We are quite excited for you because we are going to discuss about two excellent gaming motherboards. They are the ASRock B550M Pro4 vs Gigabyte B550M DS3H models. They come produced from brands of repute.
ASRock is producing motherboards, home theatre PCs, and industrial PCs too. They are based in Taiwan and previous was in a partnership with Asus. Today, however, they have decided to part ways and make their own brand image.
The BIOS on the motherboard works just fine but does not come with the “Auto OC” feature. Like the MSI motherboards, they can automatically OC your processor. The B550M motherboards always came with decent firepower.
It depends on the kind of motherboard that you choose from. The ASRock model is good enough, and the VRMs are the only weak point. When you do not want to overclock the 3900X and 3950X too much, the boards work alright.
On the other hand, we have the Gigabyte B550M DS3H gaming motherboard that comes with its own performance and capabilities for you. Gamers and other users might find the abilities stupendous.
They make use of the 5+3 phases pure digital PWM + Low RDS (on) MOSFETs design. It is used for supporting the 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen CPUs. That is done by providing immense power for the unit’s power-hungry components.
The usage of the hardware in this motherboard was commendable. In a sense, some motherboards, with a low-price tag, like this one come with exponential capabilities. The components are made use to the brim.
Sadly, in even Asus motherboards, a few components are just lying idle or are infused in there for namesake. Few of them include NVMe PCIe 4.0/3.0 x4 and PCIe 3.0 x2 M.2 connectors. These units can bring users to experience NVMe mode or SATA mode connectivity for M.2 SSD devices.
Are they worth your time and money? Let us read on to find out the winner given in the end.
 |  |
|---|---|
| ASROCK B550M PRO4 | GIGABYTE B550M DS3H |
| PROS | PROS |
| The model appears good aesthetically. The product comes with an exceptional VRM heatsink. It comes with the latest features like PCI-E 4.0 and M.2 PCI-E 4.0 slot. It has a 7USB and 1USB-C slot. The unit is priced reasonably well for all the features provided. | The product comes infused with a spectacular design. The model is feature-rich. It has an incredible overclocking speed. It comes with good VRM technology embedded. The unit is quite reasonably priced. |
| CONS | CONS |
| It does not support Ryzen 5000 as you need to do a BIOS update. | The board only has two fan headers. |
ASRock B550M Pro4 vs Gigabyte B550M DS3H: Features & Layout
Recently we have made it important to write about the packaging of the motherboards. Now packaging of any electronic item is crucial. You realize two things instantly. One, the dedication and involvement of the manufacturer.
Two, you understand whether your product is going to last the distance or not. ASRock and Gigabyte are two makers who are serious and passionate about their packaging. That was evident from the moment we opened the packaging.
ASRock B550M Pro4 comes with fabulous packaging. Though you can find the mATX version of the Pro4, you might want to know that the models are not variants of each other. The layout found on the B550M Pro4 is much different from what is located on the mATX model.
You can find a wide range of specifications like Antenna Bracket, 1 PS/2 Mouse/Keyboard Port, 1 D-Sub Port, 1 HDMI Port, and 1 DisplayPort 1.4. Yes, the motherboard has RGB. It comes with onboard RGB headers, and the addressable RGB header allows the unit to connect to compatible LED devices.
Few of them include the CPU fans, strip, chassis, coolers, and others. You can make use of the 75% rear panel cover. It is found on the top of controllers covering power delivery of 6-phase. You can also notice the heatsink is not connected.
Our tester saw that the CPU gets power from a single 8-pin. The socket has access to 3 4-pin fan headers and is on the right of the socket. There are 4 memory slots with single side latches that they do not intrude in the GPU usage on the processor.
At the right, you can notice there is an RGB header, USB 3.0 header, a 24-pin ATX connector, 4 regular SATA ports. You can also see 2 vertical SATA ports and the PCIe 3.0 x2 M.2 slot. The PCIe area has the top slot is a PCIe 4.0 x16 slot.
The unit also has a PCIe 3.0 x4 full-length slot. Not to mention, there is an M.2 Wi-Fi connector for adding a Wi-Fi card. You can find 2 RGB LED headers, a video output header, 3 more 4-pin fan headers, and a COM port header.
You can also find 2 USB 2.0 headers, a USB 3.0 header, and front panel outputs. There is also an audio system with ALC1200. You would be happy to know that the motherboard can power 64 Gb/s data transfer speed.
