MSI B350M Mortar AM4 Motherboard Review

« Sub-System Benchmarks (Storage, Audio, Network, Gaming)

Final Thoughts about the MSI B350M Mortar Motherboard

The MSI B350M Mortar is the second sub-$90 Ryzen motherboard reviewed here at Modders-Inc and like the Biostar B350GT3 motherboard ($84.99) before it, it manages to provide a lot of essentials for the price. Unlike the Biostar B350GT3, the MSI B350M Mortar does not have as much RGB LED color options. In fact it is only limited by seven color presets. This might necessarily be a deal-breaker for some who do not prioritize RGB LED.

In terms of performance, MSI prioritizes its gaming features more than trying to cover a wide swath of general features. This includes hardware as well as software solutions that combine to fill the gaming experience. The MSI Gaming App, RAMDisk, DragonEye and Ethernet manager for example, work really well as add-ons for those that are serious about gaming. The audio and network performance is decent too for a budget motherboard.

Obviously for the price, MSI had to make a decisions on what to exclude. This came down to a lack of USB 3.1 Gen 2 port. In fairness, there is a lack of devices in the market that can actually take advantage of that connection and it is actually omitted in even some boards over $110. However, MSI does include USB Type-C support built into the rear IO so they are not completely ignoring forward standards for the sake of budget. MSI also doubles down on the 19-pin USB 3.1 Gen1 on-board header to compensate, so the B350M Mortar is not lacking on that front.

Overall, the MSI B350M Mortar is a good gaming solution for those with limited funds but do not feel like sacrificing features. It has basic RGB LED support, very good audio subsystem for the price, and a host of gaming software that are actually useful. Most importantly, they are free and easy to use. The MSI B350M Mortar also features advanced fan control via the UEFI or via the desktop software. This includes smart fan support not just for PWM fans, but for 3-pin fans as well. Which means uses can automatically smart-control 3-pin DC fans instead of just running it constantly. Users can even easily customize the curves via UEFI directly. This feature is rare for a motherboard that is this affordable.