFi failed its test boot with USB overcurrent errors, so the board is being sent back.
9.0
Silence Tech Reviews
≈ estimated
12/04/2025
Unboxing, build and BIOS walkthrough · full review
Verdict
MSI B650 Gaming Plus WiFi is still a useful, in-demand board for Ryzen 8000 and 9000 processors despite being a generation old.
9.0
Mike's unboxing, reviews and how to
≈ estimated
15/04/2024
First look · board layout and port walkthrough
Verdict
MSI B650 Gaming Plus WiFi is a solid choice that offers a lot of value for the money.
Overview video

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

8.0
hwcooling.net
≈ estimated
22/09/2023
Lab test · Budget AM5 board
Verdict
The MSI B650 Gaming Plus WiFi is a sensible budget AM5 board for mainstream Ryzen chips, but idle power draw is high and VRM temperatures run hot.
7.2
ginjfo.com
✓ explicit
21/03/2024
Lab test · Mid-range AM5 board
Verdict
The MSI B650 Gaming Plus WiFi performs strongly for gaming and has fast rear USB, but its first M.2 slot throttles hot SSDs and the bundle has no documentation.

Third-party reviews

What customers like about MSI B650 Gaming Plus WiFi

  • Excellent value for the price, offering mid-range B650 features at a budget-friendly entry point
  • Strong VRM performance (12+2+1 power phases) that stays cool even under heavy loads with high-end Ryzen 7000/9000 series CPUs
  • Great connectivity options, including built-in Wi-Fi 6E/7 and Bluetooth 5.3
  • User-friendly BIOS (Click BIOS 5) with a straightforward layout and easy EXPO memory profile activation
  • Effective diagnostic 'EZ Debug' LEDs that help troubleshoot CPU, RAM, and GPU issues during the first boot
  • Generous number of USB ports, including a high-speed 20Gbps Type-C port on the rear I/O

What customers don't like about MSI B650 Gaming Plus WiFi

  • Inconsistent boot times; while some achieve 15 seconds, others report slow boots (up to 40 seconds) due to memory training
  • Known issues with intermittent Wi-Fi and Bluetooth disconnects, sometimes requiring a full system restart or CMOS battery pull
  • Reported instability with some USB ports (especially the blue 3.2 Gen 1 ports) which can cause peripheral 'stuttering' or audio crackling
  • Lacks PCIe 5.0 support for both the primary x16 slot and M.2 storage, limiting future-proofing for next-gen hardware
  • Basic audio codec (Realtek ALC897) is considered entry-level compared to higher-end B650 boards
  • Only two M.2 slots available, with only the primary slot including a dedicated heat sink

Verdict

The MSI B650 Gaming Plus WiFi is a balanced ATX motherboard for the AMD AM5 platform, featuring a 12+2+1 Duet Rail Power System with 60A power stages that comfortably support high-end CPUs like the Ryzen 9 9950X. Key specifications include support for dual-channel DDR5 memory up to 7200+MHz (OC), two M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 slots with Shield Frozr cooling, and a primary PCIe 4.0 x16 slot reinforced with Steel Armor. Its main pros are the inclusion of high-speed Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, 2.5G LAN, and a versatile rear I/O featuring a 20Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C port and Flash BIOS button. However, notable cons include the use of the entry-level Realtek ALC897 audio codec, the lack of PCIe 5.0 support for M.2 storage, and a limited selection of only four SATA ports.

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