ASUS TUF Gaming A520M-PLUS (WiFi)

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ASUS TUF Gaming A520M-PLUS (WiFi) Specifications Review

ASUS TUF Gaming A520M-PLUS (WiFi) by ASUS is a Micro-ATX form factor motherboard based on the entry-level A520M chipset and AM4 socket, with basic features and limited connectivity. It is designed to support DDR4 memory, with 4 slots, a maximum capacity of 128 GB, and an overclocking speed of up to 4866 MHz. It features channels, a voltage of V and supports Error-Correcting Code (ECC) memory.

VRM Quality

The ASUS TUF Gaming A520M-PLUS (WiFi) has a basic VRM configuration, delivering 60 A across 6 phases. Best for low-power CPUs (≤65 W TDP). Using high-wattage chips or overclocking could cause severe thermal issues and instability. Recommended for budget builds, office workstations, and media PCs.

See the VRM Appropriate CPU Specification Table at the bottom of this page for recommended CPU options.

Expansion and Storage Overview

The ASUS TUF Gaming A520M-PLUS (WiFi) offers a simplified expansion and storage configuration with PCIe 3.0 support, meaning it uses PCI Express 3.0, still capable for most current GPUs and expansion cards, but with less bandwidth than newer standards. It also includes 1 x16 slot , and 2 x1 slots. These PCIe slots are used to connect expansion cards — with the x16 slots typically reserved for graphics cards, while x8, x4, and x1 slots are used for devices like capture cards, sound cards, or network adapters.

For storage, this motherboard provides 1 M.2 slot (PCIe 3.0 x4 & SATA modes) and 4 SATA ports. M.2 slots are high-speed connectors for modern NVMe SSDs, which are much faster than older storage, while SATA ports are used for traditional hard drives and 2.5-inch SSDs. Together, they allow you to mix fast primary storage with larger, more affordable drives for bulk data.

Connectivity Overview

This motherboard has essential connectivity features with wired 1 x Realtek 1Gb Ethernet TUF LANGuard Ethernet wireless networking with the wireless Wi-Fi 5 Bluetooth 5.0 is included for wireless peripherals. USB connectivity covers basic needs. Please refer to the specification table for details.

For video output, this motherboard includes HDMI version 2.1 , DisplayPort version 1.2 . These video outputs are intended for integrated graphics and will only function if your CPU includes integrated GPU capabilities.

Audio Quality

The motherboard includes a standard audio chipset (Realtek ALC887/897) that covers basic needs for casual listening. While adequate for everyday use with mainstream headphones or desktop speakers, discerning users may want to add a USB DAC or sound card for improved fidelity, especially for music production or high-end headphones.

Overall Quality and Value

ASUS TUF Gaming A520M-PLUS (WiFi) is basic and functional, carrying an overall quality score of 36.20. It is designed for budget-conscious builds or office setups where advanced features are not required, handling standard tasks effectively but lacking the polish or expandability of higher-tier models.

This motherboard offers an impressive 68.8% performance-to-price ratio, delivering excellent value by combining strong performance with reasonable cost, making it a smart choice for budget-conscious buyers who don’t want to sacrifice quality.

General Information

Manufacturer	ASUS
Motherboard Name	ASUS TUF Gaming A520M-PLUS (WiFi)
Current Price Amazon	$100
Amazon Price Updated	10 hours, 21 minutes ago.
Motherboard Available	True
Chipset / Socket	A520M / AM4
Form Factor	Micro-ATX

VRM Configuration

CPU Power Phases (Amps)	6 (60 A)
Power Design	6+1

Memory Information

Type / Slots	DDR4 / 4 slots
Max Capacity / Max OC	128 GB / 4866 MHz
ECC Support	✔️ ECC (Error-Correcting Code) Supported

PCIe Slot Configuration

Supported Version	PCIe 3.0

Slot Size	Physical Slots	Gen3
x16	1	1
x1	2	2

Storage Configuration

M.2 Slot Count	1 slot
M.2 Supported Lengths	2242, 2260, 2280
M.2 PCIe Modes	PCIe 3.0 x4 & SATA modes
SATA Ports	4

Onboard Audio Features

Audio Chipset	Realtek ALC887/897
Analog Audio Jacks	3 jacks

Motherboard Display Outputs

HDMI Output	HDMI - Version 2.1 (Max: 4K@60Hz)
DisplayPort Output	DisplayPort - Version 1.2

USB and Thunderbolt Connectivity

Rear USB Ports

USB 2.0 Type-A (480 Mbps)	2
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5 Gbps)	4

Internal USB Headers

USB 2.0 Header (480 Mbps)	3
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Header (5 Gbps)	2

