Top 10 motherboard 2022: Best Motherboards 2023 for Gaming, by Socket and Chipset

Asus ROG Strix B550-E Gaming review

Our Verdict

Asus’s range topping Strix B550-E board based on the ‘budget ‘B550 chipset isn’t quite as crazy as it seems, provided you don’t demand dramatic quantities of bandwidth for secondary peripherals

For

Extensive feature set
Nice build quality
Top notch networking

Against

Very pricey for a B550 board
Stock-clocked performance is unremarkable
Limited bandwidth for peripherals

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Allow me to present the Asus ROG Strix B550-E Gaming, the most expensive of Asus’ new lineup of AMD B550 boards. Nearly $300 for a motherboard based on a budget chipset? Really? If that sounds like something you never knew you needed, hold on. It’s not actually altogether crazy.

Chipset — AMD B550
Socket — AM4
CPU compatibility — AMD Ryzen 3000
Form factor — ATX
Expansion slots — 2x PCIe 4.0 x16, 1x PCIe 3.0 x4
Storage — 2x M.2, 6x SATA 6Gbps
Networking — Intel WiFi 6, Intel 2.5Gb ethernet, Bluetooth 5.1
Rear USB — 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (2 x Type-A+1 x USB Type-C®) 5 x USB 2.0 (1 for audio USB Type-C)
Extras — 1x Thunderbolt header, Aura RGB lighting, SLI and CrossfireX support, two-digit debug display

Yes, the B550 is strictly the second tier variant of AMD’s latest 500-series chipsets. But it doesn’t miss out on all that much compared to its bigger X570 brother. Essentially, there’s one really significant downgrade, from which a host of detailed changes flow.

For the B550, AMD has hooked up the PCH chip at the heart of the chipset to the CPU socket via a quad-lane PCI Express Gen 3 interface. The X570 gets quad-lane PCI Express, too, but a Gen 4 interface. In simple terms, that means double the bandwidth. In detail terms, consequences for the B550 include support for just a single M.2 PCIe Gen 4 SSD running at full speed, while the X570 chipset supports two.

There are knock-on effects in other bandwidth-sensitive areas, such as USB connectivity. But in other regards, the B550 isn’t necessarily the poverty-spec choice you might expect.

With the fuller context established, what to make of this premium B550 board? At a glance it cuts a convincing enthusiast dash thanks to copious heat sinks and spreaders, including one for each M.2 slot, snazzy LED lighting, and three full-length PCI Express slots, two of which come in Gen 4 trim.

Impressively, those slots support dual-GPU graphics, each in eight-lane PCIe 4.0 configuration, ensuring the maximum currently available bandwidth for high end graphics. A niche concern? Perhaps, but it’s indicative of the ambitions of this board. Similarly, the Strix B550 has not just an eight-pin but also a four-pin supplementary CPU power supply connector. Again, that’s an indication of a board designed for high performance.

Other performance-centric features include chunky heat sinks for the VRMs (there’s no fan for the chipset thanks to the B550’s piffling 5W power draw to the X570 10W rating), a dedicated power header for an AIO water cooler pump and multiple PWM fan headers. For the record, the board is a six-layer PCB design and offers a decent 14+2 power stage.

Additionally, you get a two-digit debug display, which is nice, and 7.1 audio with shielding to reduce interface and improve sound quality. Oh, and not only an Intel I225-V 2.5Gb Ethernet controller for blazing fast networking, but also Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 wireless connectivity with 2×2 Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax) support. That’s double nice with extra cheese. The aforementioned LED lighting, incidentally, can be easily synced with an ever-growing portfolio of Aura-capable ASUS hardware. So now you know.

(Image credit: Asus)

Gaming performance

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Hardware performance

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Test rig

CPU — AMD Ryzen 3 3100
Memory — 16GB HyperX DDR4-3000
GPU — MSI GTX 1070 GamingX
Storage — 1TB Addlink S90
PSU — Phantec 1000W

What you’ll also be wondering about is performance. Is it actually all that much better than a more prosaic — and cheaper — B550 alternative? At stock clocks and default board settings, the inevitable answer is… no. In fact, the Asus ROG Strix B550-E Gaming is a solid 50 per cent pricier than the likes of the MSI MAG B550M Mortar and tangibly slower in most of our benchmarks, including games.

Where the Strix looks stronger, inevitably, involves overclocking. AMD’s laissez-faire approach to clocking the twangers off pretty much any CPU that comes its way, by enabling access to super-simple core ratio tweaks, means you’d almost be mad not to give it a go. The Strix B550-E gets Asus’ slick and familiar BIOS interface that allows access to not only the core ratio but pretty much every setting a keen overclocker could wish for. So you have the choice of bumping the core ratios up and letting the board work out the details, or getting down and dirty with voltages and timings.

Allowing the board to do the detailed brain work results in an overclock of our AMD Ryzen 3 3100 quad-core test chip of 4.2GHz on all cores. The Ryzen 3100 is good for a 3.9GHz boost clock as standard, so that’s a 300MHz overclock. Which is significant, if not exactly stellar.

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While we’re discussing the more extreme end of the performance envelope, it’s also worth noting that Asus’ DOCP (Direct Over Clock Profile) isn’t entirely successful in this implementation. It correctly detects the 3,000MHz XMP profile of our HyperX Predator DDR4 DIMMs, but hangs upon rebooting. Stable operation is possible at 2,866MHz, which isn’t a million miles away. But Asus’s DOCP doesn’t quite deliver on the advertised aim, which is a roughly equivalent experience to Intel’s XMP profiles.

