Currently, many graphics card models are experiencing significant price drops and increased availability. Gamers can easily purchase the latest mid-range models from Nvidia’s RTX 3000 series or AMD’s RX 6000 series to build a new gaming PC. Of course, this comes with the latest 12th generation Intel chipsets, but how do we choose the best configuration at a reasonable price?
One of the most perfect motherboards for installing mid-range Intel Core i5 CPUs, such as the 12600K and below, is the ASRock B660M Pro RS. This combination will provide excellent performance for both work and gaming at a great price. Below are detailed images of this motherboard:
The ASRock B660M Pro RS features simple packaging, accompanied by just the right amount of accessories that are typically seen in budget motherboards. We have SATA cables, a manual, a driver disc, screws for M.2 SSDs, and a rear I/O shield.
In terms of design, the motherboard has a black-gray tone that gives a powerful feel, with a rather sleek VRM heatsink, highlighted by the Pro logo. Notably, despite its affordable price, we still have a heatsink for the M.2 SSD, ensuring high speed without overheating.
As stated at the beginning of the article, the ASRock B660M Pro RS can handle mid-range CPUs well, such as the Intel Core i5 12600K. This is simply because the stable VRM design features 8 Phase Power (a total of 9 phases, but 8 provide power to the CPU) delivering a stable power supply for the chip running at a TDP of about 140W. It can handle higher power but may get a bit hot and may throttle under long durations (which is why installing a Core i7 is possible but may not be optimal).
ASRock is quite clever to equip this motherboard with 4 DDR4 RAM slots (4800MHz OC). This is simply because mid-range PCs will not typically opt for DDR5 due to the current high prices, prioritizing spending on graphics cards instead.
On the side, we can see that the ASRock B660M Pro RS supports both USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A and Type C high-speed ports for front connections, on par with higher-end motherboards.
Moving downwards, there is a Hyper M.2 slot (PCIe Gen 4 x4) with built-in heatsink and a metal shielded PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, adequately accommodating mid-range graphics cards. Of course, in this new era where wireless connections are prioritized, this motherboard also features a slot for an M.2 key E Wi-Fi card, allowing gamers to escape the hassle of wired LAN connections.
At the bottom right, the ASRock B660M Pro RS also includes another M.2 slot, but it only supports Gen 3 x4 SSDs. Users can also take advantage of SATA ports to easily store data.
Additionally, this motherboard features a Realtek ALC897 7.1 CH HD Audio Codec and Nahimic Audio, delivering decent sound quality for gamers.
Finally, the rear I/O is equipped with all the necessary ports for connecting peripherals such as mouse, keyboard, LAN, audio… it’s a bit unfortunate that it lacks a trendy USB Type C port. If you haven’t yet saved up for a dedicated graphics card, the integrated graphics in the CPU also provide DP and HDMI ports:
In summary, with a price of around 3 million VND, the ASRock B660M Pro RS is an incredibly reasonable choice for mid-range PCs looking to utilize the current 12th generation Intel system!