Axiomtek—a world-renowned leader relentlessly devoted to the research, development, and manufacturing of innovative and reliable industrial computer products of high efficiency - is pleased to introduce the MANO561, a high-performance thin Mini-ITX motherboard built with LGA1700 socket for the 12th generation Intel Core processors (codename: Alder Lake-S). Aside from superior compute performance, this low-profile embedded motherboard delivers high-speed connectivity with flexible I/O, impressive graphics in support of triple displays, and high reliability by 12 V-24 V wide-range DC power to bridge the next-gen AIoT applications.

Axiomtek's MANO561 is powered by the 12th generation Intel Core i9/i7/i5/i3, Intel Pentium Gold or Intel Celeron processors (up to 65 W) with the Intel H610 chipset. This embedded board has dual 260-pin DDR4-3200/2666/2400 SO-DIMM sockets with a total capacity of 64 GB. When it comes to display-related features, this motherboard along with Intel UHD graphics offers triple displays with two HDMI ports, one LVDS port, and one VGA port. Plus, it provides various wireless connectivity options which include 5G/4G/LTE connectivity with an M.2 Key B 2242/3042/3052 slot and seamless Wi-Fi connection with an M.2 Key E 2230 slot and a mini-PCIe slot. This motherboard also has a PCIe x16 slot for GPU, AI acceleration, and frame grabber card configurations.

ECS Industrial Computer Co., Ltd., also known as ECS IPC, is the subsidiary of leading motherboard and computer manufacturer Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS). ECS IPC has joined hands with Intel to announce a new generation of Intel Raptor Lake Z790 series for LEET Z790H7-A motherboard and the other product of the latest LEET B660 gaming PC to satisfy gamers' passionate gaming experience and enhance the passionate gaming soul.

The Z790H7-A motherboard provides excellent performance for gamers and professionals. It is compatible with Intel 12th and 13th generation Core processors (Raptor Lake-S & Alder Lake-S) as well as supports Windows 11 64-bit. With the Intel Z790 chipset as the strong backing for development, the Z790 chipset has further improved the overclocking function, which can support the performance requirements of one-click overclocking, and the Z790 chipset also supports the powerful performance of DDR5 memory and PCIe 5 transfer. DDR5 provides 50% higher bandwidth than DDR4 and also PCIe 5.0 increases the data rate from 16GT/s to 32GT/s, which is twice faster than PCIe 4.0.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices today, is delighted to introduce its premier SILVER series, the Z790A-SILVER motherboard. Built around the Intel Z790 platform, the Z790A-SILVER is a masterful piece of tech designed to serve gamers, content creators, and casual users faithfully. With support for 12th/ 13th Generation Intel Core processors, a quad DIMM DDR5 ram interface, and a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot tailored for that beastly new graphics card, make it the ideal choice for a hardy gaming rig that turns average gamers into true champions.

As an expansion of BIOSTAR's RACING series motherboard range, the Z790A-SILVER carries a robust build and styling handed down by its predecessors, showcasing the classic RACING stripes on its PCB and the Silver colored cooling blocks. PCIe M.2 4.0 and SATA III (6 Gb/s) are the chosen storage technology for the Z790A-SILVER motherboard. They are highly stable and efficient for any given task, with superior USB 3.2 (Gen2) type-C and USB 3.2 (Gen2) type-A ports for blisteringly fast data transfers.

TYAN, an industry-leading server platform design manufacturer and a MiTAC Computing Technology Corporation subsidiary, today introduced AMD EPYC 9004 Series processor-based server platforms highlighting energy efficiency and performance breakthroughs designed for next generation server architecture for data centers. "Facing the post-COVID economy world, data centers are required to build on more environmentally friendly, secure and flexible features to respond to the growing of teleworking, video streaming, IoT and 5G," said Danny Hsu, Vice President of MiTAC Computing Technology Corporation's Server Infrastructure BU. "TYAN's new server platforms powered by 4th Gen AMD EPYC processors efficiently enable data centers by doing more tasks with the same number of servers."

"We designed 4th Gen AMD EPYC processors to give our customers exactly what they said they needed, high performance, exceptional energy efficiency and low total cost of ownership," said Ram Peddibhotla, corporate vice president, EPYC product management, AMD. "With the latest "Zen 4" architecture that incorporates modern security by design, 4th Gen AMD EPYC processors are an outstanding choice for IT professionals looking to optimize their data centers for leadership performance while helping address environmental goals."

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, today revealed the supreme performance of XMP DDR5-8000 on Z790 AORUS XTREME and Z790 AORUS MASTER motherboards with Team Group gaming modules T-FORCE DELTA RGB DDR5 memory. Enhanced with the exclusive Low Latency and High Bandwidth technology, this achievement proves again that GIGABYTE motherboard is the ultimate choice to unleash memory performance, as well as the leading role of memory performance by the teamwork of GIGABYTE vs. Team Group.

It's always been challenging to constantly exceed the high-frequency record of memory, and stable motherboards and high-performance memories make a perfect team to accomplish this difficult task. To provide superior performance and user experience, GIGABYTE has been working closely with Team Group on the record-breaking performance from DDR5-7600, DDR-7800, to XMP DDR5 8000. The detailed memory information is listed in the memory support list of the motherboard, users can check on the site for the best performance matrix on the Z790 platform.

Leading global motherboard manufacturer, ASRock, proudly announces its new ASRock Z790 PG SONIC, an officially licensed motherboard featuring SEGA's Sonic the Hedgehog. A 16-bit spinning ring emblazons the rear IO cover, while on the rear side you'll even catch a glimpse of Sonic mid-run. The ASRock motherboard is co-launched to celebrate the release of SEGA's new Sonic Frontiers game.

"Designed to bring back epic memories of catching rings in Green Hill Zone, the motherboard echoes Sonic's lightning speed with its fast blue and silver shards and Sonic silhouette, besides the motherboard outlook is designed around the Sonic the Hedgehog theme, the ASRock Z790 PG SONIC also features a SONIC-inspired UEFI BIOS interface", Said Chris Lee, Vice President of ASRock motherboard & gaming monitor business unit.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, today announced that Z790 AORUS TACHYON pushes the envelope of memory performance to XMP DDR5-8333 and DDR5-9300 O.C. with air cooling. On top of that, the phenomenal performance of XMP DDR5-8000 on Z790 AORUS XTREME and Z790 AORUS MASTER motherboards proves the enhancements from hardware to firmware including top-quality components, new generation Shielded Memory Routing design, and High Bandwidth of BIOS setting greatly improve memory stability and performance.

Enhanced by the new generation Shielded Memory Routing and low signal-loss PCB design, GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS TACHYON, Z790 AORUS XTREME, and Z790 AORUS MASTER can effectively reduce the internal and external signal loss or interference, which ensures blasting-fast DDR5 memory speed. In addition, the abundant BIOS setting of DDR5 Memory Upgrade and XMP 3.0 User Profile lead to the breakthrough performance of memories.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices, today announces the brand new Z790 VALKYRIE motherboard, built to run the all-powerful Intel 13th gen raptor-lake processors. Designed on the base of Intel Z790 single-chip architecture, the Z790 VALKYRIE is the latest addition to BIOSTAR's top-of-the-line flagship motherboard range.

Carrying the latest technology in a sleek, highly refined platform, the stylish design of VALKYRIE exhuberates the pinnacle of BIOSTAR product design and technical prowess. Enter any battle with confidence backed by the unwavering performance and reliability of BIOSTAR's latest Z790 VALKYRIE motherboard. Built to support the latest DDR5 memory, Z790 VALKYRIE holds 4 DIMMs of high-speed DDR 5 memory up to 128Gb with boosted clock speeds exceeding 7200+(OC) MHz.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, today revealed the phenomenal performance of XMP DDR5-7800 on Z790 AORUS XTREME and Z790 AORUS MASTER motherboards with Team Group gaming modules T-FORCE DELTA RGB DDR5 memory. Enhanced with the new generation Shielded Memory Routing design, exclusive BIOS setting, top-quality components, and advanced design from hardware to firmware on motherboards, this achievement of memory stability and performance proves again GIGABYTE's strong leading role in high-performance motherboards in the market.

When it comes to pushing the memory frequency to the limits, a stable platform with top-quality materials always plays a key role in addition to high-performance memories. Enhanced by the new generation Shielded Memory Routing and low signal-loss PCB design, Z790 AORUS XTREME and Z790 AORUS MASTER can effectively reduce the internal and external signal loss or interference, which ensures blasting-fast DDR5 memory speed. In addition, the abundant BIOS setting of DDR5 Memory Upgrade and XMP 3.0 User Profile lead to the breakthrough performance of XMP DDR5-7800 with T-FORCE DELTA RGB DDR5. The detailed memory information is listed in the memory support list of the motherboard, users can check on the site for the best performance matrix on the Z790 platform.

