Introduction

After the successful launch of Intel's 12th Gen Core processors in 2021, the company is at it again to keep the pressure on AMD with a new budget-originated chipset for the LGA 1700 socket. This means motherboard manufactures are once again readying more products at a much cheaper price point. While Intel may have not officially axed DDR5 memory support for the B660 chipset, it seems most of the offerings are DDR4 only. This comes as a welcome surprise as DDR5 is not a cost-effective approach for Alder Lake budget builds.

The biggest difference between Intel's flagship Z690 and the B660 chipset is a cut to the DMI 4.0 inference, which is now lowered to x4. This in turn leaves less PCIe 4.0 and 3.0 lanes available, which will lower the total amount of available M.2 sockets and PCIe slots. Being that the B660 chipset is targeted towards casual users and budget-conscious people, the lack of these extra lanes may go unnoticed.


The MAG naming convention serves as MSI's entry-range line for Intel motherboards. These tend to focus on essentials rather then premium features, and their B660 lineup is comprised of just two models currently, the Tomahawk and Mortar. The MSI MAG B660M Mortar WiFi is using an M-ATX form factor and has DDR4 and DDR5 models to choose from.

The MSI MAG B660M Mortar WiFi DDR4 features a duet VRM design with 12 power stages, PCIE 4.0, and two M.2 sockets. To round out the experience, the B660M Mortar WiFi also offers great connectivity with WiFi 6 technology, 2.5G LAN, and USB 3.2 20 Gbps for those who need to transfer data quickly. There is a lot to cover in this review, so let's take a closer look at what the MSI MAG B660M Mortar WiFi DDR4 has to offer.

Specifications

Packaging and Contents

MSI keeps it simple and straightforward with this box. The front has "MAG B660M Mortar WiFi DDR4" in bold white lettering to make sure you won't miss it. Across the bottom, some important tidbits are shown, such as Windows 11 and TIM 2.0 support.

The back of the box does an excellent job of highlighting features this motherboard has to offer. Directly in the middle is a depiction of the motherboard. Surrounding it, two columns outline features like 2.5G LAN and USB 3.2 2x2 support. Overall, this is a prime example of how to show a potential buyer what is being offered with clearly laid out sections of the more detailed specifications for those who need further confirmation.


The included accessories consist of the basics with a manual, SATA cables, and Wi-Fi antenna, to name a few. Being budget-orientated, extra things like ARGB extension cables are absent.

The full list of accessories includes:

• User manual
• Quick installation guide
• Driver DVD (drivers/software)
• SATA 6 Gb/s cables
• Wi-Fi antenna
• Case badge
• EZ M.2 clip
• MPG stickers
• Product registration card
• Small screwdriver set

Board Layout

The MSI MAG B660M Mortar WiFi DDR4 takes a modest approach to the design—no RGB lighting to speak of, and it is using an M-ATX form factor to allow for more compact computer builds. Flip it around and the back also has an alteration to the standard with the inclusion of warning zones showing possible conflicts with cases and where the standoff should be placed.


With either the Z690 or B660 chipset, this new LGA 1700 socket will need a new retention bracket for air-cooler and AIO if the mounting holes do not line up. The VRM heatsinks are not overly tall, but caution is advised for air-coolers that may extend outside the socket zone.


The MSI MAG B660M Mortar WiFi DDR4 offers two PCI Express x16 slots. The first slot is wired PCIe Gen4 with a total of x16 lanes coming from the CPU and reinforced for extra stress support. It is also backwards compatible, allowing older PCIe devices to work Gen3 without issues. The second slot is also physically x16, but internally wired for x4 PCIe Gen3, leaving a single x1 slot in between.


There are two M.2 sockets on the MSI MAG B660M Mortar WiFi DDR4, both of which are Gen4 x4, and all feature full-coverage heatsinks. The upper M.2 socket lane is provided by the CPU with the second socket's bandwidth coming from the PCH (B660). If populated, SATA port #8 will be disabled.


Even though this is an entry-level product, having debug LEDs is a useful tool when tracking down boot issues.


The board has a total of six SATA 6 Gb/s ports on the side, four of which are angled 90 degrees from the board. Two additional SATA ports are located at the bottom. Labeled as SATA A/B, these two are separated from the others, with data bandwidth provided by the ASM 1061 SATA controller instead.


The MSI MAG B660M Mortar WiFi DDR4 has a limited amount of high bandwidth USB ports, with a single 20 Gbps and three 10 Gbps ports. Besides those, the standard assortment is accounted for. These include the optical S/PDIF Out port, Wi-Fi 6, and 2.5 Gb LAN. Four additional USB 2.0 ports are available for peripherals, like a keyboard, mouse, USB headphones or game controller. All of these generally do not consume enough bandwidth to warrant the 10 Gbps ports on these devices.

• 1x DisplayPort
• 1x HDMI 2.1 port
• 3x USB 3.2 Gen 2 10 Gbps Type-A ports
• 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 20 Gbps Type-C port
• 1x Intel 2.5G Ethernet
• 2x Wi-Fi antenna connectors
• 5x audio jacks
• Optical S/PDIF Out port