Asus ROG Strix B650-A Gaming WiFi review: A balanced, no-frills mobo

Price When Reviewed

$279.99

Best Prices Today: Asus ROG Strix B650-A Gaming WiFi

$279.99

$279.99

Next-generation motherboards which might be on the bleeding edge of latest PC applied sciences usually include a hefty price ticket. More reasonably priced choices are likely to compromise on options and skimp on aesthetics.

Asus is seeking to buck that pattern, with the ROG Strix B650-A Gaming WiFi motherboard. With a targeted set of options for avid gamers, it additionally is available in underneath $300. It will preserve your eyes proud of nice design aesthetics and colours, too. No ugly motherboard for the sake of assembly a worth right here, people! 

We’ll go over the specs and options, design, and efficiency. If you’re seeking to step into AMD’s next-generation AM5 platform, is that this a viable possibility to avoid wasting a couple of bucks and nonetheless get cutting-edge efficiency?

Asus ROG Strix B650-A Gaming WiFi: Features and specs

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• ATX type issue 
• AMD B650 chipset 
• Supports AMD AM5 Ryzen 7000 CPUs 
• 12+2 Power Stages with 60amp per stage
• DDR5 RAM, twin channel as much as 4 DIMM (as much as 128GB)
• 3x onboard M.2 slots with Q-Latch (1x PCIe Gen 5)
• 1x PCIE 16x slot (CPU) with Q-Release (PCIe Gen 4) 
• 1x PCIe 16x slot (chipset) plus two 1x slots (PCIe Gen 4)
• DisplayPort and HDMI 2.1
• 9x USB ports on again 
• 2.5GbE LAN
• Wi-Fi 6E 
• RGB headers for Aura Sync
• 4 SATA 6Gb/s ports 
• 7 fan headers (CPU, AIO, chassis) 
• BIOS Flashback 
• Preinstalled I/O defend 
• ROG SupremeFX 7.1 ALC4080 audio codec
• MSRP $279.99

The Asus ROG Strix B650-A Gaming WiFi has an MSRP of $279, making it a gorgeous “under $300” possibility. AMD’s AM5 platform began off with larger platform prices with X670E. It’s nice to see motherboard choices at these worth factors, whereas nonetheless retaining nice performance. 

AMD’s B650 chipset is a barely decreased model of the X670E—however with a greater value-to-performance ratio. The costlier X670E affords extra theoretical USB, SATA ports, and PCIe Gen 5 lanes, however in a sensible sense, B650 will cowl most use circumstances at a decrease value of entry.

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CPU selection

Ryzen 7000 is on the menu right here—beginning with the 7600X, 7700X, 7900X, and 7950X. You’ll additionally be capable to use the newer “non X” variants, which have some energy financial savings. The high-performance “X3D” variants are coming soon—and these may also be suitable. The top pairing with this motherboard is probably going one thing such because the 7700X, providing you with nice gaming and productiveness efficiency for the worth. (But it’ll deal with a Ryzen 9 7950X, too!) 

DDR5 RAM and PCIe Gen 5

AM5 is DDR5 RAM solely, and also you’ll be capable to add 4 sticks for a complete of 128GB of RAM. It’s quick and 128GB must be greater than sufficient for many customers—each avid gamers and content material creators must be blissful right here.  

You’ll get a extra restricted serving of PCIe Gen 5 on B650, with only a single M.2 slot. The 16x PCIe slots are each Gen 4, which remains to be greater than sufficient, as the most recent GPUs match it. The second 16x slot comes from the chipset, so that you’ll wish to at all times put your GPU within the high CPU-sourced slot for greatest efficiency. You’ll additionally get two 1x slots, which is beneficial for smaller add-in playing cards. 

Storage

NVMe slots are supplied, instances three! One might be PCIe Gen 5, and the opposite two Gen 4. You’ll have good cooling thermal pads masking them, as effectively. Performance is tremendous speedy—and when you want extra storage, 4 SATA ports are additionally out there for SSDs and arduous drives. 

Both avid gamers and less-picky content material creators might be blissful—these needing extra SATA or NVMe slots must bounce as much as a costlier motherboard class such because the Asus X670E Strix. 

USB ports

With 9 rear USB ports, together with USB C, your bases might be lined. You’re not getting Thunderbolt 4 or USB4 right here, that are usually solely out there on rather more costly motherboards, as anticipated. 

DisplayPort and HDMI-out are helpful right here since Ryzen 7000 CPUs have inbuilt iGPUs. While you don’t wish to recreation on these, they’ll serve in a pinch for some troubleshooting.

Networking

Connectivity choices are commonplace situation right here, with Wi-Fi 6E and a couple of.5GbE LAN. This is similar networking functionality supplied on many motherboards costing lots of of {dollars} extra, so that you’ll be in good firm. 

Sure, it lacks 10GbE networking, however that’s not anticipated at this worth level. You’ll have to make use of a high-end gaming motherboard just like the Gigabyte Aorus Xtreme, or a productiveness targeted board such because the Asus Z790 ProArt to get that performance. 

Audio

Audio is effectively represented for many makes use of, with a wide variety of ports within the again. You’ll get the Asus SupremeFX 7.1 ALC4080 codec, which can also be discovered on many higher-priced motherboards of this era. True audiophiles could wish to use exterior options for the highest quality, however this may suffice for 99 p.c of customers. 

Other fascinating options

It’s nice to see DIY pleasant options constructed right into a sub-$300 motherboard class. Q-Latch for M.2 drives makes set up tremendous simple, as these small screws are at all times irritating. Q-Release for the PCIe GPU slot simplifies the method of eradicating a graphics card. 

