Motherboards - Page 6

With ASUS being one the leading suppliers of AM5 motherboards, the recent Ryzen 7000 CPU burnout issue brought the question of warranty to the fore regarding what's covered in terms of beta BIOS updates, AMD EXPO, and Intel XMP overclocking profiles. For the Ryzen issue, a string of BIOS updates and new specifications from AMD has aimed to resolve the issue of potentially catastrophic failure by limiting SoC voltage and improving thermal protection for CPUs.

ASUS, specifically, has been called out by prominent tech-oriented YouTube channels like Gamers Nexus for its handling of the issue highlighting the frantic updating of BIOS revisions, bugs, and Ryzen 7000 SoC voltages remaining at potentially unsafe levels.

There was also the question of whether something as simple and straightforward as enabling an AMD EXPO memory overclocking profile voids a motherboard's warranty - something that also applies to Intel XMP overclocking. Today's statement from ASUS is welcome news; you can read it in full below.

MSI has pushed out a fresh BIOS update for AM5 motherboards (X670 and B650) which introduces a new option that supposedly cuts boot times in half.

That's a pretty spectacular claim, but MSI proved this was the case, at least in one test scenario shared by the company (as highlighted by Tom's Hardware).

In the case of a PC with an AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D processor and MSI MAG X670E Tomahawk WIFI motherboard, by turning on the new feature - 'Memory Context Restore' - the time for a cold boot (from hitting the on switch to reaching the desktop) was reduced from 43 to 22 seconds.

A new report at Wccftech indicates that the launch of entry-level A620 motherboards for AM5 Ryzen 7000 CPUs is happening this week, with an MSI A620 motherboard set to launch with a price point under USD 90.

And yeah, that's what we'd call entry-level and affordable, and something that will open the door to more budget-conscious Ryzen builds using the lower, more efficient SKUs of the Ryzen 7000 Series. Like, say, the AMD Ryzen 5 7600.

Of course, lowering the price does mean reducing the capabilities, with PCB images of the MSI A620 board showcasing a 6+2+1 VRM design and a single 8-pin power connector for the AM5 socket. Still, the board will feature VRM heatsinks and, per the AM5 spec, support DDR5 memory (with AMD EXPO overclocking) via two slots.

Cheap AM5 motherboards are right around the corner, with the entry-level A620 boards for Ryzen 7000 CPUs set to launch soon. And we might be seeing prices drop below the USD 100 barrier, making them excellent options for budget-conscious gamers putting together a new build.

Two overseas (or local, depending on where you're reading this) retailers have listed the new MSI Pro A620M-E motherboard - Polish site BuyIT and the Slovakian-based Edis Computers. The listings arrive via @Momomo_US.

With the price conversion to USD, you're looking at roughly $80 for the budget AM5 motherboard. No images or details for the MSI Pro A620M-E motherboard were listed, so we can only speculate based on our knowledge.

Thanks to VideoCardz.com, we've got our first look at an entry-level A620 motherboard for AMD's new AM5 platform introduced with the new Ryzen 7000 CPU range. A620 will be the affordable entry-level option below B650 and X670 series offerings.

A620 boards will greatly interest those looking to create a new Ryzen build that doesn't break the bank.

With the first shots of the upcoming ASRock A620 motherboard (A620M-HDV/M.2), we've also got some idea of what's being cut to pave the way for a more affordable range of AMD-compatible boards.

Recently we reported on ASUS's new BTF motherboard range, where the physical design put all the primary connections on the underside for improved cable management. It's part of the company's DIY-APE design. In fact, it's the sort of design that we'd love to see become standard - the only real catch being that, as of now, only a limited number of cases support the design.

That is, cases with suitable holes and space so these new motherboards can be mounted in the first place. But with one of the largest manufacturers of motherboards, ASUS, creating motherboards like the TUF GAMING B760M-BTF WIFI D4, we've also got word that another big player is looking to do the same.

