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Selecting the right motherboard for your Ryzen 5 5600X3D isn’t just about compatibility. It’s about unlocking potential, ensuring stability, and setting the foundation for a system that meets your every demand.
With so many boards vying for your attention, I’ve distilled the myriad of options down to the essentials.
This guide will steer you through the subtle nuances and critical features, ensuring your Ryzen CPU finds its perfect match.
Dive in, and let’s unravel the best of the motherboard realm for your gaming beast.
Before moving on make sure you check the following detailed tutorial on how to choose the best motherboard for you: How To Choose The Right Motherboard For Your Needs: A Comprehensive Guide
Our Top Picks
- 1. Asus TUF Gaming X570-Plus (Wi-Fi) – Our Top Choice
- 2. Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master – Best High End Motherboard For Ryzen 5 5600X3D
- 3. ASRock B550M Steel Legend Micro ATX – Best Budget Motherboard For Ryzen 5 5600X3D
- 4. Gigabyte B550M Aorus Pro – Best Micro ATX Motherboard For Ryzen 5 5600X3D
- 5. ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming-ITX/AX – Best Mini ITX Best ITX Motherboard For Ryzen 5 5600X3D
Why Should You Trust Us?
When it comes to the world of PC building, especially the intricacies of motherboards, there’s more to it than just specs and shiny features. Authentic experience and years in the tech trenches matter immensely.
Konstantinos Chiotis, the brain behind this article, isn’t just a tech enthusiast; he’s a dedicated PC builder who began his journey over 20 years ago at the tender age of 14.
This lifelong passion for technology, combined with a decade in the tech industry, ensures that his insights aren’t merely surface-level observations.
Konstantinos dives deep, bringing together expertise and real-world experience, offering you trustworthy advice rooted in years of hands-on knowledge.
How We Choose the Best Motherboards For The Ryzen 5 5600X3D
When choosing the best motherboard to pair with your CPU, you need to consider various factors. Every CPU has specific needs and the motherboard you opt for needs to align logically.
If you pair a high-end 16-core chip like a Ryzen 9 5950X with an entry-level A320 motherboard, it will fit into the socket, but would barely function as the motherboard’s VRMs won’t have enough capacity to provide the CPU with adequate power.
Similarly, pairing a midrange chip with an overpriced and overpowered motherboard makes no sense.
The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D only needs at most 80 watts of power thanks to its huge L3 cache that helps the 5600X3D achieve top-of-the-line gaming performance without having to push its clock speeds beyond the stock clocks of 4.4 GHz.
Considering this and many other factors, I have compiled a list of motherboards that fit perfectly into each category. The important key points that helped me in choosing the best motherboards for the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D are:
- Chipset – All AM4 chipsets support AMD 5000 CPUs. The A520, B550, X570, B450, and X470 chipsets support the Ryzen 5 5600X3D out of the box. Not all A320, B350, and X370 boards support AMD 5000 CPUs, and those that do need BIOS updates. I have chosen either X570 or B550 boards because the other chipset motherboards are much older and lack features.
- VRM configuration – There is no need for a strong VRM configuration for the 5600X3D. It is an efficient CPU that will draw less than 80 W of power in the worst-case scenario at an all-core boost of 4.4 GHz. However, a good VRM design with low temps means that the board was built with high-quality components designed to last long.
- Overclocking potential – You cannot overclock the Ryzen 5 5600X3D as extensively as the other CPUs in the Ryzen 5000 family because the massive 96MB 3D V-Cache becomes unstable at higher voltages. However, there’s no need to worry, as the V-Cache grants the 5600X3D its exceptional gaming performance at default settings. I didn’t take into account how effectively a motherboard can manage high clock speeds when selecting it.
- RAM Support – Because of the 3D V-Cache of the 5600X3D, RAM speed becomes an irrelevant factor very quickly. The sweet spot between latency and speed is CL16 3600 MHz which every motherboard selected supports. Faster speeds are not needed due to the large 3D V-Cache. I selected B550 and X570 boards because they have the best memory support among all the AM4 motherboards.
