ASRock B850 Challenger WIFI Motherboard Review: Strong Value Option For AMD Ryzen Builders With 12 Phase VRM & WIFI 7 at $179

It's been two years since the launch of the AMD AM5 motherboard platform and the 600-series motherboards. Since its launch, the platform has seen the launch of several CPUs in the Ryzen 7000, Ryzen 8000, and Ryzen 9000 families. While the 600-series motherboards provide great features & compatibility with newer Zen 5 CPUs, motherboard makers are always looking to enhance user experiences through the latest technologies, which is why AMD has introduced a new chipset line called the 800-series.

The first wave of AMD 800-series motherboards (X870E & X870) hit shelves last year with the Ryzen 9000 series, & these were followed by the B850/B840 series earlier this year. These motherboards provide brand-new designs and brand-new features that are sure to entice new AMD builders and older AM4 users into investing in a new motherboard for their gaming and content creation needs.

We received a load of motherboards from various manufacturers, and today, we will be taking a look at ASRock B850 Challenger WIFI, which is priced around $179 US.

The AMD AM5 Platform

The AMD AM4 platform has been the longest-running modern-day platform to date, which was first introduced in 2017 &  is very much alive and kicking in 2024. The company just recently launched new chips for the platform, and it looks like it will stick around for a good while.

AMD is now launching its 2nd Generation AM5 platform under the new 800-series family. The lineup initially targeted high-end enthusiasts with the X870E and X870 chipsets, but now, we're going to look at the budget segment with the B850E and B850 options.

The AMD B850 chipset will offer both Gen5 and Gen4 capabilities, with Gen5 primarily being used for NVMe storage devices and Gen4 for graphics. The motherboard makers will have the option to dedicate the Gen5 lanes to a discrete graphics card if they want. The AM5 motherboards based on the AM5 chipset will also feature USB 3.2 (20 Gbps) support, so no USB4 like the high-end options. Graphics will be handled in x16 (Gen4) or x8 (Gen5 or Gen4) configurations. The good thing is that B850 motherboards will support both memory and CPU overclocking and will be targeted at Intel's B760 family, which mostly covers the $100-$200 US range.

AMD Chipset Features and Specifications:

Wccftech	X870E	X870	X670E/X670	B650E/B650	A620
CrossfireX/SLI	2-Way CFX	2-Way CFX	2-Way CFX	2-Way CFX	N/A
CPU Lanes (Usable)	24 Gen 5 (with Ryzen 7000 CPUs & above)	24 Gen 5 (with Ryzen 7000 CPUs & above)	24 Gen 5 (with Ryzen 7000 CPUs & above)	24 Gen 5 (with Ryzen 7000 CPUs & above) 24 Gen 4 for B650	24 Gen 4 (with Ryzen 7000 CPUs & above)
PCH Lanes (Usable)	8 Gen4 12 Gen3	4 Gen4 8 Gen3	12 Gen4 8 Gen3	8 Gen4 4 Gen3	8 Gen 3
USB4	Standard	Standard	Optional	Optional	Optional
USB 3.1/3.2 Gen2	2	1	2	1	0
USB 3.1/3.2 Gen1	12	6	12	6	2
USB 2.0	8	8	8	6	6
SATA 6Gb/s	8	8	8	4	4
DDR5 DIMMs	4	4	4	4	4
DDR4 DIMMs	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Overclocking Support	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
XFR2 Enhanced	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
Precision Boost Overdrive	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	N/A
NVMe	Yes (Gen 5.0)	Yes (Gen 5.0)	Yes (Gen 5.0)	Yes (Gen 5.0)	N/A
Form Factor	ATX/ITX	ATX/mATX/ITX	ATX/mATX/ITX	ATX/mATX/ITX	mATX/ITX

The motherboards will feature support for DDR5-5600 MT/s memory speeds natively and over 8000 MT/s transfer rates on some of the high-end motherboards that we will be getting by the July timeframe.

The AMD B850 motherboards will feature the same Promontory 21 die, minus the native USB4 support. They will carry Gen5 GPU support, but Gen5 M.2 support will be optional. The B840 will be the entry-level option within the series with the older Promontory 19 die, which means you will get just Gen4 GPU/SSD support, no CPU overclocking, and only memory overclock support. The B840 motherboards are going to be very affordable in terms of pricing, so that will be competitive against sub-$200 US options from Intel.

AMD will also have the A620/A620A series continuing its role to serve the entry-level segment. There are plans to offer even more price adjustments, making them a viable option for ODMs and system builders to attract more customers.

