5 Best Motherboards for Ryzen 5 5600X [Tested 2024]

The latest Ryzen 5600X is the most affordable one from the bunch of Ryzen Zen 3 chips. But that doesn’t make it anything less. It’s a gaming beast whose boost clock goes up to 4.6 GHz.

Now, this processor needs a board that will help to get the very best out of it. But, which one to choose?

We are here to make your job easy as our team enlisted the best motherboards that you can buy for your Ryzen 5600X & found that ASRock B550M Steel Legend can be your bang for the buck. Now you can pick that board or sit back and read my entire take on some beastly performing boards.

Best AMD Ryzen 5 5600X Motherboard To Choose

For the Ryzen 5000 builds, the best motherboards come with the B550 and X570 chipsets. These chipsets do possess top-end specs and are excellent for getting a superb overclocking performance. But among those options, we handpicked only a handful of options that will be suitable for your Ryzen 5 5600X build.

Here are the best motherboards for Ryzen 5 5600X:

1. Editor’s Choice: MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK Gaming

Specifications

Brand: MSI Form Factor: ATX Memory Speed: 5100 MHz Platform: AMD AM4 Ryzen™ 3000 and 5000 Series

Why We Picked It

The MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK offers an excellent set of well-balanced features that reward performance in spades without breaking the bank & that’s why it’s our top pick for Ryzen 5 5600X.

First, about the VRM. In the center, this motherboard has 10+2+1 power delivery solution, where the 10 digital power phases are for the CPU & the rest three are for other components. The VRM is covered with a beefy heatsink that holds its own even when there is overclocking.

In the middle, the board has two full-length PCIe x16 slots for graphics cards & the top one has PCIe steel armor to protect the VGA card from bending. There are two M.2 slots & both are covered with heat spreaders, ensuring the cooling of your SSDs.

We used Samsung 990 Pro 2 TB on the top M.2 slot, which supports both SATA & PCIe-based modules & is PCIe 4.0 x4. We used DiskBench to check the transfer rate, and at full power mode, the copy transfer rate was 1842 MBps. The Crystal Disk Mark result was also satisfactory. The peak sequential read was 7153 MBps & write was 6810 MBps. But the bottom slot gave a lower value for the PCIe 3.0 lanes.

While most premium boards use the Realtek ALC1220 codec for audio, MAG B550 TOMAHAWK offers a slightly cut-down version, which is Realtek ALC1200, but casual users with no prior sound experience won’t feel any difference. However, during our testing, one of the rear jacks for 2.1 speakers was not working. But that’s most probably only our unit.

For network connectivity, the board lacks wireless support but satisfies its users with dual LAN controllers. The primary Realtek RTL8125B chip supports 2.5Gbps, while the other NIC is capped at 1 Gbps with Realtek RTL8111H. Though having two NICs are great, we encountered frequent network drops/resets, but after updating to the latest driver, everything was fine. That’s why it’s crucial to update motherboard drivers.

The board has preinstalled IO shield with six USB ports, including one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A and one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C. Though it has a lower number of USB ports, it has eight 4-pin fan headers. So even after installing the cooler for the 5600X, you will still have plenty of room to cool down the rig.

Who It’s For

If you are looking for a mid-tier AMD AM4 ATX motherboard, yet considering rich features like dual LAN controllers or many fan headers, then this overall best motherboard at this price range is definitely for you.

What We Liked Most

We found that at this price range, this motherboard provides a strong power phase which leaves an option to upgrade the processor to a higher one. The dual LAN controller is another plus point.

What Could Be Improved

We feel that only six USB ports on the rear side at this price point are somewhat low. At least eight ports would be great.

Verdict

Good VRM cooling with strong power phases, dual LAN controller, two M.2 slots with heat spreaders along with eight fan headers makes this motherboard a complete package. Ease to use the UEFI for overclocking is good to go to buy this motherboard without hesitation.

2. Bang for Bucks: ASRock B550M Steel Legend

Specifications

Brand: ASRock | Form Factor: mATX | Memory Speed: 4733MHz | Platform: AMD AM4 Ryzen™ 3000 and 5000 Series

Why We Picked It

If you are not satisfied with the six USB slots with the MAG B550 TOMAHAWK & also looking for a compact design, then ASRock B550M Steel Legend is the one that will fit your needs. This motherboard is a beauty with the beast, but it won’t empty your pocket.