All of which means that we’re back where we started. If maximum bandwidth for peripherals attached to the chipset is critical for you, then no B550 will serve you well. On the other hand, if you’re expecting to run a pretty lean system with a single M.2 drive and not all that much by way of added peripherals, you might well decide there’s no point on paying the premium for an X570 board. You can spend the money saved on a slightly faster CPU or graphics card and still have a pretty high-end, and full-featured motherboard.

Asus ROG Strix B550-E Gaming: Price Comparison

£179. 98

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£179.98

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£179.99

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£219.98

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£305.11

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Asus ROG Strix B550-E Gaming

Jeremy has been writing about technology and PCs since the 90nm Netburst era (Google it!) and enjoys nothing more than a serious dissertation on the finer points of monitor input lag and overshoot followed by a forensic examination of advanced lithography. Or maybe he just likes machines that go “ping!” He also has a thing for tennis and cars.

Best Intel Motherboards: Holiday 2022

Here is the latest update to our list of recommended Intel motherboards in our series of motherboards buyers guides. All numbers in the text are updated to reflect pricing at the time of writing.

Best Intel Motherboards: Holiday 2022

Since we posted our previous motherboard guides, there has been a couple of notable processor launches. Perhaps one of the most impressive of the aforementioned launches is Intel’s 13th Gen Core series, codenamed Raptor Lake. Not only is Intel’s 13th Gen Core series powerful as we highlighted in our launch day review, but it offers multiple levels of affordability due to its support for both DDR5 and DDR4 memory. This means users can pair up the flagship Core i9-13900K with a premium Z790/Z690 motherboard and fast DDR5 memory for ultimate performance, or even go for the more affordable Core i5-13600K with DDR4 and a more modest motherboard model.

We’re focusing on Intel here and there are many chipsets that feature support for Intel’s 13th Gen Core series processors including the latest Z790 motherboards that feature PCIe 5.0, as well as the previous Z690, H670, and B660 chipsets. With Intel’s 700 and 600 series chipsets allowing support for both the previous 12th Gen Core series and the latest 13th Gen Core series, there is much to sink your teeth into. Whether your focus is on obtaining ultimate performance, building a system for high-end gaming, as well as one offering good performance at a good cost, it’s time to go through our best picks in our Intel motherboard buyers guide for the 2022 holiday period.

Here are our choices in the motherboard market for Intel. For AMD recommendations, head on over to our AMD guide. This is updated monthly just like our Intel motherboard buyers guide.

Intel Motherboards Recommendations Holiday 2022
Segment	Motherboard	Memory Type	Amazon	Newegg	MSRP
Price vs Features	MSI Pro Z690-A WIFI	DDR5	$229	$229	$250
Value	ASRock B660 Pro RS	DDR4	—	$140	$140
Mini-ITX	GIGABYTE Z690I Aorus Ultra Lite	DDR4	$140	$140	$170
Money No Object	ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme	DDR5	$1000	$1000	$1000

Our recommendations for motherboards are based entirely on personal and professional opinions. There are notably many different motherboards across the Intel chipset family allowing support for both 13th and 12th Gen Core processors. These include the latest Z790. as well as the previous Z690, B660, H660, and H610 chipsets. We’ve considered and factored all of these into our decision, and ultimately, some of our choices and options here are also limited by what stock is available.

It is worth highlighting as we did in our review of the Core i9-13900K and Core i5-13600K processors, that the latest Z790 chipset offers no ‘performance’ related benefits regardless if you opt for a 13th or 12th Gen Core series processor. We asked Intel directly about this and they confirmed that Z790 offers more PCIe 4.0 lanes and I/O options than Z690, but in regards to raw compute and gaming performance, users shouldn’t experience any differences. This means that Z690 and other 600-series Intel chipsets offer users various avenues to building a system with either DDR5 or DDR4 memory, as both generations (13th/12th) support this.

Best Intel Motherboard For Gaming/Performance

MSI Pro Z690-A WIFI (DDR5) ($229 at Amazon/$229 at Newegg)

While performance is subjective to the overall hardware configuration of a system, the motherboard is undoubtedly the gateway to unlocking all of the new features. There are many LGA1700 socketed models to consider, but one board that piques my interest and continues to do so is from MSI, the Pro Z690-A WIFI (DDR5) to be exact. Now while the aesthetic might not be the typical quintessential gaming-themed motherboard, it’s got everything needed to get gamers off the ground with a decent feature set, and it has an equally attractive price point. And as we’ve made clear throughout, the MSI Pro Z690-A WIFI does offer support with Intel 13th Generation Core series processors via a BIOS update.

Some of the MSI Pro Z690-A WIFI’s most notable features include Intel’s latest Wi-Fi 6E CNVi with an Intel I225-V 2.5 GbE controller. Coupled with support for up to three PCIe 4. 0 x4 M.2, one PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2, and six SATA ports, it has everything a gamer could need ranging from super-fast NVMe or even conventional hard drives for game storage. One of the biggest advancements of opting for Alder Lake is that it has plenty of varied PCIe support, including one full-length PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, two full-length PCIe 3.0 slots operating at x4/x1, with an additional and smaller PCIe 3.0 x1 slot. Perhaps the most important addition to Z690 is support for the latest DDR5 memory, with the MSI Pro Z690-A WIFI supporting DDR5-6400 out of the box, with a combined capacity of up to 128 GB across four memory slots.