- Price and Value – The 5600X3D is a very affordable CPU. I considered the best motherboards for every category that don’t lack features and provide excellent bang for the buck.
- Storage and Connectivity Options – I chose B550 and X570 motherboards because they support full x16 lanes for PCIe 4.0 and x4 lanes for PCIe 4.0 for M.2 SSDs with room to add more M.2 drives that will run at Gen 3.0 speeds. Older chipsets do not have support for PCIe 4.0.
- User Feedback and Brand Reputation – When we pick our motherboards, we consider real-world user experiences and the manufacturers’ reputation. If the reviews are glowing and the after-sale support is top-notch, you can bet the product quality is on point and customers are happy.
5 Best Motherboards For Ryzen 5 5600X3D Reviews
1. Asus TUF Gaming X570-Plus (Wi-Fi) – Our Top Choice
Memory Support: 128GB DDR4 @ 4400MHz | Chipset: AMD X570 | Form Factor: ATX | Voltage Regulator: 12+2 Phases | Storage: 2x M.2, 6x SATA | RGB: Yes | Network: Realtek GbE LAN, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth
Pros:
- Outstanding Cost-to-Performance Ratio
- Impressive Networking Capabilities
- Supports Aura Sync
- Integrated Chipset Cooling
Cons:
- Absence of Front Panel 3.1 Gen2 USB Ports
- Limited to Dual M.2 Slots
X570 and value are two words that rarely go hand in hand. However, again ASUS of all manufacturers has managed to pull off another incredible feat. Their TUF Gaming lineup is a viable alternative to their more popular (and more expensive) Strix lineup of motherboards. Ditching some of the extra bells and whistles, the TUF Gaming X570-Plus wifi focuses on pure value making it ideal to pair with the Ryzen 5 5600x3d
Design-wise, the TUF lineup is very unlike the ROG series. Instead of the all-black theme, we get a black and yellow combination here. In theory, that sounds a bit tacky, but with the subtle implementation here, it works well.
The logo reminds you of something you’d see in Call of Duty or Battlefield back in the day. This logo can be seen on the rear-panel cover, PCB, and chipset heatsink.
Apart from that, it is using a 12+2 power delivery system that works well on this X570 platform. You get ASUS’ incredible BIOS functionality and AURA sync support. Both of which are features loved by many.
You also get 802.11AC Wi-Fi, Realtek S1200A audio, wifi and Gigabit ethernet. All of these are premium components, and you don’t need to shell out a ridiculous amount of cash here either. That is where the beauty of this motherboard lies.
While you only get two M.2 slots, and it lacks front panel USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports, it makes up for it with its excellent value. Not to mention you get access to Aura Sync, which is one of the best controllable RGB platforms out there on the market.
For an X570 board, the ASUS TUF Gaming drives quite a decent bargain making it the perfect motherboard for the Ryzen 5 5600x3d.
2. Best High End – Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master – Best High End Motherboard For Ryzen 5 5600X3D
Form Factor: ATX | Chipset: X570 | VRM: 14+2 Phase | Memory: 4x DIMM, 128GB, DDR4-4400 | Video Outputs: None | USB Ports: 8x rear IO, 9x internal | Network: 1x 1GbE LAN, 1x 2.5GbE LAN, 1x WiFi | Storage: 3x M.2, 6x SATA
Pros:
- Excellent VRM Design
- 3 M.2 Slots
- Premium Networking
- Attractive Design
- Full PCIe Gen 4 Functionality
Cons:
- Expensive
- Lack of Display Outputs
The Gigabyte X570 AORUS Master is undoubtedly among the best AMD X570 chipset motherboards on the market. It’s an all-rounder that covers all bases, from gaming to productivity and that’s why it’s our choice for the best high-end motherboard for the Ryzen 5 5600X3d. It has a premium price tag, but it’s worth it for the features and performance it offers.
The VRM design is top-notch and it’s able to deliver clean power to the CPU even when overclocking. The VRM layout is solid and the power delivery is great, but what really sets this motherboard apart is the quality of the VRMs and the heatsinks.
