Problems with RGB/ARGB headers

remoteboy

So I’ve built a gaming PC for my son and he was looking for something colourful. I thought everything I bought would play nicely but I thought wrong. It’s my first time working with RGB and I missed that there were two standards (RGB and ARGB). I am now in possession of a motherboard - ASUS Prime B450M-A II AMD Socket AM4 that doesn’t have an ARGB header. And a case - Cooler Master MasterBox MB320L - that comes with two ARGB fans pre-fitted. I can’t see any way to power the fans, let alone light them up.

My options seem to be
- get an ARGB controller from Coolermaster. this should power the fans on and makes the LEDs work, but have to use the button on the controller as no control from motherboard, or
- replace the ARGB fans with regular RGB fans, or
- get a motherboard with an ARGB header and sell the current board

I’m currently leaning towards replacing the motherboard with an ARGB compatible one. These are the ones I’m looking at.

Asrock B550M PHANTOM GAMING 4
https://www.maxburns.ie/asrock-b550m-phantom-gaming-4-amd-b550-am4-micro-atx-4-ddr4-hdmi-dp-xfire-pcie4-m-2-b550m%20phantom%20gaming%204.html

Asrock B450M STEEL LEGEND
https://www.maxburns.ie/asrock-b450m-steel-legend-amd-b450-am4-micro-atx-4-ddr4-hdmi-dp-xfire-rock-solid-durability-rgb-lighting-m-2-b450m%20steel%20legend.html

Gigabyte B450 AORUS Elite
https://www.maxburns.ie/gigabyte-b450-aorus-elite-amd-socket-am4-atx-ddr4-dvi-d-hdmi-dual-m-2-rgb-motherboard-mbgig-b450aorel.html

I’d have liked to do another ASUS board because I was hoping to use Aura Sync (I also have Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO RAM in the machine) but can’t find any ASUS motherboards with an ARGB header.

Would appreciate any help - am I missing something obvious / is there another easier option? Or for that matter any opinions on the suggested boards / better boards.

Many thanks

SeanW

My next build will have lots of RGB so I've been doing some research into this.

The first, cheapest, simplest, albeit nastiest option would be to simply buy static-colour LED components. That might be an option if the young fella likes a particular primary colour (e.g. white, red, green etc). Another option is to acquire fans that use the correct type of header for your system.

RGB RAM AFAIK will work with just about any type of RGB enabled motherboard, and IIRC some might work with just the manufacturers software. Aside from RAM, generally, there are 3 types of RGB headers. 5V, 12V and Corsair.

As I understand add-in modules that provide RGB control to a motherboard that doesn't have it, the best of those work by connecting to the mobo over a spare USB 2.0 header. One option in that regard is to get a Corsair Commander PRO.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/corsair-icue-commander-pro-smart-rgb-lighting-and-fan-speed-controller-black-fg-06q-cs.html
They're expensive and they'll limit you to Corsair iCUE compatible components, but they would allow you to control a whole load of Corsair iCUE rgb gear from Windows via their iCUE software. Most motherboards cannot control Corsair RGB components directly, with the exception of some MSI boards mostly from the B450 era - those can control a Corsair component over the JCORSAIR header.

Your other option, as you point out, is to replace your mainboard. In that regard, I very much like the Gigabyte boards for B550, because many of them have 5 RGB headers in total, 2x12v, 2x5v and another (I think) 12v near the CPU socket. This would be ideal for use with an AMD Wraith Prism cooler for example and still leave you with a variety of ports for other uses.

JoyPad

remoteboy wrote: »

I’d have liked to do another ASUS board because I was hoping to use Aura Sync (I also have Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO RAM in the machine) but can’t find any ASUS motherboards with an ARGB header.

Of course there are ASUS motherboards with ARGB support. They sell ARGB strips too.

I think you need to look at TUF or RoG Strix motherboard, if Prime doesn't have ARGB.

remoteboy

JoyPad wrote: »

Of course there are ASUS motherboards with ARGB support. They sell ARGB strips too.

I think you need to look at TUF or RoG Strix motherboard, if Prime doesn't have ARGB.

Sorry, you're dead right - there are options available. What I meant to say was that I couldn't find any in a similar price range. The TUF and Rog Strix 450 boards that I could find in and around EUR100 were all RGB only. The 550 boards definitely have it but the ones I found were over 150. I'm pricing everything on Max Burns because avoiding UK sites with customs charges coming in on Jan 1st. But I'll have a look further afield.

I'd just get the ARGB controller and put it in a spot in the case that's easy to access.