Gigabyte's new Stealth series of motherboards has to date only had a single product, the Z690 Aorus Elite Stealth, but now, Gigabyte has added its first Stealth board for AMD CPUs. The B650E Aorus Stealth Ice not only has all of its connectors on the back of the board, but it also has a white/silver PCB with a similarly coloured front and back cover. Apart from the DIMM slots, all connectors are also in somewhat matching colours, although judging by the pictures, the colours don't quite match on all the connectors and slots. That aside, the B650E Aorus Stealth Ice is a pretty competent board, as long as you're not interested in adding anything more than a graphics card and some NVMe SSDs, as it has zero additional PCIe expansion slots. It's a rather bold move by Gigabyte, but at the same time, most gamers and consumers don't tend to add PCIe devices to their computers outside of additional storage these days.

Besides the PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, you get two M.2 sockets wired to the CPU, one PCIe 5.0—with its own, larger heatsink—and one PCIe 4.0, as well as a third PCIe 4.0 M.2 socket via the chipset. There's also support for four SATA 6 Gbps drives if more storage is needed. Gigabyte has also added an internal HDMI 1.4 port that's limited to 1080p30, which is intended to be used with Gigabyte's LCD Edge View display. Other connectivity on the back of the PCB includes a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps) port, a USB 3.2 (5 Gbps) pin-header as well as the usual USB 2.0, fan headers and LED headers that you'd expect from a modern motherboard. The VRM design is a 12+2+2 design with a 60 Amp DrMOS configuration for the 12+2 phases for the CPU and GPU.

DFI, the world's leading brand in embedded motherboards and industrial computers, introduces its latest innovation: the ASL9A2 System-on-Module (SoM). With an Intel Atom processor, the ASL9A2 achieves speeds up to 3.6 GHz and is based on Intel's Gracemont architecture. Designed for high-performance, low-power, and ruggedized edge applications, the ASL9A2 is perfect for continuous 24/7 operation, supporting a wide range of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions at the edge.

As reported by The Business Research Company, the SoM market has experienced robust growth, increasing from 2.22 billion in 2023 to 2.43 billion in 2024, with a CAGR of 9.6%. From DFI's business viewpoint, a variety of SoM projects are yielding positive results. Furthermore, DFI enhances its Intel x86 COM Express modules with value-added enhancements to improve customers' applications efficiency, earning praise from customers.

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.

EVGA designed an enthusiast segment AMD X670E chipset motherboard for the Socket AM5 platform, which never made it to the mass market. It had even planned to give the board its coveted Classified brand, and sell as the X670E Classified. Prototypes of this board fetched over $1,300 in auction. The board is built in the E-ATX form-factor like most of the EVGA Classified series motherboards; and packs a powerful CPU VRM, besides several overclocker-friendly features, such as top-oriented DDR5 memory slots, side-facing I/O (including power inputs), and in general, a decluttered layout that won't get in the way of extreme cooling solutions.

There were four such prototypes with Jiacheng Liu, a hardware enthusiast, each of which went under the hammer. The only trouble with these prototypes is that they're bare—they don't include heatsinks for the CPU VRM or the chipset, let alone heatsinks for the two M.2 Gen 5 NVMe slots that don't eat into the Gen 5 x16 PEG. Another problem with these boards is that they're not supported by EVGA, and only come with their initial BIOS that supports Ryzen 7000 "Zen 4" processors, but not the upcoming Ryzen 9000 "Zen 5." We doubt if these even support the Ryzen 7000X3D series, which is probably the main reason the boards didn't fetch way more than $1,300 a piece at the auctions. Enthusiasts might still figure out a way to BIOS-mod and encapsulate the latest AGESA.

MSI introduces a revolutionary case that departs from the traditional PC case design. This case features a panoramic view with 4 mm tempered glass using chamfering techniques allowing you to appreciate the internal setup from all angles. The rear of this case is decorated with metal nameplates, also comes with ARGB panels at the front bottom, presenting a subdued and refined style.

This case is compatible with both ATX and Micro-ATX Back-connect motherboards, enabling easy cable management to the back of the case. The dual-chamber design provides a spacious 90 mm area behind the motherboard for cable management. Don't worry about the cable management, the tool-free multi-functional cable covers to hide cables and install SSDs effortlessly. In addition, this case comes with tool-free panels on the top, sides, and front, reducing the hassle of dealing with screws. The integrated front I/O cable design solves the problem of small, hard-to-grasp cables and closely positioned ports, making assembly simpler. The well-arranged ventilation is on the side and bottom to provide fan installation options, and the magnetic dust filters at the side and bottom facilitate easy daily cleaning.

