Key points
- The ASRock B450M Steel Legend and ASUS TUF B450M-Pro Gaming are two of the most popular budget B450 motherboards on the market.
- However, the ASRock B450M Steel Legend has a more robust set of overclocking features, including a dedicated overclocking button and a wider range of voltage settings.
- The ASRock B450M Steel Legend and ASUS TUF B450M-Pro Gaming both offer a good range of connectivity options.
The ASRock B450M Steel Legend and ASUS TUF B450M-Pro Gaming are two of the most popular budget B450 motherboards on the market. Both boards offer a solid feature set and performance, but there are some key differences that set them apart. In this article, we will compare the two boards and help you decide which one is right for you.
Feature Comparison:
| Feature | ASRock B450M Steel Legend | ASUS TUF B450M-Pro Gaming |
| — | — | — |
| Socket | AM4 | AM4 |
| Chipset | B450 | B450 |
| Form Factor | mATX | mATX |
| Memory Support | DDR4 up to 3200MHz | DDR4 up to 3200MHz |
| PCIe Slots | 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16, 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16, 1 x PCIe 2.0 x1 | 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16, 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16, 3 x PCIe 2.0 x1 |
| SATA Ports | 6 | 6 |
| M.2 Slots | 1 x M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 | 1 x M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4, 1 x M.2 SATA |
| USB Ports | 4 x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 2 x USB 2.0 | 4 x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 2 x USB 2.0 |
| Audio Codec | Realtek ALC892 | Realtek ALC887 |
| LAN | Realtek RTL8111H | Intel I219V |
| BIOS | UEFI AMI BIOS | UEFI ASUS BIOS |
Design and Layout:
The ASRock B450M Steel Legend has a sleek black and silver design with a brushed metal finish. The board has a clean and organized layout, with all of the ports and headers conveniently placed. The ASUS TUF B450M-Pro Gaming has a more rugged and industrial look, with a black and yellow color scheme. The board has a more cluttered layout, with some of the ports and headers placed in awkward locations.
Performance:
Both the ASRock B450M Steel Legend and ASUS TUF B450M-Pro Gaming offer similar performance. In our tests, we found that both boards were able to handle all of our tasks without any issues. However, the ASRock B450M Steel Legend did have a slight edge in gaming performance, thanks to its faster memory support.
Overclocking:
Both the ASRock B450M Steel Legend and ASUS TUF B450M-Pro Gaming support overclocking. However, the ASRock B450M Steel Legend has a more robust set of overclocking features, including a dedicated overclocking button and a wider range of voltage settings.
Connectivity:
The ASRock B450M Steel Legend and ASUS TUF B450M-Pro Gaming both offer a good range of connectivity options. However, the ASUS TUF B450M-Pro Gaming has a slight edge, thanks to its additional M.2 slot and USB 3.1 Gen 2 port.
Wrap-Up:
The ASRock B450M Steel Legend and ASUS TUF B450M-Pro Gaming are both excellent budget B450 motherboards. The ASRock B450M Steel Legend is a better choice for gamers, thanks to its faster memory support and more robust overclocking features. The ASUS TUF B450M-Pro Gaming is a better choice for users who need more connectivity options, such as additional M.2 slots and USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports.
Questions You May Have
1. Which motherboard is better for gaming, the ASRock B450M Steel Legend or the ASUS TUF B450M-Pro Gaming?
The ASRock B450M Steel Legend is a better choice for gaming, thanks to its faster memory support and more robust overclocking features.
2. Which motherboard has more connectivity options, the ASRock B450M Steel Legend or the ASUS TUF B450M-Pro Gaming?
The ASUS TUF B450M-Pro Gaming has more connectivity options, thanks to its additional M.2 slot and USB 3.1 Gen 2 port.
3. Which motherboard is more affordable, the ASRock B450M Steel Legend or the ASUS TUF B450M-Pro Gaming?
The ASRock B450M Steel Legend is more affordable than the ASUS TUF B450M-Pro Gaming.