Best AMD Motherboards For Gaming In 2023

AMD has been making waves of late and with good reason; Its 7950X3D has taken back the performance crown from Intel, and seems to deliver on the promise the Ryzen 7000 series made when it launched before it was overshadowed by a resurgent Intel 13th generation processor lineup. As we account for AMD’s newer Ryzen 7000X3D processor lineup which currently dominates benchmarks for both gaming and efficiency, we also need to look at motherboards to partner with AMD’s latest and greatest gaming-centric CPUs.

That being said, AMD’s older 7000 series CPUs are often on sale at prices far below making them an impressive consideration to make at certain price points even as AM5 socket-based platforms continue to improve at various price points, offering better value via the B650 and A620 chipsets even as it ushers in PCI-E 5.0 and DDR5 memory as standards at the high end, with the latter being a mainstay, even in budget-centric motherboards.

A gaming motherboard should be judged by its performance in multiple metrics, including, but not limited to:

• Stability While Gaming
• Overclocking Performance
• RAM Compatibility
• Power Delivery options
• Support For Upcoming Processors
• Timely BIOS Updates
• Storage options
• Networking options

To run AMD’s highest-end offerings as well as any of the Ryzen 7000 or 7000X3D lineups you would need a motherboard that supports the AM5 socket and sports the AMD 600 series chipset (B650/X670/X670E). But with so many options to choose from, one can easily get confused about what to buy given the plethora of options that often are not quite distinguished from each other; This makes choosing the right motherboard for the right job a tad harder. Thankfully the team at GameRant has decided to lend you a hand by highlighting some of the best motherboards for gaming.

All our recommendations are specific to AM5 socket motherboards. That means only AMD Ryzen 7000 series and up processors are compatible with these motherboards.

While AMD’s X670E motherboards are generally pricier than Intel’s more premium end, they are expected to remain relevant far longer than Intel’s current crop of 600 and 700 series motherboards. That isn’t exactly an excuse for their abysmal pricing at times, but it should make parting with your cash easier knowing you picked up a motherboard that will possibly be a mainstay in your system for multiple generations of processors.

The GIGABYTE X670E AORUS Master Motherboard is a complete, albeit pricey, gaming-centric motherboard that offers a massive amount of I/O options, sporting dual PCI-E Gen 5 SSD support in addition to PCI-E 5.0 support on the x16 slot, making it a future-proof offering unlike its cheaper B650/A620 competitors.

While it does hold its own exceedingly well versus some of the top-tier models of its competition, as more competitive mid-range offerings from other vendors begin to hit mainstream lineups, the $500 price tag the Aorus Master commands does seem to be stretching its value proposition with some of its competitors offering similar features in sub-$300 to $400 motherboards.

With solid BIOS support from Gigabyte (5 major updates since launch at the time of writing) and a connector-dense motherboard, there isn’t much that the Aorus Master misses. Given the abysmally steep prices of some of the higher end X670E based motherboards from its competition, one might even be willing to let Gigabyte’s excellent offering slide in the pricing department without saying too much for an excellent motherboard that does tick all the boxes for an AMD-based motherboard in 2023.

The ASUS ROG Strix X670E-F Gaming Wi-Fi motherboard is in just the right place at the right time for most gamers. It isn’t the crazy overkill that the Hero and the Crosshair Extreme are for most users while it delivers substantial value compared to most of the motherboards that directly compete with it, often at sub $500 price points. It is feature-rich and comes with support for PCI-E 5.0 on both the x16 slot and the M2 slot out of the box making it a true long-term investment while the AM5 socket remains in play.

ASUS’s ROG Strix X670E-based lineup has generally been pricier than the competition which often has contenders at the sub $250 to 300 mark even as it was engulfed in controversy a few months ago about how it was handling RMAs based on flawed handling of CPU overvolting which could result in damage to both the motherboard and CPU.

Update 8/1/2023: While it does come packed to the brim with additional features and value than some of its competition. It offers 2.5G Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6E, and decent power delivery, and given that ASUS’s new BIOS resolves most of the issues faced by users in the past, makes for a formidable alternative, though at a premium compared to the competition.

The ASRock X670E PG Lightning Gaming Motherboard is an excellent mid-range X670E-based motherboard that allows users to game and perform productivity-related work with ease thanks to the highest-end AMD chipset on offer coupled with excellent power delivery in tow.

It does sacrifice its Wi-Fi capabilities to manage cost but in return does offer significant amounts of I/O options that are normally found in higher-end motherboards from competitors. As gamers, most users want low-latency gaming, so the capable 2.5G Ethernet port should take care of most of your needs as a gamer or content creator, even if the option for wireless connectivity would have been ideal.

The ASRock X670E PG Lightning Gaming Motherboard is a capable performer that delivers on its promise and has a few quirks that can be remedied at a small additional cost such as adding a capable Wi-Fi adapter should the need arise.

Update 8/1/2023: The ASRock X670E PG Lightning Gaming Motherboard remains one of the most cost-effective ways to get an X670E chipset-based AM5 motherboard and despite no changes in pricing since we last looked at it, it seems to be a safe bet to make if you are gaming on a budget. ASRock does ship a more capable Steel Legend SKU that offers better aesthetics and Wi-Fi 6E built-in, if you can shell out the extra $40 required to get it.

The GIGABYTE B650 AORUS Elite AX is a budget B650-based motherboard that stretches the definition of ‘budget gaming’ as it delivers on pretty much every metric one would use to judge its higher-end siblings. For a motherboard sporting an entry-level chipset from AMD, one would expect a lot less, but given the price and the lack of better options in the same price range, it is a no-brainer contender for the best budget AMD motherboard.

