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Today, we will take a closer look at the 8 best motherboards for AMD Ryzen 7 3700X builds.
The 3700X is an incredibly powerful processor. Its multi-tasking capabilities make it ideal for a workstation, and its raw power makes it an able gaming rig. To get the most out of your CPU though, you need to have a suiting motherboard.
All the motherboards we picked feature the AM4 socket for compatibility with your 3700X, but they do vary in form factor, and price. With budget-priced to enthusiast-specs and from miniITX to E-ATX motherboards, you will be able to choose the right one for your build.
Best Motherboards for Ryzen 7 3700X in 2021 Round-Up
The table below will give you a quick look at our selections for the best motherboards for the Ryzen 7 3700X processor currently available on the market. To read a full review, simply click on ’review>>’ in the respective row.
Product | Image | Rating | |
1. Asus TUF Gaming X570-Plus Wi-Fi |  | 9.9 | |
2. GIGABYTE X570 AORUS Ultra |  | 9.8 | |
3. Asus ROG Crosshair VIII Formula |  | 9.7 | |
4. MSI MEG X570 GODLIKE |  | 9.6 | |
5. GIGABYTE B550M AORUS PRO |  | 9.5 | |
6. ASUS ROG Strix X570-I Gaming |  | 9.7 | |
7. Asus ROG Strix B450-F Gaming |  | 9.4 | |
8. MSI B450M PRO-M2 Max |  | 9.3 |
1. Asus TUF Gaming X570-Plus Wi-Fi
Form Factor: ATX | Socket: AM4 | Chipset: AMD X570 | DIMM Slots: 4 | Memory: Max. 128GB, DDR4, Up to 5100MHz (O.C) | Storage: 2x M.2 Ports, 8x SATA 6Gb/s Ports | Expansion Slots: 2x PCIe 4.0 x16, 2x PCIe 4.0 x1 | Warranty: 3-year manufacturer’s warranty
REASONS TO BUY
- Great performance
- Reasonably priced
- Excellent build quality
- 3-year warranty
- Great for overclocking
- Wi-Fi 6 support
- Great audio solution
REASONS TO AVOID
- Aesthetics
Our Rating: 9.9/10
If you’re looking for a high-end ATX motherboard for under $200, the Asus TUF Gaming X570-Plus Wi-Fi is the best choice you can make.
It boasts all the features you’d expect to see on a high-end motherboard, like M.2 super fast storage, Wi-Fi 6, great audio support and adds ASUS’ TUF quality components for additional protection and longevity.
Like other budget boards, the Asus TUF Gaming X570 has a rather unassuming appearance. Dressed in matte black, the motherboard has very limited RGB color features to show off but pops of orange give the motherboard some character. The TUF package provides some robust shielding on the PCIe and the DIMM slots, and provides surge protection should power usage get out of control. It’s a beefy ATX board that scores high marks in reliability.
Performance-wise, the ASUS AM4 TUF Gaming X570 stacks up well to its competitors. In most tests, it’s right in the thick of things, offering more than adequate overclocking support.
For more creative projects, the board actually is one of the best on the market. Combined with the Ryzen 7 3700X and a powerful GPU, this board is capable of handling the most severe tasks with ease, becoming the backbone of a creative workstation. Something that video editors will love since it allows them to spend more on a processor that will speed up their work.
The ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus Wi-Fi also has very capable overclocking support, boasting 12+2 Dr. MOS power stages, which provide more than enough power than you will ever need for your overclocked 3700X. It also features beefy heatsinks to keep your VRM and chipset nice and cool.
As far as connectivity goes, the Asus AM4 TUF Gaming X570 boasts the typical 8 SATA ports, two M.2 slots for fast SSDs and two PCIe 4.0 x16 slots for your graphics cards. It also features Wi-Fi right out of the box, a great addition not typically found on X570 motherboards in this price range. It’s also one of the few budget-oriented boards to feature a USB type-C port on the back panel, so building and connecting will be simple and cords can stay neat and tidy.
The only complaint about the Asus TUF Gaming X570 is its total lack of frills. It features very little in the way of exciting components and is rather workman-like in its appearance. RGB LEDs are only found in one tiny spot on the board and won’t be visible as much.
