The Intel B560 Motherboard Overview: 30+ Budget Models Starting from $75
by Gavin Bonshor on March 29, 2021 7:00 AM ESTASRock B560M Steel Legend
The ASRock B560M Steel Legend is essentially a cut-down version of its ATX B560 Steel Legend, with similar features with a smaller micro-ATX footprint. Going from ATX to micro-ATX, the reduction in size is generally achieved by lowering PCIe slot count, as the PCB lost is almost always from the bottom. Design-wise, it uses a grey, black and white urban camouflage patterning on the PCB, with silver and grey heatsinks. ASRock includes limited integrated RGB LEDs along the right-hand side of the board, which allows users to create an underglow effect.
ASRock includes a single full-length PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, with two PCIe 3.0 x1 slots. Memory support consists of four memory slots that can accommodate up to DDR4-4800 with a maximum capacity of 128 GB. For storage, ASRock has included two M.2 slots with the top slot operating at PCIe 4.0 x4, while the second operates at PCIe 3.0 x4 and includes support for SATA drives. There is a total of six SATA ports with two along the bottom with straight-angled connectors and four with right-angled connectors, and all feature support with RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 arrays. For users looking to add Wi-Fi, there's also an M.2 Key E slot as this board doesn't come equipped with a wireless CNVi.
The rear panel includes four USB 3.2 G1 Type-A ports and two USB 2.0 ports, with an HDMI and DisplayPort video output pairing for users planning on using Intel's UHD integrated graphics. ASRock is using a single Realtek RTL8125BG 2.5 GbE controller, with five 3.5 mm audio jacks and S/PDIF powered by a Realtek ALC807 HD audio codec. Last on the rear panel is a PS/2 combo port which is designed for use with legacy peripherals.
At the time of writing, ASRock hasn't unveiled any pricing information for the B560M Steel Legend.
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siggidarius - Monday, March 29, 2021 - link
With pricing like that for both motherboards and cpus, and good availability Intel is becoming a great value option.Personally I don't see why I'd choose AMD cpu in 200-350USD bracket with local prices.
ballsystemlord - Monday, March 29, 2021 - link
"Intel great value option" LOL. How the mighty have fallen.m53 - Monday, March 29, 2021 - link
@ballsystemlord: Or in other words how AMD starts price gouging and becoming more anti-consumer. How the "value brand" is now too expensive for the average customers.(not disagreeing with you. Just showing the other side of the reality.)
WaltC - Monday, March 29, 2021 - link
If it wasn't for AMD you might be in one of these Intel "value" motherboards, only you'd be paying 2x-3x as much for it....like you were about 4 years ago, remember? And there's no question that if it wasn't for AMD you'd be paying *huge sums* for ~14nm++++++++++++++++++++ CPUs Intel is selling now for bargain-basement prices *because* of AMD. Don't you realize that if not for AMD you'd be paying more, though the nose, for inferior components? Have you even checked to see that Z590 motherboards are ~$1k and up and can't even provide system-wide PCIe4 bus coverage? Heck, that's more expensive than the most expensive x570 motherboards. Welcome to the real side of reality....;) Without AMD there would be no competition in these markets at all and Intel would be selling the same--likely worse garbage--at stratospheric prices.laduran - Tuesday, March 30, 2021 - link
Everything you said is provably falseQasar - Tuesday, March 30, 2021 - link
you sure about that ? i guess you forgot the wonderful <10% gen on gen performance increases we were getting before Zen was released, and the ever increasing prices for that performance ? or the fact that mainstream was stuck on quad core cpus and you NEEDED to get intel HEDT cpus to get anything more then 4 cores ?RanFodar - Tuesday, March 30, 2021 - link
Tbf what AMD did to competition back then doesn't mean it's an excuse for them to copy Intel's playbook in the past. They can maintain their value position, but even the lowest Ryzen 5000 SKU is a bit overpriced for consumers here in the Philippines. Maybe Intel needs to thank AMD for being in such a position that is desired for consumers.pablo906 - Sunday, April 4, 2021 - link
Even the 3000 series? I've seen the 3000 series for pretty good prices around the world, the 5000 is supply constrained and demand outstrips supply so there is no reason to lower the price....That's how markets workjabber - Wednesday, March 31, 2021 - link
I remember not that long ago an AMD 'budget board' would have HDMI/eSATA/Toslink/6 USB ports (some USB3) and decent audio chip etc. and the Intel budget board would give you just VGA/PS2/ serial, a couple of USB2 and a parallel port instead. Terrible.cxtalxg - Wednesday, May 5, 2021 - link
Such a dumb argument, you do realize than intel had massive generations jumps from core 2 duo, to intel core 1st gen, then second gen. While amds overpriced phenoms flopped. All these companies are the same, lack of competition means lack of advancement