10/7/2022 Update: The AM5-socket Ryzen 7000 platform is now out in the wild, so we’re actively testing motherboards with AMD’s 32-thread Ryzen 9 7950X now and no longer focusing on the best B550 motherboards. High-end X670E and X670 motherboard reviews will come first, with more affordable B650E and B650 reviews following soon after. We’ll add the most impressive of those boards to our Best Motherboards list, and will be busy with Intel’s new Raptor Lake platform as well. So don’t expect any new B550 reviews to arrive on this page.
That said, last-gen Ryzen 5000 processors and AM4 motherboards are still capable performers that are enticingly affordable (and likely to only become more so as long as stock remains sufficient). But just know that if you opt for an AM4 motherboard now you are buying into a dying last-gen platform. Most (if not all) new AMD processors will be released on the new AM5 socket/platform, solely with DDR5 support.
The Best B550 motherboard for your next AMD build might not be a B550 board at all. AMD’s B550 chipset arrived with anticipation of PCIe 4.0 support at low prices, given the high cost of most X570 boards and the appealingly low price of many previous-generation B450 motherboards. But now that we’re well more than a year out from the launch of B550, we know that AMD’s more mainstream AM4 platform delivers on at least one of those promises–PCIe 4.0.
While there’s less bandwidth for multiple next-generation high-speed storage and graphics card setups with B550 compared to X570, it does deliver enough PCIe 4.0 lanes for the typical setup of a single speedy boot drive and graphics card. And overall, B550 prices are lower than their X570 counterparts. But many B550 motherboards — particularly the high-end models — surpass the price of many lower-end X570 motherboards.
So even the best B550 motherboards may not have as broad appeal as cheaper B450 options — though you’ll forego PCIe 4.0 with these lower-priced boards, which is a key selling point of AMD’s latest platforms, as well as now Intel with Z590/Rocket Lake.
There are other considerations (and complications) if you’re choosing the best B550 motherboard, as well. Those who like their PCs to run silently will appreciate that the B550 chipset doesn’t require support for active cooling. But note that refreshed X570S chipset/motherboards also do away with the fan issue, while also delivering the extra bandwidth of AMD’s flagship chipset.
The key thing to note with B550 is that, while the chipset supports current and future Zen 3 processors, the boards didn’t support Ryzen 2000 and earlier processors, or Ryzen 3000 APUs like the Ryzen 5 3400G–at least at launch. While the AM4 socket remains the same, ROM size limitations make it impossible for board makers to include support for all current, future, and past Ryzen processors with a single firmware package.
So if you have an older Ryzen 2000 CPU or Ryzen 3000 APU, be sure to check the board’s product page to see if it’s compatible with your processor out of the box. At the very least, you may need to update the board’s BIOS to support a given chip. And depending on the features of a given board, that may be impossible to do without also having a different CPU that works with the board out of the box. You don’t want to spend tons of time researching the best B550 motherboard for your build, only to find out after you buy it that it won’t boot with your existing CPU.
AMD B550 Chipset: PCIe 4.0 for the Rest of Us
With all that out of the way, what exactly does B550 offer? Here’s how AMD sees it:
You get PCIe 4.0 support through the CPU, delivering enough lanes for a fast NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD and the GPU. Also included with B550 is dual-GPU support (though that’s a feature with far less appeal in recent years for gamers), along with a doubling of the bandwidth of the motherboard’s general-purpose PCIe lanes from the chipset, from 2.0 to 3.0. That increased per-lane throughput allowed AMD to reduce the number of lanes between the chipset and CPU from six PCIe 2.0 lanes to four PCIe 3.0.
| B450 | B550 | X570 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU Graphics Support | X16 PCIe Gen 3 | X16 PCIe Gen 4 | X16 PCIe Gen 4 |
| CPU Storage Support | PCIe Gen 3 | PCIe Gen 4 | PCIe Gen 4 |
| CPU USB Ports | USB 3.1 Gen 1 | USB 3.1 Gen 2 | USB 3.1 Gen 2 |
| Dual Graphics Support | No | Yes | Yes |
| General Purpose Lanes | PCIe Gen 2 | PCIe Gen 3 | PCIe Gen 4 |
| CPU Chipset Uplink | PCIe Gen 3 | PCIe Gen 3 | PCIe Gen 4 |
| Overclocking Support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Below are our tested picks for the best B550 motherboards, at various price points and form factors. We expect this list to grow once we test more of these mainstream AMD motherboards.
Asus’ ROG Strix B550-F Gaming Wi-Fi delivers premium features including SupremeFX Audio, Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200, solid power delivery and more. It’s a good option around the $200 mark, though if you don’t need Wi-Fi capability, the non-Wi-Fi version of the same board costs $30 less with the same specifications, making it easy to recommend if you plan on using Ethernet or have your own wireless card.