It is true that the 14+2 phase VRM on this motherboard is among the best we’ve seen for a x570 board, and it is cooled by some of the largest and most effective heatsinks we’ve ever seen on a motherboard. This combination makes for a motherboard that can easily handle any CPU you throw at it, and it’s able to keep the CPU cool even when overclocking.
The X570 AORUS Master is one of the higher-end motherboards in the company’s lineup for AMD’s Ryzen 5000 series processors. It offers a good mix of features and connectivity, including support for WiFi 6 and 2.5 Gbps Ethernet, as well as three M.2 slots for storage devices.
In terms of USB, there are eight ports on the back panel and more internal headers for front-panel connections. We would have liked kowever to see some display outputs on the board, which can come in handy for diagnostic purposes.
The design of the AORUS Master is eye-catching, with aggressive design language and RGB lighting. The motherboard can also communicate with Gigabyte AORUS software that lets you control the lighting and other features.
Some may find the design of the board a bit too flashy and aggressive, but for most users, it should fit in perfectly with the rest of their components.
Gigabyte’s X570 AORUS Xtreme is another ultra high-end option in this category, but we chose the X570 AORUS Master thanks to its better price-to-performance ratio. The AORUS Xtreme option does not justify its extremely high price tag when paired with a Ryzen 5 5600X3d.
Overall, the Gigabyte X570 AORUS Master is a great option for anyone looking for a high-end AMD X570 chipset motherboard to pair with the Ryzen 5 5600X3d. While it isn’t cheap by any means, the AORUS Master does well to justify its price tag by delivering an unparalleled set of features.
3. ASRock B550M Steel Legend – Best Budget Motherboard For Ryzen 5 5600X3D
Memory Supported: 128GB DDR4 @ 4400MHz | Chipset: AMD B550 | Form Factor: mATX | Voltage Regulator: 8+2 Phases | Storage: 2x M.2, 6x SATA | RGB: Yes | Network: Intel GbE LAN
Pros:
- Design that stands out
- Aluminum heatsinks provide an interesting look
- Appealing value proposition
- Excellent memory overclocking
Cons:
- No Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
- BIOS feels basic
- Utilizing secondary m.2 slots disables 2 SATA ports
ASRock’s Steel Legend motherboard series has been around for a bit now. Just like their Taichi lineup, the Steel Legend motherboards focus on providing a reliable experience along with a unique design.
The series further focuses on value as well, which is what the B550M Steel Legend stands for. This is by far the best budget motherboard for the Ryzen 5 5600x3d.
ASRock is using white and silver as the main focus here, providing an almost stainless steel-like look on the heatsinks and exterior. This finish can be seen on the heatsink for the power delivery as well as the chipset heatsink.
The chipset heatsink further extends to provide shielding to an M.2 slot as well. This motherboard features two M.2 slots, and the second slot does not have any kind of heatsink or shielding over it.
The rear-panel cover and VRM heatsink feature ASRock branding over them along with controllable RGB. In terms of power delivery, ASRock uses a 10 phase (8+2) VRM configuration, more than enough for the Ryzen 5 5600x3d.
It is always great to see cheaper motherboards use quality components for the power delivery, and that earns the Steel Legend extra points.
Memory overclocking is quite good as well, as the Steel Legend can support RAM speed of up to 4733MHz if overclocked.
Other than that, it has a good selection of USB ports and even features a clear CMOS button. A Type-C port is present in the form of USB 3.1 Gen 2 as well, which is always a nice touch.
Overall, the B550M Steel Legend is a solid microATX motherboard. For those who don’t care about crazy overclocks, and can put up with the lack of Wi-Fi and 2 SATA ports being disabled when the secondary M.2 slot is occupied, then this is a great motherboard in terms of the entry-level B550 options for you. Remember, you are getting access to PCIe Gen 4 at a great price.
