12
This is despite the Fatal1ty branding usually sporting
red and black livery. There are also aluminium
heatsinks on the chipset and power circuitry.
Otherwise, this is a middling board. The rear I/O
features three video outputs, including a D-Sub
port, and it only has five USB ports. You do get one
USB Type-C, though, and there’s surround sound.
Elsewhere the board also includes three M.2 slots,
with two for SSDs and one for a Wi-Fi card.
You don’t get much in the way of extras such as
onboard power buttons or a BIOS readout, but
there are plenty of fan headers and all the other
connectivity is sensibly positioned round the edges.
Highlighting how overclocking is the draw for
using a Z370, the baseline performance is all but the
same as the Z370 boards on test. Take overclocking
into account, though, and a gap appears. Pair this
board with a i5-8400 and you’ve got a great combo.
All told, this hits the mark for a H370
board, with a price that’s low, a nice
design and a feature set that’s ample.ASROCK FATAL 1T Y H370
PERFORMANCEwww.asrock.com£117
Elsewhere,despiteusingthemoremodestH370
chipset, you still get a generally premium vibe from
this board. Several of the components are topped
with aluminium heatsinks to aid cooling, plus there’s
a neat aluminium cap for the M.2 SSD slot.
Look a little closer and the budget price of this
board gives itself away. There are no extras such as
power buttons and, like the other boards in this test,
the rear I/O prioritises video outputs – a sign that
the board has been designed for potential use in
lower-end systems that use onboard graphics.
You do still get four USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0
and a USB Type-C, though, so there’s enough for
most systems. There’s also gigabit Ethernet, a
combi-PS2 port and surround sound.
Performance is also up to scratch, with it
keeping pace with the other non-overclocked
boardsontest.Thepricehereisdefinitelyonthe
high side for a H370 board, but you do
getthosepremiumtouchessoit
dependswhereyouprioritieslie.ASUS ROG STRIX H370-F
GAMINGwww.asus.com£130
90 % 75 %
2This is a stylish and well-adorned board considering its
price. It’s one of the cheaper devices in this test, yet it
features a plastic cover for the rear I/O, a matte finish to
the PCB and an understated grey and black theme.Asus’ Strix brand has come to be synonymous with
RGB lighting and sure enough that’s the big sell with this
board. The rear I/O cover includes an RGB-illuminated
Asus ROG logo that adds a touch of pizazz to your build.