AORUS B360 Gaming 3 WiFi Motherboard - Unboxing
The CPU market has seen a resurgence since the last year. We got to see AMD's Ryzen and Intel's Coffee Lake families which brought attention back to the CPU space after being overly shadowed by the GPU market. Yes, I get it, GPUs are awesome but it isn't like CPU aren't as much important as the products that feature GPUs, it's just that CPUs have been way too boring since we first got Sandy Bridge. Even pre-Bulldozer era was great for the CPU industry where we got to see frequent clashes between the two rivals (Intel and AMD) generation after generation.
This action quickly faded after Bulldozer disappointment and Intel caught a grip of the CPU market for several generations. However, Intel's dominance in this industry and AMD's failures meant that the industry would eventually slow down, making Intel clumsy, knowing that had control over the desktop market and we then go to see several generations of refreshed upon refreshes. Even new architectures like Haswell or Skylake didn't look like much of a leap as was seen with Sandy Bridge or first generation Core processors.
Just about the time Intel had slowed down, Ryzen from AMD launched and woke up the blue team again. Once again, both companies are now engaged in a battle for the best high performance and main stream processors. The CPU industry is live and vivid once again. Gone are the days of quad and dual core processors reigning over the sub-$200 US segment and now we have proper chips in the entire category, for gaming, for multi-tasking, for media streaming.
So when Intel launched their latest CPU family to tackle AMD's Ryzen, they did launch a full stack ranging from Core i3 to Core i7 chips. However, the platforms supported were only based on the higher end Z370 chipset which falls in the top spectrum of the 300-series PCH lineup. We had to wait till April of 2018 to get the more mainstream products (H310/B360/H370/Q370) from retail shelves. Now the time has come that these boards are available and in consumers reach at very low price points.
So to find out how well do these boards handle the 8th gen Coffee Lake CPUs and are they well equipped to house the top-end Core i7 6 core processors too, I'll be testing out three different 300-series motherboards.
These include the AORUS B360 Gaming 7 Wi-Fi, ASUS ROG STRIX H370-F and the ASUS ROG STRIX B360-F.
- You can buy the ASUS ROG H370-F Gaming Here.
- You can buy the ASUS ROG B360-F Gaming Here.
- You can buy the AORUS Gaming 3 WIFI Here.
Intel 300-Series Express Chipset Family Detailed - Intel's Full 300-Series PCH Stack, Now Available To Consumers
With the launch of Coffee Lake processors, Intel is also offering a new platform that is marked as 300-series. The Intel 300 series platform features several chipsets and while Z370 was first to hit market, other SKUs are now available too in a wide variety of motherboards.
The 300-series platform is exclusively built to support Coffee Lake CPUs meaning that while we can expect later CPU launches to feature support on the current platform, all CPUs that came before will not work on the new motherboards. We have more details on this in the LGA 1151 socket section so here, we will be taking a look at the 300 series feature set and what it offers over the previous 200 and 100 series platforms.
Intel 300-Series PCH Features:
The 8th gen desktop platform has a range of new features that mainly include:
- More Cores
- More Intel Smart Cache
- Best In Class Design
- Enhanced Overclocking (Z370 Specific Only)
- Improved 14nm Process
And of course, powering the new platform is the Z370 PCH. The PCH offers the following:
- Improved Power Delivery for 6 Core Processors
- Enhanced Package Power Delivery For Overclocking (Z370 Specific Only)
- Memory Routing Support for DDR4-2666
- Rec.2020 & HDR Support, HEVC 10-bit HW Decode/Encode, VP9 10-bit HW Decode
- Integrated USB 3.1 Gen2 (10 Gbps)
- Intel Optane memory support
- Intel Wireless AC Support
- Intel Smart Sound Technology with Quad Core Audio DSP
- Up To 24 Chipset PCIe 3.0 Lanes
- Up To 10 USB 3.1 Ports With Up To 6 USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) Ports
- Up To 6 SATA 3.0 Ports
- Intel Rapid Storage Technology 16
- PCIe 3.0 x4 Storage Support
- Intel vPro Technology Support (Q370 Specific Only)
Intel Desktop Platform Chipset Comparison
| Chipset Name | Arrow Lake-S (ARL-S) PCH / 800 Series (Z890) | Raptor Lake-S (RPL-S) PCH / 700 Series (Z790) | Alder Lake-S (ADL-S) PCH / 600 Series (Z690) | Rocket Lake-S (RKL-S) PCH / 500 Series (Z590) | Comet Lake-S (CML-S) PCH / 400 Series (Z490) | Coffee Lake S (CFL-S) PCH / 300 Series (Z390/H370, B360, Q370, H310) | Coffee Lake S (KBL-R) PCH / Z370 Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Process Node | 7nm | 14nm | 14nm | 14nm | 14nm | 14nm | 22nm |
| Processor | 24C, 20C, 14C, 12C, TBD) | 24,16C,12C,10C,6C,4C | 16C,12C,10C,6C,4C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch) | 8C, 6C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch) | 10C, 8C, 6C, 4C, 2C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch) | 8C, 6C, 4C, 2C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch) | 8C, 6C, 4C (6 Consumer SKUs at Launch) |
| Memory | Up To DDR5-6400 (Native) | Up To DDR5-5600 (Native) Up To DDR4-3200 (Native) | Up To DDR5-4800 (Native) Up To DDR4-3200 (Native) | Up To DDR4-3200 (Native) | Up To DDR4-2933 (Native) | Up To DDR4-2666 (Native) | Up To DDR4-2666 (Native) |
| Media, Display & Audio | eDP / 4DDI (DP, HDMI) Display Capabilities | eDP / 4DDI (DP, HDMI) Display Capabilities | eDP / 4DDI (DP, HDMI) Display Capabilities | DP 1.2 & HDMI 2.0, HBR3 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) 12-bit AV1/HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP With USB Audio offload SoundWire Digital Audio Interface | DP 1.2 & HDMI 1.4 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP SoundWire Digital Audio Interface | DP 1.2 & HDMI 1.4 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP SoundWire Digital Audio Interface | DP 1.2 & HDMI 1.4 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP |
| I/O & Connectivity | Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20G) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi6E/ 7 BT CNVio) with Gig+ Integrated SDXC 4.0 Controller Thunderbolt 4.0 | Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20G) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi6E/ 7 BT CNVio) with Gig+ Integrated SDXC 4.0 Controller Thunderbolt 4.0 | Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20G) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi6E/ 7 BT CNVio) with Gig+ Integrated SDXC 4.0 Controller Thunderbolt 4.0 | Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20G) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi6E/ BT CNVi) Integrated SDXC 3.0 Controller Thunderbolt 4.0 (Maple Ridge) | Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2 Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi / BT CNVi) Integrated SDXC 3.0 Controller Thunderbolt 3.0 (Titan Ridge) w/ DP 1.4 | Integrated USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi / BT CNVi) Integrated SDXC 3.0 Controller Thunderbolt 3.0 (Titan Ridge) w/ DP 1.4 | Integrated USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Thunderbolt 3.0 (Alpine Ridge) |
