ASUS TUF B450M-PLUS GAMING PRICE IN INDIA
The ASUS TUF B450M-PLUS GAMING motherboard brings a host of excellent features to the entry-level segment that will normally be present on mid-range boards.
Our verdict
ASUS TUF B450M is what most people want to build an AMD system. The B450 boards offer virtually all the features of the high-end X470 chip. What you will not find is the majority of PC makers will not use it. CrossFireX in x16 + x8 configuration? Possibility on X470 but absolute scarcity. What's great about AMD is that they maintain overclocking capabilities on the B450 chipset, unlike Intel which tends to suppress such features on the H370 board. Another outstanding feature is AMD's StoreMI which is a software solution that is included with all 400 series boards. You can use StoreMI to combine your SSD and HDD to get one drive that offers the best of both worlds. StoreMI intelligently moves files that are more frequently used to your SSDs while less are routed to the hard drive. What's even better is that StoreMI works with almost all types of non-volatile storage media and even volatile storage like RAM.
Back to TUF B450M-PLUS GAMING, it uses 4 + 2 VRM power phases and has important things in terms of back I / O. However, there is one thing that stands out here, and that is the presence of a Type-C USB port. Not much RGB happens with just one LED array in the bottom right corner of the board. For TUF branding, we see quite a lot of features like a reinforced PCIe slot, surge protection on I / O slots and heatsinks on VRM in this price range. Overall, ASUS TUF B450M-PLUS GAMING shows promise to be a motherboard for an average joe
PROS
- Surge protector circuits at all I/O
- Metal shield on PCIe slots
- SATA ports accessible post GPU installation
CONS
- Front panel header not easily accessible
- No power / reset switches on board
ASUS TUF B450M-PLUS GAMING: Detailed Reviews
While the second generation AMD Ryzen CPU has been out for a while, buyers only have a choice of building systems with newer X470 chipsets to take advantage of all the new features. AMD is a good person, not arming users to get new chipsets because all older X370, B350 and A320 chipsets support newer CPUs and APUs with simple BIOS updates. So unlike Intel, where the 8th Generation is locked only into 300-series chipsets, AMD offers a variety of options for building your PC. When the 2nd Generation of Ryzen CPU was launched, AMD still has some work to do with the B450 chipset, that's why they took so long to release the same. It's either that or they're just following Intel's strategy as they also only have the Z370's flagship chipset at launch with a mid-range and lower-end chipset that was launched much later. High-end chipsets obviously cost much more and considering how well the 2nd Generation AMD CPU, it's natural for people to be interested in the X470 rather than the X370. This new chipset also has additional features like StoreMI that add more value than you get from competing offers.
The AMD TUF B450M-PLUS GAMING motherboard is part of the first wave of B450 motherboards to be launched and is also part of the new rebranding of the ASUS mid-range product lineup. You still have ROG for fans, STRIX for premium, TUF / PRIME for mid-range and entry-level. You really do not know if the TUF or PRIME board is better than the others without checking the specs. With an X470 board, TUF is at the bottom of the temporary list in the B450 lineup, PRIME is at the bottom of the list. Also, there is a bifurcation in the TUF series as well, the usual 'TUF' branded unit is better than the 'TUF GAMING' branded unit if we look at the warranty period. The first comes with a 5 year coverage while the last ship with a standard of 3 years.
ASUS TUF B450M-PLUS GAMING motherboard begins as a fairly balanced unit. It comes in the mATX-factor form, has a VRM heatsink and a bit of RGB. The balanced expansion port supports the mid-range build configuration but with the competition in the space turning intense due to AMD's return, manufacturers include more features on all of their motherboards. Even in such budget-friendly segments for the B450 chipset.
Packaging
The ASUS TUF brand uses a striking black color with yellow and gray used for accents. The packaging looks pretty simple with just the key elements highlighted.
Specification
For a detailed list of specifications for different versions of the motherboard, please see ASUS official website.
CPUs Supported
Ryzen 1st/2nd Generation
Socket
AM4
Memory Supported
4 x DIMM, Max. 64 GB, up to DDR4-3200(OC)
Chipset
AMD B450
VRM Design
CPU Power: 4 Phase
Memory Power: 2 Phase
BIOS
AMI UEFI Dual BIOS with 128 Mb Flash ROM
Expansion
1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slot (x16 with CPU, x8 with APU)
1 x PCIe 2.0 x16 (x4) slot, 1 x PCIe 2.0 x1 slot
Storage
2 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s (supports RAID 0/1/10) CPU
1 x M.2 slots (PCIe 3.0 x4 and SATA 6 Gb/s) 22110
4 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s (supports RAID 0/1/10) PCH
Networking
1 x Realtek RTL8111H Gigabit LAN
I/O
1 x USB 3.1 ports Gen 2 (Type-A)
6 x USB 2.0 ports (2 via Header)
5 x USB 3.1 ports Gen 1 (2x Type-A, 1x Type-C, Rest headers)
1 x PS/2 Mouse/Keyboard Port
3 x Audio jacks
1 x DVI-D
1 x HDMI port
1 x S/PDIF OUT Header
1 x Clear CMOS Jumper
Audio
Realtek ALC887-VD2 7.1 Channel High Definition Audio CODEC
Fan headers
3 x 4-pin PWM
Form Factor
mATX Form Factor (244 mm x 244 mm)
Miscellaneous Features
ASUS TUF PROTECTION
- ASUS SafeSlot: Protect your graphics card Investment
- ASUS ESD Guard: Enhanced ESD protection
- ASUS Overvoltage Protection: World-class circuit-protecting power design
- ASUS Stainless-Steel Back I/O: 3X corrosion-resistance for greater durability!
