Expert’s Rating
Pros
- New tech is right here—DDR5, PCIe Gen 5
- Plenty of M.2 slots, USB ports, and community connectivity
- Great VRM efficiency for any Ryzen 7000 CPU
- AM5 robust future upgradability
- Great construct high quality and worth general
Cons
- 4 SATA ports could also be a restrict to some (a B650E limitation)
- Missing quicker USB port is 3.2 Gen 2 20Gb/s
- M.2 PCIe Gen 5 could restrict GPU pace to 8x if all populated
Our Verdict
The Gigabyte B650E Aorus Master is a superb addition to the next-gen motherboard market. While not precisely low cost, it nonetheless represents glorious worth by solely together with the options you want with not one of the boutique novelties of higher-end boards. It’s additionally effectively designed and can look good in most open windowed setups. Overall, it’s an ideal motherboard for anybody trying to improve their system with next-gen efficiency.
Price When Reviewed
349
Best Prices Today: Gigabyte B650E Aorus Master
$349.99
$391.25
AMD’s Ryzen 7000 launch introduced with it brand-new X670E motherboards. With improbable options and next-gen efficiency, this new lineup packs a critical punch. There’s an issue, nonetheless: It’s additionally an costly platform to improve to for a lot of customers. With growing part prices, together with needing DDR5, is there a greater answer?
Promising cheaper pricing whereas conserving a lot of the options, the extra reasonably priced B650E is right here. Today we are going to have a look at the B650E Gigabyte Aorus Master. We’ll break down the specs, options, and worth you’re getting. Are you lacking something by skipping X670E? Let’s discover out!
Gigabyte B650E Aorus Master: The specs
Thiago Trevisan
B650E is X670E’s smaller sibling, however nonetheless shares a lot of the goodies. It will pack, from each the CPU and chipset, a complete of 36 PCIe lanes in comparison with 44 lanes on X670E, and a lowered variety of USB and SATA ports. The “E” variant stands for “Extreme,” that means B650E additionally will get 4 further PCIe lanes which can be Gen 5 as an alternative of Gen 4 over its commonplace B650 providing. This shall be helpful for high-speed NVMe drives.
Let’s check out among the specs of the B650E Aorus Master, after which we’ll talk about how they matter.
- ATX type issue
- Support for Ryzen 7000 CPUs solely
- Twin 16+2+2 Digital VRM with 105 amps
- DDR5 RAM solely
- PCIe Gen 5 (4 lanes solely)
- Four PCIe Gen 5 M.2 slots, with up to date latch
- HDMI out
- 13 USB ports on again, together with 4x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 4x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB Type C Gen 2 10Gb/s, and 4x Type A 2.0
- Intel Wi-Fi 6E
- Intel 2.5Gbe LAN
- RGB fusion headers
- 4 SATA 6Gb/s ports
- 6 PWM fan headers
- Q Flash Plus BIOS, plus Clear CMOS
- Audio: Sabre Reference ES 9118 DAC
- AM5 backwards suitable with AM4 coolers
- MSRP $349
Gigabyte B650E Aorus Master: Features
Thiago Trevisan
What are you getting on your cool $349 bucks? Quite a bit, truly. Most customers could not want and even discover a distinction when in comparison with the dearer X670E motherboards. It can nonetheless deal with quick M.2 drives that may suffice for even superior customers.
With even the RTX 4090 being PCIe Gen 4, you’ll have greater than sufficient headroom right here too. Gigabyte does some attention-grabbing issues to permit the consumer to entry a number of PCIe lanes with M.2 drives. Keep in thoughts chances are you’ll restrict the PCIe speeds of your fundamental slot to 8x as an alternative of 16x relying in your M.2 PCIe Gen 5 configuration—comparable to when you fill all 4 M.2 slots. Otherwise, it is a succesful configuration sometimes discovered on higher-class boards.
A $349 MSRP continues to be removed from a finances motherboard, however it can slot in significantly better with among the Ryzen 7000 CPUs such because the 7600X and 7800X. It will simply deal with the 7950X, too.
AM5 is DDR5 solely, which may be each a optimistic and adverse. The larger entry value in comparison with DDR4 may be a problem, however it’s also extra future-proofed. Sure, chances are you’ll not discover a giant distinction in most gaming eventualities between DDR4 and DDR5, however there are some use instances that may definitely profit from these quicker speeds.
