Choosing the best AMD motherboard for gaming largely involves matching the socket to your selected AMD processor. Older AMD Ryzen processors used AM4 sockets while the AM5 socket is used for newer AMD Ryzen chips. The new CPUs introduced features such as DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0 support, as well as vast performance improvements over predecessors. In this guide, you’ll find our recommendations for AMD motherboards.
These are the best AM5 motherboards for gaming in 2023
Source: ASUS
Asus ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming
Best overall
The very best AM5 motherboard is also great for gaming
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.
- Memory Type
- DDR5-6400+
- Form Factor
- ATX
- CPU Support
- AMD Ryzen 7000+
- Chipset
- X670
- Socket
- AM5
- Power Phases
- 18+2
- PCI Slots
- 2x PCIe 5.0 x16, 1x PCie 4.0 x16
- Storage
- 4x SATA, 2x PCIe 5.0 M.2, 2x PCIe 4.0 M.2
- Audio
- Realtek ALC4080
- Networking
- Intel 2.5Gb, 2×2 Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
- Internal I/O
- 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2×2, 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 3x USB-A 2.0, 1x Thunderbolt header
- Rear I/O
- 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2×2 port, 10x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, 2x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports
- PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 support
- Stable overclocking
- Easy and reliable BIOS
- Expensive
- Overkill for many people
If we were to recommend just one AM5 motherboard for AMD fans, it would be the Asus ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming WiFi. This is one amazing motherboard, but it’s not among the flagships from Asus, even though the price would suggest otherwise. That said, we’d still consider this an overkill pick for most people since it’s designed for system overclocking, has countless M.2 SSD slots, and various other features usually reserved for enthusiasts. There’s plenty to appreciate with this board, including support for DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0, making it one of the best motherboards in terms of value.
Source: XDA-Developers
As well as support for the latest memory and expansion technologies, Asus also included an 18+2 stage power design for stable overclocking of the CPU, even if you’re looking at an AMD Ryzen 9 7900. There are a total of four M.2 slots and a further four SATA ports, making running out of storage connections a non-issue. Thankfully, there’s an LED display in the top right-hand corner to display error codes during a failed boot, which is something of a rarity these days. There are also more ports on this thing than you could ever use at once, as well as Wi-Fi 6E and 2.5G Ethernet.
GIGABYTE X670 AORUS Elite AX
Runner-up
Another fine choice for AMD PC gamers
$260 $280 Save $20
The Gigabyte X670 Aorus Elite AX has the essentials for a high-end gaming PC, including support for DDR5-6666 memory, four M.2 slots for SSDs (one of which supports PCIe 5.0), and a 16-stage VRM.
- Memory Type
- DDR5-6666+
- Form Factor
- ATX
- CPU Support
- AMD Ryzen 7000+
- Chipset
- AMD X670
- Socket
- AM5
- Power Phases
- 16+2+2
- PCI Slots
- 1x PCIe 4.0 x16, 1x PCIe 4.0 x4, 1x PCIe 3.0 x1
- Storage
- 1x PCIe 5.0 M.2, 2x PCIe 4.0 M.2, 4x SATA
- Networking
- 2.5 GbE, AMD Wi-Fi 6E RZ616
- Internal I/O
- 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2×2, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 2x USB 2.0
- Rear I/O
- 6x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2×2, 4x USB-A 2.0
- PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 support
- Solid power delivery
- Better suited to gaming
The GIGABYTE X670 AORUS Elite AX is an amazing motherboard for AMD Ryzen 7000 processors. Couple one of these beastly chips up with the best DDR5 RAM and you’ll have a powerful gaming PC. There’s full support for PCIe 5.0 storage too, making this an excellent choice for many years to come. Rocking the latest and greatest features does mean you’ll be paying quite a price for the luxury, but it’s considerably less than our top motherboard recommendation for the AM5 socket.
What makes this slightly more affordable is the use of the X670 chipset without the “Extreme” suffix. The 16+2+2 phase power delivery design allows for some overclocking with the best AMD chipset for 7000 series chips, though you likely won’t get much out of the more capable SKUs under the Ryzen 9 family. 2.5GbE and Wi-Fi 6 networking ensure you’ll be online with friends with a reliable connection. Just note that the PCIe 5.0 support doesn’t cover the expansion slots for GPUs.
