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On March 30, 2021, Intel will introduce Rocket Lake 11th Gen, the newest generation of processors. We are aware that Rocket Lake brings PCIe 4.0 directly from the CPU and is anticipated to offer improved IPC performance over the Comet Lake architecture of the previous generation. Rocket Lake performs best with Intel’s premium Z590 chipset, which we have already examined 50+ variations of.

However, due to the high cost, users who do not intend to overclock the CPU can choose the more cost-effective B560 chipset. When compared to the earlier B460 models, the B560 adds a few new capabilities, such as support for Wi-Fi 6, up to four USB 3.2 G2 ports, and memory overclocking.

The B series chipsets from Intel are sometimes an underrated platform in terms of pure performance and are concentrated on low-cost computing. They typically offer a more restrained set of specifications at a lower overall cost. Intel has improved upon the B460 chipset’s characteristics in order to provide one of its greatest budget series chipsets in recent years. The chipset has three or four (if you add PCIe Gen4) intriguing new components, making it an intriguing option as technology and specific controllers become more accessible.

The Z590 and B560 chipsets from Intel’s 500 series are planned to work with both 10th generation Comet Lake and 11th generation Rocket Lake processors. Only a Rocket Lake processor, at least at the i5 level, paired with a Z590 or B560 motherboard will support PCIe 4.0.

Regardless of the motherboard model from the 500-series, one of the key advantages of PCIe 4.0 is going to be storage in addition to a complete PCIe 4.0 x16 slot for graphics. One PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slot will be enabled by the B560, and any further slots will be PCIe 3.0 from the chipset. Although this seems quite similar to Z590, the devil is in the specifics, as shown in the table below.

ASUS Prime B560M-A AC motherboard Specifications

Two full-length PCIe slots, one operating at PCIe 4.0 x16 and the other at PCIe 3.0 x4, as well as one PCIe 3.0 x1 slot, are provided by ASUS. Two M.2 slots are available for storage, one of which operates at PCIe 4.0 x4 and has a dedicated M.2 heatsink and the other of which is bare but supports SATA drives and operates at PCIe 3.0 x4. Four SATA ports, two with straight and two with right angles, are located in the bottom right corner of the boards and support RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 arrays. Both the ASUS Prime B560M-A AC motherboard and B560M-A offer four memory slots that can accommodate up to DDR4-5000 and up to 128 GB of capacity.

The ASUS Prime B560M-A AC motherboard variant differs from the standard B560M-A model in that it comes with an unidentified Wi-Fi 5 CNVi. Everything else on the rear panel is the same, including a PS/2 combination port, three 3.5 mm audio jacks powered by a Realtek ALC897 HD audio codec, and one Intel I219-A GigabitEthernet connector. One USB 3.2 G2 Type-C port, one USB 3.2 G2 Type-A port, and four USB 2.0 ports make up the USB connectivity. Three video outputs, including two HDMI and one DisplayPort, round out the rear panel.

