Not planning to buy B660, but this is top-notch content. Many, many people are going to use this information and buy smarter as a result. Excellent work.
The move towards ddr5 on asus itx at that moment was not right. I own the b560i model paired with 11700 at 125/150w pl1/pl2 and it runs perfect and was a rather cheap combo with ddr4. But ddr5 prices through the roof make b660 itx from asus not viable from price/perf perspective.
Yeah, I want my next build to be SFF and don't want to spend that much on DDR5... Luckily it'll be a little while before I build again I think so hopefully there are more options or DDR5 is cheaper.. there also will probs be more CPU OPTIONS
It seems DDR5 is falling in price pretty quickly. A month ago when I last checked it was at least twice the price of decent DDR4 memory. As they are not easily compared I looked at 32GB of memory and 3600 MHz CL16 for DDR4 and 5200 MHz CL40 for DDR5. A month ago the DDR5 came at more than twice the price. When I compare today it's "only" 50% more expensive than the DDR4 option. And these are not cherry picked campaign prices but the first both meeting the criteria and being in stock. Feel free to criticize my choice of memory, but it still shows a trend. Lets hope the price of DDR5 keep on dropping for a while yet. It will be very interesting to see how the market reacts when AMD releases their new platform as it uses DDR5 exclusively. Either it causes a memory shortage again which means higher prices or the manufacturers have been ramping up production enough the market doesn't crash. While I still think DDR4 is good for a few years more I really would like to go with the "New Shiny" if I build a new machine just to have the option to stuff more memory in it a few years down the line if it turns out 32GB just isn't enough for next gen Pack Man...
@@blahorgaslisk7763 I haven't been watching the price history but 32gb of ddr4 is about 110-130 and the lowest I saw was about 270 for DDR5. I'm mainly talking about building a PC right now too, honestly I think a lot of computers people build are overkill for what they need and people just build PCs that powerful just because haha
I don't know about you but most people who build ITX systems I know never care about price to performance at all. They just like the compact aesthetic and they're willing to pay stupid money for it. ITX boards on their own are already much more expensive than ATX boards with the same performance since they require additional engineering to fit all that performance in such a small form factor
MSI did a great job with their B660 boards. Really impressed with their offerings this launch. Im going to get one and a 12700F for my brother for his birthday.
Any insight as to why MSI and Gigabyte haven't released H670 boards in the US yet? My older B series board is crippled wrt PCIe gen 4 and M.2 capability. I plan to upgrade from a core i3 iGPU and PCIe3 NVMe in the future so I want plenty of PCIe lanes! BTW not a gamer at this time .....
i found another good looking B660 board; it's the Pro B660-A (ATX Version of the Pro B660M-A) it looks pretty decent, 8 USB ports total with a 12+1+1 phases (RT3628AE controller with 53A AONS36308 high side and 83A AONS36303 low side)
I'd like to say thanks for introducing me to the Bluetti AC 200P. I bought one and since then I've had the power turn off 5-6 times (single phase area) and I've been able to keep my incubators and freezer/fridge going. Works great.
I made system with 12700F, msi pro b660m-a, inno 3D rtx 3080, nd 240mm aio, it's running all fine, no throtteling, no overhearing at whatever load i put it on 😉
@@jimlahey5623 i think msi pro b660m-a has got all the feature one need, there is no need to spend any extra penny on motherboard rather save it for gpu, my original plan was 12700k with z690 nd 3060ti bt settled with 12700F msi pro b660m-a nd a massive powerful 3080 in same budget, so it's great
Do you regret going with the 12700f instead of the k? I’m thinking of following your lead because performance in games seems perfectly fine in benchmarks
I got the MSI B660 TOMAHAWK Wifi DDR4 some 2 weeks ago .. WOW, what a blind shot! I do have a 12700KF however the effective performance of a K is potentially 7% extra at only 10% more cost. That is before considering you pay 50% more for a 12900K or 33% less for 12600K, so the proportionality is there far more between the K and non K. I consider getting the same level of quality out of a Z690 would have been like throwing away money as on a 12900K on a bunch of features my "limited" system wouldn't even use (beyond overclocking, there is the extra DMI lanes I wouldn't need).
Finding which motherboard is the best value for your needs seems to be a far more important decision than whether or not you go with AMD or Intel. Whichever CPU allows you to get the best value board to go along with it, is the question you need to ask yourself. In my region, it seems like getting an AM4 board and AMD CPU is more likely to get you the best value, but not everyone has the same needs. Certain I/O or networking features could be very important for some people.
Ppl kept saying wait for b660 to take advantage of intels cpu value… but none of these b660 boards give as much value as AMD. b660 is still way too expensive and the cheaper ones are trash
motherboard shopping is a total mess right now, way too many different boards, and you really have to dig into them to find the differences, we need videos like this
Been thinking of getting a i7 12700 with a b660 board with the plan of in a year upgrading to a ddr5 motherboard and newer gpu but see too many complaints of the platform. would a good alternative be to just go for a ryzen 9 5900x with a b550 board instead?
1:43 can you explain why we should get a cheaper B560 board instead? because B560 boards are limited to 10 and 11 gen Intel CPU's, so it makes no point in buying a B560 board if you are going to get a 12th gen CPU?