4. Gigabyte B550M Aorus Pro – Best Micro ATX Motherboard For Ryzen 5 5600X3D
Form Factor: Micro ATX | Chipset: B550 | VRM: 10+3 Phase | Memory: 4x DIMM, 128GB, DDR4-4000+ | Video Outputs: 1x HDMI, 1x Display Port | USB Ports: 10x rear IO, 7x internal | Network: 1x 2.5 GbE LAN | Storage: 2x M.2, 4x SATA
Pros:
- Excellent price and availability
- High-quality audio solution
- Great VRM design
Cons:
- No CMOS clear button
- No troubleshooting LEDs
For those looking to build a small computer with the Ryzen 5 5600X3D, I wholeheartedly recommend the Gigabyte B550M Aorus Pro.
The B550M Aorus Pro is one of the best motherboards I have seen for AM4. It is an all-rounder in terms of build quality and features.
Starting with the VRM, the Gigabyte B550M Aorus Pro is configured with a 10+3 phase design that is strong enough to handle the 5950X overclocked to 5 GHz. The 5600X3D will be no issue for this board since it will mostly be at stock speeds anyway.
Looking at the rear I/O, we see 4 USB 2.0 ports which are perfect for peripherals like a mouse, a keyboard, a webcam, etc). This saves up a lot of space and frees up faster USB ports for other high-speed devices that need them.
We also have 6 USB 3.2 ports (5 type-A and 1 type-C ), and a full array of audio jacks with 7.1 surround sound support. We also have a gigabit ethernet port, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a DisplayPort 1.4 port. There is a BIOS flash button which should be a standard on all motherboards now, but the CMOS clear button is missing.
The build quality of this board is fantastic; this motherboard exudes premium quality.
The Realtek ALC 1200 Audio Codec is responsible for a significantly upgraded audio experience compared to the other Aorus motherboards. Thanks to the high-end capacitors with signal isolation, you get clean hi-fi sound without needing a sound card. It also has a shield on the primary PCIe slot, and large heatsinks on the VRMs that keep them cool at all times. Best of all, it is a 6-layered PCB.
The Aorus Pro is my favorite one in terms of looks. Its all-black PCB with brushed aluminum gives it an elegant presence, yet it won’t take all the attention away from other flashier components in your system. This makes it easy to pair it with anything inside your case.
Compared to several other boards by Gigabyte, the Aorus Pro is a significant upgrade over all of them. And the best part, the Aorus Pro is $130 making it closer in price to basic boards like the B550M DS3H and B550M Aorus Elite but with none of their drawbacks such as weak VRMs, lackluster I/O, and poor build quality.
Boards from other vendors didn’t strike a balance in everything, especially price. The MSI MAG B550M MORTAR WIFI has the strongest VRMs on any B550 Micro ATX motherboard with good I/O and features. However, the biggest drawback is that it is a 4-layered PCB, is pricier and has worse memory overclocking than the Aorus Pro.
All in all, the Gigabyte B550M Aorus Pro redefines the meaning of “value”. It reigns supreme among AM4 motherboards thanks to its robust 10+3 phase VRM, meticulous design, and build quality. Thanks to so many features, including premium audio and versatile I/O, the Gigabyte B550M Aorus Pro is untouchable at just $130.
5. ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming-ITX/AX – Best Mini ITX Best ITX Motherboard For Ryzen 5 5600X3D
Form Factor: ITX | Chipset: B550 | VRM: 6+2 Phase | Memory: 2x DIMM, 64GB, DDR4-5400+ | Video Outputs: 1x HDMI, 1x Display Port | USB Ports: 6x rear IO, x internal | Network: 1x 2.5 GbE LAN, 1x WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 | Storage: 2x M.2, 4x SATA
Pros:
- Excellent price and availability
- High-quality audio solution
- Fanless VRM cooling
Cons:
- No CMOS clear or BIOS flash button
- The rear M.2 slot doesn’t have proper clearance
The Ryzen 5 5600X3D is the perfect chip for Mini ITX PCs because of how power efficient it is without compromising gaming performance, and my choice for the best ITX motherboard is the ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming-ITX/AX – a near-perfect match for the 5600X3D.
Starting with the VRMs, the ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming-ITX/AX has a 6+2 phase 90A design. That is strong enough to handle the 5900X overclocked to 4.5 GHz while staying cool.
The design of the VRM heatsink and the fact that this is an 8-layer PCB impressed me the most about this board. ASRock made a low-profile fanless heatsink for the VRM, then moved some flat capacitors on the back of the motherboard and put a heatsink on them as well.
