MAXSUN Challenger B650M Wi-Fi is a microATX motherboard that offers impressive performance and features at an affordable price. Designed for budget-conscious builders, this motherboard provides a solid foundation for a range of PC builds, from gaming to productivity.

Features:

One of the standout features of the Challenger B650M Wi-Fi is its robust VRM (Voltage Regulator Module). Equipped with a 6+2+1 phase Vishay SiC639 50A DrMOS VRM, this motherboard ensures stable and reliable power delivery to your CPU, even when overclocking or handling demanding workloads. This makes it a great choice for those looking to build a high-performance PC on a budget.

Expandability:

In terms of expandability, the Challenger B650M Wi-Fi offers a decent selection of slots and ports. It features a PCIe 4.0 x16 slot for high-performance graphics cards, as well as a PCIe 3.0 x4 slot and a PCIe 3.0 x1 slot for additional expansion cards. The motherboard also provides multiple USB ports, including USB 3.2 Gen 1 and USB 2.0, for connecting peripherals.

For storage, the Challenger B650M Wi-Fi supports both M.2 SSDs and SATA drives. It includes an M.2 slot that supports PCIe 4.0 x4 mode, allowing for blazing-fast data transfer speeds. Additionally, the motherboard provides four SATA 6Gb/s ports for connecting traditional hard drives.

Specifications:

CHIPSET: AMD® B650 Chipset
CPU: (Max Support) Supports Socket AM5 CPU, LGA1718 slot, AMD RYZEN7000 Series
TDP: 155W (6+2+1 items)
MEMORY: 2* DIMM DDR5 memory slots
Supports dual-channel memory technology
Support 4800MHZ/5200MHZ/OC Memory Frequency (XMP3.0/EXPO profiles)
ONBOARD: GRAPHICS 1x VGA
*Support VGA, maximum resolution of 2048×1536 50Hz, 2048×1280 60Hz, 1920×1200 60Hz
1x HDMI™port
*HDMI™ port supports up to 4K@30Hz
*Graphics specifications may vary between CPU types.
EXPANSION SLOT: 1x PCIe 4.0 x16 slot
1x PCIe 3.0 x4 slot
1x PCIe 3.0 x1 slot
STORAGE: M.2 slot (Key M), type 2242/2280 (supports PCIe 4.0 x4 mode)
4x SATA 6Gb/s ports
USB: Onboard rear ports: 4* USB3.2 GEN1 ports, 2* USB2.0 ports
On-board pins: 1* set (2 pcs) of USB2.0 pins, 1* set (2 pcs) of USB3.2 GEN1 pins
LAN: Realtek® RTL8111HNIC Chip
AUDIO: Realtek® ALC897 Codec
5.1-Channel High Definition Audio
INTERNAL: I/O 1x 24-pin Power Connector(ATX_PWR)
1x 8-pin Power Connector(CPU_PWR)
1x CPU Fan
2x System Fan
1x PS/2 interface
1x M.2 slots (Key-M)
4x SATA 6Gb/s ports
1x 4-Pin SPEAKER
1x Front Audio
1x COM_A Port
1x 9-Pin DEBUG_CON
1x CLR CMOS
SSD: 1* M.2 4.0 slot (supports 2242/2280 PCIE X4/X2 channel SSD only)
3* SATA3.0 ports
OPERATING SYSTEM: Support for Windows® 11 64-bit, Windows® 10 64-bit
FORM FACTOR: M-ATX, 245mm x 210mm (L X W)

Built-in Provisions:

Built-in features of the Challenger B650M Wi-Fi include a Realtek RTL8111HNIC network controller for wired connectivity and a Realtek ALC897 audio codec for high-quality sound. The motherboard also supports dual-channel DDR5 memory (upto 6800MHz CL34 lab-tested by us), allowing for faster memory speeds and improved overall system performance.

The Realtek RTL8821CE Wi-Fi card provides reliable wireless connectivity with 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac compatibility and Bluetooth 4.2. The mini PCI-E card comes installed with an antenna-header securing bracket which is rather a rare sight among the boards that come pre-supplied with mini PCI-E wifi addons. The Wifi module supports speeds upto 866Mbps on 5GHz mode.

MAXSUN Challenger B650M Wifi comes with standard ALC897 Audio codec which is basic standard among budget board, not bad at all, just an alright choice in this budget.

What’s inside the Box:

1. MAXSUN Challenger B650M Wifi Motherboard
2. NVME Mounting screw
3. 2x Wifi Antenae
4. 1x SATA Cable
5. Rear I/O Plate

Conlcuding Remarks:

The MAXSUN Challenger B650M Wi-Fi is a compelling choice for those seeking a budget-friendly motherboard with solid performance and features. Its robust VRM, good expandability, and support for modern technologies make it a versatile option for a wide range of PC builds. The inclusion of the Realtek RTL8821CE Wi-Fi card adds further value to the motherboard, providing reliable wireless connectivity without the need for additional hardware.

Our Recommendations:

CPU:

We at AMD House Lab, have extensively tested this motherboard with 65W AMD Ryzen CPUs namely Ryzen 5 7500F, Ryzen 5 7600, Ryzen 5 7600X, Ryzen 7 7700, Ryzen 7 7700X, Ryzen 9 7900 as well as Ryzen 7 7800X3D. As the motherboard ships with 130W PPT limitation from factory which can be manually scaled to 155W through PBO, we do not recommend this motherboard to be used with AMD Ryzen 9 processors with 250W PPT such as Ryzen 9 7900X, Ryzen 9 7950X, Ryzen 9 7900X3D and Ryzen 9 7950X3D.

RAM:

We have done a thorough testing with a variety of XMP/EXPO RAMs ranging from 5600MHz CL36 to 6800MHz CL34 as well as the sweetspot AM5 6000MHz CL30 and found no issues with brands such as TForce, Lexar, JUHOR, VColor, TCreate and Kingston Fury. Thus we would recommend 6000MHz CL30 or higher RAM especially when pairing with Ryzen 7 7800X3D as well as 8000-G series lineup of AM5 processors such as Ryzen 5 8600G and Ryzen 7 8700G.

Review & Comparison with similar priced rival:

In our review, we pitted MAXSUN Challenger B650M Wifi against similar priced although comparatively expensive MSI Pro B650M-B and during 30min Cinebench R23 test we found out B650M Wifi sitting at comfortable 55°C with Ryzen 7 7800X3D Processor at full load while B650M-B maintained 68°C temperature. The large surface area of heatsink provided with B650M Wifi played a greater role in cooling down these VRMs. More over the situation of dedicated phases of VRM with B650M Wifi played their part with more efficient cooling through PCB as well because of empty space between the subsequent VRM modules.

Pricing, Warranty & Availability in Pakistan:

Currently MAXSUN Challenger B650M Wifi is available in Pakistan at AMD House at an unbeatable price of 35,000 PKR with 10 Months of Local Warranty.