Following to our all-time motherboard picks on Intel's Z370 and AMD's upkeep B350 platform, today we're checking out the all-time value Intel B360 motherboards. Our criteria for this one was simple: the boards must feature some form of VRM cooling to be considered, and of course, pricing. Spending over $100 on a B360 motherboard is ill-advised, we strongly propose y'all target about $80 unless in that location was a special requirement. In other words, Intel B360 motherboards are reserved for budget builds, for everything else go with Z370 instead.

All-time Overall

Asrock B360M Pro4

The Asrock B360M Pro4 ticks more boxes than whatever other B360 board in my opinion, and I reckon most will agree that this is one of the very all-time B360 motherboards available correct now. As far every bit B360 pricing goes the Asrock lath offers great value, though at $85 I had hoped these upkeep Intel Coffee Lake boards would exist a piddling more competitively priced.

In any case what you get with the B360M Pro4 is a well laid out motherboard with all the features you could hope for at this price indicate, information technology besides doesn't injure that the lath looks great as well. The board packs a solid VRM with premium 45 amp chokes on a high density glass fabric PCB. Asrock advertises back up for up to 95-watt processors and so it shouldn't have an result getting the most out of the Core i7-8700 for example.

A real bonus here is the fact that the lath packs four DIMM slots, making future retentivity upgrades a lot more cost effective as you can but add more DDR4 modules. You also go decent audio and networking along with 6 SATA 6Gb/s ports and a pair of M.2 slots. Overall the Asrock B360M Pro4 is a great quality B360 motherboard that can't exist shell at this price point.

Going Total Size ATX

If you're later a total-sized ATX board so there're just two cost constructive options from the B360 range: the Asrock B360 Pro4 and MSI B360-A PRO. Both look skillful, though the Asrock model is slightly cheaper and slightly improve equipped, therefore information technology gets my pick.

As you might accept expected information technology's basically the ATX version of the MicroATX model, so unless there's a need for the larger form factor you might equally well go the MicroATX version. The stretched out model costs $ten more and apart from a bit of extra PCB and a bigger chipset heatsink, you don't get any other extras except for one more PCIe x1 slot.

Equally I see it the but reason you'd buy this version over the B360M Pro4 is because you have a standard ATX example and you want to fill it out. MicroATX boards tend to look a piffling silly in mid-towers.

Only ii DIMMs (Otherwise good)

Asus TUF B360M-Eastward Gaming

The Asus TUF B360M-E Gaming is another quality MicroATX B360 motherboard though it does come upwardly brusque in a few areas when compared to the Asrock model higher up. Well-nigh notably of which is the lack of DIMM slots, just 2 slots means upgrading from 8GB to 16GB of retentivity in the future will be far more costly.

The board looks quite good, very gamer-ish and aggressive as you'd expect from an Asus TUF lath only the layout leaves a lot to be desired. I would accept prefered Asus leave plenty room to better position the SATA ports than create that aggressive looking PCB cutout. As it is, the SATA ports are spread out all over the identify which is a bit disappointing.

Still, with few good, well-priced B360 boards to choose from the TUF B360M-E Gaming manages to brand the list despite those shortcomings. Overall quality is good, making it a worthy alternative to the Asrock B360M Pro4.

A Little As well Legacy

Gigabyte B360M D3H

Another culling worth checking out if yous tin't become your hands on the Asrock lath is the Gigabyte B360M D3H. Priced at $80 it's a little cheaper than the 2 MicroATX boards nosotros've already looked at.

Similar the Asus B360M-E Gaming, this Gigabyte model looks very solid, but also like the Asus board there are some interesting choices here too. Gigabyte has decided to include a number of legacy items such every bit a PCI slot, what a blast! I haven't seen one of those on a new motherboard for a long time. Even more accident is the parallel port header, for those of y'all who yet have your printer from the xc's this could come in very handy.

It's non only the classics that you'll discover on this motherboard. Gigabyte has likewise included a USB 3.ane Gen 2 Type-A port, only one though, and an K.2 slot. It's a pretty basic board but it'southward also the cheapest B360 board we've run across to feature VRM cooling, pregnant information technology should be right to get the about out of a Cadre i7-8700 and it'll certainly be the perfect pairing for the Core i5-8400.

All-time Mini-ITX

Asrock B360M-ITX/ac

Those of yous wanting to build a meaty piddling PC will most probable become afterward a Mini-ITX motherboard and correct now that limits you to less than half a dozen options. It's worth cipher that Z370 Mini-ITX models showtime at $135, though most cost $170 - $180. That being the case you can write off the Asus ROG Strix B360-I Gaming, at $160 they're office of a bad dream.

Picking betwixt the Asrock B360M-ITX/ac and MSI B360I Gaming Pro AC wasn't like shooting fish in a barrel and honestly I could have justified going with the MSI model, it looks like the better board and it clearly offers superior VRM cooling. But otherwise, they're more or less the same just the Asrock is ~$twenty cheaper, and it'southward hard to ignore that saving.

If you can snag the MSI model for $5 - $ten more then that'due south the way I'd get. For $95 the Asrock board offers a unmarried PCIe 3.0 x16 slot, four SATA ports, four USB three.0 ports at the rear, Intel 802.11ac WiFi plus Bluetooth 4.2 and you likewise get an Ultra Chiliad.2 slot. I can imagine this inside the Silverstone SG13 with a Core i5-8400... now that's a squeamish toll-constructive mini PC combo.

Closing Thoughts

It seems crazy that then many B360 motherboards are priced over $100, with Z370 boards nevertheless bachelor for that price and many more on offer at around $120, you lot have to wonder why anyone would spend that kind of money on an inferror B360 board.

The MSI B360 Gaming Plus that we checked out on launch day costs $110, the Gigabyte B360 Aorus Gaming 3 and Asrock B360 Gaming K4 both price $120, and unbelievably the Asus ROG Strix B360-F Gaming comes in at $135. Oh and in that location's a B360-H Gaming model for $155, if you're completely bonkers.

The nearly affordable models cost $70 and they exit a lot to exist desired, so the $80 - $85 MicroATX models we recommend are as practiced as it gets. These budget oriented motherboards volition go forth well with a locked Core i5 processor, meanwhile those of you picking up the $300 Cadre i7-8700 should pony up an extra $20 or and then for a Z370 board.

Equally for H310 motherboards, they are best suited for locked Core i3 and lower parts. Only with prices starting at $60, you may have to question why they even exist. Nosotros certainly promise that if you're afterwards a expert value B360 motherboard then we've helped to narrow your search.