A motherboard might not be the most exciting microcomputer component , butwhat a motherboard is , is the most important . Having a piteous motherboard can leave you with weak VRMs for overclocking , not enough embrasure for what you postulate , and limited storage space . The best motherboards come pack the late characteristic , like support for Wi - Fi 7 , 2.5Gbps Ethernet , USB4 , PCIe 5 , and more .
There are a number oftop CPUsworth considering in 2025 , though , so we ’ve attempt to give you the undecomposed spread of motherboards we could find . Whether you ’re construct a cutting - edge gambling political machine or want something more low-cost , here are the best motherboards you’re able to purchase .
Best AMD AM5 motherboard
Asus ROG Strix X870E-E
Why should you buy this : It ’s the good AM5 motherboard out there .
Who ’s it for : Gamers and enthusiasts who want peak performance and the latest features from their motherboard .
Why we picked the Asus ROG Strix X870E - east :
If you ’re looking for the absolute peak of performance and features for anAMD Ryzen motherboard ; something to pair with a new Ryzen 7000 or 9000 processor — then you really need to regard the Asus ROG Strix X870E - E motherboard . It offers rattling carrying into action for all of the latest CPUs , with support for the firm of memory standards . It has stellar VRMs , so whether you ’re using automated overclocking or rifle in manually , this plank will aid push your chip to its bound .
On top of that , you get starring features like Wi - Fi 7 and 5Gbps Ethernet built in . There ’s also excellent wired connectivity , with fast - charge USB4 port and loads of other USB - A and USB - coulomb connectors for all your machine . There ’s PCIe 5 livelihood for the fastest GPUs and storage , too .
This is n’t go to give you much better play performance than most X800 boards , so do n’t jump for this or else of raise your CPU or GPU , but for the best of the skillful , this is it .
Best LGA 1700 Intel motherboard
MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk Max
Why should you buy this : It ’s the best Intel motherboard for LGA 1700 CPUs from the 12th , 13th , and fourteenth generations .
Who ’s it for : Gamers and enthusiast who want fantastic Intel performance on older CPUs .
Why we picked the MSI Mag Z790 Tomahawk Max
Intel’sArrow Lake CPUs(also known as Core Ultra 200 ) are the latest and greatest Intel chips , with 800 - series motherboards to go with them . But if you ’re building a system based on an Intel 12th- , 13th- , or 14th - contemporaries central processing unit and want the best carrying out and feature film you may get hold , the MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk Max is the board for you .
It has fabulously static VRMs for intense overclocking and its feature film list is splendid . For networking , it offers Wi - Fi 7 and 2.5Gbps Ethernet built - in , and there are a massive telephone number of USB ports , including a USB - degree centigrade 20Gbps port wine . There is no Thunderbolt 4 living , which is a pity , but you’re able to get that on higher - ending instrument panel if it ’s a dealbreaker .
If you have a fortune of storage drives , though , this board is for you . It has four high-pitched - speed M.2 slot , and eight SATA connectors . All the computer memory quad you could need .
Want even more features at a eminent price ? mark out the MSI MEG Z790 Godlike Max . you could get Thunderbolt outputs and slightly better VRMs for four meter the price !
Best budget AMD AM5 motherboard
ASRock X870 Pro RS
Why should you buy this : It ’s a very low-cost high - end AMD AM5 motherboard .
Who ’s it for : Gamers and fancier who desire great performance at a great Leontyne Price .
Why we picked the ASRock X870 Pro RS :
ASRock ’s X870 Pro RS is an splendid motherboard for the late Ryzen 7000 and 9000 central processor , giving them excellent support and stability whether you ’re a gamer , creator , or office worker looking for a powerful new machine to speed up your workday . This board supports high memory focal ratio and has very capable VRMs , so overclocking is very practicable for unlocking extra execution .
It also supports USB4 and 2.5Gbps Ethernet . It does n’t have built - in Wi - Fi , so if you need that , upgrade to the Wi - Fi version , or add an tote up - in card or adapter down the assembly line . It has peck of USB - C and USB - A interface for all your devices , and it has armored PCIe slots to help prevent GPU sag .
The rouge job and RGB lighting are happen upon , too , making this a great motherboard for alpine - look human body .
Entry-level Intel motherboard
Asus Prime H610M-A
Why should you purchase this : It is the best sub-$100 motherboard for Intel ’s LGA 1700 CPUs .
