B860 motherboard guide: Intel Core Ultra Series 2 CPUs go mainstream with boards from ROG Strix, TUF Gaming, and Prime

The cutting-edge connectivity, overclocking capabilities, and massive VRM architecture of our Z890 motherboard series — particularly the high-end ROG Maximus models — make them ideal for enthusiasts, hardcore gamers, and power users. For everyone else, the combination of a B-series motherboard and a non-overclocking Intel CPU offers tremendous value. Intel has just launched the second wave of its Core Ultra (Series 2) processor lineup, and we’ve prepared a full range of the B860 motherboards you’ll need for these new chips.

On a side note, we’re also expanding our high-end Z890 motherboard lineup, as well. Fans of our hidden-connector BTF boards should check out the new ROG Maximus Z890 Hero BTF. And if you’re looking for an overclocking-ready Intel gaming motherboard with three PCIe x16 expansion slots, take a peek at the ROG Strix Z890-H Gaming WiFi.

A wealth of next-gen updates

The value proposition of our B860 motherboard lineup is off the charts thanks to their thoroughly modern platform. Browse the selection and you’ll find features that used to be the sole province of our enthusiast-class boards. Every model supports the latest high-bandwidth CUDIMM DDR5 memory kits, and ensures that you have an easy time getting it up to speed with AEMP III profiles. PCIe 5.0 connectivity abounds, giving you access to the fastest graphics cards of today and tomorrow.

Looking to take advantage of the next generation of wireless networking? Grab an ROG Strix or TUF Gaming motherboard equipped with WiFi 7. Faster, smarter, and ready for a low-interference connection to a compatible router over the wide-open 6GHz band, WiFi 7 gives you a whole-home network upgrade.

We also took this opportunity to bolster the M.2 support of these motherboards. Last-gen B760 motherboards typically offered two to three M.2 slots, and the speediest maxed out with PCIe 4.0 connectivity. Our B860 motherboard lineup now includes several options with four M.2 slots, and every model in the series features a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot ready for a blazing-fast storage drive. Whether you’re building a large gaming library, accelerating your creative efforts with dedicated drives for project storage, or simply taking advantage of your stack of old M.2 drives from previous builds, you’ll appreciate the comprehensive storage options available with ASUS B860 motherboards.

An easier optimization experience

Generations of PC builders have trusted our award-winning BIOS interface, so we’re not quick to make changes just for change’s sake. But this fall we rolled out an important adjustment for our top-end Z890 series: we bumped up the resolution to 1920×1080.

With your ASUS B860 motherboard, you’ll enjoy this quality-of-life upgrade, too. With this change, you’ll be able to see more content at a glance, making it easier to survey the available settings and find the ones that you need. Perhaps even more valuable to new PC builders, we’re introducing our new BIOS Q-Dashboard interface to help bridge the gap between settings in the BIOS and the physical layout of your new motherboard. It gives you a perspective view of your exact motherboard model right inside of the BIOS with the vital components and connections neatly labeled.

Many PC builders, especially folks working on their first PC, have a lot of questions about how to get the best experience out of their PC once they have it up and running. ASUS AI Advisor, available to owners of ASUS B860 motherboards, provides a quick and easy way to get instant answers to those questions. Whether an easy-to-read explanation of ASUS-exclusive functions, general guidance for how to use specific BIOS function, or even wide-ranging advice for how to set your PC for optimal performance, ASUS AI Advisor is ready to lend a hand.

ROG Strix rallies gamers everywhere

For gamers building a PC based on a non-overclockable Intel Core Ultra Series 2 CPU, there’s no better choice than ROG Strix. Primed to perform with high-end hardware, equipped for battle with a versatile connectivity selection, and designed with undeniable gamer style, these motherboards kick your gaming ambitions into high gear.

ROG Strix B860-F Gaming WiFi

The highest-end model in our B860 lineup is the ROG Strix B860-F Gaming WiFi. This motherboard’s impeccable spec list starts with the fives: DDR5 memory support, a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, and a high-speed PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot. Its versatile connectivity selection is highlighted by a Thunderbolt 4 port ready to connect displays, peripherals, or speedy external storage devices.

