The motherboard is the fundamental component of a computer that connects all other parts. The motherboard consists of communication lanes and IOs that connect CPU, GPU, RAM, HDDs, and other components to communicate instructions and data between them. Although Intel and AMD have numerous motherboard selections, today, our focus is on AMD. AMD offers multiple chipsets covering all market segments to cater to a broader user base. Among them are the X470, B450, and A320 series chipsets, with the X470 acting as the flagship and the A320 as the inexpensive alternative. B450 motherboards are mid-range motherboards that combine the best of both worlds. It combines the X470 series' excellent performance with the A320 series' cost-effectiveness. Our target is to find the best B450 motherboard for our consumers to make the most of their investment and deliver the best performing motherboard within their range.
B450 motherboards are targeted at power users who want to overclock their processors but don’t need extra shenanigans and striking features. They provide better value for your money while retaining the performance level you entail. Although the newer generation named B550 motherboards have been launched, apart from higher prices, the only significant difference is PCIe 4.0. But as we know, the fastest desktop GPUs have yet to reach the bandwidth limit of PCIe 3.0, and we have nothing to gain from the PCIe 4.0 support apart from future-proofing. Besides, we can use the latest 5000 series Ryzen processors on the B450 chipset after only a BIOS update.
Take a look at these quick shopping tips to understand the key aspects that will assist you in finding the best B450 motherboard.
Quick Shopping Tips:
Build Quality: It is widely known that a good quality product pays for itself in the long run. Don’t shy away from buying a high-quality motherboard even if it costs a few bucks more, as it will last ages without failing you. Nowadays, motherboards also offer reinforced slots and electrical and mechanical protection to ensure the outstanding durability of motherboards.
CPU Overclocking: If you are into gaming, you know what importance overclocking holds for a true gamer. It provides gamers the ability to rise beyond the standard capabilities of their system and get the best possible output from their CPUs by clocking it much higher than usual. Decent overclocking is dependent on a capable Voltage Regulator and high-quality chokes.
Memory slots: Two things regarding memory modules are very important, compatibility and capacity. It is sometimes critical for top gamers to use high-profile memory modules to squeeze out the last ounce of juice from the system, but they are often not supported by every motherboard. Secondly, sufficient capacity is ensured by finding a board with enough dual-channel RAM slots. A minimum of two RAM slots provides a total of 64 GB capacity.
M.2 slots: M.2 drives are the fastest drives that consist entirely of static components. They are five times faster than SSD and 25 times faster than conventional hard drives. Having one in your system significantly improves your system speed and application load times. For gamers, it translates to superfast loading between game sequences and faster saving times. Two M.2 drive slots are optimum for greater capacity and future-proofing.
Best B450 Motherboards for AMD Ryzen at a glance:
- MSI B450 GAMING PRO CARBON AC
- GIGABYTE B450 AORUS ELITE
- ASUS ROG Strix B450-F
- MSI B450 TOMAHAWK MAX
- ASUS TUF B450-PLUS GAMING
- GIGABYTE B450 AORUS ELITE V2
- ASRock B450 Steel Legend
- GIGABYTE B450-I AORUS PRO
The Best B450 Motherboards for AMD Ryzen You Can Buy Today
MSI B450 GAMING PRO CARBON AC
Best Premium B450 Motherboard
SPECIFICATIONS
Socket: AM4 | Chipset: AMD B450 | Form Factor: ATX | Voltage Regulator: 9 | PCIe x16: 2 | USB Ports: 8 | Warranty: 3 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ STEEL ARMOR PCI-E slots
✓ Audio Boost 4 with an amplifier
✓ DDR4 boost with XMP modules
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ Power-hungry during idling
✗ No Thunderbolt 4 connectivity
Gamer’s community initially believed only the X470 series to have the highest performance. Still, MSI B450 GAMING PRO CARBON AC proved others wrong with its exceptional performance for mid-range setups and is the Best Premium B450 Motherboard within a reasonable price bracket. The newer chipset features numerous performance enhancement technologies such as PBO (Precision Boost Overdrive) and Precision Boost 2.0 to overclock the Ryen CPUs that were not present in the older B350 motherboards.
