Computex 2018 is flush with socket AM4 motherboards based on the mid-range AMD B450 chipset, which will launch sometime later in Q3. Leading ASUS' pack is the Republic of Gamers (ROG) Strix B450-F Gaming. This board covers all the essentials to qualify as a gaming-grade product worthy of the ROG tag. Built in the ATX form-factor, it draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS connectors, conditioning it for the SoC using an 8-phase VRM. The CPU is wired to just one PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slot, the second x16 slot is electrical x4.

Storage connectivity includes six SATA 6 Gbps (of which two come from the SoC), and two M.2 slots, from which one is gen 3.0 x4 (32 Gbps), and the other is gen 2.0 x4 (20 Gbps). You also get two 10 Gbps USB 3.1 gen 2, six 5 Gbps USB 3.1 gen 1, gigabit Ethernet powered by Intel i219-V controller, and high-grade onboard audio with Realtek ALC1220A (120 dBA SNR) CODEC, electrolytic capacitors, ground layer isolation, and headphones amp. There isn't much of a lighting besides a glowing ROG logo at the rear I/O shroud, and a few addressable RGB headers. Expect this board to be priced around $120.