If you're on a strict budget, he's saying that the cheapest B660 is so terrible, that it can only run the lowest end CPUs, and not even at stock spec. So you should consider just going with the much cheaper previous gen or AMD.
4:40 There is a MSI B660M Mortar without WIFI. The WIFI version has white heatsinks etc. while the non-WIFI version has black heatsinks. This is true for the DDR4 and DDR5 versions of the board.
My only issue with the ASUS ROG Strix B660-I Gaming WIFI is that it seems to be DDR5 only. How does the ASRock H670M-ITX/ax hold up in terms of VRM? Connectivity seems to be pretty good on it for the price
I actually have bought the Gigabyte B660i Aorus Pro ITX Here in Australia. Likely was not available when you were making this video though so it makes sense as it was only available to purchase on the 8th of March.
Great content Steve! Surprised to see MSI look so much better than Gigabyte or Asus. I just built an AMD X570 system (I just prefer AMD), and spent big ($220) for an ASUS board with Wifi-6 and other features. Expensive, but it's a quality board and I'm happy with the purchase. I like the Intel 12-gen CPUs, and if I was going to build an Intel system, I would be using your mobo reviews. Thanks again. p.s. Tell your partner in crime (Tim) I just bought a Sceptre 32" IPS 1440p, 144 Hz monitor for $279. Might not be a chart topper?...but it is a worthy choice if you value 32" size.
I've been mulling over an Intel 12600k system. The b660 tomahawk and b660 pro m-a are the most appealing options for me. I think the added usb on the rear i/o and overall better looks are worth the extra money for the tomahawk.
So did you go for 12600k? i was looking at b660 and h670 tomahawk since i'm not planning to OC and there is 4€ difference in price in my country.. i wonder why no one mentions the h670 line up
@@rokdovecar5275 Nah I'm still running my 5600x/3060 ti system. It's doing well enough and I game at 1440p so there's no real reason to upgrade cpu. If these next gen gpu's are as good as advertised, cpu might make a big difference at 1440p the way it does with 1080p now. I guess we'll know soon enough.
MSI is planning to release, probably on july 2022, a new "B660M mortar MAX wifi ddr4" motherboard with BCLK overclocking and PCIE-5. If this motherboard is selled under 200$, it would be the best motherboard to pair with non-K cpus.
wondering what your thoughts are on the PG Riptide, Steel Legend and Pro4 for Asrock b660? I know you're not a fan of Asrock but wondering if all of them are worth avoiding for a 13600k?
Quite like the Msi pro-a stuff, personally have a B550 Pro-a and its very good for 100€. Its just the no BS line, quality and practicality over bling bling and gimmicks.
I am once again wondering about the gigabyte b660 DS3H (full atx) for 125€ and the b660 gaming x for 130€ (very cheap right now, should be more like 140€ usually). They both have a better vrm than the gigabyte boards that you tested . The ds3h simply has 2 more phases and the gaming x is equiped with 8 55A power stages. and has pretty chonky heatsinks. It sounds like these are excacly the boards you are missing in gigabytes lineup
Now I'm choosing between Gigabyte B660 gaming x and MSI PRO B660M-A. What is the best motherboard to buy? I heard that MSI has a raw BIOS that freezes. What should be considered before buying?
@@stefan_es Well the usual: how much connectivity do you need, does everything that you want to have in your PC fit on the board? If the boards are the same price, I would go for the gaming x. I think it is better in almost every way.
How do you like this board, many note problems with the BIOS. in particular with RAM. is everything working fine for you? I choose between this motherboard and Gaming X DDR4 from Giga
@@stefan_es I actually returned it, because I originally wanted the ATX version (which was out of stock when I was shopping) so I’m waiting to that one when it arrives. The bios worked fine for me though and had XMP enabled. The B660m was too small and didn’t fit my gpu properly
Same, though bizarrely it was quite easy to find and competitively priced here in NZ, considering we tend to get shafted on motherboards. The price of DDR5 still stings, though.
Considering that AMD is also moving to LGA for AM5 like Intel, maybe this "platform superiority" is coming to an end? LGA sockets must be more expensive, not to mention the retooling and training the motherboard vendors might need to do to support the new socket, and the old equipment they'll have to retire.
Doubtful. We are talking a few extra dollars at most for the socket at the scale they are operating at. It is likely due to the fact that intel's 600 series is much newer (x570 used to be at z690 prices for like a year after launch). Additionally I wouldn't be surprised if due to the current market many of these AIBs are just making higher margins b/c gpu sales have told them they can get away with it/people are willing to pay more for an intel mobo than an AMD one.
The high price floor is actually due to the 12th gen chipsets being more or less the same, expensive z690 chip - rather than due to LGA. AMD seems rather obsessed with their ""premium"" product look - just look at how low-end products haven't come out for almost a year and a half - so this is likely just "fun facts" rather than useful information.
I expect AMD to keep "platform superiority" with AM5. Intels "65W" CPUs consuming 200W in reality just made it a mess for costumers to pick a proper board without spending hours of research and/or way too much money. As Steve said even 90-100€ B550 boards can power a 5950X without problems though.
@@nipa5961 AMD is guilty of the same thing you know. the 3800 and 3600 being prime examples of "65 watt" cpus. Additionally the power consumption between the two companies is comparable when you look at the cpus they compete against (with the exception of the 12900k which I agree is too much even if it does tie the 5950x).
