- Check out our Recommended AM5 Motherboards and AMD Ryzen 7000 CPUs
below.
Motherboard Requirements for AMD AM5 Processors
Motherboards for AMD processors are made with chipsets provided by AMD. Each chipset offers a unique set of capabilities. However, motherboards must explicitly support those features and capabilities for you to use them. Verify that a motherboard supports the features and capabilities you desire.
For AMD Ryzen 7000 processors, like the Ryzen 9 7950X or Ryzen 5 7600, you'll need a motherboard with an AM5 socket and a 600-series chipset.
You will need a motherboard with overclocking support to overclock Ryzen 7000 CPUs. Motherboards with the X670E, X670, B650E, and B650 chipsets typically support CPU overclocking, but it's best to verify if that feature is important to you.
for a specific AM5 CPU:
| X670E | X670 | B650E | B650 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | September 2022 | September 2022 | October 2022 | October 2022 |
| CPU Overclocking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| PCIe Lanes (Graphics) |
One x16 at PCIe 5.0 speeds or Two x8 at PCIe 5.0 speeds |
One x16 at PCIe 4.0 speeds or Two x8 at PCIe 4.0 speeds |
One x16 at PCIe 5.0 speeds or Two x8 at PCIe 5.0 speeds |
One x16 at PCIe 4.0 speeds or Two x8 at PCIe 4.0 speeds |
|
PCIe Lanes (NVMe)
|
One x4 at PCIe 5.0 speeds (via CPU) and up to one x4 at PCIe 5.0 speeds (via chipset) |
One x4 at PCIe 5.0 speeds (via CPU) and up to one x4 at PCIe 5.0 speeds (via chipset) |
One x4 at PCIe 5.0 speeds (via CPU) and up to one x4 at PCIe 5.0 speeds (via chipset) | One x4 at PCIe 4.0 speeds (via CPU) |
| Usable PCIe Lanes |
Up to 44 total 24 at PCIe 5.0 speeds |
Up to 44 total 8 at PCIe 5.0 speeds |
Up to 36 total 24 at PCIe 5.0 speeds |
Up to 44 total 0 at PCIe 5.0 speeds |
|
10 Gbps USB (USB 3.2 Gen 2) | 12 | 12 | 6 | 6 |
|
20 Gbps USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2x2) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Max SATA Ports | 8 | 8 | 4 | 4 |
- Find X670E Chipset Motherboards on Amazon (affiliate link).
- Find X670 Chipset Motherboards on Amazon (affiliate link).
- Find B650E Chipset Motherboards on Amazon (affiliate link).
- Find B650 Chipset Motherboards on Amazon (affiliate link).
DDR4 or DDR5 Memory
Because DDR4 and DDR5 are not backward compatible, you must decide which one you want to go with before selecting a motherboard.
DDR5 memory is currently more expensive than DDR4.
However, it offers up to double the stock data rates of DDR4. Overclockers could push this limit even further.
Additionally, DDR5 supports higher-capacity UDIMMs (128 GB vs. 32 GB).
DDR5 may experience slower timings at initial release but should be much better than DDR4 as the technology matures. However, keep in mind that the timings scale inversely with the clock rate (frequency). The timing values are in units of clock cycles, but more cycles are happening per second with DDR5. For example, DDR3-2133 CL10 has nearly the same latency as DDR5-8400 CL40. So don't let the CL40 latency of DDR5 scare you away; the number just looks bigger!
| DDR4 | DDR5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Max UDIMM (Unbuffered) Capacity | 32 GB | 128 GB |
| Bandwidth | 12800–25600 MB/s | 38400–57600 MB/s |
| Transfer Rate | 1600–3200 MT/s | 4800–7200 MT/s |
| Base Frequency | 800–1600 MHz | 2400–3600 MHz |
| Effective Frequency | 1600–3200 MHz | 4800–7200 MHz |
| Voltage | 1.2 V | 1.1 V |
| On-die ECC | No | Yes |
Other Considerations When Choosing an AM5 Motherboard
In addition to selecting a motherboard with an AM5 socket type and compatible chipset, here are a few other things to consider when picking a motherboard. Some of these considerations will help determine the best chipset to use.
ASUS ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming
Check Price on Amazon
Amazon Affiliate Link
Memory Overclocking
To be able to overclock DDR memory, such as via an AMD EXPO profile, your motherboard chipset needs to support memory overclocking.