This micro-ATX board is similar to its larger version designs, with RGB LEDs & heatsink covering both the chipset & the main M.2 slot (the bottom one). That being said, the board has another M.2 slot near the CPU that works as a secondary slot without having any cooling solution. Six SATA ports come from the chipset without further controllers. The board’s DIMM slots are single-sided latch designs & support 4400MHz+ OC. We achieved 4400 MHz without any trouble but going further was giving no POST due to RAM overheating.

This mATX board has Dr.MOS as the integrated power stage solution, which is optimized for voltage applications & higher current for each phase. This is crucial for stable power delivery across the board. The 60A power chokes & 10 power phase design ensures smooth power delivery to the CPU & overclockers can push the chip without worrying about power throttling.

The two PCIe slots are usable for GPU & support AMD CrossFireX. The top PCIe x16 slot is reinforced with steel & is ultra-durable. Without an additional amp, the Realtek ALC1200 codec offers not the best but decent sound quality & we found it excellent. The Dragon 2.5G LAN ensures the gaming connection is rock solid & we spent hours in online gaming sessions without any disruption or disconnection.

Who It’s For

If you are the one looking for a smaller-sized board with extra USB ports, this board will be perfect for you. In addition, the budget will not be an issue too & can be used for the best Ryzen 5 5600X build.

What We Liked Most

The PCIe 4.0 supports help to gain the max performance from the latest gen graphics cards. We also found that the main M.2 slot’s heat sink, along with the chipset, was an excellent addition for a stable transfer of data.

What Could Be Improved

As leaning toward wireless connection is increasing day by day, we think having a Wi-Fi feature could be a great addition.

Verdict

Having an adequate number of USB ports at a great price, with great aesthetics, this can be your preferred choice motherboard for the 5600X. You can go for it if it meets your requirements. I assure you it won’t be a loss of money.

3. Best White: ASUS ROG Strix B550-A Gaming

Specifications

Brand: ASUS | Form Factor: ATX | Memory Speed: 4600MHz | Platform: AMD AM4 Ryzen™ 3000 and 5000 Series

Why We Picked It

A unique & aesthetic full white build requires a white casing & white GPU, along with a white motherboard. And we chose the ASUS ROG Strix B550-A Gaming to meet that demand for the peace vibrant.

The motherboard is fully compatible with the Ryzen 5 5600X with ATX form factor. The 12+2 Dr Mos PWM power phase provides high performance & stable power delivery. With four DIMM slots & dual channel support, you can add up to 128 GB RAM & can overclock 4000MHz+ with some manual configuration in the BIOS, which is also easy to use.

Besides RAM, you can store your data by installing multiple SSDs on the two M.2 ports. But if you go for SATA III storage drives, the board won’t disappoint you & provide 6 x SATA 6Gb/s ports.

You can also take advantage of the latest PCIe 4.0 connectivity by installing your GPU on the top reinforced PCIe slots. Though, your GPU should also support PCIe 4.0 connectivity to get the full benefit.

We found that the ASUS Optimum II memory profile has done an excellent job of improving transmission speed and delay problems from their older versions.

Who It’s For

For a PCIe 4.0 supported GPU, a PCIe 4.0 connectivity is a must for the best result. And there aren’t many motherboards with good power delivery & effective cooling solution with aesthetic milky looks to compete against the Strix B550-A Gaming. If you have these features in mind along with overclocking to get the best from your hardware, this board is a no-brainer to go.

What We Liked Most

While roaming, we found that it has a user-friendly advanced mode of UEFI & it’s well-organized, that even a beginner won’t lose in a maze. Another thing we liked & want to mention is, depending on the user’s taste, this board has the full support of DTS Sound Unbound, which allows users to choose between stereo, surround, or local audio.

What Could Be Improved

To us, the bottom M.2 slot is not in a regular place & can be bothering some users. Also, sometimes, the second memory stick caused stability issues with this motherboard.

