B660M G X AX DDR4 Motherboard Guide: Specs, Features, and Compatibility

The Gigabyte B660M G X AX DDR4 is a Micro-ATX motherboard built on the B660 chipset, designed for Intel processors using the LGA 1700 socket.

The Gigabyte B660M G X AX DDR4 Micro-ATX motherboard offers:

• Chipset: B660 — Learn more about LGA 1700 socket chipsets
• CPU Support: Intel Core 13000 Series, Intel Core 12000 Series, Intel Pentium 12000 Series, Intel Celeron 12000 Series (LGA 1700 socket)
• Memory: 128 GB max DDR4, up to 3200 MT/s, Dual Channel, 4 DIMM slots
• Storage: 2 M.2 slots (PCIe 4.0 x4, PCIe 4.0 x4), 4 SATA ports
• Expansion: 2 PCIe slots (PCIe 4.0 x16, PCIe 3.0 x4)
• Ethernet: 2.5Gb
• Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth: 5.2
• USB Ports: 8 rear panel, 6 via internal headers (up to USB 3.2 Gen 2)
• Audio: Realtek
• Form Factor: Micro-ATX

The B660M G X AX DDR4 uses a LGA 1700 socket for Intel processors. Socket type determines CPU compatibility and cannot be changed. You must match your CPU's socket to the motherboard.

The B660M G X AX DDR4 is compatible with the following processor series:

• Intel Core 13000 Series
• Intel Core 12000 Series
• Intel Pentium 12000 Series
• Intel Celeron 12000 Series

Support for multiple CPU generations allows you to start with a more affordable processor and upgrade to a higher-performance model later without replacing the motherboard.

A motherboard's socket type determines which CPU generations it supports. If you plan to upgrade your CPU later, verify that the motherboard supports newer processors in the same socket family.

The importance of CPU upgradeability depends on your use case:

• High-end builds: Purchasing a high-end CPU from the start means you likely won't need to upgrade for 5-7 years. Future CPU support is less critical.
• Mid-range builds: Starting with a mid-range CPU with plans to upgrade in 2-3 years makes CPU compatibility important. However, by upgrade time, new socket types may offer better value.

Most users keep their CPU until they replace the entire system. The motherboard's chipset features, connectivity, and current-gen CPU support often matter more than future CPU compatibility. Instead of buying a budget CPU with plans to upgrade, consider saving up for the CPU you want; the performance difference between budget and mid-range CPUs is significant.

The B660M G X AX DDR4 supports up to 128 GB of DDR4 memory across 4 DIMM slots (RAM slots) in Dual Channel configuration. For best performance, install memory in matching pairs (identical speed, capacity, and timings) to enable dual-channel mode.

With a maximum capacity of 128 GB of RAM, the B660M G X AX DDR4 is well-suited for memory-intensive workloads like content creation, video editing, 3D rendering, and virtualization. Most gaming and general-purpose users will find 32-64 GB more than sufficient.

A dual-channel memory configuration doubles memory bandwidth compared to single-channel. Install memory in matching pairs (2x or 4x modules of the same specification) to enable dual-channel mode. This significantly improves performance in gaming, content creation, and general system responsiveness.

• Memory Type: DDR4
• Maximum Capacity: 128 GB
• DIMM Slots: 4
• Channel Configuration: Dual Channel

The B660M G X AX DDR4 supports memory speeds up to 3200 MT/s (overclocked).

Standard Speed: 3200 MT/s provides baseline performance suitable for general computing. For gaming and demanding applications, faster memory (6000+ MT/s) can provide meaningful performance improvements.

For most users, having more RAM is more important than having faster RAM. Faster RAM provides measurable benefits in gaming and content creation, but the gains diminish at higher speeds.

RAM Speed	Gaming Performance	Productivity/Office	Content Creation
5200-5600 MT/s DDR5	Good: Solid performance for gaming	Excellent: Speed doesn't matter for office tasks	Good: Adequate for most workflows
6000 MT/s DDR5	Excellent: Noticeable improvement in CPU-bound games. Sweet spot for modern platforms.	Excellent: Speed doesn't matter for office tasks	Excellent: Noticeable improvement in rendering, compression, and video encoding
7000+ MT/s DDR5	Diminishing returns: Minimal gains over 6000 MT/s at significantly higher cost	Excellent: Speed doesn't matter for office tasks	Diminishing returns: Marginal improvement over 6000 MT/s, not worth the premium

The B660M G X AX DDR4 supports the following memory overclocking profiles: XMP.