Networking Information

Ethernet	Chipset: 1 x Realtek 1Gb Ethernet TUF LANGuard LAN Ports: 1
Wi-Fi	Version: Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 5 Bandwidth: HT20/HT40/HT80 Frequency Bands: 2.4/5GHz Antenna Connectors: 1
Bluetooth	Version: 5.0

Button Features

Buttons	BIOS Flashback

Quality & Features

Additional Information

RAM	Supports DDR4 Un-buffered Memory. ECC Memory (ECC mode) support varies by CPU. Refer to www.asus.com for the Memory QVL (Qualified Vendors Lists), and memory frequency support depends on the CPU types.
Display	Includes 1 x D-Sub port.
Expansion	The PCIe 3.0 x16 slot is provided by the CPU and supports x16 mode. The two PCIe 3.0 x1 slots are provided by the AMD A520 Chipset.
Storage	M.2 Slot Details: M2_1 – 3.0 + SATA , Lengths: 2242, 2260, 2280 , Source: CPU RAID Support: SATA (Levels: ['0', '1', '10'])
Audio	Features: Audio Shielding, Premium audio capacitors, Dedicated audio PCB layers. Supports Jack detection, Multi-streaming, Front Panel Jack-retasking, and up to 24-Bit/192 kHz playback. A chassis with an HD audio module in the front panel is required to support 7.1 Surround Sound audio output.
Networking	Realtek Wi-Fi 5 8821CE; 1x1 Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac) with MU-MIMO; TUF LANGuard
Buttons	The motherboard includes a Clear CMOS header.
Dimensions	24.4 cm x 24 cm

Note: The specifications and descriptions above are extracted by AI to present the official manufacturer data in a clearer and more natural way for easier understanding. However, this AI-processed information may contain inaccuracies. Please verify all details by consulting the official manufacturer's information provided below.

ASUS TUF Gaming A520M-PLUS (WiFi) Compared to Motherboards with Similar Performance and Features

Motherboard Quality & Features per Price Table

Motherboard (Desc) Motherboard Name Sorts motherboards alphabetically. Click to toggle order (A–Z / Z–A).	Price (Desc) Amazon Price Sorts motherboards by their current Amazon price. Click to toggle ascending/descending.	Overall_Q (Desc) Overall Quality & Features Scores based on chipset, VRMs, connectivity, expansion, storage, audio and extra features. Click to toggle sort order.	VRM_Q (Desc) VRM Quality Score reflecting power delivery strength, calculated from the number of phases and their amperage rating. Click to toggle sort order.	Chipset (Desc) Chipset Quality Capabilities and features provided by the motherboard chipset. Determines available PCIe lanes, I/O support, and BIOS features. Click to toggle sort order.	Exp_Str (Desc) Expansion & Storage Score reflecting number of expansion slots and storage options. Based on PCIe slots, M.2 slots, and SATA ports availability. Click to toggle sort order.	Connect (Desc) Connectivity Quality Quantity and quality of ports and networking options. Includes USB ports, Ethernet LAN, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth support. Click to toggle sort order.	Audio (Desc) Audio Quality Quality of onboard audio hardware components. Considers audio codec and additional functionalities. Click to toggle sort order.	Q&F/Price (Desc) Value Score This value shows how much Quality and Features you're getting per unit of cost. Higher values mean better overall value for money when buying this motherboard.
GIGABYTE B550M K GIGABYTE B550M K View detailed specs, features, charts, and comparison for this Motherboard.	$70 GIGABYTE B550M K Current Amazon Price Click to view this Motherboard on Amazon. \| 0.0% GIGABYTE B550M K Price Change No significant price change detected.	42.2%	12.0%	75.0%	48.0%	31.0%	45.0%	114.6%
ASUS Prime B450M-A II ASUS Prime B450M-A II View detailed specs, features, charts, and comparison for this Motherboard.	$97 ASUS Prime B450M-A II Current Amazon Price Click to view this Motherboard on Amazon. \| ↑ 1.9% ASUS Prime B450M-A II Price Change Price increased from the last update.	40.4%	13.0%	67.0%	49.0%	33.0%	40.0%	79.3%
ASROCK B450M PRO4 R2.0 ASROCK B450M PRO4 R2.0 View detailed specs, features, charts, and comparison for this Motherboard.	$80❗ ASROCK B450M PRO4 R2.0 Price Not Available Last known price from Amazon. Currently unavailable. \| ↓ -1.4% ASROCK B450M PRO4 R2.0 Price Change Price decreased from the last update.	38.0%	13.0%	58.0%	37.0%	37.0%	45.0%	90.7%
MSI B550 Gaming GEN3 MSI B550 Gaming GEN3 View detailed specs, features, charts, and comparison for this Motherboard.	$188❗ MSI B550 Gaming GEN3 Price Not Available Last known price from Amazon. Currently unavailable. \| 0.0% MSI B550 Gaming GEN3 Price Change No significant price change detected.	37.8%	14.0%	77.0%	45.0%	13.0%	40.0%	38.2%
ASUS TUF Gaming A520M-PLUS (WiFi) ASUS TUF Gaming A520M-PLUS (WiFi) View detailed specs, features, charts, and comparison for this Motherboard.	$100 ASUS TUF Gaming A520M-PLUS (WiFi) Current Amazon Price Click to view this Motherboard on Amazon. \| 0.0% ASUS TUF Gaming A520M-PLUS (WiFi) Price Change No significant price change detected.	36.2%	18.0%	49.0%	35.0%	39.0%	40.0%	68.8%
ASROCK B450M-HDV R4.0 ASROCK B450M-HDV R4.0 View detailed specs, features, charts, and comparison for this Motherboard.	$72 ASROCK B450M-HDV R4.0 Current Amazon Price Click to view this Motherboard on Amazon. \| 0.0% ASROCK B450M-HDV R4.0 Price Change No significant price change detected.	33.8%	12.0%	58.0%	30.0%	29.0%	40.0%	89.2%
ASRock A520M-ITX/AC ASRock A520M-ITX/AC View detailed specs, features, charts, and comparison for this Motherboard.	$146 ASRock A520M-ITX/AC Current Amazon Price Click to view this Motherboard on Amazon. \| ↑ 38.8% ASRock A520M-ITX/AC Price Change Price increased from the last update.	33.0%	24.0%	41.0%	29.0%	31.0%	40.0%	43.0%
Gigabyte A520I AC Gigabyte A520I AC View detailed specs, features, charts, and comparison for this Motherboard.	$127 Gigabyte A520I AC Current Amazon Price Click to view this Motherboard on Amazon. \| ↑ 0.1% Gigabyte A520I AC Price Change Price increased from the last update.	32.4%	15.0%	47.0%	29.0%	31.0%	40.0%	48.6%
GIGABYTE A520M K V2 GIGABYTE A520M K V2 View detailed specs, features, charts, and comparison for this Motherboard.	$64 GIGABYTE A520M K V2 Current Amazon Price Click to view this Motherboard on Amazon. \| 0.0% GIGABYTE A520M K V2 Price Change No significant price change detected.	31.0%	12.0%	37.0%	32.0%	29.0%	45.0%	92.1%

