ASROCK B660 Steel Legend DDR4 Intel Motherboard

Product Description

The ASRock B660 Steel Legend DDR4 Intel Motherboard is designed to offer high-performance features, extensive connectivity options, and robust power management for 12th Gen Intel® Core™ processors. It’s a feature-packed board suitable for gaming, content creation, and high-performance applications, offering a combination of advanced cooling, fast storage options, and reliable networking.

Key Features:

1. Power Design & Performance:

• 9-Phase Dr.MOS Power Design:
  • Equipped with Dr.MOS (Integrated Power Stage) technology, this board uses optimized power delivery for improved thermal performance and superior efficiency. It ensures better stability when overclocking and allows higher currents for each phase.
• Digi Power Design:
  • Digital power design enhances system stability, especially under load and in demanding applications.
• Intel® Hybrid Technology Support:
  • Supports Intel® Hybrid Technology for combining high-performance cores and efficiency cores, allowing the processor to handle demanding workloads efficiently.

2. PCIe & Storage:

• PCIe 5.0 & PCIe 4.0 Support:
  • 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 slot for the latest graphics cards with 128GB/s bandwidth, providing ultra-fast data throughput.
  • 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 slot for additional expansion cards, allowing for multiple GPUs or other PCIe devices.
  • 2 x PCIe 3.0 x1 slots for further expansion options.
• M.2 and Storage:
  • Hyper M.2 Slots:
    • 2 x Hyper M.2 (PCIe Gen4 x4) sockets for lightning-fast NVMe SSDs.
    • 1 x M.2 (PCIe Gen3 x2 & SATA3) for additional M.2 devices.
  • SATA3 Ports:
    • 6 x SATA3 6Gb/s connectors for traditional hard drives and SSDs.
  • Supports Intel® Optane™ Memory H Series (on M2_3).

3. Memory & Overclocking:

• Dual Channel DDR4 Memory:
  • Supports 4 x DDR4 DIMM slots, with up to 5333+(OC) memory speed.
  • Maximum capacity of 128GB and Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) 2.0 support for overclocking.
• Gold Contacts in DIMM Slots:
  • 15μ Gold Contact ensures improved signal quality for better stability.

4. Audio & Networking:

• Realtek ALC897 Audio:
  • Supports 7.1-channel HD audio with Nahimic Audio technology for immersive sound, whether using headphones, speakers, or HDMI.
  • Gold Audio Connectors for better sound quality and surge protection.
• Dragon 2.5G LAN:
  • 2.5 Gigabit LAN (10/100/1000/2500 Mb/s) for faster and more stable networking, especially beneficial for online gaming, content creation, and high-quality streaming.
  • Dragon RTL8125BG network controller for optimized performance and advanced bandwidth control.

5. Cooling & Thermal Management:

• Full Coverage M.2 Heatsink:
  • Provides cooling for M.2 SSDs, reducing thermal throttling during heavy use.
• Multiple Fan Connectors:
  • Includes 5 x chassis/water pump fan connectors (4-pin) with smart fan speed control.
  • CPU/Water Pump fan connectors (4-pin) for efficient cooling solutions.
• XXL Aluminum Alloy Heatsink:
  • The XXL aluminum heatsink design ensures excellent cooling for both VRMs and chipset.

6. Connectivity & USB Ports:

• USB 3.2 Gen2x2 and Gen2 Ports:
  • 1 x Front USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C header (20 Gb/s) and 1 x Rear USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C (10 Gb/s) for ultra-fast data transfer.
  • 6 USB 3.2 Gen1 ports (4 rear, 2 front) and 4 USB 2.0 ports (2 rear, 2 front) for a variety of peripheral connections.

7. Display & Graphics:

• Intel® Xe Graphics Support (Gen 12):
  • HDMI 2.1 (4K @ 60Hz) and DisplayPort 1.4 (8K @ 60Hz or 5K @ 120Hz) for high-resolution displays.
  • Supports Intel® UHD Graphics if the processor has integrated GPU.

8. UEFI BIOS & Software:

• AMI UEFI BIOS:
  • 128Mb flash BIOS with multi-language GUI support.
  • Features like ASRock Instant Flash, Easy RAID Installer, and My Favorites for easier BIOS navigation and maintenance.
• ASRock Software Suite:
  • ASRock A-Tuning for overclocking and system tuning.
  • Polychrome SYNC for RGB lighting customization and synchronization.

9. Enhanced Durability:

• ASRock Super Alloy Components:
  • Premium components like 50A Dr.MOS, premium power choke, and Nichicon 12K Black Caps (100% Japan-made high-quality conductive polymer capacitors) for better efficiency, longer lifespan, and better stability.
• Full Spike Protection:
  • Protects all USB, audio, and LAN ports against surges and electrical spikes.

10. Form Factor & Compatibility:

• ATX Form Factor:
  • Standard ATX size (12.0-in x 9.6-in / 30.5 cm x 24.4 cm), compatible with most cases.
  • 2oz Copper PCB for better signal quality and power delivery.

Specifications Overview:

CPU Support:

• Supports 12th Gen Intel® Core™ processors (LGA1700 socket).
• Intel® Turbo Boost Max 3.0 and Intel® Hybrid Technology support for high efficiency.

Chipset:

• Intel® B660 chipset, providing a solid base for performance and connectivity.

Memory:

• 4 x DDR4 DIMM slots, supports up to 5333+ MHz (OC), maximum 128GB capacity.
• Supports Intel® XMP 2.0 for overclocking.

Graphics:

• Dual graphics output via HDMI 2.1 (up to 4K@60Hz) and DisplayPort 1.4 (up to 8K@60Hz or 5K@120Hz).

Storage:

• 3 x M.2 slots (PCIe Gen4 x4 & Gen3 x2) for high-speed SSDs.
• 6 x SATA3 6Gb/s connectors for additional storage.
• Supports Intel® Optane™ Memory H Series and Intel® Volume Management Device (VMD).

LAN:

• Dragon 2.5G LAN for high-speed networking with Dragon RTL8125BG controller.

Expansion Slots:

• 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16 slot for the latest graphics cards.
• 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 slot and 2 x PCIe 3.0 x1 slots for other devices.

USB Ports:

• 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C header (20 Gb/s) and 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port (10 Gb/s).
• 6 x USB 3.2 Gen1 (4 rear, 2 front) and 4 x USB 2.0 (2 rear, 2 front).

Audio:

• Realtek ALC897 7.1 HD audio codec with Nahimic Audio.

Form Factor:

• ATX (12.0-in x 9.6-in / 30.5 cm x 24.4 cm).

Operating System Support:

• Windows 10 (64-bit) and Windows 11 (64-bit).

Conclusion:

The ASRock B660 Steel Legend DDR4 Intel Motherboard is a high-performance motherboard that caters to users looking for cutting-edge features, such as PCIe 5.0, 2.5Gb Ethernet, extensive memory support, and high-speed storage options. It is ideal for gamers, content creators, and professionals who need a board that can handle intensive tasks like 4K video editing, 3D rendering, and high-speed networking. With its premium power delivery system, robust cooling solutions, and future-proof connectivity, it offers a solid foundation for building powerful and stable systems.