@@TheDoomerBlox Im still pretty upset about amds abandonment of the low end. But I get it, why cut down perfectly good chiplets to 6/6 or 4/8 when you can just sell it as 8/16 and slap it into a long duration epic contract that is higher margin. And pay lip service to consumer by having a fair number of high end cpus.
@steve would love to get a comparison build video. Take a price point for two different platforms Intel and AMD. Look at what you get from each system. And what you give up to hit said price point.
I had the same question in mind. I'm not interested in µATX/mATX boards. Also proper ATX B660 boards cost almost as much as some ATX Z690 completely destroying Alder Lakes value proposition.
Get Asrock B660 Steel legend (ATX), probably the only option in Indonesia since they won't release Msi Pro B660-A (non wifi). thats why its so expensive because they only import the wifi version and also they won't import Asrock B660 Pro Rs (ATX) only the m-atx pro rs got in. personally i wouldn't come close to Asrock mobos under steel legend grade since they used low quality components to cut corners but if you're planning for I5 12400 its okayish to use Pro RS. (I got no option but use steel legend because I paired it with I7 12700F and no other mobos in that price range)
I picked up a secondhand i5 12400f before buying the mini itx Asrock B660M-ITX/ac motherboard for it. The video mentioned there's no upgrade path for this board though it is compatible with intel 13th gen cpu's. Just wondering if the i5 13400f and i5 13500 processors be a worthwhile pairing or would be bottlenecked somehow by the board's vcore or power phase design?
i really loved your vids btw i am getting the MSI b660m-a and the MSI mag b660 bazooka for the same price they both are the same motherboard but look different which one should i go for??
Now I'm choosing between Gigabyte B660 gaming x and MSI PRO B660M-A. What is the best motherboard to buy? I heard that MSI has a raw BIOS that freezes. What should be considered before buying?
Hi and thanks for the Tests they help a lot. Is there any chance for a Test from the GIGABYTE B660 Gaming X DDR4? In Germany, it is available for 140-150€, its same price Range than the MSI Pro B660M-A. Would be interested how it performs.
The funny thing is that when I checked a local store they listed the Mortar with Wi-Fi for about $20 LESS than the non Wi-Fi version. I can only guess the non Wi-Fi version will be a hard sell at that price. Wonder how long it will take before they check their prices...
on canada amazon the b660m mortar is cheaper than the pro b660m-a. And I really miss being able to buy boards without all the onboard video crap included
It's nice to see case and motherboard manufacturers showing a bit more love to the ITX form factor, but it's not so nice that GPU coolers are getting way too big for them. The pointless 2.5 slot coolers don't give enough extra thermal performance over the older 2 slot designs from the Pascal era to warrant taking up the extra space. I've really been enjoying using ITX cases lately for various reasons, and it's unfortunate that it's getting so hard to find GPUs that are compatible.
How can you say the larger coolers don't have an advantage? They obviously do...pascal used far less power than the new 3000 so that is not even relevant
@@samgoff5289 i'm saying they don't have enough of a thermal advantage, not that they have no thermal advantage. Putting a 2.5 or 3 slot cooler on a xx70/x700 or lower just doesn't make enough sense is all. The xx80/x800 tier and higher cards definitely use too much power now for the smaller coolers, that I'll agree with. But the mid range ones really don't need something that large, especially when so much of it is extra stuff on the shroud. The cooler for my 6600XT is 2.5 slots wide but that extra thickness is almost all unnecessary plastic. I should have been more clear though and said only the mid range cards don't need the bigger coolers. That's my B for not being specific enough
MSI always seems to be the sweet spot for B series boards for the last 3 gens. I am still rocking a MSI B460M Mortar with a 10850k because of the review on it from this channel.
Is the b660 strix-a good? I wonder if it can run the 12700 at full PL2 no limit like the MSI boards. I already have an asus gpu so i prefer an asus board so i won't have to install too many softwares
I'd bet the better codec on the b660 tomahawk would be obvious on a good headset/headphone. I have sennheiser pc38x and went from the b550 tomahawk to the z690-a and it was a very obvious downgrade in audio quality in competitive shooters. I had a fiio e10k in my stash of parts so I just brought that out but the b550 I didn't need it.
What about best valued full ATX board? Would the ATX version of the MSI pro board be a good option? I don't think they're available for purchase yet but I want the best value that's not micro ATX
Questions! Can a MSI MAG B660M MORTAR WIFI DDR4 work with an i3 12100F, rtx 305O xc M2 gen 3 ssd? And 650W from an EVGA SUPERNOVA G5 80 Gold will be enough? Thank you!
Should i get B660 Tomahawk or Z690 Pro-A? I plan to get 12700 non K cpu. Or is there other option, im avoiding asus now cuz of bloatwares. Im upgrading from 10400 and i already have 3060, m.2 3.0 3200mhz ddr4 ram 16gb. I want mobo with best vrm performance and cooling since i think i7 12700 runs hotter. And i really want to try msi brand. Im done with asus even though they have one of best builds but overpriced while i think msi can compete with them with cheaper price and hoping less bloatwares.