With new reports coming in, it's looking like MSI is prepping its own AMD B650 motherboards with the main power connectors on the underside. And Maxsun too. On the MSI front, we'd love to see the design as part of the company's iconic Tomahawk range.

AMD's Ryzen 7000 CPUs had their sales momentum hampered by the cost of upgrading initially, with expensive motherboards being part of the problem right off the bat - but now truly affordable AM5 options are arriving.

Enter stage left the ASRock B650M-HDV/M.2 motherboard, which Newegg is offering for US$125 right now, a US$15 discount on the recommended price (US$140).

We say Newegg is offering it, although at the time of writing, it's still officially on pre-order, but it goes on sale today (March 10), so should be available in a matter of hours (probably by the time you read this).

ASUS has revealed its new TUF GAMING B760M-BTF WIFI D4 motherboard, and it features a rare physical design in that the BTF series is all about hiding the connectors on the underside of the motherboard. ASUS notes this will allow clean cable management for that cable-free minimalist look.

BTF stands for "Back To (the) Future" for reasons we assume relate to ASUS engineers being huge fans of the 1980s time-travel classic Back to the Future rather than the cryptic "new era for all PC DIY gamers." Hiding the connections on the underside of the motherboard is something we've seen briefly in the past from the likes of MSI, but it looks like ASUS is set to follow up with the concept, with this new motherboard being the first of more BTF motherboards.

In addition to the main power connectors, the underside houses USB connectors for front panels, fan headers, and an M.2 PCIe Gen 4 slot for additional storage. Of course, this motherboard will require a compatible case, as only a few PC cases provide access to where the underside connectors are placed.

A new report covering motherboard shipments from four of the biggest names in the game - ASUS, GIGABYTE, MSI, and ASRock - has revealed that 2022 was a devastating year. According to DigiTimes (via Tom's Hardware), citing supply-chain sources, there was a decline of around 10 million in motherboard shipments compared to the previous year.

The usual suspects of economic downturns and a post-pandemic slump are listed as the reasons, which is in line with recent reports about overall PC shipments seeing a similarly massive decline in 2022.

Even though 2022 saw the release of new CPUs from Intel and AMD, with the latter introducing a new motherboard chipset in the form of AM5, it wasn't enough to cover the shortfall in demand for new PC hardware.

GIGABYTE's new mid-range B760 AORUS Elite motherboard has been spotted, the first custom B760-based motherboard so far... check it out:

The new GIGABYTE B760 AORUS Elite motherboard isn't a high-end board, with no support for DDR5 memory and in its place DDR4 memory... so it is the perfect motherboard for someone who is looking at a new CPU like Intel's mid-range Core i5-13600K processor, but didn't want to buy DDR5 memory, too.

AMD has been struggling to sell its new Ryzen 7000 series CPUs given that consumers need to buy a higher-end X670 or B650 motherboard, which require DDR5 memory for the most part... but if you're waiting to upgrade to Intel's new 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" CPUs and didn't want to invest in DDR5, there are new motherboards on the way.

GIGABYTE has just announced that its "Instant 6GHz" feature is now available for their Z690 motherboards with a simple BIOS update, ready to boost performance on Intel's Core i9-13900K and Core i7-13700K processors.

The new Instant 6GHz feature on GIGABYTE's fleet of Z690 motherboards will add another 3% performance for single-core on the Core i9-13900K and Core i7-13700K processors. This new Instant 6GHz feature is great for Z690 motherboard owners who have the new Core i9-13900K or Core i7-13900K, without needing to buy a new Z790 motherboard to hit 6.0GHz.

GIGABYTE Z690 motherboard owners will simply need to upgrade to the latest BIOS on their motherboard to enjoy the Instant 6GHz feature, with the system automatically tweaking CPU voltage and Vcore Load Line Calibration of the Intel Core i9-13900K and Core i7-13700K processors, detecting the two most optimized cores to handle 6.0GHz, providing an additional 3% of single-core performance, just like the Z790 motherboards easily do.

