Does the ASUS ROG Strix B350-F Gaming motherboard fit the proud pro-gaming legacy that ASUS has been building over the years? We saw what a powerful brand they are building in our recent Asus brand review.
With this review, we wanted to delve a bit deeper into the ASUS ROG Strix B350-F motherboard. We’ve seen how fantastic the ASUS ROG Crosshair VI Hero is. Could the ROG Strix motherboard be a worthy alternative for gamers and high-end power users?
- Powered by AMD Ryzen AM4, 7th generation Athlon and HD 2000 series processors to maximize connectivity and speed with NVMe M.2, USB 3.1, gigabit LAN, and up to 64GB of DDR4
- 5-Way Optimization with Auto-Tuning and Fan Xpert 4 automatically tailors overclocking profiles to your unique build for maximum OC performance and dynamic system cooling. Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit
- AURA Sync RGB lighting plus additional 4-pin RGB headers provides a nearly endless spectrum of colors with the ability to synchronize effects across an ever-expanding ecosystem of AURA Sync enabled products
- Dual Patent-pending SafeSlots feature an injection molding process that integrates metal framing for a stronger, firmly anchored PCIe slot built for heavyweight GPUs.Form Factor: ATX Form Factor 4.5 x 3.7 inches ( 12 x 9.6 inches )
- Industry-leading 8-channel HD audio with the ROG exclusive SupremeFX S1220 driven by Japanese capacitors
ASUS ROG Strix B350-F Gaming Motherboard (Our Review)
Overall Assessment
In true ASUS style, this motherboard mixes pleasing aesthetics with excellent audio and solid performance. All of this adds up to provide you with an unrivaled gaming experience.
The Asus ROG Strix B350-F Gaming motherboard supports the latest AMD processors and comes brimming with new and familiar ROG innovations. Those innovations promise to take your gaming performance to the next level.
From new appearances like 3D-printable accessories to old favorites such as Aura Lighting Control – this is one motherboard that delivers on the ROG promise.
Supported Processors
The ASUS ROG Strix is a motherboard aimed at gamers and high-end power users, supporting the AMD AM4 Socket for Ryzen, 7th Gen A-Series, and Athlon processors.
For an Intel alternative gaming motherboard, check out our Asus ROG Maximus XI Hero review.
Memory
The Asus ROG Strix B350-F Gaming motherboard comes equipped with 4x DDR4 memory slots. The Asus ROG Strix allows you to drive your RAM speeds up to 3200MHz and beyond when overclocked.
Overclocking
Overclocking the ASUS ROG Strix B350-F motherboard is easy with its 5-Way Optimization. With 5-Way Optimization, you don’t have to be an expert to max out the performance on your new gaming rig. This dynamic technology takes care of all the complex settings with a single click.
If you require a system that offers a newer chipset, at a slightly higher price, the ASUS ROG Strix Z370-E Gaming motherboard is worth checking out.
- Powered by AMD Ryzen AM4, 7th generation Athlon and HD 2000 series processors to maximize connectivity and speed with NVMe M.2, USB 3.1, gigabit LAN, and up to 64GB of DDR4
- 5-Way Optimization with Auto-Tuning and Fan Xpert 4 automatically tailors overclocking profiles to your unique build for maximum OC performance and dynamic system cooling. Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit
- AURA Sync RGB lighting plus additional 4-pin RGB headers provides a nearly endless spectrum of colors with the ability to synchronize effects across an ever-expanding ecosystem of AURA Sync enabled products
- Dual Patent-pending SafeSlots feature an injection molding process that integrates metal framing for a stronger, firmly anchored PCIe slot built for heavyweight GPUs.Form Factor: ATX Form Factor 4.5 x 3.7 inches ( 12 x 9.6 inches )
- Industry-leading 8-channel HD audio with the ROG exclusive SupremeFX S1220 driven by Japanese capacitors
Peripherals
The ROG Strix B350-F has ample expansion options for most users. You get:
- 2x PCIe 3.0 x16 SafeSlots,
- 1x PCIe 2.0 x16 slot,
- 1x PCIe 2.0 x1 slot
For mass data storage, there are 6x SATA ports available. Each SATA port clocks in at the standard 6Gb/s. Included with the motherboard is the excellent ROG Clone Drive. This convenient cloning software allows users to clone hard drives or SSDs at breakneck speeds.
With 6x USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports, 2x USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports, and another 6x USB 2.0 ports, there are plenty of expansion options to connect your external peripherals with.
