ASUS B850M AYW Gaming Wifi6 DDR5 AMD Motherboard

The ASUS B850M AYW GAMING WIFI is a micro-ATX motherboard built on the AMD B850 chipset, designed for the AMD Socket AM5 platform and compatible with AMD Ryzen 9000, 8000, and 7000 Series desktop processors. With an 8+2+1 phase digital power design using discrete MOSFETs, it delivers stable and efficient power to the CPU, supporting processors rated up to 170W TDP. Memory support centres on two DDR5 DIMM slots accommodating up to 128GB of un-buffered ECC and non-ECC DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration. Overclocking profiles are supported via AMD EXPO and ASUS’s own Enhanced Memory Profile (AEMP), with validated data rates reaching 8200+ MT/s (OC) with Ryzen 9000 Series, 9600+ MT/s (OC) with Ryzen 8000 Series, and 8000+ MT/s (OC) with Ryzen 7000 Series processors. Storage options include two M.2 Key-M slots (both type 2280) alongside four SATA 6Gb/s ports. When paired with Ryzen 9000 or 7000 Series CPUs, the primary M.2 slot operates at PCIe 5.0 x4 for transfers up to 128Gbps, while the secondary M.2 slot supports PCIe 4.0 x4 at up to 64Gbps. AMD RAIDXpert2 technology enables RAID 0/1/5/10 configurations on Ryzen 9000 Series systems. Connectivity is handled by a Wi-Fi 6 module (802.11ax, 2.4/5GHz, up to 1.2Gbps theoretical peak), Bluetooth 5.3, and a Realtek 2.5Gb Ethernet port with ASUS LANGuard protection. The rear I/O panel provides 8 USB ports in total — two USB 10Gbps Type-A, two USB 5Gbps Type-A, and four USB 2.0 Type-A ports — plus HDMI 2.1 output supporting 4K@60Hz for integrated graphics. A front-panel USB Type-C connector delivers USB 5Gbps speeds. The primary PCIe slot operates at PCIe 5.0 x16 with Ryzen 9000/7000 CPUs, and the board features ASUS SafeSlot reinforcement. Audio is handled by a Realtek High Definition Audio codec supporting 7.1 surround sound at up to 24-bit/192kHz, with audio shielding and dedicated PCB layers. Three Addressable RGB Gen 2 headers enable Aura Sync lighting customisation. Thermal management is assisted by M.2 and VRM heatsinks alongside four hybrid fan headers managed through Fan Xpert 2+ software. DIY-friendly features include a pre-mounted I/O shield, BIOS FlashBack button, M.2 Q-Latch tool-free installation, Q-LED diagnostic lights, and Q-DIMM single-latch slots. The UEFI BIOS ships with AMI firmware on 256Mb Flash ROM and supports CrashFree BIOS 3 and EZ Flash 3 for safe updates. Verified Specifications: – Form Factor: micro-ATX, 9.6 in x 8.7 in (24.4 cm x 22.1 cm) – Socket: AMD AM5 – Chipset: AMD B850 – Memory: 2x DIMM, DDR5, max 128GB, dual-channel, EXPO & AEMP – Primary M.2: PCIe 5.0 x4 (Ryzen 9000/7000), type 2280 – Secondary M.2: PCIe 4.0 x4 (Ryzen 9000/7000), type 2280 – SATA: 4x SATA 6Gb/s – Primary PCIe Slot: PCIe 5.0 x16 (Ryzen 9000/7000) – Wireless: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3 – Ethernet: Realtek 2.5Gb – Rear USB: 2x USB 10Gbps + 2x USB 5Gbps + 4x USB 2.0 (all Type-A) – Front USB: 1x USB Type-C 5Gbps + 1x USB 5Gbps header + 2x USB 2.0 headers – Display: 1x HDMI 2.1 (4K@60Hz) – Audio: Realtek 7.1, 24-bit/192kHz – BIOS: 256Mb Flash ROM, UEFI AMI – OS Support: Windows 11, Windows 10 64-bit