INTRODUCTION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Whenever Intel or AMD launch a new CPU there are always numerous motherboard models to follow, some based on their flagship chipsets and others based on less powerful (and feature rich) ones which also tend to be quite more affordable. The same of course happened when Intel launched their latest Core Ultra 200S CPUs and even though I've reviewed some motherboards based on the flagship Z890 chipset I didn't take a closer look at the more recent models based on the B860 chipset. That at least was the case until ASRock sent over their B860 LiveMixer WiFi model and well, that's what we'll be talking about today.

    ASRock Inc. is established in 2002, specialized in the field of motherboards. ASRock strives to build up its own brand. With the 3C design concept, “Creativity, Consideration, Cost-effectiveness”, the company explores the limit of motherboards manufacturing while paying attention on the eco issue at the same time, developing products with the consideration of eco-friendly concept. ASRock has been growing fast and become world third largest motherboard brand with headquarter in Taipei, Taiwan and branches in Europe and the USA. The young and vibrant company targets from mainstream to enthusiast MB segments for different kinds of users, owning reputation around the world market with its reliability and proficiency.

   The ASRock B860 LiveMixer WiFi is an ATX sized motherboard based on the LGA1851 socket by Intel (Core Ultra 200S CPU support) which as its name suggests is aimed towards content creators/streamers (thus ASRock points out they've tested it with numerous video capture devices) . As for specifications the B860 LiveMixer WiFi sports an 12+1+1+1+1 power system (with Dr.MOS for VCore+GT+SA), 20K Caps with 1000uF Capacitance, four UDIMM DDR5 RAM slots (XMP and EXPO compatible - up to 256GB in capacity and speeds up to 8666+MHz), two PCIe x16 slots (1xPCie 5.0 x16 / 1xPCIe x16 @ x4), three M.2 slots complete with heatsinks (1xPCIe 5.0 / 2xPCIe 4.0), four native SATA 6G ports (RAID 0/1/5/10 supported), Realtek Dragon RTL8125BG 2.5Gbps LAN, 802.11axe Wi-Fi 6E (Dual-Band 2x2, MU-MIMO, Bluetooth v5.3) and the Realtek ALC1220 7.1 channel HD audio codec (Nahimic Audio enhancements). As for I/O connectivity her we find a single HDMI v2.1 video out (TMDS/FRL, 4K@120Hz maximum resolution), USB-C 40Gb/s Thunderbolt 4 port (HDCP 2.3 with a maximum resolution of 5K@120Hz / 8K@60Hz), USB-C 3.2 Gen1 port (front via internal header), ten USB-A 3.2 Gen ports (6 rear, 4 internal/front), 10 USB-A 2.0 ports (6 rear, 4 internal/front), two Antenna ports, 2.5Gbps RJ45 port and the Realtek ALC1220 High Definition onboard audio ports.

 

 

 

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ASRock uses a black and purple box for their LiveMixer series the front of which is taken by a large product picture.

 

 

4 pictures and a drawing located at the rear of the box are used to showcase the main features of the B860 LiveMixer WiFi.

 

 

Typically, the motherboard is wrapped inside an static-free bag and placed in a formed piece of cardboard.

 

 

Bundle-wise the B860 LiveMixer WiFi comes with just the essentials meaning the 2 Antennas, 2 SATA cables, thermistor cable, ASRock case badge, regulatory notices paper and the quick installation guide.

 

 

 

THE ASROCK B860 LIVEMIXER WIFI

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The B860 LiveMixer WiFi follows the typical ATX size and features a black and silver color theme.

 

 

VRM cooling seems to be ok and as for adding 20K Caps it's certainly better compared to some older models.

 

 

Four UDIMM slots are located on the right of the CPU slot (8666MHz+ max speed, up to 256GB).

 

 

Most people may be using M.2 drives currently but at least for storage purposes having SATA ports is always good.

 

 

A grand total of 2 PCIe x16 (1x5.0/1x4.0) slots is certainly not much but for some people it should suffice.

 

 

There are also 3 M.2 slots (1xGen5/2xGen4) on the B860 LiveMixer WiFi, all featuring heatsinks (Gen5 slot features a tool-less one).

 

 

The 802.11axe Wi-Fi 6E module is placed in another M.2 slot.

 

 

At the rear I/O we find the two Antenna ports, CMOS clear button, HDM1 v2.1 port, USB-C 40Gb/s Thunderbolt 4 port, 6 USB 2.0 ports, RJ45 2.5G port, 6 USB 3.2 Gen1 ports and the HD audio outputs.

 

 

Turning the motherboard over as expected there's no backplate.