ASUS today announced the availability of new Intel Z790 motherboards, including the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex, TUF Gaming Z790-PLUS WiFi and ProArt Z790-Creator WiFi - all of which provide DDR5 memory module support and PCIe 5.0 slots for video cards and storage.ASUS Z790 motherboards offer tremendous value to anyone assembling an Intel 13th Gen machine that includes AEMP II, AI Overclocking, AI Cooling II, PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots, Thunderbolt 4, WiFi 6E, Quick Charge 4+ technology and comprehensive connectivity. Overall, new ASUS Z790 motherboards are ideal solutions for any user who wants to build a next-gen machine or upgrade their existing system.

First up is the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex. The ultimate option for memory overclocking enthusiasts, this motherboard boasts a cutting-edge feature set. Then, for creative professionals of all kinds, ASUS offers the ProArt Z790-Creator WiFi. This motherboard offers premium connectivity and bespoke style, and it's fully ready for next-gen graphics cards and ultra-fast PCIe 5.0 storage. Finally, ASUS is bolstering its TUF Gaming lineup with the TUF Gaming Z790-Plus WiFi, which brings DDR5 support to the family.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, today announced the Instant 6 GHz technology which is exclusively designed for performance enhancement of Intel Core i9-13900K processor. By simply updating the latest BIOS on GIGABYTE's Z790 motherboards and activating related settings, users can boost the performance of Intel Core i9-13900K to 6 GHz in a snap. Other than the Turbo Boost mode, GIGABYTE Instant 6 GHz technology can unleash the potential power of the processor to boost the single-core performance up to 3% higher, which leading up to experiencing the unparalleled performance of future processors.

The lately launched Intel Core i9-13900K processor enables users to enjoy O.C. performance in an easier way. Using GIGABYTE's latest Instant 6 GHz technology, the system can automatically tweak CPU voltage and Vcore Load Line Calibration to detect the most two optimized cores running at 6 GHz frequency. Instead of suffering from complex O.C settings, users can enjoy effortless Overclocking by simply updating the latest BIOS on GIGABYTE's Z790 motherboards and activating the Instant 6 GHz option in the BIOS. This further delivers a 3% performance boost on one single core, and provides an O.C. edition-like experience on i9-13900K processor. The latest GIGABYTE Z790 motherboards ascend to a new level with their exclusive VRM design, thermal design, and convenience. The BIOS support Instant 6 GHz technology of Z790 motherboards has been updated on the GIGABYTE official website, users can upgrade BIOS with Q-Flash or Q-Flash Plus.

ASUS today announced the new Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) enhancement, an exclusive temperature control feature for its range of X670 and B650 motherboards designed for AMD Ryzen 7000 series processors.

These latest CPUs push the limits of performance farther than ever before. They dynamically take advantage of available thermal headroom to give users higher clock speeds. This means that users might see higher CPU temperatures than they are used to in a new AMD Ryzen-powered machine. To put users in control, ASUS is rolling out a BIOS update for its X670 and B650 motherboards with new options for its PBO enhancement feature that makes it easy to balance thermals and performance. With just a few clicks, users will be able to dramatically reduce CPU temperatures—and maybe even increase performance and reduce fan noise in the process.

Leading global motherboard manufacturer, ASRock, is proud to announce its new lineup, LiveMixer. There are Z790 LiveMixer and B650 LiveMixer for Intel's and AMD's new platform separately, which are produced in partnership with content creators that need motherboards with superb reliability, cutting-edge performance and an extended connectivity mix for the many auxiliary devices required for streaming. LiveMixer is the incarnation of valiance. It sets us free from the concrete jungle with its colorful graffiti. The stylish pattern represents the courage and bravery we possess to speak up for ourselves and try new things enriching life.

"We've studied the need of live streaming for a long time, and here comes our first LiveMixer that helps streamers to stream in great quality with its well VRM design, additional PCIe slots and twenty-plus USB ports." Says Chris Lee, Vice President of ASRock Motherboard & Gaming Monitor Business Unit. With a maximum of 23 USB ports to connect external devices, users will never run short. Hook up every peripheral, whether it's mice, keyboards, microphones, headsets, multiple cameras, fill-lights, macropads, and much more. Equipped with dual PCI-Express 4x slots & Thunderbolt header, The LiveMixer allows users to connect a graphics card, a high-speed capture card and a Thunderbolt add-in card at the same time.