The MSI Pro Z690-A WIFI can currently be purchased for $229 at both Amazon and Newegg. A Z690 model with DDR5 support, PCIe 5.0 support, three M.2 slots, and Wi-Fi 6E/2.5 GbE for $229 is a fantastic price. Most of the Z690 boards are so over-engineered that a model such as this will still give you all the performance benefits of the 13th and 12th generation Intel chips, but with more budget to spend on DDR5 memory, storage, and perhaps if you’re lucky, a graphics card; stock permitting of course.

Gamers on a budget will appreciate the feature set, while all the performance benefits of Alder Lake can be unleashed with the MSI Pro Z690-A WIFI, and this makes it our pick for gamers. MSI also has a non-Wi-Fi enabled version of this model that is listed on Newegg and Amazon for $195, if gaming over wireless just isn’t suitable for you, but at $229, we would wholly recommend getting the Wi-Fi 6E version.

Users can also opt for the DDR4 version which sells for around the same price, with the same features and layout, albeit, without any of the performance benefits that DDR5 memory offers.

Best Intel Motherboard: The Value Option

ASRock B660 Pro RS (DDR4) ($N/A at Amazon/$140 at Newegg)

When it comes to defining what value is, the term is wholly subjective to what a person can afford. In my view, it comes down to what offers the most in terms of features against the overall cost (features vs cost). With Intel B660 models offering support for both Intel’s Core 13th Gen series processors and the previous 12th Gen series, frugal users might not want to manually overclock and utilize Intel’s Turbo features designed to squeeze extra performance where they can. Enter one of our previous picks in recent times, the ASRock B660 Pro RS (DDR4) motherboard. With no value chipsets available as of yet from Intel’s 700 series chipsets, we’ve pivoted to one of Intel’s more budget-friendly chipsets on the previous generation, B660, and the ASRock B660 Pro RS (DDR4) is our option to get some value out of the current Intel 13th generation and the previous 12th generation processors.

Some of the main features of the ASRock B660 Pro RS include support for the more affordable DDR4 memory, with speeds of up to DDR4-4800, support for the very good Core i5-13600K processor, as well as support for all of Intel’s Alder Lake-S desktop processors such as the Core i5-12600K and Core i3-12300. Despite Intel’s B660 chipset not coming with support for overclocking, that’s not to its detriment as it focuses more on offering value with a budget Intel I219-V Gigabit Ethernet controller, with an equally cost-effective Realtek ALC897 HD audio codec.

Other features include one full-length PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, one full-length PCIe 4.0 x4 slot, and two PCIe 3.0 x1 slots. For storage, ASRock includes two PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slots, with one PCIe 3.0 x2/SATA M.2 slot, as well as four SATA ports. For a budget model, there are four USB 3.2 G1 Type-A and two USB 2.0 ports on the rear panel, but ASRock does include one USB 3.2 G1 Type-C front panel header (one port), two USB 3.2 G1 Type-A headers (four ports), and one USB 2.0 header (two ports) for users requiring more connectivity.

The ASRock B660 Pro RS is currently available to buy at Newegg for $140, which is a good price for everything that it offers. Amazon does stock this model, but availability is sporadic and changes on a weekly basis, so we recommend users buy this at Newegg. While some may argue that there are ‘better’ motherboards available, looking at what’s in the budget space currently, DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 aren’t typically a concern or viable for users to benefit for those without large wallets, and the ASRock B660 Pro RS is what it is, a good value and sensible option for users on a budget.

Best Intel Motherboard: The Best Mini-ITX Motherboard

GIGABYTE Z690I Aorus Ultra Lite (DDR4) ($140 at Amazon/$140 at Newegg)

At present, small form factor enthusiasts haven’t really had an easy time in being able to highlight high-performance components, without the inevitable pitfalls that come with them such as excessive power draw and thermals. The other detrimental issue with small form factor components is price; they can be quite expensive, but not all of them. The GIGABYTE Z690I Aorus Ultra (DDR4) Lite Edition is an interesting mini-ITX motherboard with a relatively decent feature set, but at an astonishingly low price for a small form factor model.

Some of the GIGABYTE Z690I Aorus Ultra (DDR4) Lite’s main features include support for both Intel 13th and 12th Gen Core series processors, two memory slots with support for up to DDR4-5333, and one full-length PCIe 3.0 x16 slot. For storage, there’s support for up to two M.2 drives, including one PCIe 4.0 x4 (2260/2280) on the back side of the board, and one PCIe 4. 0 x4 2242/2260/2280 on the front. In addition to this, there are four SATA ports with support for RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 arrays.

Looking at the finer specifications, the GIGABYTE Z690I Aorus Ultra Lite is using a Realtek ALC4080 HD audio codec that powers just two 3.5 mm audio jacks, while rear panel connectivity for the price and size is excellent. This consists of three USB 3.2 G2 Type-A, one USB 3.2 G2x2 Type-A, and two USB 2.0 ports. On the networking side of things, GIGABYTE includes an Intel I225-V 2.5 GbE controller and an Intel AX201 Wi-Fi 6 CNVi, which also includes support for BT 5.2 devices.

Yes, the kicker with the Ultra Lite is that the main PEG slot is limited to PCIe 3.0. While this may put some users off, the price difference between the ‘regular’ Z690I Aorus Ultra Plus at $310 and the Lite version ($140) sits at around $170. Even with the additional bandwidth PCIe 4.0 offers versus PCIe 3.0, the differences are that when considering a $140 motherboard, you’re unlikely to be pairing it up with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, or even an i9-13900K, although you could if you wanted to.

Being based around the Z690 chipset, the Ultra Lite does indeed offer support for overclocking, but with the impressive levels of turbo clock speeds at stock on the latest 13th Gen Core series processors, and even the 12th Gen Core series for that matter, it makes manual overclocking less required than ever before. This is especially relevant in small form factor chassis where the extra heat generated from manually overclocking can cause additional problems.

