[SOLVED] MSI B450 Tomahawk MAX vs MSI B450 Gaming PRO Carbon AC?

[voyboy488]

This is for R5 3600

See in terms of recommendations, the Tomahawk MAX is most often recommended.

People say the gaming pro has a wifi card (don't care about this cos ethernet), better audio (this one might be a deal breaker), better lan (not sure what this means) while tomahawk has better bios/bigger cpu chip?

Is better lan as in faster download speeds/less ping spikes/less packet loss or is it completely something else?

How big the audio difference really? I use speakers so I'm not sure. Their is ~$40 difference between the two motherboards, which isn't a big deal but I would prefer to spend my money somewhere else. BUT if audio is rlly noticeable then I don't mind spending the extra $40.

To those who owned one or the other or both, what you recommend personally?

 

[drea.drechsler]

This is for R5 3600

See in terms of recommendations, the Tomahawk MAX is most often recommended.

People say the gaming pro has a wifi card (don't care about this cos ethernet), better audio (this one might be a deal breaker), better lan (not sure what this means) while tomahawk has better bios/bigger cpu chip?

Is better lan as in faster download speeds/less ping spikes/less packet loss or is it completely something else?

How big the audio difference really? I use speakers so I'm not sure. Their is ~$40 difference between the two motherboards, which isn't a big deal but I would prefer to spend my money somewhere else. BUT if audio is rlly noticeable then I don't mind spending the extra $40.

To those who owned one or the other or both, what you recommend personally?

For a Ryzen 3000 CPU the Tomahawk Max wins hands down because you can be confident it comes ready for that processor (that's what the MAX boards are for). While the Gaming Pro Carbon is an excellent board, if you don't need the WiFi there's no reason to spend extra for it.

In so far as other important features go, they probably very similar in terms of VRM robustness and either one would hold a 3900X or even 3950X. But you're left with the issue of getting the Pro Carbon's BIOS updated if you don't have a Ryzen 1000 or 2000 processor.

 

[voyboy488]

I think the pro carbon bios can be updated without CPU installed no?

But yeah I agree with your points, I think just the sound issue might be relevant but people are telling me you still won't notice difference in sound between tomahawk vs gaming pro carbon.

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

The pro carbon has Bios flashback and can be updated without the cpu installed.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTkXunUAriE

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

the pro carbon also has Intel lan vs Realtek on the thk max.

 

[voyboy488]

True but is their noticeable difference? Is intel more stable?

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

My son's pro carbon has had no issuse's with the lan. while he games or does his school work online now that most schools here have been cancled for the rest of the school year.
Having the wifi portion is nice to have because if you ever move to a place that you can't install a hardwire then you still have wifi built in.
It is running a 2600x oc'd to 4.1 ghz all core with G.skil Flare x 3200 cl14 and Run great on bios 7B85v18

 

[drea.drechsler]

I think the pro carbon bios can be updated without CPU installed no?

But yeah I agree with your points, I think just the sound issue might be relevant but people are telling me you still won't notice difference in sound between tomahawk vs gaming pro carbon.

I do believe it does have the BIOS flashback feature. But there has been an awful lot of drama surrounding it with way too many people having trouble getting it to work for them. Makes me a bit leery of it, to the point I'd far prefer to update from a supported processor and resort to it only as a recovery option when all is lost otherwise.

I also feel motherboard audio is way over rated as a consideration. Since I got a USB DAC I've learned just how much better it can be to not have any of the analog audio signal inside the PC cabinet. Even cheap DAC's have much better sound quality and are easily transportable, so upper-scale more expensive ones aren't a loss on the next upgrade. The same would be true with USB microphones. And anyone with seriously demanding audio processing needs should be looking at upscale add-in cards anyways.

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

Ya in the video it shows to change a file name when unzip on the 1 file it needs.
if people don't unzip it then it doesn't see the needed file.
So far I have had no issuse's with unzipping the download and using the file as is. (file name unchanged)
I have gone back in bios's and forward

 

[ocer9999]

I think the pro carbon bios can be updated without CPU installed no?

But yeah I agree with your points, I think just the sound issue might be relevant but people are telling me you still won't notice difference in sound between tomahawk vs gaming pro carbon.

I've done a built on a B450 Steel Legend a couple months ago and it worked out of the box.
The idea that the B450's in the market are not compatible is silly, has been over a year since the new CPUs are out, if the mobo didn't had the bios and it's on the market it would mean it's not selling and has been sitting for months and months.

 

[LfcYNWA]

Don't buy B450 motherboard for Matisse cpu
It's really silly...
Go for X570 Pcle 4 for GPU and not oly

 

[drea.drechsler]

...
The idea that the B450's in the market are not compatible is silly, has been over a year since the new CPUs are out
...

Many retailers have, or come across, what's known as 'new/old' stock. New boards but from old manufacturing lots. Still good boards, but those are the ones that could have older BIOS's too.

As everone scours the nets looking for good deals you may not know when you come across a seller who picked up a bunch of those boards. It's a good idea just to make sure ahead of time or make sure you have a plan to deal with it if they won't confirm for you.

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

Very true DREA
From some time spent on the phone with Amazon And Asus I was told from Asus there is no way to tell what bios a mobo has from a sellers web site,
Even if you found a seller that was giving you the numbers off the web site listing and the box in there hands.
I was told by Asus at the time (July-Sept 2019) Amazon had more of the older bios mobo's after 3000 series bios's was hitting Micro centers store shelves.
The end point is you won't know how long a mobo has been in a back room other then it is 2000 or 3000 compliant till you get it running or Not.
Right now Msi's b450's has the better options as far as bios's with the Max versions and the other versions being able to be updated before start up for a 3000 series cpu for more budget minded consumers.

OP I can tell you a difference between the audio between the Pro Carbon and the Tomahawk- / Max and that is the pro carbon has

• 7.1-Channel High Definition Audio
• Supports S/PDIF output

and the Tomahawk pro max has

• 7.1-Channel High Definition Audio

My son always has his corsair void headset on and we have no other speakers hooked up other then the 32inch Vizio tv to his Zotac gtx 1060 6gb by Hdmi and has never complained about the audio.
From doing a few searches some say the amp is better and less distortion on the pro carbon.
Good luck with your Build And Good Health to EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!