ASRock 870iCafe Motherboard

Conclusions

The new ASRock 870iCafe is a typical entry-level motherboard, targeted to users that want to build a mainstream AMD-based PC without integrated graphics, and prefer to have a full ATX motherboard instead of a microATX model. The advantages of the 870iCafe include the presence of six SATA-600 ports with support for RAID, one Gigabit Ethernet port, only solid capacitors, some overclocking options, and a useful core unlocking tool for you to “transform” your CPU in a better one if you bought the right model.

The main disadvantage of the 870iCafe are the shared audio jacks. The presence of only one PCI Express x16 slot may limit your upgrade options, and the absence of USB 3.0 ports may also be seen as a negative point by some users.

The 870iCafe is offered at USD 90, and at this very moment the main problem with this motherboard is that you can buy, for the exact same amount, the 870 Extreme3 from the same manufacturer at Newegg.com, which is based on the same chipset and comes with tons of extra features not present on the 870iCafe, including a second PCI Express x16 slot, two USB 3.0 ports, one eSATA-600 port, one FireWire port, 7.1 audio with independent analog jacks, and on-board optical and coaxial SPDIF connectors. So, it is a no-brainer buying, for the same price, the ASRoc
k 870 Extreme3 instead of the 870iCafe.