Best AM5 motherboards in 2024

AMD’s Ryzen 7000 and 9000 series processors use the company’s newer AM5 socket, replacing the older AM4 socket used by the first wave of Ryzen chips. The 7000 series processors utilize the best DDR5 RAM, PCIe 5.0, and USB 4.0, and the latest options come with plenty of quality-of-life upgrades that make the slightly higher cost worth it. As with AM4, every AM5 motherboard is compatible with every Ryzen 7000, 8000, and 9000 series processor, as long as the VRM solution can handle the power needs. In practice, only the x900 processors and above need the best VRMs, so you can pick almost any AM5 motherboard for your build.

My picks for the best AM5 motherboards in 2024

The Asus ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming is one of the best motherboards you can buy for Ryzen 7000 or 9000. For starters, it comes with a plethora of PCIe x16 and M.2 slots, but what sets this board apart from the rest is that most of these run at PCIe 5.0 speeds (two of the x16 and three of the M.2 slots). That’s a ton of PCIe 5.0 even for an X670E, most of which offer just two PCIe 5.0 M.2 ports for SSDs. The Strix also has an 18+2 stage design for its VRMs, which is more than enough even for the highest-end Ryzen 9 9950X, and support for DDR5-8000.

Source: XDA-Developers

This board doesn’t skimp out on the boring stuff, either. The Strix has eight fan headers, an error code display, SSD heatsinks, and an obscene number of front-facing USB ports. The rear I/O also has a ton of USB ports: 12 USB 3.2 Gen 2 and one 3.2 Gen 2×2. The Ethernet on the Strix is Intel’s 2.5 gigabit, which isn’t the fastest, but it’s still a good amount for gamers and even content creators, not to mention that Intel’s Ethernet NICs are usually the best. The five audio jacks plus optical audio might also be appealing if you’re into that sort of thing.

Related

ASUS ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming review: One of the best AM5 motherboards to date

Here we are, checking out this mighty mid-range ASUS motherboard with full support for the latest AMD Ryzen CPUs.

Even if you don’t care too much about the technical specs, there’s one thing to appreciate: this board looks great. The Strix has that classic dark black plus RGB aesthetic and doesn’t come with an obnoxious amount of branding. The Strix’s design lends itself to fit in with a wide variety of themes. In my extensive testing with the ROG Strix X670E-E, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X ran extremely well, with plenty of room for overclocking not only the processor but also the RAM and other components. It’s a joy to use.

Best value

ASRock B650E Taichi Lite

The best motherboard for AMD’s strangest chipset

ASRock’s B650E Taichi Lite is a midrange AM5 motherboard that offers an impressive spec list for a relatively low price. It comes with a massive 24+2+1 stage VRM, PCIe 5.0 support for SSDs and GPUs, and tons of USB 3.2 ports.

Pros

• Completely overkill 24+2+1 stage VRM
• Three M.2 slots for NVMe SSDs, one of which has PCIe 5.0 support
• Tons of USB 3.2 ports

The B650E is a premium mid-range chip, sitting just below the X670. It comes with the same PCIe 5.0 support for GPUs and SSDs, which makes it almost as good as the X670. Cheaper X670 boards are about the same price as B650E motherboards, which can make it confusing to figure out if B650E is worth it, but ASRock’s B650E Taichi is a pretty good motherboard regardless of the chipset. The specs for the B650E Taichi are excellent for a motherboard that costs just shy of $300. It has an overkill 24+2+1 stage VRM, one PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot in addition to two more PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots, 12 USB 3.2 ports, and Intel Ethernet and Wi-Fi.

