Hi there, Explore the key variances of B760 vs B660 Motherboards at Gta4.in. Here’s a detailed look at the changes between the B760 and B660 motherboards. If you want to make smart choices about building or upgrading your PC, you need to know the differences between these systems as technology changes. Find out what makes the B760 and B660 motherboards different so you can choose the right one for your needs.
The newest chipsets from Intel are finally here, and they’re designed to be affordable. This means that a lot of motherboards can be bought at a much lower price than the first top models. So now is a great time to build a very powerful PC with a brand-new 13th-Gen CPU and a B760 processor.
But there are still some big questions about the new chipsets. Is the B760 chipset different from the ones we’ve seen in B660 motherboards? Also, is it worth it to buy a new B760 processor to use any new features? Both of these questions and more will be answered in this guide to buying a chipset. We’ll talk about the main changes and give you some suggestions at the end.
Are the B760 and B660 Chipsets Different in Any Way?
In short, no, there isn’t. Over the years, Intel’s low-cost chipsets haven’t changed at all. It’s possible that they don’t need to. The ‘B’ line of chipsets could be a cheap way to get into the 12th and 13th-Gen platforms. Now, people don’t have to spend a lot of money to get Intel’s newest and most powerful CPUs. This wasn’t the case when the LGA 1700 socket first came out.
When you compare top phones, you can see that the chipsets are very different. When it comes to Intel’s platform, Z790 motherboards have the most features, while B760 motherboards have about half as many.
But the B760 and B660 chipsets aren’t very different from one another, which makes it hard for us to write a detailed guide. Most of the time, when we compare chipsets, we go into great detail about what has changed. We’ll do things a little differently, though, since there aren’t any real changes between them. We will instead focus on the motherboards to see if Intel has made the new crop of boards better. Spoiler alert: they have!
Major Motherboard Differences
We’ll talk about the main differences between motherboards in this part. There haven’t been any big changes to the specs of the B760 chipset, but the price and features have been made better.
Price of Motherboards
In the past few years, the price of computers has gone up by a lot. In the past, a cheap CPU could be bought for less than $100. However, prices have gone up because of inflation and better hardware and features. On the other hand, B760 vs B660 processors are usually the least expensive ones on the market, costing around $200 or less.
As soon as they came out, B660 processors weren’t too expensive, with prices ranging from $150 to $300. Even though many of the new boards are better, B760 has mostly followed suit. Depending on the brand and specifications of the board, a motherboard can cost about the same as the B660 chipset (the exact price will depend on where you live).
When it comes to prices, I’d say that DDR5 CPUs are the biggest change. When Intel launched their DDR5-specced boards, the new generation of memory was still very new, which led to some pretty big price differences. However, the prices of many of the new B760 DDR5 motherboards are more in line with those of DDR4 motherboards. This gives customers a better chance of keeping their system running in the future. In its current state, we wouldn’t exactly suggest buying DDR5, but if you have extra money, a DDR5 board and a low-latency kit will work very well.
PCI-E 5.0
Before the newest graphics cards from NVIDIA and AMD came out, there was a lot of talk about whether the newest GPUs would need PCI-E 5.0. We quickly learned, though, that neither of the two biggest GPU makers had any plans to use the newest version of PCI-Express. Does this mean PCI-E 5.0 isn’t very useful?
In some ways, yes. On the other hand, having a board that supports PCI-E 5.0 has a few perks. Naturally, the best thing about it is that it can be upgraded. Not until 2024 do I think we’ll see a new generation of graphics cards, but people who already have a Gen5-compatible board will be able to change right away. For people who use the B760, you can get a PCI-E 5.0-supported board for a great price.
A lot of the new B760 boards have been upgraded with a PCI-E 5.0 x16 slot. Since the boards are so cheap, this is a great deal for people who want to make sure their system will work in the future. Also, PCI-E 5.0 SSDs are expected to come out this year, but so far we’ve only seen a few Z790 boards use the new technology for M.2 drives. If you want to use the new Gen5 drives when they come out, you should read our piece on the Best Z790 Motherboards to find out which drives work with the new technology.
New Features
There are more features on many of the new B760 processors than there were before. We didn’t see features like Thunderbolt 4 and WiFi 6E on the cheaper processors because they were mostly found on the Z690 and Z790 chipsets.