Memory Overclocking Explained: These profiles allow your RAM to run at its advertised speed (which is technically an overclock beyond standard JEDEC specifications). Simply enable the appropriate profile in your BIOS to unlock your memory's full performance. Without enabling these profiles, your high-speed RAM will run at much slower standard speeds. You can also manually overclock memory if you prefer fine-tuned control.

Choose your memory capacity based on your specific use case:

RAM Amount	Use Cases
16 GB	Gaming: Bare minimum for basic gaming Development: Web development, basic coding, office work
32 GB	Gaming: Sweet spot for gaming in 2025; handles any game, browser tabs, Discord, and background apps without issues Content Creation: Entry point for video editing, photo editing, and light 3D work Development: Running Docker containers, virtual machines, Android Studio, large IDEs
64 GB	Gaming: Only beneficial if you stream, record, or run heavy background applications Content Creation: Ideal for 4K+ video editing, large Photoshop projects, After Effects, and moderate 3D rendering Development: Multiple VMs simultaneously, large database work, extensive containerized development
128 GB+	Content Creation: Professional workflows with 8K footage, complex 3D scenes, simulation work, or multiple virtual machines Development: Extensive virtualization and enterprise-scale development

The B660M G X AX DDR4 provides 2 M.2 NVMe slots for high-speed SSDs and 4 SATA 6 Gb/s ports for 2.5" SSDs and hard drives. The 4 SATA ports provide adequate connectivity for additional storage drives beyond your primary M.2 SSDs. SATA is ideal for mechanical hard drives used for mass storage or backup purposes.

M.2 Slot	Interface	Theoretical Bandwidth	Connection	Form Factors
#1	PCIe 4.0 x4	8 GB/s	CPU	2260, 2280
#2	PCIe 4.0 x4	8 GB/s	Chipset	2260, 2280, 22110

M.2 NVMe SSDs are significantly faster than SATA drives and install without cables. The PCIe generation and lane count determine maximum transfer speeds. Actual speeds depend on both the slot and the drive; a PCIe 3.0 drive in a PCIe 5.0 slot runs at PCIe 3.0 speeds. PCIe is backward compatible: a PCIe 4.0 drive works in a PCIe 3.0 slot at PCIe 3.0 speeds.

Interface	Theoretical Bandwidth	Performance
PCIe 5.0 x4	16 GB/s	Cutting-edge, future-proof
PCIe 4.0 x4	8 GB/s	Excellent for gaming and professional work
PCIe 3.0 x4	4 GB/s	Still very fast, suitable for most users
PCIe 3.0 x2	2 GB/s	Slower, avoid for primary drives

For gaming, faster SSDs primarily improve load times rather than in-game performance. The exception is large open-world games that stream content as you play. PCIe 4.0 already provides fast load times, and while PCIe 5.0 can reduce load times further, the real-world difference is often negligible for most games.

Slot Count	Assessment	Configuration
1 M.2 slot	Minimum viable	Works if you only need one NVMe and will use SATA for additional storage
2 M.2 slots	Ideal for most users	One NVMe boot drive + one games/storage drive
3+ M.2 slots	Enthusiast/professional	Useful for separating OS, games, and work files

Supported RAID Levels: 0, 1, 5, 10

The B660M G X AX DDR4 offers 2 PCIe expansion slots for graphics cards, network adapters, sound cards, or other expansion devices.

Slot	Physical Size	Specification	Theoretical Bandwidth	Lane Source
Slot 1	x16	PCIe 4.0 x16	32 GB/s	-
Slot 2	x16	PCIe 3.0 x4	4 GB/s	-

The PCIe generation and lane count determine bandwidth for expansion cards. Higher bandwidth enables better performance for graphics cards, storage controllers, and network adapters. A slot's physical size (x16, x4, x1) doesn't always match its electrical lanes; a physically x16 slot might only provide x4 electrical lanes. Check the "Specification" column in the table above for actual lane counts.

