ASRock Announces Trio of Intel 400-series STEEL LEGEND Motherboards

[btarunr]

ASRock today launched a trio of socket LGA1200 motherboards part of its Steel Legend family. These include the H470 Steel Legend, the B460 Steel Legend, the and Micro-ATX B460M Steel Legend. All three boards offer ASRock's BFB (base frequency boost) technology that improves performance of non-K processors by letting them sustain boost frequencies better. The H470 Steel Legend leads the pack with a 11-phase CPU VRM that draws power from a combination of 8-pin and 4-pin EPS connectors; enlarged VRM heatsinks, two M.2-22110 slots with heatsinks and PCI-Express 3.0 x4 wiring; an M.2 E-key slot for WLAN cards, and connectivity that includes a premium Realtek ALC1200-based onboard audio solution, 2.5 GbE wired networking powered by a Realtek-made controller, and a couple of USB 3.2 gen 2 ports, including a type-C port.

The B460 Steel Legend uses a different PCB design from its H470-based sibling. A simpler 9-phase VRM powers the CPU, pulling power from a single 8-pin EPS connector. You still get two M.2 slots with PCI-Express 3.0 x4 wiring and heatsinks; and an M.2 E-key slot for WLAN cards. Connectivity is similar to the H470-based board, too, with a 2.5 GbE wired networking interface, and a premium onboard audio solution based on the ALC1200. Lastly, there's the B460M Steel Legend, which maximizes the Micro-ATX form-factor PCB area. The CPU VRM solution is carried over from its ATX sibling (9-phase, single 8-pin EPS). ASRock managed to squeeze in two M.2 slots (one of them with a heatsink, both with gen 3.0 x4 wiring), and preparation for WLAN. Much like the other two, you get an ALC1200-based premium onboard audio solution, and a 2.5 GbE networking interface. The company didn't reveal pricing.



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[BSim500]

Sorry but I hate that dumb "floating" edge design where it lacks the proper screw holes to secure the board to the case for absolutely no reason whatsoever. Although you can put something behind the board vs insertion forces, all it takes is a particularly stiff 24-pin connector when pulling it up, and it unnaturally bends the edge of the board upwards putting unecessary stress right around the memory slot area. Dumbest design imaginable.

 

[watzupken]

Wow, 11 phase CPU VRM on the H470. Comparing this to the existing AMD B450 Steel Legends, you kind of get a sense how power hungry the new Intel processors are even at stock, since H series is overclocking locked.

 

[bonehead123]

sooooo, maybe I missed them, but where are the Z490 models that use the steel series look/color scheme, which I like alot, except for the R.friggin.G.friggin.B.friggin bling bling of course, which ruins it IMHO

 

[Toothless]

sooooo, maybe I missed them, but where are the Z490 models that use the steel series look/color scheme, which I like alot, except for the R.friggin.G.friggin.B.friggin bling bling of course, which ruins it IMHO

Y'know you can disable the pretty lights, right? My AsRock board can go from a nice subtle blue to dark with one setting.

 

[bonehead123]

Y'know you can disable the pretty lights, right? My AsRock board can go from a nice subtle blue to dark with one setting.

Yea, I know, but I would rather not have to deal with it all and just keep the slick steel theme all by itself