Packaging and Overview

The motherboard features the same Aorus box art we have seen from Z370 Aorus branded boards. The packaging is decent, low cost but effective.

The accessory package includes IO shield, manual, driver DVD (not pictured), WIFI card, WIFI antenna, G-Connector, two SATA6Gb/s cables, M.2 screw, and case badge.

We find five fan headers, all of the headers are capable of both DC and PWM modes of operation. However, there is one header circled in red that is a pump header and should run full speed at default. The four circled in blue and the one in red should provide up to 1A of output. The motherboard uses a slightly revised black/silver metal design, and a new M.2 heat sink design is used. The back of the motherboard is quite bare, which is a good thing.

The rear IO panel features four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, USB 3.1 type-A, USB 3.1 type-C, PS/2 keyboard/mouse, DVI, HDMI, Gbit LAN, and 7.1 audio outputs.

One of the limitations of the H and B series chipsets is lack of multiple GPU support for detain devices. You can only run CrossFireX on this motherboard. The top PCI-E x16 slot is wired x16 to the CPU, the second x16 slot is electrically wired x4 to the PCH. All PCI-E slots are PCI-E 3.0 slots. The motherboard features six SATA6Gb/s ports.

The top M.2 slot supports PCI-E x4 M.2 drives and offers a heat sink. The middle M.2 slot offers x2 PCi-E 3.0 as well as SATA6Gb/s support for M.2 drives, if you have a SATA based M.2 drive installed SATA6_1 will be disabled.

A WIFI card slot, labeled CNVI is where you install the WIFI card that is included. Now, this isn't your typical card, it's not a full standalone NIC, it's more of a wireless PHY, as much of the WIFI is integrated into the PCH, so we aren't sure if other WIFI M.2 cards will work in this slot. The motherboard offers two USB 3.0 internal headers, one is the older style internal header and one is in the form of the type-C header.

The motherboard offers many RGB LED headers, an RGBW header can be found at the top right corner of the motherboard as well as at the bottom left. A digital RGB LED header is located in the top right and lower left of the motherboard as well, and each has a jumper allowing you to boost voltage from 5v to 12v if your strip supports it.

Boot LEDs can be used to see what component isn't working. A COM header and USB 2.0 internal header can be found to the left of the ThunderBolt GPIO header.

A large accent strip is attached to the motherboard and can be changed out for a custom one. Installing the WIFI card is straightforward.

The VRMs and PCH all have heat sinks, the VRM heat sinks use pushpins.