Motherboards: Asus vs MSI
For anyone who is building a PC, whether it is for gaming or for some other tasks, the one important thing that we all need to consider is the motherboard. Now when it comes to motherboards, you have a long list of options available from amazing add-in board partners like Asus, MSI, Gigabyte, ASRock, and many more. Check out our in-depth motherboard buying guide for further information.
MSI and Asus are among the most famous from the list of options available and for all the right reasons. For the longest time, these motherboards have been giving top-tier performance to the users with great, competitive prices as well.
However, the comparison between both of these options is often something that is the talk of the town. Are they similar just with a different coat of paint or are there some dominant differences in these motherboards? That is the question of this piece as we compare both MSI and Asus motherboards in terms of their performance, looks, and a few other factors.
Our Motherboard Recommendations For Ryzen Processors
| # | Preview | Product Name | Award | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master | Best Overall AMD Motherboard | Check Price |
| 2 |  | ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Hero | Best High-End AMD Motherboard | Check Price |
| 3 |  | MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi | Best Mid-Range AMD Motherboard | Check Price |
| 4 |  | MSI MAG B550M Mortar | Best Budget AMD Motherboard | Check Price |
| # | 1 |
| Preview | |
| Product Name | Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master |
| Award | Best Overall AMD Motherboard |
| Details | Check Price |
| # | 2 |
| Preview | |
| Product Name | ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Hero |
| Award | Best High-End AMD Motherboard |
| Details | Check Price |
| # | 3 |
| Preview | |
| Product Name | MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi |
| Award | Best Mid-Range AMD Motherboard |
| Details | Check Price |
| # | 4 |
| Preview | |
| Product Name | MSI MAG B550M Mortar |
| Award | Best Budget AMD Motherboard |
| Details | Check Price |
Last Update on 2024-12-18 at 11:13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Aesthetics
Aesthetics are important in the modern-day and age as many gamers are rushing towards the perfect color coordination. The good thing is that both MSI and Asus are fully aware of the importance of aesthetics, and therefore, trying their best to provide the best possible aesthetics that you could think about.
The color choices are great, and MSI even has a dedicated lineup of white motherboards called the Arctic series motherboards. Since there is a difference in what color choices are available in the market from either of the add-in board partners, finding the winner and declaring one is not something that is easily possible.
Winner: None.
Performance
As far as the performance is concerned, both motherboards have been giving you the best possible performance there is. Do know that when we say performance, we are talking about stability, and while both motherboards do offer great stability, Asus has a whole history of being insanely stable.
As a matter of fact, to please the overclockers, they are even offering the Apex motherboards like these Ryzen 500 motherboards and 10900k motherboards that are geared towards overclockers; both hobbyists and professionals. Keeping that in mind, we cannot negate MSI’s efforts either; their top-tier motherboards are no slouches when it comes to great stability, however, that is something that is mostly enjoyed by the more expensive options.
Overall, Asus definitely takes the cake when it comes to performance.
Winner: Asus.
UEFI
UEFI or the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface is what replaced BIOS and is making waves. It provides a great interface, and more importantly, granular control over how you want to control your motherboard as well.
Both companies are working tirelessly at improving their UEFI. However, Asus has been killing it for more than 5 years with one of the best experiences. It is not just about the ease of access it provides, but it also about just how granular it is. Literally, everything can be controlled through Asus’ UEFI, and the best part is that you do not have to have a lot of knowledge about these things since most of them are easily defined and will make your overall experience a lot easier as well.
Therefore, as far as the winners are concerned, Asus takes the lead.
Winner: Asus.
Software
There was a time when the software would never play a role in helping a motherboard become what it is. However, as technology progressed, both hardware and software became very interconnected. Now, any hardware is as good as the software that accompanies it.
Asus has a list of its own software, and MSI does its own. However, Asus has a host of important software solutions that you can use to truly control your motherboard when you are booted into the Windows. As for MSI, the software solutions are there too but none of them provides the granular control that Asus does.
Asus’ AI Suite 3 happens to be one of the most granular software solutions available in the market, and the best part is that it truly gives you the freedom to control how the motherboard and most of the other connected components are going to work in tandem to give you the experience you are looking for.
Winner: Asus
Warranty
When it comes to warranty, MSI provides 1 year of warranty on all their motherboard options. This means that everything from the cheapest motherboard to the most expensive Godlike motherboard will carry a 1-year warranty.
As far as Asus is concerned, the warranty is a bit different for them. The standard warranty Asus offers is 3 years on all motherboards, TUF and TUF Gaming series motherboard come with 5 years warranty, Tinker Boards come with a 1-year warranty, and Mining Expert motherboards have a 90-day warranty.
There is no denying that when it comes to warranty, the clear winner here is Asus, as not only their warranty is longer, but it is different for different motherboard series, which we believe is great.
Winner: Asus.
How to Buy the Perfect Motherboard
Conclusion
I believe drawing a conclusion is not a difficult task at all. Asus does win when it comes to being a better add-in board partner for motherboards. However, the important thing that we are going to talk about here is that it does not mean that MSI motherboards are not great.
As a matter of fact, you will find a number of great MSI motherboards in the market. But the only difference here is that when compared to Asus motherboards, the MSI motherboards simply do not have the same level of control, customization, and granularity that Asus has to offer. Ultimately, if you’re looking to jump on the latest Intel’s 9th Gen platform then check out these Z390 Motherboards reviewed by us!
