The Asus B860M AYW Gaming WiFi is a Micro-ATX motherboard measuring 244 × 222 mm, built around a single LGA 1851 socket and compatible with the B860 chipset. It does not include an integrated CPU or integrated graphics, keeping platform flexibility in the hands of the user. Wireless connectivity is handled by a built-in adapter supporting Wi-Fi 4, Wi-Fi 5, and Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), paired with Bluetooth 5.3, though aptX audio codec support is absent. Video output is available through an HDMI 2.1 port, and the board includes RGB lighting for aesthetic customization. Practical reliability features include a dual BIOS, an easy CMOS reset mechanism, and overclocking support, all backed by a 3-year warranty.
This motherboard supports DDR5 memory across two slots in a dual-channel configuration, with a maximum capacity of 128 GB. Overclocked speeds can reach up to 8800 MHz, providing headroom for performance-oriented builds. ECC memory is not supported on this board.
The rear panel provides a total of six USB ports: one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, and three USB 2.0. There is no USB Type-C output of any kind, and higher-bandwidth options such as USB 4, Thunderbolt 3, or Thunderbolt 4 are absent. Video output is limited to a single HDMI port, with no DisplayPort, DVI, or VGA connectors present. Networking is handled by one RJ45 port, and there are no eSATA or PS/2 connections on this board.
For storage, the board includes four SATA 3 connectors and two M.2 sockets, while SATA 2 and U.2 connections are absent, as is an mSATA connector. Internal expansion headers allow for up to two additional USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, and four USB 2.0 ports via compatible front-panel headers. Cooling is managed through three fan headers, and a TPM connector is present for security module integration.
The board offers a modest but focused set of expansion slots, anchored by a single PCIe 4.0 x16 slot for a dedicated graphics card or other full-length add-in card. Two PCIe x1 slots are also available for smaller expansion cards. No PCIe 5.0, PCIe 3.0, PCIe 2.0, PCIe x4, PCIe x8, or legacy PCI slots are present on this board.
The board supports 7.1-channel audio output, catering to multi-speaker setups, with three analog audio connectors available on the rear panel. There is no S/PDIF output port for digital audio passthrough.
The board supports four RAID configurations: RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10 (1+0), covering a range of performance and redundancy needs. RAID 0+1, however, is not supported.