The high bandwidth and transfer speeds will help when moving files, but Thunderbolt 4 is better for laptop users or people who don’t have a separate GPU. For this reason, Thunderbolt 4 can be helpful if you want to build a system that can be used as both a workstation and a game PC.
WiFi 6E is a bit more specialized, but having a WiFi processor built into any motherboard is very helpful. The “6E” symbol means that your board can handle 6GHz WiFi with faster speeds and less delay. But because of the way facilities and routers are set up, not many people will be able to use the faster speeds. It’s great to see that the wifi capabilities of B760 boards have been a little improved, though.
More Attractive Looks (B760 vs B660)
There is one more change between the B760 vs B660 motherboards that is smaller but just as important. In terms of style and looks, I don’t think there was a lot of difference between the B660 range. Some boards, like MSI’s MAG Mortar, were really good, but most of the B660 boards were just okay.
It’s just a matter of taste, but I think the B760 processors look much better than the ones that came before them. There are a lot of more focused designs that give us more choices when it comes to different looks. From the start, ASUS has two white motherboards from their ROG STRIX line. These come in ATX and Micro-ATX sizes. We’ve also seen some nice-looking MSI motherboards, like the B760 TOMAHAWK.
In the end, it’s completely up to you to decide if you like a certain style. However, I do believe that there are better designs based on the B760 chipset, with many makers putting more effort into making gaming boards.
BIOS Changes & Updates (B760 vs B660)
When a new generation of motherboards comes out, the biggest worry is whether the CPUs will work with them. It is already known that Intel has kept their famous LGA 1700 socket for 13th-Gen motherboards and CPUs. However, 13th-gen users will need to change their BIOS to use a B760 motherboard. To put it simply, no. Right out of the box, B760 motherboards work with Intel 12th and 13th-Gen CPUs. You shouldn’t have to update the BIOS if you’re keeping the CPU you have now and just want to get a new motherboard. But if you have to, you should get a board with a BIOS flashback because it makes the update a lot easier.
Things are a little different for B660 folks with a 13th-Gen CPU. There are two things that this means: B660 boards can’t use 13th-Gen CPUs until the BIOS is updated. You can either use a BIOS flashback or a simple USB to update your board. Or you’ll have to buy a 12th-gen CPU, flash it, and then update the BIOS. Sorry this is so inconvenient, but this is what it takes to get an update.
The 13th-Gen BIOS doesn’t have many changes compared to the 12th-Gen. Depending on the product line you choose, the UI may need some small changes. To be honest, the BIOS doesn’t need to be changed very often because Intel’s newest model hasn’t had any major changes to its architecture or software.
B760 vs B660 Motherboard Manufacturers
There is a huge range of B760 vs B660 motherboards available on the market, from a variety of different manufacturers. We’ve detailed the most prominent ones in this space below:
Best B660 Motherboards
Here’s the list of some Best B660 Motherboards
Gigabyte B660 DS3H AX
One of the best motherboards with the B660 chipset is the B660 DS3H AX from Gigabyte. Because this is such a great product, we’ve put it in a number of buyers tips, PC builds, and a full review. Gigabyte made a cheap board with a few great features here and there. It’s a great starting point for people who have one of the lower-end SKUs. I wouldn’t say the look is great, but for the price, I guess it doesn’t matter.
In terms of features, the DS3H AX has both WiFi 6E and Gigabit LAN for people who want a more stable link. This board doesn’t have a crazy number of USB ports, but it does have a few high-speed ones for people who need to connect or move files quickly. The DS3H AX has two Gen4 M.2 PCI-E slots, which give you a few choices for fast storage. The DS3H also has an x16 slot called a Gen4 main slot, which works with the newest graphics cards.
Key Features
- Form Factor: ATX
- Supported Memory: 128GB DDR4 5333MHz
- PCI-E x16 Slots: 1x PCI-E 4.0, 4x PCI-E 3.0
- PCI-E x4 Slots: 2x PCI-E 4.0
- Rear IO: 1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2, 4x USB 2.0
- Networking: Gigabit LAN, WiFi 6E
Pros & Cons
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Comes with an integrated WiFi module. | Not the best looking motherboard. |
Excellent price point. | Not ideal for mid-range or high-end systems. |
Not the best-looking motherboard. |
MSI MAG B660M Mortar WiFi D4
We’ve also written and filmed a lot about MSI’s MAG B660M Mortar motherboard, including a full, in-depth study. There are a lot of great features on the MAG B660M mid-range motherboard, and it comes in a smaller Micro-ATX form factor for people who are making a smaller system. There is also a white and steel-gray version of the Mortar that is different from most other motherboards in terms of style and color.
