Motherboard [SFFn] ASRock's B450M Pro4 - M-ATX, Fully Featured

[confusis]

Micro-ATX, the oft-ignored form factor, stuck between the expandability (and HUUUUGEness) of ATX and the size of M-ITX. For generations, the M-ATX market segment has been filled with mediocre boards from a cursory glance, leaving folks to go to one extreme or the other instead. In fact, I have mused publicly in the past on this, a sad perspective of the middle child of the PC world.

ASRock has long been a stalwart of high density computing options, with the DeskMini range, insane Mini-ITX boards and the like - I was intrigued to see what their B450M Pro4 has to offer a modern consumer, shopping in the low to mid price range - can we get the same level of density on a cheaper board? Let's see.

Read more here.

 

[el01]

#OneChipToRuleThemAll

Could you put a circle or something over the one chip? I had a bit of trouble finding it....

I really wish ASUS would do an M-ATX version of the Maximus/Crosshair boards... That would be truly great... (kinda like the old Gene series but more overkill). At least the X399M Taichi by ASRock is kinda a step in the right direction...

 

[annasoh323]

I originally was planning to build my first PC in a mATX form factor. At the time, I didn't know that mITX existed. I'm glad I did find out because mITX meets my current needs far better and has been loads of fun. Still, I know a time will come when I'm going to want/need more PCIe slots without trying to barter with a bifurcation device. mATX may or may not be worth revisiting. I don't have a solid idea of what such a need would look like but I'm glad we also have enterprising individuals on the forum that also serve the mATX form factor.

I swear, I'm not just looking for an excuse to build another computer... Besides, confusis alluded to my other mortal vice in his review which is competing for my limited dollar$: hi-fi audio. Of all the things I could have gotten into, it had to be expensive computers and fancy music equipment...

 

[kogepathic]

The Realtek chip here is a RTD2845D Displayport controller chip, sitting snugly near the DisplayPort…port.

I must be missing something. There is no DisplayPort output on this board. What's the purpose of this chip? It seems to be limited to 1080p from the Realtek specs page, so is it being used to provide the VGA or DVI output?

HDMI output only supports 4K at 30Hz

Does the USB-C port on the board support DisplayPort alternate mode? It's not mentioned anywhere in the article, or on ASRock's website.

I will throw money at the first manufacturer offering a board that has multiple DisplayPort/HDMI outputs in mITX/mATX form factor. VGA and DVI are dead, please stop including them in new designs.

 

[confusis]

Le derp - I meant to state that it was next to the HDMI port and got carried away! The chip is quoted as a "Advanced All-in-one DisplayPort LCD Monitor Controller" So I'm not sure what it's doing there..

 

[Legion]

I will throw money at the first manufacturer offering a board that has multiple DisplayPort/HDMI outputs in mITX/mATX form factor. VGA and DVI are dead, please stop including them in new designs.

https://www.aorus.com/product-detail.php?p=804&t=53&t2=57&t3=121

Review: https://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/gigabyte-aorus-b450-i-pro-wifi-review,1.html

2x HDMI 2.0 and 1 DisplayPort, both support 4k@60hz
No analogue ports.

Sorry for the thread hijack John.

 

[Choidebu]

*cue throwing money at screen*

 

[ChinStrap]

Realtek ALC892

was hoping for 1220. still looks like a decent board.

 

[jho]

Very hard to believe you got a Ryzen 5 1600 to run at 4,5GHz. It's higher than any overclocked 2000 series Ryzen chip out there (at least what I've seen in reddit).

 

[confusis]

It wasn't a fully stable 4.5GHz, just a quick test to see where the limits were

 

[Soul_Est]

It wasn't a fully stable 4.5GHz, just a quick test to see where the limits were

That alone is still very impressive.

 

[el01]

That alone is still very impressive.

Is this an ASRock thing? I think my friend got 3.9 GHZ and 3200 on a 2933 RAM kit with the stock cooler on a 2200G!

 

[Soul_Est]

Is this an ASRock thing? I think my friend got 3.9 GHZ and 3200 on a 2933 RAM kit with the stock cooler on a 2200G!

I think it's more an AMD thing. My 2700X hits 4.5 GHz max on its best core using the stock cooler (check my latest post in the Full Circle thread). Without the timings on the RAM, we can't tell if that 3200MHz works well for the CPU side of the 2200G or not. Still very good though.

 

[el01]

I think it's more an AMD thing. My 2700X hits 4.5 GHz max on its best core using the stock cooler (check my latest post in the Full Circle thread). Without the timings on the RAM, we can't tell if that 3200MHz works well for the CPU side of the 2200G or not. Still very good though.

I think it was auto CL? IDK...

 

[mekky]

Got the mobo about two weeks ago to replace a dead X99 setup with a Ryzen 2600, just managed to fit everything I wanted in there (re-used a GTX 980Ti, Xonar Essence STX and Intel CT1000 nic).

Built into a Lian Li V600FB, with a Seasonic 1200W Platinum (overkill i know, but re-using parts from that build). Should probably take some photos if I can be bothered tidying up the cabling.

 

[NFSxperts]

good review. Good to know its somewhat decent at overclocking.
I'm either going to upgrade to 2700/B450MPro4 or get a 2070. (upgrading for 2500k)