ASUS has officially announced their line of B550 motherboards compatible with AMD’s 3rd generation Ryzen desktop processors. AMD announced its latest B550 chipset last April that would provide consumers with more affordable motherboard options apart from the high-end X570 line.
Motherboards based on AMD’s B550 chipset, including the ones unveiled by ASUS, all include 16 lanes of PCIe 4.0 connectivity for their primary PCIe slot as well as up to four USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports opertaing at up to 10 Gbps. ASUS has also implemented several features for their own line of boards, including WiFi 6, 2.5Gbps Ethernet, BIOS Flashback, and an upgrade to PCIe 3.0 for its built-in lanes. ASUS has announced eight new motherboards with three of the models featuring both WiFi and non-WiFi variants for a total of 11 new B550 motherboards across its ROG Strix, TUF Gaming, and Prime brands.
At the top of the heap is the ROG Strix B550 line, which includes the ROG Strix B550-E Gaming, ROG Strix B550-F Gaming (WiFi/non-WiFi), and the ROG Strix B550-I Gaming. Then there’s the more affordable yet durable TUF Gaming line including the TUF Gaming B550-Plus and the TUF Gaming B550M-Plus (WiFi/non-WiFi). Lastly, there are the mainstream Prime models, which includes the Prime B550-Plus, Prime B550M-A (WiFi/non-WiFi), and Prime B550M-K.
ROG Strix B550-E Gaming
The ROG Strix B550-E Gaming is the top-of-the-line B550 board from ASUS, which features a 14+2 power stage VRM, SLI and CrossFireX multi-GPU support with PCIe X16 SafeSlots, Intel 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, an PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot, and more.
| Size | ATX |
| Memory | 4 x DDR4 up to 4400+ (OC) |
| Multi-GPU | 2 x SLI, 3 x CrossFireX |
| PCIe | 2 PCIe 4.0 x16: x16, x8/x8 1 PCIe 3.0 x16: x4 2 PCIe 3.0 x1 |
| Storage | 1 x M.2 22110 (PCIe 4.0 x4 or SATA) 1 x M.2 22110 (PCIe 3.0 x4 or SATA) 6 x SATA 6Gbps |
| Networking | Intel I225-V 2.5Gb Ethernet 2×2 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) MU-MIMO; Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Audio | SupremeFX S1220A codec DTS Sound Unbound |
| USB | 3.2 Gen 2: 1 x Type-C, 2 x Type-A, 1 x front 3.2 Gen 1: 2 x front 2.0: 5 x Type-A, 4 x front |
| Thunderbolt 3 | 1 x internal header |
| Aura | 2 x strip headers, 2 x Gen 2 addressable headers |
| Cooling | 1 x pump headers 5 x fan headers |
ROG Strix B550-F Gaming (WiFi/non-WiFi)
The ROG Strix B550-F Gaming sits at the middle ground of the ROG Strix B550 line and is available in both a WiFi and non-WiFi variant. It features a 12+2 power stage VRM, Intel 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi 6, and more.
| Size | ATX |
| Memory | 4 x DDR4 up to 4400+ (OC) |
| Multi-GPU | 2 x CrossFireX |
| PCIe | 1 PCIe 4.0 x16: x16 1 PCIe 3.0 x16: x4 3 PCIe 3.0 x1 |
| Storage | 1 x M.2 22110 (PCIe 4.0 x4 or SATA) 1 x M.2 22110 (PCIe 3.0 x4 or SATA) 6 x SATA 6Gbps |
| Networking | Intel I225-V 2.5Gb Ethernet 2×2 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) MU-MIMO; Bluetooth 5.1 (optional) |
| Audio | SupremeFX S1220A codec DTS Sound Unbound |
| USB | 3.2 Gen 2: 1 x Type-C, 1 x Type-A 3.2 Gen 1: 4 x Type-A, 2 x front 2.0: 2 x Type-A, 4 x front |
| Thunderbolt 3 | 1 x internal header |
| Aura | 2 x strip headers, 1 x Gen 2 addressable headers |
| Cooling | 1 x pump headers 5 x fan headers |
ROG Strix B550-I Gaming
The ROG Strix B550-I Gaming is the line’s model for small builds with its mini-ATX form factor. It features an 8+2 DrMOS voltage regulator, a single PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, support for RAM speeds of up to 5100 MHz, and more.
| Size | Mini-ITX |
| Memory | 2 x DDR4 up to 5100+ (OC) |
| PCIe | 1 PCIe 4.0 x16 |
| Storage | 1 x M.2 2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4 or SATA) 1 x M.2 2280 (PCIe 3.0 x4 or SATA) 4 x SATA 6Gbps |
| Networking | Intel I225-V 2.5Gb Ethernet 2×2 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) MU-MIMO; Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Audio | SupremeFX S1220A codec DTS Sound Unbound |
| USB | 3.2 Gen 2: 1 x Type-C, 3 x Type-A, 1x front 3.2 Gen 1: 2 x front 2.0: 1 x Type-A, 2 x front |
| Thunderbolt 3 | 1 x internal header |
| Aura | 1 x strip header 1 x Gen2 addressable header |
| Cooling | 1 x pump headers 3 x fan headers |
TUF Gaming B550-Plus
The TUF Gaming B550-Plus is the full-sized model of the TUF Gaming B550 line and features a 8+2 DrMOS VRM, one PCIe 4.0 x16 SafeSlot, PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot, a BIOS FlashBack button, and several headers upgrade options with its Thunderbolt 3 header as well as an M.2 e-key slot for a WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 upgrade.
