Till now, we had just X470 chipset, which is a top-notch chipset for first-generation Ryzen CPUs and AMD Ryzen 2000 series. AMD X470 motherboards are capable of supporting many of the latest and advanced features such as StoreMI technology, XFR 2 Enhanced, and Precision Boost Overdrive that was previously not supported by the AMD 300 series motherboards. The latest AMD B450 chipset aims at mainstreaming subdivision and supporting recent features and overclocking. AMD motherboards centered on the X470 chipset are relatively costly, and you might not be able to afford if you are looking for budget-friendly mid-range gaming PC with Ryzen 2nd generation processors. This won’t be a concern anymore since B450 chipset comes under the category of mid-range. Motherboards founded on B450 comes cheaper compared to the ones that rely on the X470 chipset. You can conveniently build a powerful financial plan to mid-range gaming PC using Ryzen 2000 series processor and B450 motherboard. In this all-inclusive buyer’s guide, we have listed the best b450 motherboards to provide you ultimate gaming experience.
Best B450 Motherboards Comparison Chart
A Quick Look At The Best B450 Motherboard:
Best B450 Motherboard
#1- MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon AC
You might be thinking who builds the ultimate best b450 motherboard? Well, the answer is simple – the MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon. It is regarded as one of the best b450 motherboards.
Socket: AM4. Form Factor & Dimensions: ATX – 12 in. x 9.6 in. Memory: 4x Dimm Slots W/Upto 128GB, at 3466 MHz (O.C) Onboard Graphics Ports: 1x DisplayPort & 1x HDMI 2.0b. Supports Both Wi-Fi & Bluetooth. It has Gold Plated Audio Jack. Extended Heatsink Design. Supports MSI Mystic Light. Intel Gigabit Ethernet Supported. Dual M.2 NVMe Support.
Unmatched performance from the price point Good overclocking potential Effective cooling for VRMs Feature efficient and nicely-laid out UEFI
Power-hungry in indolent Restricted storage interface options
Subsequently, MSI has achieved to outperform with this one. It’s an improved board and certainly, a better buy compared to most X470 models such as X470 Gaming Pro and X470 Gaming Plus. MSI B450 Pro Carbon comes with a 4+2 phase VRM. Also, cooling on this motherboard works quite effectively, and it is capable of supporting a bigger heatsink. It cannot be encroached upon by a plastic shroud. For those who wonder, the B450 Pro Carbon uses the RT8894A regulator and comes with a total of 8 semiconductor 4C029 fets and eight low-side 4C024 fets. It’s a 4-phase Vcore VRM with no doubler. However, the MSI B450 motherboard lacks voltage offset support in the BIOS. Other than this, MSI has productively developed the decisive B450 motherboard with an excellent B450 Gaming Pro Carbon.
#2- Asus ROG Strix B450-F Gaming
If budget is not a concern for you and you require somewhat more flexibility from the B450 platform, the Asus ROG Strix B450-F Gaming is certainly an excellent choice for you. In our opinion, MSI B450 is a better buy since it comes cheaper and with advanced features. You can easily get Intel dual-band Wireless-AC and Bluetooth 5.0. There are only two things that you may not likely miss includes two SATA ports and a third PCIe x16 slot. Overall, this motherboard is a Real Steal.
Socket: AM4. Form Factor & Dimensions: ATX & 12 x 9.6 inches Memory: 4 x DIMM, W/Upto 128GB, at 3600 (O.C.) Onboard Graphics Ports: HDMI 2.0b & DisplayPort 1.2. Intel Gigabit Ethernet Supported. Supports Asus AURA Sync Litghing. Dual NVMe M.2 Support. Pre-mounted I/O Shield. Fan Xpert4 Auto Tuning Function.
