The B760A SILVER motherboard, aimed at daily users and gamers, was launched after the release of the Z790 motherboard. While the Z790 can be overclocked for extreme performance, not everyone wants to spend time on this. In contrast, the B760A SILVER offers new high-end features such as support for DDR5 memory, a 16+1 phase 70A power supply, PCIe 5.0 x16, and three M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD slots, even without overclocking capability.
Biostar B760A SILVER Specifications:
Size: ATX 30.5 x 24.4cm
Processor support: Intel 12th / 13th Core i9/ i7/ i5/ i3, Pentium, Celeron
processor Pin: LGA 1700
CPU Power supply phase: 16+1 phase 70A Dr. MOS
Chipset: Intel B760
Memory: 4x DDR5 DIMM, Maximum Capacity 128GB, DDR5 6000+(OC) MHz
Memory Certification: XMP
Display Output: HDMI 2.1, DP 1.2
Expansion Slots: 1x PCIe 5.0 x16, 1x PCIe 4.0 x16 , 2x PCIe 3.0 x1
storage slots: 4x SATA III(6Gb/s), M2M_CPU1 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4, M2M_SB1 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4, M2_SB2 2242/2260/2280/22110 PCIe 4.0 x4 NVME/ACHI SSD & SATA lll SSD.
Network: Realtek RTL8125B (2.5GbE LAN)
Wireless: Provide M.2 E_Key slot for self-expansion (support 2230 type Wi-Fi & Bluetooth module and Intel CNVi)
Audio: Realtek ALC1220 7.1-channel
USB port (front expansion): 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (supports two front USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports), 2x USB 2.0 (supports four front USB 2.0 ports)
USB ports (rear I/O): 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 5x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 2x USB 2.0
RGB: 2x ARGB 5v-3pin, 1x RGB 12v-4pin
FAN: 1x 4-Pin CPU_Fan, 1x 4-Pin CPU_OPT, 4x 4-Pin SYS_FAN
Biostar B760A SILVER
With the release of the first wave of Intel’s 13th-generation K-series processors and the Z790 motherboard, the B760 motherboard, which is more popular among daily users, has also been launched at the beginning of this year. The B760A SILVER is positioned as Biostar’s mainstream product, offering high performance at an affordable price and providing users with great value.
The B760A SILVER motherboard is equipped with the B760 chipset and features 4 DDR5 memory slots that support expansion up to 128GB. It also includes one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, and two PCIe 3.0 x1 expansion slots. For storage expansion, there are four SATA III ports and three M.2 PCIe 4.0×4 SSD installation slots that provide high-speed performance.
The B760A SILVER motherboard has a mainstream ATX form factor measuring 30.5 x 24.4cm, providing ample expansion space as specified by the ATX standard. This offers sufficient slots for expansion cards or other PCIe devices, allowing the B760A SILVER to easily accommodate such needs.
The B760A SILVER shares the same stylish design as the Z790A SILVER, featuring a silver heat sink that covers the processor power supply, the Z790 PCH chipset, and the first M.2 SSD, among other components. This helps to ensure that components that generate high levels of heat are able to dissipate heat effectively, preventing temperature-related frequency reduction that could impact performance and longevity.
The SILVER model features a more understated design compared to the flagship VALKYRIE series. The motherboard lacks RGB light strips or LEDs, so there are no RGB lighting effects when the motherboard is powered on.
The B760 motherboard is compatible with Intel’s 12th and 13th generation processors with LGA 1700 pins. However, as the motherboard itself does not support processor overclocking, it is more cost-effective to use Non-K series processors without a ‘K’ in the model number suffix.
Let’s now examine the various expansion slots of the B760A SILVER motherboard. The upper left corner of the motherboard features the 8+4 Pin processor ATX_12V power supply slot.
