Best B660 Motherboards

If you are researching around exhaustively to find a budget motherboard series that also gives top-tier performance then you will be interested in knowing that this is where your stressful quest comes to an end. The B660 motherboard series from Intel does what cannot be attributed to any other motherboard from the 600 series; it bridges the gap between the consumer choice of the superior and top score Z690 motherboards and the budget-friendly H610 motherboards.

What’s Different in B660 Series?

Before we delve into listing the best B660 motherboards according to our tests and other user reviews, it is important that we first quickly deconstruct the key differences between this series in comparison to H610, H670, and the Z690 motherboard series.

These contrasts will also help the readers in acknowledging the reasons that make the B660 motherboard one of the best Intel motherboards available for customers besides the Z690. In the same way, the B660 series has retained a large number of features from Z690 motherboards, it has excluded many traits as well.

Much like the H610 and the H670 motherboard series, the B660 series also does not possess the CPU Overclocking compatibility that the Z690 motherboards boast of. This factor indeed disappointed many users who were looking forward to having a budget motherboard series like the AMD B550 with CPU overclocking.

Therefore, if you are one of those users that opt for benefiting from pushing the CPU to its limit with P Core, E Core, and Base Clock Overclocking then this motherboard series is not for you. Nevertheless, if an unlocked CPU is not an issue, you will be interested in knowing that the Intel B660 motherboard series features Memory Overclocking that allows data to be transferred in a flash and thus boosting the PC performance even further.

Other differences include that compared to Z690 and H670 motherboard series, in the B660 motherboards PCIe 4.0 lanes have been halved from 12 to only 6 and the PCIe 3.0 lanes have been decreased to 8. There are no PCIe 5.0 lanes and the DMI 4.0 lanes have also been halved. However, the reduced number of PCIe lanes would not be an issue for an average user because one does not install more than 2 SSDs at a time. If you are willing to spend more on SSDs then the expensive Z690 or H670 will be more appropriate alternatives for you.

Another difference is that B660 motherboards lack RAID support but it would not be much of a concern if you do not have huge piles of files to handle. What’s similar in all of these motherboard series is that they support Intel Volume Management Device and Wi-fi 6E (Gig+). Moreover, the total USB Ports are 12 with the same number of 3.2 2×1 USB ports and the 3.2 2×2 USB as in the H670 motherboards as they are important.

The SATA 3.0 ports have also been narrowed down from 8 ports in the H670 and the Z690 series to only 4 ports in the B660 motherboards. However, all of these trimmings of features make sense if you consider the reasonable price tag of the B660 motherboards compared to their premium counterparts.

Best B660 Motherboards

It is possible that for some users the features offered by the Z690 and the H670 Intel motherboard series are beyond what they need and they are not willing to invest huge sums of money. In such a scenario, the B660 is an ideal motherboard to buy. But then the confusion arises, which B660 to buy? For you, there is no need to worry because we have got it covered.

After doing a lot of tests on our own and researching thoroughly we have gathered some of the best B660 motherboards currently available on the market. Without any further ado, here is a quick rundown of the best B660 motherboards available today.

  1. GIGABYTE Gaming X AX DDR4
  2. ASUS TUF Gaming B660 M-Plus D4
  3. ASUS ROG STRIX B660-I Gaming
  4. MSI MAG B660M MORTAR WIFI DDR4
  5. ASRock B660 Pro RS

1. GIGABYTE Gaming X AX DDR4

Best Budget B660 Motherboard

GIGABYTE B660 Gaming X

Reasons to Buy

  • Six audio jacks
  • High-end Capacitors
  • The layout ensures optimum airflow
  • RGB Fusion 2.0

Reasons to Avoid

  • No USB Type-C at back
  • Only 3 M.2 Connectors
  • 8 Power Phases
  • Only supports lower end Processors

After taking into account the user reviews from the Z690 motherboard that was released last year and working on the improvements needed, GIGABYTE has come up with their brand-new product series – The GIGABYTE B660 Gaming X that supports Intel’s LGA 1700 Socket. As soon as the Intel B660 chipset was announced, numerous budget B660 motherboards are becoming available but there is none like the GIGABYTE Gaming X and its variants including the GIGABYTE Gaming AX DDR4 that we will be talking about in detail shortly.

