ASRock B860 LiveMixer Wi-Fi overview

Costly motherboards are all very nicely, however should you simply desire a stable base for an honest PC, however nonetheless need a number of cutting-edge options, then dipping under $200 might be dangerous. Options are lower from sure areas to decrease the worth tag, however with Intel and AMD’s mid-range chipset motherboards now a number of months previous, costs are keener than ever should you’re seeking to improve or construct a brand new PC. ASRock’s B860 LiveMixer Wi-Fi really leaves you with change from $200 and at first look, doesn’t appear to have decimated its characteristic set to get there both.

That is partly because of the board making an attempt to reside as much as its title. ASRock claims the B860 LiveMixer Wi-Fi is designed for creators and makes a giant deal on the product web page about connectivity and a fast look over the specs reveals necessary areas reminiscent of audio and Thunderbolt 4 assist match costlier boards and definitely give it scope to attraction as a budget-conscious board for creators.

It actually doesn’t seem like it prices lower than $200 both with decent-sized heatsinks for the VRMs and M.2 SSDs and ASRock as even included RGB lighting beneath the decrease M.2 heatsink too. If you happen to’re contemplating an Intel motherboard at this level, you’ve hopefully mulled over the query of whether or not to go for AMD’s typically sooner Ryzen processors already, and even perhaps the truth that you may’t overclock an Intel Core Extremely processor utilizing a B860 chipset motherboard both. If neither of these issues are dealbreakers then maintain studying.

As ordinary the RGB lighting beneath the big backside M.2 heatsink are set to paint cycle mode as normal, however might be managed in ASRock’s software program or should you choose, switched off within the EFI. The PCB is in any other case fairly unassuming, with purple/gray heatsinks and loads of house because of a scarcity of options reminiscent of LED POST code shows, buttons and extra M.2 ports and heatsinks.

ASRock B860 LiveMixer Wi-Fi specs

An ASRock B860 LiveMixer Wi-Fi motherboard on a desk. — (Picture credit score: Future)

Socket: Intel LGA1851
Chipset: Intel B860
CPU compatibility: Intel Core Extremely 200 desktop
Type issue: ATX
Reminiscence assist: DDR5-4800 to DDR5-8666+(OC), as much as 256 GB
Storage: 3x M.2, 4x SATA
USB (rear): 1x Thunderbolt 4 Kind-C 40 Gbps, 6x USB 3.0 Kind-A 5 Gbps, 6x USB 2.0
Show: 1 x Thunderbolt 4, 1x HDMI
Networking: Realtek 2.5G LAN, Wi-Fi 6E
Audio: Realtek ALC1220
Worth: $190 | £190 | AU$383

Beneath the VRM heatsinks is a comparatively modest 12+1+1+1+1 part energy supply, however with the worst case situation being a inventory velocity Core Extremely 9 285K, it ought to be greater than as much as the duty. The one different slip from what we anticipate to see on present motherboards us Wi-Fi 6E versus Wi-Fi 7, however the chances are your house Wi-Fi in all probability received’t meet that normal for an additional 12 months or two no less than and if you find yourself needing it, you may at all times swap out the Wi-Fi module.

The remainder of the specification is spectacular for the worth. The audio codec is usually Realtek’s growing older ALC897 at this worth, however ASRock has one way or the other managed to shoehorn in ALC1220, which is rather more succesful. You continue to get three M.2 ports with one being PCIe 5.0, whereas the first PCIe slot can be PCIe 5.0 suitable and has a tool-free heatsink. Thunderbolt assist used to imply having to chase your pockets round the home, however the ASRock B860 LiveMixer Wi-Fi provides it regardless of its sub $200 price ticket and also you additionally get 2.5G Ethernet too.

An ASRock B860 LiveMixer Wi-Fi motherboard on a desk.

(Picture credit score: Future)

The rear I/O panel may not have many different extremely high-speed USB ports, but it surely does have one of many greatest assortment of Kind-A USB ports we’ve ever seen on a motherboard, with a complete of 12 and 6 of these are USB 3.0. Sadly, the entrance panel Kind-C port is just rated at USB 3.0 and it hasn’t additionally elevated SATA ports, however these are extensively seen as characteristic in its twilight years.

Nonetheless ASRock hasn’t finished what others have and lower the standard 4 to 2, so you may nonetheless energy a bunch of arduous disks. ASRock’s EFI and software program are fairly primary, although, and lack the polish of different producers each by way of options and visible attraction, however they’re nonetheless straightforward to make use of and work nicely.

PC Gamer take a look at rig

Maybe essentially the most spectacular components of the B860 LiveMixer Wi-Fi have been its temperatures. The VRM temperature barely topped 40°C with one of many lowest outcomes we’ve seen and equally cool was its chipset, once more undercutting each different board we’ve checked out lately at simply 31°C. it even managed to tame out toasty PCIe 5.0 SSD, which was an excellent seven levels away from throttling even after a prolonged stress take a look at. Clearly, the M.2 and VRM heatsinks do an incredible job.

Cyberpunk 2077 has obtained a significant replace lately, which could go some technique to explaining the nice end result we noticed at 1080p of a median of 115fps, whereas the Baldur’s Gate 3 take a look at additionally provided chart-topping numbers for our Core Extremely 9 285K. Factorio, Blender and Cinebench have been much less spectacular, although, however solely slightly off the typical, for instance with the Cinebench R24 multi-core take a look at rating of two,301 sitting round 100 factors decrease than the ASRock Z890 Metal Legend Wi-Fi and Gigabyte Z890 Aorus Elite WiFi7 Ice. It wasn’t being notably energy frugal right here both, with its common and peak CPU package deal energy of 221 W and 230 W in our stress checks being similar to different LGA1851 motherboards.

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Purchase if…

✅ You desire a stable motherboard for Intel Core Extremely CPUs for lower than $200: It has nice temperatures all spherical and a stable characteristic set that features Thunderbolt 4 and PCIe 5 M.2 and GPU assist plus a military of USB ports.

Do not buy if…

❌ You need to overclock: Sadly you can’t overclock Intel’s Core Extremely CPUs utilizing any B860 chipset motherboards, so if that’s in your record of issues to do you’ll have to look elsewhere

There actually may be very little to get hung up about with the ASRock B860 LiveMixer Wi-Fi. Its solely downsides are a mediocre EFI and software program and that, resulting from its chipset, it doesn’t assist overclocking, and that is really a disgrace as Intel’s Okay-series Core Extremely processors reply fairly nicely to some tweaking and the board additionally has loads of VRM cooling headroom. It additionally lacks Wi-Fi 7 and something sooner than USB 3.0 by the use of Kind-A USB ports.

Nevertheless, it makes up for that with a large 12 Kind-A ports on the rear I/O panel along with a 40 Gbps Kind-C Thunderbolt 4 port, consists of audio that’s on par with far costlier boards together with an optical output and its M.2 SSD and VRM cooling have been distinctive. We’re not fairly certain how ASRock managed it, however should you’re in search of a rock stable base for an Intel Core Extremely system, the ASRock B860 LiveMixer Wi-Fi seems good, has a great deal of connectivity and might be relied on to maintain your {hardware} cool too.

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