 

 

As with past Z890 reviews I'll be using the Intel Core 285k with the Kingston FURY Renegade LE 48GB 8000MHz kit and the GAINWARD GeForce RTX 4080 Phantom.

 

B860 LIVEMIXER WIFI V1.24.AS04 BIOS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As usual we find two BIOS types, EZ and advanced (for this review I used BIOS version 1.24.AS04).

 

 

The main tab inside the advanced area gives you a quick look at your system (CPU, RAM).

 

 

From the OC Tweaker tab, you can access everything needed for you to overclock your CPU and RAM, load XMP profiles and save your changes into different profiles (save/load).

 

 

Typically, everything related to CPU and motherboard features and all peripherals is placed inside the advanced tab.

 

 

Inside the Tool tab you will find the ASRock polychrome RGB settings, media sanitization, auto driver installer and instant flash options.

 

 

From within the hardware monitor tab, you can check temperatures and adjust fan speed, control mode and curves.

 

 

The password and secure boot options are as always placed inside the security tab.

 

 

Finally, everything related to boot (like fast boot and full screen logo) are placed in the final boot tab.

 

TEST BED

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TESTING METHODOLOGY

   Exactly like used to do in the past each mainboard to arrive in the lab will get mounted on an open-air test bench and will be used for no less than two full weeks (daily tasks and gaming) with a fresh Windows 10 Pro installation. All motherboards arriving here will be tested with the top CPU of that line available to me at the time of each review (I9-9900K for Z390/I9-10900K for Z490/I9-11900K for Z590/I9-12900K for the Z690/Ryzen 9 5900X for X570 and B550/Ryzen 9 7900X for X670E and B650E/i9-13900K for Z790/Core Ultra 9 285K for Z890/B860) together with 32/48GB of RAM (different models for different motherboards/CPUs). Needless to say, I’ll be clocking CPUs at the same speeds between same chipset models (unless a motherboard is not capable of getting the same speeds) for a more accurate performance comparison.

   To measure performance, I’ll be using several benchmarking programs (6 repeats after which the average numbers will get recorded in the charts) like AIDA64, CINEBENCH R20, CPUZ, Passmark Performance Test, RealBench, 3Dmark, GeekBench AI and the Sisoftware Sandra Titanium version. Games like Cyberpunk 2077 (Phantom Liberty), Dying Light 2 and Forza Horizon 5 were also added for people who care about FPS*.

* Since October 2024 I added more benchmarking suites and even game titles.

 

 

 

TEST RESULTS – 3DMARK / CINEBENCH R20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEST RESULTS - CPUZ / PASSMARK PERFORMANCE TEST / GEEKBENCH AI

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEST RESULTS - REALBENCH / SISOFTWARE SANDRA TITANIUM / AIDA64

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEST RESULTS - CYBERPUNK 2077 / DYING LIGHT 2 / FORZA HORIZON 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    The B860 chipset was released by Intel as an alternative to their flagship Z890 chipset and well, the B860 LiveMixer WiFi by ASRock did very well across the board. As a matter of fact, with performance differences as low as 4% between it and some Z890 models it makes a fine choice for people who are not looking for the best in terms of performance. Yes, it was somewhat harder to match the same clocks as the Z890 motherboards to have a more direct comparison (no doubt due to its power design) but spending a bit of time in the BIOS did the job. That being said performance is not the only factor when someone is out for a new motherboard, build quality, power design and available slots and ports also play their role and well, here the B860 LiveMixer WiFi obviously falls short compared to the Z890 models in my charts. Again, however for some people everything from quality, power design and available slots and ports should suffice so it’s always good to have this option (larger market share).

    As I type these lines the B860 LiveMixer WiFi Motherboard by ASRock retails for just USD189.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 207.83Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de). This price tag obviously puts it right where I was hoping for a more affordable motherboard compared to Z890 ones. So, things once again come down to what your needs are and how much you’re willing to spend and so if the features of the B860 LiveMixer WiFi are good enough for you then I highly recommend giving it a chance.

 

PROS

- Good Build Quality
- Reinforced & EMI Shielded PCIe 5.0 x16 Slot
- 4 UDIMM DDR5 Slots (Up To 8666MHz+ / 256GB Total)
- 3 M.2 PCIe Slots (1x5.0 / 2x4.0)
- Thunderbolt 4 Port
- HDMI v2.1 Video Output
- 2.5GbE RJ45 Port
- WiFi 6E / Bluetooth v5.3
- Available BIOS Settings

CONS

- No USB 3.2 Gen2 Ports
- Single Rear USB-C Port
- Two PCIe Slots