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.

MAXSUN's brand and products might not be well-known in the West, however, in Asia and China they have built a solid reputation over the years. It offers products such as motherboards and graphics cards that strike a good balance between price, performance, and build quality. MAXSUN might lack the capacity to manufacture in large volumes, however some of their products are perfectly capable of performing on par with similar mid-range models from top-tier brands like Gigabyte or ASUS, all at a lower price, making them an option to consider for users on tight budgets.

At this year's Computex, MAXSUN showcased a diverse range of motherboard models in various form factors for both Intel and AMD platforms. Our attention was drawn to four models supporting Intel CPUs: the unique MS-Terminator B760BKB D5, MS-Terminator H770YTX D5 WIFI, the surprisingly beautiful MS-iCraft B760M CROSS, and what seems to be one of the MS-Terminator Next-Gen motherboard for Intel Arrow Lake-S.

ssupd, Lian Li's sister brand, is making an appearance at Computex 2024 with the launch of its newest FANTACY fan series and the XHUTTLE ATX case. The FANTACY fans are ssupd's first foray into the system fan market, and they come packed with a few features. Utilizing a magnetic series connection system, up to seven FANTACY fans can be daisy-chained together, minimizing cable clutter. While seven fans can be connected, SSUPD recommends using a maximum of six for optimal performance. One of the standout features of the FANTACY fans is their double-sided annular halo design. Each fan has two independently controllable LED rings, allowing users to create unique lighting effects on the front and back of the fans. The fans' matte and transparent sides ensure that the lighting effects are visible from all angles.

We've seen a lot of motherboards with the power, SATA and USB connectors on the rear at Computex this year, but Chinese Maxsun decided to put the PCIe x16 slot on the back of its Mini-ITX MS-Terminator B760BKB D5 motherboard. This might seem like a crazy move, but with the right chassis, this means that the graphics card won't need a PCIe extension cable, while fitting in a compact chassis. It's also become increasingly hard to retain signal integrity over ribbon cables and with PCIe 5.0, it might be impossible. Another added benefit of this design is that the board also has a PCIe 3.0 x4 slot available for something like a 10 Gbps network card or just about anything else you'd want to plug into a compact PC.

The overall board specs don't really stick out from the crowd, as the Intel B760 chips is a somewhat limiting factor as well. In addition to the PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and the PCIe 3.0 x4 slot, the board also has a pair of PCIe 4.0 M.2 NVMe slots—one on each side of the PCB—and a slim SAS connector using an SFF-8654 connector. In addition to this, the board also has two DDR5 DIMM slots, four SATA ports, a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port, a DP 1.2, an HDMI 2.0 port, a USB Type-C port of unknown speed and WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. The power design consists of a fairly basic 8+1+1 phase setup. We'd like to see this board design to become a standard, as it makes a lot of sense for the SFF market to allow for a better placement of the PCI x16 slot to allow for a more compact chassis without having to compromise on the choice of graphics card.

At Computex 2024, Colorful has introduced a new PC series of premium componentry for games, called iGame Ultra Series. Carrying a premium white aesthetics, the Ultra Series serves as clean and elegant component for PC builds. At the heart of the Ultra Series is the GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER graphics card. The card has a triple-fan cooling solution with vapor chamber technology that keeps temperatures under control. Powering this GPU is the iGame Z790D5 Ultra motherboard. Supporting the latest Intel 14th Gen CPUs and up to 192 GB of DDR5-7800 RAM. An array of ultra-fast PCIe 5.0 and 4.0 M.2 slots allow multiple high-speed SSDs for ridiculous storage performance. Keeping all of these elite components running is the 850 W iGame P850G Ultra W 80 Plus Gold power supply. Its modular design with dedicated PCIe 5.0 connectors ensures clean cable management and stable power delivery. For cooling the CPU, there is the iGame LQ360 Ultra W all-in-one liquid cooler, which sports a massive 360 mm radiator and a trio of high-static pressure fans. All of these premium components are housed in the iGame C23A Ultra W full-tower chassis. With a spacious dual-compartment layout, front USB-C port, and preinstalled vertical GPU bracket, it offers both incredible expandability and sleek aesthetics.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, storage devices, and IPC solutions, is excited to introduce its COMPUTEX Taipei 2024 product highlights. BIOSTAR's COMPUTEX showcase features all-new AI PCs powered by Intel Arc graphics cards, the newest high-end AMD X870E motherboards, graphics cards, storage units, and industrial computing solutions.

