The Eurasian Economic Commission or the EEC for short, has become something of a source when it comes to upcoming product leaks, at least as far as the model names goes and now a range of upcoming motherboards from Gigabyte has made an appearance on its site. What we're looking at is a range of refreshed boards, some that were on display at Computex, but most of them haven't been officially announced as yet. On the Intel side, all the new models have an X somewhere towards the end of the model names to reflect them being part of the refresh and at least some SKUs are getting WiFi 7 support, All except one model is based on the Z790 chipset, at least as far as most of us are concerned, as there's one custom SKU that's said to be for a Chinese system integrator that won't be available outside of China. As the China specific SKU is already listed on Gigabyte's Chinese website, we've included a picture of the B70M YT Pioneer WiFi below.

On the AMD side of things, Gigabyte is adding a more affordable X670E SKU with the X670E Aorus Elite AX. Here, AMD has stuck with a simple V2 to reflect the refreshed boards, but it's unclear what has changed on these models. Gigabyte has also added a few new MicroATX B650 boards, with the B650M Aorus Elite AX Arctic which will be a white and/or silver motherboard with matching design elements. This board will have limited availability and although it might be found in retail in some countries, it's largely intended for system integrators. The other two new boards are the B650M A Elite AX Arc—we were told by a source that this is a mistake in the filing—and the B650M Gaming WiFi, which should be a cheaper alternative to the B650M Gaming X models the company is currently offering. These boards should start arriving in the autumn some time, at least based on the boards Gigabyte was showing at Computex.

ASRock Industrial is introducing new choices in industrial motherboards powered by 13th Gen Intel Core Processors (Raptor Lake-S) with up to 24 cores and 32 threads that boost computer-intensive edge performance. They come equipped with Intel W680, Q670, and H610 chipsets, and offer support for up to DDR5-5600 memory modules and PCIe Gen 5, allowing expanded possibilities and seamless integration within industry-specific applications.

By harnessing the power of the 13th Gen Intel Core Processors, they leap up to 1.04x/1.34x/1.25x faster in single-thread, multi-thread, and CPU image classification inference performance, respectively, compared to the preceding 12th Gen Intel Core processors. The new 13th Gen Intel CPU motherboards with DDR5 support, available in Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, and ATX form factors, have been specifically designed to cater to the unique requirements of the Edge AIoT applications in commerce, automation, robot, entertainment, and security industries.

Gigabyte has added three additional AMD A620 based motherboards to its lineup after the initial two that were announced on the launch day. The three new models are the A620M DS3H, A620M S2H and A620M H, all three models being mATX motherboards. The A620M DS3H is the board with most features and it's the only model to include a VRM heatsink as well as four memory slots. Common features among the three boards include a single PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, a PCIe 3.0 x1 slot, a single PCIe 4.0 M.2 NVMe slot—that supports the slightly wider 2580 form factor—four SATA ports and somewhat surprisingly for this range of boards, a DP 1.4 port and an HDMI 2.1 port.

All three boards also sport Gigabit Ethernet and a Realtek based audio solution, as well as a 90 degree angled USB 3.2 5 Gbps header. The A620M DS3H is the only model that gets a USB Type-C port around the back, but it's limited to 5 Gbps data speeds. All three models also support Gigabyte's QFlash Plus UEFI recovery/flashing solution, making it possible to update the UEFI/BIOS without having a CPU in the board. All three boards support the full range of AM5 CPUs up to 170 W, courtesy of a 5+2+2 PWM design. These might not be the most exciting boards, but they seem like a solid budget range.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, proudly announces a groundbreaking achievement with the Z790 AORUS TACHYON motherboard. Esteemed overclocker HiCookie has once again pushed the limits of performance, breaking the DDR5 memory overclocking world record. The Z790 AORUS TACHYON has achieved an astonishing DDR5-11254 frequency, surpassing all previous records. This remarkable achievement reinforces GIGABYTE's commitment to providing cutting-edge technology for overclocking enthusiasts.

The GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS TACHYON is a motherboard designed exclusively for overclocking enthusiasts, offering exceptional capabilities with its advanced all-digital power design. Through the optimization of memory trace and the implementation of Shielded Memory Routing, the Z790 AORUS TACHYON achieves an impressive DDR5-11254 frequency, showcasing its advanced design and unmatched performance. The motherboard also features an integrated overclocking toolkit, equipped with convenient shortcut keys, toggle switches, and voltage detection functions, empowering overclockers to effortlessly push boundaries.

