Best B450 Motherboards for Overclocking – Well, as you most likely have seen, this article was pretty much MSI dominated with some motherboards from ASRock in the mix for our top B450 motherboard recommendations. The reason for that is that MSI is the only manufacturer that has made real improvements on their B450 motherboards instead of pretty much releasing the same motherboard on another chipset (especially on the VRM).
If you are in the market for a new AMD processor, then having a compatible motherboard is highly important. Thankfully, even if you have a fairly low budget, you can still get an older motherboard that supports the latest 5th gen AMD Ryzen chips.
ROUND UP
Those of you who are making a small and compact computer can go with the MSI B450 motherboard. Thanks to its mini ITX form factor, it is much smaller than most other motherboards. Even at its given size, you still get support for an M.2 SSD as well as WiFi with this board. Being such a small motherboard, it can be a great option for building a daily use desktop or PC. Although, because of the smaller size, there are only 2 memory slots in this board.
1.MSI Performance AMD Ryzen
Pros & Cons
- Supports 1st, 2nd and 3rd Gen AMD Ryze / Ryzen with Radeon Vega Graphics and 2nd Gen AMD Ryzen with Radeon Graphics / Athlon with Radeon Vega Graphics Desktop Processors for Socket AM4
- Supports DDR4 Memory, up to 4133(OC) MHz
- Mystic Light and Mystic Light Sync: 16. 8 million colors / 17 effects in one click. Synchronize RGB/RAINBOW strips and other RGB solutions for customization.
- Lightning Fast Game experience: TURBO M. 2 with M. 2 Shield, StoreMI, AMD Turbo USB 3. 2 GEN2
- Core Boost: With premium layout and fully digital power design to support more cores and provide better performance.
With Mystic Light Sync, control and synchronize with other RGB peripherals and connected RGB strips. Be first on the battlefield when X-Boost optimizes your SSDs to maximize storage performance and speeds.
Get the most immersive sound experience delivered through premium quality audio components with MSI Audio Boost. The ATX motherboard supports up to the 3rd Generation of AMD Ryzen CPUs and the latest Athlon CPUs. DDR4 memory gets a boost in speed and stability during overclocking thanks to DDR4 Boost technology. Includes HDMI, DVI-D port, 5 Audio ports with Optical, USB 2.0 and 3.2 ports.
Customize your gaming rig selecting from seven different colors and lighting effects using MSI Mystic Light.
2.MSI B450 Carbon AC
Pros & Cons
- 64GB Dual DDR4-SDRAM
- ATX form factor
- Ports: 6 x USB2.0, 4 x USB3.0 Type-A, 1 x USB3.1 Type-A, 1 x USB3.1 Type-C, 1 x LAN (RJ-45), 1 x PS/2, 1 x HDMI, 1 x DVI-D, 1 x DisplayPorts
- Chipset: AMD B450
- Features 16.8 million colors, 17 effects for endless customization possibilities
This particular release, the B450 chipset, is no surprise. After the refresh of the X370 in the way of the X470 earlier this year, it was only a matter of time before the B300 series got the same treatment. The differences between the the old B300 series and new B400 series are pretty minor.
However, the board we are looking at today is anything but minor. The MSI B450 GAMING PRO CARBON AC from MSI brings a lot more to the table than you might expect from a refreshed midrange board, and it is my pleasure to use it in this review as introduction to the chipset.
The MSI B450 GAMING PRO CARBON AC is a fully sized ATX board featuring everything we have come to expect from mainstream performance motherboards. The board features two M.2 slots, the first of which is covered by a thermal solution to increase drive performance and longevity.