When it comes to features, the MAG Mortar has a lot of USB ports, including high-speed USB 3.2 Gen2 ports and a Gen2x2 port in Type-C style. Plugging in extra tools and peripherals should be easy with this connection. For people who want to join without a wire, the MAG Mortar also has built-in WiFi 6 and 2.5 Gigabit LAN for people who need more bandwidth.
Key Features
- Form Factor: Micro-ATX
- Supported Memory: 128GB DDR4 5333MHz
- PCI-E x16 Slots: 1x PCI-E 4.0, 1x PCI-E 3.0
- PCI-E x4 Slots: 3x PCI-E 4.0
- Rear IO: 1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C, 4x USB 3.2 Gen2, 4x USB 2.0
- Networking: 2.5 Gigabit LAN, WiFi 6
Pros & Cons
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Perfect for a mid-range system. | Micro-ATX design does limit features. |
Awesome alternative design. | PCB is somewhat more exposed. |
Supports Gen4 M.2 Slots. |
ASUS ROG STRIX B660-F Gaming WiFi
When it comes to making motherboards, ASUS knows how to do it right. The B660-F has the futuristic look that ROG is known for, and it has a lot of RGB lights that can add some extra style to your build. In addition, this board has a lot of heatsinks, which improve thermals and make the board look better by hiding some of the PCB.
Based on its specs, the STRIX B660-F is a DDR5 motherboard that can overclock up to 6000MHz. This makes it possible to update in the future as DDR5 technology gets better. This board also has a main PCI-E 5.0 x16 slot, so it’s ready for the next version of graphics cards when they come out. You can also find a lot of high-speed ports on the rear IO, seven to be exact. For the price, this DDR5 board is great all around.
Key Features
- Form Factor: ATX
- Supported Memory: 128GB DDR4 5333MHz
- PCI-E x16 Slots: 1x PCI-E 4.0, 4x PCI-E 3.0
- PCI-E x4 Slots: 2x PCI-E 4.0
- Rear IO: 1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2, 4x USB 2.0
- Networking: Gigabit LAN, WiFi 6E
Pros & Cons
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
A cheaper DDR5 option. | Only offers WiFi 6. |
RGB lighting looks awesome. | Not that many Gen4 SSD slots. |
Supports Gen5 graphics cards. |
Best B760 Motherboards
Here’s the list of Best B760 Motherboards
ASRock B760 Pro RS D4
The ASRock B760 Pro RS D4 is one of the least expensive motherboards with the B760 chipset. It costs well less than $200. This cheap board has the futuristic look that ASRock is known for, and the RGB lighting is pretty dim and placed in the bottom right corner of the board. ASRock has also chosen to use an integrated IO guard on the back IO, which is great to see.
Many people are interested in the Pro RS because it has many useful features. People can join to a 2.5 Gigabit LAN network, which should give them a stable connection with lots of bandwidth. This board doesn’t have WiFi, which is a shame, but the better LAN support makes up for it. Three Gen4 M.2 drives can be installed in PCI-E slots, giving users a lot of choices for lightning-fast storage.
Key Features
- Form Factor: ATX
- Supported Memory: 128GB DDR4 5333MHz
- PCI-E x16 Slots: 2x PCI-E 4.0, 1x PCI-E 3.0
- PCI-E x4 Slots: 3x PCI-E 4.0
- Rear IO: 1x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C, 5x USB 3.2 Gen1, 2x USB 2.0
- Networking: 2.5 Gigabit LAN
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
One of the cheapest B760 options. | Not much in the way of RGB. |
Plenty of high-speed rear IO. | No support for WiFi. |
ATX motherboard offers plenty of slots. |
MSI MAG B760 TOMAHAWK WiFi D4
One of my favorite boards with the B760 chipset is the MSI MAG B760 TOMAHAWK WiFi. MSI paid a lot of attention to how this board looks, but they didn’t skimp on any features. In terms of looks, the MAG TOMAHAWK is easier on the eyes because its PCB and fan are both black. The heatsinks have the MSI TOMAHAWK logo all over them, which looks great. MSI has even made the building process easier by adding an integrated IO shield and a lot of features that make it easy to use.