AMD AM5 Chipset Comparisons:

Chipset Name	PCIe Lanes Gen (PCH)	USB Support (Max)	Overclocking Support	Graphics Configs
X870E	Gen5 (GPU & NVMe)	USB4	CPU+Memory	1x16, 2x8
X670E	Gen5 (GPU & NVMe)	USB 3.2 (20 Gbps) USB4 (Optional)	CPU+Memory	1x16, 2x8
X870	Gen5 (GPU & NVMe)	USB4	CPU+Memory	1x16, 2x8
X670	Gen5 (NVMe) Gen4 (GPU)	USB 3.2 (20 Gbps) USB4 (Optional)	CPU+Memory	1x16, 2x8
B850	Gen5 (NVMe / GPU Opt) Gen4 (GPU)	USB 3.2 (20 Gbps)	CPU+Memory	1x16, 2x8
B650E	Gen5 (NVMe / GPU)	USB 3.2 (20 Gbps) USB4 (Optional)	CPU+Memory	1x16, 2x8
B650	Gen5 (NVMe) Gen4 (GPU)	USB 3.2 (20 Gbps) USB4 (Optional)	CPU+Memory	1x16, 2x8
B840	Gen3 (NVMe / GPU)	USB 3.2 (10 Gbps)	Memory Only	1x16
A620	Gen4 (NVMe / GPU)	USB3.2 (10 Gbps) USB4 (Optional)	Memory Only	1x16

Meet The LGA 1718 Socket - How Long Will This One Last?

As mentioned earlier, AM4's reign is finally over, and the AM5 socket is here now. The new socket moves from a PGA (Pin-Grid-Array) design to an LGA (Land-Grid-Array) layout. The new LGA 1718 socket offers more pin connections to the CPU, allowing for more communication channels with the board itself and enabling support for enhanced features that the new platform has to offer.

As for longevity, AMD has committed to a 2027+ plan for its latest AM5 socket. The AM4 platform is a testament to AMD's support for its consumers, and while the newer 500-series lineup was locked out initially, the company and its partners worked towards extending support for older processors on the newer chipsets and newer CPUs on older motherboards. The AM4 platform continues to be the best seller in the Ryzen lineup, but that would change with the introduction of more budget and feature-rich designs for the AM5 socket, like the 800-series.

Cooler Compatibility With AM5 Socket

The AMD Ryzen 7000/8000/9000 Desktop CPUs will feature a perfect square shape (45x45mm) but will house a very chonky integrated heat spreader or IHS. The CPUs will be the same length, width, and height as the existing Ryzen Desktop CPUs and are sealed across the sides, so applying thermal paste won't fill the interior of the IHS with TIM. That's also why current coolers will be fully compatible with the latest Ryzen CPUs.

The ASRock B850 Challenger WIFI motherboard comes inside a standard cardboard package. The front of the box has a picture of the motherboard along with various marketing labels such as Polychrome Sync, WIFI7, HDMI, and support for AMD Ryzen 9000 Desktop CPUs.

The backside of the package lists the specifications and special features of the motherboard, such as a 12+2+1 Phase design, PCIe 5.0 support, a toolless Multi-Layer M.2 heatsink, Lightning Gaming ports, & more.

Inside the package is another box that contains the accessories and is located right below the box holder for the board itself. These include:

• 1 x Manual
• 1 x Case Badge
• 1 x Sticker Page
• 2 x SATA Cable
• 2 x ASRock WiFi 2.4/5/6 GHz Antennas

With all the accessories done, it's time to put that box aside and take the motherboard out of its package. The ASRock B850 Challenger WIFI motherboard is an ATX offering that measures 244 x 305 mm. ASRock has gone with an all black theme with a few white labels.

The B850 Challenger WIFI looks very sleek despite its budget design. Maybe it's to do with those acrylic plates over the IO and the PCH heatsink. The layout doesn't look messy at all and seems well-designed. I'd request ASRock to color those capacitors with some black coating, which would make for an even more stealthier design.

The board uses the LGA 1718 socket to support AMD Ryzen "AM5" processors. The socket works with Ryzen 7000, Ryzen 8000G, and Ryzen 9000 CPUs and will also support future generations of AM5 Ryzen chips that are supported by the platform.

Next to the socket are four DDR5 DIMM slots that can support up to 256 GB of dual-channel memory.

These slots are rated to support EXPO profiles up to 8000 MT/s (OC Plus). Each slot is labeled, making it easier to install DIMMs in the proper orientation. DDR5 memory comes with a different latch position, so forcing a DDR4 module into a DDR5 slot will cause permanent damage. The full QVL list can be found here.