An impressive array of heatsinks cover the VRM and chipset to negate the risk of thermal throttling no matter the work load or climate. Add in a fully fleshed out audio solution, MSI Mystic Light, and Mystic Light Sync for expandable RGB support, and an especially beefy VRM design, and the MSI B450 GAMING PRO CARBON AC could be a true gaming powerhouse
3.ASUS ROG Strix B450-F
Pros & Cons
- AMD AM4 Socket: Compatible to Ryzen 5000, 3rd/2nd/1st Gen AMD Ryzen CPUs
- Robust Power Design: 8+2 DrMOS power stages with high-quality alloy chokes and durable capacitors provide reliable power for the last AMD high-count-core CPUs
- Optimized Thermal Solution: Extended VRM and PCH heatsinks, M.2 heatsinks, multiple hybrid fan headers and fan speed management with Fan Xpert utility
- Best Gaming Connectivity: Supports HDMI 2.0b(4K@60HZ) and DisplayPort 1.2 output, featuring dual M.2 slots (NVMe SSD), 2x PCIe 3.0x16 Slot, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port and USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A & Type-C ports
- Industry-leading Gaming Audio & AI Noise Canceling Microphone Technology: High fidelity audio from a SupremeFX S1220A codec with DTS Sound Unbound and Sonic Studio III draws you deeper into the action. Communicate clearly with ASUS AI Noise Cancelling Mic technology.
- Unmatched Personalization: ASUS-exclusive Aura Sync RGB lighting with Armoury Crate utility, including 2xRGB headers and a Gen 2 addressable RGB header for greater customization
- DIY Friendly: With BIOS Flashback and ASUS exclusive UEFI BIOS, 256Mb BIOS Flash ROM and Pre-mount I/O shroud
- Please ensure your BIOS is up to date if installing a compatible Ryzen 5000 series CPU. Visit ASUS site search by motherboard model name, click on “Support” tab, Drivers and Tools, then BIOS & Firmware to download the latest BIOS.
The Asus ROG Strix B350-F Gaming motherboard was a decent board for its day, but it had some room for improvement. Asus has tried to renovate that room with the ROG Strix B450-F Gaming board, which brings a few feature enhancements including support for AMD’s StoreMI software storage acceleration technology, which intelligently moves hard drive data to an SSD, and an enhanced layout.
The Strix B450-F Gaming is classed as a mid-range board and is part of the Republic of Gamers lineup, which places an emphasis on gaming and related premium features.
The board supports both Crossfire and SLI multi-GPU configurations, has a 6+2 phase VRM and uses the SupremeFX S1220A audio (an Asus-tweaked Realtek codec) while supporting the full range of Ryzen processors, up to the flagship mainstream processor in the Ryzen 7 2700X.
4.MSI Arsenal
Pros & Cons
- Supports 1st, 2nd and 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen/ Ryzen with Radeon Vega Graphics and 2nd Gen AMD Ryzen with Radeon graphics/ Athlon with Radeon Vega Graphics desktop processors for socket AM4
- Supports DDR4 memory, up to 4133(OC) MHz
- Extended heatsink design: MSI extended PWM heatsink and enhanced circuit design ensures even high-end processors to run in full speed.
- Lightning fast game experience: 1x turbo M.2, amd turbo USB 3.2 gen2, store mi technology
- Core boost: With premium layout and digital power design to support more cores and provide better performance.
Based on AMD B450 chipset, this board supports up to 2nd generation AMD Ryzen processors of up to eight cores. It’s built with thermals and speed in mind, allowing you to take full advantage of your high-end components and the latest technology, like high-frequency RAMs, NVMe SSDs and USB 3.1 Gen2 devices.
It’s also built using premium materials, ensuring unbeatable quality and reliability even in the most torturous environments. Moreover, with onboard LED lighting and the RGB LED header, you have the ability to create and customize mesmerizing lighting effects, which make your rig look just as good as it performs.