The reasoning behind placing this GIGABYTE motherboard, which supports 12th Generation Intel Core Processors, on top of the list is embedded in the fact that GIGABYTE Gaming AX DDR4 perfectly balances price and features – the characteristic that every gamer wants in a motherboard. Now let’s go over the features offered by the Gaming AX DDR4 and examine whether you should buy it or not.

What do we like about GIGABYTE Gaming X AX DDR4?

Starting with the rear IO, GIGABYTE has finally provided six audio jacks in its motherboard which is an upgrade as those of you that have purchased a GIGABYTE motherboard before will agree that three audio jacks were surely not enough. Adding more to the audio aspect of the GIGABYTE Gaming X AX DDR4, gamers will be content in knowing that this GIGABYTE motherboard features high-end capacitors that assist in ensuring that the gamers get as realistic sound effects as possible.

Not only that but the Gaming X AX DDR4 motherboard also features a noise guard that primarily sets apart the audio components of the boards and possible noise pollution.  The rest of the rear IO is sufficiently good as well, in the Gaming X AX DDR4 variant the users are also getting WIFI6 E 802.11ax 2T2R along with the 2.5G Ethernet. With this new addition, your wireless internet experience is bound to be smooth and two times faster than what it was at 1GbE networking. This will also ensure that your video streaming is without any unwanted disruption as well.

In addition to all that the Bluetooth 5 also offers a 4X range that enables data transmissions to be even faster and more efficient. Therefore, it is safe to say that as far as the connectivity of GIGABYTE’s Gaming X AX DDR4 is concerned gamers can rest assured.

Another important facet to be discussed is the internal expansions. We admire the design in which the M.2 connectors are laid out because it allows substantial airflow between the components. For instance, there is a gap between the PCIe gen4 x16 slot and the other two PCIe gen 4 x4 slots where two M.2 connectors are present. This space is momentous in providing optimum airflow not just to the M.2s that are prone to getting hot but also to the graphics card that will be present on the top slot.

For the users that are into heavy gaming, the Hybrid Digital VRM Design of Gaming X AX DDR4 is immaculate that ensures efficient delivery of power to the CPU and a much better thermal performance compared to the preceding series even under heavy loading. The performance of the motherboard is further boosted with the DDR4 XMP support that is compatible with 4400 MHz profiles and beyond.

Furthermore, GIGABYTE has also included the optimization of Hybrid cores on the Gaming X AX DDR4 motherboard. Through this CPU upgrade, the users can alter the E-core and the P-core activation and they can also adjust the voltages. By deactivating all E-cores the gamers can ensure maximum gaming performance with lower CPU temperature or they can experience full multi-core performance by activating all cores.

While we consider the Gaming X AX DDR4 as the best budget B660 motherboard currently available in the market, it is equally as competent in the gaming peripherals. This can be observed from the optimized thermal aspect of this GIGABYTE motherboard. An additional feature is the RGB FUSION 2.0 which allows the gamers to have some sense of personalization so they can build a unique gaming PC setup.

Related: Best RGB motherboards

We also appreciate the prime durability offered by the GIGABYTE’s motherboard and the components that it is made up of; for instance, the 12 V ATX 8 pin power connectors are solid-plated and in addition to offering an undisrupted power supply even when the CPU is overloading, they also increase the lifespan of the motherboard by sustaining heat. With Q-Flash Plus, you can easily update the BIOS without having any need to pair the CPU, graphics card, or even memory which saves a lot of user time.

Some of the other elemental GIGABYTE features that Gaming X AX DDR4 enjoys are the MOSFET Heatsink, Smart Fan 6, and the Copper PCB Design on the inner layer three of which improve the dissipation of heat and the cooling performance of the CPU. However, do not get swayed by the pros of buying this GIGABYTE Gaming X AX DDR4 motherboard. It is important that you also consider the reasons why some of the users might want to avoid buying this GIGABYTE motherboard. Continue reading to find out.

What we don’t like about GIGABYTE Gaming X AX DDR4?

The rear IO has been plastered with eight USB Type-A ports which are way more than what budget Z590 and Z690 motherboards in the market are providing. However, one major omission, which has disappointed many users and you should be wary of it as well, is the absence of USB Type-C connectors in the rear IO. Furthermore, unlike the GIGABYTE Z690 motherboard, the Gaming X AX DDR4 only comes with 3 M.2 connectors.

Another aspect of the X AX DDR4 that upsets the users is the CPU power situation. Again, compared to the 16 phases present on the budget GIGABYTE Z690 motherboards, the power phases provided in X AX DDR4 are only 8. Even though, these power phases are still 60 A which is commendable; however, with Gaming X AX DDR4 you only get one singular 8-pin CPU Power Connector.