Tweak-friendly ROG UEFI Enhanced DRAM overclocking Comes with SupremeFX Audio Switchable southbridge sticker Overclocks any Ryzen without any problem
Lack of some power/reset buttons and POST LED A little disturbing BIOS oversights
Asus ROG Strix comes with four PCI Express x1 slots, three PCI Express x16 slots, and two M.2 PCI Express x4 slots so you can have adequate capacity for expansion. This motherboard incredibly serves the gaming enthusiasts since there isn’t any RGB overload. You can enjoy the lighting effects on the VRMs along with the chipset heatsink. The model is best suitable for automatic overclocking through XFR and AMD’s Precision Boost compared to the manual overclocking in this context. You will find sufficient headers to choose for your lighting strips if required. Asus ROG Strix B450-F Gaming is capable of supporting up to 64 GB of DDR4-3200 memory. When it comes to audio, the SupremeFX audio offers sufficient isolated distortion-free audio with the Nichicon audio capacitors that significantly assist in generating a clean and clear output. Gaming on the Asus ROG Strix B450-F Gaming is a real delight, and it helps you operate the recent games at their highest settings with the restrictions coming from the CPU and GPU system. It’s a standard motherboard which helps users find some essential features such as XMP settings and manual core voltage settings. Though, the latest BIOS updates have included certain missing functionality. If you are searching for absolute control over how the components operate, you may move to the high-end option. If you are not much concerned about some overclocking and additional PCI Express lanes, there makes no practical difference between the B450 and the X470 chipsets. If you are looking for a budget-friendly motherboard with a solid foundation for any future upgrades, the Asus ROG Strix B450-F Gaming is undoubtedly the right choice. For the price, you will also get a great set of accessories and a sufficient number of expansion slots. Lastly, if you are searching for customization options, you can also switch out the stickers on the heatsinks as per your preference.
#3- MSI Arsenal Gaming B450 TOMAHAWK MAX II
Getting a new system for gaming in the last few months has been a real challenge. Getting your hands on a decent CPU or GPU sound like a far-fetched dream. What if I tell you it is possible to build a computer still? If you have been searching with envious eyes at the 2nd Generation of AMD Zen products, the ASUS ROG Strix B450-F makes a nice choice. It combines the performance and feature set that you must be looking forward to. All-inclusive features are covered up in a reasonably priced package makes this mobo one of the best b450 motherboards. It may not work as best as full-fat X470 models, though it truly gets extremely sight closer than any model you will be expecting.
Socket: AM4. Form Factor & Dimensions: ATX & 12 x 9.6 inches. Memory: 4x Dimm Slots W/Upto 128GB, at 4133 MHz (O.C). Onboard Graphics Ports: 1x DVI-D & 1x HDMI 2.1. It has one M.2 Slot. Flash BIOS Button. MSI Extended Heatsink. High Quality Audio Capacitors. MSI Mystic Light Support.
ATX form factor motherboard with a decent number of ports and slots. PCIe Steel Armor technology for protecting GPUs from bending. Up to 4133MHz of memory support. Dedicated Flash Bios button for bios reset. A-XMP utility for easy overclocking.
Only 1x M.2 slot.
You can build a decent gaming rig for 1080p or 1440p gaming, and if you are a fan of AMD, MSI Arsenal Gaming B450 TOMAHAWK MAX II is here to help you out. B450 motherboards are excellent for a medium-budget gaming computer. The motherboard features the B450 chipset that supports AMD’s Zen, Zen+, Zen 2, and Zen 3 processors (graphics only). The motherboard has 4x DDR4 slots which can install up to 128GBs of memory. The board supports up to 4133 MHz of memory speeds. For storage drives, the board features 6 SATAIII ports and 1 NVMe M.2 slots. The board has a heat sink on crucial components while the processor work at full frequency. On the backside, the board has 4x USB 3.2 ports, 4x USB 2.0 and Realtek ALC892/ACL897, 1x DVI-D, 1x HDMI ports. Looks-wise, the motherboard is nothing extraordinary or eye-catching. The Tomahawk Max II features an elegant black PCB with a shade of grey complimenting the black PCB and enchanting the aesthetics of the board.
#4- Gigabyte B450 AORUS Pro (Wi-Fi)
The GIGABYTE B450 AORUS PRO Wi-Fi is a budget-friendly motherboard packed with decent features, but there are some sacrifices to be made. The price of the AORUS PRO Wi-Fi is fair, and if you are not into overclocking or are only interested in GPU overclocking, then this is the perfect board for you. The MSI Arsenal Gaming B450 TOMAHAWK MAX II is a solid motherboard for medium-budget systems if you are looking for your Ryzen 3000 processors in a new home. The motherboard comes with multiple set of features that makes the user experience delightful. The board also features A-XMP, similar to Intel’s XMP, for overclocking memory sticks with ease. The overhead VRM heatsink is quite effective for keeping the temperature of the VRM lower, adding more to the value of the board. The motherboard is a solid choice considering the price and the set of features it comes with is truly skyrocketing. If you have a decent budget, do give B450 TOMAHAWK MAX II a look because every piece of evidence we found so far even if it is the third one on the list makes this board the best b450 motherboard.
