ASUS A520M-PLUS User manual
TUF GAMING
A520M-PLUS
Motherboard
E16798
First Edition
June 2020
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ii
Contents
Safety information ...................................................................................................... iv
About this guide .......................................................................................................... v
Package contents ....................................................................................................... vi
TUF GAMING A520M-PLUS specications summary ............................................. vi
Chapter 1 Product Introduction
1.1 Before you proceed ...................................................................................... 1-1
1.2 Motherboard overview ................................................................................. 1-1
1.3 Central Processing Unit (CPU) .................................................................... 1-7
1.4 System memory ............................................................................................ 1-8
Chapter 2 BIOS and RAID Support
2.1 Knowing BIOS ............................................................................................... 2-1
2.2 BIOS Setup program .................................................................................... 2-2
2.3 ASUS EZ Flash 3 ........................................................................................... 2-3
2.4 ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 .............................................................................. 2-4
2.5 RAID congurations ..................................................................................... 2-5
Appendix
Notices ..................................................................................................................... A-1
ASUS contact information ...................................................................................... A-6
iii
Safety information
Electrical safety
• To prevent electrical shock hazard, disconnect the power cable from the electrical outlet
before relocating the system.
• When adding or removing devices to or from the system, ensure that the power cables
for the devices are unplugged before the signal cables are connected. If possible,
disconnect all power cables from the existing system before you add a device.
• Before connecting or removing signal cables from the motherboard, ensure that all power
cables are unplugged.
• Seek professional assistance before using an adapter or extension cord. These devices
could interrupt the grounding circuit.
• Ensure that your power supply is set to the correct voltage in your area. If you are not
sure about the voltage of the electrical outlet you are using, contact your local power
company.
• If the power supply is broken, do not try to x it by yourself. Contact a qualied service
technician or your retailer.
Operation safety
• Before installing the motherboard and adding components, carefully read all the manuals
that came with the package.
• Before using the product, ensure all cables are correctly connected and the power cables
are not damaged. If you detect any damage, contact your dealer immediately.
• To avoid short circuits, keep paper clips, screws, and staples away from connectors,
slots, sockets and circuitry.
• Avoid dust, humidity, and temperature extremes. Do not place the product in any area
where it may be exposed to moisture.
• Place the product on a stable surface.
• If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a qualied service
technician or your retailer.
• Your motherboard should only be used in environments with ambient temperatures
between 0°C and 40°C.
iv
About this guide
This user guide contains the information you need when installing and conguring the
motherboard.
How this guide is organized
This guide contains the following parts:
• Chapter 1: Product Introduction
This chapter describes the features of the motherboard and the new technology it
supports. It includes descriptions of the switches, jumpers, and connectors on the
motherboard.
• Chapter 2: BIOS and RAID Support
This chapter tells how to boot into the BIOS, upgrade BIOS using the EZ Flash Utility
and support on RAID.
Where to nd more information
Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and software
updates.
1. ASUS website
The ASUS website provides updated information on ASUS hardware and software
products. Refer to the ASUS contact information.
2. Optional documentation
Your product package may include optional documentation, such as warranty flyers,
that may have been added by your dealer. These documents are not part of the
standard package.
Conventions used in this guide
To ensure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the following symbols used
throughout this manual.
CAUTION: Information to prevent damage to the components and injuries to
yourself when trying to complete a task.
IMPORTANT: Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a task.
NOTE: Tips and additional information to help you complete a task.
v
Package contents
Check your motherboard package for the following items.
Motherboard
Cables
Miscellaneous
Application DVD
Documentation
If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.
1 x TUF GAMING A520M-PLUS motherboard
2 x SATA 6Gb/s cables
1 x I/O Shield
1 x M.2 SSD screw package
1 x M.2 Key E screw package
1 x TUF Gaming sticker
1 x Support DVD
1 x TUF Certication card
1 x User manual
TUF GAMING A520M-PLUS specications summary
AMD Socket AM4 for 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen™ and 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen™
CPU
Chipset AMD A520 Chipset
Memory
Graphics
Expansion Slots
Storage
Ethernet 1 x Realtek L8200A 1Gb Ethernet
Wireless M.2 slot (Key E) (Wi-Fi module is sold separately)
with Radeon™ Graphics Processors*
*Refer to www.asus.com for CPU support list.
4 x DIMM, Max. 128GB, DDR4 4800(O.C.)/4600(O.C.)/4400(O.C.)/4266(
O.C.)/4133(O.C.)/4000(O.C.)/3866(O.C.)/3733(O.C.)/3600(O.C.)/3466
(O.C.)/3333(O.C.)/3200/3000/2800/2666/2400/2133 MHz, Un-buffered
Memory*
Dual Channel Memory Architecture
*ECC Memory (ECC mode) support varies by CPU.