- ASUS DIGI+ VRM: 6 Phase digital power design
AURA :
- Aura Lighting Control
- Aura RGB Strip Headers
ASUS Exclusive Features :
- AI Suite 3
- Ai Charger
- PC Cleaner
ASUS Quiet Thermal Solution :
- Stylish Fanless Design Heat-sink solution & MOS Heatsink
- ASUS Fan Xpert 2+
ASUS EZ DIY :
- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
- ASUS EZ Flash 3
- ASUS UEFI BIOS EZ Mode
ASUS Q-Design :
- ASUS Q-Slot
- ASUS Q-DIMM
Contents
You do not get much with the ASUS TUF B450M-PLUS GAMING motherboard, only important things that include I / O shield, M.2 screws and stand-offs, Reliability Certificates, driver disks, user manuals, a pair of SATA cables and a set of stickers to make your board look nicer.
In addition to stickers, there is nothing here that can be classified as additional. It seems that ASUS has saved money by not providing additional accessories, instead, they have added more features to the boards that would not normally be available in this price range. We look forward to seeing the competition take the same approach.
Here’s the list of the entire contents of the box.
Motherboard
User Manual
Rear I/O panel
2 x SATA cables
Driver disk
2x SATA cable labels
Certificate of Reliability
M.2 Screw + Standoff
Board Layout
Being a mATX board, the layout does not seem too crowded. There is a lot of distance between individual components with nothing that seems to compete for space.
ASUS TUF B450M-PLUS GAMING motherboard utilizes a 6-phase VRM design with heatsinks covering only 4 phases dedicated to the CPU and the remaining two phases that handle iGPU are left open. As for MOSFETs, the configuration is a combination of ON Semiconductor 4C10B with 4C06B. Each phase uses MILR68 inductor along with two MIL capacitors 820uF 5K. Everything is controlled by DIGI + VRM ASP1106GGQW chip.
In addition, you can see a series of surge protectors around the I / O port. The one with the "TUF" brand on the EMI shield is one of those circuits. This is not something new that ASUS adds to the TUF lineup. In fact, they've been around for a while under the LAN Guard moniker.
Two phases on iGPU have the same configuration in this case unlike some Intel boards made by AMD where they tend to be slightly different.
These four RAM sockets are packed with release levers on only one side. Fortunately, they are on top, so removing DIMMs should not be a hassle and will not require you to remove GPUs first. If you have cheap OEM cabinets with motherboards installed without a distance on top, then you will have fun. For the design of power on RAM, we only see OnSemi 4C10B used in single phase with MIL1R2 inductor and 5K capacitor. There is plenty of room to press power and reset the button next to the MOSFET. As a passive component, the switch should not cause any problems near the mosfet. Also, this is generally where we see pads for probing but not here, and frankly, it's no use for them on entry-level boards. Finally, we see two 6 Gbps SATA III slots lined with the bottom of DIMM RAM, making them accessible even with the GPU installed.
Coming to the expansion slot, the only PCIe x16 slot on the board comes with a reinforced protector. Note that PCIe x16 only works as x16 if you have a 1st / 2nd Gen Ryzen CPU plugged in, with APU, this slot runs on x8. There is a x1 slot just below the x16 slot, so most likely, it will remain unused in almost all versions. Below the x1 slot lies the M.2 layout and we are happy to see support for a 110mm long SSD. Most boards in this price range tend to have a 110mm slot that moves just above the first PCIe slot or hidden behind in the case of a smaller form factor. In this way, you can install one of the M.2 cards and have easy access at any time.
For the last PCIe slot, this is x16 paired to x8. If the first x16 slot is filled, it will only work on x4. And this regardless whether you have a CPU or APU installed. So you can have CrossFireX dual-GPU configured in x16 + x4 configuration with installed Ryzen CPU or in x8 + x4 configuration with APU Ryzen installation. Comes to the header at the bottom surface. We have the usual shellfish including front audio, COM, 2x USB 2.0, USB 3.1 Gen1, front panel power / reset + LED and the remaining 4 SATA III slots with connectors facing up. Everything looks good and cool except for the front panel connectors flanked along with the 4-pin speaker header. While ASUS has not provided speakers with this board, it becomes a royal pain in the back to install all the cables. Since no Q-connector is provided, the problem is compounded.