Video Output Port
Most AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPUs have integrated graphics support. You must ensure that your motherboard also has a video output port (e.g., HDMI) if you want to use integrated graphics.
Even if you primarily connect your monitors to a graphics card, integrated graphics can be beneficial when troubleshooting and fixing graphics card problems.
Storage: M.2 Slots and SATA Ports
NVMe M.2 cards are the latest and fastest form of SSD storage. However, you need to ensure that your motherboard includes enough slots.
The X670E, X670, and B650E chipsets support the most PCIe 5.0 lanes, which means that motherboards with these chipsets are likely to have the faster PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 slots available.
Learn more about storage types in my article Storage Type Comparison: M.2, U.2, NVMe, SATA, SSDs, HDDs.
Connectivity
USB
Make sure that the motherboard provides enough USB ports at your desired speeds. The X670E and X670 chipsets can support the most USB ports at USB 3.2 2x2 (20 Gbps), USB 3.2 2x1 (10 Gbps), and USB 3.2 1x1 (5 Gbps) speeds.
The devices that are likely to need the high bandwidth rates will typically be limited to storage devices and high-resolution video devices.
Audio
Make sure that the motherboard has your desired audio outputs.
For example, if you have a surround sound system, ensure that it comes with rear and center speaker ports.
If your audio equipment requires an optical input, consider getting a motherboard with this port.
Alternatively, you can purchase a separate PCIe or USB sound card to add additional port types such as optical or RCA.
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
The X670E and B650E chipsets provide the most flexibility, allowing a single x16 PCIe 5.0 slot or multiple PCIe 5.0 graphics cards in the dual x8 configuration.
On the other hand, the X670 and B650 chipsets only support PCIe 4.0 graphics cards.
Recommended AM5 Motherboards and CPUs
Best Feature CPU and Motherboard
- Our recommended feature-rich AM5 CPU:
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
- This CPU has 16 cores, a 4.5 GHz base frequency, and 5.7 GHz max boost frequency.
- DDR5 memory support
- AM5 socket type
- Check the latest price of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X on Amazon (affiliate link).
- Our recommended feature-rich motherboard to pair with this CPU:
ASUS ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
- PCIe 5.0 support
- X670E chipset
- One 2.5 Gb Ethernet port
- Four NVMe M.2 slots and Four SATA 6 Gb/s ports
- Wi-Fi 6E provides fast connections to a Wi-Fi router.
- Bluetooth 5.2 support
- USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 offers 20 Gbps USB speeds and 12 USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports
- Check the latest price of the ASUS ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming Motherboard on Amazon (affiliate link).
Runner-Up CPU and Motherboard
- Our recommended runner-up AM5 CPU:
AMD Ryzen 7 7700X Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
- This CPU has 8 cores, a 4.5 GHz base frequency, and 5.4 GHz max boost frequency.
- DDR5 memory support
- AM5 socket type
- Check the latest price of the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X on Amazon (affiliate link).
- Our recommended runner-up motherboard to pair with this CPU:
GIGABYTE X670E AORUS Master Motherboard Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
- PCIe 5.0 support
- X670E chipset
- One 2.5 Gb Ethernet port
- Four NVMe M.2 slots and Six SATA 6 Gb/s ports
- Bluetooth 5.3 support
- USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 offers 20 Gbps USB speeds
- Check the latest price of the GIGABYTE X670E AORUS Master Motherboard on Amazon (affiliate link).
Considerations When Choosing a CPU Cooler
Thermal Dissipation
A CPU cooler's TDP (Thermal Design Power) rating indicates how much heat it can dissipate in watts. If the cooler can't keep your CPU cool enough, your CPU may throttle (slow down), and your cooler will constantly run at full speed.
Intel CPU specifications indicate this power dissipation number as "Processor Base Power" and "Maximum Turbo Power."
For example, the Core i9-12900K has a TDP of 125–241 watts, depending on the workload.
A CPU cooler can still work with a lower TDP rating than the TDP of a CPU. However, the CPU will eventually throttle itself to a lower frequency to allow itself to cool.
The CPU may not achieve or maintain maximum turbo speeds without adequate cooling.
Types of Coolers
Air coolers use a combination of heatsinks and fans. They are the cheapest, but also the loudest.
A Closed-Loop Cooler (CLC), also called an All-in-One (AIO) cooler, is a type of liquid cooler. All-in-one liquid coolers provide a more straightforward setup in a single pre-built package.