Fortunately, they are easy to control and match with the rest of your RGB setup. At this price point, though, you can’t expect a lot of bells and whistles if you’re uncompromising on performance like the TUF is.
All in all, the ASUS TUF Gaming X570 is the best value ATX motherboard for the Ryzen 7 3700X on the market today. For this much money, you won’t find a more capable motherboard performance-wise. On top of that, the Asus AM4 TUF Gaming X570 also boasts Wi-Fi right out of the box, a rarity for an X570 board at its price point. You won’t be disappointed with this board’s overall performance, but the lack of frills might be a turn-off for those with a little more money to spend.
2. GIGABYTE X570 AORUS Ultra
Form Factor: ATX | Socket: AM4 | Chipset: AMD X570 | DIMM Slots: 4 | Memory: Max. 128GB, DDR4, Up to 5200MHz (O.C) | Storage: 3x M.2 Ports, 6x SATA 6Gb/s Ports | Expansion Slots: 2x PCIe 4.0 x16 | Warranty: 3-year manufacturer’s warranty
REASONS TO BUY
- Impeccable build quality
- Great design with a touch of RGB
- Superb performance
- Perfect for overclocking
- 3-year manufacturer’s warranty
- Features 3 M.2 ports with heatsinks
- Wi-FI 6
REASONS TO AVOID
- Higher price
Our Rating: 9.8/10
If you’re looking for raw performance and can forgo some of the bells and whistles that luxury motherboards offer, the GIGABYTE X570 AORUS Ultra is the ultimate choice. There’s no other motherboard at this form factor that offers more for less money.
Coming in with a reasonable price tag (for what it’s offering), the GIGABYTE X570 AORUS Ultra is less than half of the price of the more enthusiast-focused motherboards, but it doesn’t sacrifice performance. In fact, AORUS Ultra is an incredibly capable motherboard and matches or exceeds the pricier options on most performance metrics.
Starting off, the GIGABYTE X570 AORUS Ultra is a 6-layer ATX PCB, the perfect construction for a PCIe 4.0 enabled motherboard – it’s enough layers to usefully isolate bandwidths and signals between components. It also plays a huge part in the Ultra’s stability and durability, which is top-of-the-line.
As far as performance and support for your Ryzen 3700X goes, the AORUS Ultra features fourteen 40 AMPS power phases, delivering up to 480 AMPS of CPU centric power delivery, which is more than enough to power any of the 3000-series CPUs, even the overclocked 16-core Ryzen 9 3950X.
Besides that, the cooling solutions for both the VRM and the chipset (especially the chipset) are top-notch and will keep these vital components cool, no matter the stress you put it through. In short, overclocking your 3700X is highly supported and recommended.
Connectivity-wise, the GIGABYTE X570 AORUS Ultra offers adequate support. It features six SATA ports for plenty of storage options and three M.2 slots, which are going to run at 64 Gbps with speeds up to 5000 MBs (depending on the drive), enabled by your Ryzen 3700X PCIe 4.0 compatibility. Also note that each M.2 port has individual heatsinks, which do a great job of keeping the drives at an optimal temperature.
Other motherboards offer more in the way of SATA ports, usually as many as eight, but six is more than enough for the average Joe. The three M.2 slots are always a welcome sight for super-fast storage, especially if running on the PCIe 4.0 standard.
The AORUS Ultra comes with an integrated and rich I/O panel, which offers plenty of connectivity featuring a number of USB ports including type-C port, WiFi, GbE Lan, HDMI 2.0, and high-quality audio support.
Speaking of audio support, this is where the AORUS Ultra has the edge over its competitors. It features an eight channel ALC1220 Realtek Codec, which along with the high-end WIMA capacitors provides an excellent audio experience, especially in games. On top of that, the left and right audio channels have been placed in different layers of the PCB, resulting in better sound isolation.
For cooling support, the AORUS Ultra features seven hybrid fan headers (can be used for water pumps) to keep your components cool and to optimize airflow, while also supporting extensive water-cooling systems.
As far as aesthetics go, the GIGABYTE X570 AORUS Ultra is rather unassuming. This motherboard doesn’t offer the RGB LED option of fancier, more expensive boards. It’s mostly just black, with little in the way of frills to speak of. However, its modest appearance isn’t indicative of its build quality, as the AORUS Ultra is definitely well-made and every component and connector is fastened tightly and feels premium in your hands.
