B450? B550? x570 What does it all mean!

[whosane3450]

Need to buy a motherboard to pair with AMD 5600x

I want an ATX motherboard so I dont have to worry about where and how to plug all of the things like on my old motherboard the graphics card would cover one of the sata 3.0 ports, things like that.

Apart from that I have no idea what makes one motherboard better than the other and what any of these terms b450/550 etc mean. I have tried googling but its too complicated for me to wrap my head around.

Any reccos / explanations appreciated <3

 

[bssunilreddy]

Need to buy a motherboard to pair with AMD 5600x

I want an ATX motherboard so I dont have to worry about where and how to plug all of the things like on my old motherboard the graphics card would cover one of the sata 3.0 ports, things like that.

Apart from that I have no idea what makes one motherboard better than the other and what any of these terms b450/550 etc mean. I have tried googling but its too complicated for me to wrap my head around.

Any reccos / explanations appreciated <3

https://mdcomputers.in/gigabyte-atx-wi-fi-motherboard-b550-aorus-pro-ac.html

 

[getmarkked]

There are 3 chipsets for ryzen cpus
A520
B550
B570

5th in this - is generation of motherboard's chipset (latest)

Now,
A520
Is a Locked Basic Motherboard That'll run low end CPU's like 5600x and provide only necessary ports.
Locked meaning you won't be able to OC your CPU at all.

B550 (Best Value for Money)
This chipset is most opt for becuase its unlocked and latest motherboards does support Good VRMs for more stable Overclocks, has little bit extra ports for SATA USB etc.
and will support CPUs upto 5900x easily.

X570 (High Tier Motherboards)
Its for enthusiasts that need peak performance. These are expensive motherboards because of best quality and VRMs. It'll provide extra ports(more than B550) with two NVMe gen 4 slots.
will support all CPU from 3rd gen to 5th of Ryzen.

Recomandations for 5600x :
Gigabyte B550 pro V2 (15-16k)
MSI B550 A-Pro (8-9k)

get a B550 mobo, you won't be needing any other chipset, unless you are a heavy overclocker (B570) or not planning to get extra performance at all (A520)

 

[rsaeon]

Need to buy a motherboard to pair with AMD 5600x

I want an ATX motherboard so I dont have to worry about where and how to plug all of the things like on my old motherboard the graphics card would cover one of the sata 3.0 ports, things like that.

Apart from that I have no idea what makes one motherboard better than the other and what any of these terms b450/550 etc mean. I have tried googling but its too complicated for me to wrap my head around.

Any reccos / explanations appreciated <3

This is going to be fun. Motherboards are defined by the chipset they use - a set of chips that extend/add functionality to your computer as a whole. An archaic term since it's just one chip these days.

For AMD chipsets, you have the A-series, B-series and X-series. A is the most basic, barebone, absolute no-frills platform. X is the enthusiast/extreme series that brings the best of everything available. B is a one or two steps down from X, and is usually the best value in terms of features and price. Features here mean things like I/O interfaces, USB 5Gbps vs 10Gbps vs 20Gbps, Thunderbolt, Wifi, expansion card slots, m.2 SSD slots and of course, overclocking support.

Then you have different generations of these three chipsets, 300-series which is the first generation, 400 which is the second generation, and 500 which is the third and latest generation. 100 and 200 series never existed for AMD Ryzen, they just started with 300. Each generation generally stays current for a year or two before it is replaced with a successor. Once replaced, a manufacturer almost never introduces a new model with the older chipset series. With each succesive generation, you get newer technology. As an example, you'll need a 500 series motherboard if you want Thunderbolt 4, as this technology did not exist when 400 or 300 series chipsets were introduced and no manufacturer is going to realistically release a new 300 or 400 series model with Thunderbolt 4.

B450 is currently the best value for price-conscious builds. That's the previous generation's best value chipset that's still relevant today and compatible with your third (and current) generation processor.

The B550 board @bssunilreddy linked above is arguably the perfect all rounder for your processor.

And X570 would probably only make sense if you never had to ask this question in the first place.

Lastly, any letters after the three digits usually hints at the form factor:

• A320m - the 'm' is for MicroATX
• B450i - the 'i' is for Mini-ITX
• X570 - no letter here usually means ATX

 

[PradUp]

Ohh man this brings back memories, I remember when I first got into pc building. I was like what the fck is an LGA and how many of these LGAs do I need.

 

[Psycho_McCrazy]

And X570 would probably only make sense if you never had to ask this question in the first place.

THIS!! The best statement in the entire thread.

The B550 recommendations are my go-to as well for a new Ryzen 5000 series build. Unless some very specific item only available on the x570 (multiple PCIe Gen4 M2 Slots), or a future upgrade path intent (high core count + OC requiring the best VRMs) pushes you to X570.

 

[whosane3450]

This isnt my first build, its my second, but even the last time I just picked a motherboard because I was so exhausted by the end of it. This time I want to do it right.

So from what you guys are saying, the b450, and b550 either one will work with my 5600x? The motherboard linked above is way over my budget. I have little to no intention of overclocking, but I want ports and all of that which will last me a long time.