Verdict

With outstanding performance & stunning silver and white finish style, this motherboard will fulfill your white build & is definitely recommended.

4. Best High-End: ASUS ROG Strix X570-E WIFI II

Specifications

Brand: ASUS | Form Factor: E-ATX | Memory Speed: 4600MHz | Platform: AMD AM4 Ryzen™ 3000 and 5000 Series

Why We Picked It

For this category, we have picked an AMD X570 chipset & the ASUS ROG Strix X570-E Gaming WiFi II motherboard can be your next love for the support of PCIe Gen 4 & M.2 SSDs.

The E-ATX board can fulfill all your demands. Not all users have a budget limit or similar intentions in mind. This is why if you are into a high-tier motherboard with hefty money, this motherboard is the one you need to go for.

This board is superb for this X570 generation. With the intent of high-end overclocking & faster data transferring, this motherboard comes with a premium price. As Ryzen 5 5600X is a mid-range processor, not everyone will go for this motherboard.

However, when you’re looking for something future-proof with solid upgrading capability with a handful of premium features, you can’t ignore getting this mobo. Hence, we reserved an important place for this motherboard on our list.

For the E-ATX form factor, the board has huge space & offers eight SATA ports & USB3 Gen2 ports. Not only that, two M.2 PCIe 4.0 Gen connectors are more than enough for many & both come with a heatsink. In addition, the solid 16-phase power delivery ensures stable overclocking operation.

The board takes advantage of its extended space & offers 3 PCIe 4.0 x16 slots for the graphics card. While only the top two have steel armor & run through CPU, the bottom one runs through the chipset.

Besides the frame rate supports, you will also need crystal sound, right? The ROG SupremeFX audio technology ensures pristine audio & delivers high-quality audio to headphones. On the other hand, the two-way AI noise cancelation reduces background keyboard clatter, mouse clicks, and other ambient noises, so your teammates won’t have to shout to mute your mic. In Discord, we tested the noise cancelation & it was really amazing.

As the board comes with a “Gaming Wifi II” tag, it features 2.5Gbe Gigabit Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6E so that gamers can get the option to go completely wireless or get wired when necessary. During our testing, we found that both connections were rock solid. But as a high-end motherboard, this board lacks internal reset buttons. Though it provides a button on the preinstalled rear I/O panel.

Who It’s For

If you are looking for a high-end E-ATX motherboard with great performance and an easy-to-use BIOS interface with a rock solid power delivery phase, this is the one you should go for with your eyes closed. The three PCIe slots & two M.2 slots with loads of other premium features can’t be ignored. But, if you are looking for a compact build, this is a big no.

What We Liked Most

We overclocked the CPU without any power throttling, so we can say that, the VRM did its job while staying cool. Another thing we loved was the BIOS interface, as it is easy to understand & convenient user-friendly/ something like this to navigate for overclocking.

What Could Be Improved

We noticed, the fan header layout is not good & the positioning could be improved. Aside that, as a high-end motherboard, three M.2 slots would be better.

Verdict

This motherboard is high-end & pricey. But with that, you can get a solid power phase delivery design for OC, 2.5 Gbe LAN, Wi-Fi-6, and lots of USB ports & storage connectors which can be a good investment for your next build.

5. Best ITX: ASRock B550M-ITX/ac

Specifications

Brand: ASRock | Form Factor: Mini-ITX | Memory Speed: 4733MHz | Platform: AMD AM4 Ryzen™ 3000 and 5000 Series

Why We Picked It

If you like to keep your rig minimal & compact, an ITX build is what you are looking for. And for that, a mini-ITX motherboard with good features is essential. We picked ASRock B550M-ITX/ac because it is affordable & meets the criteria of being compact with plenty of features.

During installing the board, we found it slightly inconvenient, as the CPU power connector was at the rear side & the SATA port & DIMM was so closed.

Put that aside, ASRock B550M-ITX/ac offers 8-phase power delivery system with support for PCIE 4.0 connectivity, which is a hot cake for modern build. The dual-band Wi-Fi 5 helps to stay online without requiring any cord. However, if you are a serious gamer & want to hook your LAN cable for minimal lag, the board has 1Gb Realtek Gigabit LAN.