With overclockable DDR5 support along with an extensive networking hardware stack in play that offers Wi-Fi 6E and PCI-E 5.0 support out of the box, the B650-based motherboard also comes with a capable 14+2+1 phase power delivery system that pulls it ahead of its competition. While it is on the high side of where motherboards should cost, we feel this one justifies its price while offering an excellent, future-proof alternative to motherboards that cost a multiple of the same.

Update 8/1/2023: The GIGABYTE B650 AORUS Elite AX is a capable mid-ranger motherboard that does everything it says on the label, and while we aren’t fans of the price point it currently trades at, it does offer an excellent mid-range motherboard experience that can also be considered a budget take at AM5 motherboards given the high median prices for the newer chipset-based motherboards from AMD. It has not seen much price movement but does happen to be available at just above $200 on Amazon currently, which is slightly better value than when we looked at it a few months ago.

The ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I GAMING Wi-Fi combines a powerful X670E-based motherboard with the compactness that the M-ITX spec dictates. It remains a credible performer that has multiple overclocking-friendly features in tow as it pushes the boundaries of what is possible from a small form factor PC when paired with processors like the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D or 7950X while throwing in dual USB 4.0 ports into the mix for power users.

It does suffer somewhat from the lack of space, as it reduces its DDR5 ram slots to 2 and also offers only 2 M2 slots onboard. It does attempt to compensate for the limited I/O on board by offering more control via the ASUS ROG Strix Hive and the Asus ROG FPS-II card that extend more headers and ports using a vertically mounted approach to remain within M-ITX specifications.

Update 8/1/2023: With limited alternatives in the market when one looks for an ITX-based AM5 motherboard, the ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I GAMING Wi-Fi motherboard remains the best choice for many users looking to get a smaller form factor without sacrificing performance or PCI-E lanes on their high-end PC. As a result, however, prices have moved only exactly $2 downwards on both major retailers we track for this particular motherboard, making it an expensive affair to go ITX on X670E if you want to go the ASUS ROG Strix route.

The ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme is a no-holds-barred approach as ASUS pulls out all the stops to make a motherboard that holds up against scrutiny alongside the best in the business, while beating them comprehensively in style and looks. While the latter part of that statement might be largely based on personal preference, it does feature as arguably one of the best-looking X670E motherboards if not singularly the best.

Featuring one of the best 20+2 phase power designs in play with USB 4.0 ports out of the box, the ROG Crosshair uses both the Anime Matrix LED system as an appearance from its Livedash OLED to essentially polish off a very premium-looking motherboard. At a closer look, we see Wi-Fi 6E support coupled with 10G Ethernet and an additional 2.5G Ethernet port for those who need it. With as many as 5 gen 5 M2 slots (using its Genz.2 module) and support for as many as 22 USB ports, the ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme is flexing its extremely potent I/O capabilities (pun intended).

RELATED: The Best Motherboards For AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D CPUs

Our only gripe is the cost which is prohibitively high. Until recently, the ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme was trading at a premium on most marketplaces which shows that despite the price, it does cater to a certain enthusiast and creator market. However, if you want the best there is when it comes to gaming keyboards and the cost is not an issue, you can not go wrong with the Crosshair X670E Extreme.

Update 8/1/2023: The ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme seems to be short on supply since we last had a look at ASUS’s most expensive AM5 motherboard to date. This has resulted in price gouging in addition to limited availability at retailers, making it harder to secure a unit anywhere close to its already-high sub $1000 MSRP with the premium motherboard trading at a price point of up to $200-300 more than its previous market price.

The MSI MEG X670E GODLIKE Motherboard is an amalgamation of everything premium you could possibly get from an MSI motherboard condensed into one massive E-ATX-based product offering that should have you covered in terms of IO, networking and overclocking needs for years to come for the AM5 platform.

The MEG X670E GODLIKE is the definition of overkill when it comes to hardware, and it comes with a price to match, taking the not-so-desired crown of the most expensive AM5-based motherboard to date. This is partially due to the extra goodies such as the touchscreen 4.5 Inch M-Vision dashboard and the PCI-E based M2 XPANDER-Z dual slot M2 adapter that enables it to support a total of 6 PCI-E based NVME SSDs.

The lack of USB 4.0 ports however that its rival ASUS does sport in its high-end offerings does put a bit of a damper on MSI’s offerings in terms of future-proofing, but otherwise, the MEG is a motherboard that pushes limits in all conceivable ways on the X670E platform while sporting an AM5 socket that we expect to be relevant for years to come.

Update 8/1/2023: The MSI MEG X670E GODLIKE Motherboard has seen no price movement since we have tracked it and, given the recently higher prices for ASUS’s Crosshair offering, seems to look like a much better alternative premium motherboard. It remains one of the priciest X670E-based investments you can make for your gaming, productivity, or overclocking needs, but now seems to be more viable simply because of higher prices in play for some of its direct competitors.

What’s Next After Your Motherboard Purchase?

Already purchased a motherboard or looking to pair it off with a capable processor from the AMD Ryzen 7000 series? Check out our guide on how the latest and greatest AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D compares to the Ryzen 9 7950X and if it is worth shelling out extra for the former. You might also want to consider our recently updated guide to purchasing memory/RAM for your DDR5-based AMD PC as well as a GPU to pair with it to bolster your gaming/productivity needs this year.

FAQ:

Q: What is the latest AMD motherboard chipset?

A: AMD’s 600 series chipsets are the latest. Chipsets start from the budget-oriented B650 and edge towards the performance tier with the X670 while pushing the enthusiast tier with the X670E chipset.

Q: What processors do the B650 or X670/X670E chipset support?

A: All AM5-based processors to date. While all AMD Ryzen 7000 series processors are supported out of the box currently, Ryzen 7000 X3D series processors might need a bios update to function with motherboards that sport older bios versions.