For those looking for a solid gaming board for their new AMD-based micro-ATX build, the GIGABYTE B650M AORUS Elite AX fits the bill and looks good doing it. This board aims to deliver high-end features and performance typically found in larger ATX boards, making it an attractive option for those looking to build a powerful yet space-efficient system. With fantastic build quality and a great balance of features and size, GIGABYTE delivers where it matters most with this offering.
Let’s start with the design. The B650M AORUS Elite AX features a sleek black PCB with silver accents, giving it a premium look that would fit well into most build aesthetics. The heat sinks are substantial and cover the VRMs and M.2 slots, which not only adds to the visual appeal but also serves a functional purpose in keeping components cool under load. The board layout is well thought out, with easy access to headers and connectors, making the build process smoother. It feels right in line with many of the AORUS boards we have looked at in the past, only smaller, while still retaining the aspects we liked about previous products.
As part of the GIGABYTE AORUS range, this AM5-based motherboard is aimed at enthusiasts and gamers who want to harness the power of AMD’s Ryzen 7000 series processors without compromising on features or performance. It’s particularly suitable for those who are building in smaller spaces or simply prefer a more compact system without sacrificing expandability. For the build, we dropped it into our new Corsair 2500D-based system, and everything worked incredibly well. The placement of the ports and connections all worked well to create a small but powerful system that is ready for anything you can throw at it.
“The B650M AORUS Elite AX features a sleek black PCB with silver accents, giving it a premium look that would fit well into most build aesthetics.”
Beyond its design and size, the B650M AORUS Elite AX’s robust power supply system makes it a great solution for high-performance systems that need to be compact. It features a 12+2+2 phase digital VRM design and an 8-layer 2X Copper PCB, which is impressive for a micro-ATX board in this price range. This power setup ensures stable and clean power delivery from the PSU to the CPU, even when pushing high-end Ryzen processors to their limits. It also means there is plenty to push your system with overclocking should you feel the need.
On the connectivity front, the B650M AORUS Elite AX motherboard has built-in Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2, giving you access to the latest wireless standards. The inclusion of a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port is a nice touch, offering faster-wired networking capabilities than the standard Gigabit Ethernet found on many boards in this class. The wireless antenna is also included in the box, so you can connect to your network once everything is set up. In our tests, we found the wireless to be a solid and reliable connection that connected to our office network without a hitch — something we expected, but it is always nice to be proved right.
Looking at the board, the rear I/O panel is well equipped with a good mix of USB ports, including USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A and Type-C, especially for its size. There is a Q-Flash button for BIOS updates without the processor, two Wi-Fi antenna connectors, 1x USB Type-C with USB 3.2 Gen 2 support, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 5x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 4x USB 2.0/1.1, 1x Ethernet and 1x simple audio panel (line out, microphone and S/PDIF out). There’s also HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 for those using processors with integrated graphics. The audio solution uses the Realtek ALC897 codec, which is not the best but should provide decent sound quality for most users.
The board also offers a host of solidly built heat sinks to help dissipate heat, an important consideration for people who want a board that can withstand the rigours of gaming or creative workflows. These include heatsinks for the two M.2 slots, one of which supports PCIe 5.0 x4 for blazing-fast NVMe SSDs. The second M.2 slot runs at PCIe 4.0 x4 speeds, which is still fast enough for most users. There are also four SATA III ports for traditional hard drives or SATA SSDs if you have drives that still use this standard.
The board supports DDR5 memory and features four DIMM slots, accommodating up to 128GB of RAM. It is compatible with speeds up to DDR5-6600 when overclocked, enabling users to utilize the latest high-speed memory kits. This marks a significant upgrade from previous generation boards, offering a noticeable performance boost in memory-intensive tasks. Additionally, the B650M AORUS Elite AX supports AMD EXPO (Extended Profiles for Overclocking) memory technology. With compatible memory, it provides an excellent solution to maximize your system’s performance, something that has proven a great addition to AMD systems since it was first introduced.
GIGABYTE has done a great job of making the B650M AORUS Elite AX feel robust despite its micro-ATX form factor. The main differences from its ATX counterparts are its size and slightly reduced expansion options. You get two full-length PCIe slots instead of the three or four found on larger boards. This is rarely an issue for most builds, as the days of multi-GPU setups are largely behind us. This means you still have the space for a full-size GPU and an internal capture card should you need it, and for most people, this should be more than enough.
“GIGABYTE has done a great job of making the B650M AORUS Elite AX feel robust despite its micro-ATX form factor.”
When you finally get everything booted up, the B650M AORUS Elite AX’s BIOS is user-friendly and feature-rich. It offers extensive options for overclocking and fine-tuning system performance. The Q-Flash Plus feature is particularly useful, allowing BIOS updates without a CPU or memory installed–a handy feature if you’re upgrading to a newer Ryzen CPU that might require a BIOS update (Something we have had to do more times than I can count).
For RGB enthusiasts, the board includes headers for both standard RGB and addressable RGB strips. While the onboard lighting is minimal, it provides a good base for those who want to add their own lighting effects to their build.
The B650M AORUS Elite AX supports AMD’s Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) and Curve Optimizer features, allowing users to squeeze extra performance out of their Ryzen CPUs with relative ease. This is particularly appealing for those who want to maximize their processor’s potential without diving into manual overclocking.
Having put the board through its paces and used the system for a while, I am impressed. GIGABYTE has built a solid offering, with the B650M AORUS Elite AX striking a good balance between features and price. It offers many of the high-end features found on more expensive X670 boards but at a more accessible price point. This makes it an attractive option for those building a high-performance system on a budget.
The GIGABYTE B650M AORUS Elite AX is a standout option in the micro-ATX B650 motherboard market, making it an excellent choice for any micro-ATX builds. It features a robust power delivery system, strong connectivity options, and a comprehensive feature set, all within a compact form factor. While it may not include every feature of its larger ATX counterparts, it offers an excellent foundation for a high-performance AM5 build without breaking the bank. Whether you’re building a compact gaming rig or a powerful workstation, this motherboard deserves serious consideration.
- 5-Year Warranty
- AMD AM5 Socket: Supports AMD Ryzen 7000 Series Processors
