Looking for best B450 Motherboards?
AMD recently launched the latest B450 chipset, mainly for second-generation AMD Ryzen processors that depends on the AM4 socket. This is the secondary chipset in the AMD 400 sequence chipsets for AM4 socket mainframes.
Similar to other chipsets, B450 motherboards is available in ATX, micro-ATX, and mini-ITX form factors, which are perfect for all use cases. They can also be used to build compact HTPCs by pairing them with a Ryzen APU like the Ryzen 5 2400G that comes with integrated Vega 8 graphics.
The high-end AMD Ryzen 7 2700X CPU can also be used and these boards give the best deal when paired with Ryzen 5 2600 or Ryzen 5 2600X.
Therefore, in this article, we will provide you with the top 10 B450 motherboards to buy for compatibility with second-generation AMD Ryzen processors.
Table of Contents
The MSI motherboard series comprises of twelve motherboards with AMD B450 midrange chipsets. It also includes a pro-carbon model that belongs to the series of performance games. MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon AC provides a powerful solution for the AMD B450 platform. It provides all the basic as well as unique features that you may find in other expensive boards. MSI provides a very simple aesthetic effect and has enough RGB to satisfy gamers. It contains many accessories, such as I/O backplate, SATA cable, Wi-Fi antenna, LED extension cable, etc. HDMI and DisplayPort outputs are provided, so you can use the Vega GPU built into the Ryzen 5 2400G APU without actually investing in a discrete graphics card for gaming purposes.
Specifications-
Manufacturer: MSI
Chipset: AMD B450 Chipset
Graphics Interface: 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16; 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16; 3 x PCIe 2.0 x1.
Memory Support: 4 x DDR4 (max 128GB).
Display Interface: HDMI
M.2 / SATA Specs: 2 x M.2; 6x SATA 6Gb/s ports.
Audio: Realtek ALC1220 Audio Codec.
LAN: YES (Intel I211AT).
Wi-Fi: YES.
Dimensions: 12.0 x 9.0 x 2.0 inches.
| PROS | CONS |
| Amazing performance and good CPU power supply | Requires too much power |
| BIOS Flashback | Limited storage interface options |
| Efficient Features and well-structured UEFI | |
| Multiple headers for fan and water cooling | |
| Has WLAN-AC and Bluetooth 5.0 |
Our Opinion
We believe that MSI B450 is cheaper and has more advanced functions, so it is a better choice. You can easily get Intel Dual-band Wireless-AC and Bluetooth 5.0. Using the B450 Gaming Pro Carbon AC, MSI provides a very interesting motherboard for the Ryzen processor within its range, it provides balanced settings, and allows overclocking. Overall, this motherboard is a real deal for gamers.
ASUS ROG Strix B450-F Gaming is one of the best products for those who don’t have any budget limitations. Apart from providing flexibility, the Strix has two M.2 PCI Express x4 slots, three PCI Express x16 slots, and three PCI Express x1 slots, offering enough room for expansion.
ROG Strix B450-F is capable of supporting up to 128GB of DDR4-DIMM memory. SupremeFX audio provides isolated, distortion-free audio through Nichicon audio capacitors, assisting to produce clean output.
Compared to manual overclocking, the motherboard (and chipset) is better suited for automatic overclocking via AMD Precision Boost and XFR. In this regard, the Strix B450-F works well.
Specifications-
Manufacturer: Asus.
Form Factor: ATX.
Graphics Interface: 2 x PCIe 3.0 x16; 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16; 3 x PCIe 2.0 x1.
Memory Support: 4 x DDR4 (up to 128GB).
M.2 / SATA Specs: 2 x M.2; 8x SATA 6 GB/s ports.
Audio: Realtek ALC1220-VB Audio Codec.
LAN: YES (Intel I211AT).
Wi-Fi: NO.
Dimensions: 12.0 x 9.6 x 1.5 inches
| PROS | CONS |
| User-friendly ROG UEFI | Lack of power/reset buttons |
| SupremeFX Audio | Troubling BIOS oversights |
| Superior DRAM overclocking | |
| Overclocks 2700X |
Our Opinion
For gamers, B450-F is very interesting because you can run at the highest setting of all the latest games, apart from the only limitation from the GPU and CPU settings. For those who are seeking for gaming purposes at a reasonable price, the Asus ROG Strix B450-F game provides a good choice. For this price, you will also get a good set of accessories and a large number of expansion slots.
Gigabyte B450 AORUS M is an entry-level gaming motherboard for the mid-range AMD B450 chipset. A micro ATX motherboard, B450 can be comfortably installed in the mini-tower even suitable for high form factor cases. This is quite budget-friendly and has all the features of a high-end motherboard. It has a PCIex1 slot, two PCI-E x16 graphics card slots supporting 2-way CrossFire, and an M.2 slot for protecting M.2 SATA and NVMe PCIe Gen3 x4 SSD.
