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Oct 22, 2023

Best B550 motherboards in 2023

From tiny to beastly, here are the best B550 motherboards for AMD’s Ryzen 3000,

From tiny to beastly, here are the best B550 motherboards for AMD's Ryzen 3000, 4000, and 5000-series CPUs.

AMD's AM4 platform was replaced by its new AM5 platform in September 2022 — the new platform for some of the best CPUs out there. However, that means there are some great deals to be had on the slightly older hardware. If you’re not after the latest, you can still get great performance and features out of these AM4 motherboards. There are plenty of motherboards in different sizes with various features to choose from when building a computer for AMD Ryzen 3000, 4000, or 5000 series processors.

Though they’re not the best AMD boards that you can buy, these AM4 motherboards tend to be quite a bit cheaper than their AM5 counterparts. You get a lot of features and performance for your money. However, there are loads of different options and SKUs, and it can get rather confusing when working out which one is best for you. Today's roundup will provide a clearer look at the best boards for the B550 chipset — arguably the best bang for the buck chipset on the AM4 platform.

A motherboard with a great mix of features and value

The Asus ROG Strix B550-F is a feature-rich AM4 B550 motherboard with high-end audio, 12+2 stage power delivery, and support for Ryzen 3000, 4000, and 5000-series processors.

Asus’ Strix line has some of the best computer components out there. The ROG Strix B550-F is a full ATX motherboard with a good mix of connectivity, interesting design features, and potentially performance-boosting hardware. It supports AMD's Ryzen 3000, 4000, and 5000 series processors, and while it's certainly not the most expensive on this list, it isn't a budget option, either.

You get 3-pin and 4-pin RGB headers as well as a built-in RGB logo on the IO cover whose lighting effects can be customized in software. Other standout hardware includes a 12+2 stage power delivery system designed to direct clean, consistent power to the CPU for not only reliable performance but also potential headroom for overclocking where higher voltages may be required. There is a pair of PCIe 16x physical slots, though the second slot is only wired for 4x so it's generally recommended that you stick to a single graphics card for the best performance with a motherboard like this.

The rear IO, which thankfully sports a built-in IO shield, features DisplayPort and HDMI alongside your standard audio 3.5mm connectors and S/PDIF, 2.5Gb Ethernet, and eight USB ports, one of which is a USB-C. There's also a BIOS FlashBack button which will allow you to update your BIOS over USB without the need to actually go into the BIOS. Asus has also made use of a SupremeFX S2110A digital audio processor to give a cleaner audio output compared so the lower-end options on this list.

It's not perfect, though. Some buyers might be turned off by the lack of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth out of the box. The omission of a front-panel USB-C header could also be a concern for those wanting the reversible connector on the front of their case.

A premium B550 motherboard packed with features

The MSI MEG B550 Unify is a motherboard made with performance in mind. It has dual EPS power connectors and BIOS flashback features built in. It also comes with a heavy-duty power delivery system and built-in Wi-Fi.

If you have plenty of money to spend and want a B550 board over the usually more expensive and more fully-featured X570 motherboard, then the MSI MEG B550 Unify model ticks a lot of boxes. It's a very pricey motherboard, but it gives you a good selection of features and certainly looks the part. It's a full ATX form factor, comes with a built-in IO shield, and supports the Ryzen 3000, 4000, and 5000 series processors (aside from the Ryzen 5 3400G and Ryzen 3 3200G).

This motherboard is clearly performance-first. It doesn't have any built-in RGB lighting, though does have three RGB headers in a single 4-pin and two 3-pin connectors. However, it has two 8-pin 12V EPS connectors allowing the board to draw more power for serious CPU overclocking. Most motherboards come with either a 4-pin or an 8-pin EPS connector, so having two 8-pins and possibly a staggering 470W on tap has the potential to enable some serious overclocking when paired with the appropriate cooling assembly.