Indeed, you can’t expect more from a budget motherboard like GIGABYTE Gaming X AX DDR4, however, the CPU situation is still disappointing because it limits the types of CPUs that you can connect with this board. For instance, you can forget hoping to connect a 12900K or a 12700K with this GIGABYTE motherboard or play around with the turbo speeds.

You will be stuck with using either an i3 or i5 class CPU from Intel with GIGABYTE X AX DDR4 but it is a price you have to pay for purchasing a budget motherboard. Furthermore, using the i3 or i5 class CPUs is not necessarily substandard because the GIGABYTE X AX DDR4 motherboard will provide you with every feature that you could need to use the respective CPUs at their full potential.

Testing Takeaways

GIGABYTE Gaming X AX DDR4 is undoubtedly among one of the best B660 motherboards currently available in the market considering the exceptionally built rear IO, a smart layout of the PCIe expansion that ensures peak airflow and decent VRMS. Not only that, but the Gaming X AX DDR4 provides the said features at a reasonable price making it the best budget B660 motherboard on the list too.


2. ASUS TUF Gaming B660 M-Plus D4

Best B660 Motherboard for gaming

ASUS TUF Gaming B660M-PLUS D4

Reasons to Buy

  • Aesthetic design
  • 10+1 Power Phases
  • Durable Connectors
  • Customizability

Reasons to Avoid

  • No CPU Overclocking
  • Small size
  • Socket 1700

Considered as one of the leading medium-ranged motherboards from ASUS, TUF Gaming B660M-Plus WI-FI has recently been launched into the market and is ready to take the 12th generation of Intel CPUs. We tested this ASUS B660 M-Plus motherboard on an i5 12600K CPU. ASUS is easily considered as one of the prominent brands that are labeled by gamers as the best for building their gaming setups. The same is true for their B660 motherboard series. They have a lot of variants in store in this regard but our topic of concern, for now, will be the WIFI D4 version of ASUS TUF Gaming B660 M-Plus.

What do we like about the ASUS TUF Gaming B660 M-Plus D4?

Kicking off with the pristine design offered by this ASUS motherboard, the black coolers, and the black dissipators catch one’s eyes right off the bat. Stainless steel rear IO is perfectly streamlined and corrosion-resistant; therefore, if you are one of those users like us that prefer to see their motherboard through their case then the ASUS TUF Gaming B660 M-Plus D4 is the right option for you. For the aesthetics enthusiast, the TUF Gaming Logo is present along with the congruous design. 

The thing about ASUS TUF that is cool is that it merges the game-specific features and up-to-date elements of Intel’s processors. The by-product of which is a highly durable motherboard like the TUF Gaming B660 M-Plus that has been engineered to provide an extensive cooling system and an improved power solution for marathon gamers.

With regards to the VRM design, the ASUS TUF Gaming B660 M-Plus features 10+1 power phases which are perfectly in sync with the demand for new Gen Intel Core processors. Another reason why these ASUS TUF motherboards are an ideal footing for those of you looking forward to building a battle rig is because of their excellent heat management system.

Several PCB layers protect the critical components of the motherboard from heat damage and also allow the users to increase the CPUs speed performance. Even the connectors of the ASUS TUF Gaming motherboards are top tier. These 4-Pin and 8-pin ProCool Connectors are durable and tight enough to ensure maximum contact which results in lower resistance and fewer connection hotspot or failures.

As far as temperature tolerance is concerned, gamers have nothing to worry about. The TUF Capacitors and TUF Chokes corroborate system stability by providing an undisrupted power supply to the CPU and improving the lifespan by increasing temperature tolerance by more than 50%.

Another great thing about ASUS TUF Gaming B660 M-Plus is that it is user-friendly even for customers that are hoping to build their gaming set up for the very first time. Normally, the customers spend most of their time finding compatible parts of the PC; however, with The TUF Gaming Alliance, the users can find the compatible PC components like CPU Coolers, cases, and memory kits easily. Perhaps the best part about ASUS TUF Gaming is that it offers a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot which is many times faster than the 4.0 PCIe slots that you normally find in budget motherboards.