If the PCIe 3.0 x16 PEG slot doesn’t concern you, and you’re planning on building a small form factor system around Intel’s 13th or 12th Gen Core series processors, then the GIGABYTE Z690I Aorus Ultra Lite (DDR4) is a bargain at $140. GIGABYTE has also made a DDR5 variant of this board for a little bit more expensive at $160 at Newegg, while the regular version with a PCIe 4.0 x16 PEG slot costs $310 for the DDR4 variant and $330 for the DDR5 version.

Best Intel Motherboard: Money Is No Object

ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme ($1000 at Amazon/$1000 at Newegg)

For those lucky enough to be able to contemplate buying a flagship or halo product, there are plenty of options to consider on socket LGA1700. Although actual compute performance at stock settings may be similar on a $1000 and a $300 Z790/Z690 motherboard, the extra money spent is typically on features, the most premium controller sets, and more I/O. As we’re focusing on money no object here, we’ve opted for a flagship Z790 model currently available at retail, and we’ve gone for the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme.

The ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme is a typical quintessential flagship with its brutish E-ATX-sized frame and loads of internal and rear I/O capabilities. That isn’t the only thing that sets it apart from the typical motherboard though, as the Z790 Extreme is decked out with RGB LED lighting, as well as a large AniME Matrix lighting section built into the rear panel cover. Along the right-hand side of the board, all of the power and internal I/O (apart from one USB header) feature right-angled connectors for a more svelte look and it offers better cable management.

Looking at the main feature set, the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme has a very large 24+1-phase power delivery using ASUS’s typical teamed array, with dual 8-pin 12 V ATX CPU power inputs located in the top left-hand corner. As is expected with a premium ASUS ROG Maximus motherboard, it has all of the usual overclocking features such as an LN2 mode, Probelt, OC Retry button, slow mode, and a power on button which are all typically associated with extreme overclockers.

Storage options consist of one PCIe 5.0 x4 slot, with two further PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slots on the board itself; ASUS does include one of its ROG DIMM.2 slots allowing users to install a further two PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 drives into the board via an add-in card found in the accessories bundle. For conventional storage drives such as SATA SSDs and HDDs, ASUS includes six SATA ports via the Z790 chipset with support for RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 arrays.

Other notable controllers include two Thunderbolt 4 controllers, with one powering a Type-C port on the rear panel and one TB4 port via an internal header on the PCB itself, as well as an abundance of USB connectivity; there’s a total of 20 ports featured across the Z790 Extreme including 2 x Thunderbolt 4 and varieties of Type-A and Type-C throughout. In fact, the rear panel alone has one Thunderbolt 4 Type-C, one USB 3.2 G2x2 Type-C, and eight USB 3.2 G2 Type-A ports alone to make it a very comprehensive setup for content creators and gamers alike.

When it comes to networking, ASUS has opted for a premium Marvel AQtion 10 GbE controller with a separate Intel I225-V 2.5 GbE controller powering one port each. Wireless capabilities come through an Intel Wi-Fi 6E CNVi add-in card using the Z790’s integrated PHY with support for the 6 GHz wireless band as well as BT 5.2 devices. Integrated audio is equally impressive with a ROG SupremeFX ALC4082 HD audio codec doing most of the work, while an ESS Sabre ES9218 Quad DAC allows support for higher impedance headphones than the standard barebone motherboard audio solutions.

The ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme has an MSRP of $1000, and as such is currently available to buy at both Amazon and Newegg for the same price. While it’s not an easy pill to swallow unless money is no object, everything about the ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme screams quality. It has loads of I/O, both internally and on the rear panel and the addition of dual Thunderbolt 4 controllers is likely to please some. With a well-rounded selection of premium controllers, solid networking capabilities, impressive integrated audio, and support for DDR5-7800 out of the box, the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 ticks all the boxes I could want for a desktop-focused platform.

Top 15 Best Motherboards for AMD Ryzen — 2023 Ranking

Decided on an AMD Gaming Processor? In this case, you need to remember the socket of the model you like, and proceed to the choice of motherboard. As you understand, we have already prepared for your attention the current rating of the best motherboards for AMD Ryzen in 2023. Before the review by the leader, according to the editors, we suggest paying attention to the characteristic features of the market for socket AM4 motherboards and Ryzen processors:0003

Small assortment due to the small volume of processor models sold;
Low cost relative to Intel;
Robust component base capable of withstanding multi-threaded overclocking;
Simplified installation of cooling systems, unlike AM3+;
The BIOS introduces simplified overclocking due to architecture changes and process improvements.

We have prepared fifteen current motherboards for the Ryzen lineup, ranging from budget to premium models. nine0003

Table of contents

Best budget motherboards for AMD

Introduced by inexpensive models for media centers and office computers. There are inexpensive representatives for creating entry-level gaming systems.

Asus PRIME A520M-E

Opens the top 15 motherboards for AMD series model Asus PRIME A520M-E based on A520 chipset. The product is focused on universal office systems. Supports all available Ryzen processors starting from the 3000 series, but without overclocking. This is due to a simple 6-phase power system and two slots with a total supported amount of RAM of 64 GB at a frequency of 3200 MHz. There is an m.2 slot, 4 ports for SATA III. Works well with APUs, eliminating the need to buy a separate graphics card. The passive cooling system is represented by a thin aluminum radiator on the southbridge. To connect monitors, there is DVI-D and HDMI 2.1 with support for monitors with resolutions up to 3840×2160 at 60 Hz. nine0003

Pros:

support for modern Ryzen processors;
monitor connection up to 4K;
thick PCB.