With the arrival of AMD's Ryzen 7000 series desktop processors based on the new Zen 4 architecture, the world's leading computer brand, GIGABYTE today announces its B650E and B650 motherboards ready to power these next-gen CPUs. Sporting the new AM5 socket, the AORUS B650E and B650 gaming motherboards are equipped with a direct digital power design and a full-covered cooling module to keep the circuitry cool. These AORUS motherboards come with PCIe 5.0 connectivity and support for DDR5 memory, which are AMD EXPO and Intel XMP capable of up to DDR5-6600 and beyond. The AORUS gaming motherboards are also equipped with the DIY-friendly PCIe and M.2 device fast installation and removal design, making future upgrades quick and easy.

Power delivery and thermal design have always been the top factors when it comes to CPU performance. To meet the needs of gamers looking for powerful yet stable system performance, the AORUS B650E and B650 gaming motherboards are designed with a maximum 16+2+2-phase twin digital power, covered by a massive heatsink that has four times more surface than the previous generation to ensure the smoothest power delivery even under loads. Other thermal designs, such as 8 mm mega-heatpipes and dedicated heatsinks on key components, greatly improves the system's stability and overall performance. With the friendly design of PCIe and M.2 EZ-Latch features on the AORUS B650 gaming motherboards, GIGABYTE makes components swapping a whole lot easier.

Amazon US has kindly revealed the pricing for a pair of upcoming Intel Z790 chipset based motherboards from ASUS. For those hoping for better motherboard pricing versus AMD's X670 based boards, we have to be the bringer of bad news, as the two fall in the same ballpark, although Intel seems to have a slight edge here. The cheaper of the two models is the ASUS Prime Z790-P WiFi, which is the Intel equivalent to the Prime X670-P board for AMD's AM5 socket. The Prime Z790-P offers slightly weaker connectivity around the back, but has more PCIe slots compared to its AMD sibling. Unfortunately, it seems like Amazon doesn't stock the Prime X670-P, so we had to look elsewhere for pricing and Newegg charges US$289.99 for it, whereas Amazon charges US$249.99 for the Prime Z790-P, making it a more attractive option. However, that's still US$30 more than its predecessor, the Prime Z690-P, making this a pretty steep jump in price considering the two are very similar in terms of what you get for your money.

The second board is the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero, which is a premium product, something that's reflected in the pricing as well. Features like Thunderbolt 4 and an ROG Hyper M.2 card for PCIe 5.0 SSDs are included here, as well as an extended bundle. There's no direct AMD equivalent here, as ASUS only has a model in the US$400 range and one in the US$1000 range on the AMD side. However, it appears that ASUS has decided to keep the same price point as the ROG Maximus Z690 Hero. This isn't entirely surprising, as the boards appear to be almost identical, bar some change to the layout to the rear I/O. At US$629.99, this isn't a cheap board, but it wasn't expected either, as ASUS does charge a premium price for its ROG products. Both boards are said to be shipping from the 20th of October.

With the launch of AMD AM5 X670 motherboards, GIGABYTE, the world's leading computer brand, announces today that all customers in North America region purchasing new GIGABYTE and AORUS X670 motherboards will receive an automatic extended warranty. Expanding on the leading 3-year warranty, customers will receive an upgrade of an additional 2 years warranty for a total of 5 years.

GIGABYTE X670 motherboards have long been known for their Ultra Durable pedigree. Each motherboard is the culmination of several thousand hours of design and painstaking cooperation between several teams to produce the next generation of high performance hardware. In addition to quality components such as Japanese capacitors, multi-layer PCB design, and proprietary NanoCarbon coating on critical heat dissipating surfaces, GIGABYTE continues to push the envelope with innovative features, advancing the industry and setting a new standard.

BIOSTAR today introduced the Racing B650EGTQ, a Socket AM5 motherboard based on the AMD B650E chipset, in the Micro-ATX form-factor. The board offers a premium feature-set, including PCI-Express Gen 5 for both the x16 PEG slot, and the M.2 NVMe slot wired to the CPU. The board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX, and 8+4 pin EPS. It uses a 14-phase VRM with 90 A DrMOS to power the processor. The processor is wired to four DDR5 DIMM slots, a PCI-Express 5.0 x16, and two M.2 NVMe slots with PCI-Express 5.0 x4 wiring. Other expansion slots include a PCI-Express 4.0 x16 (electrical Gen 4 x4) wired to the B650E chipset.

