When building a powerful and efficient PC with AMD's Ryzen 9 5950X processor, selecting the right motherboard is crucial. Through our experience as PC builders, we know the importance of finding the most suitable match between your processor and motherboard. In this article, we will walk you through the essential factors to consider when choosing a motherboard for the Ryzen 9 5950X. With our analysis and breakdown, you can make an informed decision to optimize your system's performance.
Additionally, we researched the motherboard options available and provide our Recommended Motherboards for the Ryzen 9 5950X
for the Ryzen 9 5950X below. This will simplify the decision-making process for you, making it easier to choose the right motherboard for your needs. OEM-only chipsets that are not available on retail motherboards are outside the scope of this article.
Motherboard Requirements for Ryzen 9 5950X Processors
For AMD's Zen 3-based Ryzen 9 5950X processor, you'll need a motherboard with an AM4 socket and a compatible chipset.
Motherboards for AMD processors are made with chipsets provided by AMD. Each chipset offers a unique set of capabilities. However, motherboards must explicitly support features and capabilities for you to use them. Verify that a motherboard supports the features and capabilities you desire.
Ryzen 5000-series CPUs, which includes the Ryzen 9 5950X, are compatible with all 400 and 500-series consumer chipsets. Supported chipsets include the X570, B550, A520, X470, and B450.
To use Ryzen 5000-series CPUs with the 400-series chipsets, you'll need an updated BIOS. You either need to purchase one with an updated BIOS, perform the update with an older supported CPU installed, or use the USB BIOS Flashback feature (if available).
Products that ship with a compatible BIOS are typically marked as "Ready" for Zen 3 / Ryzen 5000 series / 4th Gen processors.
The older X370, B350, and A320 300-series chipsets are generally not compatible, out of the box, with Ryzen 5000-series CPUs. However, these 300-series chipsets may be supported by some motherboard manufacturers, when using a specific compatible BIOS.
The X570 is our recommended chipset for the Ryzen 9 5950X CPU, as it provides the most functionality and full support for PCIe 4.0. The Ryzen 9 5950X CPU also supports PCIe 4.0.
Only the X570 chipset provides PCIe 4.0 lanes via the chipset.
When using motherboards with the B550 chipset, you still have PCIe 4.0 lanes from the CPU for PCI-Express slots; however, all PCIe or M.2 slots connected via these chipsets will run at PCIe 3.0 speeds.
For a detailed comparison of these chipsets and PCIe speeds, check out our article Which Chipsets Work With AMD's Ryzen 9 5950X CPU?.
- Find Zen 3 X570 Motherboards on Amazon (affiliate link).
- Find Zen 3 B550 Motherboards on Amazon (affiliate link).
- Find Zen 3 A520 Motherboards on Amazon (affiliate link).
Check out our Recommended Motherboards for the Ryzen 9 5950X below.
ASUS AM4 TUF Gaming X570-Plus (Wi-Fi)
Check Price on Amazon
Amazon Affiliate Link
Other Considerations When Choosing a 5950X Motherboard
When choosing a motherboard for the 5950X, we've thought of a few other factors you may want to consider. This is in addition to selecting a compatible socket type and chipset. As we delved into our research and analyzed various options, we identified several considerations that played a significant role in determining the ideal chipset for our needs. Our considerations can help you narrow down which features are important to look for.
Video Output Port
The lack of a "G" in the 5950X model name indicates that the CPU does not have integrated graphics support and requires a separate graphics card. Because it doesn't have integrated graphics support, you won't need a motherboard with a video output port (e.g., HDMI).
Storage: M.2 Slots and SATA Ports
NVMe M.2 cards are the latest and fastest form of SSD storage. However, we suggest ensuring your motherboard includes enough slots.
The X570 and B550 chipsets support the most PCIe lanes, which means that motherboards with these chipsets are likely to have the most x4 NVMe M.2 slots available. Keep in mind that the X570 is the only one of the two that supports PCIe 4.0 via the chipset.
Learn more about storage types in my article Storage Type Comparison: M.2, U.2, NVMe, SATA, SSDs, HDDs.
Connectivity
USB
We found that it's wise to make sure the motherboard provides enough USB ports at your desired speeds.
The X570 can support the most USB ports at USB 3.2 2x1 (10 Gbps) speeds. Motherboards with the X570 chipset can support up to 12 of these ports. The B550, in comparison, only supports up to 6 at these speeds.
In our experience, the devices that usually require high bandwidth rates are primarily limited to storage devices and high-resolution video devices. We have observed that these devices often rely heavily on fast data transfer speeds. In fact, we encountered situations where slower bandwidth rates significantly hindered such devices' performance.
We've tested various storage devices and found that the ones capable of handling large amounts of data transfer at high speeds yielded the best results. Similarly, when working with high-resolution video devices, we discovered that a reliable and fast connection was crucial for seamless playback and editing. Through our experience, we have come to appreciate the significance of high bandwidth rates for these specific types of devices.
Audio
We recommend making sure the motherboard has audio outputs. In my experience, it's crucial to check for rear and center speaker ports if you're using a surround sound system.
If you're like me and your audio equipment relies on optical input, it's worth looking for a motherboard that includes this specific port. On the other hand, we've found that you can also buy a separate PCIe or USB sound card. This way, you can expand your port options and even add features like optical or RCA connections based on your own preferences.
Form Factor
When it comes to motherboards, we've come across three main form factors. In our experience, ATX stands out as the most common form factor for desktop PCs. We've also tried and analyzed the Mini-ITX and MicroATX form factors for building a mini-PC. We have found that these smaller form factors typically have fewer PCIe card slots, fewer RAM slots, and can't support as many storage devices.