Socket: AM4. Form Factor & Dimensions: ATX & 12 x 9.6 inches. Memory: 4x Dimm Slots W/Upto 128GB 128GB, at 3600 MHz (O.C) Onboard Graphics Ports: 1x DVI-D & 1x HDMI 2.0. Intel GbE LAN Chip. Supports RGB Fusion 2.0. Supports Bluetooth & Wi-Fi. Smart Fan 5 Supported. Integrated I/O Shield Armor.
2x M.2 slots. Wi-Fi-supported motherboard. Integrated I/O panel. Multiple USB 3.1 and USB Type-C ports on the rear and front. Dedicated heatsinks for CPU VRMs. Attractive design.
Is not flexible for overclocking memory. Slower Intel 1×1 AC controller.
The boat fully supports AMD Ryzen Zen, Zen+, Zen 2, and Zen 3 processors including CPUs with Radeon Vega Graphics. It has integrated I/O shields for better thermal conduction of crucial motherboard parts. The heatsinks for VRM, M.2, and a thin line of RBG lights up and works nicely with the black PCB, and the fun part is you can have to change the color to your liking with the help of RGB Fusion 2.0 software. The board has 4x DDR4 DIMM sockets supporting up to 128GB of memory. It supports up to 3600 MHz of memory frequency. These frequencies have little to no room for tweaking and can cause issues if the frequencies are tweaked away from the suggested values Unlike other boards with a similar price, the B450 AORUS PRO Wi-Fi features 2x M.2 slots and 6x SATAIII slots. On the back, it has 1x Realtek ALC1220-VB codec, 1x USB Type-C, 5x USB 3.1, and 4x USB 3.1, 1x HDMI, 1x DVI-D ports, and 5x audio jacks The board has the ATX form factor and has the following dimensions: 30.5cm x 24.5cm
#5- ASUS TUF Gaming B450 PLUS II
ASUS is one of the prominent high-end hardware manufacturers and offers the best in PC hardware be it a motherboard, monitor, GPU, or PSU. Gigabyte B450 AORUS PRO Wi-Fi is an excellent budget motherboard that tries to offer as much value as possible and does a really good job with that but does not hit the mark, which is acceptable considering the price of the board. If you have overclocking as your priority you might want to get a better motherboard preferably X470 or B550 or above boards, as they are loaded with features for making overclocking a breeze. But if you do not care much about overclocking but want to get as many features as possible on a single board without having to spend a fortune, the AORUS PRO Wi-Fi will be the ideal solution for your requirements. This board checks all boxes except for overclocking flexibility but hey, you get several other features, which are nearly hard to find in a single motherboard with an affordable price tag
Socket: AM4. Form Factor & Dimensions: ATX & 12 x 9.6 inches. Memory: 4x Dimm Slots W/Upto 128GB, at 4400 MHz (O.C). Onboard Graphics Ports: 1x DisplayPort 1.2 & 1x HDMI 2.0b. Supports Aura Sync Lighting. Dual M.2 Slots. Comprehensive Cooling Technology. AI-Noise Canceling Microphone Technology
A sufficient number of I/O ports. Stylist integrated I/O shield. Multiple ASUS technologies are supported. The aluminum heatsink and black PCB add value to aesthetics. Comes with dual M.2 slots.
4x SATA expansion slots.
The ROG series is the best, top-of-the-line PC hardware, they also have a budget series for gamers that are not essentially looking for bleeding-edge technology to be able to play games. Realistically speaking, most people are looking to build a medium-budget computer with as many high-end features they can find. The ASUS TUF Gaming B450 PLUS II is the budget-oriented motherboard for your rig. ASUS features a black PCB with an integrated I/O shield and custom heatsinks for CPU VRMs. The board supports AMD’s Zen, Zen+, Zen 2, and Zen 3 CPUs. It features 4x DDR4 memory slots with a maximum frequency of 4400MHz after over-clocking. The TUF lineup of products is designed with durability in mind, this board is no different as it oozes quality at a single glance. It is loaded with durable components. On the back you will find 1x DisplayPort 1.2, 1x HDMI 2.0b, 5x USB 3.2 ports (1x Gen 2, 4x Gen1), 1x USB Type-C, 2x USB 2.0 ports and 5x audio jacks. The board features the ATX form factor and takes advantage of several ASUS technologies like AU-RA SYNC, Enhanced DRAM Overcurrent Protection, and more.
