The Aorus Master price doesn't make much sense at this time. The Taichi is a decent board but isn't spectacular at anything, though it does offer USB 4 support out of the box, which might be beneficial to you. That leaves Asus' E Gaming, which we think is the best high-end option here. Abundant Connectivity:USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C ® port and seven additional USB ports, PCIe 5.0 x16 SafeSlot, and HDMI ® 2.1 High-Performance Networking:On-board WiFi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth ® 5.2, and Intel ®2.5G Ethernet with ASUS LANGuard

I recently upgraded my gaming rig with the MSI MAG B650 Tomahawk WiFi Gaming Motherboard, and I must say, I am absolutely thrilled with the results. This motherboard has exceeded my expectations in every way, delivering an exceptional gaming and computing experience. The MSI MAG B650 Tomahawk also offers an abundance of connectivity options, including multiple USB ports, PCIe slots, and M.2 slots. This versatility allows you to expand your system with ease, whether you want to add additional storage, graphics cards, or other peripherals.Intel ® Z690 Mini-ITX AORUS Motherboard with Direct 10+2+1 Phases Digital VRM Design, Advanced Thermal Solution, Intel ® WIFI6 802.11ax, Intel ® 2.5GbE LAN, HDMI 2.0, RGB FUSION 2.0 However, the B650 Gaming X AX is a less attractive option since the Aorus Elite AX offers a superior product at the same price, boasting fourteen 70A power stages for the vcore VRM, PCIe 5.0 M.2 support, and eleven USB 3.2 ports. B650 motherboards have PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 support, similar to the high-end X670 motherboards. The most substantive difference is that X670 motherboards deliver more I/O options. Other than that, you still get access to the more essential features of Zen 4 at a more affordable price. Like the X670 Extreme (X670E), AMD will also offer an "extreme" version of the B650 chipset (B650E), which supplies at least one PCIe 5.0 expansion slot. Another viable option at this price point is the Gigabyte B650M Aorus Elite AX, which includes a dozen 60A power stages for the vcore VRM, albeit with just two PCIe expansion slots. It includes a PCIe 5.0-enabled M.2 port, an additional PCIe 4.0 M.2, eleven USB 3.2 ports, eight USB 2.0 ports, and WiFi 6E. Wi-Fi 6E 6GHz may depend on every country’s regulations and will be ready in Windows 10 build 21H1 and Windows 11.

For WiFi 6E support out of the box, either the MSI Pro B650-P WiFi or Gigabyte B650 Aorus Elite AX will serve you well. In comparison, Gigabyte's B650 Aero G appears to be a superior creator-type motherboard. The VRM is significantly upgraded with sixteen 90A power stages for the vcore. It also includes WiFi 6E and more USB 3.2 ports, making it a better board overall. the connection for the PCI-E16 (graphics card) is lower on the board, which is a pro AND a con. It's a PRO because it's easier to access the NVMe if you want to upgrade the SSD. But it's a con because it is so close to the bottom of the case where the power supply is located. It was harder to run cables to the bottom of the motherboard because of this (USB, audio, front panel wires). And there is barely an inch and a half of space between the huge graphics card and the bottom (see photo), and I have a FULL ATX case (side note, I think I will get a custom SERVER case next time... sheesh). Also, if you want to ADD another NVMe SSD, you will have to take OUT the graphics card to get to it. But this is true of other boards as well and can't be helped. Configure the fan's operating speed manually or use pre-configured Standard, Silent, Turbo, or Full Speed modes. By default, system fans will automatically switch to full speed if the temperature reaches 75° C. Aura On/Off mode (Stealth) Next-Gen M.2 Support: PCIe ® 5.0 M.2 slot cooled by a large heatsink to maximize performance and an additional PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot for more storageOn the other hand, the Riptide is a Micro ATX board, employing a dozen 50A power stages for the vcore. It manages to fit in four PCIe slots, though full usage is only possible with a single slot graphics card. It has two M.2 slots, with the primary slot being PCIe 5.0 compatible. It also features 9 USB 3.2 ports, eight USB 2.0 ports, a 2.5Gbit LAN, and WiFi 6E. Memory Support DDR5 6600+(OC)/6400(OC)/6200(OC)/6000(OC)/5800(OC)/5600(OC)/5400(OC)/5200(OC)/5000(OC)/4800(JEDEC) MHz

Then, we have the Asus Prime series, which includes the Prime B650M-A WiFi, Prime B650-Plus, and Prime B650M-A WiFi II. Unfortunately, we must recommend avoiding these. Like the ultra-affordable Gigabyte B650M K, the Asus Prime boards all use discrete MOSFETs, resulting in poor VRM thermals.

PLAY IN STYLE

Available only on processors featuring integrated graphics. Graphics specifications may vary depending on the CPU installed. We should stress that once VRM temps dip below 70c, it doesn't really matter which board runs cooler; for core-heavy productivity in a warm environment, all boards will perform exceedingly well. Even temperatures sub 80c are very acceptable and really, it's only the boards running at over 90c that we'd advise avoiding, especially in warmer climates.