This design helps the motherboard achieve excellent performance while being fanless, so you don’t have to expect any noise. I wish other manufacturers would copy this design instead of cooling their VRMs with fans.
The rear I/O is fairly modest as it packs only 5 USB type-A ports, 1 USB type-C port, a 2.5GbE LAN port, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.2. It also has the popular Realtek ALC1220 Audio Codec for 7.1 channel surround sound.
The ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming-ITX/AX is a visually appealing board. I like the all-black PCB with grey accents and the PG logo with a hint of red. There is some RGB on the bottom back of the board. Other than that, there isn’t much to be said about the design.
The ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming-ITX/AX is a fantastic board, but a few small things about this board frustrate me. ITX PCs are already tight and have limited space to work with, and the absence of BIOS flashback and CMOS clear buttons in the rear I/O makes troubleshooting this board a serious hassle.
Speaking of tight spaces, the rear M.2 slot lacks adequate clearance. It won’t be an issue if you only have one drive that you’ll run in the front slot, or you’ll either use bare SSDs or SSDs with very thin heatsinks. I was disappointed with these issues because ASRock’s thoroughness with this board is otherwise remarkable.
Regardless of my nitpicking, the ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming-ITX/AX is a solidly built board with premium materials at an affordable price.
Compared to other ITX motherboards, a close second would be the Gigabyte B550I AORUS PRO AX. I do not recommend that board as it lacks a few crucial features.
Notably, it has a significantly inferior VRM cooling system, and the heatsink on the M.2 slot serves no purpose other than style. That puts the board at risk of having a limited lifespan and delivering weak performance due to its inability to maintain adequate cooling.
Thus, the ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming-ITX/AX stands out as the ideal ITX motherboard at its price, offering impressive VRMs and a thoughtful design. Regardless of the BIOS and CMOS buttons and M.2 slot clearance, it remains a solid, affordable choice, outperforming all its counterparts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Is the Ryzen 5 5600X3D compatible with older AM3 motherboards? No, the Ryzen 5 5600X3D requires an AM4 socket, and older AM3 motherboards are not compatible.
- Can I use DDR3 RAM with my Ryzen 5 5600X3D motherboard? No, the Ryzen 5 5600X3D and its compatible motherboards support DDR4 RAM only.
- What’s the primary difference between the B550 and X570 chipsets for the Ryzen 5 5600X3D? Both chipsets support the Ryzen 5 5600X3D, but the X570 generally offers more features, including additional PCIe 4.0 lanes. However, B550 tends to be more cost-effective with selective PCIe 4.0 support.
- Do I need a separate GPU for the Ryzen 5 5600X3D? Yes, the Ryzen 5 5600X3D does not have integrated graphics, so you’ll need a dedicated GPU for display outputs.
- Does PCIe 4.0 support make a significant difference for Ryzen 5 5600X3D? Yes, PCIe 4.0 provides double the bandwidth compared to PCIe 3.0. While the Ryzen 5 5600X3D doesn’t necessarily require it, having PCIe 4.0 support ensures future-proofing and maximizes the performance of compatible devices.
- How crucial is the motherboard’s VRM quality for Ryzen 5 5600X3D? While the Ryzen 5 5600X3D isn’t the most power-hungry chip, a quality VRM ensures stable power delivery, especially if you’re considering any overclocking.
- Is it worth investing in a high-end motherboard for the Ryzen 5 5600X3D? It depends on your needs. If you’re seeking extensive features, connectivity options, and future-proofing, then yes. However, for a basic build, mid-range motherboards are sufficient.
- Can I use Ryzen 5 5600X3D with an A320 chipset? Technically, some A320 motherboards might support Ryzen 5 5600X3D with a BIOS update. However, for optimal performance and features, B550 or X570 chipsets are recommended.
- Is liquid cooling necessary for Ryzen 5 5600X3D? No, a quality air cooler is usually sufficient for the 5600X3D. However, if you’re into overclocking or want quieter operations, liquid cooling can be beneficial.
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