#6- Gigabyte B450 AORUS M
Gigabyte B450 AORUS M is a beginner-level Gaming motherboard centered on the mid-range AMD B450 chipset. Since it’s a micro-ATX motherboard, it can conveniently fit in the mini or mid-tower and even in high-form factor cases. Normally speaking, ASUS products are expensive and are not for everyone but they do have good quality products on which you can rely. The TUF Gaming B450 PLUS II is released for people with a medium budget and want to build a rig that can provide maximum value from the money they are willing to spend. The TUF Gaming B450 PLUS II is a jack of all trades that has some amazing features packed in a single package. Sure with the price of this motherboard, you will not get everything The board comes with multiple ASUS technologies including, ones that protect the motherboard and other components. The board is decent in every aspect, but if you like to have several storage drives installed in your computer the board does not have much flexibility offering a single M.2 slot and four SATA drives
Socket: AM4 Form Factor & Dimensions: Micro ATX & 9.6 x 9.6 inches Memory: 4x Dimm Slots W/Upto 128GB, at 3600 MHz (O.C) Onboard Graphics Ports: 1x DVI-D & 1x HDMI 2.0. RGB Fusion 2.0 Supported. Realtek GbE LAN Chip. Comes With AORUS M.2 Thermal Guard. High-Quality Audio Capacitors. Q-Flash Plus Button.
Support the most recent AMD 5th Gen Ryzen CPU. Maintain up to 3200MHz DDR4 memory or more. Included M.2 SSD heatsink. Support AMD Crossfire. Equipped with a PS/2 keyboard mouse combo port.
Unable to support NVIDIA SLI. Lack of improved cooling on potential thermal throttle problem and part of the MOSFETs.
This budget-friendly gaming motherboard is equipped with all the features you can expect from a high-end motherboard. It comes with one PCIex1 slot, two PCI-E x16 graphics card slots supporting 2-way CrossFire, and an M.2 slot for securing M.2 SATA SSDs and PCIe Gen3 x4 NVMe. Further, the model supports DDR4 RAM (3200 MHz) up to 64GB capacity. Isn’t it amazing? The motherboard maintains memory overclocking and CPU. It features unique and essential characteristics such as Gaming LAN, RGB Fusion support, UEFI Dual BIOS, eight-channel onboard audio, Gen 2 and Gen 1 ports, Smart Fan 5 fan control software, RGB and RGBW Header, M.2 Heatsink for cooling M.2 SSD, and display ports that comprise DVI and HDMI. To conclude this, Gigabyte B450 AORUS M is a powerful budget-friendly motherboard for a mid-ranging gaming experience using 2nd Generation Ryzen processors.
#7- MSI B450M BAZOOKA Motherboard
MSI B450M BAZOOKA is another popular budget-friendly motherboard giving you an M-ATX form factor. Contrasting other motherboards, it is equipped with just a single PCI-E x16 slot and consequently does not support Multi-GPU Crossfire. Based on our research and experience with the Gigabyte B450 AORUS M, we can say that it’s certainly the kind of motherboard you would like to get your hands on if you are looking forward to overclocking your system to some extent. However, the MOSFETs alone might be a concern for you that may encourage your focus on high-end motherboards. Overall, if you want to opt for a budget-friendly board that allows you to overclock the CPU, the Gigabyte B450 AORUS M should definitely make it to your selection list. One more thing, that makes this motherboard one of the best b450 motherboards for micro-atx PC setups is the compact level and overall design as I mentioned above.
Socket: AM4 Form Factor & Dimensions: Micro-ATX & 9.6 x 9.6 inches. Memory: 4x Dimm Slots W/Upto 128GB, at 3466 MHz (OC). Onboard Graphics Ports: 1x DVI-D & 1x HDMI 2.0b. MSI Mystic Light Supported. PCI-E Steel Armor. MSI Audio Boost. Heavy Plated Gaming Heatsinks.
Upgraded audio chip and network card. GPU and EZ indicators for fault detection. Eight-pin processor power. Connector for RGB tape to beautify the system.
Does not come with a heatsink on the VRM SoC for cooling the incorporated graphics.