5.ASUS AM4 TUF
Pros & Cons
- AMD AM4 socket: Ready for 2nd and 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen processors to maximize connectivity and speed with up to two M.2 Drives, USB 3.2 Gen2 and AMD StoreMI
- Enhanced power solution: Military-grade TUF components, Pro Cool socket and Digi plus VRM for maximum durability
- Comprehensive Cooling: Active PCH heatsink, VRM heatsink, M.2 heatsink, hybrid fan headers and Fan Xpert
- Next-Gen connectivity: Dual PCIe 4.0 m.2 and USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A/Type-C
- Gaming Networking: Exclusive Realtek L8200A Gigabit Ethernet, Intel 2x2 802.11ac Wi-Fi with MU-MIMO support, Bluetooth 5.0, TUF LANGuard and technology
- Please ensure your BIOS is up to date if installing a compatible Ryzen 5000 series CPU. Visit ASUS site search by motherboard model name, click on “Support” tab, Drivers and Tools, then BIOS and Firmware to download the latest BIOS
Asus’ TUF lineup has changed from the ultra-robust, heavy shielding it was known for in years past and has evolved more toward gaming-centric boards with protection on individual parts such as the PCIe and DIMM slots. ESD guards, additional surge protection measures and military-grade components are still a part of the TUF lineup, but the additional hardening went beyond what was necessary for most use cases.
These changes have made the Asus TUF Gaming X570-Plus Wi-Fi the second-least-expensive board in the Asus X570 product stack just missing the mark to be our best motherboards pick in the budget X570 category.
6.ASUS ROG Strix B550-F
Pros & Cons
- Cutting edge gaming motherboard: with AMD AM4 socket, it is a perfect pairing for Zen 3 Ryzen 5000 & 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen CPUs
- Faster memory: 4 memory slots support dual channel DDR4 memory up to 128 GB, with ASUS OptiMem enabling higher memory frequencies and lower latencies
- Blazing data transmission speeds: Two M.2 slots, including the latest PCIe 4.0, provide maximum storage flexibility and the fastest data speeds available via the 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen platform
- High-performance gaming networking: Onboard WiFi 6 (802.11ax) and 2.5 Gb Ethernet for exceptionally fast and smooth online gaming experiences
- Optimized thermal solution: Customizable fanless VRM and chipset heatsinks with ASUS Stack Cool 3+ design keep your system running reliably
Sitting second from the top of Asus’ B550 motherboards, the B550-F Gaming Wi-Fi includes 14-phase power delivery, 2.5 GbE LAN, integrated Wi-Fi 6 AX200, two M.2 slots (each with a heatsink), six SATA ports and premium audio, among other features.
In our testing, the B550-F Gaming Wi-Fi performed well, matching the other boards we’ve tested so far. We didn’t come across anything out of the ordinary during our stock runs. With optimized defaults set, the B550-F Gaming Wi-Fi had no issues boosting to the factory 4.6 GHz clock speed.
Overclocking the 12 core 24 thread Ryzen 9 3900X also went without an issue. Our sample was able to push all cores and threads on the CPU to 4.3 GHz, while running our 4×8 GB RAM KIT at DDR4 3600 with Infinity Fabric 1:1 to the memory speed
7.GIGABYTE B450 AORUS
Pros & Cons
- Supports AMD 1st & 2nd generation Ryzen/ Ryzen with Radeon Vega graphics processors
- Dual channel non-ECC unbuffered DDR4, 4 DIMMs
- Intel Ethernet LAN plus Dual band 802.11AC Wi-Fi
- Dual PCIe Gen3 M.2 NVMe with dual thermal guards
- Alc1220 vb enhanced audio with WIMA capacitors. Support for 11AC 160MHz wireless standard and up to 1.73 Gaps data rate. Intel WI-FI driver only support for Win10 64bit
- RGB Fusion with digital LED & RGB LED headers
- Smart fan 5 with fan stop
- USB 3.1 Gen 2 with USB type C & type A
- Integrated I/O shield of ultra-durable design
- CEC 2019 ready
For those of you not keeping up with chipset changes, AMD’s increment from the 300 series to 400 series primarily includes improvements for board physical specifications to formally support XFR2 (an update of AMD’s extended frequency range feature) and Precision Boost Override for what AMD calls its 2nd Generation Ryzen chips (Ryzen 2000 series).