Liquid cooling can provide even better TDP performance at lower noise levels but are more expensive and take up more room. The noise level and ability to cool your CPU will depend on the liquid cooling solution's radiator size and the number and size of the fans.
Find AIO Coolers on Amazon (affiliate link).
Open-Loop Coolers are also a type of liquid cooler, except you construct them yourself. They allow for more flexibility in building your perfect cooling solution but can also be more complicated to set up. Open-loop systems give you the flexibility to cool additional devices, such as your graphics card's GPU.
Noise
More fans typically mean better cooling. However, they also mean more noise.
Larger fans are typically quieter than smaller fans, as they can move the same amount of air at lower speeds.
If a cooler is struggling to cool a CPU, it will run at its maximum speed, which will be louder.
Fan noise levels are measured a dB. Lower dB values are quieter.
You can often configure your motherboard's BIOS to use specific fan speeds at particular temperatures. This configurable fan speed allows you to have a near-silent computer while your computer is idle.
Mounting Brackets
CPU coolers can have various mounting brackets to work with different socket sizes. Make sure that your cooler comes with a compatible mounting bracket.
The easiest way to find a CPU cooler that will work for your computer is to search by socket type. For example, Intel's 12th generation Core i9 12900K uses an LGA 1700 socket, so you would search for an LGA 1700 CPU cooler. In some cases, such as when a new socket size is released, there may not be many compatible coolers. In these cases, you can often purchase a separate mounting/
Size
Before buying the biggest cooler possible, ensure that your case and motherboard configuration have room.
Also, ensure that other components on your motherboard won't interfere due to size constraints. For example, do your memory modules (DIMMs) have tall heat spreaders?
Dual-fan coolers often take up quite a bit of room. Liquid cooling solutions typically position fans at the top or bottom of the case.
Lighting
Some CPU cooler fans come with LED lighting. Similarly, liquid cooling pump heads can also come with LEDs or even LCDs!
If you want to turn off the lights when they get annoying, make sure your CPU cooler has that option.
Price
In general, air-based coolers will be lower cost than liquid cooling systems.
CPU coolers that support a higher TDP are also typically correlated with a higher price.
The more advanced lighting features tend to also come at an extra cost. You can decide between a practical, low-cost solution and a dazzling light show.
Recommended AM5 Coolers
Best AM5 All-in-One Liquid Coolers
CORSAIR iCUE H150i ELITE LCD
-
Check the latest price of the CORSAIR iCUE H150i ELITE LCD on Amazon (affiliate link).
This cooler is designed to fit Intel and AMD sockets, including the following models: Intel LGA 1700, 1200, 1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011, 2066 and AMD AM5, AM4, sTRX4, sTR4 (Intel LGA 1700 is supported with CW-8960091 or CW-8960093 kits).
350-watt TDP (Thermal Design Power).
It provides powerful low-noise cooling and RGB lighting with a customizable LCD display that can display your CPU temperature or other graphics. As I explored the world of LED displays on CPU coolers, I discovered their captivating appeal. These displays have transformed my systems' visual aesthetics.
It has 120mm CORSAIR ML RGB ELITE magnetic levitation fans for great CPU cooling performance.
Make sure your computer case dimensions support this, as it will take up a decent amount of space!
CORSAIR iCUE H150i ELITE LCD Liquid CPU Cooler Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
Thermaltake TOUGHLIQUID 360 ARGB Sync
-
Check the latest price of the Thermaltake TOUGHLIQUID 360 ARGB Sync on Amazon (affiliate link).
TOUGHLIQUID Series is designed to fit Intel and AMD sockets, including the following models: Intel LGA 1700, 1200, 1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011, 2011-v3, 2066 and AMD AM5, AM4, AM3+, AM3, AM2+, AM2, FM2, FM1.
We estimate that this supports roughly a 250-watt TDP (Thermal Design Power).
This Liquid cooler supports 5V RGB compatible motherboards.
Equipped with a TOUGHFAN 12 2000-RPM fan and supports ARGB lighting on the waterblock. Even without a full LED display, ARGB lighting creates a mesmerizing visual spectacle when I use it in my builds.
Make sure your computer case dimensions support this, as it will take up a decent amount of space. There is a smaller version available, if needed.
Thermaltake TOUGHLIQUID Liquid CPU Cooler Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
Best AM5 Dual-Fan Air CPU Cooler
Noctua NH-D15 CPU Cooler
-
Check the latest price of the Noctua NH-D15 on Amazon (affiliate link).