Also, it doesn’t have USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports, which may be a concern for some users. Though the motherboard works well and is equipped with Turbo M.2 slot for NVMe, two PCIe x1 slots, and SATA M.2 SSDs. Moreover, it can support DDR4 3466+(OC) MHz RAM up to 64GB. Other essential features of this gaming motherboard include eight-channel audio, heatsinks, RGB Mystic Light support, Audio Boost, Gaming LAN, UEFI BIOS, EZ Debug LED for troubleshooting, DDR4 Boost, and PCI-E Steel Armor for graphics cards. What’s more? The MSI B450M BAZOOKA has six USB 3.1 Gen 1 along with four USB 2.0 ports to support high-end USB devices and storage. Generally, it’s a reasonable B450 gaming motherboard and is undoubtedly one of the most economical models you will find on the market. It is best suited for creating a budget gaming PC using 2nd generation Ryzen processors or console killer gaming PC. You can also find another mATX budget gaming motherboard – the MSI B450 Gaming PLUS. Though it can only support up to 32GB RAM.
#8- MSI B450I Gaming Plus AC
The Mini-ITX form factor offers us the three popular options, including MSI B450I Gaming Plus AC, Asus ROG Strix B450-I Gaming, and Asrock B450 Gaming ITX/AC. The Asus unit looks very nice, but it might be costly for some users. To conclude this review, we would say that this motherboard is sure an excellent solution for the latest games. Most exciting branded “goodies: on this motherboard will make you more than satisfied. MSI B450M BAZOOKA is an optimal choice for bringing together a gaming PC in a micro-ATX case. For a limited budget, you can enjoy the maximum overclocking of six cores of Ryzen-s along with the memory of up to 3400Mhz. This is absolutely worth your money – the motherboard with the AMD B450 chipset. I highly recommend it!
Socket: AM4. Form Factor & Dimensions: Mini ITX & 6.7 x 6.7 inches. Memory: 2x Dimm Slots W/Upto 64GB, at 3466 MHz (OC). Onboard Graphics Ports: 1x DisplayPort & 1 x HDMI 2.0b. MSI Audio Boost. Realtek Gigabit LAN. Supports Both Wi-Fi & Bluetooth.
Impressive build quality. Over-clocking capabilities. Effective audio capacity. Offers value for money.
Features just one NVMe. Only 802.11 AC WiFi.
Though with MSI B450I Gaming Plus AC, you are more likely to find great value for money. This motherboard works better than many models and incredibly supports a more powerful 3-phase Vcore VRM equipped with a doubler for 6-phases. Nevertheless, the SoC VRM is somewhat weak and doesn’t make an optimal APU board. If you are planning on running an APU, the Asus will probably work better. Yet, one can still argue on the price point. MSI B450I Gaming Plus AC packs a 3 + 2 phase VRM. Overall, the model is an obvious choice for the price point that many motherboards are still unable to beat.
#9- ASUS ROG STRIX B450-I GAMING
The mini-ITX market comes with the leading motherboards that often prove the most renowned since the target users are more technically minded and DIY enthusiasts. ASUS always has a better idea of this and subsequently customized its mini-ITX offerings for all those gaming devotees. MSI has evidently gone the more budget-friendly approach with the MSI B450I Gaming Plus AC. It comes with relatively reasonably priced controllers and offers a small form factor Mini-ITX gaming-themed substitute. Users who are looking forward to customization options for their system will be happy to know that this motherboard has included two 5050 RGB LED strip headers. Though it lacks any in-built RGB competencies underneath the heatsinks.
Socket: AM4. Form Factor & Dimensions: Mini ITX & 6.7 x 6.7 inches. Memory: 2x Dimm Slots W/Upto 64GB, at 3600 MHz (O.C). Onboard Graphics Ports: 1x HDMI 2.0b. Wi-Fi & Bluetooth are Supported. Supports 1x M.2 Socket. Asus AURA Sync Supported. Gigabit LAN Port.
M.2 Heatsink. High-end audio. Comes with Bluetooth and Onboard Wi-Fi. Impressive CPU VRMs. Aboard RGB lighting and RGB headers. Great Overclocking potential.
USB 3.1 compatibility concerns. Might not be an ideal option for APUs.
ASUS ROG STRIX B450-I Gaming motherboard is an exciting option that can efficiently deliver a near-identical motherboard to its leading X470 equivalent. More interestingly, it performs all the functions at a reduced cost from the lesser chipset. You will find the element of both worlds – a reasonable price point and delivering an optimal performance with high-end features. Though as a mini-ITX solution with slight compromises, it’s easy to get impressed by the ASUS ROG Strix B450-I Gaming. The capability for ASUS to cram in, onboard Wi-Fi, impressive RGB lighting options, dual M.3 slots, a powerful CPU power delivery system, and high-end audio, it’s an all-in-one motherboard you cannot simply miss to consider. There are very minor drawbacks to an otherwise optimal offering. One downside is the single SOC phase without heatsink cooling makes it a less perfect choice for any APU builds. The excellence of the single-phase is good. Though the insufficient cooling may represent a concern while using APUs. Also, you may experience a few compatibility and performance problems with the aboard USB 3.1 ports. Remember, this is not a significant issue. Though anyone who wants to benefit from the USB 3.1 bandwidth might need to struggle primarily depending on the device used.