PCH heatsinks can be much smaller with this new generation of AMD Ryzen platforms because overall TDP has dropped to less than 2W in idle stage. This means, manufacturers have more real estate to play with. Looking at the ASUS TUF B450M-PLUS GAMING board, we do not see much going on in this corner. The Clear RTC pin is placed in a visible spot with what appears to be a chassis intrusion pads right next to it. We say pads because the header is not soldered onto it. The last thing to notice is the TUF GAMING brand on the right side illuminated with ASUS AURA Sync LEDs placed on the back. There are six LEDs in total and RGB is quite mellow considering it has to go through thick PCB. If you want more RGB madness, there is an RGB header above the RAM slot.
The X470 boards tend to have Realtek ALC1150 or special solutions with additional OP-AMP. In the case of ASUS TUF B450M-PLUS GAMING, we have an older ALC887 which is also used in B350 boards. While this chip is capable of handling 8-channels, the rear I / O only comes with three audio jacks. So you need additional extra card to use it, although you much better get the right sound card if you will get additional card. As for the capacitors, ASUS has used 2x 100uF 16V and 2x 10uF 16V ELNA audio capacitors although it seems to be packaged exclusively for ASUS since the 2017-2018 catalog does not mention capacitors with black print on the golden arms. Audio CODEC has EMI protector and all parts seem to have an isolated power supply.
ASUS has incorporated DTS software solutions with these motherboards by means of MSI tending to deliver their products with Nahimic audio devices. The DTS solution has three profiles - Soundscape Mode, Aerial mode and Tactical mode. All profiles are directed to give positional cues based on the selected mode. The latter is Tactical mode that will put an overlay on your game screen to provide visual cues for audio directions. Certain competitive games consider this cheating, so be careful when using it. You never know when an anti-cheat machine might mark such a solution. From now on, you are relatively safe.
The rear I / O has an adequate set of connectivity options. There are two USB 2.0 ports and PS / 2 ports for those still using the old keyboard. Then there is a DVI-D and HDMI port for your video output in case you install an APU. The absence of the display port does not go down well because this is a very popular standard now. Between the HDMI and DVI-D ports, you've gotten support for almost every screen device sold today. As for the audio port, we have been talking about the same thing before. All that remains is a Gigabit Ethernet port and a USB 3.1 port. The blue one is the only USB 3.1 Gen 2 port while the other is USB 3.1 Gen 1. Fortunately, there is a rare Type-C port on the board in this price segment. In fact, not long because the Intel chipset that will come also has a USB 3.1 Gen2 natively. Neither the audio port nor the Ethernet port have a golden layer on the contact.
The I / O shield follows the color theme of the TUF game line and has all the neatly labeled connectivity options. It has a little rainbow like a rainbow patina, if that is something you like.
ASUS TUF B450M-PLUS GAMING has three 4-pin fan headers. Which for the CPU is in the usual place, then there is one on the right and just below the CMOS battery. We can not complain about the settings even though other headers in the bottom right or one high-order header for liquid cooling will be appreciated.
Conclusion
ASUS TUF B450M is what most people want to build an AMD system. The B450 boards offer virtually all the features of the high-end X470 chip. What you will not find is the majority of PC makers will not use it. CrossFireX in x16 + x8 configuration? Possibility on X470 but absolute scarcity. What's great about AMD is that they maintain overclocking capabilities on the B450 chipset, unlike Intel which tends to suppress such features on the H370 board. Another outstanding feature is AMD's StoreMI which is a software solution that is included with all 400 series boards. You can use StoreMI to combine your SSD and HDD to get one drive that offers the best of both worlds. StoreMI intelligently moves files that are more frequently used to your SSDs while less are routed to the hard drive. What's even better is that StoreMI works with almost all types of non-volatile storage media and even volatile storage like RAM.
Back to TUF B450M-PLUS GAMING, it uses 4 + 2 VRM power phases and has important things in terms of back I / O. However, there is one thing that stands out here, and that is the presence of a Type-C USB port. Not much RGB happens with just one LED array in the bottom right corner of the board. For TUF branding, we see quite a lot of features like a reinforced PCIe slot, surge protection on I / O slots and heatsinks on VRM in this price range. Overall, ASUS TUF B450M-PLUS GAMING shows promise to be a motherboard for an average joe.
Also Read More :
- Review The Patriot Evlvr Portable Thunderbolt 4 ITB SSD Capsule
- LPDDR5 RAM and UFS3.0 Smartphone Storage Present at 2019
- ZEn And Vega DDR4 Memory Scaling on AMD's APUs
- Toshiba RC 100 SSD Review: Tiny Drive In A Big Market
- Review Intel Confirms Some Details about 28-Core 5 Ghz Demonstration LGA3647
- ASUS Gaming Smartphone: ROG Type IImm Phone with Binary Snapdragon 845