Integrated I/O shields shouldn’t be underestimated. This is a good DIY inclusion. No extra ending your construct and realizing that the again I/O defend remains to be sitting in your desk! 

BIOS Flashback and Q-LED are additionally each right here—very nifty options that may prevent when bother arises. While costlier motherboards could have screens for displaying error codes, the Q-LED offers you the data wanted too. 

Finally, the preliminary unboxing expertise is first rate—we’re not anticipating “Extreme” ranges of packaging right here. The included equipment, such because the Wi-Fi antenna, SATA cables, and ROG-themed goodies are all becoming for this class of motherboard.

Asus ROG Strix B650-A Gaming WiFi: Design

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The Asus Strix ROG B650-A Gaming WiFi blends the gaming and workstation aesthetics elegantly. It’s not excessive with the standard RGB design of gamer choices, however nonetheless has these accents the place most necessary to delineate its gaming heritage. 

Likewise, it shares a whole lot of visible cues with Asus’s personal “Prime” lineup of motherboards, which have workstation enchantment.

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As we go down the motherboard’s central space, we discover thermal armor positioned over the M.2 drive places. Many cheaper motherboards could have armor over only one slot—so it is a good practical and aesthetic contact. It helps that middle space look extra completed and purposeful.

The lower-right additionally incorporates a good cowl over the motherboard space. Every a part of this motherboard’s design integrates effortlessly with the general coloration scheme. There are not any jarring design parts to throw off this constantly pleasing look.

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The I/O defend space on the highest left has that glorious built-in defend already put in, plus some good visible touches. The VRM space continues the identical design up high, finishing a visually agreeable look that may do no mistaken!

We can’t discuss concerning the design with out mentioning the colour scheme for builders who need one thing completely different: The silver and “white” parts to this motherboard will match completely in a lighter, white-themed construct, which is standard with many DIY lovers.

Overall, not many under-$300 motherboards supply this easy however lovely visible design. It appears to be like and feels premium, with high-quality surfaces and supplies used all through. 

Asus ROG Strix B650-A Gaming WiFi: Performance, software program, and BIOS

The Asus ROG Strix B650-A Gaming WiFi has simply the efficiency you want—and none of what you don’t. 

12+2 energy phases suffice, and whereas they don’t look as beefy on paper as some “overkill” choices on the market, it’s simply what’s wanted right here. 

No, it received’t match the burly VRM you’d discover on one thing just like the Asrock X670E Taichi, however that’s additionally not wanted. While overclocking isn’t the primary forte of this Strix, it will possibly actually nonetheless do it effectively. If you’re chasing the perfect numbers, you recognize that you just’ll additionally should face diminishing returns in your cash by shopping for costlier choices. 

The Ryzen 7600X and 7700X work nice right here and assist preserve platform prices decrease. New non-X SKUs such because the Ryzen 7900 additionally present nice efficiency at a lower cost and energy draw, which appears to match effectively with this $279 MSRP. 

While X670E motherboards have extra stuff, you’ll nonetheless discover next-gen options on this motherboard. DDR5 is right here to supply the quickest RAM speeds—together with PCIe Gen 5. Sure, solely a single M.2 slot is Gen 5, however most {hardware} now will barely saturate even PCIe Gen 4—so that you’re lined.

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The different parts of this motherboard that you could technically categorize underneath “performance” are billed to be “just right.” Plenty of USB, however after all not one of the USB4 choices so as to add to the worth. Networking is quick, however for quicker 10GbE you’ll have to pony up large bucks. See the pattern? Exactly the efficiency you want, and nothing that you just don’t!

The Asus BIOS continues its ease-of-use excellence right here. You can manually tinker as a lot as you’d ever need. (Or as a lot as is smart with trendy CPUs, as most overclocking has been largely maxed out from the manufacturing unit it appears!) 

If the BIOS intimidates you, don’t fear—you may select the easy possibility. We’d advocate no less than turning on the DDR5 RAM Expo profile, to be sure you’re actually benefiting from the total efficiency. 

More frequent BIOS updates may be dangerous, however with a brand-new platform reminiscent of AMD’s AM5 B650, updates can repair a whole lot of early teething points. Keep in thoughts that some customers have discovered boot instances to be longer on AMD’s new platform for the preliminary boot, so your mileage could range relying on BIOS model. (Compared to what customers are usually used to in earlier generations) 

Stepping into software program, Asus additionally has Armoury Crate, which self-installs upon preliminary boot. While traditionally we’ve shied away from recommending vendor-provided motherboard software program, issues have improved drastically. The software program is now a lot better built-in, permitting fan management, driver updates, and Aura Sync RGB goodies.

Should you purchase the Asus ROG Strix B650-A Gaming WiFi?

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The Asus ROG Strix B650-A Gaming WiFi supplies precisely what you want for $279. Would it’s good to see these motherboards even cheaper? Sure, however with new included tech reminiscent of DDR5 and PCIe Gen 5, some added value is to be anticipated. 

At least you’re not paying for additional options it’s possible you’ll by no means use, reminiscent of 10GbE LAN, USB4, and different frivolities. While this stuff could also be important for the customers that want them, they’re not useful for individuals who simply want a great motherboard. 

The aesthetics are equally simple. “ROG Strix” could be a well-liked gamer lineup, however this mannequin is properly understated, so it will possibly simply have a look at residence in a workstation construct. If you’re after a white- or silver-themed construct, this motherboard is bound to show heads with out breaking the financial institution. 

Whether you’re a content material creator or a gamer, it is a Goldilocks board that will get it “just right.”