ASRock Rack, the leading innovative server company, today announced its support of 4th Gen AMD EPYC processors with AMD "Zen 4c" architecture and 4th Gen AMD EPYC processors with AMD 3D V-Cache technology, as well as the expansion of their new products ranging from high-density storage, GPU, multi-nodes servers all for the new AMD processors.

"4th Gen AMD EPYC processors offer the highest core density of any x86 processor in the world and will deliver outstanding performance and efficiency for cloud-native workloads," said Lynn Comp, corporate vice president, Server Product and Technology Marketing, AMD. "Our latest family of data center processors allow customers to balance workload growth and flexibility with critical infrastructure consolidation mandates, enabling our customers to do more work, with more energy efficiency at a time when cloud native computing is transforming the data center."

Giga Computing, a subsidiary of GIGABYTE and an industry leader in high-performance servers, server motherboards, and workstations, today announced support for the latest 4th Gen AMD EPYC processors. The new processors, based on "Zen 4c" architecture and featuring AMD 3D V-Cache technology, enhance Giga Computing's enterprise solutions, enabling superior performance and scalability for cloud native computing and technical computing applications in GIGABYTE enterprise solutions. To date, more than thirty unique GIGABYTE systems and platforms support the latest generation of AMD EPYC 9004 processors. As time goes on Giga Computing will roll out more new GIGABYTE models for this platform, including more SKUs for immersion-ready servers and direct liquid cooling systems.

"For every new generation of AMD EPYC processors, GIGABYTE has been there, offering diverse platform options for all workloads and users," said Vincent Wang, Sales VP at Giga Computing. "And with the recent announcement of new AMD EPYC 9004 processors for technical computing and cloud native computing, we are also ready to support them at this time on our current AMD EPYC 9004 Series platforms."

GIGABYTE Technology, one of the top global manufacturers of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, has released the Beta BIOS update for Intel 700/600 series motherboards to strengthen support for the new generation Intel Core processors. GIGABYTE has been working closely with Intel to provide users with optimal performance, compatibility, and user experiences. Along with the upcoming new generation Intel Core processors, GIGABYTE's R&D team has developed and validated the Beta BIOS code exclusively for Z790/B760/Z690/B660/H610 motherboards. This ensures a seamless platform upgrade for users once the new processors hit the market.

Users can easily update the BIOS with the latest Beta BIOS file using GIGABYTE's ＠BIOS, Q-Flash, or Q-Flash Plus technology. For the most recent Beta BIOS update, please visit the official GIGABYTE website. For more information, please visit the official GIGABYTE website.

GIGABYTE Technology, one of the leading global manufacturers of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, has always prioritized cybersecurity and information security. GIGABYTE remains committed to fostering close collaboration with relevant units and implementing robust security measures to safeguard its users. GIGABYTE engineers have already mitigated potential risks and uploaded the Intel 700/600 and AMD 500/400 series Beta BIOS to the official website after conducting thorough testing and validation of the new BIOS on GIGABYTE motherboards.

To fortify system security, GIGABYTE has implemented stricter security checks during the operating system boot process. These measures are designed to detect and prevent any possible malicious activities, providing users with enhanced protection:

• 1. Signature Verification: GIGABYTE has bolstered the validation process for files downloaded from remote servers. This enhanced verification ensures the integrity and legitimacy of the contents, thwarting any attempts by attackers to insert malicious code.
• 2. Privilege Access Limitations: GIGABYTE has enabled standard cryptographic verification of remote server certificates. This guarantees that files are exclusively downloaded from servers with valid and trusted certificates, ensuring an added layer of protection.

BIOS updates for the Intel 500/400 and AMD 600 series chipset motherboards will also be released on the GIGABYTE official website later today, along with updates for previously released motherboards. GIGABYTE recommends that users regularly visit the official GIGABYTE website for future BIOS updates.

BIOSTAR at its Computex 2023 booth announced HPACT (acronym for High-level, Performance, Ability, Capacity, and Time). It is essentially a self-imposed standard for product quality and capabilities of its motherboards. It sets minimums for the company's motherboard component choices, durability, and performance. A possible analog for HPACT would be "Ultra Durable" by GIGABYTE, and the way the company set tiers for it. If a motherboard meets all five of the design goals in that acromym, it will be labelled as "HPACT," and depending on the model, the acronym is shortened.