Awesome video sir. Just wanted to know that the msi b660m A board would be good enough for 12600k? For working at almost max load for long hours? Like video editing/after effects
In Europe tomahawk cost same as strix a-gaming,meanwhile strix has pcie 5.0x16 for gpu and 4080 sound + holes for old coolers.Choice is no brainer u gotta be fool to pick tomahawk
Me sitting here, twiddling my thumbs just waiting for the H670 content lol. I Just built a rig with an Asrock H670m-ITX with a 12600k. There wasn't much in terms of selection in Canada when it comes to being able to support a 12600k on a DDR4 ITX Platform. I had worries about the board's VRM solution but thorough stress testing and benching indicates its performing to spec (for stock 150w power limits). I suppose my Arctic Liquid Freezer Il's VRM fan makes this combination a perfect trifecta. I just wish I could actually see a professional tech reviewer do a thorough shakedown of H670 so we can get an actually good reference point.
Hello, I know that you are probably very busy. But if you could test the linux (ubuntu 20.04) compatibility of some good b660 motherboards, that would be great help. My main work is on ubuntu, and I want to build my first PC, but I am worried about the linux compatibility. Nowhere on internet i am able to find linux compatibility of these new b660 boards. From your reviews, and based on my budget, the top two i am interested in are msi pro b660m a, and asus prime b660m a .. ddr4.
m-a is the best of the b660m series. m-b, m-c, m-d, etc. are incremental steps down in built-in functions. Best to check the MSI site and see what built-in options are lacking for the m-b compared to the m-a, other than what you find missing they'll be the same.
Steve! in my region B660M GAMING X AX DDR4 is available. It's looks very similar to B660M AORUS PRO AX DDR4. Should I pick this one. Does it have good VRM? Your help will be appreciated, thanks
Not planning to buy B660, but this is top-notch content. Many, many people are going to use this information and buy smarter as a result. Excellent work.
The move towards ddr5 on asus itx at that moment was not right. I own the b560i model paired with 11700 at 125/150w pl1/pl2 and it runs perfect and was a rather cheap combo with ddr4. But ddr5 prices through the roof make b660 itx from asus not viable from price/perf perspective.
Gigabyte do right with ddr4, but 1 slot m.2 only kill it. 😔
Yeah, I want my next build to be SFF and don't want to spend that much on DDR5... Luckily it'll be a little while before I build again I think so hopefully there are more options or DDR5 is cheaper.. there also will probs be more CPU OPTIONS
It seems DDR5 is falling in price pretty quickly. A month ago when I last checked it was at least twice the price of decent DDR4 memory. As they are not easily compared I looked at 32GB of memory and 3600 MHz CL16 for DDR4 and 5200 MHz CL40 for DDR5. A month ago the DDR5 came at more than twice the price. When I compare today it's "only" 50% more expensive than the DDR4 option. And these are not cherry picked campaign prices but the first both meeting the criteria and being in stock.
Feel free to criticize my choice of memory, but it still shows a trend. Lets hope the price of DDR5 keep on dropping for a while yet. It will be very interesting to see how the market reacts when AMD releases their new platform as it uses DDR5 exclusively. Either it causes a memory shortage again which means higher prices or the manufacturers have been ramping up production enough the market doesn't crash. While I still think DDR4 is good for a few years more I really would like to go with the "New Shiny" if I build a new machine just to have the option to stuff more memory in it a few years down the line if it turns out 32GB just isn't enough for next gen Pack Man...
@@blahorgaslisk7763 I haven't been watching the price history but 32gb of ddr4 is about 110-130 and the lowest I saw was about 270 for DDR5. I'm mainly talking about building a PC right now too, honestly I think a lot of computers people build are overkill for what they need and people just build PCs that powerful just because haha
I don't know about you but most people who build ITX systems I know never care about price to performance at all. They just like the compact aesthetic and they're willing to pay stupid money for it. ITX boards on their own are already much more expensive than ATX boards with the same performance since they require additional engineering to fit all that performance in such a small form factor
MSI did a great job with their B660 boards. Really impressed with their offerings this launch. Im going to get one and a 12700F for my brother for his birthday.
wholesome comment
Any insight as to why MSI and Gigabyte haven't released H670 boards in the US yet?
My older B series board is crippled wrt PCIe gen 4 and M.2 capability. I plan to upgrade from a core i3 iGPU and PCIe3 NVMe in the future so I want plenty of PCIe lanes! BTW not a gamer at this time .....
For the last 2 years I feel like they've brought good mb's to the table at varying price points, I agree it's nice to see
I have MSI's B460M MAG Mortar board with a 10700F in it... yep, MSI really does a great job with their Make America Great boards! 😆
Funny, I was planning on buying those exact parts too.
The fact that 3/5 of the motherboards shown are MSI shows how MSI perfected their motherboards.
msi is just known for their quality
@@null2089 x570 moment
bot
Yep, they've been killing it since the X570 debacle.
@@mistermudpie They fear the wrath of Steve
i found another good looking B660 board; it's the Pro B660-A (ATX Version of the Pro B660M-A)
it looks pretty decent, 8 USB ports total with a 12+1+1 phases (RT3628AE controller with 53A AONS36308 high side and 83A AONS36303 low side)
in my country just m version nothing atx version what is the different of m and atx version?
I'd like to say thanks for introducing me to the Bluetti AC 200P. I bought one and since then I've had the power turn off 5-6 times (single phase area) and I've been able to keep my incubators and freezer/fridge going. Works great.
Thank You. You guys provide a great work!
