A small-sized, quiet and powerful computer is the dream of any user. The slots on ATX and EATX boards are mostly empty, only one or two are used PCI Express, two or three SATA and one M.2. So why buy a large tin box and put a huge motherboard in it if more than half of the space will be unused? That's right, there's no need. Under powerful systems We need small-sized but multifunctional motherboards. Such as ASUS ROG Strix X470-I Gaming
Specifications
- Form factor: Mini ITX, 170 x 170 mm
- Processor socket: Socket AM4
- System logic: AMD X470
- RAM: 2x DIMM, DDR4-3600 up to 32 GB
- Sound: 7.1 HD audio
- Wired network: 1 Gbit Ethernet (Intel I211-AT)
- Wireless network: Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v4.2
- Expansion slots: 1x PCI-Ex16
- Drives: 4x SATA III 6 Gbit/s, 2x M.2
- Back panel: HDMI, RJ45, 2x USB 3.1 Type-A, 4x USB 3.0, 3x 3.5 mm audio jack, 1x ASUS Wi-Fi GO!
- Price: 15,000 rubles
Equipment
The box is modest in size, four times smaller than a regular cardboard box for an ATX board.A standard set of accessories was included - instructions, stickers, a plug for the rear panel, a disk with drivers, SATA cables, an antenna, and a backlight connection cable. Yes, trends have already made their way into all form factors, and even if you can’t fit your little finger between the connectors on the PCB, there’s always room for a dozen LEDs.
Appearance
A full-size gaming board, compressed to Mini ITX dimensions, looks like this:
The installation is very tight. Everything that does not fit on the main board is mounted on separate small ones on top of each other. In this way, ITX mothers are similar to power supplies - in cheap and weak series everything fits on one piece of PCB, while in expensive ones entire blocks are placed on separate printed circuit boards to save space.
An interesting point is that the board under AMD processors. Socket AM4 took up a lot of space, but there is enough free space near the plastic mounting supports for large coolers.
All Ryzens are supported, including the 2700X with a TDP of 105 watts. It requires a powerful power converter, and it is here, right between the socket and the rear panel. There are six phases in total, controlled by the IR3555 controller.
On power transistors A large radiator is installed, shifted towards the rear panel, so as not to interfere with the CO on the processor.
There are only two slots for RAM. The distance between the slots is enough to fit strips with large radiators. Modules with frequencies up to DDR4-3600 inclusive are supported.
Below the DIMM slots are the contact blocks for the second and third USB, two of the four SATA, and the indicator pins for the front panel of the case.
To the right of the ATX24 power socket there are four LEDs that display the stages of POST. This, of course, is not a two-digit indicator, but you can understand the progress of the process.
There is one PCI Express slot, with sixteen lanes, for a video card. They placed it at the very edge, which is not exactly a “classic” for ITX boards, but there is no other way.
Immediately behind the PCIEx16 is a multi-story structure, crowned by a heatsink for one of the M.2 slots. To the right of it are two more SATA. The ROG logo on the heatsink is illuminated, and power is supplied through a seven-pin connector.
Below it is a small printed circuit board on which an M.2 connector, an audio codec and three minijacks are mounted.
The second M.2 is on the back of the board, right under the system logic.
On the “ground floor” there is a chipset with a small heatsink, a TPU control chip and a “multi” (input/output controller) IT8760E.
This is how you can simply and reliably place a drive with a radiator and a sound card in a minimal area, and not interfere with the wiring for the chipset on the main board.
The rear panel is a bit sparse – six USB different versions, HDMI and wired network, three audio card jacks and two high-frequency sockets for a Wi-Fi 802.11ac and Bluetooth antenna.
At all wireless network It is much more common on ITX boards than on ATX. The reason for this selectivity is not very clear. Many users will be willing to give up wires if they have high-speed wireless with an external antenna that guarantees good reception in concrete boxes.
There are three four-pin connectors for fans, one of them can power a powerful consumer (SVO pump, for example). Next to it is a four-pin block for a regular RGB strips and three-pin - for address.
UEFI BIOS menu has undergone minor reductions compared to that on full-size ATX boards.
The Ai Tweaker section still has many options for changing voltages, frequencies and timings.
The Advanced section allows you to configure in detail the operating modes of the processor, slots and interfaces.
Temperature monitoring is fully available, as is fan speed control.
The Tools section contains small but very useful utilities for setting up the system. You can quickly find out the contents of SPD random access memory, view the video card data, “remember” the settings in one of the profiles, or vice versa, load them.
For them, it’s a shortened version of the extensive menu, displaying everything they need on one screen.
Overall I liked the board. The Ryzen 7 2700X processor was picked up without problems and worked as part of gaming platform together with the GTX 1080 Ti Poseidon card for a week. I did not feel any disadvantages associated with the reduction in size. You can complain about the lack of quick start, reboot and reset BIOS, but such boards extremely rarely work on open stands, and there is no particular need for them.
Let's sum it up
ASUS ROG Strix X470-I Gaming is an excellent small-sized motherboard for latest processors AMD Ryzen. It is great for building both play and working system in a small-sized housing. It will not be difficult for the power supply system to feed top-end AMD stones for Socket AM4, and the motherboard will not cause problems with installing large video cards. Everything you need for overclocking and tuning is in the BIOS, and perhaps the only objective drawback of the board is the small USB quantity connectors, both on the rear panel and under the pads.The price is adequate - building a full-fledged motherboard in Mini ITX format using high-quality components is not cheap, and it is unlikely that other manufacturers can offer something similar in functionality and dimensions for less money.
pros
- Small board dimensions
- Powerful power supply
- Supports the entire line of Ryzen processors
- Built-in Wi-Fi 802.11ac and Bluetooth modules
- Possibility of installing two M.2 drives.
- RGB backlight
- Few USB connectors
On this moment consumer demand for processors from the Coffee Lake line is so great, and their availability on free sale is so low that even the cost of motherboards for the new LGA 1151v2 platform from Intel is under some kind of price pressure. Given the current situation on the market, is it worth saying that the most affordable solutions based on the Intel Z370 chipset start at ~7,000 rubles. Therefore, the ASUS TUF Z370-PRO GAMING motherboard, which will be discussed in this review, with its cost of ~11,500 rubles, can no longer be considered an expensive purchase.
Business card and key feature ASUS TUF Z370-PRO GAMING, according to the manufacturer, is highly reliable and stylish, aggressive design. Our editors can only make sure whether the this model motherboard to be considered optimal, and whether it is worth the money.
Specifications
- Model- TUF Z370-PRO GAMING
- Socket- 1151 v2
- Chipset- Intel Z370
- Memory type- DDR-4
- Number of memory slots - 4
- RAM:
- 4 x DIMM, Max. 64GB, DDR4 4000(O.C.)/3866(O.C.)/3733(O.C.)/3600(O.C.)/3466(O.C.)/3400(O.C.)/3333(O.C.)/3300(O.C.)/3200(O.C.)/3000( O.C.)/2800(O.C.)/2666/2400/2133 MHz Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory
- Dual Channel Memory Architecture
- Supports Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)
- Expansion slots- 3 x PCI-E 3.0 x16, 3 x PCI-E x1, 2 x PCI-E M.2
- M.2 slot type:
- Socket 3, M key, 2242/2260/2280/22110
- Socket 3, M key, 2242/2260/2280
- Supported PCI-Express modes:
- 2 x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 (x16, x8/x8, x8/x4+x4, x8+x4+x4/x0)
- Sound- Realtek® ALC887 8-Channel High Definition Audio CODEC
- Network interface- Gigabit Ethernet Intel I219V (10/100/1000 Mbit/s)
- Rear panel connectors- PS/2, 2 x USB 2.0, 6 x USB 3.1, DVI, HDMI, RJ-45, S/PDIF (optical)
- Form factor- ATX (30.5 cm x 24.4 cm).
Packaging and equipment
The design of the TUF Z370-PRO GAMING motherboard uses predominantly black and yellow colors. Therefore, the product box is designed in a similar style. On the front side of the package there is the model name and the main trademarks in the form of pictograms.
The back of the TUF Z370-PRO GAMING box contains a photograph of the motherboard, its brief technical specifications and a list of some proprietary features in the form of slides.
The manufacturer highlights in the TUF Z370-PRO GAMING such functions and technologies as:
- ASUS OptiMem - compatible with memory modules with frequencies above 4000 MHz;
- Exclusive SaftSlot - metal protection PCI-E x16 slots;
- Onboard M.2 - availability of a connector for M.2 devices with data transfer rates up to 32 Gbit/s;
- TUF LANGuard is a technology for protecting a network port from power surges and lightning strikes.
During transportation, the TUF Z370-PRO GAMING motherboard is packaged in a translucent antistatic bag inside the box.