| Storage | PCIe 5.0 (CPU Lanes), 8x SATA 3.0 | Next-Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 5.0 (CPU Lanes), 6x SATA 3.0 | Next-Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 5.0, 6x SATA 3.0 | Next-Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 4.0, 6x SATA 3.0 | Next-Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 3.0, 6x SATA 3.0 | Next Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 3.0, 6x SATA 3.0 | Next Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 3.0, 6x SATA 3.0 |
| Max PCH PCIe Lanes | Up To 24 (Gen 4) | Up To 20 (Gen 4) Up To 8 (Gen 3) | Up To 12 (Gen 4) Up To 16 (Gen 3) | Up To 24 (Gen 3) | Up To 24 (Gen 3) | Up To 24 (Gen 3) | Up To 24 (Gen 3) |
| Max CPU PCIe Lanes | Up To 20 (Gen 5) Up To 4 (Gen 4) | Up To 16 (Gen 5) Up To 4 (Gen 4) | Up To 16 (Gen 5) Up To 4 (Gen 4) | Up To 20 (Gen 4) | Up To 16 (Gen 3) | Up To 16 (Gen 3) | Up To 16 (Gen 3) |
| Max USB Ports | Up To 5 (USB 3.2 Gen 2z2) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x1) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 1x1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0) | Up To 5 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x2) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x1) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 1x1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0) | Up To 4 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x2) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x1) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 1x1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0) | Up To 3 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x2) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x1) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 1x1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0) | Up To 10 (USB 3.2) Up To 14 (USB 2.0) | Up To 10 (USB 3.1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0) | Up To 10 (USB 3.0) Up To 14 (USB 2.0) |
| Security | Intel TET Intel Boot Guard | N/A | N/A | N/A | Intel SGX 1.0 | Intel SGX 1.0 | Intel SGX 1.0 |
| Power Management | C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby | C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby | C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby | C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby | C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby | C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby | C8 Support |
| Launch | 2024 | 2022 | 2021 | 2021 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Motherboard OEMs which include ASUS, ASRock, Gigabyte, MSI, Biostar, Colorful, ECS and others will be offering their own H370, H110, B360 and Q370 chipset based motherboards. Till then, you can check out the differences between the new chipsets below:
New Intel 300-Series Chipsets:
| Chipset Name | Intel H310 | Intel B360 | Intel Q370 | Intel H370 | Intel Z370 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SKU Target Market | Consumer | Consumer / Corporate | Corporate | Consumer / Corporate | Consumer |
| High Speed I/O Lanes | 14 | 24 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| Total USB Ports (Max USB 3.1) | 10 (4) | 12 (6) | 14 (10) | 14 (8) | 14 (10) |
| Total USB Ports (Gen 2 / Gen 1) | 0 / 4 | 4 / 6 | 6 / 10 | 4 / 8 | 10 |
| Max SATA 3.0 Ports (6 Gbps) | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Max PCIe 3.0 lanes | 6 (Gen 2.0 Only) | 12 | 24 | 20 | 24 |
| Max Intel RST PCIe Storage Ports (M.2) | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Intel Optane Support | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Integrated Intel WIreless AC Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| Intel Smart Sound Technology | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Intel vPro Technology Support | N/A | N/A | Yes | N/A | N/A |
| TDP | 6W | 6W | 6W | 6W | 6W |
Intel LGA 1151 Socket Again - Now With Only 8th Generation Processor Support
Intel isn't moving away from the LGA 1151 socket anytime soon. We are once again looking at the same socket which has been doing the rounds in the mainstream market since 2015. There is however a major difference. There's no backward compatibility with Skylake and Kaby Lake processors.
That brings us to the next significant detail about the Intel 300-series platform. Intel is confirming that the Coffee Lake processors are only compatible with the 300-series chipset. The reason cited by Intel is the change in electrical lanes and power delivery that 300 series improves substantially.
A more detailed analysis was posted by David Schor a few days ago which confirms the change in pin configuration on Coffee Lake processors, hence keeping the LGA 1151 socket on Z370 boards exclusive to Coffee Lake chips.
According to David, the reason we don't have Coffee Lake processors compatible with older series motherboards that feature the LGA 1151 socket is the change in pins. For instance, if the pin config changes on a processor, the sockets on the motherboard need to be configured as such. It's not a process that can be done via software as its more of a hardware level change.
When compared, the Coffee Lake processors have 391 VSS (Ground) pins which is an increase of 14 compared to Kaby Lake, 146 VCC (Electrical) pins which is an increase of 18 pins compared to Kaby Lake and about 25 pins that are reserved and a decrease of 21 pins from the 46 reserved on Kaby Lake.
Kaby Lake -> Coffee Lake
- VSS (Ground): 377 -> 391 (+14)
- VCC (Power): 128 -> 146 (+18)
- RSVD: 46 ->25
Intel LGA 1151 CPU Pin Configuration (Coffee Lake vs Kaby Lake):
So one thing is clear, Intel was in fact telling the truth about electrical changes to the processors and socket in the 300-series platform. Furthermore, it's not just the reserved pins from Kaby Lake that have simply been populated. There are pins aside the reserved ones that were swapped with VCC pins and indicate a design tweak.
While we can put many theories to rest with this new detail, I think much of the confusion could have just been avoided if Intel clarified this themselves. Of course, if you are making the boards with a new PCH and new series of processors on the same socket that ran the previous CPU line, consumers would definitely want to know more about why the new platform that has the same socket cannot support their older chips. We previously heard about the LGA 1151 V2 naming scheme and that may have sorted some confusion but as we can tell, all motherboards still use the LGA 1151 naming scheme which may lead to people thinking that their 6th and 7th generation processors can run on the newer boards.
Cooler Compatibility With LGA 1151 Socket
Keeping the same socket has some advantages in the form of cooler compatibility. All users who are running the LGA 1151 socket or even LGA 1150 boards can use the same cooler on the 300 series boards without any hassle. The socket has the same dimensions and no changes are made aside from electrical changes that are specific to socket and processor pins. The socket assembly and mounting remains the same.
Intel does offer a separate boxed cooler but it will be a much better choice to get an AIB cooling solution since those offer better cooling performance. It is recommended for the unlocked SKUs that users run them on a high end air cooler or liquid cooling solution. Custom loop cooling will deliver even better results.
