Z590 vs B560

Z590 chipset is the next-generation Intel motherboard for the new Rocket Lake CPUs, but it’s also backward compatible with the 10th-generation Comet Lake. B560 is a more affordable version, costing roughly $100, and it works with 10th generation Comet Lake CPUs.

So, while these two Z590 vs B560 motherboards are highly similar in many aspects, there are some significant distinctions that we’ll discuss in this post. To begin with, both motherboards support PCIe 4.0 and have two M.2 slots, but in B560 first M.2 slot will not be usable if you enable PCIe 4.0. Another thing to note is that since both Z590 and B590 support Intel 10th and 11th generation processors, PCIe 4.0 will be enabled with Intel 11th Generation processors only. 

A comparable CPU power supply is used in both the B560 and Z590. The VRM consists of 14 PWM phases with inbuilt doublers and DrMOS. Though you don’t need such VRM phases if you aren’t planning to Overclock. The B560 and Z590 both include a 2.5×48 connection (compared to the Z490’s 2×8 pin arrangement), which implies the motherboards can take more power from the PSU, making it simpler to overclock.

The B560 chipset offers a 32 GB/s interconnect bandwidth, but the Z590 has a 128 GB/s interconnect bandwidth owing to its full PCIe 4.0 capability. This is because PCIe 4.0 needs two CPU channels per port, as compared to one lane in PCIe 3.0, which means that when combined with a Z590 motherboard, compatible devices (like NVMe SSDs) will give better performance with Intel 11th Gen processor.

It’s worth noting that until you acquire a new RTX 30 Series GPU, you won’t be able to use the enhanced PCIe bandwidth because none of them now support it. If you wish to overclock an unlocked Intel Core CPU, you’ll need a Z590 motherboard, as these chipsets are required. This implies that current B560 motherboards can only handle locked K-series CPUs from Intel’s 10th and 11th generation lineups.

The advantage of Z590 motherboards is that they have additional PCIe 4.0 lanes available; thus, if you want to utilize a graphics card like the RTX 3070 or RX 6800 XT, a Z590 motherboard would be preferable to B560 motherboard.

Z590 vs B560: All Differences

Intel’s newest motherboards are the B560 and Z590. Both chipsets have their own set of strengths and weaknesses. If you need a new motherboard for your Intel-based computer, this article can assist you in determining which one is best for you.

There are a few essential differences between the B560 and Z590 motherboards. However, if you’re constructing a new PC, the distinctions are minor and will have little to no effect on your system’s performance. The B560 and Z590 chipsets vary primarily in intended to function with various CPUs. B560 chipset is compatible with the new 10th-generation Comet Lake CPUs, but Z590 chipset is consistent with the 11th-generation Rocket Lake CPUs.

Both chipsets support DDR4 memory. However, there are a few significant differences. B560 chipset supports DDR4 memory speeds of up to 2133 MHz, whereas Z590 chipset allows DDR4 memory speeds of up to 3200 MHz. In addition, the B560 chipset only has two USB 3.2 Gen2 ports, whereas the Z590 chipset has six USB 3.2 Gen2 connectors. Overclocking is supported on Z590 motherboards between both chipsets. Intel CPUs feature two clock speeds: a base clock and a maximum boost clock.

When your PC is under load, the greater the base clock speed, the quicker it should perform. Overclocking enables you to modify this speed to boost performance directly. The Z590 is PCI-E 4.0 compatible, but the B560 is just PCI-E 3.0 compatible. PCI-E slots allow you to add additional hardware, such as graphics cards or solid-state storage, to your computer (SSDs).

PCI-E 4.0 is far quicker than 3.0, but it has little influence on real-world performance unless you’re utilizing several video cards or massive SSDs that can benefit from the increased bandwidth afforded by PCI-E 4.0 slots.

The Z590 supports USB 3.2 gen 2×2 and USB 3.2 gen 2, whereas the B560 only supports USB 3.2 gen 2. (which is still very fast). If you wish to attach a USB hard drive that can transfer data at speeds of up to 20 Gbps or higher, you’ll need USB 3.2 gen 2×2 capability (which both motherboards offer) and a USB connection that can handle such speeds (an ordinary cable will not do).

However, since many people just need rapid storage to transmit data from one device to another (for example, uploading images from their camera to their computer). The difference between USB 3.2 gen 2×2 and USB 3.2 gen 2 is unlikely to be noticeable in reality.