AMD provides specifications for layer counts and supported memory speeds, regulator design requirements, and other stipulations for these refreshed boards. Between X470 and B450, the same IO support dynamic that was found with last year’s X370/B350 remains. In other words, B series boards support fewer USB3.0 Gen1, PCIe Gen3 x16 slots, and PCIe Gen2 lanes than their more expensive brothers. For more details, you can check the chart above.
8.ASRock ATX
Pros & Cons
- Socket Am4, Digi Power Design, 9 Power Phase Design, Supports 105W Water Cooling (Pinnacle Ridge); Supports 95W Water Cooling (Summit Ridge); Supports 65W Water Cooling (Raven Ridge)
- Country Of Origin : China
- Memory: 4X Ddr4-3200+(Oc)/2933/2667/2400/2133 Dimm Slots, Dual Channel, Ecc, Non-Ecc, Unbuffered, Max Capacity Of 64Gb (Amd Ryzen Series Cpus (Pinnacle Ridge))
- Slots: 4X Pci-Express 3.0 X16 Slots (One Runs At X8, Two Run At X4), 4X Pci Express 2.0 X1 Slots
ASRock sent us the the B560M Steel Legend for review. This is a Micro-ATX motherboard, featuring the Intel B560 chipset which is a more affordable entry into Intel’s now PCIe 4.0 capable platform – but without CPU overclocking and RAID support.
ASRock markets the Steel Legend motherboard as rock-solid models with irresistible aesthetics. The former could be tested but the latter is debatable. Anyway, this one comes with four DIMM slots, a single PCIe 4.0 x16 slot and a single PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slot. Board supports Wi-Fi too via its third M.2 slot reserved for that purpose.
9.ASRock B450M PRO4
Pros & Cons
- Socket AM4 Digi Power design 9 Power Phase design Supports 105W Water Cooling (Pinnacle Ridge) Supports 95W Water Cooling (Summit Ridge) Supports 65W Water Cooling (Raven Ridge)
- Country of origin : China
- Memory 4x DDR4-3200+(OC)/2933/2667/2400/2133 DIMM Slots Dual Channel ECC Non-ECC Unbuffered Max Capacity of 64GB (AMD Ryzen series CPUs (Pinnacle Ridge))
- Slots 2x PCI-Express 3 0 x16 Slots (one runs at x8) 2x PCI-Express 2 0 x16 Slots (two run at x4) 1x PCI-Express 2 0 x1 Slot
ASRock has a new value MATX board with the latest B450 chipset from AMD; it’s got everything you need and nothing you don’t.
The ASRock B450M Pro4 MATX motherboard has all the essentials. There are plenty of ports on the back and a PS/2 port for those with old school peripherals. You’ll find 4 SATA ports and 2 M.2 slots for storage, RGB headers for aesthetics and gigabit Ethernet for connectivity.
Whilst the audio is the Realtek ALC892 codec and not the ALC1220 we see on ‘gaming’ products it’s still going to be good enough for all but the most hardcore of gamers and it fits the price point well.
10.ASUS TUF B450-PLUS
Pros & Cons
- AMD AM4 Socket: Compatible to Ryzen 5000, 3rd/2nd/1st Gen AMD Ryzen CPUs
- Robust Power Design: DrMOS power stages with high-quality alloy chokes and durable capacitors to provide reliable power for the last AMD high-count-core CPUs
- Optimized Thermal Solution: Fanless VRM and PCH heatsink, multiple hybrid fan headers and fan speed management with Fan Xpert 2 utility
- Gaming Connectivity: Supports HDMI 2.0b (4K@60HZ) and DisplayPort 1.2 output, featuring dual M.2 slots (NVMe SSD), front panel USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A connector, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port
- Industry-leading Gaming Audio & AI Noise Canceling Microphone Technology: codec with DTS Sound Unbound draws you deeper into the action. Communicate clearly with ASUS AI Noise Cancelling Mic technology.