Compared to the Gigabyte X670E Aorus Xtreme we lately reviewed, you’re nonetheless getting 95 % of the identical connectivity. 2.5Gb ethernet LAN is a wise choice right here, the place 10Gbe LAN is often overkill and wasted on most use instances. You’ll get the identical quick Wi-Fi 6E, and the same providing for USB ports. (Just keep in mind that, in idea, the B650E helps half the whole quantity throughout the whole system in comparison with X670E, however in apply it can pack sufficient usable USB for many customers.)
You’ll get solely 4 SATA ports right here, which is a product of the B650E’s limitation in comparison with X670E, however this could suffice for many customers along side the M.2 slots.
You’ll even have entry to an iGPU (built-in graphics) out of the field with Ryzen 7000, which is a useful function to have when first booting or troubleshooting {hardware} and not using a discreet GPU.
Audio connectivity is effectively accomplished, with a high-end ESS Sabre Hi-Fi ES9118 DAC offering clear sound.
You’ll additionally get a neat post-code debugger on the higher proper, which may be very helpful when troubleshooting the motherboard and permitting you to rapidly see what code may be a problem.
Gigabyte B650E Aorus Master: Design
Thiago Trevisan
The $349 B650E Aorus Master seems like high quality within the arms. It has a pleasant heft, with high-quality supplies used all through. It has an included backplate, very like its dearer X670E Aorus Xtreme cousin.
The Aorus emblem can be displayed tastefully within the upper-left quadrant, though it’s showcasing much less RGB than on the Xtreme. Reflective and darker metallic surfaces end off the look, giving it a high-end visible enchantment for its product class.
The socket space can be cleanly accomplished—and most AM4 coolers that use the unique backplate of AM4 motherboards needs to be suitable. (If your CPU cooler has a proprietary backplate, chances are you’ll want an adapter).
Thiago Trevisan
The VRM space initiatives confidence in its cooling capabilities, with a pleasant aggressive design. The remainder of the motherboard, comparable to the proper quadrant, is as anticipated, with busy PWM fan headers and different practical factors.
Bonus factors for the debug display and up to date PCIe slot connector, making eradicating your GPU a much less arduous job!
Gigabyte B650E Aorus Master: Performance and BIOS
Reading concerning the Twin 16+2+2 with 105An influence phases could remind you of math class, however belief us: It’s beefy capabilities can deal with even the rocket-hot Ryzen 9 7950X. You may even put it in Eco Mode if you’d like, to take care of a lot of the efficiency whereas minimizing warmth and thermals.
We’ve talked about PCIe Gen 5 and DDR5, each assist make the efficiency strong on the B650 Aorus Master. Included reminiscence help can be good, constructing on what we had initially seen with earlier DDR5 chipsets comparable to Intel’s Alder Lake Z690 platform.
The BIOS is consumer pleasant, with most choices obtainable right here that additionally, you will discover on the X670E motherboards. You get BIOS flashback and clear CMOS buttons on the again, too—a giant plus for tinkerers and a nice-to-have for when your system provides you hassle. This is often additionally discovered on higher-end motherboards, reinforcing the worth proposition right here. The Gigabyte management middle software program was additionally a easy expertise and appears to be an enchancment on earlier variations for updating drivers/configuring followers from Windows.
Thiago Trevisan
Should you purchase the Gigabyte B650E Aorus Master?
The Gigabyte B650E Aorus Master is spectacular. It’s definitely not rock-bottom low cost at an MSRP of $349, however contemplating the general elevated prices of all elements, it nonetheless packs an ideal worth punch.
It does this with out eradicating a lot of the essential options and efficiency you’d discover within the dearer X670E motherboards. Competent VRMs for even the 7950X? Check. Plenty of USB and I/O? Check. M.2 help and PCIe Gen 5? Check!
With a possible lengthy way forward for help with AM5, this featured-packed motherboard can even develop throughout CPU upgrades because it has the chops to deal with them. The B550 Gigabyte Aorus Master got here in at $279, so there’s definitely a rise in value right here at $349, however it’s largely justified with the newer expertise available.
It additionally has nice construct high quality, with an included backplate and good design touches on the entrance. Most customers shall be tremendous skipping X670E, and having fun with nearly all of the options for a less expensive value.