ASUS is expanding its small-form-factor AM5 lineup with a new Mini-ITX motherboard aimed squarely at value-focused Ryzen builders: the TUF Gaming B850I WIFI NEO. With broad CPU compatibility, modern connectivity, and next-gen storage support, this board looks designed for compact gaming PCs that don’t want to compromise on key features.
Built around the AM5 socket, the TUF Gaming B850I WIFI NEO supports the full spread of current AM5 Ryzen processors. That includes Ryzen 7000, Ryzen 8000G APUs, Ryzen 9000 chips, and the latest Ryzen X3D models, making it a flexible foundation whether you’re building a budget-friendly system today or planning an easy CPU upgrade down the road.
For power delivery, ASUS equips the board with an 8+2+1 VRM setup rated at 80A, paired with a 10-layer PCB and a single 8-pin CPU power connector. Cooling for the VRM area is handled by a straightforward heatsink, and visually the board sticks to the familiar TUF Gaming look with a black and gray theme that fits most SFF builds.
Despite the compact Mini-ITX footprint, memory and expansion are well covered. You get two DDR5 DIMM slots supporting up to 128GB and speeds up to 9600 MT/s using ASUS AEMP tuning. For graphics, there’s a single PCIe Gen5 x16 slot intended for discrete GPUs—exactly what most ITX gaming builds rely on.
Storage support is another highlight. The board includes two M.2 slots: one capable of PCIe Gen5 x4 speeds for ultra-fast NVMe drives, plus a second PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 slot running through the chipset lanes. There are also two SATA 6Gb/s ports for additional SSDs or hard drives, useful for bulk game libraries or media storage.
On the connectivity side, ASUS rounds out the rear I/O with WiFi 6E and a 2.5GbE LAN port for low-latency gaming and fast local transfers. You also get a pre-mounted I/O shield, plus dual USB-C ports: one at up to 20Gbps on the rear and one front-panel USB-C connection at up to 10Gbps. In total, ASUS lists 12 USB ports available for builders across rear and internal connectivity. Audio is handled by a Realtek solution supporting 7.1-channel output.
Internal headers are strong for a Mini-ITX board, covering cooling, lighting, and front-panel needs:
– Cooling headers include a 4-pin CPU fan header, a 4-pin AIO pump header, and two 4-pin chassis fan headers.
– Power includes the 24-pin main connector and an 8-pin CPU power connector.
– USB includes a front USB-C (10Gbps) connector, a USB 5Gbps header for two additional ports, and a USB 2.0 header for two more ports.
– Other connectors include two Addressable RGB Gen 2 headers, chassis intrusion, front-panel audio, system front-panel header, and an RTC battery header.
ASUS also includes a long list of its quality-of-life and durability features, such as digital power control, ESD protection, reinforced PCIe slot design, diagnostic Q-LED indicators, convenient latching for GPU and DIMM installation, BIOS FlashBack support, Clear CMOS, dedicated heatsinks for M.2 and VRM areas, and Aura Sync support for addressable lighting.
Pricing hasn’t been officially confirmed, but expectations place the ASUS TUF Gaming B850I WIFI NEO in the $200–$300 range. If it lands there, it could be a compelling Mini-ITX AM5 option for budget SFF PC builders who want PCIe Gen5 support, strong connectivity, and a clean feature set without stepping up to higher-priced enthusiast boards.