I made system with 12700F, msi pro b660m-a, inno 3D rtx 3080, nd 240mm aio, it's running all fine, no throtteling, no overhearing at whatever load i put it on 😉
Sorry but this cjannel forgot about msi mag b660m bazooka. It is very good
@@jimlahey5623 i think msi pro b660m-a has got all the feature one need, there is no need to spend any extra penny on motherboard rather save it for gpu, my original plan was 12700k with z690 nd 3060ti bt settled with 12700F msi pro b660m-a nd a massive powerful 3080 in same budget, so it's great
@@mayurgoyal8762 okbut msi mag b660m bazooka is not that expensive :)
@@jimlahey5623 They did it in another video
Do you regret going with the 12700f instead of the k? I’m thinking of following your lead because performance in games seems perfectly fine in benchmarks
I got the MSI B660 TOMAHAWK Wifi DDR4 some 2 weeks ago .. WOW, what a blind shot! I do have a 12700KF however the effective performance of a K is potentially 7% extra at only 10% more cost. That is before considering you pay 50% more for a 12900K or 33% less for 12600K, so the proportionality is there far more between the K and non K.
I consider getting the same level of quality out of a Z690 would have been like throwing away money as on a 12900K on a bunch of features my "limited" system wouldn't even use (beyond overclocking, there is the extra DMI lanes I wouldn't need).
Finding which motherboard is the best value for your needs seems to be a far more important decision than whether or not you go with AMD or Intel. Whichever CPU allows you to get the best value board to go along with it, is the question you need to ask yourself. In my region, it seems like getting an AM4 board and AMD CPU is more likely to get you the best value, but not everyone has the same needs. Certain I/O or networking features could be very important for some people.
Glad I decided to go z690. Thanks for the in-depth suggestions as always !
smoke effect always make me smile, good stuff
Ppl kept saying wait for b660 to take advantage of intels cpu value… but none of these b660 boards give as much value as AMD. b660 is still way too expensive and the cheaper ones are trash
motherboard shopping is a total mess right now, way too many different boards, and you really have to dig into them to find the differences, we need videos like this
Been thinking of getting a i7 12700 with a b660 board with the plan of in a year upgrading to a ddr5 motherboard and newer gpu but see too many complaints of the platform. would a good alternative be to just go for a ryzen 9 5900x with a b550 board instead?
Thank you for the summary, very useful and will reference it when I have the budget available for the upgrade
I just wish Asus would have offered a DDR4 option for their mini itx MB model due to the high price of DDR5 Ram. Thanks for the video Steve.
Yeah thanks for recommendation. Can't wait to made my system with MSI Pro B660M-A Wifi with I7 12700F and RTX 3060
Love the thumbnail and b roll!
Thank you for your research!! It's really valuable!
1:43 can you explain why we should get a cheaper B560 board instead? because B560 boards are limited to 10 and 11 gen Intel CPU's, so it makes no point in buying a B560 board if you are going to get a 12th gen CPU?
If you're on a strict budget, he's saying that the cheapest B660 is so terrible, that it can only run the lowest end CPUs, and not even at stock spec. So you should consider just going with the much cheaper previous gen or AMD.
Phew I recently bought the MSI Mortar for my 12700f without knowing much about it. Super happy to see it on the list!
4:40 There is a MSI B660M Mortar without WIFI. The WIFI version has white heatsinks etc. while the non-WIFI version has black heatsinks. This is true for the DDR4 and DDR5 versions of the board.
Mortar black non wifi and tuf plus d4 wifi they have the same price are there any difference
My only issue with the ASUS ROG Strix B660-I Gaming WIFI is that it seems to be DDR5 only. How does the ASRock H670M-ITX/ax hold up in terms of VRM? Connectivity seems to be pretty good on it for the price
Yeah the ASRock b660 itx is pretty garbage, 4 USB ports
@@butifarras that's why I was talking about the H670 and not the b660
How are the H610 motherboards? Is it fine to use them with maybe an i5 12400?
I actually have bought the Gigabyte B660i Aorus Pro ITX Here in Australia. Likely was not available when you were making this video though so it makes sense as it was only available to purchase on the 8th of March.
B660 mortar does have a non wifi model with ddr4 ram support.
Great content Steve! Surprised to see MSI look so much better than Gigabyte or Asus. I just built an AMD X570 system (I just prefer AMD), and spent big ($220) for an ASUS board with Wifi-6 and other features. Expensive, but it's a quality board and I'm happy with the purchase. I like the Intel 12-gen CPUs, and if I was going to build an Intel system, I would be using your mobo reviews. Thanks again.
p.s. Tell your partner in crime (Tim) I just bought a Sceptre 32" IPS 1440p, 144 Hz monitor for $279. Might not be a chart topper?...but it is a worthy choice if you value 32" size.
I've been mulling over an Intel 12600k system. The b660 tomahawk and b660 pro m-a are the most appealing options for me. I think the added usb on the rear i/o and overall better looks are worth the extra money for the tomahawk.
So did you go for 12600k? i was looking at b660 and h670 tomahawk since i'm not planning to OC and there is 4€ difference in price in my country.. i wonder why no one mentions the h670 line up
@@rokdovecar5275 Nah I'm still running my 5600x/3060 ti system. It's doing well enough and I game at 1440p so there's no real reason to upgrade cpu. If these next gen gpu's are as good as advertised, cpu might make a big difference at 1440p the way it does with 1080p now. I guess we'll know soon enough.