ASUS Prime B560M-A AC motherboard Specs

CPU	Supports Intel® 14 nm CPUSupports Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 and Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0*** Refer to www.asus.com for CPU support list.** Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 support depends on the CPU types.
Chipset	B560
Memory	5000(OC)/4800(OC)/4600(OC)/4400(OC)/4266(OC)/4000(OC)/3733(OC)/3600(OC)/3466(OC)/3333(OC)/3200/2933/2800/2666/2400/2133 MHz Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory*Dual Channel Memory ArchitectureSupports Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (XMP)OptiMem II* 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i7/i9 processors support 2933/2800/2666/2400/2133 natively, others will run at the maximum transfer rate of DDR4 2666MHz.* 11th Gen Intel® processors support 3200/2933/2800/2666/2400/2133 natively.
Graphics	* Graphics specifications may vary between CPU types.** Intel® 11th & 10th Gen processors support DisplayPort 1.4 with max. resolution of 4096 x 2304 @60Hz. Please refer to www.intel.com for any updates.*** Only Intel® 11th Gen processors support HDMI™ 2.0 with max. resolution of 4K@60Hz, others will only support HDMI™ 1.4 with max. resolution of 4K@30Hz .Please refer to www.intel.com for any updates.
Expansion Slots	Intel® 11th &10th Gen Processors1 x PCIe 4.0/3.0 x16 slot(s)*- Intel® 11th Gen processors support PCIe 4.0 x16- Intel®10th Gen processors support PCIe 3.0 x16Intel® B560 Chipset1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slot (supports x4 mode)*1 x PCIe 3.0 x1 slots* Enable RST PCIe Storage Remapping for PCH attached PCIe slots to activate Intel® Optane Memory.
Storage	Supports 2 x M.2 slots and 6 x SATA 6Gb/s portsIntel®11th Gen ProcessorsM.2_1 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280- Only Intel® 11th Gen processors support PCIe 4.0 x4 mode, this slot will be disabled for other CPUsIntel® B560 ChipsetM.2_2 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280 (supports PCIe 3.0 x4 & SATA modes)*6 x SATA 6Gb/s ports* M.2_2 slot shares bandwidth with SATA_2.When M.2_2 slot is operating in SATA mode, SATA_2 will be disabled.
Ethernet	1 x Intel® 1Gb EthernetASUS LANGuard
Wireless & Bluetooth	1 x 1 Dual band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac + BT5.0
USB	Rear USB:Total 6 ports2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 port(s) (1 x Type-A + 1 x USB Type-C®)4 x USB 2.0 port(s) (4 x Type-A) Front USB:Total 7 ports2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 header(s) support(s) additional 4 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports1 x USB 2.0 header(s) support(s) additional 2 USB 2.0 ports1 x USB 2.0 header(s) support(s) additional 1 USB 2.0 ports
Back Panel I/O Ports	2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 port(s) (1 x Type-A, 1 x USB Type-C®)4 x USB 2.0 port(s) (4 x Type-A)1 x DisplayPort2 x HDMI™ port1 x Intel® I219-V 1Gb Ethernet port1 x ASUS Wi-Fi module3 x Audio jacks1 x PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse combo port
Internal I/O Connectors	Fan and Cooling related1 x 4-pin CPU Fan header(s)1 x 4-pin CPU OPT Fan header(s)2 x 4-pin Chassis Fan header(s)Power related1 x 24-pin Main Power connector1 x 8-pin +12V Power connector Storage related 2 x M.2 slots (Key M)6 x SATA 6Gb/s portsUSB2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 header(s) support(s) additional 4 USB 3.2 Gen1 ports1 x USB 2.0 header(s) support(s) additional 2 USB 2.0 ports1 x USB 2.0 header(s) support(s) additional 1 USB 2.0 portsMiscellaneous2 x AURA Addressable Gen 2 header(s)2 x AURA RGB header(s)1 x Clear CMOS header1 x COM Port header1 x Front Panel Audio header (AAFP)1 x LPT header1 x S/PDIF Out header1 x SPI TPM header (14-1pin)1 x 20-3 pin System Panel header with Chassis intrude function

ASUS Prime B560M-A AC motherboard Conclusion

The ASUS Prime B560M-A AC motherboard is unquestionably the best and most cost-effective option this year if you’re looking for a mid-range motherboard that’s reasonable, has amazing features, and supports the latest 11th Intel generation.

However, enthusiasts shouldn’t use this board because it doesn’t support CPU overclocking. As an alternative, consider the MSI Z590 PRO WiFi, which offers a terrific price-performance ratio along with a sizable number of VRM phases.

Is the ASUS Prime B560M-A AC motherboard Master good?

The ASUS Prime B560M-A AC motherboard appears to be a strong microATX alternative with a range of capabilities suitable for Intel’s 10th and 11th generation Core processors. What is “good” for you, though, will depend on your own requirements and tastes. Here are some things to think about:

Advantages:

Processor Compatibility: Provides a good selection of alternatives for CPU compatibility, including Intel Core CPUs from generations 10 and 11.

Memory Support: Offers support for DDR4 memory with a maximum frequency of 5000MHz (OC), enabling Intel XMP for memory overclocking.

Graphics: DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0 are supported for video output, depending on the CPU being utilized.

Expansion Slots: The B560 chipset has a PCIe 3.0 x16 slot (x4 mode) and a PCIe 4.0/3.0 x16 slot for 11th generation processors, enabling expandability.

Storage: Offers a variety of storage solutions with support for six SATA 6Gb/s connections and two M.2 slots.

Networking: Includes Intel 1Gb Ethernet and Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) with Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless connectivity.

USB Ports: Provides six USB ports on the back I/O in addition to several via internal headers.

Audio: Realtek 7.1 Surround Sound High Definition Audio CODEC is installed, offering a number of audio improvements.

The rear panel’s I/O ports include a number of connectors, including as Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi modules, audio jacks, and video outputs.

Special Features: ASUS Thermal Solution with M.2 heatsink, ASUS Q-Design features, and ASUS 5X PROTECTION III for improved protection.

Software Features: Armoury Crate, AI Suite 3, TurboV EVO, and AURA Sync for RGB lighting are among the ASUS-only software features.