Additionally, the dual M.2 connectors design offers an ideal storage solution. Not to mention, gamers can find support using RAID modes. Would you please make note that the unit is not compatible with AMD Ryzen 5 3400G and Ryzen 3 3200G processors?
Our tester noted that the secondary m.2 SSD slot has the same lane as 2 SATA ports. It ensures the secondary m.2 slot does not get widely used. Only 2 of the 6 SATA ports can be utilized. You can now use the secondary m.2 and lower x16 PCIe slot simultaneously.
On the other hand, the Gigabyte B550M DS3H gaming motherboard comes with excellent packaging. You can instantly note the sublime manner in which they have done it. The motherboard is carefully wrapped and placed inside.
The unit comes with support for DDR4-4733 memory, a Realtek Ethernet, dual M.2 slots, and audio codec pairing. It is a top-notch black and grey texture PCBs. You can see the black heatsinks that have gold-tone in them.
Our tester noted that it is a full-length PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, full-length PCIe 3.0 x4 slot, and a PCIe 3.0 x1 slot. There are 4 memory slots that can support DDR4-4733 and a capacity of 128GB in more than 4 memory slots.
In storage, you can find a pair of PCIe M.2 slots, PCIe 3.0 x4, 1 PCIe 4.0 x4, coming with more than 4 SATA ports. The rear panel comes with 4 USB 3.2 G1 Type-A, 4 USB 2.0 ports, and you can make use of the AMD Ryzen APU in it.
You can use DVI-D port, HDMI output, a PS/2 keyboard, and mouse combo port for the video. A single Realtek Gigabit Ethernet controller can power an RJ45 port, 3 3.5 mm audio jacks, and a Realtek ALC887 HD audio codec.
You can see the budget controller set comes with the specifications that are typically seen in the budget level system. The unit also comes with Type-C or USB 3.2 G2 connectivity that is fine for the price point.
All in all, the B550M DS3H was convincing. However, it could have come with few specifications. That is alright for now. You may want to verify the CPU compatibility list. Besides, you would also want to know about the lack of M.2 heat spreaders.
Not to mention, the heatsinks are quite small for the chipset. That might concern few gamers and PC designers. It does not come with an I/O hood, and that might not be a very crucial thing, but you do want it to have decent aesthetics.
We did not understand the use of a DVI-out connector as a Display port would have been better.
ASRock B550M Pro4 vs Gigabyte B550M DS3H: Software and Firmware
The software and firmware of the motherboard are other crucial aspects. You will be happy to know that the motherboards have decent specifications embedded in them. The ASRock B550M Pro4 gaming motherboard idealizes gamers, PC designers, and content creators.
The performance was good, thanks to the Ryzen 7 PRO 4650G. You can consider using any Ryzen 7 series that comes with 8 cores/16 threads. Yes, you can also make use of GPU. However, many users do not use that.
However, just to let you know, the ASRock brand is a sublime option for the GPU. You can consider them for using the GPU because the cooling technology system is excellent. Besides, most of the GPU present in the motherboards vary from each other in some way or the other.
Additionally, the cooling solution is quite different from each other brands. Hence, we cannot make a statement on that aspect. But yes, we would recommend that you use the ASRock GPU if you want to.
The Gigabyte B550M DS3H gaming motherboard makes use of the 5+3 phases. It comes with a digital PWM + Low RDS (on) MOSFETs design for supporting the 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen CPU. Gamers can find that the precision for the power is good coming with enhanced components.
It comes with the ultimate hardware scalability. This aspect is something we don’t see often. You can notice that it comes with NVMe PCIe 4.0/3.0 x4 and PCIe 3.0 x2 M.2 connectors for experiencing the NVMe mode or SATA mode connectivity for M.2 SSD devices.
You will adore the fact that the unit can deliver 64 Gb/s data transfer speed. The audio in the Realtek 8118 LAN enables the extreme network to generate automatic bandwidth. It helps in providing phenomenal network priority for the applications.
You can experience the best internet speed on the budget motherboard. Our tester is amazed at that. Other features found on the motherboard are helpful in their own ways. In the end, this model comes with special software and firmware specifications that meet your needs.
ASRock B550M Pro4 vs Gigabyte B550M DS3H: Overclocking
The overclocking of the gaming motherboards is the most important aspect of things. Let us read and find out if these two models are good enough for their price points. The first question would be, is the ASRock B550M Pro4 excellent for overclocking?