The most entry-level of BIOSTAR's motherboards will meet at least the "ACT" acronym (Ability, Capacity, and Time), the mid-range ones "PACT," and the high-end ones HPACT. BIOSTAR showed us examples of its existing products that already meet HPACT. These include the B760A-SILVER, and B760T-SILVER. Among the PACT-rated motherboards are B550MX-E PRO, B760MZ-E PRO, and A620MP-E PRO. Entry-level ACT-rated motherboards include the likes of B760NH-E, H610MH D5, and H610-MT. We hope this ratings system can bring back the glory days of truly enthusiast-class BIOSTAR motherboards such as the T-Power I55.

Realtek has decided to take consumer Ethernet speeds to a new level later this year with a family of 5 Gbps parts that are unlike anything its competitors have announced so far. The RTL8126-CG PCIe 3.0 x1 controller is a tiny QFN56 chip that measures 8 by 8 millimetres and consumes up to 1.7 Watt in use. This is unheard of when it comes to 5 Gbps solutions today, most of which are based on cut-down 10 Gbps chips. Realtek has verified the RTL8126-CG with stacked connectors for motherboards, as this was a requirement from the motherboard vendors. This solution should be available on most of the boards that were announced at Computex with 2.5 Gbps Ethernet support.

The company also has the RTL8251B-CG single port PHY which comes in the same packaging and same size as the PCIe controller. It's intended for use in 5 Gbps switches and should help bring down the cost, power consumption and thermals. Finally Realtek was showing off the RTL8157-CG, which is a USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) based 5 Gbps Ethernet bridge, which comes in a slightly different QFN68 package, but still apparently measures 8 by 8 millimetres. This one is expected to launch sometime in Q4 of this year. All three solutions are capable of delivering 5 Gbps Ethernet over Cat 5e cables of up to a 100 meter in length. We weren't given an exact price point of these solutions, but it sounded like the RTL8126-CG should end up at US$5 or less, which should be compared to at least US$20-30 for most similar solutions in the market today. It looks like the market for faster Ethernet is really getting interesting and Realtek is apparently planning a 10 Gbps solution for next year.

ASRock gave its Socket LGA1700 motherboard lineup, specifically those based on the Z790 chipset, a mid-lifecycle refresh with the introduction of four new motherboard models. These include the new Z790 Taichi Lite, Z790 Phantom Gaming Riptide WiFi7, Z790 Nova WiFi7, and the Z790 LiveMixer. The Z790 Taichi Lite heralds a new sub-brand in ASRock's motherboard product stack. This provides the core feature-set of the top Taichi, such as CPU VRM and overclocking capabilites, but tones down on the aesthetic, and some I/O connectivity. Interestingly, the Taichi Lite sticks with older WiFi 6E connectivity, besides a Killer 2.5 GbE + Intel 2.5 GbE wired network. The onboard audio solution is fairly slick, featuring a Realtek ALC4082 codec, an ESS Sabre 9218 DAC for the front-out, and WIMA audio capacitors.

In related news, ASRock also extended the Taichi Lite brand to the AMD platform, by debuting the B650E Taichi Lite, with a powerful CPU VRM that's comparable to that of the X670E Taichi, and a nifty I/O that includes WiFi 6E, Killer 2.5 GbE wired networking, and the same exact onboard audio solution as the Z790 Taichi Lite. The Z790 Phantom Gaming Nova is intended to be the most premium Phantom Gaming series motherboard in the product stack, although positioned a notch below the Z790 Taichi (although above the Z790 Taichi Lite on account of its features). You get the most powerful CPU VRM solution among the company's Phantom Gaming motherboards, a neat, illuminated common heatsink for M.2 drives other than the topmost Gen 5 (which gets a chunkier heatsink), and plenty of overclocker-friendly features. It has a more advanced set of network connectivity than the Taichi series, with 5 GbE wired networking, and the latest WiFi 7. Interestingly, the onboard audio is simpler, with just the ALC4082 handling all channels (no ESS DAC).

ASRock, a global leader in motherboards, graphics cards, monitors, and small form factor PCs, is excited to announce its participation in the upcoming COMPUTEX Taipei 2023 after years of anticipation. ASRock will showcase a range of breathtaking innovative products and highly anticipated technology demonstrations. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the ASRock latest products and solutions firsthand; also, get the immersive gaming experience at ASRock booth.

Unveiling the Next-Gen ASRock Monitors
ASRock is set to showcase an exciting lineup of monitors at COMPUTEX 2023, featuring six existing products along with new gaming and business models. The spotlight will be on the PG558KF and PG32UMF, two high-end monitors.