First of all, what is Coffee Lake? In simple terms, Coffee Lake is an improved Kaby Lake that has been made possible with the latest 14nm++ process node. Intel briefed in their webinar that Coffee Lake is on the same architectural level as Kaby Lake with no changes at all. Aside from that, the new 14nm process allows for improved power efficiency and higher clock speeds. There's a reason that Intel is bumping up the core count across their entire range of processors. The Intel Core i7 and Core i5 lineup gets 6 cores (HT/Non-HT) while the Core i3 lineup gets 4 cores.
The Intel Core i7 and Core i5 processors with 6 cores feature the same TDPs as their predecessors so bumping up the core count hasn't changed the TDP numbers. Actual power consumption may vary during testing real world applications but for that, you'd have to wait for our review in the coming weeks. You will also note that Intel has given a fairly good bump to both CPU and integrated GPU clock speeds which is only possible with the new and improved 14nm++ process.
Intel Coffee Lake CPUs Have 16 PCIe 3.0 Lanes, PCH Supports 24 PCIe 3.0 Lanes - These Make Up The 40 PCIe Platform Lanes
Now one thing you might have noticed in other articles is that they state the Intel Coffee Lake platform will feature 40 PCIe Lanes. That's true but not entirely an accurate representation. As you see, Intel does has 40 PCIe 3.0 lanes on their upcoming family but those are a combination of CPU and PCH lanes. All Coffee Lake CPUs feature 16 PCIe Gen 3.0 lanes while the 300 series PCH offers up to 24 PCIe 3.0 lanes. These make up the 40 PCIe 3.0 lanes that Intel claims of.
This means that people can add in two GPUs for SLI or mGPU support which will be given to the CPU while PCH can allow for additional devices such as PCIe / M.2 storage or Intel Optane support.
The Intel 8th Gen, Core Desktop Family Full Specifications and Prices
At launch, Intel will introduce 6 new Coffee Lake CPUs to consumers. These include the flagship Core i7-8700K, Core i7-8700, Core i5-8600K, Core i5-8400, Core i3-8350K and Core i3-8100. Intel includes three "K" unlocked CPUs in the lineup while the rest are locked CPUs that don't feature overclocking but great for budget users in their own place.
Following are the detailed specs for these CPUs:
Intel Core i7-8700K – The Coffee Lake Flagship With 6 Cores and 4.3 GHz Boost Across All Cores
The Intel Core i7-8700K will be the flagship processor of the lineup. It will feature 6 cores and 12 threads. The chip will be compatible with the LGA 1151 socket on the Z370 chipset only. The chip will be Intel’s first hexa core product and will be based on the 14nm process node.
In terms of clock speeds, we are looking at a 3.7 GHz base frequency which boosts up to 4.3 GHz (6 core) and 4.7 GHz (1 core). These clocks are really impressive so we can expect much faster gaming performance on Coffee Lake parts than the current generation of CPUs. The chip is fully unlocked allowing for overclocking and comes with a TDP of 95W. There’s 12 MB of L3 cache on board along with a GT2 tier iGPU. The chip supports DDR4-2666 MHz memory (native) and up to 4400 MHz+ (OC). The Intel Core i7-8700K will cost $359 US at launch.
Intel Core i5-8600K – The Gamer Aimed Hexa Core With Overclocking Capability and 4.3 GHz Boost
The Intel Core i5-8600K is the second unlocked chip in the lineup and features a hexa core design. We have learned that the Intel Core i5 series will stick with 6 cores but they will not feature a multi-threaded design. The chip probably features 9 MB of L3 cache while being supported on the LGA 1151 socket.
In terms of clock speeds, we are looking at 3.5 GHz base, 4.2 GHz (6 core), 4.3 GHz (1 core) boost clocks. The chip will feature a TDP of 95W and the pricing will be set at $257 US which is just a few bucks over $242 US Price of the Core i5-7600K making it a great option for gamers who want some extra cores inside their rigs.
Intel Core i3-8350K – A Quad Core i3 Processor With 4 GHz Clock Speed
The Intel Core i3-8350K might be the only Core i3 chip in the 8th Gen family that enables overclocking support. Intel’s 8th Gen Core i3 family is also the first to feature 4 cores which will be a great deal for budget builders. The Intel Core i3-8350K comes with 4 cores and 4 threads that are clocked at 4.0 GHz. The chip features 6 MB of cache and will feature a TDP of 91W.
The Intel Core i3 chips will not feature boost clocks but they will have a more stable base clock speed and pricing is set at $168 US for the unlocked model.
Intel Core i5-8400 - A 6 Core Chip Under $200 US, Is This The Dream Gaming Chip?
The one other chip that is worth mentioning is the Intel Core i5-8400. This is a 6 core processor with no hyper threading and no overclocking enabled so what makes it so special? The pricing. The Intel Core i5-8400 has been priced at a remarkable $182 US range which is under the $200 US pricing range. This makes it a very competitive chip for the gaming desktop market as you can have a modern 6 core gaming processor for a fantastic price. We are very interested to test the chip out ourselves.
Intel Coffee Lake 8th Gen Desktop Core Lineup:
| CPU Name | Intel Core i3-8100 | Intel Core i3-8350K | Intel Core i5-8400 | Intel Core i5-8600K | Intel Core i7-8700 | Intel Core i7-8700K | Intel Core i7-8086K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU Family | Coffee Lake-S | Coffee Lake-S | Coffee Lake-S | Coffee Lake-S | Coffee Lake-S | Coffee Lake-S | Coffee Lake-S |
| CPU Process | 14nm | 14nm | 14nm | 14nm | 14nm | 14nm | 14nm |
| CPU Cores | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| CPU Threads | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Base Clock | 3.60 GHz | 4.00 GHz | 2.80 GHz | 3.60 GHz | 3.20 GHz | 3.70 GHz | 4.00 GHz |
| Boost Clock (Max) | N/A | N/A | 4.00 GHz | 4.30 GHz | 4.60 GHz | 4.70 GHz | 5.00 GHz |
| Boost Clock (6 Core) | N/A | N/A | 3.50 GHz | 4.40 GHz | 4.20 GHz | 4.30 GHz | 4.30 GHz |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB (256 KB per Core) | 1 MB (256 KB per Core) | 1.5 MB (256 KB per Core) | 1.5 MB (256 KB per Core) | 1.5 MB (256 KB per Core) | 1.5 MB (256 KB per Core) | 1.5 MB (256 KB per Core) |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB | 6 MB | 9 MB | 9 MB | 12 MB | 12 MB | 12 MB |
| Overclocking Support | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Socket Support | LGA 1151 | LGA 1151 | LGA 1151 | LGA 1151 | LGA 1151 | LGA 1151 | LGA 1151 |
| PCH | 300-Series | 300-Series | 300-Series | 300-Series | 300-Series | 300-Series | 300-Series |
| TDP | 65W | 91W | 65W | 95W | 65W | 95W | 95W |
| Price | $117 US | $168 US | $182 US | $257 US | $303 US | $359 US | $429 US |
Intel’s New Additions To The Coffee Lake Desktop Family – CPU Specifications and Prices
The first SKU is the Core i5-8600 which will be priced $213 US while the Core i5-8500 will be priced $192 US. Moving on, we have the Core i3-8300 which will be priced at $138 US while the Pentium series includes the Gold G5600 for $86 US, Gold G5500 for $75 US, Gold G5400 for $64 US.
