F5F Stay Refreshed Hardware Desktop Choosing the right B560 MMO for an upgrade

Choosing the right B560 MMO for an upgrade

Choosing the right B560 MMO for an upgrade

B
Brother_dog27
Member
203
04-16-2021, 09:09 AM
#1
Hello! I’m planning to refresh a mid-range gaming PC for a teenager who really loves RGB lighting. Initially, we’re using an i5-10400f and looking into upgrading to a B560 motherboard. This should support a 11th-gen CPU and new NVMe storage. Right now we have a 250 GB 2.5" SSD for booting and a 1 TB HDD for data. The motherboard will likely include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and RGB features like fans and lighting.

From reviews, MSI Tomahawk is popular but pricey (around $243 on Amazon), while ASRock B560 Pro4 is cheaper at about $120. Both seem to offer good USB ports and future-proofing. I’m considering whether a single M.2 slot is enough for now, keeping in mind that starting with a 10th-gen chip might disable one slot and restrict PCIe to 3.0 instead of 4.0. This could be a smart move for easier future upgrades. I’m thinking we might still have one working M.2 slot available for a later nM.2 NVMe SSD.

Let me know if you have any other suggestions or advice!
B
Brother_dog27
04-16-2021, 09:09 AM #1

Hello! I’m planning to refresh a mid-range gaming PC for a teenager who really loves RGB lighting. Initially, we’re using an i5-10400f and looking into upgrading to a B560 motherboard. This should support a 11th-gen CPU and new NVMe storage. Right now we have a 250 GB 2.5" SSD for booting and a 1 TB HDD for data. The motherboard will likely include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and RGB features like fans and lighting.

From reviews, MSI Tomahawk is popular but pricey (around $243 on Amazon), while ASRock B560 Pro4 is cheaper at about $120. Both seem to offer good USB ports and future-proofing. I’m considering whether a single M.2 slot is enough for now, keeping in mind that starting with a 10th-gen chip might disable one slot and restrict PCIe to 3.0 instead of 4.0. This could be a smart move for easier future upgrades. I’m thinking we might still have one working M.2 slot available for a later nM.2 NVMe SSD.

Let me know if you have any other suggestions or advice!

K
Killerman1834
Posting Freak
885
04-16-2021, 03:23 PM
#2
B560 works with models from the 10th and 11th generation. The only chipset that supports the 12th generation is Z690.
K
Killerman1834
04-16-2021, 03:23 PM #2

B560 works with models from the 10th and 11th generation. The only chipset that supports the 12th generation is Z690.

D
dustcreeper
Junior Member
13
04-16-2021, 11:23 PM
#3
Corrected to reflect 11th generation. Appreciate the feedback! I'll update the post.
D
dustcreeper
04-16-2021, 11:23 PM #3

Corrected to reflect 11th generation. Appreciate the feedback! I'll update the post.

B
bricma
Junior Member
4
04-17-2021, 12:03 AM
#4
Okay. If you're hoping to upgrade later to the 11700, the Pro4 is just good enough to run it without power limits. Its VRM isn't amazing, but it can do it. Here's Hardware Unboxed's VRM testing for B560 boards:
B
bricma
04-17-2021, 12:03 AM #4

Okay. If you're hoping to upgrade later to the 11700, the Pro4 is just good enough to run it without power limits. Its VRM isn't amazing, but it can do it. Here's Hardware Unboxed's VRM testing for B560 boards: