ASUS PRIME B860M-K CSM DDR5 Intel Motherboard

The ASUS PRIME B860M-K CSM is a micro-ATX motherboard built around the Intel B860 chipset, designed to support Intel Core Ultra Processors (Series 2) in the LGA1851 socket. Sized at 9.6 x 8.75 inches (24.4 x 22.2 cm), it fits compact mid-tower and small-form-factor builds without sacrificing connectivity or expandability. At the heart of its power delivery is a 6+1+1+1 phase digital VRM design with discrete MOSFETs, providing stable voltage regulation for Intel Core Ultra Series 2 CPUs. An 8-pin ProCool CPU power connector and DIGI+ VRM software allow real-time voltage adjustment, while onboard heatsinks help dissipate heat from the power stages during sustained workloads. Memory support covers two DDR5 DIMM slots capable of holding up to 128 GB total in a dual-channel configuration. The board is compatible with CUDIMM modules and supports overclocked speeds up to DDR5-8800+ MT/s via Intel XMP and ASUS AEMP III profiles. The DIMM Fit BIOS utility analyses installed memory modules individually to fine-tune timings and identify compatibility issues. Storage options include two M.2 Key-M slots: M.2_1 runs at PCIe 5.0 x4 (up to 128 Gbps) and M.2_2 at PCIe 4.0 x4 (up to 64 Gbps). Both slots accept 2242, 2260, and 2280 form factors. Four SATA 6 Gb/s ports extend traditional drive support, and Intel Rapid Storage Technology enables RAID 0/1/5/10 across SATA drives. Expansion is handled by one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot reinforced with SafeSlot Core+, a stainless-steel brace anchored with additional solder points to protect against GPU sag, plus two PCIe 4.0 x1 slots via the B860 chipset. Connectivity includes a Realtek 2.5 Gb Ethernet port with ASUS LANGuard surge protection, a rear USB 10 Gbps Type-A port, two rear USB 5 Gbps Type-A ports, three rear USB 2.0 Type-A ports, and a PS/2 combo port. Front-panel USB is served by a USB 5 Gbps Type-C header (5V/3A power delivery), a USB 5 Gbps Type-A header, and two USB 2.0 headers. Video output comprises one DisplayPort 1.4 (4K@60 Hz) and one HDMI 2.1 port (4K@60 Hz) for systems using CPU-integrated graphics. Audio is handled by a Realtek HD 7.1 Surround Sound CODEC supporting 24-bit/192 kHz playback, audio shielding, premium audio capacitors, and dedicated PCB layers. RGB personalisation is available via one Aura RGB header and two Addressable Gen 2 headers, all managed through Armoury Crate with Aura Sync. As an ASUS Corporate Stable Model (CSM), this board comes with up to 36-month product lifecycle support, a 6-month end-of-life advance notice, and a bundled ASUS Control Center Express activation key for IT management across compatible ASUS hardware. Q-LED Core diagnostic LEDs provide colour-coded POST indicators to simplify troubleshooting. Verified Specifications: – Socket: LGA1851 | Chipset: Intel B860 – Form Factor: micro-ATX, 9.6 x 8.75 in (24.4 x 22.2 cm) – Memory: 2x DDR5 DIMM, max 128 GB, up to DDR5-8800+ MT/s (OC), XMP & AEMP III – Storage: 1x M.2 PCIe 5.0 x4 + 1x M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 + 4x SATA 6 Gb/s – Expansion: 1x PCIe 4.0 x16, 2x PCIe 4.0 x1 – LAN: Realtek 2.5 Gb Ethernet – Rear USB: 1x USB 10 Gbps Type-A, 2x USB 5 Gbps Type-A, 3x USB 2.0 Type-A – Front USB: 1x USB 5 Gbps Type-C, 1x USB 5 Gbps Type-A header, 2x USB 2.0 headers – Display: 1x DisplayPort 1.4 (4K@60 Hz), 1x HDMI 2.1 (4K@60 Hz) – Audio: Realtek 7.1 HD, 24-bit/192 kHz – BIOS: 256 Mb Flash ROM, UEFI AMI – OS Support: Windows 11 (22H2+), Windows 10 64-bit (21H2+)