Alongside BIOS flashing buttons and a PS2 port, the IO sports eight USB ports including a USB-C, 2.5Gb LAN, Wi-Fi 6, and a fleshed-out audio port selection including a S/PDIF optical connector. There's an HDMI port on the back which is useful for diagnosing faults, but you’re best pairing this motherboard with a strong dedicated graphics card for the most performance.

The Meg B550 Unify has a staggering four M.2 slots for lots of fast, board-mounted storage. These vary in protocols and speeds, but the primary slot can deliver high speeds through its PCIe 4.0 x4 interface when used in the correct configuration with a supported CPU. You also get six SATA 6Gb/s ports to further expand your machine's storage.

A budget-oriented, yet feature-rich B550 motherboard

The Gigabyte B550M DS3H AC is a budget B550 micro-ATX motherboard with onboard WiFi, two PCIe x16 physical slots, and two M.2 slots.

If your budget is a little tight, but you still want plenty of features, I recommend the Gigabyte B550M DS3H AC. I personally use this model when building AM4 machines for customers. It's a Micro ATX form factor, meaning that it should fit most mainstream cases, but can also allow you to downsize your case and free up space.

It offers four DIMM slots, two physical PCI-e x16 slots (though one is wired x4), built-in Wi-Fi, and two M.2 SSD slots. The rear IO has pretty much everything you’d need. Around the back are eight USB ports, gigabit Ethernet, PS2, DVI, and HDMI out, Wi-Fi antenna connectors, and three basic 3.5mm jack ports. Combined with the front panel USB 3.2 Gen 1 and USB 2.0 connectors, you have a total of ten USB ports before any additional expansion slots are used. This is great for those who have tonnes of peripherals, and having built-in Wi-Fi mitigates the need for an adapter to take up connectivity.

To have the B550M DS3H AC's price as low as it is, Gigabyte has had to cut a few features. It's omitted 2.5Gb LAN — instead sporting a traditional 1Gb port on the back. There's also no onboard RGB lighting and the design is pretty uninspiring which might be important to you if your computer has a big side panel window. There's also not a single USB-C port or front panel connector which makes the board feel dated.

One thing to keep in mind is that there are a few revisions of this board with slightly different header selections. If you are after RGB headers, look out for rev. 1.0 through 1.4. Rev. 1.5 and 1.6 lack the 3-pin and 4-pin headers required for certain lighting accessories.

A mid-range B550 motherboard with great IO

The MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk is a great mid-range motherboard with plenty of IO options both internally and externally.

If you want a motherboard with a great selection of ports and connectors inside and out, onboard RGB lighting, and a sleek aesthetic, then MSI's Mag B550 Tomahawk could be your next motherboard. It supports AMD's 3000, 4000, and 5000-series processors, and is the full ATX form factor. It has a built-in IO shield and cover, and a black and gray color scheme. It's also one of the pricier boards on this list but makes up for it with a well-rounded connectivity selection.

You get five USB-A ports, a USB-C, a PS2 port, HDMI and DisplayPort out, 1Gb and 2.5Gb Ethernet ports, and a comprehensive audio-out cluster featuring a S/PDIF optical connection for audiophile-grade quality. Internally, there are two PCI-e 16x slots (though one is wired x4), a USB-C front panel connector alongside two USB 2.0 and a USB 3.2 Gen 1 type-A connector. There are dual M.2 SSD slots and six SATA connectors allowing for plenty of storage options, too.

RGB and addressable connectors are accompanied by a myriad of 4-pin fan connections so adding lighting and cooling shouldn't require any additional adapters or controllers which helps to keep the cable clutter in check and simplifies the programming process as you should only need one controller software for your lighting.

There are two main gripes I have with this motherboard. There's a complete lack of onboard Wi-Fi, which should probably be included — especially at this price. Though, given the two Ethernet ports, this isn't the end of the world. Then, there's the big and bulky IO cover, which could interfere with certain tower air CPU coolers. However, this shouldn't be a concern if you use an AIO liquid cooler or a smaller air cooler.

A full ATX B550 motherboard with a unique design

The ASRock B550 Taichi motherboard is a large ATX motherboard with three PCIe x16 physical slots and an interesting design with plenty of RGB lighting.

