ASRock A520M-HDV
ASRock A520M-HDV Specifications Review
ASRock A520M-HDV by ASRock 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 2 slots, a maximum capacity of 64 GB, and an overclocking speed of up to 4733 MHz.
VRM Quality
The ASRock A520M-HDV has a basic VRM configuration, delivering 50 A across 4 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 ASRock A520M-HDV 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 1 x1 slot. 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 (Gen3 x4) 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 PCIE x1 Gigabit LAN 10/100/1000 Mb/s Ethernet . USB connectivity covers basic needs. Please refer to the specification table for details.
For video output, this motherboard includes HDMI version 2.1 . 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 Audio Codec) 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
ASRock A520M-HDV is minimalist and barebones, with a low overall quality score of 28.20. It is suitable only for very basic computing needs or legacy systems where performance, connectivity, and features are limited, best reserved for simple, low-demand environments.
This motherboard offers an impressive 76.6% 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 | ASRock |
|---|---|
| Motherboard Name | ASRock A520M-HDV |
| Current Price Amazon | $70 |
| Amazon Price Updated | 10 hours, 27 minutes ago. |
| Motherboard Available | True |
| Chipset / Socket | A520M / AM4 |
| Form Factor | Micro-ATX |
VRM Configuration
| CPU Power Phases (Amps) | 4 (50 A) |
|---|---|
| Power Design | 4+2 |
Memory Information
| Type / Slots | DDR4 / 2 slots |
|---|---|
| Max Capacity / Max OC | 64 GB / 4733 MHz |
PCIe Slot Configuration
| Supported Version | PCIe 3.0 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slot Size | Physical Slots | Gen3 |
|---|---|---|
| x16 | 1 | 1 |
| x1 | 1 | 1 |
Storage Configuration
| M.2 Slot Count | 1 slot |
|---|---|
| M.2 Supported Lengths | 2242, 2260, 2280 |
| M.2 PCIe Modes | Gen3 x4 |
| SATA Ports | 4 |
Onboard Audio Features
| Audio Chipset | Realtek ALC887/897 Audio Codec |
|---|---|
| Analog Audio Jacks | 3 jacks |
| Spatial/Surround Audio | ✔️ Rear Output Supports Spatial Audio |
Motherboard Display Outputs
| HDMI Output | HDMI - Version 2.1 (Max: 4096x2160 @ 60Hz) |
|---|
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) | 4 |
|---|---|
| USB 3.2 Gen 1 Header (5 Gbps) | 2 |
Networking Information
| Ethernet | Chipset: PCIE x1 Gigabit LAN 10/100/1000 Mb/s LAN Ports: 1 |
|---|---|
| Wi-Fi |
Module: Not Included |
| Bluetooth | Supported: No |
Quality & Features
Additional Information
| RAM | Supports DDR4 un-buffered memory. Supported speeds vary by CPU series (Vermeer, Matisse, Cezanne, Renoir). Features 15μ Gold Contact in DIMM Slots. |
|---|---|
| Display | Features Integrated AMD Radeon™ Vega Series Graphics in Ryzen Series APUs (actual support may vary by CPU). It has three graphics output options: D-Sub (max res 1920x1200 @ 60Hz), DVI-D (max res 1920x1200 @ 60Hz), and HDMI 2.1. Supports Triple Monitor setups. Shared memory is 2GB by default, with a maximum of 16GB (requires 32GB system memory). The HDMI 2.1 port supports Auto Lip Sync, Deep Color (12bpc), HDR, and HDCP 2.3. The DVI-D port also supports HDCP 2.3. |
| Expansion | The PCIE2 (x16) slot supports NVMe SSD as boot disks. |
| Storage |
M.2 Slot Details:
|
| Audio | 7.1 CH HD Audio. Supports Surge Protection. |
| Networking | PCIE x1 Gigabit LAN. RJ-45 LAN Port with LED (ACT/LINK LED and SPEED LED). |
| 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.