Best B450 Motherboard: How To Pick The Best One?
Now that we have seen some of the best B450 motherboard options that you can choose, now I will show what factors you should consider before buying any motherboard in general. So, Let’s get started. On the whole, the ASUS ROG STRIX B450-I Gaming represents a great choice for AMD Ryzen small form factor builds. This will make many users question the value of costlier X470 substitutes. That being said, the B450-I is a low-cost solution for value-conscious consumers who may look for cheap alternative options from competitor motherboard vendors. Overall, it gives you an optimal blend of performance and a set of quality features. Of Course, the cost as well! Fact: B450 motherboards are decent motherboards for people looking to build a budget-oriented system as well as enthusiastic level builds.
VRM Design
If the CPU is the brain of a computer then the motherboard is the heart of the system. Like any real heart, the motherboard needs reliable components to work while also providing peace of mind to the owner of the system. One of the crucial or critical parts of a motherboard is the VRM. What exactly is a VRM? It is one of the computer engineering wonders that helps the system running. It is normal to wonder how things work, and you might have thought about how your system works? How does your motherboard supply electric current to other components? There is a component whose job is to regulate the voltage throughout the motherboard to the rest of the components like CPU, GPU, storage, etc. In simple terms, the regulator is often called Voltage Regulator Module (VRM for short). VRM is a crucial component and as crucial as a PSU to run the system. A poorly designed VRM can not only cause the processor to underperform but can cause crashes and other issues if the user decides to overclock. The job of a VRM is to provide clean and reliable energy to your system. VRM plays a pivotal part if any component of the computer is overclocked. How to check if the VRM is decent or not? Read the specifications of the motherboard. Most of the time, manufacturers have labeled the quality of the VRMs in the de-tails specifications list. Try getting a motherboard with leak-resistant capacitors. Decent capacitors are labeled as “Japanese capacitors” quite often. Other than that, you can find SFCs (Super Ferrite Chokes) or boards with MOSFETs. VRMs are often sold with numbers like a combination of something like “8+2” for instance. These number before the plus indicates the number of passes dedicated to power up the CPU and the number after the plus indicates the power for other motherboard components like RAM, storage drives, etc. Before buying any motherboard, make sure to research and do your homework, you do not want a good-looking motherboard with a poor VRM, trust me.
Number of Ports
The number of ports on a motherboard is an important factor if your work requires multiple pieces of equipment connected with the system when you work, like an external storage drive, graphic design tablet, etc. If the nature of your work requires multiple ports to be readily availably then you ought to look for a motherboard that has multiple ports on the rear and on the front that can help you with your work. If you are looking for a budget motherboard, then it is nearly impossible for you to find a board with high-end features. Lose something less important to get something more relevant for your work on the board. It is important to decide what you are willing to let go for your choice of motherboard, it can be the number of ports, or internal slot expansions, smaller form factor board, etc. Depending on the nature of your work, the number of ports is an important factor that will help you decide if the selected motherboard will be the best for your system. But if your goal is to get a decent board, you might not be able to use all of the ports ever. In such cases, you can sacrifice the ports for something that will eventually help you in gaming like, more storage expansion slots.
What About BIOS?
The motherboard has several components that work together to provide the best computer usage experience to the user. Like any other crucial component, without the BIOS, you cannot even see the boot logo at the start let alone using the system. If you are not familiar with BIOS, it stands for Basic Input Output System (BIOS for short) which is a small piece of code/instructions stored in a chip designed specially to store BIOS instructions on your motherboard. Fact: Some B450 motherboards support Zen, Zen+, Zen 2, and Zen 3 processors (via BIOS update). Have you ever wondered how does your system knows where the operating system is installed on the storage drive after the initial boot ever time? Well, it all happens thanks to the BIOS. A corrupted or incorrectly configured BIOS will not only prevent the system from loading properly but if your system somehow manages to boot, it might cause other issues like a permanent boot loop. You might have seen the term UEFI if you have installed Windows operating system on your device. Think of UEFI as the successor of BIOS, it was introduced due to the limitations of BIOS, featuring multiple advantages over BIOS. Since it is a program, you can delete, update and replace it. However, experts advise against playing with the BIOS if a person has no idea how BIOS works. Any error can cause BIOS corruption, and reinstalling it is a painful procedure. Some motherboards have the feature to roll back to the previous stable version of BOIS with the help of few steps if something happens during an update. So, if you like to check your BIOS updates often, getting a motherboard that supports rolling back to the older version of the BIOS will be a game-changer.