The MAG B760 TOMAHAWK uses DDR4 RAM DIMM slots, which not only give great speed but also save customers money compared to DDR5 kits. People can use the Gen5-ready slot for PCI-E, which will work with the next wave of GPUs when they come out. There are also three PCI-E 4.0 slots for M.2 drives, so if you need three or more drives, you have a lot of storage choices!
Key Features
- orm Factor: ATX
- Supported Memory: 128GB DDR4 5333MHz
- PCI-E x16 Slots: 1x PCI-E 5.0, 1x PCI-E 3.0
- PCI-E x4 Slots: 3x PCI-E 4.0
- Rear IO: 4x USB 3.2 Gen2, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C, 4x USB 2.0
- Networking: 2.5 Gigabit LAN, WiFi 6E
Pros & Cons
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Perfect for mid-range systems. | Uses USB 2.0 ports. |
The all-black design is awesome. | Not much in terms of RGB. |
PCI-E 5.0 compliant. |
Gigabyte B760 AORUS Elite AX
We’ve chosen Gigabyte’s B760 AORUS Elite AX as our last motherboard. This motherboard is one of the few with the B760 chipset that uses DDR5 DIMMs. The price goes up because of this, but it’s still affordable for the features and look. Overall, I like the design. There isn’t much RGB to give, but Gigabyte has cut down on the exposed PCB by adding a lot of heatsinks, which we love. Not only do the heatsinks keep the temperature of your storage drives lower, they also make the board look better.
This board doesn’t have PCI-E-5.0 features, but most people won’t care about that because of the low price and the fact that nothing uses Gen5 speed (at the time of writing). Users can choose from three Gen4 M.2 cards, which is plenty for people with a lot of fast storage. There are a lot of ports on the back, with six different USB 3.2 ports. You can also get WiFi 6E or 2.5 Gigabit LAN for those who don’t want to run a long cable to their router. Gigabit LAN is great for Esports games that need a stable link.
Key Features
- Form Factor: ATX
- Supported Memory: 128GB DDR5 7600MHz
- PCI-E x16 Slots: 1x PCI-E 4.0, 2x PCI-E 3.0
- PCI-E x4 Slots: 3x PCI-E 4.0
- Rear IO: 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2, 4x USB 3.2 Gen1, 4x USB 2.0
- Networking: 2.5 Gigabit LAN, WiFi 6E
Pros & Cons
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
A reasonably priced DDR5 design. | Not much when it comes to RGB. |
The heatsinks look great. | No Gen5 SSD slot. |
Awesome set of features. |
Conclusion
Finally, looking at the main differences between the B760 vs B660 motherboards shows subtle differences that are important for making smart choices when building a PC or replacing an existing one. With the release of Intel’s newest chipsets, especially the B760, powerful performance meets low cost. Now is a great time to build a powerful PC with a brand-new 13th-Gen CPU and B760 processor.
The B760 vs B660 chipsets aren’t very different from one another, but improvements in motherboard technology have made it possible to give more features and lower prices. Notably, the B760 motherboards have better prices and more features, such as support for DDR5, compatibility with PCI-E 5.0, and better devices like Thunderbolt 4 and WiFi 6E. These improvements meet a wide range of user needs, from games to work-related tasks.
Aesthetic improvements are another thing that sets B760 boards apart. They have more attractive designs and more customization choices. Also, BIOS changes make compatibility processes faster and easier, making sure that Intel’s newest CPUs work well with older systems.
A lot of different companies, like Asus, MSI, Gigabyte, and ASRock, make B760 vs B660 motherboards, and each one has its own features and price range. Some well-known examples of these motherboards are the Gigabyte B660 DS3H AX and the MSI MAG B760 TOMAHAWK. They are made to fit the needs and budgets of a wide range of users.
In the end, users should think about their individual needs and budgets when choosing between a B760 and a B660 motherboard. There are so many choices that there is a motherboard that works for every PC build or upgrade project. This lets users make systems that are exactly what they want and need.
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