ASRock B650E Steel Legend
Best value
One of the best motherboards with the B650 chipset
The ASRock B650E Steel Legend is a motherboard that straddles the line between midrange and high-end. It has support for PCIe 5.0 graphics and three NVMe SSDs, while also supporting high-end Ryzen CPUs for the AM5 socket thanks to its relatively large 16-stage VRM.
- Memory Type
- DDR5-6600
- Form Factor
- ATX
- CPU Support
- AMD Ryzen 7000+
- Chipset
- AMD B650
- Socket
- AM5
- Power Phases
- 16+2+1
- PCI Slots
- 1x PCIe 5.0 x16, 1x PCIe 3.0 x16
- Storage
- 1x PCIe 5.0 M.2, 2x PCIe 4.0 M.2, 2x SATA
- Audio
- Realtek ALC897
- Networking
- Dragon RTL8125BG 2.5 GbE, 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6E
- Internal I/O
- 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen2x2, 2x USB-A 2.0
- Rear I/O
- 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen2, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen2, 4x USB-A 3.2 Gen1, 2x USB-A 2.0
- PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 support
- Good power delivery
- Plenty of storage connections
The ASRock B650E Steel Legend has an interesting chipset in the form of the B650E, which unlocks support for PCIe 5.0 on the expansion slots. Such functionality is usually reserved for X670 chipset motherboards, but B650E boards also have it. This makes the B650E Steel Legend better than some more expensive X670 motherboards in that regard. Then there’s the rather beefy 16+2 stage power design with decent enough VRMs for overclocking the CPU.
RAM support is solid too, allowing you to use certain kits with AMD EXPO to boost up to DDR5 speeds of around 6600 MT/s. Hooking up your favorite gaming mouse and headset will be no issue thanks to the eight available USB ports. Plenty of fan headers make it possible to use more than one radiator for a powerful gaming PC. We’d recommend checking motherboards such as this (with the B650E chipset) if you’d like to save a little but want PCIe 5.0 support across the board.
Source: ASUS
Asus TUF Gaming B650-Plus
Best budget
Looking for a good deal? This one is for you
The Asus TUF Gaming B650-Plus is a midrange motherboard with support for PCIe 5.0 SSDs and midrange to high-end Ryzen 7000 CPUs.
- Form Factor
- ATX
- Chipset
- AMD B650
- Socket
- AM5
- Power Phases
- 12+2
- PCI Slots
- 2x PCIe 4.0 x16, 2x PCIe 4.0 x1
- Storage
- 4x SATA, 1x PCIe 5.0 M.2, 2x PCIe 4.0 M.2
- Networking
- 1x Realtek 2.5Gb
- Internal I/O
- 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 2x USB-A 2.0
- Rear I/O
- 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 4x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2x USB 2.0
- DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0 SSD support
- Excellent connectivity
- Decent power delivery
- PCie 4.0 for GPU
- Pricey given the specs
This may not be the most impressive motherboard using the B650 chipset from AMD, but one shouldn’t overlook it for a capable gaming PC build. The Asus TUF Gaming B650-PLUS motherboard comes with plenty of features you need, and none of the fancy features you don’t, making it a perfect choice for the budget-conscious AMD builder. There’s full support for PCIe 5.0 SSDs, dual-GPU configurations, and four DIMM slots for up to 128GB of DDR5 RAM. You even get heatsink covers for the M.2 slots. The motherboard also comes with integrated Wi-Fi 6 and 2.5GbE networking with first-party TUF features, making this a well-rounded board for the price.
The 12+2 stage power design for delivering electricity isn’t the best, but it’ll easily handle even the flagship AMD Ryzen 7000 series processor. You could get away with some minor overclocking, but we wouldn’t recommend pushing many components hard with the Asus TUF Gaming B650-PLUS. Where this motherboard shines is in its connectivity, price, and value. You’ll be able to install a CPU, fire up the BIOS to make some adjustments, enabling AMD EXPO and setting fan curves, and be playing your favorite PC games in no time at all.
Source: ASUS
ASUS ROG Strix X670E-I Gaming WIFI
Best compact
For those creating a small form factor gaming PC
$428 $470 Save $42
This compact ITX ASUS ROG Strix X670E motherboard has everything you’ll need for a powerful PC that can fit inside a smaller form factor chassis.
