AMD has reportedly pushed the launch of mid-tier models from its AMD 800-series chipset to early 2025, reports ComputerBase.de. With the Ryzen 9000-series "Zen 5" processors already launched earlier this month, and compatible with existing AMD 600-series chipset motherboards with a BIOS update, motherboard vendors are leisurely announcing their motherboards based on the AMD X870E and AMD X870 chipsets. Motherboards based on both offer drop-in compatibility with Ryzen 9000-series processors, and introduce new connectivity features such as 40 Gbps USB4 and Wi-Fi 7.

The company probably wants the two to have some time in the Sun before they're joined by the more affordable B850, which gamers could be drawn to. The AMD B850 has mostly identical platform I/O to the AMD X870, except Gen 5 support for the PCI-Express x16 slot is optional (motherboard vendors can choose to wire this out as Gen 4). The 40 Gbps USB4 is also optional here. You still get CPU overclocking support. The B840 is an entry-level chipset that's being launched to probably phase out the A620 and A620A, since it features similar I/O features to the A620A, but will probably come with drop-in compatibility for 65 W Socket AM5 processors. A deferred launch of the mid-tier chipset isn't too off character for AMD. It launched its popular B450 and B550 chipsets several months after the X470 and X570, respectively.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, IPC solutions, and storage devices, today is excited to announce a brand-new BIOS update for its AMD AM5 motherboards, designed to support AMD's latest Ryzen 9000 series processors, including Ryzen 9 9950X, Ryzen 9 9900X, Ryzen 7 9700X, and Ryzen 5 9600X. Incorporating the latest AMD AGESA 1.2.0.0.a Patch A BIOS update on BIOSTAR official website, BIOSTAR AM5 series motherboards consisting of X870E, X670E, B650E, B650, A620, and A620A are now primed and ready to unleash the full potential of AMD's ZEN 5 processors with superior stability.

AMD's latest Ryzen 9000 series processors, built on the groundbreaking Zen 5 architecture, represent a significant leap forward in computing performance and efficiency. These processors offer up to 16 cores and 32 threads, with clock speeds reaching up to 5.7 GHz. Featuring enhanced IPC (Instructions Per Cycle) performance and advanced Ryzen AI capabilities, the Ryzen 9000 series is engineered to handle intensive gaming, content creation, and professional workloads with ease. The new architecture also introduces improved power efficiency, ensuring cooler operation and lower energy consumption. With these cutting-edge processors, users can experience unprecedented levels of speed, responsiveness, and overall computing power.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, announced BIOS updates for X670, B650, and A620 Motherboards to support AMD Ryzen 9000 processors. The critical BIOS updates for GIGABYTE X670, B650, and A620 series motherboards ensure the compatibility and optimized performance with the upcoming AMD Ryzen 9000 series processors.

GIGABYTE remains committed to providing the best possible experience for users and works closely with AMD to ensure prompt updates as new AGESA versions become available. Beta BIOS will be regularly updated on the GIGABYTE website. Users can easily update the BIOS using GIGABYTE's ＠BIOS, Q-Flash, or Q-Flash Plus technology.

MSI released a new AMD AGESA Combo PI-1.2.0.0 BIOS update today for all AMD X670E, X670, B650, and A620 motherboards. This update aims to enhance the overall user experience by addressing several key issues and new improvements. Users simply need to update the BIOS to the latest version to benefit from these enhancements.

Firstly, we have made a few enhancements to the upcoming AMD Ryzen 9000 series CPU, focusing on stability and performance bug fixes. These fixes are to ensure that users will have a smooth and reliable performance with the new CPUs. Additionally, the update includes several compatibility improvements and workaround with NVIDIA's RTX 40 Series graphics cards, especially the 4070 and 4060 GPUs, which were previously causing some instability issues.

A market research of AMD Socket AM5 motherboards sold in South Korea by Danawa, provide some interesting insights on how gamers approach the platform. This research is confined to Korea, but can be extrapolated to other similar markets. The research studies the chipset model, and form-factor of Socket AM5 motherboards sold in the market. The most interesting finding of the research is that the AMD B650 is by far the most popular chipset for the platform, dwarfing even the entry-level A620 chipset by a factor of 8. A staggering 80% of the Socket AM5 motherboards being sold are based on the B650.

