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ASUS ROG Strix B550-F Gaming WiFi II Motherboard: specs and who it suits

An ATX AM4 motherboard for AMD Ryzen 3000 and 5000 series, with PCIe 4.0, dual M.2, Wi-Fi 6E, 2.5Gb Ethernet and BIOS Flashback. What the specs mean.

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The ASUS ROG Strix B550-F Gaming WiFi II is an ATX motherboard for AMD's AM4 socket. It is the central circuit board of a desktop PC, and this model is meant for builders who want a Ryzen gaming system with modern connectivity such as PCIe 4.0, Wi-Fi 6E and 2.5Gb Ethernet.

The AM4 socket and which processors fit

ASUS lists support for AMD Ryzen 3000 and 5000 series desktop processors, plus 5000 and 4000 G-series chips that include integrated graphics. AM4 is a physical socket, so processors made for other sockets will not fit. Some processors need a BIOS update to be recognised, and the BIOS Flashback feature listed with the board lets you update the firmware from a USB drive without a processor installed. Check ASUS's processor support list for your chip.

Power and cooling

The power design uses 12+2 teamed power stages with a ProCool power connector, alloy chokes and durable capacitors. In general, a stronger power design helps keep voltage steady to the processor during long, demanding sessions. ASUS also describes a Stack Cool 3+ design, which refers to its approach to keeping the board's temperature down.

PCIe 4.0 and storage

The board is PCIe 4.0 ready. PCIe 4.0 offers twice the bandwidth of 3.0 per lane, and it is used by fast graphics cards and NVMe SSDs. A key detail with AM4 boards is that full PCIe 4.0 operation usually requires a Ryzen 3000 or 5000 series processor, because some G-series chips run at PCIe 3.0.

There are dual M.2 slots for compact SSDs that plug straight into the board.

Networking and connections

The board has on-board Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.2, plus Intel 2.5Gb Ethernet with ASUS LANGuard protection. Wi-Fi 6E adds the 6GHz band, which needs a compatible router to use. Video output comes through HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.2, which work with a processor that has integrated graphics. There is also a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port.

For lighting there is an addressable Gen 2 RGB header and Aura Sync support.

Software

ASUS bundles a 60-day AIDA64 Extreme subscription, a system monitoring and diagnostic tool, and an intuitive UEFI BIOS dashboard for settings.

Size

The listing gives dimensions of 10.7 x 2.8 x 13.4 inches (about 27 x 7 x 34 cm), which is the packaged size, and a weight of 2.2 lb (about 1 kg). The board itself is the ATX form factor, so it needs a case that supports ATX.

Who it suits

It suits people building a Ryzen 3000 or 5000 series gaming PC who want wireless and fast Ethernet built in, and people upgrading an older AM4 system.

What to check before you buy

  • Processor compatibility: check the exact chip and the BIOS version it needs.
  • Memory: AM4 boards use DDR4, so check the type and speeds in the manual.
  • Case: confirm it accepts ATX boards.
  • Storage: count the M.2 and SATA drives you plan to use.
  • Router: Wi-Fi 6E speeds require a matching router.
  • Display output: the HDMI and DisplayPort outputs only work with a processor with integrated graphics.

The short version

  • An ATX AM4 motherboard for Ryzen 3000 and 5000 series processors.
  • 12+2 power stages, alloy chokes and Stack Cool 3+ design.
  • PCIe 4.0 ready, dual M.2 slots and a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port.
  • Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 and 2.5Gb Ethernet.
  • BIOS Flashback, addressable RGB header and 60 days of AIDA64 Extreme.

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