Who ’s it for : Those who are planning to build an entry - level Intel system .
Why we clean the Asus Prime H610M - A :
Intel ’s older twelfth and 13th generation central processing unit are splendid if you are plan for a budget build , the H610 chipset - based motherboard should suit your needs . Priced at about $ 100 , the Asus Prime H610M - A is suitable for flake like the Core i3 - 12100 and i3 - 12300 and should also be able-bodied to handle the Core i5s , too . Remember , unlike higher - remnant motherboards like the Z690 and B660 , the H610 does not offer any overclocking abilities . Thus , the Asus Prime H610M - A motherboard is recommended for first appearance - tier systems . As for the feature of speech , the motherboard comes with onboard heatsinks and thermal pad for the VRMs and chipset , along with some fan headers and temperature detector to guarantee your scheme stays cool and static . There are two DIMM slots that defend up to 64 GB DDR4 3200 memory and XMP for improved memory board carrying into action .
For storage , there are two M.2 slots and four SATA 6Gb / s larboard , while the PCIe 4.0 x16 slot should support all modern graphics carte as well as other add - on cards . Rear I / O includes two USB 3.2 Gen 2 port , four USB 2.0 port , DisplayPort , HDMI , D - Sub port , Intel 1Gb Ethernet port , threefold audio jacks , and two PS/2 interface to connect legacy peripherals . For front I / O there is a USB 3.2 Gen 1 header that supports additional 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports and two USB 2.0 cope that digest an additional three USB 2.0 ports . The board also come up with addressable RGB headers if you care to add some bling bling to your rig .
Best B550 motherboard for AMD offering great value
Asus ROG Strix B550-F Gaming Wi-Fi
Why should you purchase this : It ’s the best B550 motherboard offer solid value .
Who ’s it for : Gamers and content Almighty look for the best features at reasonable pricing .
Why we find fault the Asus ROG Strix B550 - F Gaming Wi - Fi :
B550 motherboards are presuppose to be cheap than AMD ’s X570 chopine , and the ROG Strix B550 - F Gaming is a fine example . Selling for under $ 200 , you get quite a few features along with a premium - looking design with fancy RGB inflammation . The table comes with 14 - phase power delivery , two-fold M.2 slot , a 2.5 Gbps ethernet , Wi - Fi 6 with axe and Bluetooth , along with four DIMM slots DDR4 memory that can be clocked at 4400MHz . The chief PCIe x16 slot support Gen 4 as does one of the two M.2 slots .
The board also come with six SATA ports while the rear I / O include a total of eight USB port — two USB 3.2 Gen2 ( case - A and Type - C ) , four USB 3.2 Gen1 , and two USB 2.0 . asunder from the 2.5GbE LAN embrasure and dual antenna connector for Wi - Fi , there are also HDMI and DisplayPort TV outputs and stock 5 - plug analog audio production plus SPDIF . Additionally , it can handle overclocking and should continue stable with the right Seth of cooling hardware , and as the name advise , this is a solidgaming motherboard .
Frequently Asked Questions
When it comes to Intel , The Z - serial boards ( Z790 , Z690 , Z590 ) propose the ability tooverclock the CPUas well as the memory . With the introduction of the 12th - gen , Intel commence offeringmemory overlockingon the mid to downhearted - end B660 , H670 , and H610 . It is best to check that you checker for overclocking capacity by head up to the ware pageboy on the vendor ’s prescribed website .
All AMD motherboards outside of the super affordable A520 chipsets living overclocking , so you do n’t need to worry so much about which one you buy . That said , The X570 , X670E and X870E boards are more suitable for safely overclocking AMD chip , as they feature the high tone components , including better VRMs .
Yes . You should reinstall Windows if you are replacing the motherboard . Apart from hardware compatibility , a fresh installation of Windows see to it that the license key is tie in with your Modern motherboard . Thus , it is recommended that you keep your Windows digital licence or a intersection key handy in caseful you are planning to upgrade your motherboard . We also suggest fail through Microsoft ’s guide onhow to reactivate your Windowsafter a ironware change .
Not sure which motherboard suits your budget?
Choosing a motherboard is not easy . Every element you choose for yourPC builddepends on getting the good motherboard . To help you choose , check ourPC motherboard buying guideto ensure your requirements meet your budget .