Backward Compatibility

The B560 and Z590 motherboards are both compatible with 11th generation Rocket Lake CPUs, but that’s about it. PCIe 4.0 is supported on all Z590 boards, although it is not backward compatible with 10th generation Comet Lake CPUs. Because the B560 motherboards only support PCIe 3.0, they are backward compatible with 10th generation processors.

The Intel 500 series’ B560 motherboard is the second best. It lacks Wi-Fi and Thunderbolt 3, but it does accept PCIe 4.0 for graphics processors, much like the flagship Z590. As a result, this platform is less expensive than Z590 motherboards, making it suitable for budget gamers. The main concern is whether it’s worth it to save money by purchasing a B560 motherboard rather than a Z590 board.

Backward compatibility with systems based on the Intel® 200 Series Chipset, Intel® 100 Series Chipset, and Intel® 9 Series Chipset is supported by a 6th Gen Intel Core CPU. These 3rd generation chipsets, unfortunately, do not enable features like USB 3.1 Gen 2.

The Z590 chipset offers PCIe 4.0 on 11th Gen Intel® CoreTM processors and is backward compatible with 11th Gen Intel® CoreTM processors. With BIOS upgrades from motherboard makers, the Z590 chipset can additionally enable PCIe 4.0 on 10th Gen Intel® CoreTM CPUs. The B560 chipset is backward compatible with Intel® CoreTM CPUs from the 11th generation.

APU Compatibility

Although the B560 supports PCIe 4.0, only PCIe 3.0 is supported when utilizing the Radeon Graphics from an APU. So it doesn’t matter which chipset you pick if you’re using an APU’s graphics. The Z590 contains a few functions exclusive to Intel CPUs that the B560 does not.

Multiple PCIe 4.0 PCIe Slots

The PCIe 4.0 slot is a relatively new technology only seen on the ROG Z590 motherboards.  Although the B560 motherboard lacks PCIe 4.0 slots, this is unlikely to be an issue for most customers.  This functionality will come in handy for people wishing to create a high-end gaming PC with cutting-edge technology.

The core count of processors varies depending on the model since some have more cores and threads than others. The number of seats and threads in a processor affects the speed of your computer; therefore, if you want better performance, buy a model with more cores and threads.

The B560 and Z590 motherboards contain a single M.2 slot and enable PCIe 4.0 x16. The B560 motherboard can handle up to 20 lanes, whereas the Z590 can support up to 40. Its motherboard uses an Intel CPU from the 10th generation, whereas the Z590 uses an Intel processor from the 11th generation.

The B560 motherboard has two DDR4 memory slots that can accommodate up to 64GB of 3200MHz DDR4 memory.  The Z590, on the other hand, has four DIMM slots that can accommodate up to 128 GB of memory at 4800 MHz.

The B560 has a maximum memory speed of 4800 Mhz, whereas the Z590 has multi-GPU support, which aids GPU performance when numerous GPUs are used.  Another distinction between these two chipsets is that while they both handle dual-channel memory, only one of them offers triple channel memory (Z590).

In-Built Motherboard Cooling

The only distinction between the B560 vs Z590 chipset motherboards is that both has a built-in cooling system. The Z590 features two fans, one above the other, as opposed to the B560’s single fan.

Overclocking is supported by the high-end Z series motherboards, which need liquid cooling to dissipate the heat created by overclocking. As a result, the motherboard need the use of a strong fan to keep it cool. That’s why it has a twin fan on top to dissipate the heat and maintain a steady power supply.

Similarly, if you wish to use air cooling, you should choose the B560 motherboard, which is significantly less expensive than Z590 chipsets.

However, deciding between B560 and Z590 may be difficult for some people. That’s because there’s not a lot of information regarding which one is superior to the other! To provide airflow over the VRM heatsinks, the LGA 1200 socket has a big piece of the motherboard PCB taken away. This should benefit all boards with VRM cooling in the same way.

Better LAN Support

The key distinction between the B560 and the Z590 is that the latter has superior LAN support. The Z590 is a top-of-the-line platform aimed at PC enthusiasts with a larger budget. It has twin PCIe gen 4.0 M.2 slots, Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 6E, 10 Gbps Ethernet cards, and other capabilities that the B560 chipset doesn’t have.

