ASRock has announced the launch of its B850 Challenger WiFi and B850 Challenger WiFi White motherboards, designed for the AMD B850 chipset. These boards are aimed at everyday gamers and system builders looking for a well-rounded foundation on the AM5 platform. The Challenger Series introduces a balance of performance, design, and modern connectivity in both black and white themes.
The design of the B850 Challenger series is consistent across components. Color-matched connectors and accessories allow for clean aesthetics, especially in themed PC builds. Whether users choose the black or white version, the entire visual layout is unified. ASRock also includes small design elements like hidden hexadecimal ASCII codes etched into the board, offering a unique touch for tech-savvy users.
Built with a 12+2+1 phase power design, the B850 Challenger boards ensure steady power delivery for AMD Ryzen 7000 and future AM5 processors. A large VRM heatsink is mounted to help control temperatures during gaming or multitasking. This setup supports long-term performance without the need for additional cooling solutions.
For storage, the motherboard includes a PCIe Gen 5 x4 M.2 slot with both top and bottom thermal pads to manage heat from high-speed drives. Additional M.2 and SATA slots provide flexible options for storage expansion. These features are targeted at users who want fast storage performance without complex configuration.
Networking and peripheral support are up to date with the inclusion of WiFi 7 (802.11be) and a 2.5-Gigabit LAN port. Several USB ports, including high-speed rear I/O and internal headers, are also available. The “Lightning Gaming Ports” are optimized for low-latency mouse input, which benefits users running high polling rate peripherals. Realtek audio and HDMI output are part of the core feature set.
The AMD B850 chipset sits below the high-end X870 series, delivering PCIe Gen 5 support for storage, DDR5 memory compatibility, and USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 connectivity. While it doesn’t offer CPU overclocking, it brings most of the essential features for modern builds at a more accessible price point.
ASRock has yet to confirm exact pricing or retail availability, but the B850 Challenger series is expected to roll out globally in the near future. The combination of practical features, modern specs, and clean design makes these motherboards a solid choice for new AMD-based systems.
