Conclusion
This review took a long look at another of the MSI “MAX” motherboard releases, this one being the MAG B850M MORTAR MAX WiFi. This board is the micro-ATX form factor in the MSI MAG gaming platform tier. This is a fully capable socket AM5 motherboard, supporting DDR5 memory, Gen5 x 16 PCI-e, Gen5 M.2, and plenty of connectivity choices. We found essentially identical performance compared to the two B850 chipset “MAX” motherboards we have previously reviewed. There are both cosmetic and functional additions compared to the non-MAX MAG B850M MORTAR WiFi we reviewed last year.
Installation and Use
We encountered no issues with installation or first boot up. The board layout is very familiar and gave us no problems. As always, CPU and RAM mounting were no problem. The RAM slots are single-latched. The M.2 slots are all tool-less. We are coming to appreciate the MSI EZ Clip for M.2 as it is much easier to use than a rotary fastener, especially if you have trouble seeing little tiny things.
There is room in all the slots for drives, but most likely one should use drives that do not have large heatsinks. If that were to be the case, you would have to choose between using a dedicated GPU and/or NVME drives. There is minimal distance between the drive slots and the base of a dedicated GPU, which likewise eliminates the use of the native heatsink. Our XFX Swift Radeon 9700 XT measures 3.5 slots and butts right up to M.2_3. The space is about 1mm to spare.
Mounting a drive on the rear of the motherboard was interesting. It is entirely doable, but it must be planned such that there is nothing metal in the general vicinity. The slot tested out without any issues. We once again have an EZ-PCIe-Release button for the primary video card slot. It just works, and works well.
First boot, BIOS navigation, and Windows 11 installation were without a single hitch. The BIOS is very similar, if not identical, to the other “MAX” MSI motherboards we have reviewed in the recent past. We have no updated BIOS versions at the date of writing, so we did not need to use the “M-Flash” software. The Click X BIOS is very responsive and well-organized. All benchmarks ran without error. VRM temperatures were very unremarkable on this board during prolonged Cinebench R23. There were no thermal issues.
Final Points
The MSI MAG B850M MORTAR MAX WiFi is a very full-featured m-ATX motherboard. There is nothing missing from this board except about 3 inches in length. The function and performance compared to two other full-sized B850 “MAX” boards we have reviewed were identical. MSI even managed to squeeze a fourth M.2 slot on this board compared to the non-MAX, at the expense of a half-sized PCIe slot.
Overall, there isn’t much missing from the board if you are looking at a smaller-sized build. We must admit, you have to plan the components closely if you intend to use a dedicated graphics card. The “MAX” additions do not separate this board much from the original. The 64MB BIOS chip may be helpful for the short run. If you are somebody who likes to set PBO and forget it, the “OC Engine” is not beneficial.
All in all, we like this motherboard. It is well thought out and very well equipped. If you are looking for a smaller board for a project, this is a great choice. It is unfortunate that MSI has decided not to release this motherboard in North America.