If you’re creating a high-performance workstation or gaming machine, the Z590 chipset is preferable over the B560. Better and more extensive LAN functionality is available on B560 and Z590 motherboards. Both are superior over the H570 and H510. However, there is a slight distinction.

The Gigabit LAN on the B560 is Intel I219-V, whereas the Gigabit LAN on the Z590 is Intel I225-V. The speed difference is that the I225-V can handle 2.5 Gbps, whereas the I219-V can only support 1 Gbps. However, the difference is minimal; if you want the best of both worlds, go for the Z590; otherwise, the B560 will suffice.

Intel LAN is supported by the B560 chipset, whereas Thunderbolt 4.0 is supported by the Z590 chipset. As a result, Z590 motherboards have significantly higher expandability. It’s crucial to stay on top of the latest technology, and Thunderbolt 4.0 allows for a more excellent range of peripherals and external storage devices.

The Abundance of PCIe 4.0 Lanes

The PCIe 4.0 lanes on most Z590 motherboards are less than half of those on B560 motherboards. As a result, you can’t utilize a lot of high-bandwidth expansion cards on the Z590 simultaneously. Unless you want to add two 3rd gen Xeons, 3 GPUs, plus a pair of PCIe 4.0 M.2s, you’ll run out of PCIe 4.0 lanes. If you have a lot of high-bandwidth components on your computers, such as 3rd generation Xeons, GPUs, and PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSDs, you can run out of PCIe 4.0 lanes.

The Z590 chipset is powered by the processor, which is also utilized to transition between PCI-e 4.0 and PCI-e 3.0 lanes. The Rocket Lake codename processors contain 20 CPU PCI-e 4.0 lanes, which is more than double of Intel offered on earlier platforms (Skylake, Kaby Lake, and Coffee lake).

Most B560 motherboards are likely to include a solitary x16 slot for a graphics card and a second (typically an x4) slot for another expansion card, providing eight or fewer lanes for anything else. This is OK if you want a single graphics card, an M.2 SSD, and a WiFi card, but if you want to use several video cards.

Multiple PCIe 4.0 M.2 Slots

Up to six M.2 slots are supported by the Z590 chipset, four of which are PCIe 4.0 x4 enabled. The constraint is that the CPU must have a direct connection to the first M.2 slot, which is only available on Intel’s 500-series processors. Motherboards often only show two or three PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots, with the remainder being PCIe 3.0 and SATA-based slots that are slower than direct-connected ones (for example, these storage systems cannot access the CPU’s PCIe lanes).

Because the B560 chipset utilizes the CPU’s 20 PCIe 3.0 lanes directly, it can only handle two M.2 SSDs at high speed, with the third one sharing slower lanes with other connectors on the motherboard (like SATA Express).

If you’re not intending to utilize many fast NVMe SSDs in your system, this element of motherboards and chipsets may not be as important to you because it won’t matter if your solitary NVMe SSD is linked to a direct lane or a slower channel via some other bridge chip on the board.

Greater Support For USB 3.2 Gen 2 Ports

Only one USB 3.2 Gen 2 port is available on the B560. The Z590 has ten USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, which is much more than the B560. More SATA 6 Gbps connections on the Z590 than on the B560, ability to connect more SATA devices like optical discs and hard drives.

More USB 3.2 Gen 1 connections are available on the Z590 than on the B560, users can connect more devices that support this connection type, such as controllers and headphones.

The Thunderbolt connector on the Z590 allows you to attach an external graphics card and other peripherals.  This is important if you wish to utilize a graphics card that your motherboard doesn’t support or if you want to connect many elevated peripherals, like storage systems and video recording cards, to your computer.

In speaking, the B560 has much more native USB ports, having six USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (five Type-A, one Type-C) and four USB 2.0 connections (two Type-A, two headers) on boards, whilst the Z590 has only 8 USB 3.2 Generation 1 ports (six Type-A, two Type-C).

Although both chipsets enable Thunderbolt 4 and Intel Wi-Fi 6E, the Z590 can access available 40 PCIe lanes from the CPU, whereas the B560 could only goal is to sustain to 24 PCIe lanes from the CPU.

Fewer Options For MATX Form Factors

The B560 chipset is important to us. A new chipset has replaced the B460, although the main difference is that there are fewer possibilities for MATX Form Factors, a key advantage of the B460 over the H470 and Z490 chipsets.