This is the one I was looking at right now. If there are cheaper or better value boards around this price range please suggest. What is confusing is there are so many different elements on the board that evaluating which one is better is hard. For example I cant tell you why this board costs 11k and the one linked above costs 15-16k

ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming 4 Motherboard (AMD Socket AM4/Ryzen 5000, 4000G and 3000 Series CPU/Max 128GB DDR4 4733MHz Memory)

ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming 4 | AM4 Socket | ATX Form Factor Motherboard | 8 Phase VRM | DDR4 4733 | Nahimic Audio - ALC1220 Codec | Gigabit Lan...

mdcomputers.in

 

[buzz88]

This isnt my first build, its my second, but even the last time I just picked a motherboard because I was so exhausted by the end of it. This time I want to do it right.

So from what you guys are saying, the b450, and b550 either one will work with my 5600x? The motherboard linked above is way over my budget. I have little to no intention of overclocking, but I want ports and all of that which will last me a long time.

This is the one I was looking at right now. If there are cheaper or better value boards around this price range please suggest. What is confusing is there are so many different elements on the board that evaluating which one is better is hard. For example I cant tell you why this board costs 11k and the one linked above costs 15-16k

ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming 4 Motherboard (AMD Socket AM4/Ryzen 5000, 4000G and 3000 Series CPU/Max 128GB DDR4 4733MHz Memory)

ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming 4 | AM4 Socket | ATX Form Factor Motherboard | 8 Phase VRM | DDR4 4733 | Nahimic Audio - ALC1220 Codec | Gigabit Lan...

mdcomputers.in

That's a good choice. B550 boards begin at 8-9K and go all the way up to 25k. Generally 14-15k is the sweet spot for enough features, but you can find good value boards for 10-11k too.

Prices vary by size, feature sets and component quality. Cheaper boards are smaller usually (microATX) rather than ATX. The smallest boards ITX are often expensive though because they are a niche thing still. Cheaper boards are also cheap because they often use lesser components, weaker thermal solutions etc and have fewer ports, slots. Right now, Asrock has better prices because I guess they have less market penetration and so their prices are competitive. MSI boards are good, but they suck as aftersales service. Asus is only good for highest tier of mobos, their cheaper options are not as good as the cheaper options from other companies. Gigabyte has some good options, often the best I/Os.

Go with a B550 ATX board which has all the features you want, i.e., 1) Do you need onboard Wifi and bluetooth? 2) How many and which gen USB ports you need? Do you need USB C, for example? 3) Which other ports you might need? 4) How many HDDs you might put in? How many M2 slot SSDs you might put in? 3) Are you planning to overclock? Then you have to check thermals.

Check this one too:

ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming 4/ac (Wi-Fi) Motherboard (AMD Socket AM4/Ryzen 5000, 4000G and 3000 Series CPU/Max 128GB DDR4 4733MHz Memory)

ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming 4 AC | AM4 Socket | ATX Form Factor Motherboard | 8 Phase VRM | DDR4 4733 | Nahimic Audio - ALC1220 Codec | Gigabit Lan, WiFi AC...

mdcomputers.in

I'm building around 5600X too and probably getting this one:

ASRock B550M Pro4 Motherboard (AMD Socket AM4/Ryzen 5000, 4000G and 3000 Series CPU/Max 128GB DDR4 4533MHz Memory)

ASRock B550M Pro4 | AM4 | M-ATX Form Factor - Motherboard | DDR4 4533 | Digital Power Design - 2Oz Copper PCB - ALC1200 Audio Codec - Nahimic Audio...

mdcomputers.in

 

[bssunilreddy]

That's a good choice. B550 boards begin at 8-9K and go all the way up to 25k. Generally 14-15k is the sweet spot for enough features, but you can find good value boards for 10-11k too.

Prices vary by size, feature sets and component quality. Cheaper boards are smaller usually (microATX) rather than ATX. The smallest boards ITX are often expensive though because they are a niche thing still. Cheaper boards are also cheap because they often use lesser components, weaker thermal solutions etc and have fewer ports, slots. Right now, Asrock has better prices because I guess they have less market penetration and so their prices are competitive. MSI boards are good, but they suck as aftersales service. Asus is only good for highest tier of mobos, their cheaper options are not as good as the cheaper options from other companies. Gigabyte has some good options, often the best I/Os.

Go with a B550 ATX board which has all the features you want, i.e., 1) Do you need onboard Wifi and bluetooth? 2) How many and which gen USB ports you need? Do you need USB C, for example? 3) Which other ports you might need? 4) How many HDDs you might put in? How many M2 slot SSDs you might put in? 3) Are you planning to overclock? Then you have to check thermals.

