ASUS and MSI are the two biggest players in the motherboard market. It’s not very fruitful to compare them as a whole, but if you put two similar boards together, some impactful factors will certainly stick out.
Comparatively, MSI boards may provide the same features at a lower price point. But, ASUS’s AI overclocking might interest you if you’re just getting into overclocking. Or, you might prefer the BIOS UI of one manufacturer over the other.
If you’re stuck and can’t choose between similar MSI and ASUS boards, this article will help you make a more informed decision.
How to Choose the Best Motherboard For You
When choosing a motherboard, what matters most is whether the chosen model is the best fit for you. In general, focus on factors like:
- Compatibility & Budget – Different boards are compatible with different types of components (CPU, RAM, etc.). This can also affect your build cost. For instance, AM5 boards are only compatible with DDR5 RAM and 7000 series processors, which can take the build into a completely different price range.
- Form Factor – If you don’t need the extra ports of an ATX board, a microATX board would be cheaper but otherwise identical for you. Or, you may want a mini-ITX board for a small portable build.
- Features – If you need certain features like WiFi, Bluetooth, USB-C, Thunderbolt, etc., make sure the chosen board supports it.
- Other Factors – Other factors include future-proofing, aesthetics, etc.
I’m mentioning this because many new PC builders have this misconception that products from one brand are entirely better than the other. But this is not true.
Instead, you should first think about the aforementioned points to filter your options down to a few motherboards.
Once you find identical boards from both brands, that is only when the brand name should come into play.
MSI Vs ASUS Motherboards – How Are They Different?
MSI and ASUS differ in a lot of ways. They have different product lines, trademarked technologies, etc.
But these aren’t valid points of comparison. Let’s instead focus on the things that we can compare side by side.
Price
You’ve likely heard the term “ASUS tax” if you’ve been in PC-building circles for a while. This originates from the trend of ASUS products costing more due to the brand name.
This is a particularly important detail for budget or mid-range builds.
Among two similar-spec boards from MSI and ASUS, if the MSI board is considerably cheaper, it makes sense to pick it.
In some cases, the cheaper MSI board may even provide extra features like WiFi or USB-C that are lacking on the ASUS board.
So, if you’d prefer to prioritize other components like the GPU when budgeting, MSI boards will usually save you a few bucks.
BIOS Interface
Before we publish our guides here at TechNewsToday, we verify all the info via thorough testing.
I’ve had to set up and test numerous ASUS and MSI systems for this. My daily driver is also an MSI system (MAG B550M MORTAR specifically).
In my experience, both the ASUS and MSI BIOSes provide all the config options you’d expect (XMP/CPU overclocking, fan control, boot priority, virtualization, and so on). I’ve only noticed two major differences.
The first is regarding the BIOS interface.
Most MSI boards use the iconic Red-Black-White UI in their BIOS. Some Intel boards also ship with the Black and white UI.
The location of some settings is different, but functionally, both of these interfaces are identical.
ASUS boards have a bit more variation depending on the product line (ROG, TUF GAMING, PRIME, ProArt, etc).
Once again, the location of the settings is different, but the BIOSes are functionally the same.
If the appearance and feel of the BIOS UI matter to you, then you may prefer ASUS over MSI or vice-versa.
Overclocking Support
The second difference is regarding overclocking support.
ASUS systems provide various auto-tuning methods like EZ System Tuning, EZ Tuning Wizard, AI Overclocking, etc.
ASUS’s flagship ROG line is also quite popular among overclock enthusiasts. This not only shows user trust but also better community support when it comes to overclocking.
MSI doesn’t have any MSI-specific auto OC tools. You’re limited to CPU-specific features like AMD PBO and Intel Turbo Boost (which provide quite good results btw).
It’s nothing significant, but if you plan to overclock your system, ASUS has a slight edge.
Customer Support
ASUS has had various controversies of late (AM5 boards that overvolted CPUs, drama with GamersNexus and JayzTwoCents, etc).
They handled most of these situations poorly in terms of RMA and customer support.
MSI is certainly not without its flaws. You’ll find plenty of people who’ve had their struggles with MSI RMA.
But if we put aside anecdotal experiences and look at overall trends, MSI is definitely in a better spot right now in terms of customer support.
MSI Vs ASUS – Which Should You Pick
To reiterate my first point, comparing brands is simply not a smart approach. It’s hard to find many significant differences when doing so.
After all, both make good and bad products. Instead, single out individual motherboards for comparison. Focus on the features and factors that matter to you.
If needed, filter based on minor details like the motherboard color, heatsinks, or the VRM quality. The brand name should be very low on your priority list.
Ultimately, when you find some motherboards that fit the bill, read the reviews! See how the board holds up in the long term and if it’s the best purchase at that budget. And try to understand how well it’ll perform for your use cases.