As COMPUTEX once again opens its door, MSI, the world leader in gaming, content creation, business & productivity, and AIoT solutions, is all geared up to dominate the show floor with a full slate of new lineup and its Best Choice Award honorees. "We are thrilled to be back at COMPUTEX," said Sam Chern, MSI Vice President of Marketing. "We expect to see users' tech experiences reinvented and MSI is at the forefront. Our COMPUTEX 2023 lineup showcases the ultimate fusion of breakthrough technology and everlasting aesthetics that surpasses all limits and indulges global users with the best possible experience like never before."

This year, MSI themes its booth around The Leap to Singularity, envisioning a future in which the technological singularity brings forth superintelligence to improve human lives. Among the highlights on display will be the Raider GE78 HX Smart Touchpad, Stealth 16 and Creator Z17 laptops powered by up to 13th Gen Intel Core i9 processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series graphics, making them powerhouses for gamers and creators alike.

We would like to address the recent media reports regarding the SOC Voltage exceeding 1.3 V on GIGABYTE's AMD AM5 motherboards especially when EXPO is enabled in the latest beta BIOS.

GIGABYTE respects and appreciates media's support and favor to GIGABYTE motherboards for long time. In terms of the SOC Voltage measurement, the authentic measurement point and method is critical since the SOC Voltage will differ by that. The CPU internal SOC Voltage (SVI3 interface) is the most crucial indicator to motherboards, and, in general, the PWM Output Voltage will be higher than the CPU internal SOC Voltage (SVI3 interface) due to various physical factors.

AMD's next-generation Ryzen 8000 "Granite Ridge" desktop processor based on the "Zen 5" microarchitecture, will continue to top out at 16-core/32-thread as the maximum CPU core-count possible, says a report by PC Games Hardware. The processor will retain the chiplet design of the current Ryzen 7000 "Raphael" processor, with two 8-core "Zen 5" CCDs, and one I/O die. It's very likely that AMD will reuse the same 6 nm client I/O die (cIOD) as "Raphael," just the way it used the same 12 nm cIOD between Ryzen 3000 "Matisse" and Ryzen 5000 "Vermeer;" but with updates that could enable higher DDR5 memory speeds. Each of the up to two "Eldora" Zen 5 CCDs has 8 CPU cores, with 1 MB of dedicated L2 cache per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. The CCDs are very likely to be built on the TSMC 3 nm EUV silicon fabrication process.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the PCGH leak would have to be the TDP numbers being mentioned, which continue to show higher-performance SKUs with 170 W TDP, and lower tiers with 65 W TDP. With its CPU core-counts not seeing increases, AMD would bank on not just the generational IPC increase of its "Zen 5" cores, but also max out performance within the power envelope of the new node, by dialing up clock speeds. AMD could ride out 2023 with its Ryzen 7000 "Zen 4" processors on the desktop platform, with "Granite Ridge" slated to enter production only by Q1-2024. The company could update its product stack in the meantime, perhaps even bring the 4 nm "Phoenix" monolithic APU silicon to the Socket AM5 desktop platform. Ryzen 8000 is expected to retain full compatibility with existing Socket AM5, and AMD 600-series chipset motherboards.

Leading global motherboard manufacturer ASRock proudly announces its new series of Alder Lake-N motherboards. The new motherboards will be featuring the latest N100 SoC processor, 4 E-cores with a turbo frequency up to 3.4 GHz and Intel UHD Graphics supporting 4K@60Hz resolution, this passively cooled motherboard provides adequate performance as well as outstanding heat management.

The N100M is a M-ATX sized motherboard designed for smart buyers who is looking for a simple yet capable solution, with onboard USB Type-C, M.2 for both SSD & WiFi, the N100M can be easily built into a system that suits your need, and thanks to the onboard XXL CPU heatsink and fan-less design, it is able to perform a low noise ultra-silent computing experience.

GAMDIAS, a leading manufacturer of PC gaming hardware, today announced the release of the ATHENA P1 and ATHENA P1 LITE. These cases are specifically designed for gamers who demand the best in performance, aesthetics, and functionality. The ATHENA P1 Series features a perforated mesh design for top-tier airflow configuration, along with a spacious interior with an advanced cable management system that ensures a clean and organized setup.

