ASUS Prime B860-Plus-CSM ATX Motherboard

The ASUS Prime B860-Plus-CSM is a full-size ATX motherboard designed around Intel's B860 chipset and the LGA1851 socket, making it compatible with Intel Core Ultra Processors (Series 2). It is engineered for builders seeking a stable, feature-rich platform for productivity, creative workloads, and AI-oriented applications without stepping into premium-tier pricing. At the heart of its power delivery is an 8+1+1+1 phase configuration using 80A power stages that integrate high-side and low-side MOSFETs with gate drivers into a single package. This arrangement is designed to deliver clean, consistent power to high-core-count Intel Core Ultra CPUs under sustained loads. Storage flexibility is a clear strength of this board. Three M.2 Key-M slots are available: one running at up to 128 Gbps via PCIe 5.0, one at up to 64 Gbps via PCIe 4.0, and a third M.2 slot for additional drives. Alongside these, four SATA 6 Gb/s ports allow connection of traditional SSDs and HDDs, giving builders broad storage options. Memory support covers DDR5 in dual-channel configuration, with speeds reaching up to 8666 MT/s and beyond through ASUS Enhanced Memory Profile III (AEMP III) and Intel Extreme Memory Profile (XMP). The board supports both standard unbuffered DDR5 and Clocked Unbuffered DIMMs (CUDIMM), with a maximum capacity of 256 GB across its DIMM slots. Expansion slots include one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot (CPU-connected) and one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot operating at x4 mode via the B860 chipset, accommodating discrete graphics cards and add-in cards. Rear I/O connectivity includes a USB 20 Gbps Type-C port, two USB 10 Gbps Type-A ports, one USB 5 Gbps Type-A port, and two USB 2.0 Type-A ports, alongside a Realtek 2.5 Gb Ethernet port, DisplayPort and HDMI video outputs, and three audio jacks. Internal headers add further USB 5 Gbps Type-C, additional USB 5 Gbps and USB 2.0 headers, plus three Addressable Gen 2 headers and one Aura RGB header for lighting customisation. A Thunderbolt (USB4) header and SPI TPM header round out the internal connectivity. Cooling infrastructure includes a 4-pin CPU fan header, a CPU OPT header, an AIO pump header, and four chassis fan headers, offering thorough thermal management for custom builds. Verified Specifications: - Form Factor: ATX - Chipset: Intel B860 - Socket: LGA1851 - CPU Compatibility: Intel Core Ultra Processors (Series 2) - Memory Type: DDR5 (Non-ECC, Unbuffered; CUDIMM supported) - Memory Speed: Up to 8666 MT/s and above (XMP / AEMP III) - Max Memory: 256 GB (Dual Channel) - M.2 Slots: 3x Key-M (1x PCIe 5.0 at 128 Gbps, 1x PCIe 4.0 at 64 Gbps, 1x additional) - SATA Ports: 4x SATA 6 Gb/s - PCIe Slots: 1x PCIe 5.0 x16 (CPU), 1x PCIe 4.0 x16 (x4 mode, chipset) - Rear USB: 1x USB 20 Gbps Type-C, 2x USB 10 Gbps Type-A, 1x USB 5 Gbps Type-A, 2x USB 2.0 Type-A - Network: Realtek 2.5 Gb Ethernet - Video Output: 1x DisplayPort, 1x HDMI - Warranty: 3 Years