Motherboard Comparison and Detail Specifications Table

Specification

Perf Chart

Price

Manufacturer

Chip/Socket

Form

CPU Phases

PWR Design

Mem Slots

Max Mem

PCIe

PCIe Slots

M.2

SATA

Audio

S/PDIF

HDMI

LAN

Wi-Fi

Rear USB

USB 2.0 Type-A (480 Mbps)	4
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5 Gbps)	4

USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5 Gbps)	4
USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (10 Gbps)	2

USB 2.0 Type-A (480 Mbps)	2
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5 Gbps)	4
USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (10 Gbps)	1
USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (10 Gbps)	1

❌

USB 2.0 Type-A (480 Mbps)	2
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5 Gbps)	4

USB 2.0 Type-A (480 Mbps)	2
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5 Gbps)	4

USB 2.0 Type-A (480 Mbps)	2
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5 Gbps)	3
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C (5 Gbps)	1

USB 2.0 Type-A (480 Mbps)	2
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5 Gbps)	4

USB 2.0 Type-A (480 Mbps)	2
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5 Gbps)	4

USB Headers

USB 2.0 Header (480 Mbps)	2
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Header (5 Gbps)	2

USB 2.0 Header (480 Mbps)	4
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Header (5 Gbps)	2

USB 2.0 Header (480 Mbps)	4
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Header (5 Gbps)	2

USB 2.0 Header (480 Mbps)	4
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Header (5 Gbps)	2

USB 2.0 Header (480 Mbps)	3
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Header (5 Gbps)	2

USB 2.0 Header (480 Mbps)	4
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Header (5 Gbps)	2

USB 2.0 Header (480 Mbps)	2
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Header (5 Gbps)	2

USB 2.0 Header (480 Mbps)	2
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Header (5 Gbps)	2

USB 2.0 Header (480 Mbps)	4
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Header (5 Gbps)	2

Front USB

❌

USB 2.0 Type-A (480 Mbps)	4
USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5 Gbps)	2

❌

VRM Appropriate CPU Specification Table
VRM Appropriate
This table lists CPUs that are suitable for the motherboard's Voltage Regulator Module (VRM) capacity, ensuring stable performance without overheating or instability.