It is a full-grown best b450 motherboard flashing dual M.2 slots, having one of them protected by a thermal shield to improve endurance and performance. However, we don’t understand why the second M.2 slot was left unshielded. The VRM and chipset cooling is also implemented effectively via a finned heatsink covering both of them to prevent throttling even under heavy duress. Added with a premium audio solution, an integrated WIFI, and Mystic Lights, this motherboard is a genuinely premium entity with first-rate features and a classy outlook.
The board flaunts a dark black theme with textured heatsinks and a partially covered IO shield. The heatsink is extended to promote cooling but leaves behind limited space for the CPU cooler. Most users won’t be affected but for large-sized coolers, check the compatibility to avoid future issues. The rear is fully beefed up as expected and contains the latest USB3 and Type C port. The Gaming Pro competes in both the mid-range and the high-end market due to its unique combo of affordability and top-notch performance.
GIGABYTE B450 AORUS ELITE
Best Flagship B450 Motherboard
SPECIFICATIONS
Socket: AM4 | Chipset: AMD B450 | Form Factor: ATX | Voltage Regulator: 4+3 | PCIe x16: 2 | USB Ports: 8 | Warranty: 2 Year
REASONS TO BUY
✓ Audio Noise Guard
✓ Integrated I/O Shield
✓ AMD Store-Mi technology
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No USB 3.2 port
✗ No NVidia SLI support
GIGABYTE B450 AORUS ELITE is the best flagship B450 motherboard that you can get at the most economical price for a flagship. This top performer does contain the best performing mid-range VRM and allows decent overclocking of CPU and the RAM. Being an AMD-powered motherboard, it supports the older Zen processors and the newest 5000 series CPUs. Unlike Intel, AMD chipsets are backward compatible and allow their users to keep using their older processors even if they change the motherboard.
The motherboard supports 128 GB of RAM with compatibility for XMP modules via 04 dual-channel RAM slots. The memory overclocking is allowed up to 3600 MHz, a decent number for B450 motherboards. The RAM slots are secured with steel to increase reliability and prevent bending. The CPU overclocking is reasonably capable of handling sub 100W CPU such as AMD 3700X. However, you can run 100W+ CPU with a capable CPU cooler but don’t expect to overclock it.
Two full-sized PCIe slots are integrated with PCIe 3.0 and support a 2-way multi-GPU setup. We miss the lack of armor on PCI slots, however. The pre-installed shield on the rear supports various USB3 and USB2 ports and also includes the legacy ports. We don’t see a WIFI and a second ethernet port, but that was expected at such low pieces. Overall it’s an economical solution for gamers that prefer performance over features.
ASUS ROG Strix B450-F
Best Overall B450 Motherboard
SPECIFICATIONS
Socket: AM4 | Chipset: AMD B450 | Form Factor: ATX | Voltage Regulator: 8+4 | PCIe x16: 2 | USB Ports: 9 | Warranty: 3 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ SupremeFX audio
✓ User-friendly UEFI tweaking
✓ Automated system-wide tuning
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No wireless connectivity
✗ No power and reset button
ASUS B350 was a decent motherboard of its time, but there were many opportunities for enhancements that ASUS took up and released a better version next year named ASUS ROG Strix B450-F. One of the significant improvements is the ASUS StoreMi trademark technology that automatically improves system loading and boot speed via transferring frequently used data from HDD to SSD. In contrast, the bulk data remains in the HDD. It is the best overall B450 motherboard for the mid-range market.
The previous year’s B350 variant had not the best layout, and the use of a secondary x1 express slot was not possible with an M.2 card in place. ASUS has enhanced the motherboard layout substantially in the newer version placing the M.2 slot away from the x1 PCI slot, solving the issue once and for all. Now the slot is free from any hindrance from GPU and M.2 slots. The segregated SATA slots in the previous version were also rearranged and placed next to one other for easier accessibility.
