Today is the day when we can finally present to you the results of our extensive AMD B650 motherboard testing. It's been a massive undertaking indeed. In total, we've tested 35 boards, a task that spanned several months, but it's finally complete. High-Performance Networking:On-board WiFi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth ® 5.2, and Intel ®2.5G Ethernet with ASUS LANGuard

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) The Asus TUF Gaming B650M-Plus WiFi is also noteworthy. It's a MicroATX board with a dozen 60A power stages for the vcore VRM. Although decent on paper, it doesn't really surpass the B650M Aorus Pro AX, especially given it offers significantly fewer USB 3.2 ports. Here are all the VRM temperature results, and it won't surprise anyone to learn that the Aorus Master and Taichi are the two best performing boards here, though there are several Aorus Pro and Elite models with similar temps in the low 50s.

Intel ® Z690 Mini-ITX AORUS Motherboard with Direct 10+2+1 Phases Digital VRM Design, DDR5 XTREME MEMORY Design, Advanced Thermal Solution,Intel ® WIFI6E 802.11ax,Intel ® 2.5GbE LAN, HDMI 2.0, RGB FUSION 2.0 Available only on processors featuring integrated graphics. Graphics specifications may vary depending on the CPU installed. Wi-Fi 6E 6GHz may depend on every country’s regulations and will be ready in Windows 10 build 21H1 and Windows 11.

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.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. Memory Support DDR5 7200+(OC)/ 7000(OC)/ 6800(OC)/ 6600(OC)/ 6400(OC)/ 6200(OC)/ 6000(OC)/ 5800(OC)/ 5600(OC)/ 5400(OC)/ 5200(OC)/ 5000(OC)/ 4800(JEDEC) MHz For recording temperatures, we're using a digital thermometer with K-Type thermocouples and we'll be reporting the peak rear PCB temperature. Finally, we're not reporting Delta T over Ambient; instead, we maintain a room temperature of 21 degrees and ensure a consistent ambient temperature. A thermocouple is positioned next to the test system.

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. 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. The VRM thermal design of GIGABYTE B650 motherboards is enhanced by full-coverage heatsinks and heat-pipe according to different features and configurations of various models. The mid-range AORUS ELITE and Micro-ATX AORUS models stand out from the competitors with up to 4X large surface and real one-piece build heatsinks, while the passive heat dissipation design of B650I AORUS ULTRA greatly improves thermal performance. Meanwhile, the enhanced SMD slot design purifies signals for PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots to reduce noise interference and processor’s high-speed Gen5 signals more easily. In addition, the adjustment of the M.2 slot surrounding area enables the support of the latest 25110 M.2 SSD form factor, while the strengthened metal shielding design increases the stability up to 50%. Furthermore, B650 select motherboards adopt exclusive M.2 Thermal Guard III with heightened SSD heatsink to keep temperatures under control and allow users to eliminate any throttling due to overheating. GIGABYTE will soon release next-gen AORUS PCIe 5.0 M.2 SSDs as well to unleash the utmost transfer speed. Further enhanced by PWM/DC fan support, multiple temperature detectors, 7-phase dual fan curve adjustment modes, Fan Stop technology, and GIGABYTE Smart Fan 6 Technology, users can manage the temperature variation accurately and obtain the supreme thermal performance on the processor, VRM, chipset or key components. To top it off, MSI's customer support has been excellent, and the motherboard comes with a warranty that provides peace of mind. Immersive Gaming Audio: ALC4080 with Savitech SV3H712 amplifier, along with DTS ® Sound Unbound and Sonic Studio IIIPort configuration settings between different BIOS versions or share them with friends. Q-Fan Control

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. 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.

Having taken a look at each board individually, it's time to get to testing. For testing all B650 boards, we're using the Gigabyte Aorus C500 Glass case with the Aorus WaterForce X 360mm AIO.