All things considered, the GIGABYTE X570 AORUS Ultra is one of the best motherboards for the Ryzen 3700X. This motherboard goes head-to-head with many other more expensive motherboards on just about every performance metric you would care to test.
It scores high in every category and offers the best performance to price ratio in its class. Sure, it’s not a budget-oriented board by any means, but for what you pay for, you get a tremendous value.
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3. Asus ROG Crosshair VIII Formula
Form Factor: ATX | Socket: AM4 | Chipset: AMD X570 | DIMM Slots: 4 | Memory: Max. 128GB, DDR4, Up to 4800MHz (O.C) | Storage: 2x M.2 Ports, 8x SATA 6Gb/s Ports | Expansion Slots: 2x PCIe 4.0 x16 (x16 or dual x8) | Warranty: 3-year manufacturer’s warranty
REASONS TO BUY
- Impeccable build quality
- 3-year warranty
- Top-of-the-line performance
- Great for overclocking
- Aesthetically pleasing
- Superb audio and network solutions
REASONS TO AVOID
- Extremely pricey
Our Rating: 9.7/10
The Asus Rog Crosshair VIII Formula is a top-of-the-line x570 motherboard with a lot to offer to enthusiasts. It features incredible audio support, Wi-Fi 6, excellent build quality, vibrant RGB lighting, M.2 ports for high-speed storage, and boasts some incredibly impressive performance metrics.
Whether you’re looking to game, create digital art, or just build an incredibly powerful work computer, the Asus Rog Crosshair VIII Formula is the ideal motherboard for enthusiasts looking to get the most out of their Ryzen 7 3700X.
First, the connectivity of this motherboard is great. It features eight SATA III ports for your storage and two M.2 ports for high-speed SSDs. Besides that, It also boasts the Gen 2 USB 3.2 with speeds up to 20Mbps. Also, The M.2 slots have their own heatsinks and all the PCIe slots are gen 4.0, of course.
Another great feature enthusiasts will appreciate is the OLED display. Trouble-shooting is always a breeze since the display shows the system codes you need to diagnose issues.
The build quality of the Asus Rog Crosshair VIII Formula is also amazing. Every component feels high-end and well-made. The craftsmanship and attention to detail is truly incredible. Even the passive heat sinks are stuck-fast to the motherboard. You won’t ever worry about shoddy quality if you opt for the Crosshair VIII.
Performance-wise, the Asus Rog Crosshair VIII Formula is near the top of the x570 class. It features quality and stable PCB, Beefy VRMs with enough power for your CPU, and massive heatsinks to keep everything cool. Overclocking your CPU will be a breeze.
To complete the enthusiasts’ dream package, the Asus Rog Crosshair VIII Formula also boasts eight fan headers, for maximum case airflow and optimized cooling.
All in all, the Asus Rog Crosshair VIII Formula is the ideal enthusiast ATX motherboard for the Ryzen 7 3700X. It’s got everything you could ask for – Great design, top-of-the-line quality, massive power delivery, high-end network, and audio solutions, and much more. Yes, it’s expensive, but if you’re looking for the absolute best, the Crosshair VIII Formula is the way to go.
4. MSI MEG X570 GODLIKE
Form Factor: E-ATX | Socket: AM4 | Chipset: AMD X570 | DIMM Slots: 4 | Memory: Max. 128GB, DDR4, Up to 5000MHz (O.C) | Storage: 3x M.2 Ports, 6x SATA 6Gb/s Ports | Expansion Slots: 4x PCIe 4.0 x16 | Warranty: 3-year manufacturer’s warranty
REASONS TO BUY
- Top-of-the-line performance
- Perfect for overclocking
- 3-year warranty
- Next-level networking
- 4 PCIe 4.0 x16 slots
- Enthusiast-level audio
- 3 m.2 slots with heatsinks
REASONS TO AVOID
- Extremely pricey
Our Rating: 9.6/10
If you’ve been searching for the best E-ATX motherboard for your Ryzen 7 3700X processor, then your prayers have been answered by the MSI MEG X570 Godlike. With such a boastful name, this motherboard has a lot to live up to, but it comes through looking like a champion.