Storage connectivity on the BIOSTAR Racing B650EGTQ includes two M.2 NVMe Gen 5, one M.2 NVMe Gen 4, and four SATA 6 Gbps ports. This is one of the very few motherboards to wire out both Gen 5 x4 GPP interfaces of the Socket AM5 SoC as M.2 NVMe slots. Network connectivity include a 2.5 GbE driven by a Realtek 8125B controller; and preparation for a WLAN card, although the board doesn't have any M.2 E-key slots. The onboard audio soludion features a premium Realtek ALC1220 CODEC. The company didn't reveal pricing.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions announced the latest AMD B650 motherboards based on the success of the X670 series. The comprehensive lineup includes AORUS, AERO, and GAMING series to provide more reasonable options with notable features for users. GIGABYTE select B650 motherboards adopt PCIe 5.0 / 4.0 x16 graphics interface and PCIe 5.0 / 4.0 M.2 slots with EZ-Latch technology, making it easier than ever for users to upgrade graphics cards and M.2 SSDs, avoiding accidental damage to the surrounding components. Further, up to 16+2+2 phase Twin Digital power, 105 Amps Smart Power Stage, and up to 12-layer PCB provide increased stability, optimal compatibility, and performance for AMD Ryzen 7000 series processors. With the advanced thermal design, VRM temperature is reduced, stabilizing the power and performance of the PCIe 5.0 slot and PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD and avoiding performance drop due to thermal throttling. Meanwhile, the enhanced shielding design of SMD slots strengthens the reliability of signals and slot structure. In addition, select models take advantage of Active OC Tuner technology to deliver optimized performance with a more flexible and user-friendly experience.

The latest X670E motherboard platform introduced a wealth of cutting-edge features to accompany AMD's latest 7-series CPUs. Headlined by PCIe 5.0 connectivity and across-the-board DDR5 support, our X670E motherboards cater to enthusiasts ready to extract every ounce of performance they can get out of their new AMD processor. Now, mainstream PC builds can get in on the action, too. Our B650E and B650 boards offer tremendous value for anyone assembling a next-gen machine. This B650 motherboard guide walks you through our different product families to help you find the model that best fits your needs and budget.

Shopping for a gaming-first motherboard that delivers exceptional performance and exudes confident style? Start with our ROG Strix lineup. From the flagship ROG Strix B650E-E Gaming WiFi to the compact-yet-mighty ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming WiFi, these boards bring high-end features and sizzling good looks. Perhaps you'd prefer a straightforward gaming board that delivers essential features in a no-frills design? Check out our TUF Gaming family. Available in either ATX or micro-ATX form factors, these products deliver everything you need for a reliable gaming build and nothing that you don't.

Last week NZXT announced its high-end Z790 motherboard for Intel's upcoming 13th gen Core processors and this week, the company is following up that announcement with its first AM5 motherboard for the Ryzen 7000 series, in the shape of the N7 B650E. The board comes with either white or black shielding, although the PCB is black in both cases, as is the rear I/O cover. NZXT has gone for a mid-range feature set, with a 16+2+1 Smart Power Stage design rated at 90 A, which places it on par with ASRock's B650E Steel Legend. Speaking of ASRock, it has been NZXT's OEM in the past, but we can't find a board with the same general layout as the N7 B650E in ASRocks' lineup this time around, so this is either a proper custom design or NZXT has changed its OEM partner.

The board has one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and two PCIe 4.0 x16 slots, with one having four lanes of bandwidth and the other two lanes of bandwidth. The board also features three M.2 slots, one PCIe 5.0 and two PCIe 4.0, one of which is limited to two lanes of PCIe bandwidth. Other features include 2.5 Gbps Ethernet, a WiFi 6E/Bluetooth 5.2 combo module, an HDMI 2.1 port, four SATA ports and sadly what appears to be a 10 Gbps rather than a 20 Gbps USB-C port around the back. There's also a front header for another 10 Gbps USB-C port. NZXT has all the standard features you'd expect to see on a modern motherboard such as rear mounted clear CMOS and BIOS flashing buttons, debugging LEDs, albeit the basic kind and a good spread of fan headers and RGB LED connectors. A full set of audio connectors are also present and the audio chip of choice is the Realtek ALC1220. The only real hurdle for this board to become a success is going to be the price tag, as NZXT lists the board on its site for US$349.99/€429.99/£429.99, which is a very steep asking price for what's on offer here.