Catching the eye of many visitors at the show are BIOSTAR's latest flagship motherboards, the BIOSTAR X870E VALKYRIE motherboard with AMD AM5 X870E chipset, built to run the latest Ryzen 9000 series processors. For Intel platform, BIOSTAR's newest VALKYRIE and SILVER motherboards, ideal for gamers, content creators and PC enthusiasts, engineered to deliver superior performance and a next-level user experience.

ASUS today announced the innovative concepts and upcoming designs that it will be demonstrating at its Computex 2024 booths, including AI PCs, prototype AMD and Intel motherboards, as well as fresh CPU coolers.

AI PC-ready hardware
With all the groundbreaking AI-powered apps and features available today, and many more on the horizon, PC enthusiasts the world over are searching for hardware that will let them run AI tools on their own AI PC in addition to using cloud-based subscriptions. At Computex 2024, ASUS is showing off the PC hardware that builders can leverage to explore the future of this revolution. An AI PC is an entire platform ready to unlock advanced AI features—in turn, revolutionizing the way that people build, customize, and use such a device.

At the BIOSTAR booth at Computex, we found two new Intel Socket LGA1851 motherboards built around the Intel Z890 chipset, both ready to receive the new Core Ultra "Arrow Lake-S" processors. The two motherboards in question are the Z890 Valkyrie and Z890A-Silver. They use the ATX form factor (305 x 244 mm) and have 4x DDR5 slots, DP, HDMI, and SATA 3 connectors. Both motherboards use the same Realtek ALC 1220 7.1 channels HD for audio and come equipped with 1x 12 V RGB and 4x 5 V ARGB LED headers.

BIOSTAR Z890 Valkyrie sports 23 phases VRD, features 3x PCIe 5.0 x16 slots, USB 4 40 Gbps ports, 6x M.2 (M Key), 1x PCIe Gen 5 and 5x PCIe Gen 4 slots, and also dual Realtek 5 GbE + 2.5 GbE LAN ports. The slightly more common model, Z890A-Silver features 15 phases VRD, 1x PCIe 5.0 x16, 1 (x4) PCIe 4.0 x16, and 2x PCIe x1 slots, plenty of USB 3.2 Gen 2, Gen 1, and USB 2.0 ports but no USB 4. Also on the connectivity side, it has a single Realtek 2.5 GbE port.

GIGABYTE at the 2024 Computex debuted its own standard of motherboards with backside I/O (i.e. ports and connectors located on the reverse side of the PCB). GIGABYTE is calling this brand extension "Stealth." It rivals ASUS BTF and MSI Project Zero. One of the first products to implement it is an AMD Socket AM5 motherboard, the B650E AORUS Stealth Ice. Besides backside connectors, a large shroud dominates the board in such a way that only the CPU cooler, memory, and the graphics card stick out. GIGABYTE is claiming bragging rights to this being the world's first white PCB motherboard with backside connectivity (BSC). Given that most case manufacturers are getting friendly with BSC, and are carving out huge cutouts in their motherboard trays for broad compatibility with all proprietary BSC standards, the GIGABYTE Stealth should be generally compatible with these cases.

GIGABYTE in its Computex 2027 booth showcased a huge lineup of next-generation Socket LGA1851 motherboards based on the top Intel Z890 chipset, which are ready for Intel's Core Ultra "Arrow Lake-S" desktop processors. GIGABYTE has taped out the motherboard model names, so all mentions of Z890 in this article are based on our assumption that it's the name of the next-gen Intel chipset. These chips are expected to bring generational IPC increases from their "Lion Cove" P-cores, "Skymont" E-cores, a more complete PCIe Gen 5 I/O (including for the CPU-attached NVMe slots), and other innovations. If the socket looks similar to the LGA1700, it's because it's identical in physical dimensions, and you can use your LGA1700 cooler on the LGA1851, but the processors are not inter-compatible. The company also showcased a few AMD Socket AM5 motherboards based on the new AMD X870E chipset.

The first motherboard to catch our eye is the Z890 AORUS Tachyon. This board is geared for record-seeking CPU overclocking. The processor is wired to just two DDR5 memory slots (1 DIMM per channel, the best configuration for memory OC); and the CPU-attached NVMe slots being close to the socket, with a combined heatsink. The only expansion slots are a PCI-Express 5.0 x16, and what could be a Gen 4 x8. There are plenty of overclocker-friendly controls, voltage measurement points, diagnostic LEDs, and status displays, scattered all over the board.