ASRock A520M-HDV Compared to Motherboards with Similar Performance and Features
Motherboard Quality & Features per Price Table
| Motherboard (Desc) | Price (Desc) | Overall_Q (Desc) | VRM_Q (Desc) | Chipset (Desc) | Exp_Str (Desc) | Connect (Desc) | Audio (Desc) | Q&F/Price (Desc) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$100
|
0.0%
|
36.2%
|
18.0%
|
49.0%
|
35.0%
|
39.0%
|
40.0%
|
68.8%
|
|
|
$72
|
0.0%
|
33.8%
|
12.0%
|
58.0%
|
30.0%
|
29.0%
|
40.0%
|
89.2%
|
|
|
$146
|
↑
38.8%
|
33.0%
|
24.0%
|
41.0%
|
29.0%
|
31.0%
|
40.0%
|
43.0%
|
|
|
$127
|
↑
0.1%
|
32.4%
|
15.0%
|
47.0%
|
29.0%
|
31.0%
|
40.0%
|
48.6%
|
|
|
$64
|
0.0%
|
31.0%
|
12.0%
|
37.0%
|
32.0%
|
29.0%
|
45.0%
|
92.1%
|
|
|
$64
|
↑
0.8%
|
30.4%
|
13.0%
|
38.0%
|
27.0%
|
29.0%
|
45.0%
|
89.6%
|
|
|
$70
|
↑
2.2%
|
28.2%
|
9.0%
|
36.0%
|
27.0%
|
29.0%
|
40.0%
|
76.6%
|
Motherboard Comparison and Detail Specifications Table
| Specification | Perf Chart | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price |
$100
|
0.0%
|
$72
|
0.0%
|
$146
|
↑
38.8%
|
$127
|
↑
0.1%
|
$64
|
0.0%
|
$64
|
↑
0.8%
|
$70
|
↑
2.2%
|
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| Manufacturer | ASUS | Asrock | ASRock | GIGABYTE | GIGABYTE | MSI | ASRock | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chip/Socket | A520M / AM4 | B450M / AM4 | A520M / AM4 | A520I / AM4 | A520M / AM4 | A520M / AM4 | A520M / AM4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Form | Micro-ATX | Micro-ATX | Mini-ITX | Mini-ITX | Micro-ATX | Micro-ATX | Micro-ATX | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CPU Phases | 6 (60 A) | 5 (50 A) | 8 (60 A) | 6 (50 A) | 5 (50 A) | 5 (50 A) | 4 (50 A) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PWR Design | 6+1 | 5+1 | 8+1 | 6+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 4+2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mem Slots | 4 / DDR4 | 2 / DDR4 | 2 / DDR4 | 2 / DDR4 | 2 / DDR4 | 2 / DDR4 | 2 / DDR4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Max Mem | 128 GB / 4866 MHz | 64 GB / 3200 MHz | 64 GB / 4733 MHz | 64 GB / 5300 MHz | 64 GB / 5100 MHz | 64 GB / 4600 MHz | 64 GB / 4733 MHz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PCIe | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PCIe Slots | 1x16 Gen3 | 2x1 Gen3 | 1x16 Gen3 | 1x1 | 1x16 Gen3 | 1x16 Gen3 | 1x16 Gen3 | 1x1 Gen3 | 1x16 Gen3 | 1x1 Gen3 | 1x16 Gen3 | 1x1 Gen3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| M.2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATA | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Audio | Realtek ALC887/897 | Realtek ALC887/897 | Realtek ALC887/897 Audio Codec | Realtek® Audio CODEC | Realtek® ALC892/ALC897 | Realtek® ALC892/ALC897 Codec | Realtek ALC887/897 Audio Codec | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S/PDIF | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HDMI | ✔️ (2.1) | ✔️ (None) | ✔️ (2.1) | ✔️ (2.1) | ✔️ (2.1) | ✔️ (2.1) | ✔️ (2.1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DP | ✔️ (1.2) | ❌ | ✔️ (1.4) | ✔️ (1.4) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LAN | 1 x Realtek 1Gb Ethernet… (1 ports) | PCIE x1 Gigabit LAN 10/1… (1 ports) | PCIE x1 Gigabit LAN 10/1… (1 ports) | Realtek® GbE LAN chip (1 ports) | Realtek® GbE LAN chip (1… (1 ports) | 1x Realtek® RTL8111H Gig… (1 ports) | PCIE x1 Gigabit LAN 10/1… (1 ports) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 5 | ❌ | Wi-Fi 802.11ac | Wi-Fi 802.11ac | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BT | v5.0 | ❌ | v4.2 | v4.2 | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | Rear USB |
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| USB Headers |
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| Front USB |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