All Pentium Gold offerings will be dual core and quad threaded chips which was something previously kept exclusive to the Core i3 lineup.
The Celeron parts will include two SKUs that include G4920 for $52 US and G4900 for $42 US. Both of these variants will be based on a dual core design with no multi-threading onboard. Details for these processors such as specifications are listed in the table below:
Intel Coffee Lake-S Desktop Low Power CPUs:
| CPU Name | Intel Core i3-8100T | Intel Core i3-8300T | Intel Core i5-8400T | Intel Core i5-8500T | Intel Core i5-8600T | Intel Core i7-8700T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU Family | Coffee Lake-S | Coffee Lake-S | Coffee Lake-S | Coffee Lake-S | Coffee Lake-S | Coffee Lake-S |
| Platform | Desktop LGA 1151 | Desktop LGA 1151 | Desktop LGA 1151 | Desktop LGA 1151 | Desktop LGA 1151 | Desktop LGA 1151 |
| CPU Cores | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| CPU Threads | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 12 |
| Base Clock | 3.1 GHz | 3,2 GHz | 1.7 GHz | 2.1 GHz | 2.3 GHz | 2.4 GHz |
| Boost Clock | N/A | N/A | 3.3 GHz | 3.5 GHz | 3.7 GHz | 4.0 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB | 8 MB | 9 MB | 9 MB | 9 MB | 12 MB |
| TDP | 35W | 35W | 35W | 35W | 35W | 35W |
| Price | $117 US | $138 US | $182 US | $192 US | $213 US | $303 US |
The lineup also includes six Coffee Lake Low Power desktop processors which feature a rated TDP of 35W and range from Core i7, Core i5 to the Core i3 SKUs. You can check out the specifications in the following table:
Intel Coffee Lake-S Desktop CPUs:
| CPU Name | Intel Celeron G4900 | Intel Celeron G4920 | Intel Pentium Gold G5400 | Intel Pentium Gold G5500 | Intel Pentium Gold G5600 | Intel Core i3-8300 | Intel Core i5-8500 | Intel Core i5-8600 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU Family | Coffee Lake-S | Coffee Lake-S | Coffee Lake-S | Coffee Lake-S | Coffee Lake-S | Coffee Lake-S | Coffee Lake-S | Coffee Lake-S |
| Platform | Desktop LGA 1151 | Desktop LGA 1151 | Desktop LGA 1151 | Desktop LGA 1151 | Desktop LGA 1151 | Desktop LGA 1151 | Desktop LGA 1151 | Desktop LGA 1151 |
| CPU Cores | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| CPU Threads | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| Base Clock | 3.1 GHz | 3.2 GHz | 3.7 GHz | 3.8 GHz | 3.9 GHz | 3.7 GHz | 3.0 GHz | 3.1 GHz |
| Boost Clock | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 4.1 GHz | 4.3 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB | 2 MB | 4 MB | 4 MB | 4 MB | 8 MB | 9 MB | 9 MB |
| Graphics | Intel UHD 610 | Intel UHD 610 | Intel UHD 610 | Intel UHD 610 | Intel UHD 630 | Intel UHD 630 | Intel UHD 630 | Intel UHD 630 |
| TDP | 51W | 51W | 51W | 51W | 51W | 62W | 65W | 65W |
| Price | $42 US | $52 US | $64 US | $75 US | $86 US | $138 US | $192 US | $213 US |
Intel Coffee Lake PCB Thickness Compared To Kaby Lake and Core X Processors
Gigabyte sent me their top of the line B360 AORUS motherboard, the B360 AORUS Gaming 3 WiFi. The mainstream motherboard is a great choice for gamers who want wireless connectivity along with great support for 8th gen Coffee Lake CPUs. You can find two way SLI/CFX GPU support, dual M.2 ports (one with Thermal Guard), USB 3.1 Type-C ports, Intel GBe LAN, up to 2666 MHz ram with XMP memory profiles, tons of RGB and a solid power supply design scheme that will go along nicely with any 8th Gen core processor. The motherboard is priced at $139.99 US.
AORUS B360 Gaming 3 WiFi Motherboard Features:
- Supports 8th Gen Intel Core Processors
- Dual Channel Non-ECC Unbuffered DDR4
- New Hybrid Digital PWM Design
- Intel CNVi 802.11ac Wave2 2T2R WIFI
- High Quality Audio Capacitors and Audio Noise Guard with LED Trace Path Lighting
- Dual Ultra-Fast M.2 with PCIe Gen3 X4/X2 (1 with Thermal Guard) & SATA interface
- RGB FUSION with Multi-Zone Digital LED Light Show design
- Intel Native USB 3.1 Gen2 USB Type-A
- Intel USB 3.1 Gen1 USB Type-C
- Intel GbE LAN with cFosSpeed Internet Accelerator Software
- CEC 2019 Ready, Save the Power as Easy as One Click
- Smart Fan 5 features Multiple Temperature Sensors and Hybrid Fan Headers with FAN STOP
- Anti-Sulfur Resistors Design
- Ultra Durable™ 25KV ESD and 15KV Surge LAN Protection
- Intel Optane™ Memory Ready
- Lightning-Fast Intel Thunderbolt 3 AIC Support
AORUS B360 Gaming 3 WiFi Motherboard Gallery:
The AORUS B360 Gaming 3 WiFi comes in the standard cardboard package. The front features a black and silver color scheme with orange accents which Gigabyte is known for. The boards uses the AORUS branding which is used for all gaming oriented motherboards.
The back side of the package lists down the specifications and special features of the motherboard such as RGB Fusion, Intel CNVi 2x2 802.11ac wireless functionality, M.2 Thermal Guard, Smart Fan 5, Intel GbE LAN and a range of other features, including a table that shows all the specifications.
The front side also lists down support for Intel's 8th generation Core processors. There's also support for Intel Optane memory along with mention of LGA 1151, B360 Chipset, RGB Fusion, Smart Fan 5 and Intel CNVi WiFI Ready support.
The motherboard is placed right on top of the accessories which are always easy to access. AORUS uses an anti-static bag to protect the motherboard from unwanted electrical discharges.