Networking
The Asus ROG Strix B350-F Gaming motherboard lacks the onboard Wi-Fi we fall in love with on the ASUS ROG Rampage VI Extreme. It does, however, come with the popular Intel I211-AT LAN controller. With Anti-surge LANGuard and ROG GameFirst technology included, ASUS doubled down on providing users with smoother connectivity.
The Intel I211-AT controller reduces your processor’s overhead which results in exceptional performance.
Graphics
While the integrated graphics found in the AMD Ryzen with Radeon Vega Graphics/ 7th Generation A-Series APU is excellent, this motherboard truly shines with dedicated graphics cards.
Gamers will be pleased to know that the Asus ROG Strix B350-F Gaming motherboard supports AMD 3-Way CrossFireX Technology. The AMD CrossFireX technology combines the power of two or more graphics cards to improve performance dramatically.
Audio
The ROG SupremeFX 8-Channel High Definition Audio CODEC S1220A delivers game-ready, studio-quality audio.
Asus added Texas Instruments OPA1688 and RC4580 co-amps which gives you high gain with minimal distortion. You’ll also find a new low-dropout regulator for cleaner power delivery to the SupremeFX S1220A codec.
ASUS included Sonic Radar III and Sonic Studio III software.
Aesthetics
The ASUS ROG Strix is a beautiful ATX form factor motherboard decked out in a neutral black color scheme. This design makes it easy to customize with 3D-printed accessories.
As for lighting, ASUS included an Aura RGB zone and two RGB strip headers. The RGB options allow you to create a variety of pleasing effects and tasteful colors.
Conclusion
The ASUS ROG Strix B350-F Gaming motherboard is a capable overclocker with excellent memory support. The RGB lighting, fantastic cooling, and decent layout with plenty of expansion options make it both beautiful and powerful.
If you’re looking for another ASUS ROG motherboard that changes the way we game, read through our ASUS ROG Zenith Extreme review.
Pros
- One of the best motherboards for overclocking
- Studio-quality audio
- Plenty of USB ports
- Aesthetics
- Fantastic value for money
- Powered by AMD Ryzen AM4, 7th generation Athlon and HD 2000 series processors to maximize connectivity and speed with NVMe M.2, USB 3.1, gigabit LAN, and up to 64GB of DDR4
- 5-Way Optimization with Auto-Tuning and Fan Xpert 4 automatically tailors overclocking profiles to your unique build for maximum OC performance and dynamic system cooling. Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit
- AURA Sync RGB lighting plus additional 4-pin RGB headers provides a nearly endless spectrum of colors with the ability to synchronize effects across an ever-expanding ecosystem of AURA Sync enabled products
- Dual Patent-pending SafeSlots feature an injection molding process that integrates metal framing for a stronger, firmly anchored PCIe slot built for heavyweight GPUs.Form Factor: ATX Form Factor 4.5 x 3.7 inches ( 12 x 9.6 inches )
- Industry-leading 8-channel HD audio with the ROG exclusive SupremeFX S1220 driven by Japanese capacitors
Cons
- No PS/2 ports
- No onboard Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
Common questions about ASUS ROG Strix B350-F Gaming motherboard
Does the ASUS ROG Strix B350-F Gaming motherboard support all the Ryzen series processors?
The ASUS ROG Strix supports all the AMD Ryzen series CPUs. You do need to get an external graphics card if you decide to install a Ryzen processor.
Does the ASUS ROG Strix B350-F Gaming support 3200MHz RAM?
The ASUS ROG Strix B350-F Gaming motherboard supports RAM up to 3200MHz and beyond with its easy, one-click overclocking software utility.
Is the ASUS ROG Strix B350-F Gaming good for gaming?
The ASUS ROG Strix B350-F Gaming motherboard is excellent for gaming. With easy overclocking and a variety of bundled software, gamers can easily get the best performance out of this board.
Customer Reviews
“The Asus ROG Strix B350-F Gaming motherboard has everything that I need. It has rear IO, fan headers, and two RGB headers for my lights. I haven’t had a single problem with the board, even after overclocking my Ryzen 7 1700 processor. The Asus BIOS is nice to use. I would 100% recommend this motherboard, especially due to the excellent price.”
Harry Brear
5/5 Stars
“After doing a lot of research, my husband bought the Asus ROG Strix B350-F Gaming motherboard for our computer rebuild. Overall he is very pleased with the motherboard. His only complaint is that there is a blinking light that is a different color from the rest.”
Mackenzie
4/5 Stars
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