In addition, this model supports up to 64GB of DDR4 (3200 MHz) RAM. The motherboard also overclocks the memory and CPU. It has unique basic functions such as gaming LAN, RGB fusion support, UEFI dual BIOS, eight-channel integrated audio, Gen 2 and Gen 1 ports, Smart Fan 5 fan control software, RGB and RGBW header connectors for M.2 The radiator M.2 SSD cooling and display ports, including DVI and HDMI.
Specifications-
Socket: AM4
Chipset: AMD B450
Form Factor: ATX
Dimensions (W x H x D): 12.25 x 15 x 4.22 in
RAM support: Dual Channel and DDR4 3200 (OC) up to 64GB
Processor Support: AMD 2nd Generation Ryzen, 1st Generation Ryzen Processors and Ryzen with Radeon Vega Graphics
Features: Hardware monitoring, DDR4-3200 OC support, Gigabyte DualBIOS, ALC1220-VB audio codec, USB 3.1 Gen1 internal header, onboard wireless AC, 3x PCI Express x16 slots, RGB Fusion, 2x M.2 with Thermal Guard, 2x PCI Express x1 slots, and Intel GbE LAN with cFOS support.
| PROS | CONS |
| Supports AMD 2nd Gen Ryzen CPU | Doesn’t support NVIDIA SLI |
| Memory of up to 3200 MHz DDR4 | Lack of cooling features |
| Includes M.2 SSD heatsink | |
Our Opinion
If you want to choose an inexpensive motherboard to overclock the CPU then Gigabyte B450 AORUS M should definitely be your choice.
To sum up, Gigabyte B450 AORUS M is a powerful, inexpensive motherboard that can use the second-generation Ryzen processor to provide a mid-range gaming experience.
The MSI B450 Tomahawk is one of the most reasonable B450 motherboards in the market. The functionality of the board will be very appealing to gamers. It consists of a standard accessory package including two SATA cables, an I/O shield, M.2 screws, a build guide, a driver DVD, and a user manual.
It has a large heat sink in VRM to keep the temperature within a controllable range. The rear I/O does not have a shield pre-installed, but it does provide the most commonly used ports, including the BIOS back button. This helps in updating the previous BIOS when the update fails. However, you may feel some restrictions in the PCIe slots. The motherboard has two large PCI Express slots, the top one is x16, which is connected directly to the CPU, and the bottom one is x4, which is connected to the B450 chipset. There is also an internal USB 3.0 header connector on the front panel.
Specifications-
Manufacturer: MSI.
Form Factor: ATX.
Graphics Interface: 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16; 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16; 3 x PCIe 2.0 x1.
Memory Support: 4 x DDR4 (up to 128GB).
M.2 / SATA Specs: 1 x M.2; 6x SATA 6 GB/s ports.
Audio: Realtek ALC892 Audio Codec.
LAN: YES (Realtek 8111H).
Wi-Fi: NO.
Dimensions: 12.0 x 9.6 x 1.0 inches.
| PROS | CONS |
| Good VRMs | Only one M.2 slot |
| Decent number of hybrid fan headers | Average aesthetics |
| Includes BIOS Flashback+ | |
| Overclocks 2700X |
Our Opinion
In terms of performance, there isn’t much difference between the B450 Tomahawk and other motherboards with the same chipset. Most CPU and memory benchmarks work correctly, and you can also overclock memory through XMP settings in BIOS. Overall, MSI B450 Tomahawk is one of the best low-cost B450 motherboards on the 2nd generation AMD Ryzen platform.
The Mini-ITX size provides us with three popular options, including MSI B450I Gaming Plus AC, Asus ROG Strix B450-I Gaming and Asrock B450 Gaming ITX/AC. The ASUS device looks great, but it may be expensive for some users. This motherboard has better performance than many models and is compatible with the more powerful three-phase Vcore VRM equipped with a 6-phase replicator.
However, VRM SoC is weak and not the best APU board. If you plan to run APU, ASUS may work better. However, the price can still be discussed. MSI B450I Gaming Plus AC includes a 3 + 2 phase VRM.
Specifications-
Socket: AM4
Chipset: AMD B450
Form Factor: Mini-ITX
Dimensions (W x H x D): 7.3 x 8.9 x 3 in
Features: DDR4-3466 support, Audio Boost, Gaming heatsinks, Turbo M.2 with AMD StoreMI support, DDR4 Boost, Core Boost, and steel armour
| PROS | CONS |
| Notable build quality | Only one NVME |
| Overclocking features available | Contains only 802.11 AC WIFI |
| Impressive audio capacity | |
Our Opinion
MSI B450I Gaming Plus AC comes with a relatively affordable controller and offers a small Mini-ITX game theme alternative. Users who want to provide custom options for their systems will be happy to know that the motherboard contains two 5050 RGB LED light bar connectors. It doesn’t have any built-in RGB function underneath the radiator though.