PCIe Configuration	Theoretical Bandwidth	Ideal Use Cases
PCIe 5.0 x16	64 GB/s	Latest generation GPUs, future-proof for next-gen graphics cards and high-bandwidth accelerators
PCIe 4.0 x16	32 GB/s	Current high-end GPUs, professional graphics cards
PCIe 3.0 x16	16 GB/s	Mid-range and older GPUs, most graphics cards won't saturate this bandwidth
PCIe 4.0 x4	8 GB/s	High-speed NVMe SSDs, sound cards, 10GbE network adapters
PCIe 3.0 x4	4 GB/s	Standard NVMe SSDs, sound cards, network adapters
PCIe 3.0 x1	1 GB/s	Basic expansion cards (USB controllers, low-speed network adapters)

PCIe 4.0 x16 is fully adequate for all current graphics cards. PCIe 5.0 GPU support provides minimal real-world benefits as no current GPUs saturate PCIe 4.0 bandwidth. PCIe 3.0 x16 works well for mid-range GPUs but can cause noticeable performance loss on high-end cards. All PCIe generations are backward compatible, so newer GPUs will work in older slots and vice versa.

Build Type	Recommendations
Gaming	1x PCIe x16 slot for GPU. Most gaming motherboards include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth onboard, so typically only the GPU slot gets used.
Content Creation	1-2x PCIe x16 slots for GPU(s). Multi-GPU is obsolete for gaming but useful for rendering. May also need 1x PCIe x4 slot for sound card, 10GbE network card, or additional M.2 slots via adapter cards.
Workstation	Multiple GPUs for compute, professional sound cards, RAID controllers, or high-speed networking cards. Count your devices carefully as workstation builds use multiple slots.

The B660M G X AX DDR4 includes 2.5Gb Ethernet for wired networking.

• 2.5Gb Ethernet (2.5GbE)

Gigabit Ethernet (1 Gbps) handles most home internet connections and gaming. 2.5 Gigabit or faster Ethernet benefits multi-gigabit internet plans and large file transfers to network storage.

The B660M G X AX DDR4 includes Wi-Fi 6 wireless connectivity. Built-in Wi-Fi allows PC placement without running Ethernet cables. Wired Ethernet offers more consistent performance for competitive gaming, but modern Wi-Fi 6E/7 works well for most users. If your motherboard lacks Wi-Fi, you can add a PCIe Wi-Fi card later.

• Chipset: Intel AX200
• Frequency Bands: 2.4GHz, 5GHz

Wi-Fi Version	Benefits
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)	Latest standard with 320 MHz channels, 4K-QAM, Multi-Link Operation (MLO). Backward compatible with older devices; Wi-Fi 7 client devices needed for full performance. Ideal for 8K streaming, VR/AR, and ultra-low latency applications.
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)	Adds 6 GHz band support for less congestion and interference. Excellent for gaming, 4K streaming, and high-bandwidth applications. Best choice for current high-performance builds.
Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)	Improved efficiency in crowded environments, better battery life for devices, lower latency. Current mainstream standard, great for most users.
Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)	Previous generation, 5 GHz only. Still capable for basic needs but lacks efficiency improvements of Wi-Fi 6/6E/7.

The B660M G X AX DDR4 includes Bluetooth 5.2 for wireless keyboards, mice, headphones, and game controllers without USB dongles. Modern Bluetooth versions provide improved audio quality, range, and power efficiency.

The B660M G X AX DDR4 provides 8 rear panel USB ports with the following connector types, plus internal headers for front-panel connections.

Count	Standard	Speed	Connector	Features
3x	USB 3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	Type-A	-
5x	USB 2.0	480 Mbps	Type-A	-

Internal USB headers are connectors on the motherboard that allow you to connect front-panel USB ports on your case, USB hubs, or other internal devices.

Header Count	Ports per Header	Standard	Speed	Header Type
1x	-	USB 3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	Type-C
1x	2x	USB 3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	19-pin
2x	2x	USB 2.0	480 Mbps	9-pin

USB Standard	Max Speed	Best Use Cases
USB4 40Gbps / Thunderbolt 3/4	40 Gbps	High-end docking stations, external GPUs, ultra-fast NVMe SSDs, professional video capture, multi-display setups
USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 / USB4 20Gbps	20 Gbps	High-speed external NVMe SSDs, 4K/8K video capture, fast file transfers
USB 3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	External SSDs, fast flash drives, high-resolution webcams, VR headsets
USB 3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	External hard drives, standard flash drives, hubs, general peripherals
USB 2.0	480 Mbps	Keyboards, mice, printers, older devices. Perfectly adequate for low-bandwidth peripherals.

Motherboard video outputs require a CPU with integrated graphics. The B660M G X AX DDR4 provides the following display outputs:

• 1x HDMI 2.0
• 1x DisplayPort 1.2

Motherboards with video outputs enable troubleshooting even if you plan to use a dedicated GPU. If you're deciding between two similar motherboards and have a CPU with integrated graphics, prefer the one with video outputs; they add minimal cost.