The ASUS TUF Z370-PRO GAMING package includes:
- user guide;
- disk with drivers and proprietary software;
- coupon for 20% discount when ordering cable braid;
- set of stickers with TUF logos;
- SLI bridge;
- plug for the rear panel of connectors;
- two SATA-3 6Gb/s cables;
- Q-Connectors block;
- a set of screws for installing M.2 devices;
- plastic frame for safe installation of the processor.
Appearance and features
To distinguish the TUF series of motherboards from other products of the company, ASUS practices the use of different colors. For example, TUF has yellow as its signature color, and this is noticeable throughout the exterior design of TUF Z370-PRO GAMING. Not only the PCB of the motherboard, but also its plastic cover of the rear panel connectors are decorated with yellow lines. In addition, the inscription TUF GAMING in the upper right corner printed circuit board has a yellow-orange backlight.
ASUS TUF Z370-Pro Gaming is a full-fledged ATX form factor board. Its dimensions are 30.5x24.4 cm, and it is attached to the PC case using nine holes. The PCB shape of the TUF Z370-Pro Gaming could be called classic, if not small change forms in the area of SATA ports. You could previously see such branded cutouts on Apex series motherboards. Now, albeit much more modestly, the TUF Z370-Pro Gaming also has them. The back side of the printed circuit board also has designer decorations in the form of white lines, designed to diversify the monochromatic appearance of the PCB at the back.
Before moving on to a more detailed study of the TUF Z370-Pro Gaming, we suggest dismantling all of its radiators and plastic covers. This will also allow us to evaluate the mounted cooling elements themselves.
A pair of metal radiators are installed on the power elements of the board. They contact the TUF Z370-Pro Gaming mosfets through thermal pads and are designed to reduce the temperature of the power harness during load.
A massive aluminum radiator, also in contact through a thermal pad, is responsible for cooling the Intel Z370 chipset. On the front side it has the TUF series logo, although without backlight.
The plastic cover on the rear panel of the connectors has a decorative function and, as a rule, is not responsible for cooling. But on its front side there is the TUF series logo, a bright yellow line and the inscription TUF GAMING.
The rear connector panel of the TUF Z370-Pro Gaming, when compared with the top models, will not amaze you with the variety of ports. But everything you need and more than that is here. The user has access to:
- two USB port 2.0;
- two USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports;
- four USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports;
- one HDMI port;
- one DVI-D port;
- one PC/2 port;
- one network gigabit RJ-45;
- one optical S/PDIF Out;
- five 3.5 miniJack audio connectors.
The TUF Z370-Pro Gaming motherboard is positioned by the manufacturer as a solution for gamers, so everything in this product is implemented in moderation and without fanaticism. There is no clear emphasis here either on overclocking or on creating powerful multi-GPU configurations. This is evidenced by the most common processor power subsystem and only one metallized PCI-E x16 connector.
TUF Z370-Pro Gaming uses a 6-phase power system. The power circuit uses capacitors and transistors of the TUF series with high reliability and long service life.
Power management is assigned to the Digi+ ASP1400BT digital controller, which is located at the top of the printed circuit board above the processor socket.
The power supply of the TUF Z370-Pro Gaming motherboard, including the processor, is implemented using standard 24-pin and 8-pin connectors. The main power connector is located on the right edge of the PCB, and the secondary processor power connector is located just above the socket.
The TUF Z370-Pro Gaming board is equipped with four DDR4 memory slots. This allows you to install up to 64 GB of RAM in total. To power the memory, one phase is used, soldered in the upper right corner of the PCB. There is also a “MemOK” button nearby.
Almost at the very edge on the right side of the TUF Z370-Pro Gaming PCB you can find five LEDs with which the motherboard can report possible reasons failure to start the system. Very informative and useful feature, especially since there is no POST code display on the TUF Z370-Pro Gaming.
The TUF Z370-Pro Gaming motherboard is equipped with three PCI-E x16 and three PCI-E x1 expansion slots. However, only the first PCI-E x16 slot is capable of supporting 16 PCIe lanes. The remaining two can only operate at speeds x8 and x4, respectively. Thus, the user can use these three PCI-E x16 expansion slots according to the x16, x8/x8 or x8/x4+x4 scheme.
To correctly distribute PCIe lines between the motherboard slots, a number of ASMedia ASM1480 control chips are used, soldered immediately under the first PCI-E x16 expansion slot.