Can we just take a moment to appreciate how great this mans B roll footage is?
I went for the B660 Tomahawk & 12700 combo - can confirm it runs fast and cool. My bench numbers agree with Steve's.
Which cooler?
@@kaustubhx5452 Arctic Freezer i35
For the MATX crowd the Mortar boards have been top of class, I have the B550 which is excellent and I know the last gen Intel one was also great.
Should I buy the full ATX if I m getting a mid tower?? What disadvantage I will have for choosing best value msi pro b660m?
MSI is planning to release, probably on july 2022, a new "B660M mortar MAX wifi ddr4" motherboard with BCLK overclocking and PCIE-5. If this motherboard is selled under 200$, it would be the best motherboard to pair with non-K cpus.
wondering what your thoughts are on the PG Riptide, Steel Legend and Pro4 for Asrock b660? I know you're not a fan of Asrock but wondering if all of them are worth avoiding for a 13600k?
Got the B660-A ROG STRIX! Arriving tomorrow! Glad it's on your Creme de la Creme list!
Quite like the Msi pro-a stuff, personally have a B550 Pro-a and its very good for 100€.
Its just the no BS line, quality and practicality over bling bling and gimmicks.
I've never understood how "micro" is larger than "mini," but this is the world of computers in which terms and acronyms are simply created as needed.
I am once again wondering about the gigabyte b660 DS3H (full atx) for 125€ and the b660 gaming x for 130€ (very cheap right now, should be more like 140€ usually). They both have a better vrm than the gigabyte boards that you tested . The ds3h simply has 2 more phases and the gaming x is equiped with 8 55A power stages. and has pretty chonky heatsinks. It sounds like these are excacly the boards you are missing in gigabytes lineup
Now I'm choosing between Gigabyte B660 gaming x and MSI PRO B660M-A. What is the best motherboard to buy? I heard that MSI has a raw BIOS that freezes. What should be considered before buying?
@@stefan_es Well the usual: how much connectivity do you need, does everything that you want to have in your PC fit on the board? If the boards are the same price, I would go for the gaming x. I think it is better in almost every way.
Great stuff as always, looking forward to the new 5800 review.
"Best B660 motherboard"
"Sponsored by Z690 motherboard"
I just got the B660M-A MSI motherboard for my 12400F. Thank you for helping me pick out a mobo for my new build. I also have a rtx 3060 on the way
How do you like this board, many note problems with the BIOS. in particular with RAM. is everything working fine for you? I choose between this motherboard and Gaming X DDR4 from Giga
@@stefan_es I actually returned it, because I originally wanted the ATX version (which was out of stock when I was shopping) so I’m waiting to that one when it arrives. The bios worked fine for me though and had XMP enabled. The B660m was too small and didn’t fit my gpu properly
@@auradrifter7779 What motherboard did you end up buying?
@@stefan_es same model, but ATX version. MSI B660 Pro
I paid the extra for the ROG B660-G mainly because it allows overclocking... The MB is hard to come by though, I had to order it from Germany.
Same, though bizarrely it was quite easy to find and competitively priced here in NZ, considering we tend to get shafted on motherboards. The price of DDR5 still stings, though.
Got my MSI B660M-A! works great
Two things:
1. did I just see a VGA port on the Gigabyte board? What's that about?
2. Is every new board coming out have built-in WiFi? And Why?
Would the gigabyte B660 gaming X AX be a good pick as well?
thanks for the video and can you make a top 5 H670
The msi b660m-a at 2:57 is micro atx not atx right?
"M" is basically micro atx
Considering that AMD is also moving to LGA for AM5 like Intel, maybe this "platform superiority" is coming to an end? LGA sockets must be more expensive, not to mention the retooling and training the motherboard vendors might need to do to support the new socket, and the old equipment they'll have to retire.
Doubtful. We are talking a few extra dollars at most for the socket at the scale they are operating at. It is likely due to the fact that intel's 600 series is much newer (x570 used to be at z690 prices for like a year after launch). Additionally I wouldn't be surprised if due to the current market many of these AIBs are just making higher margins b/c gpu sales have told them they can get away with it/people are willing to pay more for an intel mobo than an AMD one.
The high price floor is actually due to the 12th gen chipsets being more or less the same, expensive z690 chip - rather than due to LGA.
AMD seems rather obsessed with their ""premium"" product look - just look at how low-end products haven't come out for almost a year and a half - so this is likely just "fun facts" rather than useful information.
I expect AMD to keep "platform superiority" with AM5.
Intels "65W" CPUs consuming 200W in reality just made it a mess for costumers to pick a proper board without spending hours of research and/or way too much money.
As Steve said even 90-100€ B550 boards can power a 5950X without problems though.
@@nipa5961 AMD is guilty of the same thing you know. the 3800 and 3600 being prime examples of "65 watt" cpus. Additionally the power consumption between the two companies is comparable when you look at the cpus they compete against (with the exception of the 12900k which I agree is too much even if it does tie the 5950x).
@@TheDoomerBlox Im still pretty upset about amds abandonment of the low end. But I get it, why cut down perfectly good chiplets to 6/6 or 4/8 when you can just sell it as 8/16 and slap it into a long duration epic contract that is higher margin. And pay lip service to consumer by having a fair number of high end cpus.
