ASUS ROG Strix B550-I Gaming AM4 Motherboard Review

It wasn’t too long ago that picking out an ITX motherboard meant that you had to live with some pretty serious compromises. The ASUS ROG Strix B550-I Gaming keeps compromises to a minimum while making sure you have everything needed for a flagship gaming system. An ITX build removes most of the reasons to go with an X series chipset like PCIe bifurcation (important if you like things like SLI) but it gives you PCIe 4.0 support for fast storage and flagship GPU’s without the added cost. You get twenty PCIe 4.0 lanes, 16 to the main expansion slot, and 4 more to the primary M.2 slot. The B550 chipset itself doesn’t have PCIe 4.0 but it does have 3.0 lanes which are routed to a second m.2 slot on the rear of the board. You get most of the rest of the full-size ROG loadout as well. An actively cooled 10-phase VRM configured as 8+2, support for memory speeds well north of 5000MHz, 2.5Gb Ethernet and WiFi 6, and premium SupremeFX audio with Audio Type-C port. When you figure in a current max of a 16-core processor, 64GB of memory, and terabytes of extremely fast storage along with the latest graphics powerhouse, you’ll find that compromises are a thing of the past.

PC Test Bench would like to thank ASUS for sending over the ROG Strix B550-I Gaming for us to check out!

ASUS’s take on the ROG Strix B550-I Gaming:

ROG Strix B550 Gaming series motherboards offer a feature-set usually found in the higher-end ROG Strix X570 Gaming series, including the latest PCIe® 4.0. With robust power delivery and effective cooling, ROG Strix B550 Gaming is well-equipped to handle 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen™ CPUs. Boasting futuristic aesthetics and intuitive ROG software, ROG Strix B550-I Gaming is ready to become your next compact gaming build. ​

Features

UNDENIABLY ROG STRIX
ROG Strix B550-I Gaming embodies the ROG spirit with eye-catching aesthetics, including the next-generation distorted ROG eye logo and recessed cybertext patterning etched on the I/O shroud. These new designs move ROG Strix boldly into the future, while clearly reflecting the series’ gaming roots.

PCIe 4.0-Ready
ROG Strix B550-I Gaming has two M.2 slots, ROG Strix B550-I Gaming features two M.2 slots, one of which supports the latest PCIe 4.0 standard to provide maximum storage flexibility and the fastest data speeds available via the 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen platform. Both M.2 slots support up to the type 2280 socket and NVM Express® RAID for a performance boost.

WiFi 6 (802.11 ax)
Onboard WiFi 6 (802.11ax) supports ultrafast wireless-networking speeds, improved capacity and better performance in dense wireless environments, providing exceptional online gaming experiences. Pair your motherboard with ASUS WiFi 6 routers to fully experience the networking potential of WiFi 6.

Intel 2.5 Gb Ethernet
Onboard 2.5 Gb Ethernet gives your wired connection a boost, with speeds that are 2.5 times faster than standard Ethernet connections for speedy file transfers, lag-free gaming, and high-res video streaming.

SupremeFX Audio
Built-in ROG SupremeFX audio technology ensures pristine audio for ROG Strix B550-I Gaming. Along with ensuring a flat frequency response for a neutral, detailed sound signature, it offers two front-panel outputs driven by op amps that deliver high-quality audio to gaming headsets.

FlexKey
Front-panel header allows customization of the front-panel chassis reset button, providing options for quick access to Aura lighting controls, DirectKey, or system reset

Audio USB Type-C
A dedicated Audio USB Type-C port on Strix B550-I Gaming has an S210 integrated chip that automatically determines audio signal type, while a bundled USB TypeC-to-3.5 mm adapter ensures compatibility with various headsets and headphones.

AI Noise-Canceling Microphone
AI noise-canceling microphone software is exclusively featured on ROG Strix motherboards and supports 3.5 mm, USB, or Bluetooth headsets. The utility leverages a massive deep-learning database to preserve the sound of your voice while eliminating distracting keyboard clatter, mouse clicks, and other forms of environmental noise. And it only places a slight load on the CPU, ensuring minimal impact on gaming performance.

Specifications

• CPU – AMD AM4 Socket 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen™ Processors
• Chipset – AMD B550
• Memory – 2 x DIMM, Max. 64GB, DDR4 Dual Channel Memory Architecture
  • 5100-3400 MHz (O.C.)
  • 3200/3000/2933/2800/2666/2400/2133 MHz Un-buffered Memory
  • OptiMem II
  • ECC Memory (ECC mode) support varies by CPU.
• Graphic
  • 1 x HDMI 2.1(4K@60HZ)
  • 1 x DisplayPort 1.4 *
• Expansion Slots – 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen Processors
  • 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 (x16 mode)
• Storage – Total supports 2 x M.2 slots and 4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports
  • CPU: 1 x M.2_1 socket 3, with M Key, Type 2242/2260/2280 (PCIE 4.0 x4 and SATA modes) storage devices support
  • Chipset: 1 x M.2_2 socket 3, with M Key, Type 2242/2260/2280 (PCIE 3.0 x4 and SATA modes) storage devices support
  • 4 x SATA 6Gb/s port(s), Support Raid 0, 1, 10
• LAN – Intel® I225-V 2.5Gb Ethernet
• WiFi – Intel® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2×2
• Bluetooth – Bluetooth v5.1
• Audio – SupremeFX 7.1 Surround Sound High Definition Audio CODEC S1220A
  • Dual OP Amplifiers
  • Impedance sense for front and rear headphone outputs
  • Supports: Jack-detection, Multi-streaming, Front Panel Jack-retasking
  • High quality 120 dB SNR stereo playback output and 113 dB SNR recording input
  • Supports up to 32-Bit/192kHz playback *
• Audio Feature:
  • Rear audio USB Type-C® port
  • LED-illuminated design
  • Audio Shielding
  • Premium Japanese audio capacitors
• Rear USB Port (Total 6)
  • 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 port(s) (1 x USB Type-C® +3 x Type-A)
  • 1 x USB 0 port(s)
  • 1 x USB 2.0 port(s) (1 x audio USB Type-C® )
• Front USB Port (Total 5)
  • 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 front panel connector ports (1 x USB Type-C®)
  • 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
  • 2 x USB 2.0 ports
• Form Factor – Mini ITX Form Factor