We've seen that these smaller Mini-ITX and MicroATX motherboard form factors are backward compatible with standard ATX cases. We observed that they use a subset of the ATX mounting holes. In fact, we've used Mini-ITX motherboards in ATX cases many times.
One crucial consideration is ensuring that your computer case is compatible with your specific motherboard form factor. We learned this through our own experiences and it's important to choose a case that matches your motherboard form factor.
PCIe Expansion Slots
Based on our analysis, the X570 and B550 chipsets provide the most flexibility in the 500-series, allowing multiple graphics cards in the dual x8 configuration at PCIe 4.0 speeds.
The A520 chipset, on the other hand, is very limited, allowing for only a single graphics card via the slower PCIe 3.0 x16 slot.
| PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 4.0 | |
|---|---|---|
| x1 Bandwidth | 1 GB/s | 2 GB/s |
| x2 Bandwidth | 2 GB/s | 4 GB/s |
| x4 Bandwidth | 4 GB/s | 8 GB/s |
| x8 Bandwidth | 8 GB/s | 16 GB/s |
| x16 Bandwidth | 16 GB/s | 32 GB/s |
Recommended Motherboards for the Ryzen 9 5950X
Best Value Motherboard: ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus Wi-Fi
Our recommended value motherboard to pair with the Ryzen 9 5950X is the ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus (Wi-Fi):
- Check the latest price of the ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus (Wi-Fi) Motherboard on Amazon (affiliate link).
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Through our analysis and research, we found that the ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus Wi-Fi motherboard offers an impressive range of features designed to enhance your gaming experience. With PCIe 4.0 support, you can enjoy fast data transfer rates, giving you a competitive edge. The motherboard's support for up to 128 GB of DDR4 memory ensures smooth multitasking and responsive performance at a lower price than DDR5. This motherboard has the X570 chipset.
We found that the ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus Wi-Fi motherboard offered superior connectivity as well. Its 1 Gbps Ethernet port enables speedy file transfers, surpassing typical home internet speeds. 802.11ac Wi-Fi provides fast wireless connections, making online gaming and streaming seamless. Plus, Bluetooth 5.2
support allows convenient music streaming to Bluetooth headphones.We also appreciated the plentiful storage options with the ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus Wi-Fi. It features two x4 NVMe M.2 slots
(PCIe 5.0 speeds for one of the M.2 slots) and Four SATA 6 Gb/s ports, allowing for efficient storage and quick access to your games, applications, and media. Its USB 3.2 Gen 2 slots also offers 10 Gbps USB speeds.Overall, we concluded that the ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus Wi-Fi motherboard strikes a balance between performance and functionality, offering an exceptional gaming experience. With its advanced features and versatile connectivity options, this motherboard is a reliable choice for gamers looking to elevate their gameplay.
ASUS AM4 TUF Gaming X570-Plus (Wi-Fi) Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
Best Feature Motherboard: MSI MAG X570 TOMAHAWK WIFI
Our recommended feature-rich motherboard to pair with the Ryzen 9 5950X:
- Check the latest price of the MSI MAG X570 TOMAHAWK WIFI Motherboard on Amazon (affiliate link).
-
Through our analysis and research, we found that the MSI MAG X570 TOMAHAWK WIFI motherboard offers an impressive range of features designed to enhance your gaming experience. With PCIe 4.0 support, you can enjoy fast data transfer rates, giving you a competitive edge. The motherboard's support for up to 128 GB of DDR4 memory ensures smooth multitasking and responsive performance at a lower price than DDR5. This motherboard has the X570 chipset.
We found that the MSI MAG X570 TOMAHAWK WIFI motherboard offered superior connectivity as well. Its 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port enables speedy file transfers, surpassing typical home internet speeds. Wi-Fi 6 provides fast wireless connections, making online gaming and streaming seamless. Plus, Bluetooth 5.2
support allows convenient music streaming to Bluetooth headphones.We also appreciated the plentiful storage options with the MSI MAG X570 TOMAHAWK WIFI. It features two x4 NVMe M.2 slots
(PCIe 5.0 speeds for one of the M.2 slots) and Four SATA 6 Gb/s ports, allowing for efficient storage and quick access to your games, applications, and media. Its USB 3.2 Gen 2 slots also offers 10 Gbps USB speeds.Overall, we concluded that the MSI MAG X570 TOMAHAWK WIFI motherboard strikes a balance between performance and functionality, offering an exceptional gaming experience. With its advanced features and versatile connectivity options, this motherboard is a reliable choice for gamers looking to elevate their gameplay.
MSI MAG X570 TOMAHAWK WIFI Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
Learn More About the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
- Motherboard: Choosing the Best Motherboard for AMD's Ryzen 9 5950X
- Chipset: Which Chipsets Work With AMD's Ryzen 9 5950X CPU?
- Cooler: Choosing the Best CPU Cooler for AMD's Ryzen 9 5950X
- Power Supply: Choosing the Best Power Supply for AMD's Ryzen 9 5950X CPU
- RAM: Best RAM for the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X CPU
- TDP: What Is the TDP of the Ryzen 9 5950X CPU?
- Gaming: Is the Ryzen 9 5950X CPU Good for Gaming?
Other Considerations When Building a PC
Want to brush up on other new technologies to consider when building a computer? Check out these articles:
- Cases:
- CPUs:
- The Best CPUs for Gaming
- Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support PCIe 5.0?
- Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support PCIe 4.0?
- LGA 1700 CPU List
- LGA 1200 CPU List
- Look up an Intel or AMD CPU on TechReviewer for related recommendations:
- The Best CPUs for Gaming
- CPU Coolers:
- Storage:
- Memory:
- PCI-Express:
- Motherboards:
- Graphics Cards:
- Power Supplies:
- Keyboards:
- Monitors:
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