It's important to note here, that this figure does not include the B650E, which is separately shown making up just 2% of the volumes. The B650 (non-E) has nearly all platform features, with motherboards based on the chipset providing at least one Gen 5 M.2 NVMe slot that doesn't eat into the lanes of the x16 PEG slot; and with the current generation of GPUs not featuring the PCIe Gen 5 host interface, customers seem more than happy with the Gen 4 x16 PEG slot provided by B650 motherboards. What's more, you get CPU overclocking and memory overclocking on this mid-range chipset, so it appeals to a very wide demographic. The B650E, on the other hand, provides a Gen 5 x16 PEG slot, and motherboards based on this chipset tend to offer premium I/O features, such as a high-end onboard audio solution, premium wireless networking, among others.

AMD is debuting its Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" desktop processors powered by the "Zen 5" microarchitecture later this year. These chips are compatible with existing AMD 600-series chipset motherboards with a simple UEFI firmware update, but the company is also taking the opportunity to launch the AMD 800-series chipset family alongside these chips. The lineup will be led by the AMD X870E, followed by the X870. These two chipsets should launch immediately alongside the new processors, but will later be joined by the AMD B850 and B840. There's no entry-level chipset planned, the AMD A620 will continue to hold the fort for AMD here. There is an interesting new mix of product differentiation, according to a leaked GIGABYTE slide scored by VideoCardz.

If you recall, the X670E and X670 were differentiated by a lack of Gen 5 PCI-Express x16 PEG slots on the X670, which instead was limited to Gen 4 on the PEG slot. The X670 still had Gen 5 NVMe slots attached to the CPU, and had practically the same I/O features as the X670E, including the same counts of downstream PCIe Gen 4 general purpose lanes. Both the X670E and X670 are 2-chip solutions, in that the second chip is a connected to the general purpose PCIe lanes of the first chip, which in turn is connected to the processor. Things are going to change with the 800-series. The top-spec X870E will be a 2-chip solution, with PCIe Gen 4 general purpose lane counts resembling the X670E; but the X870 is a single-chip solution that more closely resembles the B650E in I/O. The X870 (non-E) now gives you Gen 5 PCI-Express x16 PEG, just like the X870E and the B650E, and at least one Gen 5 x4 NVMe slot attached to the CPU, but has fewer downstream Gen 4 general purpose PCIe lanes than the X670. Both the X870E and X870 assure USB4 connectivity, and support CPU overclocking. Things get very interesting in the mid-range.

ASUS today announced BIOS updates enabling support for next-gen AMD Ryzen processors on ASUS AM5 X670, B650 and A620 motherboards, as well as support for existing Ryzen 7000 and 8000 series processors. These updates are necessary to enable compatibility with these processors. BIOS updates for ASUS AM5 motherboards also add support for existing Ryzen 7000 and 8000 series processor.

The updates can be accessed on the ASUS BIOS update page for the models listed below.

MSI is here to announce the latest AGESA ComboPI 1.1.7.0 Patch A BIOS update for AM5 next gen CPU support on X670E, X670, B650, A620 motherboards. Users would simply need to update the BIOS to the latest version accordingly. MSI will continue to update the latest news for our users. Please follow MSI's official channels and check the product pages for the latest BIOS updates to guarantee optimal experience, heightened performance, and enhanced stability.

For more about MSI AMD 600 series motherboards, please check here.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices today, unveils the brand new A620MS motherboard, designed for business and casual use. The A620MS motherboard is a versatile solution that seamlessly bridges the gap between professional efficiency and home entertainment. It's designed to meet the needs of office users, home enthusiasts, and system integrators, whether it's enhancing productivity in the workplace, enjoying online movies and gaming at home, or managing complex business processes and client data. The A620MS is a benchmark for reliability and adaptability, catering to diverse computing environments.

Built on the advanced Socket AM5, the A620MS motherboard offers comprehensive support for the latest AMD Ryzen 7000 and 8000 series processors, ensuring compatibility with cutting-edge CPU technology. It harnesses the power of AMD's A620 single-chip architecture to provide a stable and efficient computing base. With support for up to 96 GB of DDR5 memory across two DIMM slots, it offers ample capacity and superior speed for demanding applications, making it a powerhouse for both current and future computing tasks. Furthermore, It supports PCIe 4.0 M.2 (64 Gb/s) for advanced, high-speed storage solutions, ensuring a streamlined and efficient computing experience.