Single M.2 slot is PCI Express 4.0 supported & performs twice the speed compared to PCI Express 3.0 connection. The slot is covered with M.2 armors to operate the SSD at low temperatures for longevity and stability.

The board lacks RGB, so if you are an RGB freak, this board can disappoint you. But if it’s a big deal, you can always add LED strips.

Another thing to note is while we were trying to stress the 5600X, the VRM got too hot for having the small heatsink. Though, if you have the intention to OC, there are suggested motherboards which are discussed above.

Who It’s For

If you are a budget builder looking for a compact build with a mini-ITX motherboard with decent features & performance, this motherboard is your absolute pick. If you are happy with one M.2 slot & no RGB, then absolutely go for it.

What We Liked Most

This board is affordable with plenty of impressive features. But we liked the Wi-Fi feature most, as with a compact build, you won’t want to be stuck with the Ethernet wire. Another feature that appealed to us is the 1x combined audio jack.

What Could Be Improved

Aside from the small VRM heatsink, installing the motherboard can be troublesome for some users for congested cables. We had to struggle with cable management for this.

Verdict

As a mini-ITX board, the ASRock B550M-ITX/ac has almost everything with an aesthetic look. The performance is up to mark, even being a small form factor & can be the best choice for Ryzen 5 5600X mini-ITX build.

Ryzen 5 5600X Motherboard Buying Guide: What We Considered & You Should Too

The motherboard would be an integral part of your Ryzen 5 5600X build. So, you must buy the most befitting option that compliments your other components. However, this job isn’t that easy.

But there isn’t anything to worry about as we prepared a comprehensive buying guide that will help you out. This guide contains all the tips that proved to be successful over the years.

Here are those tips to follow to buy the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X motherboard:

Specify The Size You Need

Before buying, you need to ascertain what type of form factor you require in your build. Your build might be of any kind. It can be a conventional or even SFF.

Depending on that, you need to specify the size of your motherboard. Here in the post, the short form factor builds you will find the mATX & ITX motherboards, whereas, for the typical rigs, there are ATX & E-ATX boards.

Type of Chipset

You need to determine the type of chipset you need. For the Ryzen 5 5600X, the X570 and B550 are highly suggested. Both types consist of some unique traits. The X570 board can support multiple PCIe 4.0 slots, and in comparison to B550 boards, it possesses more USB Gen2 ports.

Similarly, the B550 boards consist of better networking features. That is why you choose your chipset wisely while selecting a motherboard.

Aesthetics

If you care about how your rig would look, yes, aesthetics would somewhat matter.

Now, if you are a beginner, I would recommend you better avoid dark-themed motherboards because you might face problems while figuring out on-board labels.

Besides, if you seek a clean-looking build, do buy those boards whose fan and USB headers are placed around the edges.

FAQs

Is X570 better than B550 for Ryzen 5600X?

In the case of B550, the interconnect between Ryzen 5600X and the chipset will perform at PCIe 3.0 speed, which is way less than PCIe 4.0 of X570. Also, the number of USB ports in the X570 is greater. However, B550 boards have better networking capabilities. That is why there is no clear winner between them.

Which type of boards are cheaper for Ryzen 5 5600X?

The motherboards with the B550 chipset are budget-friendly as, unlike X570, it doesn’t possess some high-end features.

What is the difference between a gaming and regular motherboard?

The gaming motherboards are made for gamers with the intent of high-end gaming. Most of these boards are equipped with top-tier processors & graphics cards, which require a powerful delivery system with a better cooling system. Most regular motherboards are lacks these features & thus they are cheaper than the gaming ones.

How much should I spend on a motherboard?

Motherboard prices vary depending on their specs. While you can just buy a motherboard for $50 for office work, you will require a more powerful motherboard with beefy features & specs which can cost $500+.

You should pick your motherboard according to your budget & requirement. For example, if you want to play with LAN cable, there’s no need to go for a Wi-Fi version which is slightly higher priced. Again, if you are happy with one M.2 or PCIe slot, there’s no meaning to purchase an E-ATX motherboard.