Best Budget Intel · Motherboards

Gigabyte B860M Aorus Elite WiFi6E

The B860M Aorus Elite WiFi6E is an affordable Micro-ATX board for Intel Core Ultra processors, with a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot, three M.2 slots in total, 2.5Gb Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6E.

Brand: Gigabyte
Best for: Budget Intel Core Ultra builds
Price range: Budget
Our score: 8.0/10

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Our take

The Gigabyte B860M Aorus Elite WiFi6E is an affordable Micro-ATX motherboard for Intel's Core Ultra 200S processors. It's a good match for the Core Ultra 5 245K or Core Ultra 7 265K if you don't plan to overclock.

B860 or Z890?

Intel's B860 chipset is the cheaper option. It doesn't allow processor overclocking, but most people never overclock, and a K-series chip still runs at its full rated boost speeds. Memory can still run at fast XMP speeds. If you want to overclock the processor, you'll need a Z890 board.

Power and performance

The Aorus Elite uses Gigabyte's digital twin 12+1+2 phase VRM, which is plenty for Core Ultra 5 and Core Ultra 7 processors at stock settings. At default settings, gaming performance matches more expensive boards.

Storage and connectivity

There are three M.2 slots, including one PCIe 5.0 slot for the fastest SSDs. Networking includes 2.5Gb Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. Wi-Fi 6E is a generation behind Wi-Fi 7, but fast enough for most homes. The Realtek ALC897 audio chip is basic, fine for headsets and speakers but not audiophile quality.

The board comes in black, or white as the ICE version.

Platform

The board uses LGA 1851 and DDR5 memory. Intel's next desktop processors are expected to need a new socket in early 2027, so the upgrade path is limited.

Who should buy it

Buy the B860M Aorus Elite WiFi6E for a budget or mid-range Intel Core Ultra build without overclocking. For overclocking and more features, step up to the MSI MAG Z890 Tomahawk WiFi.

Key specifications

Socket	Intel LGA 1851
Chipset	Intel B860
Form factor	Micro-ATX
Memory	4x DDR5
Power delivery	Digital twin 12+1+2 phase VRM
M.2 slots	3 (one PCIe 5.0)
Networking	2.5Gb Ethernet (Realtek RTL8125), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Audio	Realtek ALC897
Colours	Black, or white (ICE version)

Strengths and weaknesses

Pros

Affordable route to Core Ultra
PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot
Compact Micro-ATX size
Wi-Fi included

Cons

No CPU overclocking on B860
Wi-Fi 6E rather than Wi-Fi 7
Basic audio chip
LGA 1851 has a limited upgrade path

Verdict

The B860M Aorus Elite WiFi6E is an affordable Micro-ATX board for Intel Core Ultra processors, with a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot, three M.2 slots in total, 2.5Gb Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6E. It earns our Best Budget Intel award in our guide to the best motherboards.

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