Pristine positional audio, whether it’s delivered through a desktop speaker array or a premium headset, is vital for your competitive ambitions and your desire for immersive gaming experiences. The ROG Strix B860-F Gaming WiFi offers an audiophile-grade ROG SupremeFX ALC 4080 CODEC. Premium audio capacitors, an audio cover, and SupremeFX Shielding technology maintain exceptional signal integrity. Offering an ultra-high signal-to-noise ratio for both recording input and stereo playback output, it transmits your voice with impeccable clarity for your squadmates and wraps you in lifelike sound. A Savitech SV3H712 amp allows you to drive a premium high-impedance headset through your PC case’s front-panel output, all without hooking up additional hardware.

The ROG Strix B860-F Gaming WiFi goes above and beyond to simplify the process of building, maintaining, and upgrading your PC. Our M.2 Q-Latch system allows for tool-free drive installation. You don’t even need a screwdriver to install the M.2 Q-Release heatsink for the primary drive slot. The PCIe Q-Release Slim mechanism allows you to remove your GPU without fumbling for a fiddly little latch or even pushing a button. And BIOS FlashBack ensures that you can update this board’s firmware even if you don’t have your CPU up and running.

ROG Strix B860-A Gaming WiFi

In any ROG Strix motherboard series, the “-A” model carves its own path with a strikingly different aesthetic than the other options. The ROG Strix B860-A Gaming WiFi sets you up to build a showcase gaming PC with its white heatsinks, silver accents, and cobble-gray PCB.

Look across this board’s spec sheet, and you’ll find it nipping at the heels of its big brother, the ROG Strix B860-F Gaming WiFi. It offers four M.2 slots, one of which is wired for PCIe 5.0, to kick your gaming library into high gear. A Realtek ALC1220P CODEC and Savitech SV3H712 amp serve up pristine audio, while onboard WiFi 7 support gives you an exceptional wireless networking experience.

ROG Strix B860-G Gaming WiFi

Perhaps you like the overall aesthetic and feature set of the ROG Strix B860-A Gaming WiFi, but you’re looking for something just a bit more compact — and you don’t mind giving up the second PCIe x16 slot to get there. For you, we offer the ROG Strix B860-G Gaming WiFi. This fully loaded microATX motherboard fuels your ambitions for a mid-tower PC that’s ready for cutting-edge gaming.

This board’s more compact dimensions make it compatible with space-saving PC cases like the popular ASUS Prime AP201 Tempered Glass, but we still found the space to equip it with four M.2 slots, plentiful USB ports, a versatile Thunderbolt 4 port, and a robust, well-cooled power solution. Like the other ROG Strix boards in the series, it lets you take advantage of the latest high-speed CUDIMM DDR5 kits for unbounded gaming performance. And its powerhouse combo of WiFi 7 support and a 2.5Gb Ethernet port deliver rock-solid networking, no matter whether you’re on team wired or team wireless.

ROG Strix B860-I Gaming WiFi

The ROG Strix B860-G Gaming WiFi is a compact board, but there’s room to go even smaller. The Mini-ITX ROG Strix B860-I Gaming WiFi is so petite that you can hold it comfortably with one hand, yet it offers everything you need for cutting-edge PC gaming.

Two DIMM slots are all you need for a high-speed dual-channel memory kit, after all, and your cutting-edge graphics card only demands a single PCIe 5.0 x16 slot. Two M.2 slots, one wired for PCIe 5.0 and one for PCIe 4.0, kickstart your game library. Along with the LGA1851 socket, those components account for much of the board’s surface area, but we still find room to squeeze in a RealTek ALC1220P audio CODEC, a high-speed selection of USB ports, a robust VRM architecture with beefy dedicated heatsinks, and more.

Battle-hardened TUF Gaming boards for your B860 build

TUF Gaming motherboards have earned a reputation among gamers for delivering rock-solid performance and reliable operation at a great price. We’re carrying that reputation forward with three new models ready to make PC gaming affordable for a wide audience.