CPU CPU Name Sorts CPUs alphabetically. Click to change order.	Price Price (Amazon) Current Amazon price.	App_Performance General Performance Based on multi-purpose workloads like rendering, encoding and compression.	Game_Performance Gaming Performance (1080p) Measures relative gaming performance in modern games at 1080p.	TDP/Max Power Consumption Typical (TDP) and maximum (peak) power draw in watts.	C/SC/T Cores / Small Cores / Threads Number of main performance cores, efficiency cores, and threads.	L2/L3 Cache Cache Memory L2 and L3 cache sizes, which affect performance in data access,multitasking and gaming.	Base/Boost Clock Speeds Base frequency and maximum turbo boost frequency in GHz.	Code Name CPU Architecture Code Name Indicates the internal design generation.	GPU Integrated Graphics Built-in GPU name, if present. Useful for systems without a dedicated GPU.
No compatible CPU available. The motherboard's VRM is too weak to be recommended with any CPU in the database.

Official Manufacturer Data

Memory:

4 x DIMM, Max. 128GB, DDR4 4866(OC)/4800(OC)/4600(OC)/4466(OC)/4400(OC)/4266(OC)/4133(OC)/4000(OC)/3866(OC)/3733(OC)/3600(OC)/3466(OC)/3333(OC)/3200/3000/2800/2666/2400/2133 MHz, Un-buffered Memory*
Dual Channel Memory Architecture
*ECC Memory (ECC mode) support varies by CPU.
*Refer to www.asus.com for the Memory QVL (Qualified Vendors Lists), and memory frequency support depends on the CPU types.

Graphics:

1 x DisplayPort 1.2

1 x HDMITM 2.1(4K@60Hz)
1 x D-Sub

Storage:

Supports 1 x M.2 slot and 4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports
AMD Ryzen™ 5000 Series/ 5000 G-Series/ 4000 G-Series/ 3000 Series/ 3000 G-Series Desktop Processors
M.2 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280 (supports PCIe 3.0 x4 & SATA modes)
AMD A520 Chipset
4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports
Support RAID 0, 1, 10

Expansion Slots:

AMD Ryzen™ 5000 Series/ 5000 G-Series/ 4000 G-Series/ 3000 Series/ 3000 G-Series Desktop Processors
1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slot (supports x16 mode) AMD A520 Chipset2 x PCIe 3.0 x1 slots

USB:

4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (4 x Type-A)
2 x USB 2.0 ports (2 x Type-A)

1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 header supports additional 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
2 x USB 2.0 headers support additional 3 USB 2.0 ports

Internal I/O:

Fan and cooling related
1 x 4-pin CPU Fan header
2 x 4-pin Chassis Fan headers
Power related
1 x 24-pin Main Power connector
1 x 8-pin +12V Power connector
Storage related
1 x M.2 slot (Key M)
4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports
USB
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 header supports additional 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
2 x USB 2.0 headers support additional 3 USB 2.0 ports
Miscellaneous
2 x AURA Addressable Gen 2 header
neous2 x AURA RGB headers
1 x Clear CMOS header
1 x COM Port header
1 x Front Panel Audio header (AAFP)
1 x S/PDIF Out header
1 x Speaker header
1 x SPI TPM header (14-1pin)
1 x 10-1 pin System Panel header

Back Panel I/O:

4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (4 x Type-A)
2 x USB 2.0 ports (2 x Type-A)
1 x DisplayPort
1 x HDMI port
1 x D-Sub
1 x ASUS Wi-Fi Module
1 x Realtek 1Gb Ethernet port
3 x Audio jacks
1 x BIOS FlashBack™ button
1 x PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse combo port

WiFi:

Realtek Wi-Fi 5 8821CE
1x1 Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac) with MU-MIMO
Supports dual frequency band 2.4/5GHz
Supports channel bandwidth: HT20/HT40/HT80
Bluetooth v5.0

Audio:

Realtek ALC887/897 7.1 Surround Sound High Definition Audio CODEC*
- Supports : Jack detection, Multi-streaming, Front Panel Jack-retasking
- Supports up to 24-Bit/192 kHz playback"
Audio Features
- Audio Shielding
- Premium audio capacitors
- Dedicated audio PCB layers
*A chassis with an HD audio module in the front panel is required to support 7.1 Surround Sound audio output.

Special Features:

ASUS TUF PROTECTION
- DIGI+ VRM
- ESD Guards
- TUF LANGuard
- Overvoltage Protection
- SafeSlot Core+
- Stainless-Steel Back I/O
ASUS Q-Design
- Q-DIMM
- Q-Slot
ASUS Thermal Solution
- VRM heatsink design
ASUS EZ DIY
- BIOS FlashBack™ button
- BIOS FlashBack™ LED
AURA Sync
- AURA RGB headers
- Addressable Gen 2 RGB headers