You would be delighted to know that ASRock manufacturers motherboards that come with exceptional overclocking. By doing that, you can upgrade the motherboard as and when you want to.
Uses can add the RAM with the empty slot without having to replace an existing memory module. You would be glad to know that the unit also supports overclocking of the RAM at higher speeds. Our tester felt that the unit seems adequate for the Ryzen 7 2700X when OC’d.
When your PC case comes with transparent side panels, then you notice that the motherboard comes with a stunning appearance. Since it comes with the Wi-Fi getting a stable connection is always there from your new PC, which is a good thing.
The onboard LAN port allows you to select the 802.11ac wireless connections using the M. 2 (Key E) slot. Here is an interesting fact: you would want to know that B550 series where you can overclock both the memory and processor.
You can do as you prefer on the X570 series motherboards. This can be done by adjusting the CPU ratio in 100 MHz increments. They come with options for the precision boost overdrive function.
Likewise, the Gigabyte B550M DS3H gaming motherboard comes with support for 5600X CPUs. Now, you can upgrade the option and expand on the premium units if you wish to. Gamers can find several models coming with many features like PCIe 4.0 support, BIOS flashback, and 2 fan headers.
You can make use of 3 RGB fans on the unit. Of course, you need a fan controller. It looks like there is only a single fan controller. Additionally, you also have the CPU where you can drive some fans using the right kind of splitter and the single fan header.
We noted that the gaming motherboard comes with only 2 fan headers. This fact can be slightly annoying for some PC designers. When you are looking for a powerful yet compact unit, then this one may be suitable.
It comes cheap and has several USB ports, which is its strength; you may want to consider that. In conclusion, overclocking both these budget models is good. You really cannot expect them to push their limits for the price point; they are acceptable.
ASRock B550M Pro4 vs Gigabyte B550M DS3H: Price
The ASRock B550M Pro4 gaming motherboard is priced under $125. Our tester noted that the pricing might not come to much of a play here because of the models are evenly balanced. The Gigabyte B550M DS3H gaming motherboard is priced under $110.
At times, we may recommend the motherboard that comes higher priced because of the overall package the maker has provided you with. Pricing-wise, we must say that both the brands are pretty aggressively priced.
ASRock B550M Pro4 vs Gigabyte B550M DS3H: Verdict
We have concluded our discussion on the ASRock B550M Pro4 vs Gigabyte B550M DS3H gaming motherboards. Hope you were able to make your decision based on the comparison review.
The ASRock B550M Pro4 motherboard is infused with more specifications and features than the other model we spoke about here. It comes with the decent overall performance for the price. Video editors, graphic designers, and gamers would find this model helpful for their cause.
The ASRock B550M Pro4 gaming model is much better than the Gigabyte B550M DS3H gaming unit as it comes with more fan headers, has USB Type-C, and 2 more SATA 3 connectors. It also comes with 2 more USB 3.0 ports, 13dB higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and 2 more USB 2.0 ports, along with 1 more DisplayPort outputs and 2 more USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports.
The Gigabyte B550M DS3H gaming motherboard can be better than the ASRock B550M Pro4 model as it supports a USB charging boost, 1 more DVI output, and 2 more USB 2.0 ports. Though the Gigabyte B550M DS3H motherboard looks sober, it comes with a splendid performance.
However, you cannot use the B550M DS3H with the Ryzen 5 3400G or Ryzen 3 3200G (Picasso) processors. So, if you are planning to use it on them, then you might want to look elsewhere. The motherboard is worth $110, considering that you can use the model for designing most of the 3rd gen Ryzen processors (Matisse or Renoir).
It comes with several benefits over disadvantages if you look at it. The performance is quite acceptable for gamers, video editors, and home theatre enthusiasts. Our winner in this comparison review is the ASRock B550M Pro4 gaming motherboard.
It comes with stunning features, the overclocking was opulent, and a cheap price. The Gigabyte B550M DS3H model is also a good one. You may want to consider too for designing your new gaming PC the next time.
James Smith has always been intrigued by electronic products since his childhood. After his post graduation in electronics from a popular university, he decided to pursue a career in the electronics sector. But his calling for writing about these marvellous pieces of work got the better of him. That is how UBG was started. With a writing career spanning more than 12 years, James has worked on several hundred product reviews. During his free time, he like to spend time with his pet dog and relax in the swimming pool.