@steve would love to get a comparison build video. Take a price point for two different platforms Intel and AMD. Look at what you get from each system. And what you give up to hit said price point.
What is the best low end entry level B660 ATX?
In Indonesia, the MSI Pro B660-A is near the same price as Intel Core I5 12400 Tray.
I had the same question in mind. I'm not interested in µATX/mATX boards. Also proper ATX B660 boards cost almost as much as some ATX Z690 completely destroying Alder Lakes value proposition.
Get Asrock B660 Steel legend (ATX), probably the only option in Indonesia since they won't release Msi Pro B660-A (non wifi). thats why its so expensive because they only import the wifi version and also they won't import Asrock B660 Pro Rs (ATX) only the m-atx pro rs got in. personally i wouldn't come close to Asrock mobos under steel legend grade since they used low quality components to cut corners but if you're planning for I5 12400 its okayish to use Pro RS. (I got no option but use steel legend because I paired it with I7 12700F and no other mobos in that price range)
@@johantm3940 I not planning to use 12400, I just say that the price of MSI is the same as 12400 tray. Thanks for the info.
Asrock B660 Steel Legend VRM temps ua-cam.com/video/1LOf5R4yQyU/v-deo.html
Stay away from Pro RS get this one instead
I picked up a secondhand i5 12400f before buying the mini itx Asrock B660M-ITX/ac motherboard for it. The video mentioned there's no upgrade path for this board though it is compatible with intel 13th gen cpu's. Just wondering if the i5 13400f and i5 13500 processors be a worthwhile pairing or would be bottlenecked somehow by the board's vcore or power phase design?
i really loved your vids btw i am getting the MSI b660m-a and the MSI mag b660 bazooka for the same price they both are the same motherboard but look different which one should i go for??
Now I'm choosing between Gigabyte B660 gaming x and MSI PRO B660M-A. What is the best motherboard to buy? I heard that MSI has a raw BIOS that freezes. What should be considered before buying?
Very helpful information. Thanks very much.
Hi and thanks for the Tests they help a lot.
Is there any chance for a Test from the GIGABYTE B660 Gaming X DDR4?
In Germany, it is available for 140-150€, its same price Range than the MSI Pro B660M-A.
Would be interested how it performs.
i have it rn on 12400f but my friend gave me his 12700kf and it doesnt get bottlenecked
B660M Mortar has a version without wifi, so it's not a wifi only board.
The funny thing is that when I checked a local store they listed the Mortar with Wi-Fi for about $20 LESS than the non Wi-Fi version. I can only guess the non Wi-Fi version will be a hard sell at that price. Wonder how long it will take before they check their prices...
on canada amazon the b660m mortar is cheaper than the pro b660m-a. And I really miss being able to buy boards without all the onboard video crap included
It's nice to see case and motherboard manufacturers showing a bit more love to the ITX form factor, but it's not so nice that GPU coolers are getting way too big for them. The pointless 2.5 slot coolers don't give enough extra thermal performance over the older 2 slot designs from the Pascal era to warrant taking up the extra space. I've really been enjoying using ITX cases lately for various reasons, and it's unfortunate that it's getting so hard to find GPUs that are compatible.
How can you say the larger coolers don't have an advantage? They obviously do...pascal used far less power than the new 3000 so that is not even relevant
@@samgoff5289 i'm saying they don't have enough of a thermal advantage, not that they have no thermal advantage. Putting a 2.5 or 3 slot cooler on a xx70/x700 or lower just doesn't make enough sense is all. The xx80/x800 tier and higher cards definitely use too much power now for the smaller coolers, that I'll agree with. But the mid range ones really don't need something that large, especially when so much of it is extra stuff on the shroud. The cooler for my 6600XT is 2.5 slots wide but that extra thickness is almost all unnecessary plastic. I should have been more clear though and said only the mid range cards don't need the bigger coolers. That's my B for not being specific enough
That msi b660m-a looks like a solid budget board but where is the cmos battery tho? 🤔
MSI always seems to be the sweet spot for B series boards for the last 3 gens. I am still rocking a MSI B460M Mortar with a 10850k because of the review on it from this channel.
ayy let's goo, gotta love the benchmarking aussies
i love austria
Nice video as always, this is good info.
What's up with intel's boards? Why do so many of them suck so bad?
What's your view of H610 motherboards?
Is the b660 strix-a good? I wonder if it can run the 12700 at full PL2 no limit like the MSI boards. I already have an asus gpu so i prefer an asus board so i won't have to install too many softwares
I'd bet the better codec on the b660 tomahawk would be obvious on a good headset/headphone. I have sennheiser pc38x and went from the b550 tomahawk to the z690-a and it was a very obvious downgrade in audio quality in competitive shooters. I had a fiio e10k in my stash of parts so I just brought that out but the b550 I didn't need it.
What about best valued full ATX board? Would the ATX version of the MSI pro board be a good option? I don't think they're available for purchase yet but I want the best value that's not micro ATX
Also what I’m wondering, did you find an answer?
did u end up gettting it? I'm also thinking of getting the msi pro b660-a ATX since I have a big mid tower and the micro would make it look empty
@@Onoxid I got it, it’s a good mobo
Vouch for the Soyo, grabbed one for $150 AUD shipped, bargain!