The MEG X570 Godlike is an MSI’s flagship model and offers the best in terms of performance, overclocking support and is literally stuffed to the brim with features. The CPU socket has a 14+4+1 phase design, meaning it’s perfect for overclocking your 3700X.
Additionally, you can literally “turn up” its overclocking performance via MSI’s Game Boost knob. This allows you to manually adjust your overclocking settings whenever you need to by turning a dial on the motherboard itself, allowing you to get optimal performance tailored to your individual experience.
While it’s more tailored to the high-end 3900X and 3950X processors (or now even the 5900X and 5950X), it still make sense for the 3700X, as you will be able to push your CPU to the absolute limit with ease and have the option to upgrade your CPU in the future. This is a premium motherboard and will stay premium for years to come.
Speaking of premium quality, the MSI MEG X570 Godlike is very well-made. It features a server-grade PCB for maximum stability and durability, massive heatsinks and an extensive heat pipe. You will find premium components on every corner of this motherboard.
The MSI MEG X570 Godlike is also a networking masterwork. It features 2 RJ-45 jacks, one connected to a 2.5Gbps Killer NIC while the other is a standard Gigabit Ethernet Killer NIC. In addition to those jacks, it also has a 10Gbps Super LAN PCI Express card you can add to the motherboard yourself and a built-in Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650 chipset, enabling lightning-fast Wi-Fi connection. With all these networking options, you won’t have to worry about networking in the near future.
For PCIe slots, the X570 Godlike features four PCIe 4.0 x16, so if you plan on running multiple graphics cards, this is the perfect board for it. Storage-wise, the motherboard offers three M.2 slots for fast NVMe SSDs and six SATA III ports for your SATA drives.
The most unique feature the MSI MEG X570 Godlike offers is its Dynamic Dashboard panel. It takes diagnostic panels to a new level, offering an unparalleled amount of system information. It’s always easily viewable, just pop off the side of the CPU and take a glance at the LED screen.
Overall, the MSI MEG X570 Godlike lives up to its immortal name. It boasts many features enthusiasts will absolutely adore. Besides that, the quality, performance and design are the best-in-class. You’ll also love the Game Boost knob that juices your machine’s performance when the situation calls for it. Keeping it cool won’t be an issue either, and the network connectivity is unmatched in its class.
It needs to do a lot to justify its high price, but the MSI MEG X570 Godlike delivers. This is the best enthusiast-focused E-ATX motherboard available for the Ryzen 7 3700X.
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5. GIGABYTE B550M AORUS PRO
Form Factor: MicroATX | Socket: AM4 | Chipset: AMD B550 | DIMM Slots: 4 | Memory: Max. 128GB, DDR4, Up to 4400MHz (O.C) | Storage: 2x M.2 Ports, 4x SATA 6Gb/s Ports | Expansion Slots: 1x PCIe 4.0 x16 | Warranty: 3 year manufacturer’s warranty
REASONS TO BUY
- Great price
- Excellent performance
- Suited for overclocking
- High-quality construction
- Quality audio solution
- 3-year warranty
REASONS TO AVOID
- Only one M.2 runs on PCIe 4.0
- Plain design
- No Wi-Fi
Our Rating: 9.5/10
The GIGABYTE B550M AORUS PRO is certainly one of the best MicroATX motherboards on the market for your Ryzen 3700X, simply because of its incredible performance and overclocking capabilities. If you are thinking about getting a B550 motherboard for your build, you should definitely consider this one.
Speaking of overclocking and performance, the B550M AORUS PRO features a 10 + 3 phase design, delivering more than adequate power to your CPU (nearly 3 times more than the 3700X requires), so overclocking your CPU is easily handled by this motherboard.
For storage, the AORUS PRO features two M.2 slots, however, note that only one of them will run on the PCIe 4.0 (the one powered by your CPU), while the one powered by your chipset will run on PCIe 3.0. So, if you plan on running two PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs, this is not the board for you.
PCIe slots-wise, the AORUS PRO features one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot for your graphics card, one PCIe 3.0 x16 slot running on x4 and one x1 slot for expansion cards like sound, network and other cards.
