Motherboard ASRock B860M-X WiFi — Intel B860, LGA 1851, micro ATX, DDR5, 2x DIMM, 4x M.2, 2.5Gb LAN, Wi‑Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3

The X Series motherboard offers a compact, high-value solution that balances performance, versatility, and reliability for professional and everyday tasks. This ASRock X-Series board supports Intel® Core™ Ultra Processors (Series 2) on LGA1851 and is designed to deliver efficient memory overclocking, fast storage via PCIe Gen5 M.2, and modern connectivity including Wi‑Fi 6E and 2.5 Gb/s LAN in a micro-ATX form factor.

Advantages

The 6-layer PCB improves signal stability and power distribution for lower temperatures and higher efficiency during memory overclocking. Built-in support for DDR5 XMP and AMD EXPO profiles allows easy, pre-tested memory overclocking when paired with compatible modules. A PCIe Gen5 Blazing M.2 slot provides up to 128 Gb/s transfer speed for next‑generation NVMe SSDs. An optimized aluminum heatsink aids thermal management under heavy loads. Integrated Wi‑Fi 6E extends wireless capacity into the 6 GHz band, and the onboard Realtek 2.5 Gb/s LAN boosts wired throughput for demanding networking tasks. Onboard Polychrome RGB and SignalRGB support allow unified lighting control and synchronization with compatible RGB devices.

Key specifications

• CPU Socket: Intel LGA1851 (Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 2)
• Chipset / Form factor: Intel B860, micro ATX
• Power Design: 7+1+1+1+1 power phase
• Memory: 2 x DDR5 DIMM, dual channel, up to 9066+ MHz (OC), max 128 GB
• Storage: 1 Blazing M.2 (PCIe Gen5 x4), 1 Hyper M.2 (PCIe Gen4 x4), 4 x SATA3
• PCIe slots: 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16, 1 x PCIe 4.0 x4, 1 x PCIe 4.0 x1
• USB: 1 x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C (rear), 1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C (front), 5 x USB 3.2 Gen1, 6 x USB 2.0
• LAN: Realtek 2.5 Gb/s Ethernet
• Wireless: Wi‑Fi 6E (802.11axe) + Bluetooth 5.3
• Audio: Realtek ALC897 7.1 CH HD Audio Codec
• BIOS: UEFI AMI 256 Mbit, supports BIOS Flashback
• Graphics outputs: 1 x HDMI, 1 x DisplayPort
• RAID: Supports SATA III and M.2 RAID (HDD & SSD)

How to use

Install the motherboard into a compatible micro‑ATX chassis and fit an Intel LGA1851 CPU according to the processor manufacturer’s instructions. Insert up to two DDR5 DIMMs, enabling XMP or EXPO profiles in BIOS if using compatible memory modules to achieve tested overclocking settings. Connect storage devices to the M.2 and SATA ports as required; for the fastest NVMe performance use the Blazing M.2 (PCIe Gen5 x4). Install GPU and expansion cards into the appropriate PCIe slots, and attach power connectors from the PSU to the board. Configure network and wireless connectivity via the rear I/O or onboard antennas for Wi‑Fi 6E, and use the UEFI BIOS for system tuning, boot order, and enabling BIOS Flashback if needed.

Recommendations

Use Intel® XMP or AMD EXPO capable DDR5 memory modules to take advantage of pre‑tested overclock profiles; ensure proper case airflow and connect the aluminum heatsinks and chassis fans to maintain stable temperatures, especially when running high-performance CPUs and Gen5 NVMe drives.