Motherboards

On AMD AM5, B650 suits most builds, B850 adds a few features, and X870 or X870E is for high-end boards with the most connectivity. On Intel, a B-series board covers most people while a Z-series board adds overclocking and more lanes. Match the chipset to how much expansion and tuning you actually need, rather than paying for features you will not use. For a gaming build, a solid B-series board is usually the best motherboard for gaming and leaves more budget for the parts that move frame rates.

ATX is the standard full-size board with the most slots, micro-ATX (mATX) is a little smaller and great value, and mini-ITX is tiny for small-form-factor builds. Choose the size to match your case: a mini-ITX board needs a mini-ITX case, while ATX wants a mid or full tower. Smaller boards have fewer RAM and expansion slots, so check your needs.

The socket must match your processor. AM5 is AMD's current platform for Ryzen 7000 and 9000 with DDR5 and a long upgrade path. AM4 is older but a brilliant budget choice with chips like the Ryzen 7 5700X3D. Intel boards use the current Core and Core Ultra sockets. Decide on the CPU first, then buy the matching board.

DDR5 is standard on AM5 and the latest Intel boards, so memory type is usually decided by the platform. PCIe 5.0 is useful if you want the fastest NVMe SSDs or future graphics cards, but it is not essential for most gamers today. Built-in Wi-Fi and good rear USB are worth having, so weigh those against the price.

A bundle pairs a compatible motherboard and processor (and sometimes memory) that we know work together, often at a saving over buying them separately. It is an easy way to get the core of a build right without checking sockets and BIOS versions yourself. If you prefer to mix and match, just make sure the CPU socket and the board match.

Match the board size to your case (ATX, micro-ATX or mini-ITX), and check that your CPU cooler clears tall memory and fits the socket. Large air coolers and big radiators need room, so check the case clearances. Our CPU coolers and PC cases list the measurements you need.