Above the memory slots on the upper right corner of the motherboard, there are two 4-Pin fan power supply slots. The CPU_FAN slot is located on the left, while the gray slot on the right is designated for CPU_OPT, providing power to devices such as integrated water-cooled head, water pump, and water-cooled flow meter.
The B760A SILVER motherboard comes equipped with four double-clip DDR5 6000+ memory slots, supporting the latest non-ECC 8/16/32GB DDR5 DIMM memory. With the ability to expand up to 32GB on a single DIMM, and a total memory capacity of 128GB across four DIMMs, it represents an improvement over its predecessor, the B660M SILVER/B660T SILVER, which only supports DDR4 memory. With the Z790/B760 update, Biostar has made a commitment to upgrade all new SILVER series motherboards to support DDR5 memory, further distinguishing the product positioning between the two generations of SILVER series motherboards.
The mainstream choice for memory is currently dual-channel memory sets, which Biostar’s factory recommends installing in slots A2 and B2 (the second and fourth slots from the left) to allow them to operate at a higher frequency.
The right side of the motherboard features a 12V 4-Pin RGB slot, two 5V 3-Pin ARGB slots, the motherboard’s 24-Pin power supply slot, a USB 3.2 Gen1 slot (which supports the installation of two front USB 3.2 Gen1 ports), a front built-in USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C (10Gb/s) slot, two SYS_FAN chassis fan slots, and four SATA III 6Gb/s slots.
When expanding and using the B760A SILVER motherboard, it’s important to note that the third M.2 slot shares the chipset channel with the SATA expansion slot. Therefore, when installing an M.2 SATA III SSD in the third M.2 slot (M2_SB2), the SATA_1 port in the lower left corner of the four SATA slots will be disabled.
Moving from right to left along the bottom of the motherboard, you will find the TPM security module slot, SPKR buzzer slot, system front panel slot, two USB 2.0 slots, COM slot, Thunderbolt expansion slot, two SYS_FAN chassis fan slots, HD_AUDIO audio source slot.
Based on past trends, the B760A SILVER should be priced reasonably, despite offering a Thunderbolt expansion card slot. For users who require Thunderbolt expansion capabilities, the B760A SILVER represents a high-value motherboard option.
Located above the slots on the front panel of the system are the CMOS jumper slots and Debug LED lights. The LED lights enable quick identification of any faults or undetected issues during the motherboard’s self-test, such as those related to CPU, DRAM, VGA, BOOT, and measurement.
The B760A SILVER motherboard features four PCIe expansion slots, including the first PCIe 5.0 x16 slot that provides a total bandwidth of 128GB/s, twice that of the previous generation PCIe 4.0. The first PCIe x16 slot is typically used for in-line installation of graphics cards, which is why Biostar has reinforced the slot with metal to enhance its physical strength.
The bottom of the motherboard contains two PCIe 3.0 x1 slots (PCIe1_1/2) and one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot (PCIe16_2), making a total of four PCIe expansion slots available on the motherboard. With these slots, the B760A SILVER can accommodate PCIe devices such as capture cards or sound cards, meeting the needs of users requiring such expansion.
The B760A SILVER motherboard features three M.2 SSD installation slots, with the first slot (M2M_CPU1) supporting a 2280-size PCIe 4.0 x4 NVME SSD, which can be used in conjunction with the pre-installed SSD heat sink on the motherboard.
The second and third M.2 slots on the B760A SILVER motherboard are connected through the B760 PCH chipset channel. The second slot (M2M_SB1) supports a 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 NVME SSD, while the bottom slot (M2M_SB2) can accommodate PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe/AHCI SSD and SATA III SSD in 2242/2260/2280/22110 length formats.
The first M.2 slot (M2M_CPU1) shares a lock hole with the onboard M.2 WiFi slot. Biostar has pre-installed a stretched WiFi antenna in this block, and the M.2 WiFi slot can accommodate E Key 2230 network cards that support WiFi/Bluetooth/Intel CNVi. It’s important to note that the B760A SILVER motherboard does not come equipped with a WiFi network card or antenna module. Users will need to purchase and install these components separately.