The B660M G X AX DDR4 features a Realtek audio codec. Modern motherboard audio is sufficient for most users, including gaming and music listening. Consider a dedicated sound card or external DAC/amp for high-impedance headphones (250+ ohms), virtual surround sound processing for competitive gaming, or professional audio work requiring hardware DSP and ultra-low latency recording. For audiophile setups, external DAC/amps often provide better isolation from electrical interference than internal sound cards.

• Codec: Realtek

The B660M G X AX DDR4 provides 4 total fan headers (1 CPU, 3 chassis).

• CPU Fan Headers: 1
• Chassis Fan Headers: 3
• 12V RGB Headers: 2
• 5V Addressable RGB Headers: 2

A CPU cooler that is compatible with the LGA 1700 socket will be required. Several manufacturers introduced upgrade kits to accommodate the LGA 1700 socket size that allows LGA 1200 coolers to be used. So be sure to verify that any cooler you choose is compatible with your CPU.

• Enermax Liqmax III 360

  Supports LGA 1700:	YES
  Max TDP:	360 watt
  Type:	Liquid Cooler

• I was very impressed with the cooling capability of the Enermax Liqmax III 360, which boasts an excellent 360-watt TDP (Thermal Design Power).

• Supports a variety of CPU sockets, including Intel LGA 2066, 2011-3, 2011, 1700, 1200, 1366, 1156, 1155, 1151, 1150 and AMD AM4, AM3+, AM3, AM2+, AM2, FM2+, FM2, FM1.

• I found that the Enermax Liqmax III 360 operates quietly and unobtrusively, with a noise level of just 14-27 dBA, making it a great choice for anyone who values a quiet computing environment.

• You can get the LGA 1700 Enermax Mounting Kit for LIQMAX III on Amazon or request a free LGA 1700 mounting kit via the LGA 1700 Mounting Kit Request Form.

• If you are considering the Enermax Liqmax III 360, it's important to note that it will take up a decent amount of space in your computer case, so make sure to check the dimensions before purchasing.

• The Enermax Liqmax III 360 has an impressive cooling capacity, providing efficient heat dissipation even under heavy workloads.

• The quiet operation of the cooler made for a more comfortable and distraction-free computing experience.

• Noctua NH-D15

  Supports LGA 1700:	YES
  Max TDP:	220 watt
  Type:	Heatsink & Fans

• I found the dual 140 mm fans to be incredibly powerful, providing an impressive 220-watt TDP (183 NSPR) of cooling capability.

• With support for such a diverse range of CPU sockets, I found the Noctua NH-D15 to be a very flexible and adaptable cooling solution. Its supported socket types include Intel LGA 1700, 1200, 1156, 1155, 1151, 1150, 2011, 2066 and AMD AM4, AM3, AM3+, AM2, AM2+, FM2, FM2+.

• In my experience, the Noctua NH-D15 operates very quietly, with a noise level of just 24.6 dBA.

• I am extremely satisfied with the Noctua NH-D15 cooler and would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a high-performance and versatile cooling solution.

• Thermaltake TOUGHAIR 510

  Supports LGA 1700:	YES
  Max TDP:	180 watt
  Type:	Heatsink & Fans

• As someone who isn't a big fan of flashy LED lights, I appreciated the simplicity of the Thermaltake TOUGHAIR 510, which doesn't have any fancy lights but still looks great in my system.

• I found that the dual 120 mm fans on the TOUGHAIR 510 did an excellent job of keeping an LGA 1700 CPU cool, even under heavy workloads.

• If you're worried about the TOUGHAIR 510 taking up too much space in your system, Thermaltake offers a few single-fan variants that use different orientations, so you can choose the one that works best for your setup.

• With a max speed of 2000 RPM, the TOUGHAIR 510 provides optimal cooling performance when you need it most.

• With a 180-watt TDP (Thermal Design Power), the TOUGHAIR 510 offers solid cooling performance and is a great choice for anyone looking for a reliable and efficient cooling solution for their CPU.

The B660M G X AX DDR4 uses the Micro-ATX form factor.

• Size: Micro-ATX (244mm × 244mm / 9.6" × 9.6")
• Case Compatibility: Fits Micro-ATX, mid-tower, and full-tower cases
• Expansion: Moderate expansion (typically 4 slots)
• Best For: Compact builds that still need some expansion capability

Micro-ATX is smaller than ATX but provides room for a graphics card and several expansion cards.

• CPU Coolers
• Power Supplies
• Computer Cases
• Monitors