BIOSTAR introduced the A620MH Aurora, a Socket AM5 Micro-ATX motherboard based on the AMD A620A chipset. In case you're wondering, the A620A is a revision of the A620 that's based on the same physical chip as the ASMedia Promontory driving AMD B550 chipset, according to this user on the AnandTech forums. First party documentation from AMD is sparse. The A620 (without the "A" suffix) is based on the newer Promontory 21 silicon, and is essentially a B650 with a few features disabled. The A620A, on the other hand, is practically a B550 on the Socket AM5 platform. Why this matters is that the chipset bus for the A620A (aka B550) is PCI-Express 3.0 x4; whereas the A620 uses PCI-Express 4.0 x4. The A620A appears to have the same downstream connectivity as the A620, and since even the A620 has PCIe Gen 3 for its chipset-attached M.2 NVMe slot(s), for the most part the performance difference will be negligible, unless there are other bandwidth-hungry devices connected to the chipset. On both the A620 and A620A, motherboard designers are allowed to wire out one CPU-attached M.2 NVMe slot capped at PCI-Express 4.0 x4.

The A620MH Aurora from BIOSTAR clearly mentions the A620A chipset on the box, and so you're making an informed buying decision. The board is built in the Micro-ATX form-factor, and draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS power connectors. You can only install Ryzen 7000 and 8000G series processors that have a TDP of 65 W. The processor is wired to two DDR5 DIMM slots for a maximum of 96 GB of memory capacity; one M.2 NVMe slot with PCI-Express 4.0 x4 wiring; and a PCI-Express 4.0 x16 slot. There are two PCI-Express 3.0 x1 slots from the A620A FCH. Storage connectivity besides the M.2 Gen 4 slot includes four SATA 6 Gbps ports. USB connectivity includes six USB 3.2 Gen 1 (including two from a header), and a handful of USB 2.0 ports.

By the end of 2023, MSI unveiled its groundbreaking support for memory capacities of up to 256 GB. Now, both MSI Intel and AMD motherboards official support these capacities, with 4 DIMMs enabling 256 GB and 2 DIMMs supporting 128 GB. This advancement enhances multitasking capabilities and ensures seamless computing operations.

Intel Motherboard - 700 & 600 Series Platform, BIOS Rolling Out
The supported platforms for this memory capacity enhancement include Intel 700 and 600 series DDR5 motherboards. Gamers looking to benefit from these enhancements will need to upgrade to the own dedicated BIOS. MSI is currently diligently working on releasing the BIOS, with the first batch already available below. The rest of the models will be released in late February and March.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices, is excited today to showcase the best graphics card and motherboard combo for work efficiency and home entertainment.

The A620MP-E PRO motherboard and Radeon RX7600 GPU by BIOSTAR redefine excellence, specifically catering to the diverse requirements of students, home users, and casual gamers. These innovative products, embodying BIOSTAR's commitment to quality, seamlessly blend advanced technology with unparalleled performance. This dynamic duo establishes a new standard in versatility and efficiency, exemplifying BIOSTAR's legacy in delivering cutting-edge, reliable solutions for a broad range of computing needs.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, is pleased to announce its close collaboration with HWiNFO, a comprehensive system information and diagnostic tool. This partnership aims to enhance the accuracy of hardware information and diagnostics, while introducing innovative features to benefit computer enthusiasts and professionals alike.

HWiNFO, known for its detailed system information and diagnostic capabilities, has partnered with GIGABYTE to integrate their technologies and deliver more precise and comprehensive hardware information to users. By combining GIGABYTE's expertise in hardware manufacturing and HWiNFO's advanced diagnostics, users can now access a wealth of information about their computer components with unparalleled accuracy.

The China-specific AMD Ryzen 5 7500F desktop processor could see a wider international launch, reports VideoCardz, citing the AMD website, which has marked its regional availability as "global." The processor is priced at USD $180 for the retail PIB package. The 7500F is a 6-core/12-thread processor based on the same "Raphael" Zen 4 MCM as the 7600X, but lacks integrated graphics, has a lower 65 W TDP, and slightly lower clock speeds. The processor saw a China-exclusive release earlier this week. Chinese and regional media with access to samples reviewed the processor, noting that its gaming performance 6% behind that of the Ryzen 5 7600X at 1080p, but more importantly, the Ryzen 5 7500F is 13% faster than the Core i5-13400 in terms of average FPS, and about 8% faster in 1% low FPS.

