ASRock A520M-ITX/AC
ASRock A520M-ITX/AC Specifications Review
ASRock A520M-ITX/AC by ASRock is a Mini-ITX 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-ITX/AC has a basic VRM configuration, delivering 60 A across 8 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-ITX/AC 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 . 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 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 wireless networking with the Wi-Fi 802.11ac standard, Bluetooth 4.2 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 1.4 . 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-ITX/AC is minimalist and barebones, with a low overall quality score of 33.00. 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 has a solid 59.7% value efficiency, providing decent performance relative to its price. It represents a balanced option for users seeking fair capabilities without paying a premium.
General Information
| Manufacturer | ASRock |
|---|---|
| Motherboard Name | ASRock A520M-ITX/AC |
| Current Price Amazon | $105 |
| Amazon Price Updated | 1 day, 17 hours ago. |
| Motherboard Available | True |
| Chipset / Socket | A520M / AM4 |
| Form Factor | Mini-ITX |
VRM Configuration
| CPU Power Phases (Amps) | 8 (60 A) |
|---|---|
| Power Design | 8+1 |
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 |
Storage Configuration
| M.2 Slot Count | 1 slot |
|---|---|
| M.2 Supported Lengths | 2280 |
| 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: 4K x 2K (4096x2160) @ 60Hz) |
|---|---|
| DisplayPort Output | DisplayPort - Version 1.4 (Max: 5K (5120x2880)@120Hz) |
USB and Thunderbolt Connectivity
Rear USB Ports
| 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 |
Internal USB Headers
| USB 2.0 Header (480 Mbps) | 2 |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Version: Wi-Fi 802.11ac Bandwidth: 433Mbps Frequency Bands: 2.4GHz, 5GHz Antenna Connectors: 2 |
| Bluetooth |
Version: 4.2 |
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 | Requires Integrated AMD Radeon™ Vega Series Graphics in Ryzen Series APU. Supports DirectX 12 and Pixel Shader 5.0. Shared memory is 2GB by default, with a maximum of 16GB. Dual graphics output is supported via independent display controllers. The HDMI 2.1 port supports Auto Lip Sync, Deep Color (12bpc), xvYCC, HBR (High Bit Rate Audio), and HDR. Both HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 ports support HDCP 2.3 and 4K Ultra HD (UHD) playback. Also supports Microsoft PlayReady. |
| Expansion | With AMD Ryzen series CPUs (Matisse), the x16 slot supports bifurcation into x8/x8 mode using a riser card. Includes a Vertical M.2 Socket (Key E) with a bundled WiFi module. |
| Storage |
M.2 Slot Details:
SATA connectors support NCQ, AHCI and Hot Plug. Supports NVMe SSD as boot disks. Supports ASRock U.2 Kit. |
| Audio | Features 7.1 CH HD Audio. Supports Surge Protection. The rear jacks are: Line in / Front Speaker / Microphone. |
| Networking | RJ-45 LAN Port with LED (ACT/LINK LED and SPEED LED). Supports Bluetooth 4.2 + High speed class II. |
| Dimensions | 17 cm x 17 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-ITX/AC 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$80❗
|
↓
-1.4%
|
38.0%
|
13.0%
|
58.0%
|
37.0%
|
37.0%
|
45.0%
|
90.7%
|
|
|
$188❗
|
0.0%
|
37.8%
|
14.0%
|
77.0%
|
45.0%
|
13.0%
|
40.0%
|
38.2%
|
|
|
$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%
|
|
|
$105
|
↓
-45.1%
|
33.0%
|
24.0%
|
41.0%
|
29.0%
|
31.0%
|
40.0%
|
59.7%
|
|
|
$127
|
↑
0.0%
|
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
|
↓
-0.7%
|
30.4%
|
13.0%
|
38.0%
|
27.0%
|
29.0%
|
45.0%
|
90.2%
|
|
|
$68
|
↓
-2.1%
|
28.2%
|
9.0%
|
36.0%
|
27.0%
|
29.0%
|
40.0%
|
78.2%
|
Motherboard Comparison and Detail Specifications Table
| Specification | Perf Chart | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price |
$80❗
|
↓
-1.4%
|
$188❗
|
0.0%
|
$100
|
0.0%
|
$72
|
0.0%
|
$105
|
↓
-45.1%
|
$127
|
↑
0.0%
|
$64
|
0.0%
|
$64
|
↓
-0.7%
|
$68
|
↓
-2.1%
|
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| Manufacturer | ASRock | MSI | ASUS | Asrock | ASRock | GIGABYTE | GIGABYTE | MSI | ASRock | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chip/Socket | B450M / AM4 | B550 / AM4 | A520M / AM4 | B450M / AM4 | A520M / AM4 | A520I / AM4 | A520M / AM4 | A520M / AM4 | A520M / AM4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Form | Micro-ATX | Standard-ATX | Micro-ATX | Micro-ATX | Mini-ITX | Mini-ITX | Micro-ATX | Micro-ATX | Micro-ATX | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CPU Phases | 6 (42 A) | 5 (55 A) | 6 (60 A) | 5 (50 A) | 8 (60 A) | 6 (50 A) | 5 (50 A) | 5 (50 A) | 4 (50 A) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PWR Design | 6+2 | 5+1 | 6+1 | 5+1 | 8+1 | 6+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 4+2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mem Slots | 4 / DDR4 | 4 / DDR4 | 4 / DDR4 | 