- Gaming Look and Feel: 1x RGB header onboard with ASUS exclusive Armoury Crate utility
- DIY Friendly: With BIOS Flashback and ASUS exclusive UEFI BIOS, 256Mb BIOS Flash ROM
- Please ensure your BIOS is up to date if installing a compatible Ryzen 5000 series CPU. Visit ASUS site search by motherboard model name, click on “Support” tab, Drivers and Tools, then BIOS & Firmware to download the latest BIOS.
AMD launched its Ryzen+ Pinnacle Ridge processors back in April along with X470 motherboards. That’s good for Ryzne 7 and 5, but for Ryzen 5 and 3 G-edition with Vega 11 graphics, many people were waiting for B450M motherboards to come out. As X470 is too expensive for these CPUs also AMD yet to launch Ryzen 3 2000 series. The B450M is midrange chipset from AMD featuring AM4 socket and have a lot in common with the X470.
The B450M motherboards full support for the Ryzen 2000 series processors with small improvements over its predecessor B350 and add support for StoreMI storage technology, which combines your SSD and HDD to get a single drive which offers the best of both worlds. The B450 motherboards come under the $200 US price tag, focusing on the budget segment.
Best B450 Motherboards for Overclocking – BUYER’S GUIDE
- The foremost decision is choosing between Intel and AMD. Both companies offer wide-ranging options from low-end gaming to demanding games at higher frames per second (FPS).
- Make sure the motherboard completely supports the kind of GPU required for the intended use.
- Your model selection will decide the compatible chipset options. For example, if you choose the high-end consumer Intel or AMD chips, you will have a single choice, whether it is X299 for Intel or X299 for AMD.
- Consider the codec a given motherboard uses and see whether it is mid-range or high-end.
- The motherboard should be equipped with at least 4GB of RAM. Though 8GB is safer for casual users and 16GB for heavy users.
- Consider what ports your case supports and be sure the motherboard you select provides the required internal connections. These connections include diverse onboard headers to support RGB lighting systems, external USB ports, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is b350 better than b450?
A good B250 motherboard is somewhat expensive than the A320, though it gives better performance and useful features. On the other hand, B450 is a budget-friendly option with features such as Precision Boost Overdrive and StoreMI which makes it a better option than B350.
2- Is b450 good for 2700x?
Unless you want to benefit from additional lanes and slots on x470, you can go with B450. You will hardly find any performance issues. A B450 with good VRM will do the job perfectly done.
3- What is the best b450 motherboard for Ryzen 3000?
If you are looking for high-end 400 series, just look no further than ASUS ROG Crosshair VII Hero which is one of the latest generation motherboards with a simple BIOS update. It serves the new Ryzen chip quite well.
4- What is the best b450 motherboard for Ryzen 5 2600?
If you want a feature-packed B450 motherboard that offers reasonable VRM quality and adequate connectivity without breaking your bank, the MSI B450 Tomahawk is a recommended option.
WRAP UP
Best B450 Motherboards for Overclocking – AMD has emerged with its recent B450 chipset, particularly for 2nd generation AMD Ryzen processors depending on the AM4 Socket. This is the secondary chipset in the AMD 400 sequence chipsets for AM4 socket mainframes.
Till now, we had just X470 chipset, which is a top-notch chipset for first-generation Ryzen CPUs and AMD Ryzen 2000 series. AMD X470 motherboards are capable of supporting many of the latest and advanced features such as StoreMI technology, XFR 2 Enhanced, and Precision Boost Overdrive that was previously not supported by the AMD 300 series motherboards.
The latest AMD B450 chipset aims at mainstreaming subdivision and supporting recent features and overclocking. AMD motherboards centered on the X470 chipset are relatively costly, and you might not be able to afford if you are looking for budget-friendly mid-range gaming PC with Ryzen 2nd generation processors.
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