ASRock's B550 Taichi is a high-end B550 motherboard in the full ATX form factor. It has a unique design with lots of light-brown elements and a cog-graphic on its chipset heatsink. It also sports plenty of onboard RGB lighting both on its IO cover and down the right side of the entire board. This has the potential to light up your whole case without having to plug in a single strip. This is the motherboard to buy if you want a cool-looking system and have the cash to splash.

It supports AMDs 3000, 4000, and 5000-series Ryzen processors and has three PCIe x16 physical slots which can be used in a dual x8 configuration for those with multiple GPUs or high-power PCIe cards. This is a rare feature to have as most B550 motherboards only come with a x16 and a x4 slot which sort of limits you to a single graphics card. You also get two 8-pin EPS connectors for the CPU to allow for substantial overclocking, which can draw more power than a single connector is capable of. This is helped by the impressive 16-stage power delivery for cleaner, more consistent power to the processor.

You get plenty of IO with BIOS flash buttons, onboard Wi-Fi 6, eight USB connectors (one being a USB-C), 2.5Gb LAN, HDMI, and DisplayPort, and a full audio output setup on the back. This is a healthy selection of ports, and the Taichi branding is even extended to the IO shield with a cog graphic breaking up the otherwise standard display of ports.

Gaming aesthetic and connectivity

The ASRock B550M Steel Legend motherboard supports Ryzen 3000, 4000, and 5000 series processors. What it lacks in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, it makes up for with RGB lighting and a slick aesthetic.

For those wanting a micro-ATX B550 motherboard with some style, the ASRock B550M Steel Legend is a great choice. For not a huge amount more than our best value pick, you get RGB lighting, slick silver aluminum heatsinks, and a stylized IO shield. There's also a 3-pin addressable and a 4-pin RGB LED header for adding lighting accessories. This is the micro-ATX board to buy if you want a good-looking motherboard in a compact case.

This motherboard supports Ryzen 3000, 4000, and 5000-series processors and has a 10-stage power delivery system helped by the 8+4 pin EPS connector configuration, capable of delivering in excess of 400W to the CPU for overclocking. This combination can deliver lots of clean, stable power where other micro-ATX motherboards can't. For additional cooling — which you’ll need if you’re overclocking — ASRock has included seven four-pin fan connectors. With this in mind, you shouldn't need any additional fan adapters or controllers, allowing for a much simpler setup.

The rear IO consists of a clear CMOS button, HDMI and DisplayPort out, eight USB ports (one of which is USB-C), PS2, 2.5Gb Ethernet, 7.1 audio out, and spots for two antenna connectors. These can be hooked up to a separately purchased Wi-Fi card that fits in one of the M.2 slots. This means that whilst Wi-Fi isn't available out of the box, it can at least be added down the line for additional connectivity options.

Unfortunately, you don't get a USB-C front panel header on the B550M Steel Legend. This could be a turnoff for those wanting the latest connectivity on the front of their case. That said, there is a pair of USB 3.2 Gen1 headers for four front panel USB ports capable of 5Gbps.

A feature-rich mini ITX B550 motherboard

The Gigabyte B550i Aorus Pro AX is a tiny motherboard packed with features such as onboard RGB lighting, Wi-Fi 6, and three video outputs. Its low USB count may put some off, though.

After having spent two years with the Gigabyte B550i Aorus Pro AX, I have to say it is one of the most complete ITX motherboards that you can buy for the AM4 platform that won't completely drain your wallet. Mini ITX as a form factor can get quite pricey due to the intricacies involved with packing as many full-size features as possible onto a board that gets dwarfed by your average graphics card in 2023.

It supports AMD's 3000, 4000, and 5000-series processors, has two DIMM slots, a full PCIe x16 slot, and built-in RGB lighting on the right side of the motherboard. There's additional RGB connectivity in two RGB connectors and two addressable LED headers so plenty of connectivity for those who want a fully illuminating PC.