The TUF Z370-Pro Gaming board also has two M.2 ports for storage devices and compatible PCIe devices. The top M.2 connector is located just below the processor socket. It is capable of accepting devices with standard sizes 2242/2260 and 2280.
The second M.2 port is located at the bottom of the PCB. It can also work as in SATA mode, and PCIe, and supports devices with type sizes 2242/2260/2280 and 22110.
As a disk subsystem, in addition to two M.2 ports, the TUF Z370-Pro Gaming motherboard is ready to offer six SATA-3 6Gb/s connectors. The user will find four connectors on the right edge of the printed circuit board and two more in the lower corner of the TUF Z370-Pro Gaming.
The bottom edge of the board, in addition to two SATA ports, also contains other connectors, some of which deserve special attention. Here the user can find two pads for USB connections 2.0 and one 19-pin header for connecting USB 3.1 Gen 1 connectors on the front of the case.
The TUF Z370-Pro Gaming audio subsystem is based on the Realtek ALC887 audio codec, hidden under a metal case with the TUF series logo. The entire audio circuitry of the board uses high-quality Japanese capacitors, and is separated by a special audio path to avoid interference.
The TUF Z370-Pro Gaming uses a gigabit Intel I219V as a network controller. Paired with TUF LANGuard this gives the user excellent throughput interface and high connection reliability.
The TUF Z370-Pro Gaming motherboard contains a number of other elements that I would like to talk about as part of this review. The ASMedia ASM3142 driver is responsible for the implementation of two USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports located on the rear panel of the board connectors. And the ASMedia ASM1442K chip ensures the operation of the DVI-D and HDMI ports of the motherboard.
The NUVOTON NCT6793D chip is responsible for monitoring system indicators of the board and for input/output of information.
In working condition, the TUF Z370-Pro Gaming has a small but characteristic backlight area in the upper right corner of the circuit board. Here, several lines and the inscription TUF GAMING are backlit.
UEFI BIOS Features
GUI Motherboard BIOS The TUF Z370-Pro Gaming board is designed using a dark background and blue and white text. The information display can be presented in the form of a short EZ Mode and an extended Advanced Mode. In the case of EZ Mode, the user is provided with basic information about the system, as well as a minimum of settings for changing it.
Directly from EZ Mode you can go to the Qfan Control panel, which has the ability to configure fans. Adjustment is available in two ways - PWM and DC.
Enabling Advanced Mode gives the user full access to all BIOS settings. Here, all control options are divided into sections, each of which has its own purpose. For example, in the “My Favorites” section, the settings that you used most recently and most often are grouped together. This is the only section in which the control options vary depending on the user. All subsequent BIOS sections have fixed settings items.
The "Main" tab contains general information about the system. Here you can also set the time, date and interface language.
The "Ai Tweaker" section contains many settings for overclocking the processor, RAM and other options for fine-tuning the system. This section is the main and most important for overclocking.
The "Advanced" tab contains management options peripheral devices boards, ports and expansion slots. Here the user can find settings for graphics accelerators, storage, sound, network card and USB devices.
The "Monitor" section has an unambiguous name and is responsible for monitoring the system. Here you can not only view the temperatures, voltages and fan speeds, but also control the operation algorithm of the latter. Both fixed speed control and temperature control are available.
Everything related to booting the system is located in the "Boot" tab. Such a frequently requested option as priority for starting the system from the selected drive is located right here.
The "Tool" section contains service settings. Update BIOS firmware, formatting drives, information about system components, working with overclocking profiles and much more - all this is available in the "Tool" tab.
The last section "Exit" contains settings for saving BIOS settings, applying them after rebooting and exiting the BIOS. Here the user can reset all firmware settings to factory settings.
Test bench configuration and testing conditions
CPU | Intel Core i5-8600k 4.3GHz LGA 1151 v2 (OC - 4.6 GHz) |
Cooling system | |
RAM | Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3000 8Gb*2 |
Video card | MSI Radeon RX 570 4G Gaming X |
power unit | |
HDD | SATA-3 1Tb Seagate 7200 Barracuda (ST1000DM003)/WD 3Tb |
ASUS PB298Q, 29" (2560x1080) |
|
Thermal interface | Gelid GC-Extreme |
operating system | |
Other software | CPU-Z ROG 1.81.1 |
When testing maternal ASUS boards TUF Z370-PRO GAMING we used not the most productive processor, but quite interesting within the framework of this platform (Intel Core i5-8600k processor). This CPU has six physical cores and an unlocked multiplier; the operating frequency of the processor, taking into account Turboboost, is 4.3 GHz.