The ATHENA P1 and P1 LITE cases are compatible with the latest GPU, accommodating lengths of up to 405 mm, with 7 reusable PCI-e slots offering flexible options to mount the graphic cards vertically. These cases also include an integrated cable routing cover for a more intuitive and clean building experience. The series offers the option to house up to 9 fans (3x120 mm / 3x140 mm fans in the front, 3x120 mm fans / 2x140 mm fans at the top, 2x120mm fans on the side, and one 120 mm fan in the rear). As for water cooling, the case supports up to a 360 mm radiator in the front and at the top. Measuring at 460 x 225 x 485 mm (DxWxH), the case is compatible with ATX, micro-ATX and Mini-ITX motherboards.

MSI has been in close contact with the AMD and has referred to their official technical guidance to provide users with a safer and more optimized hardware environment. To achieve this goal, MSI will release a new list of BIOS updates specifically for the AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPU.

According to AMD's design specifications, the Ryzen 7000X3D series CPU does not fully support overclocking or overvoltage adjustments, including CPU ratio and CPU Vcore voltage. However, AMD EXPO technology can be used to optimize memory performance by appropriately increasing the CPU SoC voltage to ensure system stability when operating at higher memory frequencies.

It seems like the long boot times that have plagued MSI's X670 and B650 motherboards might soon be nothing but a bad memory, as the company has issued UEFI updates for its motherboards that are said to cut the boot times in half. The company has added what it calls "Memory Context Restore" in the new UEFI releases, which speeds up the boot times significantly. MSI didn't provide any details as to what the feature does, but according to a post on MSI's forum, it is meant to avoid retraining of the RAM and is a feature that MSI had offered on past AMD platforms.

The chart below shows the boot times using two 16 GB DDR5-6000 modules from Kingston with EXPO and with Memory Context Restore enabled, the boot time goes from 43 to 22 seconds. The specific test system was using MSI's own MAG X670E Tomahawk WiFi motherboard, paired with an AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU.If you have an MSI X670 or B650 motherboard and want to take advantage of the new improved boot times, head over to MSI's website and downloaded the latest UEFI version for your motherboard.

ASUS has released an official statement regarding the recently discovered issues with AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPUs, especially the Ryzen 7000X3D series. ASUS has also released EFI updates on Friday, that include thermal monitoring mechanism to protect motherboards and CPUs and is working on new updates that should be available soon and define new rules for AMD Expo and SoC voltage, which appear to be the main issue related to the CPU VDDIO/MC voltages.

We have already covered the first reports of damaged Ryzen 7000X3D series CPUs that suffered physical damage, and some motherboard manufacturers have already released new BIOS updates, including MSI. In the meantime, Roman "Der8auer" Hartung has also discovered that the issue might not be just limited to the Ryzen 7000X3D series, but could also impact the Ryzen 7000 X-series CPUs. Although there were no earlier reports on such issues, AMD Expo appears to be the main source of the problem and users can either disable it or manually set the SoC voltage, at least until motherboard makers come up with new BIOS updates or we hear an official statement from AMD.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices, today announces the launch of the brand new B650MP-E PRO motherboard, designed to cater to the needs of home, office, and business users. The B650MP-E PRO motherboard supports the latest AMD Ryzen 7000 series processors with the AMD B650 single-chip architecture, making it an excellent choice for users who demand high performance and stability. It supports 4-DIMM DDR5 memory up to 128 GB, PCIe 4.0, and PCIe M.2 4.0 (64 Gb/s) for lightning-fast DATA transfer speeds.

Offering flag-ship tier features and exceptional computing performance, the B650MP-E PRO motherboard incorporates advanced technology, such as the A.I FAN, CPU OPT Header, 55 A Dr. MOS, Debug LED, Digital PWM, LED ROCK ZONE, VIVID LED DJ with RGB Sync, and 2.5Guard. These features ensure superior efficiency and performance, allowing users to optimize their computing needs to the next level. Moreover, the SMART BIOS UPDATE button and USB port ensure hassle-free BIOS updates, ensuring a reliable and error-free operation.

[Editor's note: Our in-depth review of Antec Performance 1 FT Case is now live]

With outstanding cooling performance and lots of useful features, Antec Inc. presents the latest flagship of full towers, the new Performance 1 FT. Featuring an airflow-enhanced front panel design, magnetic front filter, and four pre-installed PWM fans, this new chassis provides efficient airflow and great cooling performance. The case is now commercially available from MSRP US$159.99.

The new Antec flagship supports the latest RTX 40 Series GPUs. Considering the increasing demands for CPU and GPU cooling, Antec designed the Performance 1 FT to enhance the air intake, improve the cable routing, and enable an easy installation with various options. The new temperature display function allows to keep control of the components. The display screen located on the case top allows users to check the temperature of the GPU and CPU at a glance. It addresses the need for temperature monitoring without purchasing expensive cooling kits.

