MSI MAG B850M Mortar WIFI Review: A Worthy AM5 Micro-ATX Upgrade Under $200
With AMD’s AM5 platform maturing and the Ryzen 9000 series taking the stage, MSI’s MAG B850M Mortar WIFI arrives as a compact powerhouse built for gamers and creators seeking high performance without the full-ATX footprint or a premium price tag. Priced just under $200, it targets builders who want modern features without breaking the bank.
The B850 chipset brings meaningful upgrades like PCIe Gen5 (for NVMe or GPU, board-dependent), DDR5 memory support, and USB 3.2 (20 Gbps) – making it competitive with Intel’s B760 series. Unlike its B840 sibling, the B850 supports both CPU and memory overclocking, giving it extra value for performance enthusiasts. MSI’s take on the B850 in the Mortar WIFI balances premium essentials and budget efficiency.
MSI’s board design leans minimalist but robust
. It’s built around the mATX form factor with reinforced slots and heatsinks covering both VRMs and M.2 slots. You get two M.2 slots (one potentially Gen5, depending on SKU), four DDR5 DIMM slots, and a decent spread of rear I/O, including Wi-Fi 6E and 2.5G LAN. However, no USB4 here – that’s reserved for pricier chipsets like the X870E.
While AMD’s switch to LGA 1718 (AM5) brought a physical change in socket design, cooler compatibility remains intact. Existing AM4 coolers work perfectly fine with AM5 CPUs like the Ryzen 7000, 8000, and upcoming 9000 series, thanks to similar dimensions and mounting systems.
The board performs well under load. In CPU benchmarks, it keeps up with pricier ATX boards, and in gaming, it delivers stable frame rates with minimal throttling. Power consumption stays efficient, and thermals are handled well thanks to MSI’s solid VRM cooling design.
One downside? Limited PCIe lanes means fewer expansion options. Forget multi-GPU support – that era’s long gone unless you’re shelling out for a high-end X870E board. MSI wisely doubles down on fast storage instead, a trend we’re seeing with other manufacturers like ASUS swapping bottom PCIe slots for a fourth M.2.
It’s a board for now – and later. With AMD promising AM5 socket support until at least 2027, this board offers a stable foundation with future CPU compatibility. If you’re still on AM4 and looking for a stepping stone to DDR5 and Gen5 without ditching your whole setup, the MAG B850M Mortar WIFI makes a compelling argument.
Overall, MSI delivers what many AM5 mATX users have been waiting for: a no-nonsense, affordable, and reliable motherboard that doesn’t skimp on performance-critical features.