Cons:

weak cooling system.

MSI A520M-A PRO

The MSI A520M-A PRO motherboard has a modest brown design in addition to its low price. It is completely devoid of design frills and meets the minimum requirements for assembling a budget computer. Based on the A520 chipset in the Micro-ATX form factor and designed for compact cases. Supports RAM up to 4600 MHz with a total capacity of 64 GB. The 4-pin connector for connecting the processor leaves no room for overclocking. It is recommended to place the board in a case with good ventilation so that the already weak VRM zone does not heat up. The traditional rear panel layout includes 6 USB, 2 PS/2 and standard speaker/headphone ports. nine0003

Pros:

RAM support up to 4600 MHz;
minimalistic design;
low price.

Cons:

weak VRM.

Gigabyte GA-A320M-H

If you don’t know which budget motherboard to choose based on the A320 chipset, we recommend paying attention to Gigabyte GA-A320M-H. The manufacturer positions the product as an affordable platform for creating office and home computers. Its use in budget gaming platforms is not recommended, since this chipset is not designed for this circuit. A total of 6 power phases are available, consisting of silent chokes and long-life capacitors. Compatible with AMD Ryzen 3/5/7/9(1st/2nd/3rd generation), 7th generation A-series APUs, Athlon X4 AM4 and Athlon Zen models. Works with any graphics card connected via PCI-E 3.0 x16 slot and supports up to 32 GB of RAM with frequencies up to DDR4-3200.

Pros:

low cost;
thick PCB;
compatible with a wide range of processors.

Cons:

no cooling radiators; nine0006
No overclocking option.

ASRock A320M Pro4-F

ASRock also presented its vision of a budget motherboard. The A320M Pro4-F line is distinguished by premium power chokes, which increase the saturation current, according to the manufacturer, three times at once. Moreover, the company’s engineers paid due attention to the printed circuit board, which guarantees additional density and protection of the «motherboard» from short circuits and power surges. In addition, there was the use of a quality 2oz coating (made of copper), which guarantees an additional level of efficiency in terms of energy consumption. Note the presence of two M.2 ports for SSD at once. Another bonus is the USB Type-C port. 3 displays can be used at the same time. The proprietary software A-Tuning is used as software. nine0003

Pros:

reinforced power system;
good cooling system;
4 RAM slots.

Cons:

poor build quality.

ASRock X370 Pro4

The best budget X-chipset motherboard for Ryzen 1000 and 2000 series overclocking in 2023 is the ASRock X370 Pro4. The user can assemble both a workstation and a gaming computer. The board supports CrossFire X configuration. Up to 2 video cards can be used simultaneously. The maximum total amount of RAM is 64 GB. 6 SATA slots are available for connecting classic SSDs and HDDs. Instead, you can install an m.2 drive, but cooling for it will have to be purchased separately. Thanks to 4 PCI-E expansion slots, the user can connect several additional controllers. Massive radiators on the power supply circuits for the processor and RAM effectively cool these zones when overclocking 4 and 6 core processors of the 1000 and 2000 series. nine0003

Pros:

reasonable price;
convenient RAID controller menu;
VLAN presence on the network port.

Cons:

assembly quality problems from batch to batch.

Best Razen motherboards in price/quality ratio

Represented by mid-range chipsets purchased for budget gaming.

Gigabyte B450M S2H rev. 1.0

The GIGABYTE B450M S2H, which is ideal for those who want to build a universal home and office computer, replenishes the rating of motherboards for AMD. The product is designed for use in school, when watching movies and undemanding games. Therefore, it is possible to install only up to 32 GB of DDR4 RAM, operating at a frequency of up to 3600 MHz inclusive. There is an M.2 connector with NVMe support, but the user can connect up to 4 SATA drives. An important aspect for many users may seem to be the presence of 2 ports for PS / 2. The included 8-channel audio controller can meet the requirements of most users. Not suitable for overclocking due to weak VRM and lack of normal heatsinks. nine0003

Pros:

loyal price;
overall build quality;
modern BIOS.

Cons:

2 RAM slots;
An obsolete VGA port is present.

ASRock B450M Pro4

This board is available in compact and full size versions. Supports the full range of 1st and 2nd generation Ryzen 3/5/7 (Pro) processors, Radeon Vega (Raven Ridge) integrated graphics processors, and the Athlon 200GE model. It has a multi-phase digital Digi Power power supply subsystem that provides power to the CPU with a heat pack of up to 105 watts. The manufacturer positions the product in the middle class, which has an attractive price, comparable to budget models from other manufacturers. The model is well suited for creating office, home configurations and entry-level gaming stations. Supports installation of up to 4 DDR4 memory modules with a frequency of up to 2933 MHz and a total capacity of up to 64 GB.

Pros:

compact size;
discreet style;
abundance of USB connectors;
enhanced power supply subsystem for the processor.

Cons:

few plugs for fans;
inconvenient placement of SATA ports.

Gigabyte B450 AORUS ELITE rev. 1.0

Gigabyte B450 AORUS ELITE rev. 1.0 is great for connoisseurs of the line, but we will not recommend it to those who do not want to overpay for extra backlighting and the AORUS prefix in the name. It features a well-thought-out 8 + 3 power supply system and a Thermal Guard radiator for m.2 drives. Supports up to 4 RAM modules with a capacity of up to 64 GB, which is enough for games and applications. Optional 6x SATA3 SSD/HDD connectors allow for multiple plug-in storage instead of or with 2x m.2 SSDs. Peripherals can be connected using 11 USB ports, where there are 4 high-speed USB 3.1 Gen1 connectors (up to 5 Gb / s). The main drawback is the capricious BIOS and the board’s unwillingness to overclock the RAM. nine0003

Pros:

powerful cooling;
excellent power system;
adjustable backlight;
Plenty of USB ports.