Intel is reportedly gearing up for a February 2023 reveal of its next-gen HEDT platform in the form of the upcoming Sapphire Rapids "Fishhawk Falls" Xeon CPUs... but with it we'll see the W790 chipset, and now, we have a Canadian retailer listing pricing for a W790 motherboard real, real early.

Intel's upcoming 4th Gen Xeon Scalable CPU will be based on the Sapphire Rapids CPU architecture, which will be unveiled on January 10 according to the latest rumors... meanwhile, Canadian retailer ATIC has listed -- very early, very, very early I might add -- the SuperMicro X13SWA motherboard which is based on the upcoming W790 chipset.

SuperMicro X13WSA-TF motherboard based on the W790 chipset (source: ATIC)

MSI has unleashed a new special BIOS for its mid-range B660M Mortar MAX Wi-Fi motherboard, which when teamed with the Intel Core i5-13600K "Raptor Lake" processor can be overclocked to a hefty 5.8GHz, mighty impressive stuff.

At first, the Intel Core i5-13600K couldn't be overclocked on B660 chipset-based motherboards -- exclusive OC was allowed on the Z790 and Z690 motherboards -- but now the mid-range MSI B660 Mortar MAX Wi-Fi motherboards can be pushed with some impressive overclocking through the special BIOS.

Up until now, overclockers could only push the BCLK to 102.9MHz on the MSI B660 Mortar MAX Wi-Fi motherboard, but with the new Special BIOS that the company has released in the form of the "E7D97IMS.123U24" BIOS, you can push the BCLK up to an impressive 125MHz. The BIOS lock hurt overclocking, until now... since the 102.9MHz hurdle would only allow for a 5.25GHz CPU frequency.

Sonic the Hedgehog fans are going to be kinda blown away, just like I am, with the announcement of the new ASRock Z790 PG Sonic motherboard. Yeah, there's an official Sonic the Hedgehog motherboard on its way.

The new ASRock Z790 PG Sonic motherboard features Sonic the Hedgehog himself all across the motherboard, with a spinning ring emblazoned on the rear IO cover... which I must admit, looks awesome. The entire motherboard as Sonic the Hedgehog splashed across it, with the new ASRock Z790 PG Sonic motherboard celebrating the release of SEGA's new Sonic Frontiers game, co-launching with the new Sonic-themed motherboard.

As for the motherboard itself, the new ASRock Z790 PG Sonic motherboard is ready for any Intel 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" CPU -- right up to the flagship Intel Core i9-13900K processor -- with PCIe 5.0 connectivity that's ready for a next-gen GPU or add-in cards of the future. Better yet, ASRock provides a Sonic-fast-worthy Blazing M.2 PCI-Express 5.0 M.2 slot that's ready for next-gen SSDs.

BIOSTAR has just unleashed its new flagship Z790 VALKYRIE motherboard, featuring Intel's new Z790 chipset which includes support for Intel's just-launched 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" CPUs and PCIe 5.0 GPUs and PCIe 5.0 SSDs of the future.

The new BIOSTAR Z790 VALKYRIE motherboard joins the rest of BIOSTAR's new 700-series motherboards, featuring a beautiful design that the company says "exuberates the pinnacle" of BIOSTAR's product design and technical prowess.

We have support for the new LGA1700-based Intel 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" CPUs, DDR5 memory that BIOSTAR says the new Z790 VALKYRIE is good for up to 128GB of DDR5-7800 memory with some insane overclocking. You'll want a high-end Intel Core i9-13900K processor to go along with it, especially if you're pushing up to that insane DDR5-7800 point.

GIGABYTE has unleashed its next-gen Z790 motherboards now Intel has released their new 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" family of CPUs, led by the Core i9-13900K... which has an easy 6GHz overclocking mode on their new Z790 boards.

GIGABYTE's new Z790 motherboards will feature an "Instant 6GHz" feature for the flagship Intel Core i9-13900K processor, which boosts up to 5.8GHz by default, while another 200MHz will push it up to 6GHz easily. GIGABYTE's new Z790 motherboards will automatically tweak CPU voltage and Vcore Load Line Calibration to detect the most two optimized cores running at 6.0GHz.

