ASRock is back with yet another “big brain” moment because its latest motherboard is about solving the dilemma of choosing the last-gen DDR4 RAM or the flashy new DDR5 (Not so new actually, it’s been a few years).
The model is called H610M Combo, and it runs on the Intel LGA1700 socket to support 12th / 13th/ 14th Gen processors. But you get a total of 6 DIMM slots – 4x DDR5 and 2x DDR4, and they chose that number to market this board as the “I’ll use DDR4 for now, and upgrade to DDR5 later” sort of solution. But there’s a big caveat – “NO MIXING DDR4 AND DDR5”.
The board is still very much grounded in the H610 chipset’s limitations, so you shouldn’t expect things like memory overclocking or XMP. DDR5 support tops out at around 4800 MT/s, while DDR4 runs at more standard speeds. But for the price range it sits in, the package is surprisingly practical. Storage options include one M.2 slot capable of PCIe Gen3x4 or SATA, plus four SATA3 ports for traditional drives. On the expansion side, you get a PCIe 4.0 x16 slot for your GPU and two additional PCIe 3.0 slots for other add-in cards.
ASRock has also loaded it with plenty of display outputs, including HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI-D, and even D-Sub, which makes it a handy pick for repurposing older monitors or building budget office PCs. The 3+1 power phase VRM design won’t be driving high-end overclocked chips, but it’s more than enough for mainstream processors or a modest gaming setup.
All in, the H610M Combo feels like a smart middle-ground option for anyone trying to stretch their upgrade budget without sacrificing compatibility – start with what you can afford now, then move to DDR5 later when prices dip or when you’re ready for a full refresh.