The test system presented in the table was assembled into a spacious Corsair Air 540 Black case. The situation shown in the photo shows that in the case of the TUF Z370-PRO GAMING, all the wires were routed quite successfully, making the assembly neat and harmonious. In terms of lighting, the TUF Z370-PRO GAMING motherboard certainly cannot offer us something incredible like others can ASUS products with Aura technology. But, given the price of the TUF Z370-PRO GAMING, there are no complaints about its modest backlighting of the TUF GAMING inscription.
While testing the TUF Z370-PRO GAMING motherboard, we disabled Turboboost technology in the motherboard BIOS and fixed the processor frequency at its standard maximum possible frequency of 4.3 GHz.
At the same time, the TUF Z370-PRO GAMING motherboard itself worked with the latest BIOS firmware version 0215 available at the time of testing. Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3000 RAM worked with the activated XMP profile and timings 15-17-17-35-2T.
CPU overclocking
Although the TUF Z370-PRO GAMING motherboard is a solution for gamers, it has all the capabilities for overclocking the processor and can practically increase the performance of your CPU. The overclocking potential of our Core i5-8600k processor with all six active cores using air cooling is 4.6 GHz with a slight increase in voltage to 1.25V. The TUF Z370-PRO GAMING motherboard handled this overclock without any problems and allowed us to achieve a similar level of overclocking along with confirmation of stability in the LinX program.
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Overclocking RAM
When trying to overclock the Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3000 RAM kit on the TUF Z370-PRO GAMING motherboard, it was able to work stably at 3200 MHz with timings of 16-18-18-36-1T. It is worth noting that for overclocking the RAM, the BIOS of the TUF Z370-PRO GAMING board has a rich set of settings, including detailed tuning of timings and voltage. At the same time, the TUF Z370-PRO GAMING motherboard itself supports modules with frequencies above 4000 MHz.
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VRM and PCH temperature
The price of the TUF Z370-PRO GAMING motherboard tends towards budget decision, so this product, unlike more expensive models, does not have advanced monitoring sensors. In our case, when testing the TUF Z370-PRO GAMING, none of the diagnostic utilities provided information about the VRM temperature, and only the HWiNFO64 program displayed the PCH temperature. Regardless of whether the Core i5-8600k processor was overclocked or not, the PCH temperature was always around 35-36 degrees Celsius. Similar PCH temperature readings of the TUF Z370-PRO GAMING motherboard were recorded under load central processor LinX program.
Performance Results
It is very symbolic that our test processor The Intel Core i5-8600k was able to overclock to 4.6 GHz because a few days earlier we tested the ASUS ROG Rampage VI Apex motherboard with a test six-core Intel Core i7-7800X processor, which was able to overclock at the same maximum frequency.
Considering this fact, it was doubly interesting for us to compare the results of a system assembled on the basis of the ASUS TUF Z370-PRO GAMING motherboard and Intel Core i5-8600k processor and the most expensive platform. In both cases, performance results were taken into account when working at the nominal frequencies of processors and RAM, and with overclocking.
Both platforms “approached” the comparison of performance results in the following form:
- ASUS TUF Z370-PRO GAMING - Intel Core i5-8600k processor frequency - 4.3 GHz, memory frequency 3000 MHz and timings 15-17-17-35-2T;
- ASUS TUF Z370-PRO GAMING - Intel Core i5-8600k processor frequency - 4.6 GHz, memory frequency 3200 MHz and timings 16-18-18-36-1T;
- ASUS ROG Rampage VI Apex - Intel Core i7-7800X processor frequency - 4.0 GHz, memory frequency 3000 MHz and timings 15-17-17-35-2T;
- ASUS ROG Rampage VI Apex - Intel Core i7-7800X processor frequency - 4.6 GHz, memory frequency 3000 MHz and timings 15-17-17-35-2T.
The list of test packages for ASUS TUF Z370-PRO GAMING and ASUS ROG Rampage VI Apex was:
- Aida64 (Memory Benchmark);
- 3D Mark (Physics test);
- CPU-Z Benchmark;
- Intel Extreme Utility;
- Fritz Chess Benchmark;
- wPrime Benchmark;
- 7-Zip;
- WinRar;
- Geekbench 4;
- Cinebench R15;
- Corona Benchmark;
- x.265 Benchmark.
