ASRock B850 LiveMixer Wi-Fi Motherboard Review @ TechPowerUp
TechPowerUp positions the ASRock B850 LiveMixer Wi-Fi as one of the strongest value picks in the B850 lineup, especially for builders trying to rein in costs while memory prices remain high. Aimed squarely at the sub-200 to sub-250 US dollar segment, it manages to offer features that many more expensive boards lack. Standout highlights include a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 20 Gbps Type-C front panel header, Wi-Fi 7, a Realtek ALC1220 audio codec, strong VRM thermals, and generous USB connectivity. The primary M.2 slot cools SSDs on both sides, adding flexibility for different drive designs, and extras like a thermistor header, tool-free M.2 heatsink and capable fan headers reinforce its focus on cooling and practicality. Compared to similarly priced boards from ASUS, Gigabyte, NZXT and others, the LiveMixer often offers better I/O, stronger thermals and more modern connectivity, making it a very compelling option for budget-conscious builders who still want a well rounded feature set.
Another ASRock motherboard that packs in a generous set of hardware features despite a sub-$200 price tag. It also offers impressive VRM and SSD cooling. The Livemixer is not without its niggles, but you do get an awful lot of motherboard for the money.
The main compromises show up in firmware and software rather than hardware. The EFI and accompanying utilities are described as dated and inconsistent, particularly on the AMD side, with fan control lacking some basic quality-of-life features found on competing boards. Despite including a thermistor probe, the EFI does not allow easy assignment of that sensor to fan curves in the main control page, and options like PWM versus voltage switching and spin-up or spin-down timing are either missing or buried. There are also only two SATA ports, which could be limiting for users migrating older storage heavy systems. That said, once the system is set up and running, most of these issues fade into the background unless you are particularly focused on fine-tuning cooling or coming from a more polished EFI environment. Overall, TechPowerUp concludes that ASRock has largely hit the mark again, delivering a motherboard that offers excellent hardware value and modern features at a very competitive price, earning a strong recommendation despite its software shortcomings.
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