You get two M.2 connectors and four SATA ports for connecting your storage devices. There's also built-in Wi-Fi 6 and a 2.5Gb Ethernet for network connectivity. Alongside these, the IO features five USB-A ports a USB-C port, BIOS flash, dual HDMI, DisplayPort, and a basic audio out cluster. For a board of this size, this is a pretty comprehensive port selection, though I would trade an HDMI port for a couple more USB ports.

When building in a small enclosure for which this motherboard is designed, you could run into some clearance issues as I did with mine. You will need to make sure that your CPU cooler fits in the cramped socket area due to the tall VRM heatsink. You may be better off with an AIO liquid cooler over an air cooler for use with this motherboard.

A full-size ATX B550 motherboard with a unique white shell

The NZXT E7 B550 motherboard is a high-end B550 board with a clean white design. It sports a front panel USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C connector and Wi-Fi 6e connectivity, though strangely lacks onboard RGB lighting.

Most of the motherboards on this list are predominantly black in their color schemes. If you’re after a light theme for your system, the NZXT N7 B550 motherboard in white is a great option that stands out from the rest and offers a very clean aesthetic. NZXT is known for its great computer cases and coolers, so it's interesting to see the have a go at making motherboards, and this is the firm's first foray.

Its full ATX size form factor is exemplified by the bare white metal and plastic panels that cover the majority of the PCB. There are some ventilation holes over the VRM and chipset, though most of the board is covered by white. You get two full PCIe x16 slots (though one is wired for x4), plenty of RGB and fan connectors, and a comprehensive IO selection. Strangely, NZXT opted not to include onboard RGB lighting. This is odd given that they make RGB fans and cases, and this omission could be a turnoff given that this motherboard's whole schtick is a clean aesthetic.

The rear IO consists of nine USB-A, a single USB-C, HDMI out, BIOS flash buttons, six audio ports including S/PDIF, 2.5Gb Ethernet, and antenna points for the onboard Wi-FI 6e controller. For its size, I’d like to have seen more m.2 slots on the board. However, I can see how the plastic shielding could limit the required room for the connectors and mounting points.

The NZXT N7 B550's clean white look is unique and means that you could overlook the limited M.2 connectors, price, and lack of onboard RGB lighting. You could get around two of those factors with additional accessories and cards.

There are plenty of B550 motherboards to choose from for whichever mainstream form factor you’d like to build in. These are unlikely to be the best motherboards that you can buy, simply as a result of having the mid-tier AM4 chipset. However, they do offer great bang for the buck and give you most of what you could ever want as long as you’re not a hardcore spec-head.

A motherboard with a great mix of features and value

The Asus ROG Strix B550-F is a feature-rich AM4 B550 motherboard with high-end audio, 12+2 stage power delivery, and support for Ryzen 3000, 4000, and 5000-series processors.

If you want a well-rounded B550 ATX motherboard with a good IO selection, sleek design, and high-end audio, the Asus ROG Strix B550-F is a great choice. Its onboard Thunderbolt header allows you to add TB3 functionality through an add-in card strengthening its already comprehensive connectivity. Its optical audio-out is great for audiophiles who might have an external audio processor or DAC and want a clean feed. It also gives you a solid 12+2 stage power delivery system for some modest overclocking.

For those with the cash to splash, MSI's Meg B550 Unify is a beast of a board with dual EPS CPU power connectors for big overclocking potential, four M.2 slots for expanding with fast SSD storage, and a stealthy design if you’re into it. It's over double the cost of the rest of the boards on this list, and you might be better off with a flagship X570 board at this price, but if your heart is set on B550, this is the one to buy.

If you’re on the other end of the spectrum and want a cheap and cheerful board that has you covered on the basics and even some more premium features, Gigabytes B550 DS3H has my stamp of approval having used it several times myself. Just be careful to get the correct revision for RGB and addressable headers. With Wi-Fi 5, plenty of slots and connectors, and dual video outputs, this motherboard is hard to beat for price-to-performance.

Ryan-Thomas is a PC repair technician by day, computer science student by day, and commerce writer by... day?