These specs are more appropriate for an X670 or even X670E motherboard, but for some reason, ASRock put them on a mid-range B650E motherboard. If it weren’t for the B650E Taichi, the B650E would have had a hard time justifying its own existence. It’s designed for those who need something more from their AMD chip without spending a fortune on an X670E motherboard. The B650E Taichi is a great-looking motherboard that has pretty much everything you could ask for. If you can find one, it’ll be perfect to pair with a mid-range or even high-end PC

Best X870E

MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi

Fantastic features but at a cost

MSI designed the MPG X870E Carbon WiFi to be easier to work with when building a PC. You’ll find plenty of handy features, beefy power delivery, USB 4.0, and faster RAM speeds. It’s a fantastic foundation that comes at a high asking price.

Pros

• Tool-less M.2 slots (and there’s four of them)
• 18+2+1 VRM solution
• Tons of USB ports

Cons

• Expensive
• Still using screw-on Wi-Fi antenna

AMD’s latest chipset for the AM5 platform is here, with X870E motherboards joining the product stack. The MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi is a top-tier motherboard with most of the latest connectivity standards, including PCIe 5.0, DDR5-8400+ support, USB 4.0, 5GbE networking, and Wi-Fi 7 with Bluetooth 5.4. In our testing, it got some truly amazing scores with the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, and the benchmarks are just the start of the story.

This motherboard has many ports, headers, and slots to fit any (and potentially all) of your devices and storage disks. You get two USB-C 4.0 ports at 40Gbps, two USB-C at 10Gbps, and nine USB-A ports at 10Gbps. There are no USB 2.0 or 5Gbps ports at all, making this a push towards faster USB devices while still maintaining backward compatibility.

Related

MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi review: MSI packed this AM5 motherboard full of features

Testing out one of the latest AM5 motherboards

You get beefy 18+2+1 DRPS teamed power stages to supply power to the CPU and other board components, and our testing showed that the auto settings in the BIOS worked perfectly with the 7,200MT/s DDR5 and Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU. The only drawback with this motherboard is the price, which might put it out of reach of many, especially as component prices seem to be rising again.

Runner-up best X870E

Gigabyte X870E Aorus Master

The Gigabyte X870E Aorus Master is another good choice for making a no-compromise build with the most powerful CPUs in the Ryzen range. With a 16+2+2 110A VRM stage, it’s got plenty of power for any of the CPUs, and comes with tons of quality-of-life improvements.

The Gigabyte X870E Aorus Master is another premium motherboard with the newest X870E chipset, designed to get the most out of your AM5-compatible Ryzen CPUs. It has a 16+2+2 VRM solution rated at 110A for overclocking support, which is handy if you picked up the Ryzen 7 9800X3D before stocks ran out. It supports up to DDR5-8600 and has AI overclocking to find the best settings for your specific hardware configuration. You get four M.2 NVMe SSD slots, with three of them being PCIe 5.0, plus tons of USB ports, including two USB 4.0 with 40Gbps, four USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, four USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, and two USB-A 2.0. Rounding out the connectivity, you get Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and 5GbE networking.

I’ve been testing the Intel version, and while the specifications are awesome, they’re not the best part for me. It’s the quality-of-life improvements, of which there are many. The Wi-Fi antenna is a simple push-on instead of the screw pigtails you might be used to. All the M.2 slots are tool-less, so no more losing tiny screws, and the heatsinks that go over them are tool-less and have magnets to easily line them up. The main PCIe 5.0 x16 slot has an easy unlatch button, and you get debug LEDs, which are always nice to see.

Best X870 chipset

Asus TUF Gaming X870-Plus WiFi

Flagship features on a mid-range board

The Asus TUF Gaming line is often our best value pick, and that’s not far off the mark with the X870 chipset version for AMD’s AM5 platform. It is slightly above what we’d usually consider as value, but it has flagship-level features for significantly less cost.

