ASUS B550M-K - Just avoided a major CPU post hassle - need advise on next best mobo option for a HTPC

[SonicMojo]

All

Was just about to start a new HTPC build when I did some digging on this new ASUS B550M-K that arrived a day ago.

I had been warned by PCPartpicker and other forum threads and reviews to be very careful when purchasing this board especially with the intent of using an AMD Ryzen 5 5600G with it. This board will only recognize this chip once the BIOS has been uplifted to v2403 OR higher. After speaking with ASUS support today - it turns out I am actually pooched here (but found out in time) as the BIOS this board shipped with is v2007 - which would have resulted in a major hassle - ending with the board not posting due to an unsupported CPU.

Because the board won't post - there is no way to update the BIOS at all. ASUS offered to RMA the board and fix this internally OR use the AMD CPU loaner program - both of which sound like a general waste of time and possibly more money (shipping etc) just to get this board usable.

Since I bought this thing thru Amazon - I can return it completely today and start anew.

So TechPowerUp-ers - what is a different (yet solid) motherboard recommendation for my little HTPC project that would nicely replace this pointless ASUS board and support the 5600G right out of the box?

Again - it is a modest HTPC build with 16 GB of RAM, standard SSD and will live in a home theater PC Case (Fractal Design Node 605). Ideally would like to stay with a MINI-ITX to keep this cool and quiet.

Really appreciate any suggestions you may have.

Cheers

Sonic.

 

[Solid State Soul ( SSS )]

This is why we need bios flash back feature on every mothrrboard, sadly greedy corporations only add them on expensive mothrrboards for more margins.

Anyway just look for what motherboard you want then go into its web page, and scroll to support section and click on CPU list, this will show you what are the compatible cpus out of the box and which one need new bios to work

I hear Asrock has nice boards for HTPC builds, and they have very detailed support section on their motherboards web pages so you make an informed decision, otherwise, I guess you'll have to buy expensive mothrrboards to get the bios flashback feature

It is what it is

https://pcpartpicker.com/builds/by_part/sYmmP6

See the link above, it shows all the user builds with 5600g, see what motherboards they used and pick one

 

[mstenholm]

This is why we need bios flash back feature on every mothrrboard, sadly greedy corporations only add them on expensive mothrrboards for more margins.

Anyway just look for what motherboard you want then go into its web page, and scroll to support section and click on CPU list, this will show you what are the compatible cpus out of the box and which one need new bios to work

I hear Asrock has nice boards for HTPC builds, and they have very detailed support section on their motherboards web pages so you make an informed decision, otherwise, I guess you'll have to buy expensive mothrrboards to get the bios flashback feature

It is what it is

https://pcpartpicker.com/builds/by_part/sYmmP6

See the link above, it shows all the user builds with 5600g, see what motherboards they used and pick one

How is that going to help? Any of these boards could have been updated with the right BIOS after purhase by someone with a 2600. Get a Gigabyte or MSI that allows you to update the BIOS without CPU or even GPU installed. I’m sure that other brands have a similar feature but it seems like ASUS is not one of these.

 

[Caring1]

How is that going to help? Any of these boards could have been updated with the right BIOS after purhase by someone with a 2600. Get a Gigabyte or MSI that allows you to update the BIOS without CPU or even GPU installed. I’m sure that other brands have a similar feature but it seems like ASUS is not one of these.

Partspicker builds allow you to virtually assemble and check compatibility prior to purchase.
If they say a Motherboard can run that CPU, they usually can.

 

[Solid State Soul ( SSS )]

Get a Gigabyte or MSI that allows you to update the BIOS without CPU or even GPU installed. I’m sure that other brands have a similar feature but it seems like ASUS is not one of these.

All motherboard vendors lock CPU-less bios flashback features to their expensive models, most budget offerings need to post first to update.

What's annoying is that bios flash back is not an expensive feature to add, I bet it doesn't even cost them anything to put a button to allow the rom to read from a thumb drive during standby, this would have saved budget builders so many hassles, but no, greedy corporations understands how common users flash their bios these days due to security risks and new cpus launching months apart rather then all at once, so they push consumers to pay more for a feature that is critical in today's needs

 

[mstenholm]

All motherboard vendors lock CPU-less bios flashback features to their expensive models, most budget offerings need to post first to update.

What's annoying is that bios flash back is not an expensive feature to add, I bet it doesn't even cost them anything to put a button to allow the rom to read from a thumb drive during standby, this would have saved budget builders so many hassles, but no, greedy corporations understands how common users flash their bios these days due to security risks and new cpus launching months apart rather then all at once, so they push consumers to pay more for a feature that is critical in today's needs

Sorry thats were my experience lays, the not so cheap models….

Edit: cheap B550m from partpicker B550 MB