ASRock, a global leader in motherboards, graphics cards, gaming monitors, and small form factor PCs, is excited to announce its participation in the upcoming COMPUTEX Taipei 2024. AI has been a hot topic in the IT industry in recent years. ASRock keeps up with the trends, showcasing the latest AI solutions. In addition, creating an impressive gaming environment is one of ASRock's commitments for gamers. Visitors can explore the latest products and AI computing solutions firsthand and experience the gaming simulator at ASRock booth L0818.

Full Firepower Display of Next Gen Motherboard Platform
ASRock will also be revealing its full range of next generation Intel & AMD motherboards including the new line up of Taichi & Phantom Gaming Series, the robust Steel Legend, newly designed Livemixer and mainstream Pro series. The high end Taichi brand will receive its major repositioning and reorganized to be ASRock' s flagship series by merging with existing OC Formula & AQUA product line. Alongside the next gen Phantom Gaming series, the full array of Taichi AQUA, Taichi OCF, Taichi and Taichi Lite motherboards will also be revealed during Computex 2024!

The US Trade Representative (USTR) under Biden administration is preparing to reinstate tariffs on certain technology products imported from China, including GPUs and motherboards. The 25% duties, initially imposed by the Trump administration in 2019 but later suspended, are being revived as part of broader efforts to address concerns over China's economic and trade practices. The tariffs are intended to protect American companies from what the administration describes as unfair Chinese trade actions like intellectual property theft and forced technology transfers that undermine U.S. competitiveness. While no specific effective date was provided, the reinstated tariffs are expected to impact major Chinese computing component suppliers significantly. The revival of the Trump-era tariffs marks a reversal from the previous administration's move to temporarily suspend the duties in 2020 as a goodwill gesture during broader trade negotiations with Beijing.

However, those talks ultimately stalled amid the COVID-19 pandemic and rising bilateral tensions over economic and national security issues. Industry groups have expressed concerns that reviving the tariffs could disrupt tech supply chains, increase costs for U.S. companies and consumers, and potentially invite further Chinese retaliation. The tariffs would apply to GPUs, motherboards and other computing components assembled in China regardless of whether the raw components themselves originated from the country. With tensions already elevated over issues like Taiwan and advanced semiconductor production, the tariff announcement could set the stage for further economic friction between the world's two largest economies absent a negotiated resolution on tech trade.

GIGABYTE Technology, Giga Computing, a subsidiary of GIGABYTE and an industry leader in AI servers, server motherboards, and workstations, today announced its support of AMD EPYC 4004 Series processors on AM5 socket servers and server motherboards for entry-level enterprise customers. This will require a BIOS update, which will come pre-installed in the near future.

The new AMD EPYC 4004 platform, built on the AM5 socket, delivers enterprise-grade features that allow small businesses and cloud services to have dependable daily operations with minimal downtime. For reliability and manageability, the platform has been validated for compatibility with server operating systems: Ubuntu, RHEL, and Windows Server. By doing so IT administrators can better control and monitor systems, as well as protect businesses against cyberthreats.

ASRock Rack Inc., a leading innovative server company, announces its support for the new AMD EPYC 4004 Series CPUs. The latest BIOS updates for all ASRock Rack AM5 socket products are now available online, ensuring that ASRock Rack motherboards for AMD EPYC 4004 CPUs are ready to support the new processors.

The AMD EPYC 4004 Processors utilize the AM5 socket and feature from 4 to 16 SMT-capable (Simultaneous Multithreading), energy-efficient "Zen 4" processor cores, enabling needed performance in cost-efficient system designs. ASRock Rack launched a complete range of boards and systems based on AM5 socket and pioneered equipping the servers with IPMI since 2022. Now, with the launch of AMD EPYC 4004 Processors, ASRock Rack releases the new BIOS for these servers to leverage AMD official server-grade features such as the support of Windows Server 2022; RHEL 8 and 9; Ubuntu 22.04 and 24.04.