This makes the Ryzen 5 7500F a faster gaming processor than the $200 Core i5-13400, and the $180 Core i5-13400F, which it was originally designed to square off against. The Ryzen 5 7500F is configured with 6 cores and 12 threads, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. The processor has a base frequency of 3.70 GHz, with a 5.00 GHz boost that's just 100 MHz behind that of the Ryzen 5 7600 (65 W), and 300 MHz behind the 7600X (105 W). The "F" in the brand extension indicates a lack of integrated graphics, which shouldn't be a dealbreaker for the processor's intended audience—PC gamers. AMD is including a Wraith Stealth stock cooler with the retail 7500F, which coupled with A620 chipset motherboards that start at $125, should make for a formidable mainstream gaming PC platform with ample upgrade headroom.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices, proudly unveils the A620MT motherboard, designed to run the latest AMD Ryzen 7000 Series processors. Perfectly balanced to meet the needs of various users, from office applications and system integration businesses to home entertainment systems, the A620MT motherboard offers an impressive array of advanced features and top-tier performance, setting the standard for modern-day computing.

Utilizing the AMD Socket AM5 based A620 single-chip architecture, the A620MT motherboard supports AMD Ryzen 7000 Series processors, including the brand new AMD Ryzen 5 7500F processor. The AMD Ryzen 5 7500F processor features six cores and twelve threads, operating with a 65 W TDP. While the Ryzen 5 7500F processor does not feature integrated graphics capability, BIOSTAR's Radeon RX 7600 graphics card is a great partner to it, and the combined trio of A620MT motherboard, Ryzen 5 7500F processor and BIOSTAR's RX 7600 graphics card is a recipe for success. With excellent synergy between all devices that ensures an unparalleled computing experience with higher performance, superior data integrity, and lower power consumption.

The Puget Systems benchmark database outed AMD's Ryzen 5 7500F 6-core/12-thread processor last week—industry experts proposed that it was the first example of a Ryzen 7000 SKU with a disabled iGPU. A South Korean retailer indicated unit pricing of around $170-180, with a possible local launch date on July 7. It seems that retail units have not hit the market (at the time of writing), but Geekbench 6.1 results have since appeared online. According to an entry on the Geekbench database—that was spotted by Olrak29 earlier today—the Ryzen 5 7500F has a base clock of 3.7 GHz. It can boost up to 5.0 GHz on a single core, while all cores can reach a maximum of 4.8 GHz. The listing confirms that this new SKU sits firmly in the AMD "Raphael" CPU family.

The processor was tested on a system running Microsoft Windows 11—partial specifications of the evaluation build include an ASUS TUF Gaming A620M-PLUS WIFI motherboard and 32 GB of DDR5-6000 RAM. The tested Ryzen 5 7500F CPU achieved scores of 2782 points (single-core) and 13323 points (multi-threaded), which places it slightly ahead of the Ryzen 5 7600X in multi-thread performance. It trails slightly behind with its single-core result, but these figures are impressive considering that the Ryzen 5 7500F will likely be offered at a more budget friendly price when compared to its closest iGPU-enabled siblings.

Gigabyte has added three additional AMD A620 based motherboards to its lineup after the initial two that were announced on the launch day. The three new models are the A620M DS3H, A620M S2H and A620M H, all three models being mATX motherboards. The A620M DS3H is the board with most features and it's the only model to include a VRM heatsink as well as four memory slots. Common features among the three boards include a single PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, a PCIe 3.0 x1 slot, a single PCIe 4.0 M.2 NVMe slot—that supports the slightly wider 2580 form factor—four SATA ports and somewhat surprisingly for this range of boards, a DP 1.4 port and an HDMI 2.1 port.

All three boards also sport Gigabit Ethernet and a Realtek based audio solution, as well as a 90 degree angled USB 3.2 5 Gbps header. The A620M DS3H is the only model that gets a USB Type-C port around the back, but it's limited to 5 Gbps data speeds. All three models also support Gigabyte's QFlash Plus UEFI recovery/flashing solution, making it possible to update the UEFI/BIOS without having a CPU in the board. All three boards support the full range of AM5 CPUs up to 170 W, courtesy of a 5+2+2 PWM design. These might not be the most exciting boards, but they seem like a solid budget range.

GIGABYTE unveiled the first Mini-ITX motherboard to feature the entry-level AMD A620 chipset. The UD-A620I-X offers a comprehensive I/O feature-set. The board draws power from a 24-pin ATX and a single 8-pin EPS, and uses a 9-phase VRM to power the SoC. This board is restricted to 65 W TDP processors (7600, 7700, 7900 and possibly Ryzen PRO desktop processors that are 65 W). The processor is wired to two DDR5 DIMM slots, and a PCI-Express 4.0 x16, which is really all you need for this generation of graphics cards.