Leading global motherboard manufacturer, ASRock, is proud to announce its AMD B650E/B650 motherboard series. These motherboards are targeted at the mainstream AM5 segment featuring various exciting new products such as our flagship B650E Taichi, the high-end B650E Steel Legend Wi-Fi for high end market, B650E PG Riptide Wi-Fi and B650 PRO RS for mainstream users, and B650 PG Lightning a new SKU joining the Phantom Gaming family targeted the entry level market. ASRock also offers the new B650E PG-ITX WiFi for small form factor enthusiasts.

ASRock went all-out on its VRM design by creating a 24+2+1 phase Smart Power Stage (SPS) Dr.MOS on the B650E Taichi series, providing users with the most powerful AM5 platform it can offer ready to unlock maximum CPU performance. The flagship ASRock B650E Taichi motherboards are equipped with many exciting features and technologies such as PCIe 5.0 technology for graphics cards and M.2 SSDs, an incredible IO that includes the latest USB4 offering a fast and simple level of connection for work or home.

MSI, a world leading motherboard brand in high-performance and innovative computing, announces its brand new AMD B650 Series motherboards. MSI is not only tailored for enthusiast gamers, but also offers possibilities for content creation and office use. MSI is fully dedicated to all types of PC users by satisfying their needs. This time, we carefully prepared a variety of advanced technologies and exclusive features to help our customers create the most immersive experiences and maximize every ounce of performance.

"With DDR5 memory boost and an enhanced thermal design, MSI B650 Series motherboards are built to fully support the performance and capabilities of AMD Ryzen 7000 Series processors," said David McAfee, Corporate Vice President and General Manager, Client Channel Business Unit, AMD. "Designed specifically for gamers and content creators, MSI motherboards feature advanced technologies that take full advantage of the AM5 platform."

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices, today announces a list of 600 series motherboards ready to support the latest Intel 13th Gen processors. Codenamed 'Raptor Lake,' the latest 13th generation Intel processors are designed to be far superior to their predecessors. With Intel announcing 15% better single-threaded performance and 41% better multi-threaded performance over the 12th generation processors, user expectations are high for the latest Intel variants with extra emphasis on supported motherboards.

BIOSTAR is proud to announce their list of the previous generation 600 series motherboards ready to support the new Intel processors. This is great news for consumers currently using this platform with an Alder Lake CPU because the latest 13th gen processors support both DDR5 and DDR4 with extremely impressive performance improvements.

US retailer B&H has kindly provided the first B650 motherboard pricing and it's something of a mixed bag. The company has listed no less than seven different models from MSI, ranging in price from US$199.99 to US$329.99. It doesn't appear as if any of these boards are based on the B650E chipset, but based on information TPU were given at Computex, we know that some higher-end B650 boards will cost around the same as some lower-end B650E boards.

As B&H has only listed key features of the boards, it's hard to tell what features some of the boards offer, but the base model is the mATX Pro B650M-A WiFi, which at the very least has one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, one PCIe 4.0 x4 slot, one PCIe 3.0 x1 slot and two M.2 slots. The board obviously also has WiFi 6E and somewhat surprisingly has 2.5 Gbps Ethernet. On the other hand, it only has a front header for a USB-C port and none around the back. This type of board was supposed to start at or below the US$150 mark and we'll hopefully see a transition to there in due time.

This one is likely to go down ASRock's internal history as a failure of sticking proportions. Namely, it seems that some ASRock motherboards in the newly-released AM5 X670 / X670E family carry stickers overlaid on the DDR5 slots. The idea was to provide users with a handy, visually informative guide on DDR5 memory stick installations and a warning on abnormally long boot times that were to be expected, according to RAM stick capacity. But it seems that these low-quality stickers are being torn apart as users attempt to remove them, leaving behind remnants that are extremely difficult to clean up and which can block DRAM installation entirely or partially. I, for one, would never install a DDR5 module if I thought there was a chance for some paper bits to have fallen on to the DRAM slots - paper and glue bits within the DRAM slots don't seem particularly conducive to a successful motherboard POST.

In the meantime, the company has already announced that it's not only aware of the problem, it's willing to accept RMAs for motherboards that sport the impossible-to-cleanly-peel stickers (consumers should contact their retailers and e-tailers for the exchange). Information around forums where this issue is being discussed don't seem to point to any instance of actual motherboard damage resulting from the stickers - enough patience or an entire motherboard exchange seem to be two solutions to this problem. The company also announced that its latest motherboard batches on AMD's X670 chipsets no longer carry the stickers themselves, due to several BIOS-level improvements that have brought down the boot times, making the informative stickers unneeded. Still, when one takes into account the consumer and company cost of activating an RMA process, it seems that the company shouldn't have skimped on the sticker quality itself.