I don't think most people will even bother, but there are some that will want to easily overclock their new Core i9-13900K processor to 6.0GHz, with GIGABYTE making it easier to hit those crazy frequencies. You'll only be getting around 3% more performance boost on a single core, but every MHz counts, we all know that.

ASRock's new mid-range B650 motherboards have leaked, with the new flagship ASRock B650E Taichi smiling for the leaker camera in all its... uh... E-ATX form factor glory.

The new ASRock B650E Taichi motherboard is a bigger E-ATX motherboard with 24+2+1 VRM phase design and the new AMD AM5 socket, while the current-gen B550E Taichi from ASRock has a 16 phase (14+2) design and comes in a regular ATX form factor.

We've got 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 slot for a new graphics card, as well as 1 x Blazing M.2 (PCIe Gen5 SSD capable) slot, and then 2 x Hyper M.2 (PCIe Gen4 SSD capable) and 4 x SATA3 for storage. ASRock injects some super-speed connectivity onto the back of the B650 Taichi motherboard with 1 x Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 Type-C, multiple USB 3.2 Gen2 ports, 10 x USB 3.2 Gen1 ports, and 4 x front USB 2.0 ports.

Intel has officially launched their new 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" CPUs which means motherboard makers can now unleash their new Z790 motherboards: GIGABYTE has unveiled its new Z790 AORUS MASTER flagship Rocket Lake-ready mobo.

GIGABYTE's new custom Z790 AORUS MASTER motherboard features a huge 20+1+2 phase design with each Vcore and Vcc GT holding up to 105 amps with its Smart Power Stage design. You will want to team GIGABYTE's new Z790 AORUS MASTER motherboard with Intel's new flagship Core i9-13900K processor, for sure.

The flagship GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS MASTER motherboard boosts the overclocking potential of your Rocket Lake CPU across all cores, with over 2200 Amps to provide the best power balance. There's more stable power on the Z790 AORUS MASTER, with heat dissipated more efficiently from heavy loading operations or overclocking that would prevent CPU throttling when the chip is overheating.

MSI's new flagship MEG Z790 GODLIKE motherboard has just been detailed, along with a family of Z790 motherboards ready for Intel's newly-launched 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" processors.

The new MSI MEG Z790 GODLIKE motherboard features a beefed-up 26+2 DRPS CPU power phase design with 105A SPS, ready with an all-new next-generation VRM cooling design from MSI. The company is rolling out its flagship Z790 motherboard with an all-aluminum cover under a Wavy Fin Array design, a U-shaped VRM heat sink with Direct Touch Cross heat pipe that provides additional cooling with 7W/mk Thermal Pads with Choke Pads.

MSI has Lightning Gen 5.0 PCIe slots and Gen 5 M.2 SSD support, which offers up to 128GB/sec of bandwidth if you've got a slew of PCIe 5.0 SSDs ready. MSI's new MEG Z790 GODLIKE motherboard features the company's new patented Screwless M.2 Shield Frozr with Magnetic for the ultimate ease of installation.

Intel just launched its new 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" CPU family, with EVGA unveiling two new monster Z790 motherboards in the Z790 DARK KINGPIN and Z790 CLASSIFIED motherboards.

EVGA's new flagship Z790 DARK KINGPIN motherboard is built like a brick sh*thouse with the world record-setting motherboard made on a 14-layer low-loss PCB with a 21-phase VRM, letting you pull every single ounce of performance out of the new Intel 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" CPUs.

The new EVGA Z790 DARK KINGPIN motherboard has dual DDR5 DIMMs that support up to 64GB of DDR5-7000+ memory, native PCIe 5.0 support, PCIe 4.0 M.2 NVMe support, with EVGA's new flagship Z790 motherboard featuring auto-switches the x16 PCIe 5.0 CPU lanes between slots 1 and 2 to provide you with maximum bandwidth no matter where it's installed.