Overclocking will be limited to K CPU SKUs with only a few tweaks to power supply, while non-K SKUs will probably be tightly controlled as though they were with Comet Lake. This implies that if you would not want to overclock your system, you won’t need to buy a high-end motherboard.

The Z590 differs from other Intel chipsets in one significant way. The Z590 is the only motherboard that supports PCIe 4.0. This function is not available on the Z490, B560, or H570 models. A Z590 motherboard is required if you want the fastest storage and graphics cards public. These chipsets are compatible with Intel’s 10th and 11th generation Core CPUs.

They all have 16 and 24 PCIe 3.0 lanes for enabling peripherals and networking devices. They also have four USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, 14 USB 2.0 ports, six SATA connectors, and M.2 slots that use PCIe lanes from the CPU or chipset to support NVMe SSDs.

Future Proof

You must consider the larger picture. Because the B560 chipset does not support PCIe 4.0, the Intel Rocket Lake CPUs will be unable to use a quicker PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD if you consider upgrading in the future. It also lacks compatibility for Wi-Fi 6E, which is much faster than standard Wi-Fi 6 and far more future-proof.

The B560 will not provide you with any more headroom in future-proofing than the Z490. They’ll both have the same processors and memory. A Z590 chipset only has one advantage over a B560 (or H570 or Z490): it has PCIe 4.0 x16 and x4 slots, allowing you to use a PCIe 4.0 graphics or another add-in card.

You’ll need a Rocket Lake CPU and motherboard to take advantage of this feature, which aren’t yet available. If you wish to upgrade your CPU or motherboard in the future, you’ll have to deal with a particular problem. Both Intel and AMD provide a broad selection of CPU alternatives today. Still, neither can promise that every model they’ve manufactured in the previous will work with every model they’ll make.

You’ll need to look into each one and see which ones are compatible with certain CPUs to determine how long your new system will survive and whether it’s worth the extra money to get a higher-end CPU or platform.

Pricing

Again, an important factor of B560 vs Z590 – Price. The Z590 motherboards will be available at a variety of costs, however, the B560 is often less expensive. For example, the $149 Asus ROG Strix B560-F Gaming WiFi will include 11th Gen Intel Core “Rocket Lake” CPU compatibility and PCIe 4.0 storage.

Only $129 gets you the Asus TUF Gaming B560M-Plus. Among other things, it has Wi-Fi 6 compatibility and USB 3.2 Gen 2 connections. The Z590s, on the other hand, start at $190 and go up from there. According to Engadget, this means you’ll have to spend an additional $40 to $60 simply to obtain PCI Express 4.0 on the motherboard and Thunderbolt 4 capability, which the B560 boards don’t have.

B560

Every year, we examine the costs of all of the major motherboard chipsets. Today, we’ll take a look at the B560 range and see how it stacks up against the Z490, H510, and B460 models. So far, B560 motherboard prices have been higher than projected. Although our sample size is currently tiny, these boards have higher average costs than the Z490 crop. We usually recommend waiting for reviews before purchasing a new platform, but it could be a better idea to get one of them while they’re still in stock.

The cheapest B560 boards, on the other hand, aren’t exactly inexpensive. The ASRock B560M Pro4 costs $30 more than the GIGABYTE H510M DS2V we evaluated last week, at $130. The ASUS TUF Gaming B560M-Plus costs $140 and comes with several features. Here is how a B560 Motherboard.

Z590

The Z590 is a $500+ motherboard that is more costly than the Z490 for most buyers. The price structure for Intel’s Z490 motherboards differed from that of its predecessor: the high-end variants were less expensive, while the low-end models were more costly.

With several high-end models featuring new technology such as PCIe 4.0, Intel’s reasoning was likely influenced by how AMD introduced its Ryzen 3000 series on the X570; Intel may have sought to price its most expensive motherboards at a level that customers would deem fair.

The Z590 is unique in that it was intended for the forthcoming 11th Gen Rocket Lake CPUs, which will come with PCIe 4.0 as standard and hence won’t require extra motherboard compatibility. This implies Intel may sell lower-cost boards (although at the same price point) and compensate by selling higher-cost ones. However, this does not mean that a Z590 motherboard will cost more than a Z490 motherboard.  Specific Z590 boards, like the ASRock Z590 Steel Legend and the Gigabyte Z590 Vision D, are less expensive than their Z490 equivalents.