2 / DDR4 | 2 / DDR4 | 2 / DDR4 | 2 / DDR4 | 2 / DDR4 | 2 / DDR4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Max Mem | 128 GB / 3200 MHz | 128 GB / 4400 MHz | 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 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PCIe Slots | 1x16 Gen3 | 1x1 | 2x16 Gen3 | 4x1 | 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 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATA | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Audio | Realtek ALC892/897 Audio Codec | Realtek® ALC897 Codec | 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 | ✔️ (1.4) | ✔️ (2.0b) | ✔️ (2.1) | ✔️ (None) | ✔️ (2.1) | ✔️ (2.1) | ✔️ (2.1) | ✔️ (2.1) | ✔️ (2.1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DP | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ (1.2) | ❌ | ✔️ (1.4) | ✔️ (1.4) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LAN | PCIE x1 Gigabit LAN 10/1… (1 ports) | 1x Realtek® RTL8111H LAN… (1 ports) | 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 |
|
❌ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| USB Headers |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Front USB |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
%20Gallery/5f36163c6bd245b68145502b06ea9c7a.jpg)
VRM Appropriate CPU Specification Table
| CPU | Price | App_Performance | Game_Performance | TDP/Max | C/SC/T | L2/L3 Cache | Base/Boost | Code Name | GPU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$224
|
0.0%
|
36.6%
|
61.4%
|
65 W / 88 W | 8 / 0 / 16 | 512.0 kB / 32.0 MB | 3.40 GHz / 4.60 GHz | Vermeer | None | |
|
$205
|
0.0%
|
35.8%
|
52.8%
|
65 W / 61 W | 8 / 0 / 16 | 512.0 kB / 16.0 MB | 3.80 GHz / 4.60 GHz | Cezanne | Radeon Vega 8 | |
|
$205
|
0.0%
|
34.0%
|
52.0%
|
65 W / 61 W | 8 / 0 / 16 | 512.0 kB / 16.0 MB | 3.70 GHz / 4.60 GHz | Cezanne | None | |
|
$200
|
↑
11.2%
|
31.1%
|
61.4%
|
65 W / 88 W | 6 / 0 / 12 | 512.0 kB / 32.0 MB | 3.70 GHz / 4.60 GHz | Vermeer | None | |
|
$185
|
0.0%
|
29.8%
|
50.9%
|
65 W / 61 W | 6 / 0 / 12 | 512.0 kB / 16.0 MB | 3.90 GHz / 4.40 GHz | Cezanne | Radeon Vega 7 | |
|
$167
|
↓
-1.5%
|
29.3%
|
59.0%
|
65 W / 88 W | 6 / 0 / 12 | 512.0 kB / 32.0 MB | 3.50 GHz / 4.40 GHz | Vermeer | None | |
|
$82
|
0.0%
|
27.8%
|
48.5%
|
65 W / 65 W | 6 / 0 / 12 | 512.0 kB / 16.0 MB | 3.60 GHz / 4.20 GHz | Cezanne | None |
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.**
- Dual graphics output: support HDMI and DisplayPort 1.4 ports by independent display controllers
- Supports HDMI 2.1 with max. resolution up to 4K x 2K (4096x2160) @ 60Hz
- Supports DisplayPort 1.4 with max. resolution up to 5K (5120x2880)@120Hz
- 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 HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 Ports
- Supports 4K Ultra HD (UHD) playback with HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 Ports
- Supports Microsoft PlayReady
Storage:
- 1 x Ultra M.2 Socket (M2_1), supports M Key type 2280 M.2 SATA3 6.0 Gb/s module and M.2 PCI Express module up to Gen3 x4 (32 Gb/s)*
*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 Vertical M.2 Socket (Key E) with the bundled WiFi-802.11ac PCIe WiFi module (on the rear I/O)
*AMD Ryzen series CPUs (Matisse) supports PCIe riser cards to extend x8/x8 slots
Supports NVMe SSD as boot disks
USB:
Internal I/O:
- 1 x Addressable LED Header**
- 1 x CPU Fan Connector (4-pin)***
- 2 x Chassis/Water Pump Fan Connectors (4-pin) (Smart Fan Speed Control)****
- 1 x 24 pin ATX Power Connector
- 1 x 8 pin 12V Power Connector
- 1 x Front Panel Audio Connector
- 1 x USB 2.0 Header (Supports 2 USB 2.0 ports) (Supports ESD Protection)
- 1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Header (Supports 2 USB 3.2 Gen1 ports) (Supports ESD Protection)
*Supports in total up to 12V/3A, 36W LED Strip
**Supports in total up to 5V/3A, 15W LED Strip
***The CPU Fan Connector supports the CPU fan of maximum 1A (12W) fan power.
****The Chassis/Water Pump Fan supports the water cooler fan of maximum 2A (24W) fan power.
CHA_FAN1/WP and CHA_FAN2/WP can auto detect if 3-pin or 4-pin fan is in use.
Back Panel I/O:
- 1 x PS/2 Mouse/Keyboard Port
- 1 x HDMI Port
- 1 x DisplayPort 1.4
- 2 x USB 2.0 Ports (Supports ESD Protection)
- 3 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A Ports (Supports ESD Protection)
- 1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C Port (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
WiFi:
- Supports IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
- Supports Dual-Band (2.4/5 GHz)
- Supports high speed wireless connections up to 433Mbps
- Supports Bluetooth 4.2 + High speed class II
Audio:
- Supports Surge Protection
Special Features:
- ASRock Motherboard Utility (A-Tuning)
- ASRock Polychrome SYNC
UEFI
- ASRock Full HD UEFI
- ASRock Instant Flash
*These utilities can be downloaded from ASRock Live Update & APP Shop.
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