To accommodate the PCIe 5.0 and its faster data transfer speed, the slots have been covered in a metal sheath known as SafeSlot. Another type of sheath present in ASUS TUF Gaming B660 M-Plus, the SafeDIMM sheaths, protect the memory modules from damage. The gamers that use this ASUS motherboard will not have to worry about electrostatic discharge or overcurrent and short-circuit damage, thanks to the ESD Guards, the TUF-LANGuard technology, and DRAM Overvoltage protection embedded in the ASUS TUF Gaming B660 M-Plus WIFI D4.

The continuous emphasis of the ASUS motherboards is on ease and convenient use. For instance, the M.2 Q-Latch on ASUS TUF Gaming allows the users to easily remove or install an M.2 SSD. This can be done without any use of technical tools. We also appreciate the attention to detail that ASUS has given to its B660 motherboard series because even the screws employed in M.2 slots are specialized so that you might not drop them or lose them.

Furthermore, it is equally important to note how much control a motherboard gives to its users. ASUS has done this through their exclusive software, Armoury Crate. With the help of this software, you can personalize the RGB lighting, have complete access to the Two-way AI Noise Cancellation or obtain any hardware information.

Other ways in which the ASUS Tuf Gaming B660 M-Plus provides its users an immersive gaming experience is through enhanced audio effects, guaranteed efficient operations with Intel WIFI 6 support, and 2.5 Gb Ethernet. Nevertheless, if the users still counter any issues the customer service support of ASUS is quite helpful.

What we don’t like about the ASUS TUF Gaming B660 M-Plus D4?

Starting with the basics, you cannot overclock the CPU with this ASUS motherboard. But then again, that is given for a B660 motherboard. In addition to that, the size of the ASUS TUF Gaming motherboard is smaller than we were expecting. However, on the brighter side, it can fit well in any CPU case. As for the socket and its compatibility, you will have to stay more cautious of the coolers you are going to purchase because socket 1700 is a bit different so of which you will have to be more mindful of what adapter you are going to use for the cooler.

Testing Takeaways

As you may have noticed yourself, there is not much we disliked about the ASUS Gaming B660 M-Plus WIFI D4 motherboard. It truly performed beyond our expectations even in the salt fog test that we performed to test the durability of this ASUS motherboard. While playing COD: Modern Warfare and PUBG on Intel i5 12600K the CPU temperature remained stable. Overall, it is a great component for those of you that are looking forward to building a gaming rig and being able to optimize it without needing to follow any complicated procedures.


3. ASUS ROG STRIX B660-I Gaming

Best B660 motherboard with WIFI

ASUS ROG Strix B660-I Gaming WiFi

Reasons to Buy

  • DDR5
  • PCIe 5.0 expansion
  • 8-layer PCB design

Reasons to Avoid

  • DDR4 slots would have been more appropriate
  • Only appropriate for low-end processors

There are not many Mini-ITX B660 motherboards present in the motherboard market which makes ASUS ROG STRIX B660-I rare and expensive. It is a direct competitor of GIGABYTE B660 motherboards and in some features such as audio and availability of M.2 slots, it even overtakes its GIGABYTE counterparts. This ASUS B660 motherboard has been specifically designed for heavy gamers and has even won awards for its original award.

What do we like about the ASUS ROG STRIX B660-I Gaming?

Not only is this ROG STRIX motherboard compact allowing substantial space for other PC components but it also enables the users to make the best use of the full potential of 12th Gen Intel Core CPUs. Although we have mentioned this ASUS motherboard as specializing in WIFI 6 that allows the users to benefit from rapid performance speed along with the two M.2 PCIe 4.0 slots, Rog STRIX B660 I Gaming WIFI also encompasses various other features ranging from enhanced AI controls to support for DDR5, PCIe 5 expansion, and customization.

Overall, this ASUS ROG STRIX B660 I motherboard is ideal for beginners who are aiming at becoming serious gamers. With compatibility for LGA 1700 socket, you also get LGA 1200 socket holes in case any user feels the need to use their older coolers which is a convenient option to have. What’s also interesting about this ASUS ROG STRIX motherboard is that it offers USB Type-A with 10 Gbps in speed which is a lot faster than the USB Type-C port present on the board.

Compatible even with the latest Intel processors, the ASUS ROX STRIX Gaming motherboard offers 8+1 power phases. To ensure the efficiency of the power supply, ASUS has employed capacitors of high quality that have supreme tolerance to high temperatures. This in turn assists in increasing the overall durability of this ASUS B660 I motherboard. The eight-layer PCB design of the circuit board in and of itself is quite effective in regulating the heat throughout the system, especially in the surroundings of voltage regulators.

