Biostar’s B660M Silver is a Micro ATX motherboard that hailing from the funds finish of the Alder Lake spectrum. Priced round $160 within the US, it affords nearly all the things it’s good to get probably the most out of your system–as long as you don’t wish to overclock your CPU. The B660M Silver brings a black and silver aesthetic (no RGBs), two PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 sockets, 4 SATA ports, succesful energy supply, and a 2.5 GbE port. General, it’s a well-rounded choice on this house, however lacks included Wi-Fi.
Efficiency on the B660M Silver was akin to different like boards throughout our testing suite. It struggled a bit in a few the closely multi-threaded assessments, however that’s a standard theme amongst most B660 boards. Biostar’s board excelled within the Procyon Workplace suite, with outcomes close to the highest throughout all these assessments. For those who’re a gamer, there’s nothing to worry, because the efficiency there was common, too. Energy consumption was additionally common general, although load energy consumption was larger than many others.
Earlier than we get into all the small print and see if this board earns a spot on our greatest motherboards checklist, beneath is a listing of specs from the Biostar web site.
Specs: Biostar B660M Silver
| Socket | LGA1700 |
| Chipset | B660 |
| Type Issue | Micro-ATX |
| Voltage Regulator | 13 Section (12x 70A DrMOS MOSFETs for Vcore) |
| Video Ports | (1) HDMI (v2.0) |
| (1) DisplayPort (v1.4) Enter | |
| (1) DVI-D | |
| USB Ports | (1) USB 3.2 Gen 2 Kind-C (10 Gbps) |
| (5) USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) | |
| (2) USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) | |
| Community Jacks | (1) 2.5 GbE |
| Audio Jacks | (3) Analog |
| Legacy Ports/Jacks | PS/2, DVI-D |
| Different Ports/Jack | ✗ |
| PCIe x16 | (1) v5.0 (x16) |
| (1) v3.0 (x4) | |
| PCIe x8 | ✗ |
| PCIe x4 | ✗ |
| PCIe x1 | (1) v3.0 (x1) |
| CrossFire/SLI | ? |
| DIMM Slots | (4) DDR4 5000+(OC), 128GB Capability |
| M.2 Sockets | (1) PCIe 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps) / PCIe (as much as 110mm) |
| (1) PCIe 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps) / PCIe + SATA (as much as 110mm) | |
| U.2 Ports | ✗ |
| SATA Ports | (4) SATA3 6 Gbps (Helps RAID 0/1/5/10) |
| USB Headers | (1) USB v3.2 Gen 2×2, Kind-C (20 Gbps, 60W) |
| (1) USB v3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) | |
| (2) USB v2.0 (480 Mbps) | |
| Fan/Pump Headers | (5) 4-Pin (CPU, CPU OPT, System followers) |
| RGB Headers | (3) aRGB (3-pin) |
| (1) AURA RGB (4-pin) | |
| Diagnostics Panel | EZ Debug LED |
| Inner Button/Swap | ✗ |
| SATA Controllers | ✗ |
| Ethernet Controller(s) | Realtek RTL8125BG (2.5 Gbps) |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | ✗ |
| USB Controllers | ✗ |
| HD Audio Codec | Realtek ALC1220 |
| DDL/DTS Join | ✗ / X |
| Guarantee | 3 Years |
Contained in the Field of the Biostar B660M Silver
Biostar, like all different board companions, consists of some equipment to get you began. The B660M Silver’s accent stack is sparse, however consists of sufficient to get you began. Beneath is a whole checklist of the included equipment.
- (4) SATA cables
- I/O Protect
- Assist DVD
- Fast information
Design of the B660M Silver
The B660M Silver is a common function board that, in accordance with Biostar, focuses on reliability. The black PCB offers strategy to mild grey design components stenciled on the board across the PCIe and socket areas. Cooling the ability supply, chipset, and one M.2 socket are silver heatsinks with a brushed aluminum end. These aren’t the largest heatsinks we’ve seen, however they do the job. For those who’re on the lookout for built-in RGB LEDs, look elsewhere because the Silver doesn’t have any. However don’t fret if you’d like lights, as a result of the board has a full complement of ARGB and RGB headers so as to add by yourself.
