Why I picked it
I upgraded to this specifically so I could actually tune my CPU properly. My old board's chipset blocked PBO and Curve Optimizer entirely, so this was a straight upgrade for anyone who wants control over how their CPU behaves rather than just running it stock.
Overclocking and tuning
Having PBO and Curve Optimizer actually available makes a real difference. It's the whole reason I moved to this board, and it delivers exactly what I needed.
Build quality
The VRMs feel properly built for a board in this price range, and I've had no issues running the CPU hard for extended periods. The onboard WiFi has been solid too, no dropouts since I set it up.
Connectivity
There's a USB-C port on the rear I/O, but it's USB 3.2 Gen 2, not Thunderbolt. There's an internal Thunderbolt header on the board for an optional add-in card if you ever want proper Thunderbolt, but out of the box you're getting fast USB-C rather than Thunderbolt speeds.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Full PBO and Curve Optimizer support
- Strong VRMs for the price
- Reliable onboard WiFi
- Rear USB-C at Gen 2 speeds
Cons
- AM4, so it's a dead-end platform going forward
- BIOS menus take a bit of getting used to if you're new to ASUS boards
Final thoughts
Did exactly what I needed it to do, let me actually tune my CPU instead of running everything on stock settings. Solid board if you're on AM4 and want more control.