A downside of the A620 platform is that it doesn't support PCIe Gen 5 on even the CPU-attached M.2 NVMe slots—the one on this board is Gen 4. Display connectivity on the UD-A620I includes an HDMI and DisplayPort. Networking interfaces include Wi-Fi 6 wireless, and 2.5 GbE wired. Storage connectivity, besides the Gen 4 NVMe slot, includes two SATA 6 Gbps ports. You get at least two USB 3.2 ports from the processor, four USB 3.2 type-A ports on the rear I/O, an internal type-E port (for security keys), and an internal USB 3.2 header. The company didn't reveal pricing.

BIOSTAR at its Computex 2023 booth announced HPACT (acronym for High-level, Performance, Ability, Capacity, and Time). It is essentially a self-imposed standard for product quality and capabilities of its motherboards. It sets minimums for the company's motherboard component choices, durability, and performance. A possible analog for HPACT would be "Ultra Durable" by GIGABYTE, and the way the company set tiers for it. If a motherboard meets all five of the design goals in that acromym, it will be labelled as "HPACT," and depending on the model, the acronym is shortened.

The most entry-level of BIOSTAR's motherboards will meet at least the "ACT" acronym (Ability, Capacity, and Time), the mid-range ones "PACT," and the high-end ones HPACT. BIOSTAR showed us examples of its existing products that already meet HPACT. These include the B760A-SILVER, and B760T-SILVER. Among the PACT-rated motherboards are B550MX-E PRO, B760MZ-E PRO, and A620MP-E PRO. Entry-level ACT-rated motherboards include the likes of B760NH-E, H610MH D5, and H610-MT. We hope this ratings system can bring back the glory days of truly enthusiast-class BIOSTAR motherboards such as the T-Power I55.

AMD has released new AGESA PI1007 to support 48 GB and 24 GB DDR5 memory module for AM5 motherboards including X670E/B650E/B650/A620 platform, boosting the maximum memory capacity from 128 GB to 192 GB on 4 DIMMs, providing performance and compatibility to enthusiasts.

Apart from the wider memory capacity support, the latest AMD AGESA PI1007 also implements the CPU voltage protection updates, please flash your ASRock AM5 motherboard to BIOS version 1.24 for the most up to date technical revision.

ASUS today unveiled the TUF Gaming A620-PRO WiFi, a Socket AM5 motherboard based on the entry-level AMD A620 chipset. When ASUS debuted its A620 motherboard lineup, it lacked a product in the ATX form-factor, and its top motherboard model at the time was the Micro-ATX TUF Gaming A620M-Plus WiFi. The new A620-PRO WiFi is feature-packed, and looks like a product from a segment above. It draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX, and 8+4 pin EPS, and although you don't get CPU overclocking support with this chipset, there's plenty of CPU power delivery for even 12-core and 16-core processors. A 13-phase VRM conditions power for the processor.

The Socket AM5 is wired to four DDR5 DIMM slots, a PCI-Express 4.0 x16 slot, and two CPU-attached M.2 NVMe slots, each with PCI-Express 4.0 x4 wiring. A PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slot (electrical Gen 3 x2), and two Gen 3 x1 slots wired to the A620 FCH, make for the rest of the expansion feature-set. Besides the CPU-attached M.2 NVMe slots, you get four SATA 6 Gbps ports from the A620 chipset for storage. Display connectivity includes a DisplayPort and HDMI. Networking connectivity consists of a 2.5 GbE wired Ethernet driven by a Realtek 8125 series controller; and 802.11ax (WiFi 6), with Bluetooth 5.3 (possibly an Intel WLAN module). USB ports include two 10 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 type-A, two 5 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 1 type-A and type-C, and four 5 Gbps ports via two internal USB 3.2 headers or internal ports, besides a handful USB 2.0 headers. The onboard audio solution is driven by an entry-level Realtek ALC892 CODEC, with 7.1-channel analog jacks. The motherboard offers USB BIOS Flashback. The company didn't reveal pricing.

For whatever reason, all of the AMD A620 chipset based motherboards that were announced on Friday, are not showing off the capabilities of the chipset and are in fact making it look worse than it is. AMD has no doubt limited the A620 platform, with some limitations that seem arbitrary, but the motherboards makers clearly haven't helped, as they've made the platform look very unattractive, when in fact it could be entirely acceptable, for a budget build. As you can see from AMD's feature matrix below, the company has removed a fair share of features compared to the B650 chipset, but for example, two 10 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports can be implemented. Despite this, only Biostar and Gigabyte have implemented one such port each, with ASUS, ASRock and MSI implementing zero.