Overclocking

An important comparison between B560 vs Z590 Chipset is Overclocking. To start off, except for one parameter, overclocking on Intel systems is the same as it has been for years. The Intel Adaptive Voltage Overclocking (AVX) Offset function, which was debuted in the Z490 platform and continued over to the Z590, is not supported by the B560 chipset.

AVX Offset lets you define various power limitations for AVX workloads than the primary power limit, which might be higher or lower. This is useful for overclocking since your CPU may reach its limit in non-AVX workloads, while AVX workloads may require more power. Because you’ll have to establish a single power restriction for all workloads with the B560.

You’ll probably want to allow extra headroom while overclocking to keep your system stable during AVX operations. You won’t notice a change in reliability among B560 and Z590 if you’re not Using any AVX-enabled programs or games. It shouldn’t matter whatever motherboard chipset you use as long as your CPU can manage the clock frequency and voltage you’re providing it.

On the B560, you may overclock your RAM without affecting the CPU multiplier. So, if you have a CPU with a base frequency of 2.6GHz, like the i5-11400F, you may increase the RAM speed to 3200Mhz without changing the CPU multiplier. This implies you’ll get a 2.6GHz processor with 3200MHz RAM. On the Z590, this isn’t feasible (or any other older motherboard).  As long as you’re OCing your RAM on the Z590, you’ll also have to overclock your CPU.

Should you buy Z590 or B560?

When deciding on a new motherboard, you may be debating whether to choose an older or newer model. Which chipset will you use if you’re creating a new Intel-based pc and have an option between the B560 vs Z590 chipsets? The motherboard determines the type of CPU, graphics card, memory, storage, and other components that your PC may use. You could buy a decent processor like an Intel Core i9, but it won’t operate until your motherboard supports it. Keep in mind, if you have a 12th Generation CPU, a Z690 or B660 Motherboard would work with that.

Intel’s 11th Generation Rocket Lake desktop CPUs, like the Core i5-11600K and Core i9-11900K, are supported on the B560 and Z590 motherboards. They also accept 10th Gen Comet Lake CPUs like the Core i7-10700K. With a maximum of 20 PCIe lanes and 14 USB ports, the B560 chipset is less expensive. The Z590 chipset adds 24 PCIe lanes and 20 USB ports to the mix. This is critical if you want to use several graphics cards or fast NVMe SSDs, but it’s not essential for most users.

Furthermore, Z590 motherboards offer the most recent technologies, such as Wi-Fi 6E, which adds more channels and improves connectivity in crowded regions and Thunderbolt 4 compatibility. They also provide more overclocking possibilities and are of more excellent overall quality. These distinctions, though, come at a price. B560 motherboards will be less expensive than analogous Z series boards, with a price differential of $50-$100 across similar boards from the same manufacturer.

As a result, they’re ideal for anyone wishing to create a low-cost system around Intel’s new CPU portfolio or who wants to obtain the best performance without breaking the budget. There are a few factors to consider if you’re attempting to decide between these two machines or thinking about replacing one or the other.

For example, consider if having more RAM on the B560 is essential to you, whether having more video memory (if you’re a gamer) is essential to you, and whether you believe the B560’s built-in media reader will be helpful for your purposes.

However, keep in mind your budget and the amount of money you’re ready to spend—two advantages the Z590 offers over the B560. To put it another way? Though it isn’t a significant advance over the previous generation, the Z590 can keep up with modern gadgets. This was Tech4Gamer’s full comparison of Z590 vs B560. For more articles like this, you may visit our comparison section.

Abde Manaf

[Comparisons Expert]

Abdemanaf is a skilled creative writer who has been honing his craft since 2011. While initially working in different fields, he found a passion for technology and has been exploring the tech world since early 2015. Over the years, he has developed an in-depth knowledge of the latest tech trends and product offerings by various companies.

Abdemanaf’s writing reflects his analytical mindset and ability to think critically. He has a knack for breaking down complex technical information into easily digestible pieces, making his articles engaging and accessible to readers from all backgrounds. In February 2022, he joined Tech4Gamers as a blog and product comparison writer, where he has been able to hone his skills further.

As a writer, Abdemanaf is dedicated to staying up-to-date with the latest technological advancements and trends, enabling him to provide readers with the most relevant and accurate information. He is always eager to learn more and is constantly seeking new challenges to improve his skills.

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