Unleashing Power: A Dive into the ASUS ROG Strix B860-A Gaming Wi-Fi Experience

Introduction

If you have been anticipating a more affordable method to embrace Intel’s Core Ultra series, the embargo on B860 motherboard reviews is now lifted for those uninterested in overclocking. Notably, AMD benefits from overclocking support extending to more budget-friendly chipsets such as the recently launched B850, as well as the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, which has outsold nearly all competitors combined, significantly surpassing Intel as well. Despite unimpressive reviews and recent updates failing to shift perception for Intel, for dedicated Intel supporters, today marks an important occasion and leading the charge is the ASUS ROG Strix B860-A Gaming Wi-Fi.

Recently unveiled at CES, budget-friendly Intel Core Ultra 200 CPUs are expected to hit the market shortly. Along with their reduced heat generation and power consumption compared to older models, the improved performance, coupled with cheaper motherboards and lower cooling expenses should enhance the overall appeal of the platform. Naturally, all hinges on pricing, which was still pending confirmation at the time of this writing; however, options in the higher-end tier such as this one likely won’t leave you much change from $400. It is worth noting that there will certainly be less expensive B860 alternatives available than this model. Builders aiming for a clean, white aesthetic will surely want to consider it, while those with darker cases might prefer the ROG Strix B860-F Gaming Wi-Fi instead. Both models share similar features, the main distinction being that the board under review today opts out of Thunderbolt 4 in favor of USB4. In many respects, B860 reflects the technological divide found between B850 and X870, with shared technologies like Wi-Fi 7 and PCIe Gen 5 support, though PCIe Gen 5, in this instance, is confined to the primary x16 slot and one M.2 port. Upgrading to Z890 generally provides additional M.2 PCIe Gen 5 capable ports and includes Thunderbolt 4 as standard.

It features the same sizable heatsink for PCIe Gen 5 SSDs found on other ASUS motherboards, with the PCBs of both AMD Socket AM5 and Intel LGA1851 boards exhibiting quite comparable attributes. Regarding LGA1851, our system is fully updated, incorporating the various performance enhancements that Intel has announced in recent weeks. We will also be rolling out more boards for Core Ultra 200 CPUs throughout the remainder of this month.

Specifications