Cons:

bad memory overclocking.

ASRock Fatal1ty B450 Gaming K4

ASRock has created a mid-range gaming motherboard with controllable lighting, support for high-speed NVMe SSDs (M.2 slot) and top gaming graphics cards. It is a reliable basis for building home systems and gaming systems of medium / high level. It has an improved nine-phase processor power system, which allows overclocking processors up to the 3000 series. The line received two DDR4 memory module slots with a total capacity of up to 32 GB. In addition to two NVMe SSDs, it can work with 6 SATA3 drives. DisplayPort, VGA, and HDMI ports allow you to use the processors’ built-in Radeon Vega graphics cores. 12 USB connectors, including 2 USB 3.1 Gen2 allow you to connect a variety of peripheral devices. nine0003

Pluses:

controlled backlight;
flexible settings for overclocking processors;
easy-to-use BIOS interface;
Stream Tuning utility.

Cons:

weak sound module.

Asus TUF GAMING B450-PLUS II

This good AMD motherboard is positioned as one of the best Ryzen models in the mid-price segment. Supports processors up to 3000 series without additional BIOS firmware. It is characterized by a discreet design and LED-backlight. 6 power phases for the processor and 4 for RAM are covered with massive radiators, which positively affects heat dissipation from the VRM zone, but complicates installation in small and medium-sized cases. Good radiators are also installed on the bridges. A big plus was support for up to 128 GB of RAM with a frequency of 4400 MHz. The board has 2 m.2 slots for SSDs with form factors 22110, 2280, 2260, 2242. There are no complete heatsinks, which can lead to overheating of fast drives. nine0003

Pros:

powerful cooling;
many USB slots;
support up to 128GB RAM.

Cons:

no radiators for m. 2.

AMD’s Best Premium Boards

Top products for building the most powerful gaming systems for years to come.

Asus TUF GAMING X570-PLUS

Another affordable premium motherboard based on the X570 chipset. Full size board compatible with 4/6/8/12-core Ryzen 3/5/7/9 CPUs. Unlike X470, the chipset supports PCI-Express 4.0. This increases the speed of data exchange with M.2 SSD drives. Equipped with a reliable 12 + 2 processor power subsystem, capable of operating under prolonged heavy loads. Additionally, an active cooling system is installed on the south bridge.

Only one of the two m.2 slots has a standard heatsink installed. The system can install up to 128 GB of RAM on a 4×32 GB system. Wi-Fi is built in for wireless networking. nine0003

Pros:

quality components;
powerful power system;
easy installation board;
complete disk with drivers and utilities.

Cons:

Wi-Fi with wired antenna;
video card covers chipset fan.

Gigabyte X570 AORUS PRO

A well-equipped full size ATX overclocker board for building gaming systems. Equipped with a reinforced 14-phase CPU VRM power supply subsystem with aluminum radiators and a heat pipe. The BIOS includes a lot of subtle settings, manual control is implemented using physical buttons, due to which it will be interesting for overclockers. This chip supports up to 128 GB of RAM. Support for SLI and CrossFire X technologies, along with 3 PCI-E 3.0 x16 lanes, are used to install multiple video cards for top games or graphics tasks. The rear panel includes an extensive set of ports for connecting peripherals, including several USB Type-C and HDMI. nine0003

Pluses:

active cooling of the southbridge;
4 LED debugging;
two NVME PCI-E0 slots with heatsinks.

Cons:

problems with factory software.

MSI MPG X570 GAMING PLUS

The MSI MPG X570 GAMING PLUS board drives memory well up to 4400 MHz. It has a specific design due to its angular shape and a large heatsink on the south bridge. Quietly keeps Ryzen 7 in overclocking, copes well with Ryzen 9, but it is not recommended to drive strongly due to the 10-phase power system. Holds up to 128 GB of RAM with a frequency of up to 4400 MHz. There is one heatsink per m2, but there are two slots, and if you decide to purchase an additional drive, you will have to spend money on another cooling system. Bios comes in a simplified mode and an overclocking mode, which allows beginners and experienced users to use it with the same comfort.

Pros:

good manual overclocking capability; nine0006
quiet fan on the southbridge;
flexible BIOS.

Cons:

few slots for connecting fans.

Asus ROG CROSSHAIR VIII IMPACT

An excellent board that drives memory well, despite 2 slots for RAM with a total capacity of up to 64 GB and a frequency of 4800 MHz. Despite its compact size, it accommodates 2 m.2 ports for drives with form factors 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280. The board is equipped with an Intel I211-AT network chipset and supports data transfer at speeds up to 1000 MB / s. The VRM zone is equipped with a massive active cooling system with multiple fans. The BIOS is intuitive even for a beginner, which is why it is considered one of the best on the market. The bundle also includes a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth plug-in that can be shared with other devices. In addition, the motherboard has SupremeFX sound modules, which will provide high-quality sound for any movies and music. nine0003

Pros:

support for 5000 series processors;
modest size;
excellent memory overclocking.

Cons:

high price;
inconvenient arrangement of buttons on the board.

