A new Challenger has entered the B850 chipset arena, the ASRock B850 Challenger Wi-Fi. But with rival options also vying for attention, how does ASRock’s latest board stack up against the competition? Let’s find out!
ASRock has a diverse B850 lineup, offering models that range from budget-friendly all-rounders to stylish, feature-rich boards for gamers and creators. Among these, the ASRock B850 Challenger Wi-Fi has emerged as an especially interesting mid-range choice, but where does it stand in relation to its siblings?
The Challenger sits firmly in the mid-range tier, designed for practically everyone. It matches much of the Steel Legend’s performance but leans toward functionality. What makes the Challenger stand out is its spaced PCIe slot design, which accommodates oversized GPUs up to four slots wide without obstructing other connectors. This is a rare feature in its class, making it an excellent option for those with bulkier graphics cards.
It makes a solid first impression with all the essentials included. It’s designed for the newest Ryzen CPUs and supports ultra-fast DDR5 memory, ensuring smooth multitasking and gaming performance. The board consists of Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 for next-gen wireless connectivity, while reinforced slots and efficient heatsinks keep things reliable under load. Setup is straightforward thanks to tool-less storage installation, and the wide range of USB ports and high-speed networking covers all modern needs.
Available in black and white variants, the Challenger also appeals to those who want a clean, modern aesthetic. It may lack onboard ARGB, but it still looks stunning, as ASRock has maintained an overall consistent color scheme on both colorways.
Below, you can take a quick look at the main technical specifications before we move on to the unboxing.
| Specification | ASRock B850 Challenger Wi-Fi |
|---|---|
| CPU Support | AMD Socket AM5 Ryzen™ 9000 / 8000 / 7000 Series* |
| Chipset | AMD B850 |
| Memory | DDR5, 4 DIMM, up to 8000+ MHz (OC), 256GB max, ECC/Non-ECC, XMP & EXPO |
| BIOS | 256Mb AMI UEFI Legal BIOS with GUI support |
| Graphics Outputs | HDMI 2.1 (4K 120Hz) |
| Audio | Realtek ALC897, 7.1 CH HD, Nahimic Audio |
| LAN | Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5G LAN |
| Wi-Fi / BT | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), BT 5.4 |
| PCIe Slots* | 1× PCIe 5.0 x16, 1× PCIe 4.0 x16 (x4 connection), 2× PCIe 4.0 x1,1× M.2 Key-E |
| M.2 Slots* | 1× Gen5 x4, 1× Gen4 x4 |
| SATA Ports* | 4× SATA 6Gb/s |
| RAID Support | RAID 0, 1, 10 (SATA); RAID 0, 1, 10 (NVMe) |
| USB (Rear + Front) | Rear: 1× Gen2-C, 1× Gen2-A, 4× Gen1-A, 4× USB2.0 Front: 1× Gen1-C, 4× Gen1-A, 4× USB2.0 |
| Rear Panel I/O | HDMI, RJ-45, Line In, Mic, Front Speaker, BIOS Flashback, Antenna x2 |
| Connectors & Headers | RGB + ARGB headers, multiple fan/pump headers, USB headers |
| Software & UEFI | ASRock A-Tuning, Polychrome SYNC, EZ Mode, Full HD UEFI, Auto Driver Installer, Instant Flash |
| Form Factor | ATX, 30.5 × 24.4 cm, 8-layer PCB |
| OS Support | Windows 10 / 11 64-bit |
*The availability of slots and ports may vary. Further discussed in the next two sections.