There are several accessories included in the package which include a motherboard Manual, User Info Guide, a Driver Disk, a pair of SATA cables, two sets of M.2 offset screws, an I/O bracket, a Wi-Fi antenna and a Intel CNVi WiFI module that can be attached to the motherboard itself.
The motherboard itself has stickers on the PCH and I/O heatsink to prevent from dust build up. Always nice to take the stickers off of a fresh product.
The back of the motherboard is a simple layout where we can see electrical and PCB markings for each different component include DDR4 memory slots, CPU socket, PCI-e expansion slots, rear IO and front panel headers.
Outside of the box, the AORUS B360 Gaming 3 WiFi features an updated design scheme which we haven't seen before on AORUS Z370 motherboards. The new design scheme looks more of a solid design while the Z370 was more of an aesthetically pleasing theme.
The AORUS B360 Gaming 3 WiFi motherboard is styled in black, silver and orange accents. The PCB on the motherboard is colored dark brown and isn't that much noticeable. This is the top B360 motherboard that AORUS offers and costs $140 US. The motherboard comes in the standard ATX form factor.
The board uses the LGA 1151 socket to support Intel Core processors. The socket is compatible with Intel's 8th generation core family only. The socket has a protective cover on top of it that points out the exclusivity with Coffee Lake CPUs and refrains users from running a older 6th or 7th generation CPU as it could damage the socket.
Next to the socket are four DDR4 DIMM slots which can support up to 64 GB dual channel memory. These slots are rated to support XMP profiles up to 2666 MHz. Each slot is labeled, making it easier to install DIMMs in the proper orientation.
The AORUS B360 Gaming 3 WiFi motherboard packs a 7 phase Hybrid Digital PWM Power Design. The motherboard comes with high quality chokes, MOSFETs and capacitors that are rated to last longer than general electrical components and also makes use of a anti-sulfur design to prevent resistor shortage.
As you can see, the VRMs are getting ample cooling from the two aluminum heatsinks that will do their job pretty well. This motherboard isn't designed to overclock at all but processors like the i7-8700K can be a bit too much for the VRMs so proper cooling is still required.
The motherboard has a large base for the PWM area and as such, heat is quickly dissipate from the heatsink by air blowing within the chassis.
The CPU is supplied power through a single 8-pin power connector. This will feed the CPU with up to 150W of power. Most Intel CPUs will be shipping with TDPs under 100W but that actual wattage can wary based on the turbo clocks.
Expansion slots include three PCI Express 3.0 x16, two PCI Express 3.0 x1 and dual M.2 slots. The board can theoretically support three-way multi-GPU (CrossFireX / SLI) however, B360 boards have fewer PCIe lanes and SLI/Crossfire won't be the most ideal setup for such motherboards. The M.2 slots are rated to support NVMe PCIe gen3 x4 and Intel Optane series memory. There's also a single M.2 Socket 1 dedicated for the Intel CNVi wireless module which comes with the package. You can insert the module and attach the rear panel bracket to your casing for enhanced wireless functionality.
Gigabyte is using their patented double locking bracket on the expansion slots along with their Ultra Durable PCIe and M.2 Armor that adds a stainless shield on the sides of the PCI-e slots and additional anchor points that offer stronger grip with heavier graphics cards. These add more retention and shearing resistance by reinforcing the slots with metal plates. Aside from adding more protection, they do look really sweet.
The M.2 slots also come with Gigabyte's latest M.2 Thermal Guard technology which reduces thermal throttling on M.2 storage devices. Only one Thermal Guard is available in the package.
The PCH is cooled off by a large metallic heatsink which runs next to the SATA ports. The PCH heat sink has embedded RGB LEDs and provide a good light show for those that are interested in RGBs trend. You can also turn off the LEDs entirely through Gigabyte's bundled software if you are not a fan of such LEDs.
Storage options include six SATA III ports rated to operate at 6 GB/s. These can support up to six different storage devices at once. Many fan headers and jumpers can be found next to the storage ports. Do note that only two of the SATA ports are right angled while the other four face towards the top.
Do note that only two of the SATA ports are right angled while the other four face towards the top. Here, we can also see a better shot of the thickness of the PCH heatsink.
For B360 series, AORUS is using a High-Definition Audio system which is actually running off a Realtek ALC892 codec. The system features Audio noise guard for less static interference and makes use of high quality audio capacitors.
Finally, we have the I/O panel which includes the 1 PS/2 (Keyboard/Mouse) port, 1 DVI-D port, 1 HDMI port, 1 USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A port, 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C port, 4 USB 2.0 ports, 1 GBe LAN port and a 6 channel audio jack. All rear panel ports are situated beneath a nice AORUS I/O cover.
In addition to the I/O ports, the motherboard features the following I/O connectors internally:
- 1 x 24-pin ATX main power connector
- 1 x 8-pin ATX 12V power connector
- 1 x CPU fan header
- 1 x water cooling CPU fan header
- 2 x system fan headers
- 1 x system fan/water cooling pump header
- 2 x digital LED strip headers
- 2 x digital LED strip power select jumpers
- 2 x RGB (RGBW) LED strip headers
- 6 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors
- 2 x M.2 Socket 3 connectors
- 1 x front panel header
- 1 x front panel audio header
- 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 header
- 1 x USB 2.0/1.1 header
- 1 x S/PDIF Out header
- 1 x Thunderbolt add-in card connector
- 1 x Trusted Platform Module (TPM) header (2x6 pin, for the GC-TPM2.0_S module only)
- 1 x serial port header
- 1 x Clear CMOS jumper
AORUS B360 Gaming 3 WiFi Motherboard Photo Gallery:
ASUS sent me two of their new 300-series motherboards. The first one I will be looking at is the ASUS ROG STRIX H370-F Gaming which is a nicely built mainstream motherboard. The H370-F motherboard is an all rounder which packs many great features such as ASUS AURA Sync RGB control, SupremeFX S1220A audio, dual M.2 slots with heatsinks, Intel Gigabit Ethernet, LAN Guard and support for higher clocked memory (native DDR4-2666 MHz) . The motherboard is priced at $139.99 US.
ASUS ROG STRIX H370-F Gaming Motherboard Features:
- LGA1151 socket: Ready for 8th Gen Intel Core desktop processors.
- Aura Sync RGB: Synchronize LED lighting with a vast portfolio of compatible PC gear, including RGB strips.
- Easy DIY: Pre-mounted I/O shield, ASUS SafeSlot and premium components for maximum endurance.
- 3D-printing-friendly design: Dedicated 3D mounts make quick work of fitting 3D-printed parts.
- Onboard M.2 heatsink: Cools M.2 drive to deliver consistent storage performance and enhanced reliability.
- Advanced cooling: Automated system-wide tuning and cooling profiles that are tailor-made for your rig.