In those test applications and utilities where it was possible to use the 64-bit version of the software, this particular benchmark option was always selected.
Analyzing the results obtained, we see that there is a difference between the platforms, but it is very noticeable only where the 4-channel memory controller and Hyper-Threading technology play a role. This is usually very noticeable in archivers and rendering programs designed for multithreading. In other situations, the difference between the Intel Core i5-8600K and the noticeably more expensive Intel Core i7-7800X is not so critical, and in some places there is none at all.
In this situation, those whose performance is new Intel processors The Core i5-8600K is fine; they can build a fairly modern and productive computer based on the ASUS TUF Z370-PRO GAMING motherboard.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, the retail market is not yet sufficiently saturated with Coffee Lake processors and does not provide a variety of choice of motherboards for them, which makes the ASUS TUF Z370-PRO GAMING hostage to its high cost. This makes it difficult to evaluate the product correctly, because if you judge right now by the price, then 11,500 rubles is not as cheap as it might seem at first.
If we ignore the price, then the ASUS TUF Z370-PRO GAMING is definitely a budget product with an emphasis on high reliability of the product. All the components and technologies that this motherboard is equipped with make it possible to recommend it to those gamers who value quality and functionality. Otherwise, ASUS TUF Z370-PRO GAMING is definitely a modern product that could well become the basis for a powerful gaming PC.
Pros:
- use of high-quality TUF components, good element base;
- reliability and quality are the hallmark of this series of boards;
- support for memory modules with frequencies above 4000 MHz;
- Intel Optane support;
- good overclocking capabilities;
- good functionality of connectors and ports;
- BIOS shell with updated design;
- stylish appearance with yellow design.
Minuses:
- mediocre board lighting;
- only one main PCI-E x16 slot is metalized;
- lack of VRM temperature monitoring;
- lack of control buttons on the board;
- lack of POST code display;
- lack of Dual-BIOS.
The mini-ITX form factor allows you to build a compact PC, 8-core AMD Ryzen processors - a powerful compact PC. We are convinced of this once again using the example of the ASUS ROG STRIX B450-I GAMING motherboard
Remember the LUNA Design DNK-PRIME case? Using his example at the beginning of 2018, we showed that it is quite possible to assemble a compact and at the same time powerful PC with an 8-core processor. The system used Ryzen 7 1700 and NVIDIA video card. The weak point of that system turned out to be the BIOSTAR X370GTN board - the very first AM4 motherboard of the mini-ITX form factor. Quite a lot of time has passed since then; all self-respecting board manufacturers have presented their devices of this standard size, and ASUS company, which is not at all surprising, ended up in the leading positions. The ROG STRIX B450-I GAMING model is a bird of a completely different flight. Based on this device, it is possible to build both a productive workstation and a fast gaming system. However, now you will see for yourself.
Specifications and packaging
At the time of testing, the ROG STRIX B450-I GAMING was far from the only ASUS mini-ITX board suitable for Ryzen processors. So, in computer stores in your city you can find similar solutions - the ROG STRIX X370-I GAMING and ROG STRIX X470-I GAMING models, which are based on older AMD chipsets. As you can see, the hero of today's review uses the B450 logic set, but in the article I will explain why there is no point in taking a mini-ITX board based on older AMD chipsets. In the meantime, I suggest you take a closer look at the technical ASUS specifications ROG STRIX B450-I GAMING and its accessories.
| ASUS ROG STRIX B450-I GAMING | |
| Supported processors | AMD Ryzen 2nd Generation AMD Ryzen with Radeon Vega Graphics AMD Ryzen 1st Generation |
| Chipset | AMD B450 |
| Memory subsystem | 2 × DIMM, up to 32 GB DDR4-2133-3600 (OC) |
| Expansion slots | 1 × PCI Express x16 |
| Drive interfaces | 1 × M.2 (Socket 3, 2242/2260/2280) with support for SATA 6 Gb/s and PCI Express x4 1 × M.2 (Socket 3, 2242/2260/2280) with PCI support Express x4 4 × SATA 6 Gb/s |
| RAID 0, 1, 10 | |
| The local network | Intel I211-AT, 10/100/1000 Mbit/s |
| Audio subsystem | ROG SupremeFX (S1220A) 7.1 HD |
| Rear Panel Interfaces | 1 x HDMI 1 × RJ-45 1 × optical S/PDIF 4 × USB 3.1 Gen1 Type A 2 × USB 3.1 Gen2 Type A 3 × 3.5 mm audio |
| Form factor | mini-ITX |
| Price | 15,000 rub. |
The device comes in a small but colorful cardboard box. In addition to the board, it contained many accessories - both useful and not so useful:
- user manual, stickers with the ROG logo, stickers for SATA cables;
- optical media with software and drivers;
- plug for the housing;
- two SATA cables;
- extension cord for connecting RGB strip;
- a plate for installing M.2 devices of the 2242 form factor and additional screws for securing the SSD;
- nylon ties;
- remote antenna from wireless module communications;
- Q-Connector adapter, which makes it easier to connect case controls.