The ASRock B850 Challenger WIFI motherboard features a 12+2+1 phase VRM design with Dr.MOS MOSFETs, and an 8-layer PCB.

The challenger features two heatsinks on the VRMs, one of which is an enlarged heatsink design. This also features the "Challenger" label on the top.

The CPU is supplied power through two 8-pin EPS power connectors. This will feed the CPU with up to 600 Watts of power. The AMD Ryzen 9000 CPUs are very power-hungry, with the maximum target power going above 220W for the flagship Ryzen 9 9950X CPU.

The curved nature of the larger heatsink is a nice touch. It doesn't expand the thermal cooling capabilities, but it looks nice, adding to that sleek design that the board has to offer.

Expansion slots include two PCI Express x16 slots (1 x Gen 5.0 x16 / 1 x Gen 4.0 x4), and three M.2 slots.

• CPU:
• 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 Slot (PCIE1), supports x16 mode
• 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 Slot (PCIE4), supports x4 mode
• Chipset:
• 2 x PCIe 4.0 x1 Slots (PCIE2 and PCIE3)
• 1 x M.2 Socket (Key E), supports type 2230 WiFi/BT PCIe WiFi module

ASRock uses a full metallic slot design for its topmost PCIe x16 slot.

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The motherboard also has two M.2 slots, both of which are featured under dedicated heatsinks. Following is the full list of M.2 ports and their details on the ASRock B850 Challenger WIFI motherboard:

• CPU:
  1 x Blazing M.2 Socket (M2_1, Key M), supports type 2280 PCIe Gen5x4 (128 Gb/s) mode
  
• Chipset:
  1 x Hyper M.2 Socket (M2_2, Key M), supports type 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 (64 Gb/s) mode
  4 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s Connectors

Storage options include four SATA III ports rated to operate at 6 GB/s. These can support up to four different storage devices at once.

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For USB, you get a total of 19 ports, which include 8 USB 2.0 (4 Rear / 4 Front), 8 USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports (4 Front, 4 Rear), 1 USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C port (Front), 1 USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A port (Rear), and one USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port (Rear).

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ASRock uses a 7.1 CH HD audio design with the Realtek ALC897 CODEC for rear panel audio. There is a large selection of connectors on the motherboard.

The full list of connectors on the motherboard is as follows.

• 1 x SPI TPM Header
• 1 x Power LED and Speaker Header
• 1 x RGB LED Header
• 3 x Addressable LED Headers
• 2 x CPU Fan Connectors (4-pin) (Smart Fan Speed Control)
• 3 x Chassis Fan Connectors (4-pin) (Smart Fan Speed Control)
• 1 x AIO Pump Fan Connector (4-pin) (Smart Fan Speed Control)
• 1 x 24 pin ATX Power Connector
• 2 x 8-pin 12V Power Connectors (Hi-Density Power Connector)
• 1 x Front Panel Audio Connector
• 2 x USB 2.0 Headers (Support 4 USB 2.0 ports)
• 2 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Headers (Support 4 USB 3.2 Gen1 ports)
• 1 x Front Panel Type C USB 3.2 Gen1 Header

In terms of Ethernet, there is a single Realtek RTL8125BG connector that powers 2.5GbE LAN. The board also offers the latest WIFI7 capabilities with Intel's 802.11be 2x2 module. It also offers Bluetooth 5.4 capabilities.

The motherboard comes with the following I/O connectors:

• 2 x Antenna Ports
• 1 x HDMI Port
• 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A Port (10 Gb/s)
• 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C Port (10 Gb/s)
• 4 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Ports (USB32_34 are Lightning Gaming Ports.)
• 4 x USB 2.0 Ports
• 1 x RJ-45 LAN Port
• 1 x BIOS Flashback Button
• HD Audio Jacks: Line in / Front Speaker / Microphone

For testing, I used the Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU, which was sent to us by AMD, on a range of B850 motherboards.

AMD B850-series "AM5" Motherboard Test Platform:

Processors	AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Motherboard	MSI B850 Tomahawk MAX WIFI II (7E62v5A12) MSI B850MPOWER (1A11) ASRock B850 Challenger WIFI (3.40) Biostar B850MT-E PRO (B85AQ407.BSS) MSI MAG B850M Mortar WIFI (7E61v1A3) ASRock B850 Steel Legend WIFI (3.20) ASRock B850 PG RIPTIDE WIFI (3.20) ASRock B850 LiveMixer WIFI (3.20) ASRock B850I PG Lightning (3.20) ASRock X870E Taichi (3.08 AGESA 1.2.0.2)
Power Supply	FSP Hydro G 1200W PSU
Solid State Drive	Crucial T700 2 TB Gen5 SSD
Memory	T-Force Delta RGB DDR5-7200 (CL34 2 x 16 GB)
Video Cards	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition
Cooling Solutions	Arctic Liquid Freezer III 420mm AIO
OS	Windows 11 64-bit

Our test rig includes the Crucial T700 2 TB Gen5 SSD that boots up our main OS. In addition to these, we are running an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition graphics card and an FSP MEGA Ti 1650W PSU. For this specific review, we used the T-Force  Delta RGB DDR5-7200 memory kit running at CL34 timings.