Overall, this model is an obvious choice for prices that many motherboards still cannot surpass.
A popular and reasonable motherboard, MSI B450M BAZOOKA gives you an M-TX form factor. Compared with other motherboards, it is equipped with a single PCI-E x16 slot, so it is not compatible with Multi-GPU Crossfire. It includes Turbo M.2 slot for NVMe, two PCIe x1 slots and SATA M.2 SSD.
However, it does not have a USB 3.1 Gen 2 port, which may be a problem for some users. Although the motherboard works well, it can support up to 64GB of DDR4 3466+ (OC) MHz RAM.
Other basic features of this game board include eight-channel audio, heat sink, RGB Mystic Light support, audio enhancement, gaming LAN, UEFI BIOS, EZ debug LED for troubleshooting, DDR4 Boost for a card and PCI-E Steel Armor graphics.
MSI B450M BAZOOKA has six USB 3.1 Gen 1 and four USB 2.0 ports to support high-end USB storage and devices.
Specifications-
Socket Type: AM4
Form Factor: Micro-ATX
Chipset: AMD B450
Slots: DIMM x 4, PCI-E x16 x 1, PCIe x1 x 2, M.2 x 1
Ports: SATAIII x 4, USB 3.1 Gen 1 x 6, USB 2.0 x 4, PS/2
Display Output: DVI-D, HDMI
RAM support: DDR4 3466+(OC) MHz, up to 64GB, Dual Channel
Processor support: AMD Ryzen 1st and 2nd Generation and Ryzen with Radeon Vega Graphics Processors for Socket AM4
Features: DDR4 Boost, EZ Debug LED, Heavy plated gaming heatsinks, VR Ready, Gaming LAN, Audio Boost, RGB Mystic Light, 7.1 Channel Audio, PCI-E Steel Armor and UEFI BIOS.
| PROS | CONS |
| 4 RAM Slots, B450 chipset | Doesn’t include heatsink |
| Eight-pin processor power | |
| Upgraded audio chip | |
Our Opinion
Overall, it is a reasonable B450 gaming motherboard and undoubtedly one of the cheapest models on the market. This motherboard is definitely a great solution for the latest games. The exclusive features of this motherboard will make you very satisfied. MSI B450M BAZOOKA is the best choice to install gaming PC in micro ATX case.
ASRock B450M, one of the best AMD B450 motherboards available, can be used for micro-ATX size. Despite its small size, it is still a powerful small PC motherboard.
The B450 chipset provides many functions for mainstream computing, and ASRock takes it to a new level with its good 7-phase power design. If you want to overclock the Ryzen CPU, it can provide a stable voltage. Therefore, we recommend pairing this board with Ryzen 5 2600X instead of Ryzen 5 2600 because the “X” version can automatically increase the clock frequency based on the available temperature and power limitations.
Given the size of the miniature ATX, it has some restrictions. For example, you can only use two RAM units, so you should plan the maximum capacity and speed of RAM allowed by your budget. This board has some issues with configuring the XMP configuration file for a faster RAM module, so it is better to choose the range from 2933 to 3000 MHz to avoid problems.
Specifications-
Manufacturer: ASRock.
Form Factor: Micro ATX.
Graphics Interface: 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16; 1 x PCIe 2.0 x1.
Memory Support: 2 x DDR4 (up to 32GB).
M.2 / SATA Specs: 1 x M.2; 4x SATA 6Gb/s ports.
Audio: Realtek ALC887 Audio Codec.
LAN: YES (Realtek RTL8111H).
Wi-Fi: NO.
Dimensions: 12.0 x 2.5 x 9.6 inches.
| PROS | CONS |
| Affordable | Limited RAM Expansion |
| Includes ECC and non-ECC RAM modules | Issues with setting XMP profile |
| Suitable for small-factor PCs | |
Our Opinion
It is an overall well-functioning motherboard. With some good feature set, this is quite suitable for most gamers.
The PRO4 motherboard is designed as a cheap motherboard that can meet almost all your needs. It has four SATA ports and two M.2 ports, so it has a lot of storage options. Dual M.2 ports can be used for SSDs that support SATA3 6GB/s and PCIe Gen3 interfaces, with theoretical speeds up to 32GB/s. There are three PCIe slots and four DDR4 DIMM slots (total capacity up to 64GB). Also, remember that you will get a Gigabit LAN port.
Speaking of unique features, ASRock PRO4 is very popular. There is a USB 3.1 Gen2, which supports speeds up to 10GB/s. You will also get full surge protection, which means that your motherboard will be protected from sudden voltage spikes. This is also one of the rare motherboards that support up to three displays simultaneously.
Manufacturer: ASRock.
Form Factor: Micro ATX.