- Gaming audio: SupremeFX S1220A teamed with Sonic Studio III creates immersive aural landscapes.
- Gaming connectivity: Dual M.2 and USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A and Type-C connectors.
- Gaming networking: Intel Gigabit Ethernet, LANGuard and GameFirst for smoother, safer, lag-free online play.
ASUS ROG STRIX H370-F Gaming Motherboard Gallery:
The other motherboard we have is the ASUS ROG STRIX B360-F Gaming which is also nicely built mainstream motherboard, since it's using the same design mechanism as the H370-F. The B360-F motherboard is an all rounder which packs many great features such as ASUS AURA Sync RGB control, SupremeFX S1220A audio, dual M.2 slots with heatsinks, Intel Gigabit Ethernet, LAN Guard and support for higher clocked memory (native DDR4-2666 MHz) . The motherboard is also priced at $139.99 US.
ASUS ROG STRIX H370-F Gaming Motherboard Features:
- LGA1151 socket: Ready for 8th Gen Intel Core desktop processors.
- Aura Sync RGB: Synchronize LED lighting with a vast portfolio of compatible PC gear, including RGB strips.
- Easy DIY: Pre-mounted I/O shield, ASUS SafeSlot and premium components for maximum endurance.
- 3D-printing-friendly design: Dedicated 3D mounts make quick work of fitting 3D-printed parts.
- Onboard M.2 heatsink: Cools M.2 drive to deliver consistent storage performance and enhanced reliability.
- Advanced cooling: Automated system-wide tuning and cooling profiles that are tailor-made for your rig.
- Gaming audio: SupremeFX S1220A teamed with Sonic Studio III creates immersive aural landscapes.
- Gaming connectivity: Dual M.2 and USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A and Type-C connectors.
- Gaming networking: Intel Gigabit Ethernet, LANGuard and GameFirst for smoother, safer, lag-free online play.
ASUS ROG STRIX H370-F Gaming Motherboard Gallery:
I'll be covering unboxing and close up for both motherboards since they feature the same specs and design. The only difference is the chipset they are based on but aside from that, the boards look and feel the same. Even the prices they are launching at are same which is $140 US.
So starting off, both ASUS H370-F and B360-F Gaming motherboards come in the standard cardboard package. The front features a black color scheme along with the RGB'd ROG logo which is indicative of the ROG STRIX branding. The ROG STRIX branded are probably the best gaming motherboards within ASUS's lineup as shown by their feature rich layout and design quality.
The back side of the packages lists down the specifications and special features of the motherboard such as AURA Sync, M.2 Heatsink, Pre-mounted I/O shield, 3D Printing friendly design and other features, including a table that shows all the specifications.
The front side also lists down support for Intel's 8th generation Core processors. There's also support for Intel Optane memory along with mention of LGA 1151, AMD Crossfire technology, ASUS AURA Sync, 3D Printing Friendly Design and VR Ready support. The respective chipset for each motherboard is also mentioned.
The back of the motherboard has a really interesting layout. Aside from PCB electrical layout, we also see a new stylish design that uses laser printing to etch various ROG and STRIX quotes such as "Join The Republic" and "Republic of Gamers". It's a really nice touch to the motherboard.
Here, you can see a better shot of this design which looks absolutely fantastic. You can even spot the audio PCB interface from the back.
The motherboards include various packages which are listed below:
- User's manual
- 4 x SATA 6Gb/s cable(s)
- 1 x M.2 Screw Package
- 1 x Supporting DVD
- 1 x CABLE TIE BLACK
- 1 x ROG Strix stickers
- 1 x ROG Door Hanger(s)
- 1 x Extension Cable for RGB strips (80 cm)
- 1 x 3D printing mount package
ASUS H370-F and B360-F Gaming motherboards adopt an updated ROG STRIX design which to be very honest looks really great for a motherboard under $150 US. It retains the premium feeling in such a nice package design.
Both motherboards feature a black and grey color scheme which can be seen throughout the motherboard. The PCB is colored matte black with the same laser etching as we saw on the back. The motherboard comes in the standard ATX form factor.
The board uses the LGA 1151 socket to support Intel Core processors. The socket is compatible with Intel's 8th generation core family only The socket has a protective cover on top of it that points out the exclusivity with Coffee Lake CPUs and refrains users from running a older 6th or 7th generation CPU as it could damage the socket.
Next to the socket are four DDR4 DIMM slots which can support up to 64 GB dual channel memory. These slots are rated to support XMP profiles up to 2666 MHz (OC Plus). Each slot is labeled, making it easier to install DIMMs in the proper orientation.
Both motherboards rock a similar 8+2 phase DIGI+ VRM power design and since this a ROG STRIX board, we can expect the use of top notch components. There's also ESD Guards, Q-LED, DRAM over-current protection and other features to support proper CPU functionality and memory compatibility.
As you can see, the VRMs are getting ample cooling from the two metallic heatsinks that are large in terms of overall size. Even if the motherboard doesn't allow overclocking, high-end CPUs like the Core i7-8700K can still put some stress over the VRMs so proper cooling is required and it's a good thing that ASUS didn't cheap out here.
The motherboards have a large base for the PWM area and as such, heat is quickly dissipate from the heatsink by air blowing within the chassis.
The CPU is supplied power through a single 8-pin power connector. This will feed the CPU with up to 150W of power. Most Intel CPUs will be shipping with TDPs under 100W but wattage can be affected by boost clocks.
Expansion slots include two PCI Express 3.0 x16 (x16/x4), four PCI Express 3.0 x1 and dual M.2 slots. The board can support two-way multi-GPU (CrossFireX / SLI). The M.2 slots are rated to support NVMe PCIe gen3 x4 and Intel Optane series memory. Do note that the B360-F has lower PCI-e lanes compared to H370-F so multi-GPU functionality when running M.2 drives won't be a wise option.
ASUS is using Safe Slot technology that adds a stainless shield on the sides of the PCI-e slots and additional anchor points that offer stronger grip with heavier graphics cards. These add more retention and shearing resistance by reinforcing the slots with metal plates. Aside from adding more protection, they do look really sweet.
There are two M.2 slots on each board but only one of them is cooled by a ASUS M.2 heatsink. The heatsink is really well built with a Republic of Gamers label on top and a brushed silver finish.
The PCH is cooled off by a large metallic heatsink which runs next to the SATA ports. The PCH heat sink has embedded RGB LEDs and provide a good light show for those that are interested in RGBs trend. You can also turn off the LEDs entirely through ASUS's bundled software if you are not a fan of such LEDs.
Storage options include six SATA III ports rated to operate at 6 GB/s. These can support up to six different storage devices at once. Many fan headers and jumpers can be found next to the storage ports.
