Introduction

It might come as a surprise to some that there's actually a white version of the ASUS ROG Strix B850-I Gaming Wi-Fi that we looked at a year ago. It's tricky to get hold of with ASUS not making it widely available, which is a shame for anyone building a white Mini-ITX PC.

This is not an exact copy of the original motherboard, though, having launched some time after the original with some physical upgrades in addition to more recent software elements to consider. With the form factor pool being so small, it's worth another look even if it's physically very similar to the first model.



Not differing massively means that it has similar positives and negatives to the original too. It has a solid specification, actively cooled VRMs, dual PCIe Gen 5 M.2 ports, an excellent EFI, and four fan headers. However, it also has a hefty price tag, which is even higher than the original thanks to an apparent white theme premium. There are plenty of questions to ask to see whether it's worth a look, even if you can get hold of one.

Specifications

Packaging and Contents

As well as a Q-Antenna compatible Wi-Fi antenna, cable tie package, two SATA cables and a quick start guide, ASUS includes various M.2 SSD installation components such as a Q-Slide and components for installing SSDs shorter than the usual 2280 form factor. The M.2 backplate rubber package is a particularly important accessory as it supports single-sided SSDs, ensuring they make good contact with the heatsink above. This makes a difference to temperatures, but is only useful on the topside M.2 port. You also get an ROG keychain and sticker set.

The full list of accessories includes:

• 1x Wi-Fi Q-Antenna
• 2x SATA cables
• 1x Cable ties package
• 1x M.2 backplate rubber package
• 1x M.2 backplate Q-Latch package
• 1x M.2 screw package
• 1x ROG keychain
• 1x ROG Strix sticker
• 1x Quick start guide