These TUF Gaming boards are built to go the distance. Black metallic capacitors provide 52% wider temperature tolerance and up to 2.5 times the lifespan of standard motherboard capacitors. Their resistance to corrosion is attested by their passing grade in a rigorous 72-hour salt fog test that exceeds the industry standard, and they’re equipped with a corrosion-resistant stainless-steel rear I/O panel, too. To help protect your motherboard from electrical surges and static electricity, they feature TUF LANGuard, a military-grade innovation that integrates signal-coupling technology and premium surface-mounted capacitors to improve throughput. All told, these motherboards assure you of long-lasting performance even under heavy use.

TUF Gaming B860-Plus WiFi

The first is a full-sized ATX option that’s sure to be a favorite for value-conscious gamers: the TUF Gaming B860-Plus WiFi.

This board doubles down on the specs that matter most to gamers. You get great DDR5 memory overclocking support, a robust power architecture cooled with beefy heatsinks, and support for powerful PCIe 5.0 graphics cards and SSDs. Plentiful USB ports make it easy to set up your entire battlestation, and the USB 20Gbps Type-C port gives you wide-ranging versatility for putting the finishing touches on your rig.

TUF Gaming B860M-Plus WiFi and TUF Gaming B860M-Plus

Two microATX TUF Gaming motherboards bring gaming horsepower and a battle-hardened aesthetic to more compact PC builds. The two offer a largely similar spec sheet apart from onboard WiFi 7. If out-of-the-box wireless networking and Bluetooth connectivity are must-haves for you build, grab The TUF Gaming B860M-Plus WiFi. Otherwise, the TUF Gaming B860M-Plus beckons.

ASUS Prime motherboards lay a foundation for all-around excellent PCs

Thus far, we’ve looked at motherboards that set their sights on gaming. Yet gamers are far from the only folks out there eyeing up the latest chips from Intel. For anyone building a mainstream PC with unobtrusive style, we offer the ASUS Prime series.

A key part of the value proposition of Prime motherboards is that they’re available in a wide range of configurations. That allows you to ensure that your board has everything that you need and nothing that you don’t. In total, we’re deploying five Prime B860 motherboards, each with a unique claim to fame.

Prime B860-Plus WiFi

First up is the Prime B860-Plus WiFi. The standout feature of this motherboard lies in its expansion slot selection: with its five PCIe x16 slots, you’re equipped to install add-in boards to your heart’s content. But even if you don’t have a drawerful of network cards, storage expansion cards, and sound cards to populate its PCIe x16 slots, you’ll still enjoy its rich USB port selection, easy PC building features, and WiFi 6E support.

Prime B860-Plus

As its name suggests, the Prime B860-Plus has a lot in common with the Prime B860-Plus WiFi, but there’s more going on here than the absence of onboard WiFi. It offers a more standard selection of PCIe x16 slots in order to accommodate other components, notably a third M.2 slot.

Prime B860M-A WiFi and Prime B860M-A

The three remaining Prime B860 motherboards are all in the microATX form factor. The Prime B860M-A WiFi and Prime B860M-A provide a modern PC platform in a relatively compact size. A PCIe 5.0 x16 slot and robust DDR5 RAM support allow for powerful hardware. Two M.2 slots, one wired for PCIe 5.0, let you hit the ground running with your storage array. As an extra bonus to users connecting displays directly to the board, rather than a GPU, we give these motherboards a second DisplayPort output.

Prime B860M-K

Some builders can’t wait to get a next-gen GPU installed in a cutting-edge PCIe 5.0 x16 slot. Others know that the integrated graphics performance offered by today’s Intel CPUs is more than enough to meet their needs. For these builders, the Prime B860M-K is the right-sized motherboard. If four DIMM slots and a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot are more nice-to-haves than must-haves on your motherboard shopping checklist, the Prime B860M-K might be the best motherboard for you.

Even more ASUS motherboard options for your Intel build

These B860 boards are just a few of the options we provide for PC builders looking to harness the performance of an Intel CPU. If you’re looking for an overclocking-ready board for your K-series chip, you’ll need a Z890 motherboard. For an overview of all our current Intel motherboard options, click here.