The B650E Aorus Master is the flagship board of Gigabyte’s B650 lineup.About $150 cheaper than X670E Aorus Master As previously reviewed, multiple PCIe 5.0 M.2 sockets, 13 USB ports (including 20 Gbps Type-C), the latest generation flagship-class audio solution, overbuilt power delivery, and more Well equipped, with many looks. Premium over price. It lacks a 40 Gbps port (a feature included in some B650 boards), but unless you need this feature, choosing a B650-based motherboard can save you quite a bit of money over the X670E model.
Gigabyte has gone all out with the B650 chipset, offering a total of 13 motherboards (compared to 5 X670s) of varying sizes and prices. You’ll find all the familiar Aorus series (Master, Elite, Ultra, and Pro) and his B650 Aero G for creators. There are also some non-Aorus boards. That is Gaming X and DS3H SKUs. With so many product stacks, including MicroATX and Mini-ITX SKUs, there’s something for everyone. Prices start at $159.99 (B650M DS3H) to $349.99 for Aorus Master.
Feature-wise, the B650 Aorus Master has the same high-level attributes as its X670E brother, including an 8-layer PCB, 105A SPS MOSFET, fully hardened slots, M.2 and PCIe EZ latch. In fact, the B650 master also uses the same capable power supply (16 phase 105A SPS MOSFET). If the 13 USB ports on the rear IO (including a 20 Gbps Type-C port) aren’t enough, we recommend re-evaluating your peripherals. The audio part uses the latest generation codec (Realtek ALC1220-VB), but it is the flagship model and the board has a built-in DAC. All the bases are covered as the B650 Aorus Master’s performance is on par with the X670E board for productivity and game play.
this board is our best motherboard Although listed, the features alone make it one of the better options for the AM5 platform at a price of around $350. Before we get into all the details, here is the complete list of specifications for the B650E Aorus Master, straight from Gigabyte.
Specifications: Gigabyte B650E Aorus Master
| socket | AM5 |
| chipset | B650E |
| form factor | ATX |
| voltage regulator | 20 Phase (16x 105A SPS MOSFET for Vcore) |
| video port | (1) HDMI (v2.1) |
| USB port | (1) USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) Type-C |
| (4) USB 3.2 Gen2 (10Gbps) | |
| (4) USB 3.2 Gen1 (5Gbps) | |
| (4) USB2.0 (480Mbps) | |
| network jack | (1) 2.5GbE |
| audio jack | (2) Analog + SPDIF |
| Legacy Port/Jack | ✗ |
| Other Ports/Jacks | ✗ |
| PCIe x16 | (1) v5.0 (x16, x8) |
| (1) v4.0 (x4) | |
| (1) v4.0 (x2) | |
| PCIe x8 | ✗ |
| PCIe x4 | ✗ |
| PCIe x 1 | ✗ |
| DIMM slots | (4) DDR5 6666+(OC), 128GB capacity |
| M.2 socket | (4) PCIe 5.0 x4 (128Gbps) / PCIe (up to 80mm) |
| Supports RAID 0/1/10 | |
| SATA port | (4) SATA3 6Gbps |
| Supports RAID 0/1/10 | |
| USB header | (1) USB v3.2 Gen 2×2, Type-C (20Gbps) |
| (2) USB v3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps) | |
| (2) USB v2.0 (480Mbps) | |
| fan/pump header | (10) 4-pin (CPU, liquid CPU, system fan) |
| RGB header | (2) aRGB (3 pin) |
| (3) RGB (4 pin) | |
| diagnostic panel | (1) Debug LEDs (4x) |
| (1) 2-digit debug LED | |
| Internal button/switch | power switch |
| SATA controller | (1) ASMEDIA ASM1061 |
| ethernet controller | (1) Intel i-225V (2.5GbE) |
| Wi-Fi/Bluetooth | Mediatek RZ616 Wi-Fi 6E (2×2 ax, MU-MIMO, 2.4/5/6 GHz, 160 MHz, BT 5.2) |
| USB controller | Realtek RTS5411T |
| HD audio codec | Realtek ALC1220-VB |
| DDL/DTS | ✗ / DTS:X Ultra |
| guarantee | 3 years |
Gigabyte B650E Aorus Master Box Contents
Aorus Master includes various accessories designed to get you started quickly without going to a store. Includes regular SATA cable, RGB extension and Wi-Fi antenna. It also comes with a temperature sensor that can be used to monitor the case temperature and adjust the fan speed. This sample did not include a disk or USB stick for the drivers. Even if the commercial Aorus Master has no drivers, you can download all the drivers from the website. Below is a complete list of included accessories.
