The ASRock B860I Lightning WiFi is built around the LGA 1851 socket with B860 chipset compatibility, and it adopts the compact Mini-ITX form factor measuring 170 mm x 170 mm. The board accommodates a single CPU and does not include an integrated processor or integrated graphics. Wireless connectivity is well covered, with support spanning Wi-Fi 4 through Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) alongside Bluetooth 5.3, though aptX audio codec support is not present. Video output is handled via an HDMI 2.1 port, and the board supports overclocking with ease. Additional conveniences include RGB lighting and a dual BIOS setup for firmware recovery, although a dedicated clear CMOS button is absent. The board carries a 3-year warranty.
This board uses DDR5 memory and provides two slots arranged in a dual-channel configuration, supporting up to 128GB in total capacity. Standard operation tops out at 6400 MHz, while overclocked profiles can push speeds as high as 9333 MHz. ECC memory is not supported on this board.
The rear I/O panel offers a varied selection of ports for a Mini-ITX board, led by a Thunderbolt 4 port and a USB 4 40Gbps port, both presented via USB-C. USB-A connectivity includes two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports and four USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, rounded out by a single USB 2.0 port. There are no USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, USB 4 20Gbps, Thunderbolt 3, eSATA, or PS/2 ports present. Display output is limited to a single HDMI connection, with no DisplayPort, DVI, or VGA outputs available. Networking is served by one RJ45 port.
Internal connectivity includes two M.2 sockets and three SATA 3 connectors for storage, while SATA 2, U.2, and mSATA options are absent. For USB expansion headers, the board provides two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, and one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port, all routed through internal connectors. Three fan headers are available for cooling management. There is no TPM connector on this board.
Expansion on this board is centered around a single PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, which serves as the sole option for add-in cards. No PCIe 4.0, 3.0, or 2.0 x16 slots are present, and there are no PCIe x8, x4, or x1 slots, nor any legacy PCI slots, which is consistent with the board's compact Mini-ITX layout.
The onboard audio solution supports 7.1-channel output and delivers a DAC signal-to-noise ratio of 120 dB, indicating a reasonably clean audio signal. Two analog audio connectors are available on the rear panel, and the board also includes an S/PDIF Out port for digital audio passthrough to compatible external devices.
The board supports RAID 0, 1, and 5 configurations for storage array management, covering common use cases ranging from performance striping to mirrored redundancy and parity-based protection. RAID 10 (1+0) and RAID 0+1 are not supported.
