In case you’re familiar with the new X470 chipset, then you’ve probably heard about ASRock’s new Taichi motherboard. It’s not fundamentally different from the other motherboards that utilize the same chipset but are coming from a different vendor, but there still are some differences that you should be aware of in case you’re planning on investing in a new motherboard (you can check our top overall picks here).
Avid enthusiasts love the new chipset due to its capability of coping with high clocks, and regular users like the overall quality and premium features. While this isn’t the cheapest board you’ll find by any means; it’s definitely a worthy investment if you’re able to use its full potential. If you have a brand-new Ryzen 2nd generation CPU, this might be one of the best boards for it.
Specifications
Supported CPUs: AM4 Socket Ryzen Series CPUs (Summit Ridge, Raven Ridge, and Pinnacle Ridge)
Chipset: X470
Memory compatibility:
- 4X DDR4 DIMM Slots
- Dual Channel Technology
- Max capacity – 64GB
- AMD Ryzen series CPUs support DDR4 3466+(OC) / 3200(OC) / 2933/2667/2400/2133 ECC & non-ECC, un-buffered memory.
Multi GPU support:
- NVIDIA Quad SLI
- AMD Quad CrossFireX
Audio:
- 1 CH HD Audio with Content Protection (Realtek ALC1220 Audio Codec)
- Premium Blu-ray Audio support
- Supports Surge Protection
- Supports Purity Sound 4
Rear IO:
- 2 x Antenna Ports
- 1 x PS/2 Mouse/Keyboard Port
- 1 x HDMI Port
- 1 x Optical SPDIF Out Port
- 1 x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-A Port (10 Gb/s) (Supports ESD Protection)
- 1 x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C Port (10 Gb/s) (Supports ESD Protection)
- 6 x USB 3.1 Gen1 Ports (Supports ESD Protection)
- 1 x RJ-45 LAN Port with LED (ACT/LINK LED and SPEED LED)
- 1 x Clear CMOS Button
- HD Audio Jacks: Rear Speaker / Central / Bass / Line in / Front Speaker / Microphone (Gold Audio Jacks)
Features and notes
ASRock Taichi is full of unique features. For example, it contains high-quality Japanese capacitors, Aluminum alloy heatsink, a black PCB, premium alloy memory choke, OI armor, and more.
It also comes with steel slots which are, contrary to popular belief, quite useful. Even though they seem like a gimmick, you can rest assured that they come in handy, especially when it comes to preventing signal interference. The ASRock USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-A Port offers 10Gb/s bandwidth which is also a unique feature. This motherboard is equipped with dual M.2 slots that support both SATA3 and PCIe Gen3 x 4 interfaces. As you may know, these can push transfer speeds up to 32 Gb/s.
Advantages and shortcomings
The biggest advantage of this particular motherboard is its quality. While there are numerous different vendors on the market, some of which even offer significantly cheaper solutions, you can always put your trust in ASRock. On the other hand, if you’re planning on investing in this board, you will have to pay a premium price.
Now, the question remains – Is it worth paying the price of this motherboards? While we can’t offer a definitive answer, we guarantee you won’t regret your decision. However, if you’re not chasing high-end features and innovative technologies, there are probably some cheaper solutions out there.