Patriot Memory, a renowned name in performance memory and storage solutions, has teamed up with MSI, an innovator in gaming hardware, to unleash the Viper Xtreme 5 RGB DDR5 MPOWER Series - an extreme-speed DDR5 memory kit crafted for gamers, overclockers, and power users. This cutting-edge collaboration between the two brands combines blistering data rates up to 8000MT/s with massive 32 GB (16 GB x2) or 48 GB (24 GB x2) capacities. The Viper Xtreme 5 RGB DDR5 MPOWER series unleashes a torrent of memory bandwidth, turbocharging gaming rigs, content creation workstations, and other high-intensity applications demanding extreme responsiveness and throughput.

Optimized for Maximum Overclocking Potential
Intel XMP 3.0 certified for seamless plug-and-play overclocking on the latest Intel platforms, the Xtreme 5 RGB DDR5 MPOWER kit also integrates with MSI's user-friendly EZ Dashboard utility. This enables granular control over advanced timings and voltages to extract every last drop of performance.

A couple of weeks ago, we reported on NVIDIA directing users of Intel's 13th Generation Raptor Lake and 14th Generation Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs to consult Intel for any issues with system stability. Motherboard makers, by default, often run the CPU outside of Intel's recommended specifications, overvolting the CPU through modifying voltage curves, automatic overclocks, and removing power limits.

Today, we learned that Igor's Lab has obtained a statement from Intel that the company prepared for motherboard OEMs regarding the issues multiple users report. Intel CPUs come pre-programmed with a stock voltage curve. When motherboard makers remove power limits and automatically adjust voltage curves and frequency targets, the CPU can be pushed outside its safe operating range, possibly causing system instability. Intel has set up a dedicated website for users to report their issues and offer support. Manufacturers like GIGABYTE have already issued new BIOS updates for users to achieve maximum stability, which incidentally has recent user reports of still being outside Intel spec, setting PL2 to 188 W, loadlines to 1.7/1.7 and current limit to 249 A. While MSI provided a blog post tutorial for stability. ASUS has published updated BIOS for its motherboards to reflect on this Intel baseline spec as well. Surprisingly, not all the revised BIOS values match up with the Intel Baseline Profile spec for these various new BIOS updates from different vendors. You can read the statement from Intel in the quote below.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, released the latest beta BIOS with Intel Baseline feature on Z790, B760 series motherboards for enhanced stability, regarding the feedback from Intel that high power consumption settings may cause system instability with 13/14th generation CPUs.⁠

GIGABYTE always prioritizes user experience, focusing on both performance and stability. Additionally, as a close ally of Intel, we promptly introduced the Intel Baseline feature with the latest beta BIOS. When using 13th and 14th generation K-SKU CPUs, the Intel Baseline setting will appear in the "Turbo Power Limits" option under "Advanced CPU Settings". After enabling Intel Baseline, the performance will be expected to be limited due to the power setting adjustments.

ASRock Technology, a global leader in motherboard manufacturing, today announced the release of the latest AGESA beta BIOS for AM5 motherboards, enabling support for next-generation Ryzen processors. ASRock AM5 motherboard lineup can now support next-generation AMD Ryzen processors with the installation of the latest new AGESA 1.1.7.0 beta BIOS, significantly improving processor compatibility and providing users of ASRock AM5 motherboards with enhanced Ryzen processor support.

Users can easily update to the latest AGESA 1.1.7.0 beta BIOS through ASRock official website or using features like BIOS Flashback and Instant Flash. ASRock recommends that users update to the latest BIOS version as soon as possible to achieve better compatibility and system performance. The official version is expected to be released later, so please stay tuned to the ASRock official website for the latest updates.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices, today is excited to announce a brand-new BIOS update designed for its AMD AM5 series motherboards, incorporating the latest AGESA PI 1.1.7.0 Patch A architecture. This update is aimed at the imminent release of AMD's next-generation CPUs, ensuring that BIOSTAR motherboards are primed to unleash the full potential of these cutting-edge processors. With a strong focus on future-ready performance, this BIOS update will be available to download soon and is ready to redefine computing power and performance with the latest AMD processors. BIOSTAR invites users to stay tuned to its official website for the BIOS release and future updates.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, released the latest AGESA 1.1.7.0 beta bios for the coming AMD Ryzen 9000 series processors boot-up support on GIGABYTE AM5 X670, B650, A620 motherboards, and for present Ryzen 7000 and 8000 series processors as well.⁠ The AGESA 1.1.7.0 beta BIOS is now ready on the GIGABYTE official website, and the formal release will be in mid-May. Users can easily update the BIOS using GIGABYTE's ＠BIOS, Q-Flash, or Q-Flash Plus technology. For more update, please pay close attention to the official GIGABYTE website.