When the B760A SILVER motherboard leaves the factory, the rear I/O baffle is included separately in the motherboard accessories. It’s important to remember to install the baffle before locking the motherboard in place. The rear of the motherboard provides a BIOS update key, WiFi antenna port, DP 1.2, HDMI 2.1, five USB 3.2 Gen2 ports, one USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port (10 Gbps), 2.5 GbE LAN, two USB 2.0 ports, and an audio port.
The USB 3.2 Gen2 interface labeled SMART BIOS is located above the USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C interface. When using the SMART BIOS update function, a USB flash drive containing the BIOS update file must be inserted into this slot before starting the BIOS update process.
The rear of the motherboard features a pre-installed WiFi antenna port. If the user requires wireless network and Bluetooth capabilities, they can purchase a WiFi network card and antenna module separately and install them on the motherboard.
Biostar B760A SILVER mainboard power supply material / 16+1 phase 70A Dr.MOS
After examining the expansion slots and rear I/O interfaces of the motherboard, let’s turn our attention to the internal power supply material and various small components. The B760A SILVER is equipped with a 16+1 phase Dr.MOS power supply, with 16 phases responsible for the CPU Vcore (processor operating voltage), and the other 1 phase responsible for VGT.
Biostar B760A SILVER BIOS function menu
After the motherboard completes the self-certification process, the user can press the Del button to access the simplified version of the BIOS. Alternatively, pressing F7 will allow the user to enter the advanced mode. On the main page of the advanced mode, users can view basic information about the motherboard, such as the model, BIOS version, memory capacity, and memory XMP profile.
SILVER LIGHTNING Utility Motherboard setting integration software
Biostar has also released the SILVER LIGHTNING Utility for the B760A SILVER motherboard, which includes various system settings commonly used by users. The software integrates hardware information monitoring, energy efficiency control switching, RGB lighting effect settings, and fan controls in a centralized location. Users can use this software to make settings without needing to enter the BIOS for adjustments.
Biostar B760A SILVER motherboard performance test
Since the non-K series processors are not yet available, the performance test of the Biostar B760A SILVER motherboard was conducted using the Intel i7-13700K processor with a total of 16 cores and 24 threads, including 8 P-Cores and 8 E-Cores. The memory used in the test was the T-FORCE DELTA RGB DDR5 16GBx2 6200MHz dual-channel memory kit, and the XMP configuration file was not used during the platform test. The memory was set to default mode.
Test Platform
Processor: Intel Core i7-13700K
Radiator: VALKYRIE C360-RGB
Motherboard: Biostar B760A SILVER
Memory: T-FORCE DELTA RGB DDR5 16GBx2 6200MHz
Display Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060Ti FE
Operating System: Windows 11 Home Edition 21H2
The hardware information of the test platform was checked using CPU-Z. The processor used in the test was the Intel Core i7-13700K, which is code-named Raptor Lake and is manufactured using the Intel-7 10nm process. The processor has 8 P-Core and 8 E-Core cores, totaling 16 cores and 24 execution threads. The motherboard used in the test was the Biostar B760A SILVER, which supports PCI-E 5.0 channels. The memory used was a DDR5-6200 MHz dual-channel kit with a total capacity of 32GB. The CPU-Z built-in test version 17.01.64 was also run during the test. The CPU single-thread performance scored 878.8 points, while the multi-threaded performance scored 12681 points.
The CINEBENCH R20 and R23 benchmarking software, commonly used to evaluate the 3D rendering and drawing performance of the processor, were also used in the test. Developed by MAXON, this software is based on Cinema 4D.
In the CINEBENCH R20 benchmark, the i7-13700K processor achieved a multi-core score of 11716 points and a single-core score of 816 points. In the newer version of the software, CINEBENCH R23, the processor achieved a multi-core score of 30599 points and a single-core score of 2128 points.