| Size | ATX |
| Memory | 4 x DDR4 up to 4400+ (OC) |
| Multi-GPU | 2 x CrossFireX |
| PCIe | 1 PCIe 4.0 x16: x16 1 PCIe 3.0 x16: x4 3 PCIe 3.0 x1 |
| Storage | 1 x M.2 22110 (PCIe 4.0 x4 or SATA) 1 x M.2 22110 (PCIe 3.0 x4 or SATA) 6 x SATA 6Gbps |
| Networking | Realtek RTL8125B 2.5Gb Ethernet |
| Audio | Realtek S1200A codec DTS Custom |
| USB | 3.2 Gen 2: 1 x Type-C, 1 x Type-A 3.2 Gen 1: 4 x Type-A, 2 x front 2.0: 2 x Type-A, 4 x front |
| Thunderbolt 3 | 1 x internal header |
| Aura | 2 x strip headers 1 x addressable headers |
| Cooling | 1 x pump header 5 x fan headers |
TUF Gaming B550M-Plus (WiFi/non-WiFi)
The smaller brother of the line, the TUF Gaming B550M-Plus features a microATX form factor and is available in both WiFi and non-WiFi variants. It features the same PCIe x16 and M.2 slots as its sibling although the latter is only compatible with up to 80mm components rather than the full 110mm ones.
| Size | mATX |
|---|---|
| Memory | 4 x DDR4 up to 4400+ (OC) |
| Multi-GPU | 2 x CrossFireX |
| PCIe | 1 PCIe 4.0 x16: x16 1 PCIe 3.0 x16: x4 1 PCIe 3.0 x1 |
| Storage | 1 x M.2 2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4 or SATA) 1 x M.2 22110 (PCIe 3.0 x4 or SATA) 4 x SATA 6Gbps |
| Networking | Realtek RTL8125B 2.5Gb Ethernet 2×2 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) MU-MIMO; Bluetooth 5.1 (optional) |
| Audio | Realtek S1200A codec DTS Custom |
| USB | 3.2 Gen 2: 1 x Type-C, 1 x Type-A 3.2 Gen 1: 4 x Type-A, 2 x front 2.0: 2 x Type-A, 4 x front |
| Aura | 2 x strip headers 1 x Gen2 addressable headers |
| Cooling | 4 x fan headers |
Prime B550-Plus
The first of the company’s mainstream Prime B550 line is targeted at more casual midrange builds. It still features two PCIe x16 slots for CrossFireX as well as two M.2 slots. It also features USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A & Type-C ports. Users may also add more connectivity options if they add the optional ThunderboltEX 3-TR card.
| Size | ATX |
|---|---|
| Memory | 4 x DDR4 up to 4400+ (OC) |
| Multi-GPU | 2 x CrossFireX |
| PCIe | 1 PCIe 4.0 x16: x16 1 PCIe 3.0 x16: x4 3 PCIe 3.0 x1 |
| Storage | 1 x M.2 2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4 or SATA) 1 x M.2 22110 (PCIe 3.0 x4 or SATA) 6 x SATA 6Gbps |
| Networking | Realtek RTL8111H Gigabit Ethernet |
| Audio | Realtek ALC 887 codec |
| USB | 3.2 Gen 2: 1 x Type-C, 1 x Type-A 3.2 Gen 1: 4 x Type-A, 2 x front 2.0: 2 x Type-A, 4 x front |
| Aura | 2 x strip headers 1 x addressable headers |
| Cooling | 1 x pump headers 5 x fan headers |
Prime B550M-A (WiFi/non-WiFi)
The Prime B550M-A offers almost the same features as its bigger brother but comes in a smaller microATX form factor. It’s also available in either WiFi 6/Bluetooth 5.1 or non-WiFi/Bluetooth variants.
| Size | mATX |
|---|---|
| Memory | 4 x DDR4 up to 4400+ (OC) |
| Multi-GPU | NA |
| PCIe | 1 PCIe 4.0 x16: x16 2 PCIe 3.0 x1 |
| Storage | 1 x M.2 22110 (PCIe 4.0 x4 or SATA) 1 x M.2 2280 (PCIe 3.0 x4 or SATA) 4 x SATA 6Gbps |
| Networking | Realtek RTL8111H Gigabit Ethernet |
| Audio | Realtek ALC 887 |
| USB | 3.2 Gen 2: 2 x Type-A 3.2 Gen 1: 4 x Type-A, 2 x front 2.0: 4 x front |
| Aura | 2 x strip headers 1 x addressable headers |
| Cooling | 4 x fan headers |
Prime B550M-K
The last and most affordable motherboard in the lineup is the Prime B550M-K. In spite being the most affordable model in the lineup and coming in a microATX form factor, the Prime B550M-K still features two M.2 slots, a single PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and four USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports.
| Size | mATX |
|---|---|
| Memory | 4 x DDR4 up to 4400+ (OC) |
| Multi-GPU | NA |
| PCIe | 1 PCIe 4.0 x16: x16 2 PCIe 3.0 x1 |
| Storage | 1 x M.2 22110 (PCIe 4.0 x4 or SATA) 1 x M.2 2280 (PCIe 3.0 x4 or SATA) 4 x SATA 6Gbps |
| Networking | Realtek 8111H Gigabit Ethernet |
| Audio | Realtek RTL8111H Gigabit Ethernet |
| USB | 3.2 Gen 2: 4 x Type-A 3.2 Gen 1: 4 x front, 2 x Type-A 2.0: 3 x front, 2 x back |
| Aura | 2 x strip headers 1 x addressable headers |
| Cooling | 3 x fan headers |
ASUS has yet to officially announce when the new lineup of B550 motherboards are set to arrive in the country and at what price but we’ll probably hear more about them soon in the coming weeks. More information on each of the new motherboards can be found on the official website.