Cons:

PCIe Slots: Although it contains PCIe slots, the way they are configured might prevent some of them from being used when other components are in use. Make sure to verify your unique needs.

Audio: Although it is compatible with 7.1 Surround Sound, the real audio experience may differ depending on personal taste.

Wi-Fi Standard: While Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) is supported, it is not the most recent Wi-Fi standard. It still offers dependable wireless access, though.

Form Factor: Compared to bigger ATX motherboards, this board’s microATX design may limit your possibilities for expansion.

In conclusion, it appears that the ASUS Prime B560M-A AC motherboard provides a decent mix of features for a microATX motherboard. Depending on your unique circumstances, including planned usage, expansion demands, and personal tastes, it may or may not be appropriate for you. 

Is the ASUS Prime B560M-A AC motherboard good for gaming?

The ASUS Prime B560M-A AC motherboard can be good for gaming, but its gaming performance is mostly reliant on the mix of components you select, such as the CPU and GPU. Here are some things to think about:

Processor Interoperability:

The motherboard is compatible with Intel Core CPUs from Generations 10 and 11, including gaming-ready variants.

2. Support for Graphics:

It supports HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 for video output, which is necessary for connecting your display, depending on the CPU being utilized.

3. Slots for PCIe

For 11th-generation processors, it has a PCIe 4.0/3.0 x16 slot that can support a graphics card for gaming. Other expansion cards, like sound cards or NVMe storage, can be installed in the extra PCIe slots.

4. Assistance with Memory:

The motherboard has Dual Channel Memory Architecture, which is advantageous for gaming performance, and supports DDR4 memory with a maximum frequency of 5000MHz (OC).

5. Options for Storage:

It has SATA connectors for conventional hard drives or SATA SSDs, as well as compatibility for M.2 storage, which enables quick NVMe SSDs.

6. Social Media:

The motherboard has Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) and Intel 1Gb Ethernet, which offer dependable internet access for online gaming.

7. Features of ASUS:

ASUS Q-Design and ASUS 5X PROTECTION III technologies add to the stability and longevity of the motherboard.

8. Sound Quality:

An immersive gaming experience can be enhanced by the Realtek 7.1 Surround Sound High Definition Audio CODEC with audio upgrades.

Taking into account

In general, the ASUS Prime B560M-A AC motherboard is a viable option for a gaming configuration, particularly when constructing a small system with a microATX form factor. For best gaming performance, match it with a powerful CPU and GPU. It’s also advised to study user reviews and look for updated specifications to make sure it meets your unique gaming requirements.

Which slots does the ASUS Prime B560M-A AC motherboard have?

Multiple expansion slots on the ASUS Prime B560M-A AC motherboard offer possibilities for connecting different components. The main expansion slots on this motherboard are as follows:

Slot for PCIe 4.0/3.0 x16:

This slot supports PCIe 4.0 x16 for Intel Core CPUs from the 11th generation.

For 10th Gen Intel Core processors, this slot supports PCIe 3.0 x16.

Slot PCIe 3.0 x16 (x4 mode):

In PCIe 3.0 x4 mode, this slot is in operation. When particular settings are employed, the bandwidth could be shared or restricted.

Slot PCIe 3.0 x1:

This is a PCIe 3.0 x 1 slot that can accommodate tiny peripherals or expansion cards.

Can you overclock with the ASUS Prime B560M-A AC motherboard?

Intel’s CPU and chipset overclocking guidelines contain some limitations. The Intel B560 chipset, upon which the ASUS Prime B560M-A AC motherboard is built, often permits memory overclocking (RAM), while CPU overclocking potential may be restricted.

Intel designates overclocking support to their unlocked “K” series processors (e.g., Core i9-11900K). B-series chipsets, such as the B560, typically include restrictions on CPU overclocking, nevertheless. On Z-series chipsets (e.g., Z590), overclocking is usually more flexible.

Using Intel XMP (Extreme Memory Profile), you may be able to overclock the RAM (memory) on the ASUS Prime B560M-A AC motherboard  and reach higher memory frequencies than the factory defaults.

How much power does the ASUS Prime B560M-A AC motherboard use?

With eight power stages, alloy chokes, and long-lasting capacitors for reliable power transmission, the ASUS Prime B560M-A AC motherboard appears to have an improved power solution 1. I was unable to locate the motherboard’s precise power consumption, though.

You can use a power meter to measure the power consumption of your entire system if you’re curious about how much power your computer uses. As an alternative, you may track the power usage of the parts in your computer by using a piece of software like HWMonitor.