All B850 Motherboards Memory Support (Official Rating)

The AMD B850 motherboards are listed with some of the highest-listed DDR5 memory support out of the box. Following is how each of the motherboards we tested stacks up in terms of maximum frequency support:

3DMark CPU Profile Benchmark

Instead of producing a single number, the 3DMark CPU Profile shows you how your CPU's performance changes and scales with the number of cores and threads used. The 3DMark CPU Profile has six tests that help you benchmark and compare CPU performance for gaming and other activities.

Blender

Blender is a free and open-source 3D creation suite. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline—modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking, and even video editing and game creation.

Cinebench 2024

Cinebench 2024 utilizes the power of Redshift, Cinema 4D's default rendering engine, to evaluate your computer's CPU and GPU capabilities. Cinebench 2024 is designed to accommodate a broad range of hardware configurations, while it seamlessly supports x86/64 architecture (Intel/AMD) on Windows and macOS.

Cinebench R23

Cinebench is a real-world cross-platform test suite that evaluates your computer’s hardware capabilities. Improvements to Cinebench Release 20 reflect the overall advancements to CPU and rendering technology in recent years, providing a more accurate measurement of Cinema 4D’s ability to take advantage of multiple CPU cores and modern processor features available to the average user.

CPU-Z

CPUz is a freeware that gathers information on some of the main devices of your system, such as the Processor name and number, codename, process, package, cache levels, Mainboard, chipset, Memory type, size, timings, and module specifications (SPD), and Real-time measurement of each core's internal frequency, memory frequency.

Geekbench 6

Geekbench 6 is a cross-platform benchmark that measures your system's performance with the press of a button.

HandBrake

HandBrake is a tool for converting video from nearly any format to a selection of modern, widely supported codecs.

PCMark 10

PCMark 10 is a complete PC benchmarking solution for Windows 10. It includes several tests that combine individual workloads covering storage, computation, image and video manipulation, web browsing, and gaming. Specifically designed for the full range of PC hardware from netbooks and tablets to notebooks and desktops, PCMark 10 offers complete Windows PC performance testing for home and business use.

POV-Ray

The POV-Ray package includes detailed instructions on using the ray tracer and creating scenes. Many stunning scenes are included with POV-Ray, so you can start creating images immediately when you get the package.

SuperPI

Super PI is used by many overclockers to test the performance and stability of their computers. In the overclocking community, the standard program provides a benchmark for enthusiasts to compare “world record” pi calculation times and demonstrate their overclocking abilities. The program can also be used to test the stability of a certain overclock speed.

WinRAR

WinRAR is a powerful archive manager. It can back up your data and reduce the size of email attachments, decompress RAR, ZIP, and other files downloaded from the Internet, and create new archives in RAR and ZIP file formats.

V-Ray Render Benchmark

V-Ray  Benchmark is a free, standalone application to test how fast your system renders. Three custom-built test scenes are also included to put each V-Ray 6 render engine through its paces.

Battlefield V

Battlefield V brings back the action of the World War 2 shooter genre. Using the latest Frostbite tech, the game does a good job of looking gorgeous in all ways possible. From the open-world environments to the intense and gun-blazing action, this multiplayer and single-player FPS title is one of the best-looking Battlefield titles to date. The game was tested at max settings at 1440p.

DOOM Eternal

DOOM Eternal brings hell to Earth with the Vulkan-powered idTech 7.  We test this game using the Ultra Nightmare Preset and follow our in-game benchmarking to stay as consistent as possible.

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2 is the latest addition to Valve's CS series with a complete visual overhaul, bringing the FPS to a new generation of gamers.

Metro Exodus

Metro Exodus continues the journey of Artyom through the nuclear wasteland of Russia and its surroundings. This time, you are set over the Metro, going through various regions and different environments. The game is one of the premier titles to feature NVIDIA’s RTX technology and does well in showcasing the ray-tracing effects in all corners. The game was tested at Ultra settings with RTX settings turned off at 1440p.

Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 is an action role-playing video game developed by CD Projekt Red and published by CD Projekt. The story takes place in Night City, an open world set in the Cyberpunk universe. Players assume the first-person perspective of a customizable mercenary known as V, who can acquire skills in hacking and machinery with options for melee and ranged combat. The game uses CD Projekt Red's in-house Red Engine, which is one of the most visually breathtaking and also one of the most graphics-intensive engines designed to date.

The AMD Ryzen 9000 CPUs come in the same two or three chiplet configurations as the Ryzen 7000 series, with one or two of which are the aforementioned AMD Zen 4 CCDs fabricated on the 4nm process node. Then we have the larger die around the center, the IOD, based on a 6nm process node. The AMD Ryzen 9000 CCD measures a die size of 70.6 mm2 and features a total of 8.6 billion transistors per CCD. The IOD has a die size of 122 m2 and features 3.4 billion transistors.

Scattered around the package are several SMDs (capacitors/resistors) that usually sit under the package substrate if we consider Intel's CPUs. AMD is instead featuring them on the top layer, and as such, they had to design a new kind of IHS, which is internally referred to as the Octopus.

AMD's Ryzen 9000 Desktop CPUs utilize a brand new Zen 5 core architecture that is built on the 4nm process node; as such, these chips are designed to be extremely efficient. The chips feature gold-plated IHS for efficient thermal transfer.

Since the arrival of B850 motherboards, AM5 builders have been getting good options for their new Ryzen 9000/7000 CPUs. While B650 motherboards have been decent, B850 options do an upgrade, & that's compelling enough to reconsider your choice if you're coming from an older AM4 board. Today, we tested one of ASRock's latest B850 offerings.

Once again, ASRock retains its PCB prowess by offering a 12+2+1 phase VRM design fitted with an 8-layer PCB and dual 8-pin connectors, something that we don't often see on other $179 priced B850 boards. The motherboard also features DDR5-8000 support with up to 256 GB capacities, keeping in line with the rest of its higher-end offerings. The VRMs are cooled by two heatsinks, which kept temperatures within the mid-60s range, a decent performance. Overclocking and Undervolting options are plenty on the motherboard, with the latest BIOS providing users with a lot of preset configurations, and even more if you want to go the manual route.

The motherboard features dual M.2 slots, both of which are cooled by large heatsinks, and the primary Gen5 slot even comes with a toolless design. The PCIe slots include two x16 and two x1 slots. The primary slot is a Gen5x16 design, which has an ideal 4-slot spacing. You won't have to remove the GPU to install or remove an M.2 device. The CMOS battery is located underneath it, so accessing it will require removing the GPU. There are 19 USB ports, which include:

• 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C (Rear)
• 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A (Rear)
• 3 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A (Rear (USB32_12 and USB32_3)) Chipset:
• 1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C (Front)
• 5 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A (1 Rear (USB32_4), 4 Front)
• 8 x USB 2.0 (4 Rear, 4 Front)

ASRock B850 Challenger WIFI Motherboard Pros/Cons:

• + Decent price at $179
• + Solid Ryzen 9000 CPU Performance
• + Dual M.2 slots with heatsink cooling
• + Up To 8000 MT/s memory support
• + WIFI 7 + BT5.4 + 2.5GbE LAN
• + 19 USB ports
• + Well-designed with 4-slot PCIex16 spacing
• + Available in All-Black and All-White colors
• - Audio based on older ALC897 codec
• - Higher-capacity memory has some compatibility issues

Another strong aspect of the B850 Challenger WIFI is that it supports WIFI 7 with Bluetooth 5.4; once again, the competing $179 US options only offer WIFI6E capabilities. The all-black design is great for AM5 builders going with that theme, but there are 4 RGB/ARGB headers for custom lighting.

ASRock's B850 Challenger WIFI is a great ATX AM5 option for entry-level builders within the $179 US price point. It offers a solid VRM with support for AMD's latest Ryzen 9000 CPUs, the latest WIFI 7 wireless capabilities, support for some fast DDR5-8000 memory, up to 19 USB ports, and a very intelligent design scheme. It's all-black theme looks great, and all those features mentioned above make it an instant recommendation from me. Do note that ASRock also offers a white variant of this motherboard, which is priced at $189.

Note: As of writing this post (9/6/2025), the latest BIOS (v3.40), is now available for ASRock's AM5 boards. This further addresses the compatibility and voltage issues associated with ASRock's AM5 lineup. It should also be pointed out that while ASRock's AM5 motherboards have seen issues with Ryzen CPUs, the company has gone an extra mile in tuning its BIOS to ensure that these issues are fixed. Always check the latest BIOS support for your ASRock boards for fixes and patches.

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