ASUS ROG Strix B450-I Gaming (AMD B450) Motherboard Review

What's Hot

Strong VRM: The VRM on the motherboard is very nice, and it utilizes IR's PoweIRstages rated 40A each. Combined with the large heat sink, the VRM is well equipped to take on overclocking Ryzen CPUs.

Audio: With the audio on a daughterboard and the addition of two amplifiers, one for current and the other for voltage, ASUS made a big effort to improve audio. The Nichicon audio capacitors are a nice addition, as is are the RGB LEDs in the ports. While you only get three audio jacks, it's still nice.

Dual M.2 slots: Sporting two M.2 slots, one rated for x4 PCI-E 3.0, the motherboard is well equipped for taking on the latest in storage technologies.

What's Not

None: We couldn't really find too many issues with the motherboard, perhaps more USB on the rear IO would have been nice. The WIFI card isn't the best either.

Final Thoughts

The ASUS Strix B450-I Gaming is a high-end B450 motherboard loaded with the latest in features and technologies. We get HDMI 2.0, USB 3.1 (10Gbps), and dual M.2 slots. ASUS does use a high-end Intel NIC and a Realtek based WIFI controller. We get some upgrades to the audio on the motherboard, and it's great both in real life and in tests.

Overall, this is a high-end AM4 mini-ITX motherboard with the right hardware to back it up, and it comes in at a reasonable price.

Product Summary Breakdown

Performance	90%
Quality	92%
Features	95%
Value	90%

Overall TweakTown Rating

92%

The Bottom Line: Loaded with high-end features and a solid set of aftermarket features such as RGB LED support and HDMI 2.0, the STRIX B450-I Gaming stuns at an affordable price.

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