The 6 Best Next-Gen Motherboards for Your PC
The motherboard is the heart and brain of any PC. Find the best of the best in our top-reviewed motherboard picks.
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When it comes to building your own PC, the motherboard is the heart and brain of the entire operation. Everything from your graphics card to your case fans goes through your motherboard. As such, it can be a bit overwhelming trying to choose the perfect one, especially as motherboards are intensely technical pieces of hardware. We’re here to help break down some of the jargon, and give you some recommendations on the latest and greatest motherboards out there.
What to Look For
Far and away, the most important thing to look for in a motherboard is compatibility. As all of your other computer parts will go through your motherboard, it’s crucial that every single one is compatible with said motherboard. We’ll be noting connectivity and compatibility for each of our recommendations.
Key Terms
Motherboards are intensely technical, and feature an abundance of terminology. While it may look like word soup at first, here are some important terms to understand:
Form Factor: the physical size of a motherboard, broken down into ATX (full-sized), Micro-ATX (mid-sized), and Mini-ITX (small-sized).
Socket Type: A physical socket where the CPU resides. A socket is designed to fit either an Intel or AMD CPU.
Chipset: The guts of the motherboard. The chipset affects everything from feature set to compatibility with other parts. Chipsets are designed for either Intel or AMD CPU compatibility.
CPU Support: Denotes which CPUs are compatible with a motherboard.
Memory Support: How much, and what type, of RAM can be plugged into a motherboard.
Expansion Slots: Often denoted as PCIe slots, these are used for items such graphics cards, sound cards, or video capture cards. PCIe slots come in different sizes, and their capabilities may be affected by your CPU.
Storage Slots: The kinds of storage drives the motherboard can support. Modern motherboards support both internal M.2 slots, which are plugged onto the motherboard itself, and traditional SSDs and HDDs, which are plugged in via SATA port.
USB Ports: Denotes how many USB ports are offered via the motherboard.
Video Ports: Denotes what kind of video cables can be plugged into the motherboard.
Networking: Denotes what kind of internet and Bluetooth connectivity is supported.
How We Selected
Because of its relatively niche appeal, we’ve omitted mini-ITX motherboards from this more broad list. To choose our recommendations, we performed intensive research, reviewing content from expert sources like PC Gamer, The Verge, CNET, Tom’s Guide, DigitalTrends, and others, as well as thousands of consumer reviews online from PCPartPicker, Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and more. As for the products themselves, we evaluated them on functionality, features, and price.
ASUS ASUS TUF Gaming H570-PRO Wi-Fi 6
ASUS ASUS TUF Gaming H570-PRO Wi-Fi 6
Pros
- Top-grade Wi-Fi, ethernet, and Bluetooth
- Plethora of RAM, USB, and storage ports
- Great value for feature set
Cons
- ASUS’s poor customer support
Key Specs
• Form Factor: ATX
• Socket Type: LGA 1200
• Chipset: H570
• CPU Support: 10th-gen, 11th-gen Intel
• Memory Support: 4x DDR4 slots, up to 128GB
• Expansion Slots: 1x PCIe 4.0x16, 1x PCIe 3.0x16 (supports x4 mode)
• Storage Slots: 2x M.2, 6x SATA ports
• Rear USB Ports: 1x USB-C, 3x USB 3.2, 4x USB 2.0
• Video Ports: 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.4
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6, 2.5Gb Ethernet, Bluetooth v5.1
For Intel systems, our top overall motherboard pick is the ASUS TUF Gaming H570-PRO Wi-Fi 6. This motherboard gives most users everything they could possibly want out of a high-quality motherboard. Connectivity is excellent, with ample networking, storage, RAM, PCIe, video, and USB connectivity.
The “TUF” moniker stems from this motherboard’s excellent build quality and cooling connectivity, with built in heatsinks and six available headers for connecting four-pin case fans. Add on ASUS’s easy to use BIOS and some fun RGB lighting, and you have an excellent motherboard for under $200.