On the highest half of the board, we get a greater take a look at the VRM heatsink that reaches out over the rear IO bits. It’s not the most important or heaviest VRM heatsink, nevertheless it retains these MOSFETs working with spec. Throughout the highest of this heatsink is the Silver branding in black, Biostar is stenciled on the chipset heatsink. Simply above the VRM heatsink is the only 8-pin EPS connector (required) to energy the processor.
Transferring previous the socket and small high VRM heatsink, we run into the primary (of 5) 4-pin fan/pump headers. Biostar doesn’t checklist the output of those headers, so I might anticipate 1A/12W output for every, if just for security causes. To regulate the followers, use the Aorura software program and AI Fan program.
Persevering with proper, we run into 4 unreinforced DRAM slots that solely lock on the highest facet. Biostar lists help for as much as 128GB of RAM and speeds as much as DDR4-5000+(OC). We didn’t run into any points with our two check kits with speeds as much as DDR4-4000. As regular, your mileage could range in reaching these (and quicker) speeds because it relies on the reminiscence equipment and the processor’s built-in reminiscence controller (IMC) to get you there.
Within the higher proper nook, you’ll discover all three RGB headers: two 3-pin ARGB headers and one 4-pin RGB header. Management over the connected lighting comes from the Aorura software program and Vivid DJ applet. Down the correct edge, we run into the 24-pin EPS for board energy, a 19-pin USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) header, and a USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) Kind-C header.
Energy supply on the B660M Silver consists of 12 phases for Vcore (13 whole). Energy comes from the 8-pin EPS connector and onto the Renesas RAA229130 controller. Energy then strikes to 12 70A OnSemi 5062 DrMOS MOSFETs. The 840A out there isn’t probably the most we’ve seen, however it’s a lot to deal with our Intel Core i9-12900K at default speeds with out getting in the best way.
On the underside half of the board, we spy a totally uncovered audio part on the left facet. To the left of the audio separation line, we run right into a Realtek ALC1220 codec and 4 devoted audio caps. In comparison with most of its friends (besides the B660M Mortar), it is a superior audio answer on paper, however robust to distinguish audibly.
In the course of the board are three M.2 sockets and three PCIe slots. Beginning with the slots, the B660M Silver sports activities two full-length slots (one strengthened) and a single x1 slot. The highest slot (main) connects by means of the CPU and runs at PCIe 5.0 x16. The underside slot connects by means of the chipset, working at PCIe 3.0 x4. Multi-GPU help isn’t talked about, although the board has the bandwidth to help it. The center x1 slot additionally connects by means of the chipset and helps as much as PCIe 3.0 x1 speeds.
Relating to M.2 sockets, there are two Key-M slots for storage and one Key-E socket for Wi-Fi (CNVi module not included). The highest socket connects by means of the CPU for PCIe 4.0×4 (64 Gbps) bandwidth and handles as much as 80mm modules. The underside socket helps as much as 110mm modules and connects by means of the chipset for PCIe 4.0 x4 (64 Gbps) bandwidth.
Throughout the underside are a number of headers, together with USB ports and RGB, and extra. Beneath is a whole checklist, from left to proper:
- Entrance panel audio
- (3) 4-pin fan headers
- (2) USB 2.0
- 9-pin Thunderbolt header
- Debug LEDs
- COM port
- Entrance panel
- 4-pin RGB header
The B660M silver features a easy rear IO plate it’s good to set up. It has a black background with silver labels and “Silver” branding within the upper-left nook. So far as ports go, from left to proper, we run into video outputs – HDMI, DisplayPort, and DVI-D. Above which can be Wi-Fi antenna connections which, I discover deceptive since this mannequin doesn’t include Wi-Fi. There are eight USB ports: two USB 2.0 (480 MBps) and 6 USB 3.2 Gen2 (10 Gbps) ports, one in every of which is Kind-C. Subsequent up is the two.5 GbE port and a 3-plug analog input-only audio stack.
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