Asus ROG CROSSHAIR VIII Dark Hero

The best motherboard in 2023, in our opinion, is the Asus ROG CROSSHAIR VIII Dark Hero. An excellent choice for enthusiasts with extensive overclocking options and support for all Ryzen processors from the 2000 series. Equipped with a 16-phase CPU VRM power subsystem with heatsinks and an additional heat pipe for extreme loads. Capable of handling extreme CPU and RAM overclocking. The board supports the PCI-E Gen4 system interface specification, with double the bandwidth. Thanks to the Reset and Start buttons placed on the textolite, the POST code indicator and the BIOS Flashback switch, the board is well adapted to work on open benches. nine0003

Pros:

heatpipe on VRM;
additional control from the buttons on the PCB;
PCI-E Gen4 support
2 m.2 slots with heatsinks.

Cons:

How to choose a motherboard for Ryzen?

If you don’t know how to choose a motherboard for AMD Ryzen follow a few tips:

Chipset. For processors with 4 and 6 cores without overclocking, boards based on chipsets with index A will suffice. The chipset can already be used for easy overclocking of the same processors and install 8, 10 core «stones» without overclocking. Finally, the X chipset will allow you to overclock all current models. nine0006
Dimensions. It is advisable to study the dimensions of the case and the board that will be placed in it. Thus, you will avoid cases when a Standard-ATX board is purchased in a compact box and it does not fit into it.
Compatible. Check specifications carefully for compatibility. For example, the 500th line of boards does not support Ryzen 1 and 2 and generations, and the 400 series will only work with 4th and 5th generation after flashing. The same goes for RAM — its operating frequencies must match the supported range of the motherboard. nine0006
Cooling. Game boards have many built-in modules and a reinforced power subsystem. The more powerful the board, the more massive the heatsinks should be. Otherwise, overheating and burnout of the textolite awaits you.
Number of ports for RAM. Top compact boards with 2 slots outperform full-size 4-slot boards due to dense power supply and more current per module.
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth available. They are found in top solutions and can be abandoned by saving part of the budget and investing it, for example, in a power supply. nine0006
Backlight. Models with LED backlighting are cheaper than analogues with RGB, and the lack of backlighting significantly reduces the price of boards. If you are assembling a computer without a focus on beauty, then you can sacrifice the backlight, saving part of the budget.

Why are there no boards based on the B550 chipset in the rating?

Should I buy motherboards with liquid cooling circuits?

What are the characteristics of Ryzen board vendors?

What is the best motherboard to buy for AMD in 2023? nine0021

Thus, for up to $100 you can get a motherboard with support for light overclocking capabilities (maximum for overclocking on the X370 chipset). A budget of around $150 allows you to get more advanced RGB lighting, more heatsinks, stabilizers and ports. From $200 are premium motherboards that match the latest innovations. With their help, it will not be difficult to cope with the performance of AMD Threadripper. If you don’t know which motherboard to buy for Ryzen, we suggest summarizing:

Best gaming motherboard for Ryzen — Asus ROG CROSSHAIR VIII Dark Hero;
Budget compact model (micro-ATX) — PRIME B450M-A
Good AM4 model for the price and quality — ASRock Fatal1ty B450 Gaming K4;
Best Premium Motherboard — Asus ROG CROSSHAIR VIII IMPACT.

We have spent quite a lot of time and effort to create this collection. If you don’t mind, subscribe to our social networks.

TOP-7. Best Z69 Motherboards0 for INTEL processors. Rating 2022!

Author Anatoly Vorontsov Reading 7 min Views 1.3k. Posted by 29. 09.2022
Updated 02.10.2022

Greetings! The 12th generation of processors from Intel has opened up opportunities for many to truly experience the true power of the modern home personal computer. However, in order for these gems to unleash their full potential, they need motherboards with the most advanced chipset. Today’s selection is dedicated to motherboards based on the Z69 chipset0034

Socket: LGA1700

Supported processors: Intel Celeron/Pentium/Core 12 generation

Number of memory slots: 4

Memory type and maximum frequency: DDR4, 5333 MHz

Maximum memory: 128 GB PCI-9 slots

ex16: 3

Number of PCI-ex1 slots: 2

Number of storage slots: 6 x SATA, 3 x M.2

Network connectivity: Ethernet 2.5 Gbps

Form factor: ATX

I’ll start with the cheapest board in my collection, which is the GIGABYTE Z690 UD DDR4. As its name implies, it is designed to be used in tandem with the previous generation of RAM, while the maximum frequency of modules can reach 5333 MHz, and their number is 4 pieces. The total supported memory capacity is 128 GB, which is enough to use the PC as a gaming multimedia center and as a workstation.

Two types of drives are available — SATA and M.2. Of course, for the operating system and software, it is recommended to use the latter so as not to encounter a low data transfer rate. nine0003

The connection to the network is made using the Ethernet port. The maximum connection speed is 2.5 Gbps. According to the manufacturer, the motherboard can be used with any processors from the 12th family, up to the top-end Intel Core i9.

GIGABYTE Z690 UD AX (Rev. 1.0)

SOCKET: LGA1700
Supported processors: Intelceleeron/Pentium 12 Generations 9th generations
Number of memory slots: 4
Memory type and maximum frequency: DDR5, 6000 MHz
Maximum memory: 128 GB
Number of PCI-ex16 slots: 3
Number of PCI-ex1 slots: 2 drives: 6 x SATA, 3 xM. 2
Network connection: Ethernet 2.5 Gb / s, Wi-Fi 802.11ax, Bluetooth
Form factor: ATX

If you want to feel the difference between different generations of RAM, but there is no desire to buy a very expensive motherboard, you should take a closer look at the GIGABYTE Z690 UD AX (rev. 1.0). This board is equipped with slots for DDR5 memory and supports brackets with a frequency of up to 6000 MHz. The total amount of memory in this case can reach 128 GB, and when using compatible brackets, they will work in dual-channel mode.