I might pair the MSI B660M Mortar DDR4 with Intel's new 13th gen i7-13700K (No OC just stock) for the higher boostclocks. Is it doable?
Questions! Can a MSI MAG B660M MORTAR WIFI DDR4 work with an i3 12100F, rtx 305O xc M2 gen 3 ssd? And 650W from an EVGA SUPERNOVA G5 80 Gold will be enough? Thank you!
At almost same price ($10 difference) which one should I get b660 tomahawk or h670 asus tuf for 12700 non-K?
What about H670 boards which are a higher tier than the B660.
Too expensive. Might as well go with a Z690 board for similar money.
@@fyorbane nope i got a h670 steel legend for $109.99.
Should i get B660 Tomahawk or Z690 Pro-A? I plan to get 12700 non K cpu. Or is there other option, im avoiding asus now cuz of bloatwares. Im upgrading from 10400 and i already have 3060, m.2 3.0 3200mhz ddr4 ram 16gb. I want mobo with best vrm performance and cooling since i think i7 12700 runs hotter. And i really want to try msi brand. Im done with asus even though they have one of best builds but overpriced while i think msi can compete with them with cheaper price and hoping less bloatwares.
Is Quad Channel memory not a thing anymore?
I feel like my future system will be a downgrade because my current system runs Quad Channel DD4.
What about MSI MORTAR B660M NON WIFI?? does it perform same as the WIFI model apart from WIFI module??
Can yuh guide me about b660m asus prime and how will it behave.
Will it he future proof for i7 cpus ?
As of now I'm only planning to go for 12400f
do i buy the MSI mag mortar or gigabyte aorus pro ax for about 5 bucks more?
Does the ROG B660 itx board with Wi-Fi also have Bluetooth?
Awesome video sir.
Just wanted to know that the msi b660m A board would be good enough for 12600k? For working at almost max load for long hours? Like video editing/after effects
What's your opinion on the Asus Creator B660?
Any opinion on the Biostar B660 GTN (ITX)? It seems to fill the void between the Asrock B660M ITX and the Asus Rog B660-I (~165€ in Germany).
Will b660 be good enough for i7 13700 (non k version) whenever it's released?
In Europe tomahawk cost same as strix a-gaming,meanwhile strix has pcie 5.0x16 for gpu and 4080 sound + holes for old coolers.Choice is no brainer u gotta be fool to pick tomahawk
Which is better between MSI Pro B660M-A Wifi or Gigabyte B660M Gaming X DDR4, if the price is same ??
Me sitting here, twiddling my thumbs just waiting for the H670 content lol. I Just built a rig with an Asrock H670m-ITX with a 12600k. There wasn't much in terms of selection in Canada when it comes to being able to support a 12600k on a DDR4 ITX Platform. I had worries about the board's VRM solution but thorough stress testing and benching indicates its performing to spec (for stock 150w power limits). I suppose my Arctic Liquid Freezer Il's VRM fan makes this combination a perfect trifecta.
I just wish I could actually see a professional tech reviewer do a thorough shakedown of H670 so we can get an actually good reference point.
"For those who don't want to sit through 60 minutes of content" shots fired at GN.
Wait what? SOYO?? The last board I had from them was a SOYO Dragon in the late 90's, then they disappeared.
They're trying to come back now??
Best h670?
Please do h610 roundup.
do you think msi pro b660m-a wifi are good with i7 12700f and 3060?
Hello, I know that you are probably very busy. But if you could test the linux (ubuntu 20.04) compatibility of some good b660 motherboards, that would be great help. My main work is on ubuntu, and I want to build my first PC, but I am worried about the linux compatibility. Nowhere on internet i am able to find linux compatibility of these new b660 boards. From your reviews, and based on my budget, the top two i am interested in are msi pro b660m a, and asus prime b660m a .. ddr4.
Quick question is the MSI pro b660 m-b of the same quality VRM/capability of the m-a? As m-b is much cheaper in my country.
m-a is the best of the b660m series. m-b, m-c, m-d, etc. are incremental steps down in built-in functions. Best to check the MSI site and see what built-in options are lacking for the m-b compared to the m-a, other than what you find missing they'll be the same.
You forgot about msi mag b660m bazooka. It is nice too
range??? works with i5 12400 and ROG STRIX RTX3060 ???
@@diegoarjona01 bazooka is fine
I want to go for Gigabyte B660 Aorus Master DDR4 over B660 TOMAHAWK WIFI. Is it a dumb move?
Tnx for video, btw did we need a BIOS Update on msi Pro b660 m_a to support 12100f and 12400f? Or IT will be fine with any BIOS ver?
What is the difference between MSI PRO B660M-A and MSI PRO B660M-E DDR4? In my country, B660M-E ddr4 is cheaper 40€. I have 12100f CPU.
Hello i have a question i want to use i5 12600kf with 3060ti vga is b660 f rog strix good choise ?
great review
Steve! in my region B660M GAMING X AX DDR4 is available. It's looks very similar to B660M AORUS PRO AX DDR4. Should I pick this one. Does it have good VRM? Your help will be appreciated, thanks
Can the b660 mortar be and upgrade path for 12700k? (Or next gen i7) Hence gonna use i5 right now.
Yes
Does any of the ITX boards support BCLK OC? Thanks a lot!