Especially on the Intel side, after the aggressive price cut of the Core Ultra 5 245K processor, users started looking for budget-friendly motherboards with the LGA 1851 socket. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at whether the ASRock B860 Pro-A, one of the most ambitious models in terms of price-to-performance, is worth buying.
CPU and RAM Support
The ASRock B860 Pro-A motherboard comes with a strong VRM design and built-in heatsinks considering its purchase cost. For stability, two 8-pin CPU power connectors are included on the board. It will pair perfectly with the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K processor while also allowing future CPU upgrades. The inclusion of 4 DDR5 RAM slots is a nice touch, as it gives you flexibility when upgrading later or when extra memory is needed for work. This motherboard also supports CPU overclocking.
Graphics Card and Storage Support
Nowadays, graphics cards come with the PCIe 5.0 interface, so if you want to get a modern motherboard, make sure it supports this standard. The ASRock B860 Pro-A features a PCIe 5.0 x16 graphics card slot, reinforced with steel to prevent sagging under the weight of heavy GPUs. For storage, it offers 1 PCIe Gen 5 x4 M.2 SSD slot, allowing you to use the latest high-speed SSDs running at PCIe 5.0 speeds, and it even comes with a built-in heatsink. Additionally, there are 2 PCIe Gen 4 x4 M.2 SSD slots, giving you a total of 3 M.2 SSD options, which should largely solve your storage needs with high-speed drives. For those who need even more, 4 SATA 3 6.0 Gb/s ports are also included.
Other Features of the ASRock B860 Pro-A
There’s no built-in WiFi adapter, but the slot is available. In the mid-range, the board features a 7.1 channel ALC897 audio codec, which should deliver satisfying sound performance. The inclusion of 2.5 Gigabit LAN support is an advantage compared to similarly priced competitors. You also get plenty of fan headers and a pump header for liquid cooling setups. For RGB enthusiasts, there are 3 addressable RGB headers, which is great for those who like flashy builds. The front panel Type-C header is also available on the motherboard. BIOS updates can be done with the dedicated button on the back, even if RAM, CPU, or GPU are not installed.
Is the ASRock B860 Pro-A Worth Buying?
If you’re building a price-to-performance focused PC, this motherboard might be exactly what you’re looking for. It offers the latest technologies at a very reasonable price. Since Intel has made serious price cuts on CPUs compatible with this board, building an LGA 1851 system has become much more sensible. The ASRock B860 Pro-A looks like a great option for gamers, content creators, AI workloads, or modeling tasks at a budget-friendly price. Intel CPUs are competitive in gaming and a bit stronger against AMD in professional workloads. If pricing becomes even more competitive, we can definitely say Intel is back.