Pros

• 16+2+1 VRM solution with larger heatsinks
• Four M.2 slots (two of which are PCIe 5.0) for speedy storage
• Tool-less M.2 slots, PCIe slot release, and Wi-Fi antennas

Cons

• Expensive compared to earlier generations

Asus’ TUF Gaming range is often our best value recommendation, as it brings powerful features to a lower midrange price point. It’s slightly more expensive than the range we usually recommend as best, so the X870 chipset version for AMD’s AM5 platform is getting its own section in this guide. That’s also because it’s good enough to stand alone, as it brings flagship-level features from the X670E range to the more affordable price bracket. You get a 16+2+1, 80A VRM solution with larger heatsinks than last generation, to keep thermals in check. That’s enough power for even the most powerful Ryzen 7000 or Ryzen 9000 processors, and it’ll work well in most builds with a more dialed-back design than the yellow used on previous TUF boards.

You also get four M.2 SSD slots, with two being PCIe 5.0 and two PCIe 4.0. That’s plenty of speedy storage slots, and you also get one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, ready for the next generation of GPUs when they arrive. This chipset can support up to DDR5-8000 RAM and comes with one USB 4.0 40Gbps port, eight other USB ports, Wi-Fi 7, and 2.5GbE networking. Plus, you get a redesigned BIOS that’s now HD and plenty of AI overclocking tools to help you get the best out of your system.

Best budget

Gigabyte A620I AMD AM5 ITX Motherboard

Finally, AM5 has a true budget option

$130 $150 Save $20

The Gigabyte A620I is a budget-focused AM5 motherboard perfect for pairing with midrange Ryzen chips like the Ryzen 5 7600. It has a 5+2+1 stage VRM, two RAM slots, and a single M.2 slot.

Pros

• Much cheaper than B650 motherboards
• 5+2+1 stage VRM is sufficient for non-X CPUs and the 7800X3D
• One PCIe 4.0 M.2

Cons

• Rear I/O is paltry
• More expensive than other A620 boards
• Mini-ITX form factor is limiting

The A620 chipset is the entry-level offering from AMD for Ryzen 7000 processors. While these motherboards are supposed to go with low-end Ryzen CPUs, you could get one for a mid-range chip instead. You could even use a Ryzen 9 chip, though I’d recommend not doing so, considering my experience of using such motherboards. The Gigabyte A620I is modest but sufficient when it comes to features. It has a decent 5+2+1 stage VRM with a heatsink, and it should be enough for non-X SKUs and probably also the 7600X, 7700X, and 7800X3D, and the 65W Ryzen 9000 series chips.

Given that this is a Mini-ITX board, it only has two RAM slots, which is okay because you’ll get better speeds. It has a single PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot for NVMe SSDs. The rear I/O is also decent, with two USB-A 2.0 ports, one USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, two USB-A 3.2 Gen1 and one USB-C 3.2 Gen1 port, and gigabit Ethernet. Other A620 boards like MSI’s PRO A620M-E are mostly the same and a little cheaper, but I prefer Gigabyte’s board since its VRM setup is a tiny bit bigger and has a heatsink, whereas most other A620 boards have fewer VRMs and no heatsink.

This is a good buy if you’re looking to save as much as possible while utilizing DDR5 RAM and the latest hardware from AMD.

Best mini-ITX

Asus ROG Strix B650E-I

This Mini-ITX motherboard delivers a good balance between price and features

$280 $300 Save $20

The Asus ROG Strix B650E-I is an ITX motherboard that packs lots of features in a small size: PCIe 5.0 for graphics, two M.2 slots, and plenty of rear I/O for pretty much anything. Its small 10-stage VRM prevents it from running a Ryzen CPU at full bore, but mini-ITX builds often limit performance regardless.

Pros

• Relatively good 10+2 stage VRM
• PCIe 5.0 support for SSDs and GPUs
• Support for fast 6400MHz DDR5 RAM

Cons

• Expensive even for ITX, and only has a midrange chipset

I’ve always been a fan of Mini-ITX motherboards as they’re great for creating more compact PC builds. The Asus ROG Strix B650E-I is a strong contender, rocking PCIe 5.0 on both the x16 slot and the primary M.2 slot and not costing a fortune for the luxury. It also has a 10+2 stage VRM, and while that is pretty low, ITX machines tend to run lower-wattage CPUs anyway, especially since this board only has an 8-pin plug for CPU power. Support for DDR5-6400 will at least help the CPU perform the best it can, and yes, you can install a Ryzen 9 chip on this thing.