Design and features
Most motherboards of the mini-ITX form factor have a similar layout of elements - this also applies AMD platforms AM4, and LGA1151-v2 platforms. Thus, PCB with sides 170 x 170 mm allows you to solder two DIMM slots and one PCI Express x16 connector. Wherein modern device must have a high-quality power converter, at least one M.2 slot and allow the installation of an arbitrarily large processor cooler.
ASUS ROG STRIX B450-I GAMING had no problems installing monstrous cooling systems. I had the Noctua NH-D15 and Thermalright Archon X2 on hand - and both coolers were successfully placed in the near-socket space, without blocking the only PEG port.
As a matter of fact, I think that the layout of the components on the board is done well. However, when making such an assessment, in the case of the mini-ITX form factor, you must also take into account the type of computer case used. Therefore, for those who are little familiar with compact gaming systems, I suggest you first read the reviews of the following cases: Fractal Design Node 202 and Dr Zaber Sentry (Slim Desktop); Fractal Design Define Nano S and Phanteks Enthoo Evolv Shift (Mini-Tower). Depending on the type of case, the requirements for the location of certain components of the motherboard may differ.
In any case, there is no point in soldering any connectors near the only PEG port. Because they will be blocked either by the video card itself (when using Tower cases) or by a flexible PCI Express cable (when using Slim Desktop cases). Therefore, ASUS ROG STRIX B450-I GAMING has most of the connectors located on right side- and this is the ideal (indeed, the only possible) solution.
PCI Express x16 itself is additionally reinforced. The metal frame, called SafeSlot, increases port strength by 1.8 times under breaking load and 1.6 times under pullout load, according to ASUS.
On the right side of the printed circuit board there are two SATA ports (two more of the same connectors are soldered closer to the chipset - between the DIMM and M.2 slots), internal USB 2.0 and USB 3.1 Gen1, as well as a connector for connecting case controls. The presence of a Q-Connector adapter in the kit, by the way, is very helpful when the system is assembled in a really tight case with a volume of up to 10 liters.
The connector for connecting F-Audio, so to speak, is hidden - it is located next to Wi-Fi module GO! I recommend running the wire from the case (regardless of its format) along the PCI Express x16 port - in this case, the assembly will be more accurate.
All three fan connectors are located at the top of the board, directly above the processor socket. Each connector has four pins, the board changes the fan speed both with PWM (with a 4-pin connector) and without it (with a 3-pin connector). One of the connectors is also intended for connecting a powerful pump of a liquid cooling system.
If we talk about the number of fan connectors, then it is standard - I haven’t seen mini-ITX boards with b O More 4-pin ports. However, three connectors will not always be enough. For example, we can assemble a system in the Fractal Design Define Nano S case, and this device allows you to install up to six 120 mm fans. In general, when creating a really powerful, but compact system You can’t do without splitters and additional controllers that allow you to use more Carlsons in the assembly. You might want to think about buying a case with a hub already installed. For example, the NZXT H200i is a good choice.
If we talk about the location of fan connectors, then options are possible here too. For example, in Slim Desktop cases it is often necessary to connect only one impeller - the one that comes with the processor cooler. However, for example, if you install additional fans in the Fractal Design Node 202 to blow the video card, the length of their wires will not be enough to reach the 4-pin connectors of the ASUS ROG STRIX B450-I GAMING without any extension cables. In the case of Mini Tower cases, we can face exactly the same situation if we want to install fans on the bottom or at the bottom of the front panel. That is why, in my opinion, it was better to place one of the fan connectors in the area of the SATA ports.
Next to the fan connectors are connectors for connecting 5- and 12-volt RGB strips. They can be controlled using the AURA Sync program. The board itself is also equipped with backlighting - RGB LEDs are located along the entire right side of the device.