Dual 140 mm fans provide 220-watt TDP (183 NSPR) of cooling capability.
Supports a variety of CPU sockets, including Intel LGA 1700, 1200, 1156, 1155, 1151, 1150, 2011, 2066 and AMD AM5, AM4, AM3, AM3+, AM2, AM2+, FM2, FM2+.
Quiet operation at 24.6 dBA.
Noctua NH-D15, Premium CPU Cooler Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
Our Recommended RAM
Before purchasing memory, we suggest that you review your motherboard specification to verify which speeds are supported. For example, if a DDR4 motherboard stated that it supports "DDR4 3400(O.C.) / 3333(O.C.) / 3300(O.C.) / 3200 / 3000," that would mean that it could support DDR4-3400, DDR4-3333, and DDR4-3300 with memory overclocking, and DDR4-3200 and DDR4-3000 at stock speeds. We have seen that motherboard specifications also indicate the maximum capacity per stick of RAM (DIMM) and across all slots.
for a specific AM5 CPU:
Recommended DDR5
- At an effective frequency of 5600 MHz, this memory hits the fastest DDR5 speed supported by Intel's 13th Gen CPUs without overclocking.
Corsair DOMINATOR PLATINUM RGB DDR5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) 5600 MHz RAM Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
- 32 GB provides ample memory for gaming and multitasking.
- Optimized for Intel XMP 3.0.
Recommended DDR4
- At an effective frequency of 3200 MHz, this memory hits the fastest supported stock DDR4 speeds.
Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
- It is also available in other (effective) frequencies for overclockers, including 3600 MHz and 4000 MHz.
- Lower-speed versions are also available on Amazon, in various capacities, including DDR4-2933 (affiliate link), DDR4-2666 (affiliate link), and DDR4-2400 (affiliate link).
- The low-profile form factor ensures that the heat spreaders don't get in the way of other devices, including your CPU heatsink.
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:
Learn About PCI-Express
AMD's Ryzen 7000 CPUs were the first to support PCIe 5.0.
| Processor Branding | Processor Models Supporting PCIe 5.0 |
|---|---|
| AMD Ryzen 9 | Ryzen 9 7950X3D, 7950X, 7900X3D, 7900X, 7900 |
| AMD Ryzen 7 | Ryzen 7 7700X, 7700 |
| AMD Ryzen 5 | Ryzen 5 7600X, 7600 |
| Intel Core i9 | Core i9 13900KS, 13900K, 13900KF, 13900F, 13900T, 13900, 12900KS, 12900K, 12900KF, 12900F, 12900, 12900T |
| Intel Core i7 | Core i7 13700K, 13700KF, 13700T, 13700F, 13700, 12700K, 12700KF, 12700F, 12700, 12700T |
| Intel Core i5 | Core i5 13600K, 13600KF, 13600T, 13600, 13500T, 13500, 13400T, 13400F, 13400, 12600K, 12600KF, 12600, 12600T, 12500, 12500T, 12400F, 12400, 12400T |
| Intel Core i3 | Core i3 13100F, 13100, 12300, 12300T, 12100, 12100F, 12100T |
| Intel Pentium Gold | Pentium Gold G7400, G7400T |
| Intel Celeron | Celeron G6900, G6900T |
Want to brush up on the latest PCIe products, versions, and features? Check out the articles in this PCI-Express series:
- What is PCIe?, What is PCIe 5.0?, and What is PCIe 4.0?
- Is PCIe 5.0 Worth It? and Is PCIe 4.0 Worth It?
- Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support PCIe 5.0?
- Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support PCIe 4.0?
- Which Motherboards Support PCIe 5.0?
- Which Graphics Cards Support PCIe 4.0?
- How Fast is PCIe 5.0? and How Fast is PCIe 4.0?
- Is PCIe Backward Compatible?
- Can I Put a PCIe x4 or x8 Card in an x16 Slot?
- Can I Use a PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD in a PCIe 3.0 Motherboard Slot?
- Can I Use a PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD in a PCIe 4.0 Motherboard Slot?
- Can I Use a PCIe 4.0 Graphics Card in a PCIe 3.0 Slot?
- Can I Use a PCIe 3.0 Graphics Card in a PCIe 4.0 Slot?
- What is the Latest Version of PCIe?
- PCI vs. AGP vs. PCIe? Time to Upgrade!
A Note From the Authors
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