Chipset, Socket & Form Factor
Chipset, socket, and form factors are by far the most important factors that will be the deciding factor of your purchase. First, let us discuss the two important aspects of the motherboard; the chipset refers to the chips on the motherboard known as the data flow management system and the socket is the slot in the middle of the motherboard where you install the CPU. There are many socket types the most popular among the sockets is the Pin Grid Array (PGA for short). AMD socket is based on the PGA design while Intel processors used the Land Grid Array (LGA for short). The oversimplified explanation between these two sockets is in PGA, the motherboard socket has holes while the processors have pins, while in LGA, the motherboard has pins and the processors have small spots of conductive met-al that combine with the pins of the motherboard. Fact: The B450 motherboards are versatile and support CPU overclocking. Although the support varies from variant to variant. Most of the B450 motherboards are packed with high-end features while being pocket-friendly at the same time. Both of these sockets have their set of pros and cons. While LGA-based processors do not have pins attached to the processor’s bottom, the LGA board pins cannot be repaired if bent. In the PGA socket, the processors are fragile, and the pins can easily bend with some pressure but can be bent back to the original location, unlike in LGA sockets. This is one example of one socket having an advantage over the other and vice versa. For chipset, there are multiple motherboards with different chips. These chips are found on the motherboard and built to work with a specific family of processors. For example, one of the prominent advantages of planning to build a Ryzen build is all of the chipsets with an exception of early chipsets released with the first-gen of Ryzen, most support at least two generation Ryzen CPUs and most of the boards support three generations of CPUs. Intel, on the contrary, used to support two generations of Core processors at max on a motherboard with a specific chipset. Intel has now reduced the number to one. So, if you have an Intel system and planning to upgrade to a new Core CPU, you not only have to get a new CPU but a new motherboard as well. Intel makes upgrading costly, and Ryzen is as flexible. Lastly, the form factor is a fancy term that is used to label the sizes of computer hardware like GPUs and motherboards. There are five different form factors. Out of the five, three form factors are mostly used by the manufacturers, prosumers, and consumers across the globe; Mini-ITX being the smallest, Mirco-ATX is medium with limited slots and expansion slots, and Standard-ATX is the largest out of these form factors You might find a motherboard larger than the Standard-ATX motherboard, but those are uncommon. These form factors are there for different sizes of computers. If your work only requires you to run a few applications with a mouse, keyboard, display, and USB ports, it is recommended to go for a Micro or Mini-ATX build These smaller motherboards can fit inside the compact casing and hence less room occupation. If you are a gamer, a Micro or Mini-ATX form factor mother-board will not only have fewer slots but ports, as well as fewer expansion slots and, will limit your system potential, in such cases, you should look for a Standard-ATX board, and you will have no issues finding a gaming motherboard in Standard-ATX form factor
Best B450 Motherboard (Quick Buying Tips)
The foremost decision is choosing between Intel and AMD. Both companies offer wide-ranging options from low-end gaming to demanding games at higher frames per second (FPS). Make sure the motherboard completely supports the kind of GPU required for the intended use. Your model selection will decide the compatible chipset options. For example, if you choose the high-end consumer Intel or AMD chips, you will have a single choice, whether it is X299 for Intel or X299 for AMD. Consider the codec a given motherboard uses and see whether it is mid-range or high-end. The motherboard should be equipped with at least 4GB of RAM. Though 8GB is safer for casual users and 16GB for heavy users. Consider what ports your case supports and be sure the motherboard you select provides the required internal connections. These connections include diverse onboard headers to support RGB lighting systems, external USB ports, etc.