Despite the fact that it lacks certain expensive features, it is the best b450 motherboard in terms of value and performance. The B550 chipset contains a few performance enhancement features, but the cost of the newer chipset is higher. So for value-centric users, B450 offers almost similar benchmarks, an upgraded BIOS to support 5000 Ryzen processors, and packs a competent 8+4 VRM for unconstrained overclocking.
MSI B450 TOMAHAWK MAX
Best Enthusiast B450 Motherboard
SPECIFICATIONS
Socket: AM4 | Chipset: AMD B450 | Form Factor: ATX | Voltage Regulator: 4+2 | PCIe x16: 2 | USB Ports: 10 | Warranty: 3 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ Extended PWM heatsink
✓ Up to six fan connectors
✓ USB 3.2 Gen2 (Type A+C)
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No dual M.2 slots
✗ No ESD protection
Usually, it is noticed that the companies keep launching newer generations every year, but they are more of a marketing gimmick rather than containing significant improvements. MSI B450 TOMAHAWK MAX is an exception that has significant technological refinements, a beefed-up VRM, a detailed thermal design, and fast USB3 ports and is the best enthusiast B450 motherboard for the middle-class market.
Tomahawk has facelifted the motherboard via integrated addressable RGBs and a game-themed layout and color scheme. The motherboard offers Zen 2 processors support out of the box, while the Zen 3 are sustainable after a BIOS upgrade. MSI incorporated as many premium features as possible while keeping the price within the mid-range bracket and made fewer sacrifices. A cost-efficient network and audio solution from Realtek ensured respectable performance and kept the price reasonable.
As MSI shifted the focus to performance, cost-cutting also affected some durability-enhancing features on minor equipment. We didn’t see an IO cover and steel-plated RAM slots. However, expansion slots were armored, and the overall build quality is sturdy. The IO panel is also well featured and hosts all USB ports, including the USB 3 gen2 and legacy ports. Additionally, MSI has achieved some significant milestones in power efficiency. The motherboard consumes a meager idling power of just 2W and reduces power consumption on full power. If you are an enthusiast, you can’t go wrong with the Tomahawk.
ASUS TUF B450-PLUS GAMING
Best Budget B450 Motherboard
SPECIFICATIONS
Socket: AM4 | Chipset: AMD B450 | Form Factor: ATX | Voltage Regulator: 4+2 | PCIe x16: 2 | USB Ports: 12 | Warranty: 2 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ Flexible cooling controls
✓ Dedicated audio PCB layers
✓ DDR4 overvoltage protection
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No gold plated audio jacks
✗ Memory support varies by CPUs
It makes sense to buy an X470 motherboard if you are going for the top-end Ryzen 5 and 7 series processors, but it’s an overdose for people opting for the mid-range and entry-level Ryzen 3 processors. The b450 chipset does the job very effectively without burdening your pocket. The ASUS TUF B450-PLUS GAMING is the best budget B450 motherboard for users building a mid-range gamers PC with mid-level processors.
TUF motherboards are famous for their world-class endurance, military-grade durability, and top-of-the-line electrical protections. In simple words it means, the board can bear extreme loads, harsh conditions, and electrical surges without dying on you. It also carries a military-styled theme and RGBs for aesthetics. It is the best b450 motherboard packing all the necessities for a gamer like sturdy power delivery, DDR support up to 3200 MHz, and a super speed M.2 slot.
The TUF motherboard also carries an IO guard as well as 8 USB ports on the rear. These contain three USB3 Gen1 and a single USB3 gen2 port. The SATA ports are plentiful (six), but the last two ports share lanes with M.2 slot and are unusable when the latter is installed. Other than that, all is well. ASUS has incorporated 5-way optimization techniques to augment clock speeds, RAM boost, and overall system enhancements. It’s a perfect gaming buddy for budget users.