Check this one too:

ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming 4/ac (Wi-Fi) Motherboard (AMD Socket AM4/Ryzen 5000, 4000G and 3000 Series CPU/Max 128GB DDR4 4733MHz Memory)

ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming 4 AC | AM4 Socket | ATX Form Factor Motherboard | 8 Phase VRM | DDR4 4733 | Nahimic Audio - ALC1220 Codec | Gigabit Lan, WiFi AC...

mdcomputers.in

I'm building around 5600X too and probably getting this one:

ASRock B550M Pro4 Motherboard (AMD Socket AM4/Ryzen 5000, 4000G and 3000 Series CPU/Max 128GB DDR4 4533MHz Memory)

ASRock B550M Pro4 | AM4 | M-ATX Form Factor - Motherboard | DDR4 4533 | Digital Power Design - 2Oz Copper PCB - ALC1200 Audio Codec - Nahimic Audio...

mdcomputers.in

I have been running Asrock B550 Phantom Gaming 4/ac and it's superb bios is easy to use.

 

[Party Monger]

If you don't need any premium features, get a mobo in 7-8k range. These mostly have all features that average or semi-pro users will need. Get the popular ones with good reviews from brands with good service.
Use the saved money in CPU and going for additional cores, and you'll gain far more performance than you'll get trying to OC or tweaking ram timings.

 

[whosane3450]

I would love to have on board bluetooth and wifi. I cant seem to find a great option. Im going to make my purchase tomorrow.

unless I find something on the contrary I will end uop buying the b550 phantom ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming 4/ac (Wi-Fi) Motherboard (AMD Socket AM4/Ryzen 5000, 4000G and 3000 Series CPU/Max 128GB DDR4 4733MHz Memory)

 

[nRiTeCh]

I would love to have on board bluetooth and wifi. I cant seem to find a great option. Im going to make my purchase tomorrow.

unless I find something on the contrary I will end uop buying the b550 phantom ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming 4/ac (Wi-Fi) Motherboard (AMD Socket AM4/Ryzen 5000, 4000G and 3000 Series CPU/Max 128GB DDR4 4733MHz Memory)

Me too... onboard BT and Wifi 5ghz is a must imo these days though one can add dongles for udner 1k.. Heard Asrock argb/rg issues + service issues. But same features in Asus costs twice + additional price though this Asrock mobo looks basi while Asus stands out ultra premium in all factors..

 

[Adijazz]

Me too... onboard BT and Wifi 5ghz is a must imo these days though one can add dongles for udner 1k.. Heard Asrock argb/rg issues + service issues. But same features in Asus costs twice + additional price though this Asrock mobo looks basi while Asus stands out ultra premium in all factors..

How does a dongle like this work, does it act like a BT/wifi card and allow access to WiFi? I'll buy 1 if that's the case as my mono has no onboard support

 

[bssunilreddy]

Me too... onboard BT and Wifi 5ghz is a must imo these days though one can add dongles for udner 1k.. Heard Asrock argb/rg issues + service issues. But same features in Asus costs twice + additional price though this Asrock mobo looks basi while Asus stands out ultra premium in all factors..

There is no issues with argb or driver issues with Asrock B550 Boards.
The new drivers are rock solid as well as the latest Bios update.
Premium looking boards are there in Asrock also but Asus has good bios looks.

My BT and wifi is working superb and it's giving me around 194mbps download and 120mbps upload speeds on my 200MBPS/ 3.3 TB FUP BSNL Plan with price of Rs.999 and 1240 including GST.

Don't ever buy MSI boards as their RMA has become poor while Asrock has good record and do give replies to any queries on their Reddit Sub.

 

[rsaeon]

And X570 would probably only make sense if you never had to ask this question in the first place.

To expand a little further, X570 has a faster interconnect between the processor and the chipset, it's PCIe gen4 vs gen3 for B550. What this mean is that you're able to attach more add-in cards, if you're a power user.

From my own personal example of a hypervisor system, let's take a hypothetical X570 motherboard that has a m.2 slot connected to the CPU, two PCIe 16x slots connected to the cpu in a x16/x8+x8 configuration, an additional x16 slot that's electrically 4x connected to the chipset, another m.2 connected to the chipset at x4 and yet another m.2 connected at x2 and finally, a couple of 1x slots. This is actually the Aorus X570 Ultra.

The x4 slot connected to the chipset would be perfect for a basic display adapter for the hypervisor, and the x2 m.2 slot would be fine for hypervisor's main drive. This leaves a x8 slot for your vm's primary graphics adapter, and the other x8 along with m.2 connected to the CPU and the m.2 connected to the chipset to serve as high speed storage for four m.2 drives using a x8 to 2x m.2 adapter card. The remaining x1 slots can be for USB3 controller card and WIFI/BT adapter card for the virtual machine.

Granted that all of this is an extreme edge case of a power user trying to look at a consumer desktop platform as an alternative to the HEDT platforms, but it shows a clear benefit of stepping up to X570.

 

[Psycho_McCrazy]

Another benefit that the x570 has is the compatibility. It IS compatible with Zen+ 2000 series through Zen3 5000 series and presumably with the Zen3D too...
B550 doesn't offer this much, no go Zen+

This is why I am in the process of acquiring an x570 Unify to (right now) move my 2700x into, and then have the flexibility upgrading to much faster CPUs later (used).