Read: Asus ROG Strix B550-F Gaming Wi-Fi review
NZXT’s first foray into AMD motherboards is a success. Coming in late to the game allowed the company to implement feedback from its Intel boards, adding more USB ports to the rear IO. The additional time also allowed NZXT to implement cutting-edge Wi-Fi 6E as well, alongside 2.5GbE. Outside of that, the appearance changed significantly from the company’s previous boards, with shrouds dominating the surface and an absence of on-board RGBs.
With an MSRP of $229, the NZXT N7 B550 costs about $15 more than our primary pick, but delivers a newer Wi-Fi chip, more and faster USB ports, and solid performance in a package that’s visually distinct from all other B550 competition. If you can spend this much and don’t need the extra PCI 4.0 bandwidth that comes with similarly priced older X570 motherboards, the NZXT N7 B550 is well worth considering.
Read: NZXT N7 B550 review
There are plenty of cheaper B550 based options than the Gigabyte B550 Aorus Master, but if you’re looking at flagship mainstream parts, you likely already know that you are set with a single GPU and PCIe 4.0 M.2 module. While you can add more modules, you’ll be limited to PCIe 3.0 (still plenty fast enough for many) with those extra drives. If you’re still a heavy SATA-based storage user and six of those ports isn’t enough, look to the the ASRock B550 Taichi. But if you need three M.2 slots and loads of USB, the Aorus Master delivers.
The B550 Aorus Master is a very capable board, loaded up with premium features like Wi-Fi 6 and high-quality VRMs. It’s one of the more well-appointed B550 motherboards, though that also means it’s expensive. If a $250+ B550-based motherboard is what you’re looking for, the B550 Aorus Master should be on your short list.
Read: Gigabyte B550 Aorus Master review
If you’re building a Ryzen-based system primarily for content creation and productivity, the Asus ProArt B550 Creator is a viable option around the $300 price point–especially if you can make use of its pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports. Aside from those, you get Dual 2.5 GbE for fast wired connectivity, plus ingenious latches for M.2 modules so you don’t have to fumble with those tiny screws.
At just under $300, the ProArt B550 Creator is expensive for a B550 board, but it delivers unique features for content creators and their workflows. If your work fits within the confines of the B550 chipset and its limited storage flexibility, this board is the best we’ve tested for creative types. It’s also a great board for more general-purpose builds, but the price is high unless you can really use the Thunderbolt ports.
Read: Asus ProArt B550 Creator Review
MSI’s MAG B550 Tomahawk delivers a well-balanced feature set at a competitive price. Performance is up there with the more expensive boards, and the VRMs held their own even when overclocked. At $180, you’ll have to live without Wi-Fi, and some potential drawbacks are the six total USB count on the rear IO as well as the lesser audio codec compared to many other boards. Assuming these are not deal breakers for your build, the MSI B550 MAG Tomahawk deserves consideration if your budget is around the $180 mark.
Read: MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk review
If you’re after a B550 board in the compact Mini ITX form factor, you only have a handful of choices, but Asus’ ROG Strix B550-I Gaming stands out. At $230, it’s on the pricier end, but $100 less than Gigabyte’s B550I Aorus Pro AX, while still delivering two M.2 slots (one around back), Wi-Fi 6 and 2.5Gb Ethernet. And active VRM cooling means you shouldn’t have to deal with the heat issues we saw with the Asus Prime B550M-A Wi-Fi and our 3900X.
You’ll have to live with just six USB ports on the rear IO, but that’s par for the course with these small B550 boards. Just note that one of the six ports is a USB 2.0 Type-C port designed for audio. If you’re planning on building with an APU, you get a trio of video ports, and the analog audio jacks light up. That’s the extent of on-board RGB, though. If you want more lighting, you’ll have to provide that with other components and accessories.
You’ll also have to deal with some inconveniently placed headers, like the front-panel audio pins which are wedged between the primary M.2 heatsink and the two RAM slots. But again, this is to be expected when lots of high-end features get jammed onto such a small board. For about $30 less, you can pick up MSI’s MPG B550I Gaming Edge Wi-Fi. That board is similar in many ways, but trades a couple video ports for a PS/2 port and more audio jacks. It also has fewer USB 3.2 Gen2 ports, although it does have more Type-A ports than Asus’ ITX board.
Savings on the Best B550 Motherboards
Whether you’re buying one of the best B550 motherboards or a different model, you may find some savings by checking our list of coupon codes, especially our list of Newegg promo codes and Micro Center coupons.