ASUS ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus Wi-Fi 6
ASUS ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus Wi-Fi 6
Pros
- PCIe 4.0 support
- Plethora of RAM, USB, and storage ports
- Great value for feature set
Cons
- Gigabit ethernet
- ASUS customer support is poor
Key Specs
• Form Factor: ATX
• Socket Type: AM4Chipset: X570
• CPU Support: 2nd-, 3rd-gen AMD Ryzen
• Memory Support: 4x DDR4 slots, up to 128GB
• Expansion Slots: 2x PCIe 4.0x16, 3x PCIe 4.0x1
• Storage Slots: 2x M.2, 6x SATA ports
• Rear USB Ports: 1x USB-C, 6x USB 3.2
• Video Ports: 1x HDMI 1.4b, 1x DisplayPort 1.4
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6, gigabit ethernet, Bluetooth v5.0
For AMD systems, our top overall pick is still the ASUS TUF Gaming Wi-Fi 6, but for AMD systems, we went with the more affordable “plus” edition instead of the “pro.”
You still get the excellent build quality, cooling connectivity, and easy to use ASUS bios, along with a plethora of storage, memory, and USB slots. But with AMD's chipset, this motherboard supports superior expansion slots, meaning it's a great pick for users wanting to install a second graphics card, a dedicated sound card, or a video capture card. The only major downside is the slightly slower gigabit ethernet.
Gigabyte Gigabyte B460M DS3H V2
Gigabyte Gigabyte B460M DS3H V2
Pros
- Very affordable
- Compact micro ATX form factor
- Great expansion and storage slots
Cons
- 11th-gen CPUs only work after updating BIOS
- No USB-C ports
Key Specs
• Form Factor: Micro ATX
• Socket Type: LGA 1200
• Chipset: B460M
• CPU Support: 10th-gen, 11th-gen Intel (11th gen needs BIOS update)
• Memory Support: 4x DDR4 slots, up to 128GB
• Expansion Slots: 1x PCIe 3.0 x16, 1x PCIe 3.0 x16 (supports x4 mode), 2x PCIe 3.0 x1
• Storage Slots: 1x M.2, 4x SATA ports
• Rear USB Ports: 3x USB 3.2, 2x USB 2.0
• Video Ports: 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x DVI-D, 1x D-Sub
• Networking: Gigabit ethernet
For less than $100, you can still get a great Intel motherboard with a great chipset. The Gigabyte B460M DS3H V2 is a great example, a no-frills, affordable, high-quality motherboard.
Its midsized micro ATX form factor means a smaller footprint, and likely a smaller overall PC. But it still comes with all the modern standards, a PCIe x16 slot for a dedicated graphics card, four RAM slots, M.2 and SATA storage options, and plenty of USB ports. For anyone focusing on an affordable, budget Intel PC, this Gigabyte motherboard is an excellent choice.
Pros
- Incredible value
- Dual M.2 storage slots
- Compact micro ATX form factor
Cons
- Last-generation B450 chipset
Key Specs
• Form Factor: Micro ATX
• Socket Type: AM4
• Chipset: B450
• CPU Support: 2nd-, 3rd-gen AMD Ryzen
• Memory Support: 4x DDR4 slots, up to 64GB
• Expansion Slots: 1x PCIe 3.0 x16, 1x PCIe 3.0 x16 (x8 and x4 mode), 1x PCIe 2.0 x1
• Storage Slots: 2x M.2, 4x SATA Ports
• Rear USB Ports: 1x USB-C, 5x USB 3.1, 2x USB 2.0
• Video Ports: 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x DVI-D, 1x D-Sub
• Networking: Gigabit ethernet
A well-regarded and shockingly affordable motherboard, the ASRock B450M PRO4 is an AMD community favorite for its ability to compete with motherboards twice its cost. Despite its last-generation chipset, this motherboard features very speedy storage, memory, and USB slots.