GIGABYTE B450 AORUS ELITE V2
Best ATX B450 Motherboard
SPECIFICATIONS
Socket: AM4 | Chipset: AMD B450 | Form Factor: ATX | Voltage Regulator: 8+2 | PCIe x16: 2 | USB Ports: 10 | Warranty: 3 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ Safeguarded M.2 drive
✓ DVI-D Ports for Multiple Display
✓ 4 Hybrid Fan Headers with FAN STOP
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No integrated WIFI
✗ No ECC memory compatible
GIGABYTE B450 AORUS ELITE V2 features a bold design, jacked-up power delivery, and an unconventional heatsink design. The Best ATX B450 Motherboard can incorporate large-sized GPUs and offer an excellent cable management system, and it is one of the smallest motherboards from the ATX family. Its features a striking balance between features and affordability.
The Aorus provides the honorable overclocking ability for RAM and CPU within decent margins. It packs quad dual-channel memory slots that can hold up to 128GB RAM while the maximum frequency support is extended to 3200 MHz. Despite being an affordable chipset, it packs a powerful VRM and an effective cooling solution along with the inherent backing for 5000 series ryzen processors. A similar V1 variant needs a bios update to support the newest processors.
Overclocking is limited to sub-100W CPUs with a capable cooler that is adequate for mid-range gaming systems. The pre-installed IO cover is a plus, and USBs are abundant on the rear and the front. USB 3.1 both generation support is also present for fast file transmissions between your external drives and the system. Wi-Fi device is skipped, however, but other than this slight hitch, it’s a complete gaming solution for mid-tower rigs.
ASRock B450 Steel Legend
Best Micro-ATX B450 Motherboard
SPECIFICATIONS
Socket: AM4 | Chipset: AMD B450 | Form Factor: Micro-ATX | Voltage Regulator: 6 | PCIe x16: 1 | USB Ports: 8 | Warranty: 2 Year
REASONS TO BUY
✓ XXL Aluminum Alloy Heatsink
✓ Voltage & temperature detection
✓ Highly durable PCIe slots with superalloy
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No 8-channel audio compatible
✗ SATA ports share lanes with M.2 slots
ASRock B450 Steel Legend is another contender for ultra-durable mid-range motherboard competing against the ASUS TUF series, and boy, it is giving a tough time to ASUS. Moreover, finding decent economical motherboards within a micro-ATX chipset is difficult, let alone a robust one. ASRock is the Best Micro-ATX B450 Motherboard that is cost-effective, long-lasting, and powerful at the same time. The chipset is super stable, and the board has an aesthetically alluring design.
ASRock has left no stone unturned in the pursuit of building the highest quality product. It has plentiful electrical protections extended to LAN, USB, and audio ports that prevent the board from overvoltage and electrostatic discharge. It packs high-quality capacitors and chokes that can sustain high amperes while overclocking and has longer operation life. The x16 expansion slot is steel armored for break prevention. However, the second expansion slot is left unarmored, which may be due to cost constraints.
People may also recommend the more powerful X470 micro-ATX motherboard for building a compact gaming PC. Still, they come at a substantially higher cost and offer marginal gains for a single GPU setup. The ASRock is the best b450 motherboard having an integrated Precision boost and Xtended Frequency Range 2 technologies that give its user the ability to overclock AMD processors above turbo frequencies. We don’t see any reason for not utilizing this gem in your compact-sized gaming machine.
GIGABYTE B450-I AORUS PRO
Best Mini-ITX B450 Motherboard
SPECIFICATIONS
Socket: AM4 | Chipset: AMD B450 | Form Factor: Mini-ITX | Voltage Regulator: 4+2 | PCIe x16: 1 | USB Ports: 8 | Warranty: 3 Years
REASONS TO BUY
✓ Fan speed control
✓ iTE I/O Controller Chip
✓ ECC/Non-ECC memory supported
REASONS TO AVOID
✗ No Quad-GPU support
✗ M.2 heats up under heavy load
The 12mm ryzen processors were a trigger for the B450 chipset. These processors permit overclocking beyond their maximum frequencies; B450 made this happen by utilizing precision boost technologies. Minimalist Gaming PCs are also not left behind with the launch of various capable B450 mini-ITX motherboards. GIGABYTE B450-I AORUS PRO is a compact-sized Best Mini-ITX B450 Motherboard with an improved feature set and is the perfect DIY solution.