ASUS is using their SupremeFX audio system which features high-quality I/O, Supreme-FX shielding and Dual Op amplifiers. It's based on the S1220A Codec and provides a 8 channel audio support.
ROG SupremeFX 8-Channel High Definition Audio CODEC S1220A
- Dual Headphone Amplifiers
- Impedance sense for front and rear headphone outputs
- Supports : Jack-detection, Multi-streaming, Front Panel Jack-retasking
- High quality 120 dB SNR stereo playback output and 113 dB SNR recording input
- SupremeFX Shielding Technology
- Supports up to 32-Bit/192kHz playback
Audio Feature :
- Optical S/PDIF out port(s) at back panel
- Sonic Radar III
- Sonic Studio III + Sonic Studio Link
Finally, we have the I/O panel which includes 1 PS/2 (combo) port, 1 DVI-D, 1 Display Port, 1 HDMI, 1 LAN port, 1 USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C port, 2 USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A ports, 4 USB 2.0 ports, 1 Optical S/PDIF out port and a 5 channel audio jack. One thing I liked that ASUS did with the I/O port is that they pre-installed the I/O shield making installation more easier and less chances to miss out one of the most critical pieces of PC building when finishing your rig.
In addition to the I/O ports, the motherboard features the following I/O connectors internally:
- 1 x AAFP connector
- 1 x RGB Header(s)
- 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1(up to 5Gbps) connector(s) support(s) additional 2 USB 3.1 Gen 1 port(s)
- 1 x USB 2.0 connector(s) support(s) additional 2 USB 2.0 port(s)
- 1 x M.2 Socket 3 with M Key, type 2242/2260/2280 storage devices support (SATA & PCIE 3.0 X2 mode)
- 1 x M.2 Socket 3 with M key, type 2242/2260/2280 storage devices support (PCIE 3.0 x 4 mode)
- 6 x SATA 6Gb/s connector(s)
- 1 x M.2_FAN connector
- 1 x CPU Fan connector(s)
- 1 x CPU OPT Fan connector(s)
- 2 x Chassis Fan connector(s)
- 1 x AIO_PUMP connector
- 1 x 24-pin EATX Power connector(s)
- 1 x 8-pin ATX 12V Power connector(s)
- 1 x System panel(s)
- 1 x 5-pin EXT_FAN(Extension Fan) connector
- 1 x Thermal sensor connector(s)
- 1 x Clear CMOS jumper(s)
- 1 x 14-1 pin TPM connector
- 1 x COM port header
- 2 x 3D Mount screw port(s)
I have also added the following comparison for those who want to point out differences with both boards:
ASUS ROG STRIX H370-F Gaming and B360-F Gaming Motherboards Photo Gallery:
For testing, we used the Intel Core i7-8700K which was sent by Intel and the three 300-series boards that were sent by Gigabyte and ASUS.
The Intel Coffee Lake family comes with higher core count on the main stream platform but prices are close to the predecessors in the same segment. The reason for selecting the Core i7-8700K is to check how well these new mid-range motherboards can support Intel's flagship mainstream i7 processor compared to the high-end series (Z370).
Intel H370 / B360 Test Setup:
| Processor | Intel Core i7-8700K |
|---|---|
| Motherboard | AORUS B360 Gaming 3 WiFI ASUS ROG STRIX H370-F Gaming ASUS ROG STRIX B360-F Gaming Gigabyte Z370 AORUS Gaming 7 ASUS ROG Maximus X Hero ASUS ROG STRIX Z370-E Gaming ASRock Z370 Professional Gaming i7 |
| Power Supply | Corsair RM 750X Gold Plus |
| Solid State Drive | Samsung SSD 960 EVO M.2 (512 GB) |
| Hard Disk | Seagate Barracuda 2 TB 7200.12 |
| Memory | G.SKILL Trident Z RGB Series 32 GB (4 x 8GB) CL16 3600 MHz |
| Case | Corsair Graphite Series 780T Full Tower |
| Video Cards | MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Lightning X |
| Cooling Solutions | Cryorig R1 Ultimate |
| OS | Windows 10 64-bit |
Our test rig includes the Samsung 960 EVO 500 GB SSD that boots up our main OS while a 2 TB Seagate HDD is used for demonstration purposes for the Intel Optane memory. In addition to these, we are running a MSI GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Lightning X graphics card, a Corsair RM 750X Gold Plus power supply and 32 GB of G.Skill provided Trident Z RGB series memory which runs with a clock speed of DDR4-3600 MHz. For cooling, we used the Cryorig R1 Ultimate (dual fan) air cooler.
We won't be focusing on Intel's Core i7-8700K architecture or overclocking in this review since it is entirely the same chip as Skylake along with minor improvements and the boards can barely OC the CPU or memory (limited to DDR4-2666). The Skylake / Kaby Lake architecture analysis can be seen in detail here.
3DMark Time Spy CPU Performance
3DMark Firestrike is the widely popular video card benchmark test for Windows that is designed to measure your PC’s gaming performance. While the overall benchmark is great, the utility also provides a good indication of the CPU performance.
3DMark Firestrike CPU Performance
3DMark Firestrike is the widely popular video card benchmark test for Windows that is designed to measure your PC’s gaming performance. While the overall benchmark is great, the utility also provides a good indication of the CPU performance.
Blender
Blender is the free and open source 3D creation suite. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline—modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking, even video editing and game creation.
Cinebench R15
CINEBENCH is a real-world cross platform test suite that evaluates your computer’s performance capabilities. CINEBENCH is based on MAXON’s award-winning animation software CINEMA 4D, which is used extensively by studios and production houses worldwide for 3D content creation. MAXON software has been used in blockbuster movies such as Iron Man 3, Oblivion, Life of Pi or Prometheus and many more.
HandBrake
HandBrake is a tool for converting video from nearly any format to a selection of modern, widely supported codecs.
PCMark 10
PCMark 10 is a complete PC benchmarking solution for Windows 10. It includes several tests that combine individual workloads covering storage, computation, image and video manipulation, web browsing and gaming. Specifically designed for the full range of PC hardware from netbooks and tablets to notebooks and desktops, PCMark 10 offers complete Windows PC performance testing for home and business use.
POV-Ray
The POV-Ray package includes detailed instructions on using the ray-tracer and creating scenes. Many stunning scenes are included with POV-Ray so you can start creating images immediately when you get the package.
SuperPi
Super PI is used by many overclockers to test the performance and stability of their computers. In the overclocking community, the standard program provides a benchmark for enthusiasts to compare “world record” pi calculation times and demonstrate their overclocking abilities. The program can also be used to test the stability of a certain overclock speed.