- Wi-Fi antenna
- (2) SATA cable
- RGB extension cable
- (2) Temperature sensor
- speaker
- G-connector
- velcro strip
- sticker
- manual
Gigabyte B650E Aorus Master design
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The B650E Aorus Master has an 8-layer matte black PCBm with white labels for ICs and other bits. The VRM heatsink is large, has a lot of mass, and has a brushed aluminum finish like all other heatsink surfaces. Above the VRM bank is the only RGB feature, with the Aorus Falcon branding illuminated from below. The chipset heatsink is black all over with a gray coloration and additional branding on top of it.
Overall, I like the look. The B650E Aorus Master gives off a premium feel with most of the PCB hidden under the heatsink and shroud. RGB is tastefully implemented, but if you want to add RGB bling to your chassis, you’ll need to use the integrated header.
A closer look at the top half of the board reveals a solid VRM heatsink. Unlike the X670E (or Z790) Aorus Master, the B650E uses a solid chunk of notched metal instead of the Fins-Array III configuration. A seamed cutout provides ample surface area to keep the VRM well within specs.
Above the VRM heatsink are two enhanced 8-pin EPS connectors (one required) for powering the CPU. Just past the socket area on the right are four hardened DRAM slots with locking mechanisms on each side. This board supports up to 128GB of RAM at listed speeds up to DDR5-6666(OC). As usual, your mileage to reach these speeds may vary, but with minimal tweaks to the board and the 7950X CPU he ran a DDR5-6000 stick.
Then there are some fans and RGB headers right above the DRAM slots. The three 4-pin fan headers (all headers) in this area support both PWM and DC controlled fans (via BIOS or software). Each header outputs up to 2A/24W, so plenty of power is available. On the right are 3 (out of 5) RGB headers. Two 4-pin RGB and one 3-pin ARGB header.
Moving down the right edge of the board reveals a power switch, a two-character debug display, and a 24-pin ATX connector for powering the board. Just below that are two 4-pin fan headers (Sys Fan), a 4-LED debug area and finally a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20 Gbps) Type-C port on the front panel.
The power delivery of the B650E Aorus Master is very impressive. In fact, it’s the same as the more expensive X670E Aorus Master. An 8-pin EPS connector routes power through a Renesas RAA229620 PWM controller to 16 x 105A Renesas RAA22010540 SPS MOSFETs dedicated to Vcore.The 1,680A available in the processor is more than enough to get our flagship Ryzen 9 7950X Push your processor to the limit. Limited by Aorus Master cooling much faster than his VRM.
Working the bottom half of the board from left to right, the first thing you’ll encounter is the audio section. The Realtek ALC1220-VB codec and his three audio caps are visible in all its glory. Not pictured is his ESS ES8118 DAC for front panel audio. The codec is from the previous generation, but since it’s the workhorse of that generation, most users find it more than adequate for their needs.
There are three full-length PCIe slots in the middle of the board, with a total of four M.2 sockets hidden under heatsinks. The top full-length slot connects through the CPU and runs up to PCIe 5.0 x16. The bottom two slots are connected through the chipset, the first slot supports PCIe 4.0 x4 and the bottom slot supports PCIe 4.0 x2. A PCIe 5.0 x16 slot will work in x8 mode if the M2B/M2C_CPU socket is populated. 5.0 x8 has practically the same bandwidth as 4.0 x16, so the loss is negligible for those who care about graphics performance.
If you want a blazing fast storage option, the B650E Aorus Master is for you. There are four M.2 sockets, all of which support up to PCIe 5.0 x4 (128 Gbps) modules and use EZ latches to secure the drives. All four sockets are connected through the CPU and support devices up to 110mm. Not many boards have 4 PCIe 5.0 Especially sockets in this price range. This board supports RAID0/1/10 modes for users looking for speed or redundancy.
Continuing right along the top and right edge of the chipset heatsink, vertical headers for Gigabyte add-in cards, four SATA ports (also supports RAID0/1/10 mode), and USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) on the front panel connector. A few more headers are exposed at the bottom of the board. Here you’ll find common connections such as additional USB ports, RGB headers, and 4-pin fan headers. Below is the complete list from left to right.
- front panel audio
- 4-pin RGB header
- 3-pin ARGB header
- SPI TPM header
- (3) 4-pin system fan headers
- (2) USB 2.0 headers
- (2) 4-pin system fan headers
- front panel
- clear CMOS jumper
The B650E Aorus Master’s rear IO is shipped attached to the motherboard just like its siblings. The black background and white labeled ports make it easy to read. The Q_Flash+ button, AMD Wi-Fi 6E antenna connection, and HDMI video port are on the left. The rear IO has a total of 13 USB ports. 1 USB Type-C port (10 Gbps) on the bottom, surrounded by 4 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) ports, 4 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) ports, and 4 USB 2.0 ports I have. I would be amazed if a user could fill in all of these. It also has a 2.5 GbE port, an audio stack sport line-out, a mic 3.5 mm port and digital SPDIF.
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