ASRock Socket AM4 Motherboard Lineup Detailed

[btarunr]

At the 2017 International CES, ASRock showed off some of its first socket AM4 motherboards for AMD Ryzen processors and 7th generation A-Series "Bristol Ridge" APUs. Leading the pack is the X370 Taichi. Built in the ATX form-factor, the board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS power connectors. It uses a 16-phase CPU VRM with high-capacity Super Alloy chokes. The AM4 socket is wired to four DDR4 DIMM slots, and two PCI-Expres 3.0 x16 slot (x8/x8 when both are populated). The third x16 slot is electrical x4 and wired to the chipset. Two other x1 slots make for the rest of its expansion area.

Connectivity on the X370 Taichi include two USB 3.1 ports (one type-A and one type-C), ten USB 3.0 ports, 8-channel PureSound 4 onboard audio solution (of the same grade the company is deploying on its high-end Intel Z270 motherboards), gigabit Ethernet with an Intel-made controller, and 802.11ac WLAN. Storage options include one 32 Gb/s M.2 slot, one 16 Gb/s M.2 slot, and eight SATA 6 Gb/s ports. Next up, is the X370 Professional Gaming. This board is practically identical to the X370 Taichi. The two boards share a common PCB, and differ only with the red+black color scheme on the X370 Professional Gaming, as opposed to white+black on the X370 Taichi.



Moving on, there's the AB350 Pro4. This board, based on the mid-range B350 chipset, offers a 9-phase CPU VRM, four DDR4 DIMM slots, one PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slot, a second x16 slot that's electrical x4, and connectivity that includes 6-channel HD audio, gigabit Ethernet, and eight USB 3.0 ports (of which one is type-C), and storage options that include one 32 Gb/s M.2 slot, a 16 Gb/s M.2 slot, and six SATA 6 Gb/s ports. The AB350 Gaming K4 is identical to the AB350 Pro4, the two boards share the same PCB, and only differ with color scheme.



Lastly, there are the A320M Pro4 and the AB350M Pro4. The two boards are based on the same PCB design, but differ with the chipset - A320 and B350. The two boards even feature the same connectivity. All that you get when you opt for the AB350M Pro4 over its sibling is support for CPU overclocking. The micro-ATX board features 9-phase CPU VRM, one PCI-Express 3.0 x16, one x16 (electrical x4) slot, and one x1, making up the expansion area; storage features that include one 32 Gb/s M.2, one 16 Gb/s M.2, and four SATA 6 Gb/s ports. 7 USB 3.0 ports (including a type-C port), 6-channel HD audio, and gigabit Ethernet make for the rest of it.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[IceScreamer]

That AB350 Pro4 has my name all over it. In the unlikely event of upgrading I'll definetly go for that one.

 

[RejZoR]

It's just funny they started the model with X370. One would expect X170 and then going upwards. Unless they are targeting Z270 platform from Intel and they want it to look like theirs is positioned higher because of similar, but higher number...

 

[bug]

Only two M2 ports is a sign that Ryzen won't have that many PCIe lanes after all

 

[TheLostSwede]

Only two M2 ports is a sign that Ryzen won't have that many PCIe lanes after all

I thought dual x8 was a more obvious sign of that...

 

[Dammeron]

I like how those are MBs for AMD CPUs, but on Taichi there's a huge Intel logo (with a small "gigabit ethernet addon").

 

[zelnep]

when the new cpu mobo lineup's gets presented - then is it matter of few weeks when the CPU's arrive?

 

[uuuaaaaaa]

Only two M2 ports is a sign that Ryzen won't have that many PCIe lanes after all

I think it has 24 lanes...

 

[bug]

when the new cpu mobo lineup's gets presented - then is it matter of few weeks when the CPU's arrive?

No idea, I was under the impression CPUs come first and mobos are announced immediately after that.

 

[hojnikb]

Thats look like a pretty good vrm section. Hopefully pricing will be decent.

 

[Xajel]

Why you didn't mention the 5 Gigabit ethernet on the X370 Taichi ? I don't see a mention on it on any other mobo, it looks like one of the first two mobo's to include this new standard ( ASRock showcased both AMD and Intel mobo's with 5gbe )

The strange thing is that even ASRock didn't list it on the mobo card in the show, but it's clearly visible over the back IO shield

 

[ssdpro]

gigabit Ethernet with an Intel-made controller

Why is AMD still running to mommy for a network controller? Cmon AMD put your big boy pants on!