Yes, the platform is limited to 65 W CPUs—assuming you want your CPUs boost behaviour to work as intended—which is likely to cause some issues, as it might not be clear to potential buyers that are looking for a cheap motherboard for their system and it's something AMD and its board partners need to communicate a lot better. However, the A620 platform has enough PCIe lanes for two M.2 drives and enough left for all the peripheral connectivity and some PCIe slots, yet most of the boards appear to shun a second M.2 slot for no apparent reason beyond the cost of the physical interface. It looks as if AMD's board partners have decided to try and cut back as much as they can in terms of features that we've ended up with boards that no sensible person should be buying, as the boards are barely fit for purpose. Time will tell if we'll see some better boards down the road, but it would appear that AMD's board partner would rather sell its potential customers a more expensive B650 board, based on the weak line-up of boards that launched on Friday.

Biostar also announced a single AMD A620 chipset based motherboard today in the shape of the A620MP-E Pro, which is yet another microATX based board. Here we're looking at four DDR5 DIMM slots, a single PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, two PCIe 4.0 x1 slots, one PCIe 3.0 x1 slot, a single PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 NVMe slot and even a E Key M.2 slot for WiFi cards, which is actually something of a step up from the competition. Internal connectivity consists of four SATA 6 Gbps ports, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) Type-C header and one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A header.

The rear I/O is home to DisplayPort 1.4, an HDMI port, two USB 2.0 ports, a PS/2 port, four USB 3.2 Gen 1 5 Gbps ports, a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet jack powered by Realtek, three audio jacks, WiFi antenna connectors and a BIOS update button. Sadly the audio side is once again utilising the old Realtek ALC897 codec. Biostar has kitted out the VRM's with a heatsink, even though it's a very minimal heatsink. Overall Biostar has done a much more impressive job than MSI here, despite being considered a more budget oriented brand.

Unlike its competitors, MSI has only revealed a single AMD A620 chipset based motherboard today and it's extra underwhelming, even though none of the boards are exactly what we'd call appealing. The Pro A620M-E only sports a pair of DDR5 DIMM slots and it has a single PCIe 4.0 x16 slot and a single PCIe 3.0 x1 slot, as well as a single PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 NVMe slot. Internal connectivity is equally sparse, with a single USB 3.2 Gen 1 5 Gbps header and four SATA 6 Gbps ports.

Around the back you'll find an HDMI 2.1 port, a VGA port, two PS/2 ports, four USB 3.2 Gen 1 5 Gbps ports, two USB 2.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet jack and three audio jacks behind the ancient Realtek ALC897 audio codec. MSI appears to have gone for potentially slightly better power regulation than its competitors, but it's hard to tell from just looking at the board, but you don't get a VRM heatsink here. The chipset heatsink also looks like something from 20 years ago, but hopefully the AMD A620 chipset doesn't run too hot. This should hopefully be a very affordable board, but judging by ASUS' pricing for its A620, it might not be under $100.

It appears that the microATX form factor is the way to go when it comes to AMD A620 chipset based motherboards and ASUS has no less than three new models, although one is technically with or without WiFi. The new models are the TUF Gaming A620M-Plus, the TUF Gaming A620M-Plus WiFi and the Prime A620M-A. All three boards sport six layer PCBs with what appears to be fairly basic power regulation, although ASUS doesn't mention how many phases either model has on its product pages. All boards feature a single PCIe 4.0 x16 slot and two PCIe 3.0 x1 slots, as well as two M.2 NVMe slots that support PCIe 4.0 x4 based drives. All models also have four DDR5 DIMM slots, four SATA 6 Gbps ports and front panel connectors for a 5 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port and two 5 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports.

Around the back is where things differ a bit, as the TUF boards have two DisplayPort 1.4 and one HDMI port, as well as two 5 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, four USB 2.0 ports, a PS/2 port and a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port courtesy of a Realtek chip, as well a BIOS FlashBack button. The Prime board on the other hand replaces one DisplayPort output with a VGA connector for some reason and gets to make do with Gigabit Ethernet. The connectivity options aren't what we'd call impressive, but appears to be par for course compared to ASUS' competitors' products. Pricing appear to be in the range of €139-169.