Battle of the Budget Motherboards: ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro S vs ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro II

When building a budget-friendly gaming PC, choosing the right motherboard is crucial. Two excellent options from ASUS are the TUF Gaming B450M-Pro S and the TUF Gaming B450M-Pro II. Both motherboards offer solid features and performance, but there are subtle differences that may sway your decision. In this comprehensive comparison, we’ll delve into the key specifications, features, and differences between these two motherboards to help you make an informed choice.

Chipset and Socket

Both the ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro S and the ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro II utilize the AMD B450 chipset, which supports AMD Ryzen processors up to the 2nd generation. This means that both motherboards are compatible with the latest Ryzen 3000 series CPUs, as well as older Ryzen 1000 and 2000 series CPUs.

Form Factor and Layout

The ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro S and the ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro II both feature a micro-ATX form factor, making them ideal for compact gaming builds. The layout of both motherboards is well-designed, with all the essential components conveniently placed for easy access.

Memory and Storage

The ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro S supports up to 32GB of DDR4 memory with speeds up to 3600MHz, while the ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro II supports up to 64GB of DDR4 memory with speeds up to 4400MHz. Both motherboards feature four DIMM slots, allowing for flexible memory configurations.

In terms of storage, both motherboards offer two M.2 slots for NVMe SSDs and four SATA III ports for traditional hard drives and SSDs. The ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro S has one PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 slot and one PCIe 2.0 x4 M.2 slot, while the ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro II has two PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 slots.

Expansion Slots

The ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro S and the ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro II offer a similar selection of expansion slots. Both motherboards have one PCIe 3.0 x16 slot for a graphics card, one PCIe 2.0 x16 slot (x4 mode), and two PCIe 2.0 x1 slots.

Connectivity

Both motherboards provide comprehensive connectivity options, including Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 5, and Bluetooth 5.0. The ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro S has a Realtek ALC887 audio codec, while the ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro II has a Realtek ALC892 audio codec, which offers slightly improved audio quality.

RGB Lighting

The ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro S and the ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro II both feature RGB lighting, but the ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro II offers more extensive lighting options. The ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro II has a built-in Aura Sync header that allows you to connect multiple RGB devices and synchronize their lighting effects.

BIOS and Overclocking

Both motherboards come with user-friendly BIOS interfaces that provide intuitive controls for overclocking and other system settings. The ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro II BIOS has a dedicated overclocking section that makes it easier to adjust CPU and memory settings.

Pricing and Availability

The ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro S is typically priced around $70-$80, while the ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro II is typically priced around $80-$90. Both motherboards are widely available from major retailers and online marketplaces.

Which Motherboard is Right for You?

Ultimately, the best motherboard for your specific needs depends on your budget and requirements. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option with solid performance and basic features, the ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro S is an excellent choice. If you need more memory capacity, better audio quality, and more extensive lighting options, the ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro II is worth the slightly higher investment.

Questions You May Have

1. Which motherboard supports faster memory speeds?

The ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro II supports faster memory speeds up to 4400MHz, while the ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro S supports memory speeds up to 3600MHz.

2. Which motherboard has more M.2 slots?

Both motherboards have two M.2 slots, but the ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro II has two PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 slots, while the ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro S has one PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 slot and one PCIe 2.0 x4 M.2 slot.

3. Which motherboard has better audio quality?

The ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro II has a slightly better audio codec, the Realtek ALC892, which offers improved audio quality compared to the Realtek ALC887 codec on the ASUS TUF Gaming B450M-Pro S.