ASUS ROG STRIX B450-I GAMING is unique in that the company’s engineers were able to place two M.2 ports on it at once. The main connector for solid-state drives of this format is located on a kind of pedestal - this was done on purpose, since underneath it there is a chipset cooled by a small aluminum radiator. The port supports the installation of discrete devices with a length of 42, 60 and 80 mm and operates in SATA 6 Gb/s or PCI Express 3.0 x4 mode.
The photo above shows that the drive is additionally cooled by an aluminum radiator during installation.
The second M.2 port is soldered on the reverse side of the printed circuit board. Let me make a reservation right away that such an arrangement will not always be successful. It's no secret that modern NVMe SSDs get very hot. It is very possible that in any type of case the solid-state drive will end up sandwiched between the printed circuit board and the protective wall of the case. As a result, the SSD will heat up and throttle even more. In addition, drives can only be installed in this slot without any radiators or external thickenings.
In the second M.2 on the board you can install drives with a length of 42, 60 and 80 mm. The port operates only in PCI Express 3.0 x4 mode, and if it is used, the PCI Express x16 slot intended for installing a video card is switched to x8 mode.
By the way, ASUS ROG STRIX B450-I GAMING also has a third M.2 port with the “E” key. It is installed by default LAN card labeled WCBN808L-AD, providing support for 802.11a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth v4.2 standards using the Realtek RTL8822BE controller. A gigabit Intel I211-AT chip is responsible for the wired network in the ROG board, and a Realtek S1220A is responsible for sound. The audio path components are located on the same additional board on which the main M.2 port is soldered. It contains special audiophile Nichicon capacitors, as well as two headphone amplifiers.
Closing the topic of ASUS ROG STRIX B450-I GAMING interfaces, I note that the I/O panel has two USB 3.1 Gen2 A-type ports - this is an undeniable advantage of the device. For example, the previously tested ASUS ROG STRIX Z370-I GAMING does not have such connectors.
The field-effect transistors included in the power converter are cooled by one medium-sized aluminum radiator. The power subsystem is based on the ASP1405I PWM controller. Six phases, which include Infineon Technologies IR3553 transistors, form a stabilizer for the CPU Voltage. Another MOSFET - IR3555 - powers the SOC Voltage and the integrated graphics core of Ryzen 2000G processors.
I will provide thermal imager images in the second part of the article.
Of course, there can be no surprise here. Motherboards have long ceased to have a critical impact on performance. Even the difference we see in the results is an error. Replacing the processor or video card, but not the motherboard, can make a noticeable difference in performance. But do not forget that a high-quality motherboard, with proper configuration, will take much higher frequencies when overclocking the processor than a budget one. Therefore, if you are buying a motherboard with overclocking in mind, you should pay attention to serious models.
Conclusion
So, we examined another motherboard from the Republic Of Gamer (ROG) family - ASUS Maximus V Formula Thunder FX.
The motherboard comes in an excellent, rich package. And it’s not just a bunch of laces and cables, but also the external sound card, which left a positive impression. If you don’t want to spend money on a separate sound, but for some reason the integrated sound on the motherboard doesn’t suit you, then this is an ideal option.
It should also be noted that the excellent software. It is located on the driver disk. Several proprietary ASUS ROG utilities, made to perfection, will help you in constantly monitoring your motherboard and her fine tuning straight from Windows.
And now about the device itself. The ASUS Maximus V Formula Thunder FX motherboard represents the quintessence of existing technologies. This motherboard has just everything you can imagine. This includes a powerful power subsystem and a rich set of PCI-E connectors, in addition to which the board has a full-fledged PLX PEX 8608 PCI-E hub, which provides additional PCI-E lanes. This will help you if you want to build an SLI or CrossFireX system.
The integrated sound is of very high quality, and, according to information from the official website, it is equipped with an additional headphone amplifier. This means that work on the SupremeFX audio codec, now in its fourth version, is not stopping.
The motherboard is equipped with systems wireless communication, such as: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. This is a very useful addition in the modern world. In addition, you can additionally install the communication modules you need, for example, 4G. After all, the motherboard is equipped with an mPCI-E connector.
The board is well prepared for overclockers who overclock the processor not just by increasing the voltage by 0.1-0.25, but using liquid nitrogen to achieve maximum results. The ability to convert the standard board cooling into liquid cooling will help cope with the heat generated by the powerful power subsystem during overclocking.
For all the qualities listed above, the board receives the “Editor's Choice” award.
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