- Chipset
- AMD X670
- Socket
- AM5
- Power Phases
- 10+2
- PCI Slots
- 1x PCIe 5.0 x16
- Storage
- 2x SATA, 1x PCIe 5.0 M.2, 1x PCIe 4.0 M.2
- Audio
- ALC4050
- Networking
- Intel 2.5Gb, Wi-Fi 6E
- Internal I/O
- 1x USB 3.2-C Gen 2, 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1
- Rear I/O
- 2x USB-C 4.0, 5x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 3x USB-A 2.0
- PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 support
- Impressive features for the size
- Excellent BIOS support
- Expensive
- Limited overclocking
If you’re looking to create a compact system, there’s a strong possibility the PC case you’ll be using requires a Mini-ITX motherboard. We’ve compiled a list of the best Mini-ITX motherboards and feel as though the Asus ROG Strix X670E-I Gaming Wi-Fi is the motherboard to buy. It’s the smallest motherboard in our collection here, rocking just one PCI slot for the GPU and two DIMM slots for system memory. This restricts what one can do with the board, for instance only being able to install up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM, but it is possible to install the mighty AMD Ryzen 9 7950X and run the processor without an issue.
There’s full support for Wi-Fi 6, though 2.5GbE networking is also present for those who have their PC near the router or switch. Plenty of USB ports are present on the rear, though you may need to invest in a fan splitter or two for connecting all the necessary case and CPU fans to the board. We’d recommend either one of the best air coolers or an AIO liquid cooler with the Asus ROG Strix X670E-I Gaming Wi-Fi. The 10+2 phase power delivery design ensures enough stable and reliable electricity will run to the CPU and other important components. You won’t be able to overclock this thing, but it’ll handle all the latest games and then some.
NZXT N7 B650E Gaming Wi-Fi 6 Motherboard
Best design
This NZXT motherboard is packed full of features
stylish metal-clad motherboard for clean white builds.
- Brand
- NZXT
- Memory Slots
- 4
- Memory Type
- DDR5-6000+
- Form Factor
- ATX
- CPU Support
- Ryzen 7000+
- Chipset
- B650
- Socket
- AM5
- Power Phases
- 16+2+1
- PCI Slots
- 1x PCIe 5.0 x16, 2x PCIe 4.0 x16
- Storage
- 4x SATA, 1x PCIe 5.0 M.2, 2x PCIe 4.0 M.2
- Audio
- Realtek ALC1220
- Networking
- Realtek 2.5Gb, 2×2 Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
- Internal I/O
- 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 3x USB-A 2.0
- Rear I/O
- 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, 4x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, 2x USB-A 2.0 ports, 1x HDMI 2.1, 5x Audio jacks, S/PDIF out
- DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0 SSD support
- Stunning design
- Great set of features for a B650 board
- Expensive for a B650 board
The NZXT N7 B650E is the unique motherboard in this collection of AMD boards. The design makes use of large shrouds to cover most of the main PCB, resulting in a clean look. This also doubles as an easy way to personalize the motherboard with detailing on the removable shroud panels. NZXT tends to use mid-range chipsets and push them to their limits in terms of connectivity and performance and the N7 B650E is no exception.
The B650 chipset is great for those who don’t require flagship features with AMD processors. The NZXT N7 B650E has three full-size x16 PCI slots with the primary slot supporting PCIe 5.0. There are three M.2 slots with one supporting PCIe 5.0 and four SATA ports at hand for connecting other storage drives. 2.5GbE networking is present alongside Wi-Fi 6E and you’ll have access to more USB ports than you’ll likely know what to do with.
Choosing the best AM5 motherboard for gaming
The Asus ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming is a perfect example of a motherboard done right. It’s expensive, but you’ll have almost everything you need to build one of the best AMD-powered systems, including PCIe 5.0, DDR5 support, overclocking potential, a rock-solid BIOS, fast networking, and more. If you’re on a tighter budget (or simply do not feel comfortable spending more than $400 on a motherboard), we’d recommend the excellent Asus TUF Gaming B650-Plus.
Source: ASUS
Asus ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming
Best overall
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.