Memory Overclocking is the core of ASUS ROG STRIX B660-I Gaming WIFI Motherboard. Whether the memory modules are elementary with locked PMIC or they are fast-functioning ones, ASUS ROG STRIX motherboard drives the frequency to its maximum for DDR5.  ASUS has also gone the extra mile by assessing the needs of users that perhaps might be unfamiliar with memory overclocking. To fulfill this purpose the WIFI variant of ROG STRIX Gaming B660-I also includes ASUS Enhanced Memory Profile.

Even by appearance, ROG STRIX is attractive to a user’s eye with its aesthetically pleasing black stealthy body and the ROG logo present on the heatsink. In addition to all that, through the exclusive software of ASUS ROG and the well-known UEFI BIOS, the users have complete control over features that enhance the gaming experience of the users such as audio management or the tweaking of their rig.

The AI Suite 3 technology employed by ASUS in this B660-I Gaming WIFI Motherboard is commendable as it fine-tunes the statistics of the system such as voltage settings, the optimization of power consumption, or tuning the mode of the fans automatically. ASUS has prioritized providing the users with utmost customizability and control with ROG STRIX B660-I Gaming WIFI.

What we don’t like about ASUS ROG STRIX B660-I Gaming WIFI?

So far it might seem that the ASUS ROG STRIX Gaming motherboard is close to perfect. Well, that could have been true if not for the DDR5 slots. This is because the DDR4 slots would have been more appropriate for a motherboard like ASUS ROG STRIX B660-I Gaming WIFI. After all, it is not a flagship product of ASUS but rather it inclines more towards the budget side.

Unlike the Z690 series, the B660 is supposed to be more affordable for the users yet the DDR5 sticks are not even close to being affordable. This matter can be concerning for customers that are budget conscious.

Furthermore, the power phases of 8+1 OF B660-I did not impress us either if we are to compare it with the ASUS Z690 ATX counterpart of the ASUS ROG STRIX Gaming B660-I WIFI motherboard that has power phases of around 10+1.

Testing Takeaways

We found the board to be pretty well-executed not just with design in perspective which is admirable but also performance-wise excluding the couple of things we have mentioned above. However, we would not call those factors extremely disappointing and thus they can be set aside. We also tested COD: Modern warfare and PUBG using this motherboard and the same i5 12600K processor. If you love 12600K processor, here is a list of the best motherboards for i5 12600K.

The CPU temperature was lower than the ASUS TUF motherboard. As far as data transfer speed is concerned or regulation of temperature or the advanced audio solution, ASUS ROG STRIX B660-I Gaming WIFI motherboard checks all the boxes and provides its users with an all-around performance.


4. MSI MAG B660M MORTAR WIFI DDR4

Best Micro ATX B660 Motherboard

MSI MAG B660M Mortar WiFi DDR4

Reasons to Buy

  • Premium hardware
  • High-quality Cooling System
  • 14 Power Phases

Reasons to Avoid

  • Fewer PCIe lanes
  • Few USB Ports
  • Only two M.2 sockets

Mid-priced B660 motherboards offer more features than a low-price Z690 motherboard with the only feature that would be absent would be the obvious Processor Overclocking. The best example of such a scenario would be MSI MAG B660M MORTAR WIFI DDR4. Even compared to its flagship Z690 counterparts, the MSI MAG B660M covers all features required by users except for the fact that they are few but present. For instance, the PCIe expansion lanes or the USB port accessibility.

What do we like about MSI MAG B660 MORTAR WIFI?

Whether it is an exclusive feature of MAG B660M MORTAR or a basic one, MSI has worked on all of these to foster improvements for this variant. Starting with the hardware of MAG B660M MORTAR, MSI has given a premium touch to it by including components that are of high quality and durability. The next candidate to be discussed is the exemplary cooling system supported by MSI MAG B660M MORTAR.

To keep the temperature at a minimum, MSI has opted for an extension of the PWM-supported heatsink. The design of the circuit has also been upgraded to allow even the high-core Intel Processors to function at their full potential and speed. Not only that but with the MSI BIOS you choose different target temperatures so that you can keep the speed of your CPU fans in check all the time. Furthermore, the AI Cooling used by MSI in MAG B660M MORTAR includes automatic adjusting of the fan after finding changes in GPU or CPU temperature which is quite helpful for users.

