Introduction
With this article, we close out our review set of three MSI socket AM4 2026 refreshed motherboards. This review will evaluate the PRO B550M-P. Recall that thus far we have examined the MSI B550 GAMING WiFi6E and the MSI PRO B550M-P WiFi6E. In each of these three motherboards, MSI has upgraded functionality and leveraged the AMD socket AM4 Ryzen CPUs and B550 chipset support over what was originally released. In most cases, these boards were released in some form as far back as 2021. Specifically, in the case of the PRO B550M-P, MSI has upgraded the PCIe to Gen4x16 as well as the primary M.2 to Gen4.
The PRO line-up of motherboards is aimed at business/desktop users and is the baseline tier for MSI. As such, we don’t see any RGB bling or EZ DIY touches. Like its WiFi 6E counterpart, this motherboard doesn’t even have any heatsinks, save for the chipset. The rear I/O panel is likewise a bit of a throwback, as you will see. Despite the very basic look and design of this motherboard, you will find it provides a very stable and functional platform for socket AM4 CPUs and cheaper (and maybe collecting dust) DDR4 memory. Currently, the listed retail price of this motherboard is $89; on the MSI-USA storefront it is currently offered for $74.99…..yup, $75 with a three year warranty….so let’s get started.
Packaging and Contents
This looks amazingly just like the most recent review, wouldn’t you say? The motherboard was shipped directly from MSI. This is a full retail package. We found the usual packing format. Everything is smaller here, simply because the motherboard is smaller. The board was placed inside an anti-static bag and protected by cardboard inserts. Everything else was located in the bottom of the box in a long cutout. The accessories included: booklets, one SATA cable, a motherboard backplate, and two M.2 screws.
MSI PRO B550M-P Features
We start out by stating the obvious. This motherboard is EXACTLY the same as the PRO B550M-P WiFi6E we previously reviewed, with the exception that this board has no WiFi. Your internet connectivity is brought to you by a 1Gb/s wired Ethernet port. This is a Micro-ATX motherboard, so 9.6 by 9.6 inches overall. The color is all black with white lettering. Quite honestly, it is spartan all the way. There isn’t much to see, but it’s all there for you to see. Nothing except the chipset is under cover. The PCB is a four-layer board with inlaid copper. It is not flimsy when handled. There are two M.2 slots on the board; as we stated, the Primary is Gen4 and the second is Gen3. The original release board had only one Gen3 M.2 slot. Neither has heatsinks nor thermal pads included. The hold-down is a small screw, which is included in the box.
The PCIe slot is metal-reinforced and has a basic clip. It supports PCIe Gen4 x 16. There are also two PCIe x1 slots. Of course, if you just had to have wifi, a PCIe expansion card could be added here. There is a small LED panel at the top right which will aid in troubleshooting, but no power button, M-Flash button, or digital readouts. The board does have the usual number of ARGB headers if needed, which can be controlled by MSI Center software. The rear I/O is a mixed bag, to say the least. There are six USB-A slots; two are 2.0, and four are 5Gb/s. There are also three video-out ports if supported by the CPU: DisplayPort, HDMI, and (wait for it) 15-pin VGA, along with a PS/2. There is, of course, the 1G Ethernet port (Realtek® RTL8111H 1Gbps LAN) and three 3.5mm audio ports powered by Realtek ALC 897.
Power Delivery
The power delivery is noted by MSI to be 8+2 with 50Amp DrMos circuitry. This is supplied by a single 8-pin connector on the upper left. As with the Wi-Fi 6E counterpart, MSI notes “Core Boost” technology. This utilizes a digital PWM IC to aid in signal transmission. There are no VRM heatsinks. The board is listed to support all Ryzen 5000 series CPUs. The motherboard is built on 4 layers with inlaid copper; it does feel sturdy when handled.
CPU Socket, Memory and Storage
The MSI PRO B550M-P supports socket AM4 CPUs, which include Ryzen 3000, 5000, and 4000G. The space around the CPU does not seem to present any issues with cooling placement. Our MSI AIO MAG Core 360I fits with no problems. The only thing we had to remember is that the backplate on AM4 motherboards is secured by only the 4 hold-down screws. So when you get set to place your AIO cooler, just remember the backplate is loose. Memory supported is DDR4 up to 128 GB total. Frequencies are advertised to top at 4400 MT/s (OC). XMP profiles are supported for 1-click overclocking. The memory is double-latched.
As was mentioned above, there are two M.2 slots on this board. The primary M.2 is derived from the CPU and is Gen4 x4 (64Gb/s). M.2_2 is Gen3 (32Gb/s) with lanes derived from the chipset. Again, neither of these slots has a supplied heatsink. Both are fastened by supplied small screws. On the lower right, there are four SATA 6Gb/s ports. The M.2 spacing on this board is excellent. There was no interference with either slot from the dedicated graphics card we used. However, slot two sits right under the dedicated GPU. If the drive is tall, it would not fit; however, most Gen3 drives generally do not require a large heatsink.
Expansion
Expansion on this motherboard consists of one full-length PCIe slot and two PCIe x1 slots. There are only standard clasps. The primary PCIe slot is metal-reinforced. The primary PCIe slot supports Gen4 x16 speed. The smaller slots support x1 speed. As we stated, you have no EZ advantages when it comes to the release of the GPU, and the tolerance is tight. When the GPU is installed, you have only about the outer half of the clasp to use to release it. One item that wasn’t mentioned when we reviewed the B550M-P WiFi6E is that the upper PCIex1 slot is covered by the dedicated GPU we used. The ASRock RX 7600 XT Steel Legend is a rather slim 2-slot card, but it will still manage to cover this slot.
I/O
The rear I/O of the MSI PRO B550M-P WiFi6E is interesting. The backplate is not embedded. You are supplied with a backplate in the box. Working from left to right:Â VGA port, DisplayPort, two USB-A 5Gb/s and HDMI, PS/2 port and USB-A 2.0, RJ45 1G and two USB-A 5Gb/s, and lastly three 3.5mm audio jacks. Ethernet is Realtek RTL 8111H 1Gb, and audio is Realtek ALC 897, 7.1-channel capable.
Total fan headers for this motherboard are three. One top right, labelled CPU, and two on the right side, labelled SYS. These are controlled by the Hardware Monitor in the BIOS or in MSI Center software. The right side of the board houses the two SYS fan headers, 24-pin power, a USB-C 5 Gb/s front case port, 4 SATA ports, and a USB-A 5Gb/s front case port. The bottom row has the front panel jumpers, two USB 2.0 headers, two ARGB headers, a 12V RGB header, and the audio header. RGB header control is under the MSI Center Mystic Fusion software.
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