In the AIDA64 memory and cache test, the test platform used DDR5-6200 MHz 16GBx2 dual-channel memory with XMP configuration enabled. The test results showed a memory reading speed of 96183 MB/s, a writing speed of 85638 MB/s, a copying speed of 87354 MB/s, and a latency of 63.7 ns.
The 3D Mark CPU Profile evaluates the performance of CPUs using a range of thread configurations, including MAX, 16, 8, 4, 2, and 1 thread. Generally, the performance of CPUs with more than 16 threads is utilized for 3D rendering or professional audio-visual work. In terms of mainstream DX12 game performance, the scores of 8 threads are the most relevant, while the scores of 4 and 2 threads are more associated with older games developed with DX9.
The i7-13700K has a maximum thread score of 12929 points. For mainstream gamers, the scores of 8 threads and 4 threads can be used as a reference, and they are 8515 points and 4528 points, respectively.
Furthermore, the author employed 3D Mark Fire Strike and 3D Mark Time Spy, two commonly-used game performance simulation tests, and utilized an NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti graphics card for the testing. In Fire Strike, which simulates situational game tests at 1080p quality using DX11, the test obtained a score of 45217 points. In the physical test for situational game simulation at 1440p quality using DX12, Time Spy obtained a CPU score of 21730 points.
The V-Ray 5 Benchmark includes three distinct test scenarios that measure the processor rendering performance of V-Ray projects. In the test conducted on the i7-13700K test platform, the system achieved a score of 21199 points.
CrossMark comprises a total of 25 tests, which include load simulations for productivity, creative content work, system responsiveness, and other tasks. The three scores that CrossMark generates are evaluated based on different standards and are used for different purposes. The productivity score assesses tasks such as file editing, spreadsheet manipulation, and web browsing. The second score, creativity, evaluate photo editing, photo organization, and video editing. Lastly, the responsiveness score examines the speed at which files are opened, file response time, and multitasking capabilities.
According to the CrossMark test, the system scored a total of 2387 points, with 2149 points in productivity, 2726 points in creativity, and 2193 points in responsiveness.
PCMark 10 is a simulation test that evaluates the overall performance of a computer system. The basic function tests included in PCMark 10 are application startup, web browsing, and video conferencing. The productivity test simulates document and spreadsheet writing, while the image content creation test assesses professional tasks such as photo editing, video editing, and rendering.
The test results show that the commonly used basic functions achieved a score of 12012 points, while productivity scored 11133 points, and video content creation achieved a score of 14333 points.
Summary of Biostar B760A SILVER
Biostar’s new Z790/B760 motherboards in this generation exhibit significant product differentiation compared to the previous generation Z690/B660 motherboards. The new B760A SILVER motherboard supports the latest DDR5 memory but has lower scalability than the Z790A SILVER model. It features three M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD slots, a PCIe 5.0 x16 graphics card slot, and a 10Gb/s USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port on both the front and rear panels.
The majority of buyers in this price range who opt for the B760A SILVER will likely only consider i7-level processors for their configuration list. However, since the Non-k and non-K series processors are currently unavailable on the market, I have decided to compare the i7 13700K, which adheres to the matching logic, for actual testing purposes. During the testing process, the B760A SILVER was paired with a 16+1 phase 70A Dr.MOS power supply to match the i7 13700K. Despite being unable to overclock the processor further, the B760A SILVER still performed well.
For gamers who do not require processor overclocking but wish to activate XMP or engage in memory overclocking during regular use, and who want to try out DDR5 memory performance, the B760A SILVER may offer better cost-performance value compared to a Z790 motherboard when paired with a 12th or 13th generation Non-K or Non-k series processor in a single installation setup.
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Title: Unboxing and testing the Biostar B760A SILVER once, then using it on a daily basis. I’m ready to move on to the DDR5 platform