Featuring Thunderbolt, dual 2.5 Gb/s LAN, and an integrated I/O shield, the ASUS ProArt B550-CREATOR is a great high-end B550 board. When it comes to looks, the ASUS ProArt B550-CREATOR has a unique aesthetic that is attractive and neutral. The lack of built-in RGB LEDs feels appropriate for the aesthetic and target market even if it would have been a nice inclusion at this price point.

Out of the box, performance was excellent for the ASUS ProArt B550-CREATOR. Memory overclocking was good as well, as I reached 4000 MHz CL16 stable with my Trident Z Neo kit. While the ASUS ProArt B550-CREATOR was not able to pass stability testing at 3600 MHz CL14, it did manage to boot into Windows. For CPU overclocking, I was able to achieve 4.425 GHz on all cores, which matches the other B550 boards I have tested.

While the ASUS ProArt B550-CREATOR does technically use a 4-phase Vcore VRM, ASUS is using their "Teamed" power-stage design. In this case, there are three 50 A power stages from Vishay for every phase. While on paper, the low phase count may not paint the ASUS ProArt B550-CREATOR in the best light, the CREATOR achieved the same CPU overclocks as the other B550 boards I have tested. Additionally, VRM thermals were very good, staying below 55 °C during my VRM torture testing. ASUS has a lot of experience with this style of VRM design and knows how to design around any potential drawbacks.

The ASUS ProArt B550-CREATOR is a well-rounded board with a good feature set and a clear target audience. If you are in the market for an AM4 motherboard with Thunderbolt connectivity, the ASUS ProArt B550-CREATOR should be at the top of your list.