Unlike any other budget motherboard that we have included in this list of best B660 motherboards, MAG B660M MORTAR offers a total of 12+1+1 power phases and 8-pin power connectors. Owing to this factor, playing heavy games on this motherboard will not pose a problem. The stable CPU voltage and short-circuit damage protection ensure that the current supply to the CPU is much faster and undisrupted. In addition to that, the motherboard comes with 6 PCB layers to ensure the reliability of the data transfer speed.

MSI MAG MORTAR also assists the PC set-up builders by providing an IO shield that is pre-installed.  With Gen 4 M.2, the users are also guaranteed lightning-speed storage with 64 Gb/s speed which is praise-worthy. Another aspect that adds to the reliability of MSI MAG MORTAR B660M is the partnerships that MSI has established with leading brands like CORSAIR and Kingston to ensure that the customers get the best memory overclocking experience.

Furthermore, to allow the gamers to have the best immersive gaming experience the MSI MAG MORTAR includes high-bandwidth 2.5G LAN Ethernet and WI-FI 6. What we found interesting was that while the competitors of MAG MORTAR B660M provide USB speeds up to 5 Gbps or 10 Gbps, MSI 3.2 Gen 2×2 USB ports allow speeds up to 20 Gbps!

Related: Best Motherboards With Wi-Fi

What we don’t like about MSI MAG B660M MORTAR WIFI?

The downsides of purchasing B660M MORTAR WIFI DDR4 are that it offers fewer PCIe lanes and PCIe port configurations. The DMI interface lanes are also narrower and the total number of USB ports is fewer than the competition as well. We did notice from our tests that there was a drop in gaming performance with this variant making this chipset not an ideal choice if you are trying to use this motherboard to make the best out of gaming; therefore, competitive gamers should look for other options.

Furthermore, we did not appreciate the presence of only two M.2 sockets but honestly, we were not expecting much from a motherboard of this range. But do stay mindful of the fact that at this price point you can get some of the lower-end Z690 motherboards that provide CPU overclocking, unlike B660M MORTAR WIFI DDR4. Therefore, you should know where your priority lies.

Testing Takeaways

It is true that MSI has overlooked some luxurious features in MAG B660M MORTAR WIFI DDR4 but then again with the B660 series it is good to build a more affordable PC setup. Overall, MSI has done a splendid job with this B660M motherboard.


5. ASRock B660 Pro RS

Best B660 Motherboard for 12400

ASRock B660 Pro RS

Reasons to Buy

  • Efficient Layout
  • Polychrome RGB illumination
  • Reinforced Steel Slot

Reasons to Avoid

  • Only 8 power phases
  • Only appropriate for low-end processors
  • Mediocre appearance

Gaming set-up builders that opt for Intel’s Core i3 or Core i5 should give more attention to the B660 motherboard series rather than investing so much money on the costly Z690 motherboards. The same goes for the ASRock motherboard users.

ASRock B660 Pro RS in particular deserves more attention because this ASRock motherboard series is not only light on one’s pocket, but also fulfills all requirements an average gamer using Core i5 can have. From reasonable price to an admirable PCIe expansion, ASRock has amalgamated all important features a competitive budget motherboard should have into its B660 Pro RS motherboard.

Related: Best Z390 motherboards

What do we like about ASRock B660 Pro RS?

The best advantage of this ASRock motherboard is for the customers that intend on using lower-power chips, for instance, Core i5 12400 or Core i3 12100 Processor. You get the standard 8 Power Phases with the ASRock B660 Pro RS and mediocre cooling at the top. We had no issue with the four SATA ports that are available on this ASRock motherboard and the layout of components present is unproblematic as well.

The most prominent feature that ASRock has emphasized on this B660 Pro motherboard is the audio experience. With the removal of unnecessary noise interference, cancellation of echo, and stabilizing of an input voice, ASRock B660 Pro RS ensures the utmost gaming experience in this aspect.

Another admirable feature of ASRock B660 Pro RS is the Polychrome RGB illumination which can be synchronized with other PC components such as fans and coolers. Furthermore, with a reinforced steel slot the connection is stronger and several 4.0 M.2 SSDs can be attached to this motherboard allowing faster data transfer speed. In addition to that, it is great that ASRock has included Intel Gigabit Lan, Base Frequency Boost technology for K-series CPU, and an 802.11ac WIFI. What also grabbed our attention was how quickly we were able to update the firmware without any inconvenience.

What we don’t like about ASRock B660 Pro RS?