This board is pretty good for an AMD AM5 Mini-ITX motherboard, but there are limitations. Perhaps its eight USB ports aren’t quite enough, but five of them run at 3.2 Gen 2 speeds, and one of them has the superfast 3.2 Gen 2×2 spec. The 2.5 gigabit Ethernet is powered by an Intel NIC, which is a big plus. You’re going to run into issues with Mini-ITX boards for connectivity and expansion support, no matter which you end up choosing. That’s simply the nature of the smaller PCB dimensions. There are other ITX boards available. Asus has the even higher-end ROG Strix X670E-I, but the only things it brings to the table are two USB4 ports and an add-in card that has extra ports for internal connections.

Best for workstations

Asus ProArt X870E-Creator WiFi

A motherboard with a ridiculous amount of ports and connections

The Asus ProArt X870E-Creator WiFi is a high-end motherboard built for content creators and creative professionals, with plenty of speedy I/O ports and four M.2 SSD slots for storage.

Pros

• Large 16+2 stage VRM
• PCIe 5.0 GPU slot and two PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots for SSDs
• Superb rear I/O full of high-performance ports

Although AMD’s Threadripper CPUs are made for productivity and usage on workstations, nothing is stopping you from using a Ryzen CPU instead, and unless you need lots of RAM, AM5 can be a great platform for a workstation PC. If you’re building a PC for work, we recommend Asus’s ProArt X870E-Creator, which is a no-compromises board. This motherboard has it all: two PCIe x16 slots running at 5.0 (if both are populated, they drop to half lanes, which is effectively PCIe 4.0 speeds), four M.2 slots with two running at PCIe 5.0 and the others at 4.0, and support for up to DDR5-8000 with either ECC or Non-ECC DIMMS.

The VRM uses 16+2 stages, which is lower than many other X870E boards but still sufficient for high-end CPUs. Each M.2 SSD slot comes with a heatsink. The rear I/O is extremely impressive, with its 10 gigabit and 2.5 gigabit Ethernet ports, two USB4 ports, and nine other USB ports. The ProArt X670E-Creator is essentially unrivaled for workstation use.

Final thoughts on choosing the best AM5 motherboard

Ryzen 7000, Ryzen 8000, Ryzen 9000, and AM5 are, on the one hand, packed full of brand-new technology, but on the other hand, are significantly more expensive than what we’re used to seeing. Of all these motherboards, the one I like the most overall is Asus ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming, which is one of the best AM5 motherboards in terms of features without being too much. It’s largely overkill for many PC builds, which is where my other recommendations come into play, but if you can afford it, you’ll have a great PC.

Even with the X870E and X870 chipsets launching, the existing X670E chipset is still powerful. The newer boards don’t change much in terms of CPU or RAM support, but they do come with faster connectivity standards, like Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 if those are important to you.

Related

How long will AMD support its AM5 platform?

Will the AM5 platform have similar longevity as AM4?

For the best value, I’d go for the ASRock B650E Taichi. It has an impressive 24+2+1 stage VRM for stable system overclocking, one PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot in addition to two more PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots, 12 USB 3.2 ports, and Intel Ethernet and Wi-Fi. It has it all without costing too much. The best part about buying an AM5 motherboard is the platform is still young, meaning you’ll be able to keep the same board for future Ryzen generations and upgrade without building a brand-new system.

Best AM5 motherboard

Asus ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming

$400 $480 Save $80

The Asus ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming is a high-end Asus motherboard that supports PCIe 5.0 graphics, three PCIe 5.0 SSDs, and high-end Ryzen 7000 CPUs thanks to its large 18+2 stage VRM.