The X570 chipset motherboards are the latest release for AM4 socket featuring lucrative, latest technologies like PCIe 4.0, for instance. However, these motherboards are anything but cheap, even the least expensive is over the medium budget price tag. Then most people how nothing but to go for the B450 or X470 chipset motherboards. These motherboards might not be the latest, but they are packed with some attractive stuff that you can only find in the latest motherboards and most importantly are affordable. What makes these motherboards worth purchasing is their support for multiple Ryzen generations i.e., from 1st Gen to 4th Gen. It is necessary to do your homework before going out and buying a motherboard blindly. These are the heart and soul of your system and a brain cannot run without the heart and soul of the body. You should think to yourself which features you are looking for the most in the motherboard, like overclocking flexibility, storage capacity expansion slots, etc. Surely, you will not be able to find the perfect board for your needs, but if you are willing to sacrifice one feature one way or another, these motherboards have the potential to save you some money while providing you with the high-end features paired with decent manufacturer software.
Question 1: Is b350 better than b450?
A good B250 motherboard is somewhat expensive than the A320, though it gives better performance and useful features. On the other hand, B450 is a budget-friendly option with features such as Precision Boost Overdrive and StoreMI which makes it a better option than B350.
Question 2: Is b450 good for 2700x?
Unless you want to benefit from additional lanes and slots on x470, you can go with B450. You will hardly find any performance issues. A B450 with good VRM will do the job perfectly done.
Question 3: What is the best b450 motherboard for Ryzen 3000?
If you are looking for high-end 400 series, just look no further than ASUS ROG Crosshair VII Hero which is one of the latest generation motherboards with a simple BIOS update. It serves the new Ryzen chip quite well.
Question 4: What is the best b450 motherboard for Ryzen 5 2600?
If you want a feature-packed B450 motherboard that offers reasonable VRM quality and adequate connectivity without breaking your bank, the MSI B450 Tomahawk is a recommended option.
Question 5- Which is the best b450 motherboard overall?
There are so many different choices that I can recommend, if you are looking for the best performing motherboard the MSI B450 TOMAHAWK MAX II is a decent choice. If you are looking for the best value motherboard Gigabyte B450-AORUS PRO Wi-Fi is the best motherboard that you can get for a mid-range budget.
Question 6: Which is better B450M or B450?
The B450m is a marketing gimmick, and it is the Micro-ATX variant of the B450 with fewer ports, expansion slots, and DIMM slots for memory expansions. If you are not looking for a Micro-ATX form factor build, then you might as well stick with the B450 chipset board.
Question 7: Which is the best budget B450 motherboard?
The Gigabyte B450 AORUS PRO Wi-Fi s an excellent motherboard with many features from a high-end motherboard. If you are not into overclocking or never going to overclock your system peripherals, this is the perfect budget B450 motherboard that you can get, plus it has Wi-Fi.
Question 8: Is B450 good for 3600?
The Ryzen 5 3600 is probably the best processor for budget-oriented systems especially if you are looking to play video games, and maxed-out graphics is not your concern. The B450 motherboard is perfect for the Ryzen 5 3600.You can also get a high-end motherboard for your CPU if you are not on a budget and money is not your concern.
Question 9: Can a B450 motherboard support Ryzen 5 3600?
Yes, the B450 chipset motherboard supports the Ryzen 5 3600 CPU and other CPUs from the Zen 2 architecture. This chipset is also compatible with Zen, Zen+, and some support Zen 3 (via BIOS update) CPUs. The Ryzen 5 3600 is a great processor for budget builds, and if you are on a budget, you can get the B450 motherboard to get as many features as possible without spending extra money.
Question 10: Is X470 better than B450?
If you are on a budget and do not want extra stuff like additional storage expansion slots or M.2 expansions etc, then you might want to get a B450 board, they are cheaper, have similar high-end features like X470. Overall, considering the price and the additional stuff that you can get, X470 is better but does not have better value than B450.
Question 11: Is B450 future proof?
If you are planning to stick with your current system for some years, then getting a B450 is not bad as you can upgrade from Ryzen 1st gen, 2nd gen, 3rd gen, and 4th gen anytime (some B450 motherboard do not support Zen 3 CPUs), these boards can last you a couple of years easily.
Question 12: What RAM does B450 support?
The B450 chipset boards support DDR4 memory. RAM frequency support is different for every B450 board, some support a maximum of 3600 MHz while some go as high as 4400 MHz after overclocking. You can install a maximum of 128GB of RAM on your system if the board has the Standard-ITX form factor.
Question 13: Does B450 motherboard have Wi-Fi?
Only a handful of B450 motherboards have Wi-Fi support. You can easily find a Wi-Fi-supported motherboard with a high price tag. For a budget price, you only have a handful of motherboards to choose from like the Gigabyte B450 AORUS PRO Wi-Fi.