Otherwise, this card is very similar to the previous one, except for the presence of built-in modules for wireless communication. So, it has Wi-Fi 6th generation, as well as Bluetooth for connecting peripherals.

ASUS PRIME Z690-P WiFi D4

SOCKET: LGA1700

Supported Processors: Intelceleron/Pentium/Core 12 Generations

Memory Sloves: 4
9000. Type and maximum memory frequency: DDR4, 53333 MHz
Maximum memory: 128 GB
Number of PCI-ex16 slots: 4
Number of PCI-ex1 slots: 1
Number of storage slots: 4 x SATA, 3 xM.2
Network connection: Ethernet 2.5 Gbps, Wi-Fi 802.11ax, Bluetooth
Form factor: ATX

Asus also offers its fans «charged» boards that are compatible with different types of RAM. Relatively inexpensive, of course, by the standards of the Z690 chipset, the board called PRIME Z690-P WIFI D4 has everything you need to become the basis for assembling a modern gaming machine. Support for PCI-e 5.0 guarantees compatibility with any top modern video card and the ability to exchange data with it as quickly as possible, which has a positive effect on performance. nine0003

If desired, the user can try himself as an overclocker using the appropriate menus in UEFIBIOS. There are three slots for connecting M.2 form factor drives. But with the number of SATA connectors, the manufacturer decided not to bother too much, so there are only 4 of them. help of embedded chips. nine0003

ASUS TUF GAMING Z690-Plus D4

SOCKET: LGA1700
Maximum processors: Intelerneron/Pentium/Core. 4000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 memory: DDR4, 5333 MHz
Maximum memory: 128 GB
Number of PCI-ex16 slots: 2
Number of PCI-ex1 slots: 2
Number of storage slots: 4 x SATA, 4 xM.2
Network connection: Ethernet 2.5 Gbps
Form factor: ATX

ASUS TUF GAMING Z690-PLUS D4 motherboard lacks wireless technology, but it can please users with reinforced power lines that allow you to achieve uninterrupted operation in almost any conditions. Yes, and experimenting with overclocking the processor and memory modules will be much more pleasant, because the chances of maintaining stability increase dramatically due to the use of more expensive and high-quality components in the production of this motherboard. nine0003

The board is showing a growing trend of moving away from SATA connectors in favor of M.2 slots. In it, their number is equal, so the user can connect up to 4 classic drives, and up to 4 modern high-speed SSDs at the same time.

An Ethernet port is used to connect to the Internet or a local network, the maximum data transfer rate can reach 2.5 Gbps. If you need to connect to the network over the air, you can use the free PCI-ex1 slot and install a suitable Wi-Fi adapter in it. nine0003

MSI MPG Z690 EDGE WIFI DDR4

SOCKET: LGA1700
Supported processors: Intelceleron/Core 12 generations
9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 MHz
Maximum memory: 128 GB
Number of PCI-ex16 slots: 3
Number of PCI-ex1 slots: 1
Number of storage slots: 6 x SATA, 4 xM. 2
Network connectivity: Ethernet 2.5 Gbps, Wi-Fi 802.11ax, Bluetooth
Form factor: ATX

The last motherboard with DDR4 memory support in my selection was the MSI MPG Z690 EDGE WIFI DDR4. It differs not only in good functionality, but also in an attractive appearance. The manufacturer tried to make it suitable for use in open systems, where appearance plays an important role. Large heatsinks that effectively remove heat from the main power circuits of the processor and from the solid state drive are equipped with textured ornaments and backlighting that can be synchronized with other computer components, creating a single coherent picture. nine0003

As for the functionality, first of all I would like to highlight the ability to connect a large number of drives. For this, there are as many as 4 slots for the M.2 form factor and 6 for SATA. This can be useful for those who not only like to play a large number of games, but also want to record their achievements on a video that takes up a lot of space.

Network modules are also plentiful here. If you need the most stable connection, you can use Ethernet with a maximum speed of up to 2.5 Gb / s. If you want to get rid of wires, you can always use Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth. nine0003

MSI MAG Z690 Torpedo

SOCKET: LGA1700
Supported processors: Intelceleeron/Pentium 12 Generations 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 DDR5, 6400+ MHz

Maximum memory: 128 GB

Number of PCI-ex16 slots: 3

Number of PCI-ex1 slots:

Number of storage slots: 6 x SATA, 4 xM.2

Network Connection: Ethernet 2.5 Gb/s

Form Factor: ATX

The MSIMAGZ690 TORPEDO motherboard allows you to get the most out of today’s top 12th generation processors. It has 4 slots for DDR5 RAM, and overclocker strips with a frequency of 6400 MHz can be installed in them, designed for further overclocking.

When working on the design, the manufacturer tried to adhere to a restrained, even a little strict style, but at the same time he was able to emphasize the «character» of the motherboard. It will fit perfectly into any assembly, including those created not only for operation, but also for demonstration. nine0003

The only drawback of this model, so to speak, is the lack of built-in wireless modules. For those who need them, I have prepared the last option.

ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z690 Hero

SOCKET: LGA1700

Supported processors: Intelcelereon/Pentium/Core. 12 generations

Memory and maximum frequency sequis MHz

Maximum memory: 128 GB

Number of PCI-ex16 slots: 3

Number of storage slots: 6 x SATA, 5 x M.2

Network connectivity: Ethernet 2.5 Gb/s, Wi-Fi 802.11ax, Bluetooth

Form factor: ATX

The ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z690 HERO is every modern gamer’s dream.