 

[JMccovery]

Why is AMD still running to mommy for a network controller? Cmon AMD put your big boy pants on!

Probably because it's up to the AIB on what controller to use?

I doubt AMD will ever seriously get back into making network PHYs.

 

[TheLaughingMan]

Those are kinda ugly.

 

[deu]

Why is AMD still running to mommy for a network controller? Cmon AMD put your big boy pants on!

... can we get the brain out when we play smart in here!?!

1. AMD does NOT dictate motherboard manufactures chips.
2. INTEL is WAAAAAY more in the game when it comes to ethernet (something that AMD is not.)
3. EVEN if AMD WHERE the manufacure of the MOBO AMD and INTEL exchange patents as
4. Your last comment is just out of this world ignorant and exposes your lack of understanding the hardware industry on a basic level. In other words: dont trashtalk unless you know what you are trashtalking about.

when the new cpu mobo lineup's gets presented - then is it matter of few weeks when the CPU's arrive?

I saw someone quoting AMD saying that they are not paperlaunching anything since they have gotten burned by that earlier (if it was VEGA or ZEN related i cannot remember but either way it should be effectuated.)

 

[petepete]

Please no AMDisappointment

 

[jiruna]

Where is my X370 Zen Gaming?

 

[Dethroy]

Would love to see some pictures of X300 boards.

Only two M2 ports is a sign that Ryzen won't have that many PCIe lanes after all

X370 will have 24 lanes.

 

[Hood]

I like how those are MBs for AMD CPUs, but on Taichi there's a huge Intel logo (with a small "gigabit ethernet addon").

Maybe this is a sign that the rumored Intel/AMD partnership is real (AMD integrated graphics built into Intel CPUs). That would be awesome, ushering in a new era, in which a high end CPU and GPU can be tuned to work together perfectly, greatly reducing overhead and greatly simplifying drivers (no need to write drivers to work with all the possible combinations of CPUs and GPUs). Then, even hardware-challenged newbies could build a great system, without wasting a lot of time and money on mismatched components and cheap (slow) "bargain" builds with no upgrade path.

 

[TheLaughingMan]

Chip has 24 PCIe lanes. Normal config is 16 for GPU, 4 for dedicated NVMe drive, and 4 to the chipset and whatever I/O goes through it.

 

[TheTop4884]

Still no m-iTX AM4 motherboard

 

[AlienSquare]

Maybe this is a sign that the rumored Intel/AMD partnership is real (AMD integrated graphics built into Intel CPUs). That would be awesome, ushering in a new era, in which a high end CPU and GPU can be tuned to work together perfectly, greatly reducing overhead and greatly simplifying drivers (no need to write drivers to work with all the possible combinations of CPUs and GPUs). Then, even hardware-challenged newbies could build a great system, without wasting a lot of time and money on mismatched components and cheap (slow) "bargain" builds with no upgrade path.

This is just fairy tale. Processor + Video Card need to be independent for at least 10 years. The performance is greater this way. If you put the graphics on the process, you get some less of both, specially on the graphic side. Just imagine putting gtx 1080 on the i7. Can you?
What is needed, is not just simplification of products and drivers, they need to use better materials, to develop something that could extend those 4,5 Ghz into something much greater. Quantum processors may be one solution..
Simplification is not key, for that you have smartphones.

 

[rtwjunkie]

It's just funny they started the model with X370. One would expect X170 and then going upwards. Unless they are targeting Z270 platform from Intel and they want it to look like theirs is positioned higher because of similar, but higher number...

I think you're on to something there...if so, then more evidence that AMD has improved its PR game.

 

[cdawall]

Why does everyone who takes pictures for these use a potato for a camera?

 

[bug]

Chip has 24 PCIe lanes. Normal config is 16 for GPU, 4 for dedicated NVMe drive, and 4 to the chipset and whatever I/O goes through it.

I'm pretty sure GPU is served by PCIe lanes coming from the CPU, not the chipset.