Despite being a miniature motherboard, it can power up high-eng processors easily. However, overclocking is only capable of handling mid-range CPUs effectively. The maximum RAM is also not very plentiful at only 32 GB via dual RAM slots. The expansion slot is also single, curbing any chance for a multi-GPU setup. However, very few users will practically require more than 32GB RAM or dual GPU on a moderate-level gaming system.
The memory, however, supports XMP profiles and can be boosted up to 3200 MHz. The BIOS, although a bit tricky, allows extensive tweaking and also supports multiple profiles for fan control. The no-load power consumption is only 50W, and if you add in a mid-range CPU at max load with integrated graphics, add another 150-170W, and that’s the average power consumption of the whole motherboard. The overall performance level is up to the mark for most gaming PCs, and integrated WIFI is a big plus for gamers.
Conclusion
The AMD X370 was not the perfect chipset. It had some minor RAM compatibility issues, but they were enough to dishearten users in favor of the Intel chipsets. Right after the launch of AMD Ryzen-2 processors and resolving these minor issues in the X470 chipset, people started moving towards AMD motherboards. After the debut of the X470 motherboard for the elites, it was only a matter of time that a newer B400 series chipset for the mainstream market is launched. The newer B450 chipset is anything but mediocre. It supports overclocking for processors and memory, which was non-existent in the last generation and is the best mid-range option for PC gamers.
We have shortlisted the motherboards mentioned above for your comfort. We can further divide the above recommendations into two broad categories, the best and the cost-effective. The best elite class motherboard is the MSI B450 GAMING PRO CARBON AC which has the highest benchmark score among all selections and packs the most premium features among B450 motherboards. It also supports AMD’s PBO technology to push AMD CPUs above turbo limits and supports RAM OC. The cost-effective all-in-one motherboard is GIGABYTE B450 AORUS ELITE V2 which is suitable for moderate gaming and supports all the Zen2 and Zen3 Ryzen processors out of the box.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a B450 motherboard good?
B450 is a cost-efficient solution for gamers with Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) to support processors and RAM overclocking. PBO combines Xtreme Frequency Range and Precision Boost 2, enabling the user to automatically raise the clock speed outside the maximum stock limit if the thermals are within the tolerance band. GIGABYTE B450 AORUS ELITE is a good choice for average gaming PCs as it packs all the necessary features and supports Zen3 processors post BIOS update.
Does B450 motherboard have Wi-Fi?
Since B450 is marketed as an economical solution for users, it often doesn’t have all features of the premium chipsets. Wi-Fi is a premium feature that is not present in every B450 motherboard. However, some models do provide integrated Wi-Fi, such as the GIGABYTE B450-I AORUS PRO. It also has a balanced outlook, dependable performance, and valuable characteristics. It is a competent mini-ITX motherboard that is best for DIY gaming rigs.
Is B450 Tomahawk good?
MSI B450 TOMAHAWK MAX is one of the reputable offerings from MSI that is destined for the mid-range gaming segment. It has a desirable layout, a respectable power delivery, and a good feature set. It has a robust network and audio chip that produce complete game immersion. It is the ideal choice for enthusiasts who want the most satisfactory performance and most extraordinary experience.
Does B450 Tomahawk Max support Ryzen 7 3700x?
MSI B450 TOMAHAWK MAX supports Ryzen 7 3700X out of the box, as the BIOS update is needed for the Zen3 processors only. Tomahawk has ample power MOSFETS and competent power delivery to overclock the Ryzen 3700X and is the practical choice for gamers if you don’t plan to upgrade to Ryzen 9 processors. The board is also very power efficient, and its idling power is barely a few watts.
