When AMD introduced its Ryzen 7000-series processors and AM5 platform last September, it said that over time motherboards for the new CPUs would get to mainstream price points. Yet, nearly six months after launch, AM5 motherboards have proven to be stubborn in their high prices, which is one of the reasons of the platform's slow adoption by the masses. Fortunately, this week ASRock started to sell a new budget microATX motherboard, the B650M-HDV/M.2, which has become first one to land on retail shelves for $125.
Most existing AM5 motherboards, including those based on the mid-range B650 chipset, are generally aimed at enthusiasts who are looking for extra features and willing to pay for them. As a result, there's been a dearth of truly cheap B650 boards on the market. But, at long last, things are starting to turn around with ASRock's B650M-HDV/M.2, which at $125 is able to bring the advantages of AMD's latest platform down to a lower price point.