AMD and JEDEC are collaborating to create a new industry standard for DDR5 memory called MRDIMMs (multi-ranked buffered DIMMs). The constant need for bandwidth in server systems provides trouble that can not easily be solved. Adding more memory is difficult, as motherboards can only get so big. Incorporating on-package memory solutions like HBM is expensive and can only scale to a specific memory capacity. However, engineers of JEDEC, with the help of AMD, have come to make a new standard that will try and solve this challenge using the new MRDIMM technology. The concept of MRDIMM is, on paper, straightforward. It combines two DDR5 DIMMs on a single module to effectively double the bandwidth. Specifically, if you take two DDR5 DIMMs running at 4,400 MT/s and connect them to create a single DIMM, you get 8,800 MT/s speeds on a single module. To efficiently use it, a special data mux or buffer will effectively take two Double Data Rate (DDR) DIMMs and convert them into Quad Data Rate (QDR) DIMMs.

The design also allows simultaneous access to both ranks of memory, thanks to the added mux. First-generation MRDIMMs can produce speeds of up to 8,800 MT/s, while the second and third generations modules can go to 12,800 MT/s and 17,600 MT/s, respectively. We expect third-generation MRDIMMs after 2030, so the project is still far away. Additionally, Intel has a similar solution called Multiplexer Combined Ranks DIMM (MCRDIMM) which uses a similar approach. However, Intel's technology is expected to see the light of the day as early as 2024/2025 and beyond the generation of servers, with Granite Rapids likely representing a contender for this technology. SK Hynix already makes MCRDIMMs, and you can see the demonstration of the approach below.

For whatever reason, all of the AMD A620 chipset based motherboards that were announced on Friday, are not showing off the capabilities of the chipset and are in fact making it look worse than it is. AMD has no doubt limited the A620 platform, with some limitations that seem arbitrary, but the motherboards makers clearly haven't helped, as they've made the platform look very unattractive, when in fact it could be entirely acceptable, for a budget build. As you can see from AMD's feature matrix below, the company has removed a fair share of features compared to the B650 chipset, but for example, two 10 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports can be implemented. Despite this, only Biostar and Gigabyte have implemented one such port each, with ASUS, ASRock and MSI implementing zero.

Yes, the platform is limited to 65 W CPUs—assuming you want your CPUs boost behaviour to work as intended—which is likely to cause some issues, as it might not be clear to potential buyers that are looking for a cheap motherboard for their system and it's something AMD and its board partners need to communicate a lot better. However, the A620 platform has enough PCIe lanes for two M.2 drives and enough left for all the peripheral connectivity and some PCIe slots, yet most of the boards appear to shun a second M.2 slot for no apparent reason beyond the cost of the physical interface. It looks as if AMD's board partners have decided to try and cut back as much as they can in terms of features that we've ended up with boards that no sensible person should be buying, as the boards are barely fit for purpose. Time will tell if we'll see some better boards down the road, but it would appear that AMD's board partner would rather sell its potential customers a more expensive B650 board, based on the weak line-up of boards that launched on Friday.

It appears that the microATX form factor is the way to go when it comes to AMD A620 chipset based motherboards and ASUS has no less than three new models, although one is technically with or without WiFi. The new models are the TUF Gaming A620M-Plus, the TUF Gaming A620M-Plus WiFi and the Prime A620M-A. All three boards sport six layer PCBs with what appears to be fairly basic power regulation, although ASUS doesn't mention how many phases either model has on its product pages. All boards feature a single PCIe 4.0 x16 slot and two PCIe 3.0 x1 slots, as well as two M.2 NVMe slots that support PCIe 4.0 x4 based drives. All models also have four DDR5 DIMM slots, four SATA 6 Gbps ports and front panel connectors for a 5 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port and two 5 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports.

Around the back is where things differ a bit, as the TUF boards have two DisplayPort 1.4 and one HDMI port, as well as two 5 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, four USB 2.0 ports, a PS/2 port and a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port courtesy of a Realtek chip, as well a BIOS FlashBack button. The Prime board on the other hand replaces one DisplayPort output with a VGA connector for some reason and gets to make do with Gigabit Ethernet. The connectivity options aren't what we'd call impressive, but appears to be par for course compared to ASUS' competitors' products. Pricing appear to be in the range of €139-169.