The MSI B850 Gaming Plus WiFi 6E is newer and, overall, the better choice. I would pick the MSI over the Gigabyte B650 Eagle AX.
Here’s the comparison:
MSI B850 vs Gigabyte B650
| Feature | MSI B850 Gaming Plus | Gigabyte B650 Eagle AX |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | B850 | B650 |
| Release generation | 2025 | 2024 |
| CPU socket | AM5 | AM5 |
| Ryzen 7000 | Yes | Yes |
| Ryzen 8000 | Yes | Yes |
| Ryzen 9000 | Yes | Yes |
| RAM | DDR5 | DDR5 |
| Maximum advertised RAM speed | 8200+ MT/s | 8000 MT/s (OC) |
| WiFi | WiFi 6E | WiFi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| Ethernet | 2.5Gb | 1Gb |
| Fastest M.2 | PCIe 5.0 | PCIe 5.0 |
MSI specifications: (MSI)
Why I’d choose the MSI
Newer chipset: B850 is a newer generation than B650.
Better networking: 2.5Gb Ethernet compared with 1Gb on the Gigabyte.
Better connectivity: Newer USB connectivity.
Future compatibility: Supports Ryzen 7000, 8000 and 9000 processors.
Strong power delivery: 12+2+1 power design.
(MSI)
My recommendation
🥇 MSI B850 Gaming Plus WiFi 6E — Winner
🥈 Gigabyte B650 Eagle AX
The MSI is the motherboard I’d buy, particularly if you’re building a new gaming PC.
One question:
Which processor are you planning to use?
Ryzen 5 7600 / 7600X
Ryzen 7 7700X
Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Ryzen 7 9700X
Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Ryzen 9 9900X / 9950X
I can tell you which motherboard is the best match for your CPU and gaming performance.