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{"meta":{"keywords":"asrock b660, asrock b660m steel, asrock b660m steel legend, asrock legend, asrock steel, asrock steel legend, b660m, asrock","description":"ASROCK B660M Steel Legend: The Backbone of a Budget Micro Gaming PC"},"active":true,"show_in_home":true,"show_as_recent":false,"show_as_popular":false,"_id":"62c4ce1ba54db267035e6e21","aid":"asrock-b660m-steel-legend","big_image_path":"asrock-b660m-steel-legend-big.png","date":"07/05/2022","elements":[{"id":"p0","sort_index":0,"type":"paragraph","content":"<p></p><p><br data-mce-bogus='1'></p><p><br data-mce-bogus='1'></p><p>Many users feel tempted to skimp on components that are not usually mentioned in the system requirement list of their favorite games. They always make sure to include the ideal graphics card (GPU), an average processor (CPU), and as much ram as their rig will need to prevent a laggy performance.</p><p>However, most don’t focus on the platform you need to have those components running. Your motherboard needs to at least be compatible with your CPU, but also not cause any performance bottlenecks down the road. Now, most gamers understand that high-end boards are in the Z-series tier, and the B-series offers average performance. But what does that really mean?</p><p><br></p><p><span style='color: rgb(224, 62, 45);' data-mce-style='color: #e03e2d;'><strong>What are the different series of Motherboards?</strong></span></p><p><strong><br data-mce-bogus='1'></strong></p><p>Motherboard manufacturers divide their products into three categories. H-series, B-series, and Z-series. H stands for home, and these are considered entry-level boards. They’re perfectly good boards, but designed for basic computing, internet browsing, office work, etc.</p><p>At the other end, we have the Z-series, or “Zenith”. These are created with performance enthusiasts in mind with every feature available packed onboard. Z-series usually comes with hefty voltage regulator modules (VRM) so the builder can overclock the CPU with confidence, and extremely robust heatsinks to efficiently manage temperatures.</p><p>The medium-range was populated by b-series or motherboards aimed at businesses. These motherboards can handle powerful CPUs at stock speeds, and usually include more ports for office use, multiple monitors, network connectivity, and the likes. More importantly, B-series motherboards tend to keep costs down significantly.</p><p>However, many boards in this range have started to blur the line between them and the Zenith boards, without going overboard in terms of pricing.</p><p><br data-mce-bogus='1'></p><p><span style='color: rgb(224, 62, 45);' data-mce-style='color: #e03e2d;'><strong>Is the B660M Steel Legend a gaming Motherboard?</strong></span></p><p><strong><br data-mce-bogus='1'></strong></p><p>The ASRock B660M Steel Legend brings a lot of features for not being in the Z-series. For example, it can comfortably run a 12<sup>th</sup>-generation Intel Alder Lake CPU. We have built some gaming PCs using an i9-12900k and they run extremely well if you’re not pushing all the cores and threads to their limit (something that should never happen when gaming). The overall performance of a B660M Steel Legend is right up there with DDR4 Z690 boards without the hefty price tag, so bear that in mind.</p><p>Power consumption on this board is great, staying below average both during load and idle stages and keeping temperatures at decent levels.</p><p>Keep in mind that most B-series boards do not allow for CPU overclocking, and we generally recommend against it due to power and MOSFET throttling caused by overheating. However, newer chipsets allow us to adjust memory speeds, which is amazing at this budget level, and the B660M Steel Legend makes it very easy to do.</p><p>When paired with an RTX 3080, we didn’t have problems pushing Far Cry 6 to the limit, and we still got consistent FPS north of 120. Apex Legends run smoothly delivering 140 FPS even at 1440p without breaking a sweat. Our CLX Quench liquid cooling systems were able to keep temperatures and noise under control, so we were able to enjoy a full night of uninterrupted gaming.</p><p>In terms of aesthetics, it’s hard to believe an office environment would need such a good-looking board. The build quality and electro-camo-themed design make one forget the Steel Legend is a budget series board. The board has several RGB LEDs hidden behind the right edge right beside the 24-pin connector, so you can spice up your office of course.</p><p><br data-mce-bogus='1'></p><p><span style='color: rgb(224, 62, 45);' data-mce-style='color: #e03e2d;'><strong>ASRock B660M Steel Legend specs.</strong></span></p><p><strong><br data-mce-bogus='1'></strong></p><p>The B660M Steel Legend is an LGA1700 socket mATX form factor motherboard. The board includes a PCIe 5.0 slot, which is rare in this range and makes your rig a lot more future proof. It is a DDR4 board, but it allows you to expand your RAM up to 128GB if you ever need to.</p><p>In terms of storage, the B660M provides up to two M.2 ports for your NVME SSD and up to 6 SATA ports for additional storage, this configuration differs based on which ports are actively in use. The board has one HDMI port and a 1.4 DisplayPort. It also comes with one USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port with a transfer rate of 10Gbps, so make sure you install this board on a chassis that has a type-C port in the front panel to make the most of it.</p><p>It also has four USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports that send out a solid 5Gbps transfer rate. Finally, two additional USB 2.0 ports for older peripherals. As you can see, you get plenty of features packed in a seemingly budget-oriented motherboard. In fact, the inclusion of two PCIe slots puts this board way ahead of most mATX models in its price range.</p><p><br data-mce-bogus='1'></p><p><span style='color: rgb(224, 62, 45);' data-mce-style='color: #e03e2d;'><strong>A solid choice when customizing your microATX gaming PC.</strong></span></p><p><strong><br data-mce-bogus='1'></strong></p><p>As we mentioned before, motherboards aimed at the gaming PC market can be pricey. This can force users to think in terms of trade-offs as most people want to invest in the most powerful GPU that fits their budget, but we recommend you don’t overlook the importance of your motherboard.</p><p>The B660M Steel Legend is a component set to offer an affordable alternative for hardcore gamers without sacrificing performance or features. It offers features that are usually restricted to boards that can cost several hundred dollars more and does it with style.</p><p>For many, the best aspect of the B660M is that, for all its features, it is still a mATX; or microATX motherboard. It looks amazing when built into one of our signature small form factory chassis such as the Scarab O11 Dynamic Mini Micro, or the SET Talos E1 Micro.</p><p>If you’re planning on building a gaming PC, whether it’s microATX with a B660M, or any other size; you should check out our selection of <span style='color: rgb(224, 62, 45);' data-mce-style='color: #e03e2d;'><a href='https://www.clxgaming.com/gaming-desktops' data-mce-href='https://www.clxgaming.com/gaming-desktops' style='color: rgb(224, 62, 45);' data-mce-style='color: #e03e2d;'>gaming desktops</a></span> and configure a unique system of your own. Our custom configurator includes a live chat with our expert tech support if you have any questions or concerns; and allows you to design and build your own PC hassle free, preventing any possible component conflicts or size issues.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br data-mce-bogus='1'></p>"}],"id":"_dmixj6lpl","mid_image_path":"asrock-b660m-steel-legend-mid.png","sid":"pc-parts-benchmark","small_image_path":"asrock-b660m-steel-legend-small.png","sub_title":"When looking to build a gaming PC, most people are often faced with a dilemma: how do you get the most out of your money?","title":"ASROCK B660M Steel Legend: The Backbone of a Budget Micro Gaming PC"}
