ITX motherboards in that article as well, can't say I'm a fan (pun intended) of fans being back on the chipset / SSD cover. Gen 5 SSD's run hot so I guess they have to deal with that somehow !!!
 

Skripka

Cat-Dog Perch Manager
May 18, 2020
391
477
Because you have to change it in like 8 years?
Because you change a BIOS setting, and the board won't finish POST--first step of debug is to pull the CMOS battery. Putting it under a bolt-on heatsink makes a simple 30 second debug step require an hour of tearing apart your computer. It is horrid design.

It is like having your circuit breaker panel hidden behind your finished drywall. Yea it looks better, and you'll only need to access the damn thing once in a while....
 

Skripka

Cat-Dog Perch Manager
May 18, 2020
391
477
There's a button on the back for CMOS reset..
Didn't read the manual, I thought that was only for flashback. I'm used to never having one--because most AMD boards have never had one (like my x570 STRIX)
Or a good old jumper.
And you're advised in manuals that sometimes that may not work, in case pull the battery...which is *thougthfully* buried.
 

wertzius

Average Stuffer
Sep 13, 2022
63
44
Gigabyte B650I AORUS Ultra page is up - updated the table.

Seems to be one of the more expensive boards with several daughterboards, huge M.2 stack with heatsink and fan.
No option ticks really all the boxes for me. Might get the ASUS B650 or the Gigabyte depending on a good deal.
 

msystems

King of Cable Management
Apr 28, 2017
661
1,169
Does anyone who have the B650I AORUS know if you have to use the "Front panel" daughterboard ("GC-B650I FRONT CARD" or what you lose by not using it? It might interfere with a really compact case.

Edit: OK the diagram in the manual is really helpful.

Appears it provides two additional SATA and the full breakout for the 9pin switch header. So I guess if you don't use it, you can still use a 2-pin switch BUT you'll lose the PWR led and HDD led and RGB (12v). but not ARGB which is on the m.2 daughterboard.


Edit: Picture



Something to think about if there is limited space in front of the 24 pin
 
Last edited:

initium

Cable Smoosher
Mar 14, 2023
11
2
I'm thinking of buying the ASRock B650E PG-ITX. As a new PC builder, should I be worried that it doesn't have BIOS Flashback?
 

rfarmer

Shrink Ray Wielder
Jul 7, 2017
2,413
2,489
I'm thinking of buying the ASRock B650E PG-ITX. As a new PC builder, should I be worried that it doesn't have BIOS Flashback?
Check supported CPUs and if the one you are getting is supported it doesn't matter. Any future BIOS you will be able to flash.
 

initium

Cable Smoosher
Mar 14, 2023
11
2
Thank you rfamer
As a first time builder how would I go about flashing the BIOS without the BIOS Flashback button? I see a CMOS jumper, but I'm not sure if that's the same thing.
 

rfarmer

Shrink Ray Wielder
Jul 7, 2017
2,413
2,489
Thank you rfamer
As a first time builder how would I go about flashing the BIOS without the BIOS Flashback button? I see a CMOS jumper, but I'm not sure if that's the same thing.
If you look at supported CPUs here there are only 4 that are supported on the original BIOS. If you plan on getting one of the X3D or the non X they won't work if the motherboard you get still has the 1.05 BIOS, the only way to flash to an updated BIOS is to use one of the supported CPUs. If this board had BIOS flashback you could update it without using a CPU.