WinRAR
WinRAR is a powerful archive manager. It can backup your data and reduce the size of email attachments, decompress RAR, ZIP and other files downloaded from the Internet and create new archives in RAR and ZIP file format.
X264 HD Encode Benchmark
This benchmark measures the encoding performance of the processor. It offers a standardized benchmark as the clip as well as the encoder used is uniform.
Gaming Performance Test (H370 / B360) - Ashes of The Singularity
Stardock's Ashes of the Singularity RTS title is a new take on the historic genre. The game incorporates several things that many pc gamers have been curious about and anxious to try for themselves such as Explicit Multi-Adapter Support and full Asynchronous Compute under DirectX 12 API. We tested the game at 1440P with 4x MSAA on Crazy Settings under DirectX 12.
Gaming Performance Test (H370 / B360) – Battlefield 1
Battlefield 1 is the kind of game that doesn’t need any real introduction. The latest installment of the Battlefield series is as beautiful as anyone would expect and comes right out of the gate with full DX11 and DX12. EA and DICE did a fantastic job with their AAA WW1 shooter this time by implementing some key gaming technologies. We tested the game at 1440P using Ultra settings and DirectX 11 API.
Gaming Performance Test (H370 / B360) - DOOM
In 2016, Id finally released Doom. My testing wouldn’t be complete without including this title. It's a hell fest featuring fast paced FPS action and tons of demons to kill. The latest title is based on both Vulkan and OpenGL APIs that take advantage of the latest multi-core and multi-GPU upgrades.
Gaming Performance Test (H370 / B360) - GTA V
GTA V is one handsomely optimized title for the PC audience. It's scalable across various PC configurations and delivers an impressive frame rate. Rockstar did an amazing job with the PC build of GTA V and it comes with a large array of settings that can be configured by PC gamers. We tested the title at 1440P with everything set to Ultra and 4x MSAA.
Gaming Performance Test (H370 / B360) - Mass Effect Andromeda
Being a huge fan of the Mass Effect series, I was highly anticipating the arrival of Andromeda to store shelves. Now that it’s here, I put the fastest gaming card to the test. Using Frostbite, the latest Mass Effect title looks incredibly gorgeous and the open world settings on the different planets immerses you a lot.
Gaming Performance Test (H370 / B360) - Rise of the Tomb Raider
The latest Rise of the Tomb Raider title gets lots of graphical enhancements added by Crystal Dynamics and Nixxes, including hardware tessellation, increased anisotropic filtering, additional dynamic foliage, increased LOD, additional PureHair strands, sun soft shadows, and improved bokeh DOF. We tested the game at 1440P under DirectX 12 API.
Gaming Performance Test (H370 / B360) - Sid Meir's Civilization VI
Civilization VI is the pinnacle of the series. It's featured huge, sweeping changes, and nothing was left out. Everything has found a purpose, they all work together in tandem but also have a reason to stand alone. It uses a more fleshed out engine that now supports DirectX 12 capabilities. We tested the game with every setting maxed out (4x MSAA, 4096x4096 shadow textures) at 1440P in DirectX 12.
Gaming Performance Test (H370 / B360) - Watch Dogs 2
Watch Dogs 2 once again takes us on a hacking tour, but this time in the city of San Francisco. Using a very evolved version of the OPUS engine the developers should have a better grasp on things this go around than they did with Watch Dogs. The new engine incorporates several NVIDIA Gameworks technologies and is seen as one of the most graphics intensive titles to launch this year. We tested the game on a mix of Ultra and high settings at 1440P (Temporal Filtering Disabled).
The Coffee Lake architecture is meant to improve overall system power consumption and add to the efficiency. In the case of the 8th Gen CPUs, we are looking at refined 14nm++ process which allows Intel to gain improved clock speeds and increase the number of cores with in the same power envelope.
With the frequency bump, the new chips do end up with higher power consumption both in idle and load states. Following are the results on the different motherboards at stock clocks:
The Intel Coffee Lake processors feature higher clock speeds and more cores, this means that the temperatures can directly be affected by the updated design. In terms of packaging, the processors ship with the same TIM between the IHS that has been used on previous mainstream Intel CPUs. In short, they aren't as great as soldered ones but we should expect temps to stay under some what level of control due to tweaking. The results at stock were carried out with a Cryorig R1 Ultimate air cooler:
ASUS's H370 and B360 ROG STRIX Offerings - Similar and Different at the Same Time
It has been 8 days since Intel expanded their 300-series family with more affordable CPUs and boards. The whole point of the launch was to enter the wider mainstream market which Intel previously couldn't with their Z370 chipset. While Z370 has a market in the high-end and mid-tier sector, the entry tier boards make much more sense for the general audience.
You are missing out on overclocking and a few expansion capabilities but that's exactly what these motherboards are known for. You miss a few things which shouldn't matter to you anyways considering non-K CPUs don't overclock and memory prices are too high so you'd be out of luck getting hands on that fast 3600 or 4000 MHz DDR4 kit. But you do save a few by getting an H370 or B360 motherboard.
One of the reasons for testing the Core i7-8700K, the top chip of the 8th gen family, on these new motherboards was to see their limits. If they can run the Core i7-8700K at stock fine just like any other Z370 board, then they could run any other 8th gen chip. That's exactly what we saw here, performance penalty between Z370 and H370/B360 boards is so small that it's not even notable. That proves my point, H370 and B360 being just as good as Z370 for stock CPU performance. The ASUS boards performed really well here.
The feature extension for $140 and an amazing ROG STRIX design by ASUS makes the H370-F and B360-F a very solid buy for gamers and general audience who want top notch features and quality build design. I'd give the H370-F extra props for having more expansion and high-speed I/O lanes than the comparative B360 motherboard.
AORUS B360 Gaming 3 WIFI - $140 US For Fast Wireless and a Great Gaming Board
Looking at the AORUS B360 Gaming 3 WIFI, we loose some more expansion and USB capabilities compared to the H370 chipset based counterparts but AORUS makes up for the less by adding a wireless module that runs really great.
The design has been updated with new PCH heatsink and VRM heatsinks along with full support for RGB. The motherboard performed just about as much I had expected with good stock CPU performance on the Core i7-8700K. My only issue with this board was the brown colored PCB and the plastic I/O covered which felt really flimsy.
Aside from that, the AORUS B360 Gaming 3 WIFI offers gamers and general users a solid option with good performance, WIFI capabilities and a bag full of features.
Contents
About the author: A Software Engineer by training and a PC enthusiast by passion, Hassan Mujtaba serves as Wccftech's Senior Editor for hardware section. With years of experience in the industry, he specializes in deep-dive technical analysis of next-generation CPU and GPU architectures, motherboards, and cooling solutions. His work involves not only breaking news on upcoming technologies but also extensive hands-on reviews and benchmarking.
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