Gigabyte B550I Aorus Pro AX ITX Review

Up Close Continued

No, it’s not quite the same picture as before. This time we’re focussing on the front USB 2.0 header that sits just alongside a fan header. It’s a perfect example of maximising the space available.

  

Between the power heatsink and M.2 heatsink – more on that in a moment – we have a front panel audio header and another fan header. Surprising how many Gigabyte have managed to squeeze onto the PCB.

  

On the subject of the M.2 heatsink, which also helps keep the chipset cool, you’ll find a PCI Express 4.0 NVMe M.2 socket beneath for all your blisteringly quick storage needs. The PCI Express slot, braced of course, is also PCIe 4.0. Without any of that “this one is PCIe 3.0 and that is PCIe 4.0” nonsense it’s a much simpler motherboard to explain.

  

Although this particular M.2 slot, found on the underside of the Aorus Pro AX, is a PCIe 3.0 one. Still, 3GB/s is hardly sluggish is it.

  

Normally with a smaller form factor the manufacturer accepts that it isn’t for the hardcore overclockers and nerfs the power phase. Gigabyte have no idea what that concept is because the Aorus Pro AX ITX has 8 phase, 90A power stage, with no doublers or parallel wiring. That’s just obscene on such a tiny package. 720A enough for you needs? Yeah we thought so too. And, as we’ll see in a moment, so it proves.

  

Lastly around the back is probably the only place where you’ll notice that some compromise has had to be made to fit everything on, with a good selection of display outs, some USB 3.2 ports in Type-A and Type-C flavours, as well as the 2.5G LAN port. If you prefer your networking to be wireless then you’ll be happy that the Aorus Pro AX includes Intel WiFi 6 2×2 802.11AX as well as Bluetooth 5.