Asus PRIME B450M-A
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A simple and well-balanced microATX motherboard for the AM4 platform based on the AMD B450 mid-range chipset. It features a well-thought-out layout and small overall dimensions (244x240 cm), which allows it to be installed in compact microATX cases. Supports all 1st and 2nd generation AMD Ryzen 3,5,7 (Pro) processors (Summit Ridge, Pinnacle Ridge), including models with integrated Radeon Vega (Raven Ridge) and Athlon 200GE CPUs.
It is equipped with a six-phase processor power subsystem, made on the basis of high-quality components. The Asus PRIME B450M-A motherboard is positioned by the manufacturer as a low-cost product of the 2018 model year. Designed to create entry-level and mid-level home and office configurations. Equipped with four DIMM slots capable of accepting up to 64 GB of DDR4-2933/2666/2400/2133 RAM.
To build a high-speed disk subsystem, there is an M.2 port (high-speed NVMe SSD drives) and 6 standard SATA3 connectors. The network capabilities of the board are determined by the Realtek RTL8111H gigabit network controller, sound processing and output is carried out by the Realtek ALC887 7.1-channel audio codec. For connecting external drives and peripherals, there are 12 USB ports, including 2x USB 3.1 Gen2 (10 Gbps) and 6x USB 3.1 Gen1 (5 Gbps).
No overpayments
Motherboards of the PRIME series are inexpensive and designed for the most mass consumer. At the same time, as is often the case with Asus, the savings in design turned out to be as thoughtful as possible, and the functional set of the board looks modern and does not promise any connection problems in a few years. It includes four RAM slots with support for 3200 MHz high-speed brackets, DVI-D and HDMI video outputs, one M.2 output with NVMe, a bunch of third-generation USB ports, and the ability to synchronize the computer backlight using the Asus Aura Sync utility.
Friendly with Zen 2 and does not shy away from overclocking
Since this is an AMD B450-based device, this means that it supports all AMD Ryzen processors available on the market, as well as the new generation Zen 2 out of the box. In the latter case, you will need to update the BIOS. And not only supports, but also can provide overclocking within reasonable limits. Considering all of the above and the affordable price, the Asus PRIME B450M-A will serve with equal success both in a regular office PC and in a mid-range gaming machine.
fly in the ointment
Given that the price of the board is below the psychological mark of $100, it's quite difficult to find fault with something. Yes, the network controller and the audio chip are the simplest here, but this is tolerable. Instead, we would pay attention to the absence of radiators on the elements of the power subsystem. Therefore, if you plan to overclock, then first take care of good air circulation inside the case.