Even in its smaller micro ATX form factor, it fits two M.2 and four RAM slots, making it an excellent option for speed demons. That fast connectivity extends to the USB ports, which feature blazingly fast USB-C and USB-A ports. Absent fancy RGB lighting or aesthetic designs, the ASRock B450M PRO4 still manages to stand out with its excellent value-to-performance ratio.
MSI MSI MPG Z590 Gaming Edge Wi-Fi
MSI MSI MPG Z590 Gaming Edge Wi-Fi
Pros
- Premium design
- Cutting-edge internet connectivity
- Overclocking and AMD CrossFire support
Cons
- Pricey
Key Specs
• Form Factor: ATX
• Socket Type: LGA 1200
• Chipset: Z590
• CPU Support: 10th-gen, 11th-gen Intel
• Memory Support: 4x DDR4 slots, up to 128Gb
• Expansion Slots: 3x PCIe 4.0 x16, 2x PCIe 3.0 x1
• Storage Slots: 3x M.2, 6x SATA slots
• Rear USB Ports: 1x USB-C, 5x USB 3.2, 2x USB 2.0
• Video Ports: 1x HDMI 2.0b, 1x DisplayPort 1.4
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, 2.5Gb Ethernet, Bluetooth 5.2
If you are building the ultimate custom Intel PC, the MSI MPG Z590 Gaming Edge Wi-Fi motherboard can handle just about anything under the sun with style and grace. Equipped with Intel’s latest and greatest Z590 chipset, this motherboard kicks speed to a new level, with three advanced PCIe 4.0 x16 slots and M.2 slots. With speed comes heat though, and the MSI MPG Z590 is ready for it, with a premium heatsink design, six available four-pin fan headers, and a dedicated heatsink for the main M.2 slot. What’s most impressive though might be its internet connectivity, with cutting-edge Wi-Fi 6E, 2.5Gb ethernet, and bluetooth 5.2. For building a premium Intel PC, look no further.
Gigabyte Gigabyte X570 AORUS PRO Wi-Fi
Gigabyte Gigabyte X570 AORUS PRO Wi-Fi
Pros
- Premium build-quality
- Dual-graphics card support with both NVIDIA SLI and AMD CrossFire
- Debug LEDs
Cons
- Limited video and M.2 slots
- No 2.5Gb ethernet
Key Specs
• Form Factor: ATX
• Socket Type: AM4
• Chipset: X570
• CPU Support: 2nd-, 3rd-gen AMD Ryzen
• Memory Support: 4x DDR4 slots, up to 128Gb
• Expansion Slots: 1x PCIe 4.0 x16, 1x PCIe 4.0 x8 (x8 and x4 mode), 2x PCIe 4.0 x1
• Storage Slots: 2x M.2, 6x SATA slots
• Rear USB Ports: 1x USB-C, 1x USB 3.1, 4x USB 3.0 4x USB 2.0
• Video Ports: 1x HDMI 2.0
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6, Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 5.0
A cutting-edge system needs a premium motherboard, and the Gigabyte X570 AORUS PRO Wi-Fi is just that. Utilizing AMD’s newest X570 chipset, this Gigabyte motherboard is a great pick for any enthusiast seeking the fastest speeds and the latest compatibility. The motherboard itself is solidly built, with premium muted materials and tons of dedicated thermal and shielding components, perfect for handling high workloads and overclocking. The solid build quality, combined with both NVIDIA SLI and AMD CrossFire support, means that the AORUS PRO is an excellent choice for anyone building a dual-graphics card PC. If you can forgive its Gigabit ethernet port, then the AORUS PRO is a great premium AMD pick.
Harry Rabinowitz is a writer, editor, and columnist covering the latest and greatest products in the gaming industry. He also works to tell educational and entertaining stories about tech, entertainment, home goods, and more. When he’s not learning or writing something new, he’s probably heading to the library for a new graphic novel to read.
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