For starters, this ASRock motherboard lacks any fancy features or any elaborated cooling systems that most of the other competing motherboards possess and are the attractive majority of users. Therefore if you are more into superfluous qualities of a motherboard or aesthetic appearance then we do not recommend this motherboard to you. Concerning the design of this B660 Pro RS motherboard, ASRock has used more of a back-to-basics phenomenon. Furthermore, the motherboard looks much better in pictures than at hand.

One of the major disappointments is the absence of PCIe gen 5.0 x16. Power supply and its regulation is not commendable and the size of heatsinks can pose a problem.  Some users rather find it frustrating that ASRock has only offered 3.2 gen 1 USB support on ¾ of its USB headers and the only alternative option is the much slower support of USB 2.0. The maximum speed offered by these USB ports is 5Gbps whereas the minimum should be 10 Gbps.

As long as you are employing low-power processors, you will not face any problems. However, if you try to upgrade the processor to high-power chip processors like i9-12900K you will be met with failure. Even though ASRock B660 Pro RS supports Core i9, you will have to take various precautionary measures for it to function properly. Through this Race Pro variant, ASRock had planned to evolve its in-demand PRO motherboard series but unfortunately, we cannot say they were entirely successful.

Testing Takeaways

We applied several performance tests on the B660 Pro RS motherboard and observed that it is not as fast as the other candidates on this list and the relative temperature of the motherboard are higher as well. Indeed, we were not expecting much from a low-priced motherboard like ASRock B660 Pro RS. However, we would have rather preferred to test a relatively expensive ASRock motherboard that would include extra important features that ASRock has overlooked in its B660 Pro RS motherboard series such as 10 Gbps USB.


B660 VS H610:

For starters, H610 is an entry-level chipset whereas the B660 chipset falls in the spectrum between H610 and the flagship Z690 chipset. The difference lies in the features offered in the I/O. While the B660 offers quite a several useful features in the I/O, the H610 chipset on the other hand only provides very basic features with the absence of NVMe slots.

Furthermore, these chipsets also vary in the number of PCIe lanes they offer. For instance, the B660 series offer around Gen 4th 6 PCIe lanes or Gen 3rd 8 PCIe lanes. There are no 4th Gen PCIe lanes in H610 but it does provide the Gen 3rd 8 PCIe lanes. Moreover, both of the chipsets are also distinct concerning the Gbps their USB offers; the B660 series provides USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 ports with 20 Gbps speed and the H610 USB ports have a speed below 20 Gbps. Unlike most H610 motherboards, B660 chipsets also support memory overclocking.

Takeaways

If you are hopes of purchasing a budget motherboard that produces satisfactory results concerning performance and power, then it would be best for you to buy the B660 series motherboard. Although there will be some features that will be excluded in comparison to the top Z690 chipset; nevertheless, the B660 motherboard will get its job done without any major issues.

Amongst the ASUS, GIGABYTE, ASRock, and the MSI motherboard chipsets that our team tested, the most promising one was probably the MSI B660M MORTAR WIFI DDR4. This is because even though all of these variants lie in the same range, the ASUS and GIGABYTE motherboards are only recommended for lower-end processors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does B660 support the 13th Gen?

Not as of now. All B660 chipsets support 12th Gen Intel Processors maximum. However, it is rumored that with a BIOS update sometime in the future, Raptor Lake 13th Gen CPUs can be supported.

Can you Overclock B660 Motherboard?

In the default, Intel form, CPU overclocking of a B660 motherboard is not possible. However, some experiments show that Overclocking with a B660 motherboard is possible with Non-K Alder Lake processors using the BCLK method.

Can B660 overclock K CPU?

No, the B660 chipsets are not capable of allowing Overclocking of K processors but if you are trying it on a Non-K CPU then it might just be possible.

Does B660 support DDR4?

Yes, there are B660 series motherboards available in the market that support up to 128 GB of DDR4 and those supporting DDR5 are also present.

Does B660 have PCIe Gen 5?

Yes, almost all of the LGA1700 socket-supported motherboards include PCIe Gen 5 including the Z690 and the B660 series. Although, the number of PCIe Gen 5 slots varies across the line-up.

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Mathew Bradford

Hey! Mathew Bradford Here, A proud member of GamingExpert Team. I love playing games with new gaming gadgets. Our team is here to help you find the best gaming products, reviews of videos games and to help you decide which one is best for your. You can contact me if you need further assistance.