Graphics Interface: 2 x PCIe 3.0 x16; 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16; 1 x PCIe 2.0 x1.
Memory Support: 4 x DDR4 (up to 64GB).
M.2 / SATA Specs: 2 x M.2; 4x SATA3 6Gb/s ports.
Audio: Realtek ALC892 Audio Codec.
LAN: YES (Realtek RTL8111H).
Wi-Fi: NO.
Dimensions: 9.61 x 9.61 x 1.57 inches.
| PROS | CONS |
| Affordable | Fluctuations in price |
| Well-structured layout | Warm converters |
| 2RGB Headers | |
| Full Spike protection |
Our Opinion
ASRock has published all the technical details of B450 Steel Legend and B450M Steel Legend on their respective product pages. You can get a solid motherboard with good performance but outstanding performance. In terms of price, the performance you get is pretty good.
B450M Steel Legend has an excellent feature set and very good performance. If you are trying to build a compact PC that does not take up a lot of space but still offers more expansion possibilities on the mini-ITX board, the micro-ATX size may be a good choice. This happens to be the source of the motherboard. Although its size is limited, it can bring many expansion options. Like other ASRock motherboards, Steel Legend also provides a good set of BIOS adjustment options and also has the ability to configure XMP configuration files for memory overclocking. As long as sufficient cooling is provided, there will be no problem in controlling the temperature.
Specifications-
Manufacturer: ASRock.
Form Factor: Micro ATX.
Graphics Interface: 3 x PCIe 3.0 x16; 3 x PCIe 2.0 x16; 1 x PCIe 2.0 x1.
Memory Support: 4 x DDR4 (up to 64GB).
M.2 / SATA Specs: 2 x M.2; 4x SATA 6Gb/s ports.
Audio: Realtek ALC892 Audio Codec.
LAN: YES (Realtek RTL8111H).
Wi-Fi: NO.
Dimensions: 12.0 x 2.5 x 9.6 inches.
| PROS | CONS |
| Excellent performance | Limited as compared to other products |
| Durable parts | Warm converters |
| Dual M.2 slots | |
| Full Spike protection |
Our Opinion
The performance of the board is excellent when paired with Ryzen 5 processors. There is no unwanted RGB lighting, and aesthetics are kept to a minimum. Overall, this is an excellent product for the price.
The GIGABYTE B450 Aorus Elite is not as well known as other GIGABYTE series motherboards, but it is still a powerful B450 motherboard. It consists of an integrated I/O shield and dual heatsink on VRM. By default, with the exception of PCH, there are not many RGB effects close to the audio component.
The development board supports 3200 MHz DDR4 RAM with appropriate XMP configuration files. This is lower than some motherboards that provide frequencies above 3400 MHz, but AMD recommends Ryzen to use 2933 MHz, so unless you are looking for serious overclocking, it is enough. The BIOS is transferred from other Gigabyte motherboards. In addition to the “simple” and “advanced” modes, it also has a familiar design, as well as an “MIT” tab, which can control the CPU and memory voltage settings in detail.
Specifications-
Manufacturer: ASRock.
Form Factor: ATX.
Graphics Interface: 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16; 1 x PCIe 2.0 x4; 2 x PCIe 2.0 x1.
Memory Support: 4 x DDR4 (up to 64GB).
M.2 / SATA Specs: 2 x M.2; 6x SATA 6Gb/s ports.
Audio: Realtek ALC1220-VB Audio Codec.
LAN: YES (Realtek RTL8111H).
Wi-Fi: NO.
Dimensions: 3.4 x 10.7 x 13.2 inches.
| PROS | CONS |
| Good for gamers | Less popular |
| Good performance | |
| Effective VRM Cooling | |
Our Opinion
A good thing about the GIGABYTE B450 Aorus Elite is that it provides debug LEDs that can help diagnose when problems occur during POST. Considering all the features, we think that Gigabyte B450 Aorus Elite is one of the best B450 motherboards and an excellent choice for gaming.
Conclusion
Choosing the best motherboard is critical to your user experience, therefore, this list should provide you with some good solutions. According to us, these are the top 10 B450 motherboards that can complement the second-generation AMD Ryzen processor. Note that in most cases, most B450 motherboards have similar feature sets, so it ultimately boils down to some distinctive features among OEMs. So don’t be in a rush to make a decision. Take a moment to examine each model and then find the model that is best for you.
Moisturizing cream is an effective way of nourishing your skin and giving it proper hydration.…
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is more than a physical injury. It's a life-altering event…
Located amidst the grandeur of Western Canada lies a gem of unparalleled beauty - the…
Depending on what your company sells, business packaging solutions may be necessary. It’s likely, in…
The trusty oven often finds itself at the bottom of the cleaning list. That’s not…
Customer loyalty and retention are vital for the growth and sustainability of startups. These concepts…
This website uses cookies.