**Refer to www.asus.com for the Memory QVL (Qualied Vendors Lists).
1 x D-Sub
1 x DVI-D
TM
1 x HDMI
2.1 (4K@60Hz)
3rd Gen AMD Ryzen™ and 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen™ with Radeon™
Graphics Processors
1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slot (supports x16 mode)
AMD A520 Chipset
2 x PCIe 3.0 x1 slots
Total supports 1 x M.2 slot and 4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports
3rd Gen AMD Ryzen™ and 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen™ with Radeon™
Graphics Processors
M.2 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280/22110
(supports PCIe 3.0 x4 & SATA modes)
AMD A520 Chipset
4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports
Supports RAID 0, 1, 10
(continued on the next page)
vi
TUF GAMING A520M-PLUS specications summary
Rear USB (Total 7 ports)
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 port (1 x Type-A)
4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (4 x Type-A)
USB
Audio
Back Panel I/O Ports
Internal I/O
Connectors
2 x USB 2.0 ports (2 x Type-A)
Front USB (Total 5 ports)
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 header supports additional 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
2 x USB 2.0 headers support additional 3 USB 2.0 ports
Realtek ALC 887 7.1 Surround Sound High Denition Audio CODEC*
- Supports Jack detection, Multi-streaming, Front Panel Jack-retasking
- Supports up to 24-Bit/192 kHz playback
Audio Features
- Audio Shielding
- Premium Japanese audio capacitors
- Dedicated audio PCB layers
* A chassis with an HD audio module in the front panel is required to support 7.1
Surround Sound audio output.
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 port (1 x Type-A)
4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (4 x Type-A)
2 x USB 2.0 ports (2 x Type-A)
1 x D-Sub port
1 x DVI-D port
1 x HDMITM port
1 x Realtek L8200A 1Gb Ethernet port
3 x Audio jacks
1 x PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse combo port
Fan and cooling related
1 x 4-pin CPU Fan header
2 x 4-pin Chassis Fan headers
Power related
1 x 24-pin Main Power connector
1 x 8-pin +12V Power connector
Storage related
1 x M.2 slot (Key M)
4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports
USB
1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 header supports additional 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
2 x USB 2.0 headers support additional 3 USB 2.0 ports
Miscellaneous
1 x AURA RGB header
1 x Clear CMOS header
1 x COM Port header
1 x Front Panel Audio header (AAFP)
1 x M.2 slot (Key E)
(continued on the next page)
vii
TUF GAMING A520M-PLUS specications summary
Internal I/O
Connectors
Special Features
Software
Features
BIOS 256 Mb Flash ROM, UEFI AMI BIOS
Manageability WOL by PME, PXE
Operating
System
Form Factor
1 x S/PDIF out header
1 x SPI TPM header (14-1pin)
1 x 20-5 pin System Panel header
ASUS TUF PROTECTION
- ASUS DIGI+ VRM
- ASUS ESD Guards
- TUF LANGuard
- ASUS Overvoltage Protection
- ASUS SafeSlot Core+
- ASUS Stainless-Steel Back I/O
ASUS Q-Design
- ASUS Q-DIMM
- ASUS Q-Slot
ASUS Thermal Solution
- Aluminum heatsink design
AURA Sync
- Aura RGB header
ASUS Exclusive Software
Armoury Crate
- Aura Creator
- Aura Sync
AI Suite 3
- Performance And Power Saving Utility
TurboV EVO
EPU
Digi+ VRM
Fan Xpert 2+
PC Cleaner
- EZ update
- System Information
TUF GAMING CPU-Z
AI Charger
ASUS Turbo LAN
Norton Anti-virus software (Free Trial for 60 days)
WinRAR
UEFI BIOS
ASUS EZ DIY
- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3
- ASUS EZ Flash 3
- ASUS UEFI BIOS EZ Mode
Windows 10 - 64 bit
mATX Form Factor
9.6 inch x 9.6 inch ( 24.4 cm x 24.4 cm )
viii
Specications are subject to change without notice. Refer to the ASUS website for the
latest specications.
Product Introduction
1
1.1 Before you proceed
Take note of the following precautions before you install motherboard components or change
any motherboard settings.
• Unplug the power cord from the wall socket before touching any component.
• Before handling components, use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded
object or a metal object, such as the power supply case, to avoid damaging them due
to static electricity.
• Before you install or remove any component, ensure that the ATX power supply is
switched off or the power cord is detached from the power supply. Failure to do so
may cause severe damage to the motherboard, peripherals, or components.
1.2 Motherboard overview
Place this
side towards
the rear of the
chassis
6
3
KBMS
_U32G1_56
DVI
VGA
HDMI
USB56
U32G2_7
LAN_U32G1_34
AUDIO
Realtek
L8200A
Super
I/O
ALC
887
11 1213 15
5 1 2104 16 4
EATX12V
BATTERY
CHA_FAN1
22110
2280 2260 2242
PCIEX1_1
PCIEX1_2
COM
AAFP
256Mb
BIOS
SPI TPM
CLRTC
SPDIF_OUT
PCIEX16
COM_DEBUG
24.4cm(9.6in)
USB3USB12
M.2(SOCKET3)
M.2(WIFI)
PANEL
CHA_FAN2
CPU_FAN
SOCKET AM4
RGB_HEADER
AMD
A520
SATA6G_4
EATXPWR
DDR4 DIMM_A1 (64bit, 288-pin module)
DDR4 DIMM_A2* (64bit, 288-pin module)
DDR4 DIMM_B1 (64bit, 288-pin module)
DDR4 DIMM_B2* (64bit, 288-pin module)
U32G1_12
SATA6G_3 SATA6G_2 SATA6G_1
DIGI+
VRM
7179
Unplug the power cord before installing or removing the motherboard. Failure to do so can
cause you physical injury and damage motherboard components.
5
24.4cm(9.6in)
8
14
ASUS TUF GAMING A520M-PLUS
1-1
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