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VRM Appropriate CPU Specification Table
| CPU | Price | App_Performance | Game_Performance | TDP/Max | C/SC/T | L2/L3 Cache | Base/Boost | Code Name | 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:
- 2 x DDR4 DIMM Slots
- AMD Ryzen series CPUs (Vermeer) support DDR4 4600+(OC) / 4533(OC) / 4466(OC) / 4400(OC) / 4333(OC) / 4266(OC) / 4200(OC) / 4133(OC) / 4000(OC) / 3866(OC) / 3800(OC) / 3733(OC) / 3600(OC) / 3466(OC) / 3200 / 2933 / 2667 / 2400 / 2133 ECC & non-ECC, un-buffered memory*
- AMD Ryzen series CPUs (Matisse) support DDR4 4600+(OC) / 4533(OC) / 4466(OC) / 4400(OC) / 4333(OC) / 4333(OC) / 4266(OC) / 4200(OC) / 4133(OC) / 4000(OC) / 3866(OC) / 3800(OC) / 3733(OC) / 3600(OC) / 3466(OC) / 3200 / 2933 / 2667 / 2400 / 2133 ECC & non-ECC, un-buffered memory*
- AMD Ryzen series APUs (Cezanne) support DDR4 4733+(OC) / 4666(OC) / 4600(OC) / 4533(OC) / 4466(OC) / 4400(OC) / 4333(OC) / 4266(OC) / 4200(OC) / 4133(OC) / 4000(OC) / 3866(OC) / 3800(OC) / 3733(OC) / 3600(OC) / 3466(OC) / 3200 / 2933 / 2667 / 2400 / 2133 ECC & non-ECC, un-buffered memory*
- AMD Ryzen series APUs (Renoir) support DDR4 4733+(OC) / 4666(OC) / 4600(OC) / 4533(OC) / 4466(OC) / 4400(OC) / 4333(OC) / 4266(OC) / 4200(OC) / 4133(OC) / 4000(OC) / 3866(OC) / 3800(OC) / 3733(OC) / 3600(OC) / 3466(OC) / 3200 / 2933 / 2667 / 2400 / 2133 ECC & non-ECC, un-buffered memory*
- Max. capacity of system memory: 64GB**
- Supports Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) memory modules
- 15μ Gold Contact in DIMM Slots
Graphics:
- DirectX 12, Pixel Shader 5.0
- Shared memory default 2GB. Max Shared memory supports up to 16GB.**
- Three graphics output options: D-Sub, DVI-D and HDMI
- Supports Triple Monitor
- Supports HDMI 2.1 with max. resolution up to 4K x 2K (4096x2160) @ 60Hz
- Supports DVI-D with max. resolution up to 1920x1200 @ 60Hz
- Supports D-Sub with max. resolution up to 1920x1200 @ 60Hz
- Supports Auto Lip Sync, Deep Color (12bpc), xvYCC and HBR (High Bit Rate Audio) with HDMI 2.1 Port (Compliant HDMI monitor is required)
- Supports HDR (High Dynamic Range) with HDMI 2.1
- Supports HDCP 2.3 with DVI-D and HDMI 2.1 Ports
- Supports 4K Ultra HD (UHD) playback with HDMI 2.1 Port
- Supports Microsoft PlayReady
*Actual support may vary by CPU
**The Max shared memory 16GB requires 32GB system memory installed.
Storage:
- 1 x Ultra M.2 Socket (M2_1, Key M), supports type 2242/2260/2280 SATA3 6.0 Gb/s & PCIe Gen3x4 (32 Gb/s) modes*
Chipset:
- 4 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s Connectors
*Supports NVMe SSD as boot disks
NVMe SSD is not supported with AMD Athlon™ 3000G Processors
Supports ASRock U.2 Kit
Expansion Slots:
- 1 x PCI Express 3.0 x1 Slot
*Supports NVMe SSD as boot disks
USB:
Internal I/O:
- 1 x COM Port Header
- 1 x Chassis Intrusion and Speaker Header
- 1 x CPU Fan Connector (4-pin)*
- 2 x Chassis Fan Connectors (4-pin) (Smart Fan Speed Control)**
- 1 x 24 pin ATX Power Connector
- 1 x 4 pin 12V Power Connector
- 1 x Front Panel Audio Connector
- 2 x USB 2.0 Headers (Support 4 USB 2.0 ports) (Supports ESD Protection)
- 1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Header (Supports 2 USB 3.2 Gen1 ports) (Supports ESD Protection)
*The CPU Fan Connector supports the CPU fan of maximum 1A (12W) fan power.
**The Chassis Fan supports the water cooler fan of maximum 1A (12W) fan power.
CHA_FAN2 can auto detect if 3-pin or 4-pin fan is in use.
Back Panel I/O:
- 1 x D-Sub Port
- 1 x DVI-D Port
- 1 x HDMI Port
- 2 x USB 2.0 Ports (Supports ESD Protection)
- 4 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Ports (Supports ESD Protection)
- 1 x RJ-45 LAN Port with LED (ACT/LINK LED and SPEED LED)
- HD Audio Jacks: Line in / Front Speaker / Microphone
Audio:
- Supports Surge Protection
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