The audio on this motherboard is great. It features an alc1220 codec with high-quality capacitors, a great solution for almost any gamer and professional. Paired with a quality headset, you will have no complaints about the audio quality.
While this board doesn’t support dual BIOS, it offers a neat feature called Q-flash plus. Essentially, it’s a small button on your back I/O, that lets you easily flash your BIOS. All you have to do is plug in your USB drive, press the button and your BIOS will be updated. This can also be done without the CPU installed onto the board.
As far as looks go, the neutral tones of the motherboard give it an almost militaristic feel. It doesn’t have the flashy, bright colors that the enthusiast motherboards offer, but the GIGABYTE B550M AORUS PRO does offer some limited RGB lighting. But for the most part, it’s rather a plain board.
The GIGABYTE B550M AORUS PRO is very capable of becoming an excellent gaming or workstation machine. Using the Ryzen 7 and a solid GPU, It offers excellent performance and will run all CPU-intensive games without an issue. If you’re looking for a motherboard with a fun factor that also boasts workstation aspirations, you’ll love the performance of this GIGABYTE motherboard.
Overall, the GIGABYTE B550M AORUS PRO is an ideal mATX motherboard for your 3700X. It’s powerful, future-proofed and won’t cost you an arm and a leg. If the connectivity is enough for your needs, it will serve you well in every other area.
6. ASUS ROG Strix X570-I Gaming
Form Factor: MiniITX | Socket: AM4 | Chipset: AMD X570 | DIMM Slots: 2 | Memory: Max. 64GB, DDR4, Up to 4800MHz (O.C) | Storage: 2x M.2 Ports, 4x SATA 6Gb/s Ports | Expansion Slots: 1x PCIe 4.0 x16 (x16), 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 (x16), 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 (x8) | Warranty: 3 year manufacturer’s warranty
REASONS TO BUY
- Extremely well-built
- Top-of-the-line performance
- Great looks
- 3-year warranty
- Powerful 10-stages VRM
- Wi-Fi 6 and Great audio codec
REASONS TO AVOID
- Premium price
Our Rating: 9.7/10
For those looking for a smaller form factor without sacrificing performance, the ASUS ROG Strix X570-I Gaming is the ideal choice for your 3700X. It offers gamers the ability to run incredibly stressful applications while staying nice and cold.
Since this board is marketed towards gamers, the ASUS ROG Strix X570-I Gaming offers a robust RGB LED configuration. Gamers love RGB customization and there’s a lot to find here. It is effortless to tailor the colors to match the rest of your build. The motherboard is also decorated with Republic of Gamers graphics to show off underneath what is likely a glass-paneled tower. It’s a very eye-catching motherboard.
Another motherboard with great support for overclocking, the ASUS ROG Strix X570-I Gaming allows the Ryzen 7 3700X to reach overclocked speeds of up to 4.4 GHz. It also boasts 8+2 power stages to keep power levels stable. Additionally, ASUS’ 5-way Optimization allows you to customize the system and cooling profiles to ensure you stay at peak performance.
As far as connectivity goes, the ASUS ROG Strix X570-I Gaming boasts the typical array of two M.2 slots running on the PCIe 4.0 standard. Besides that, you will 4 SATA ports available for your additional storage.
The ASUS ROG Strix X570-I Gaming features the usual networking capabilities, with an Intel Gigabit Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6 out of the box. It doesn’t seek to reinvent the wheel or offer anything out of the ordinary, but you’ll be covered as far as internet capabilities are concerned. Gamers will, of course, be most concerned about the Ethernet, but the included Wi-Fi makes it a good choice for a workstation or home computer.
Overall, the ASUS ROG Strix X570-I Gaming is the best Mini-ITX motherboard available for the Ryzen 7 3700X. Its smaller form factor allows for more room in the tower when you’re building the PC and allows for better airflow, but it packs the same amount of punch as the larger motherboards.
Focused on gamers, the ASUS ROG Strix X570-I Gaming combined with the Ryzen 7 3700X and a solid GPU is uncompromising on performance and handles all modern games with ease, while looking stylish decked out in RGB LEDs. It also stays cooler than most other motherboards in the 570X class.
You will definitely find a lot to love with this board, especially since there really isn’t much to dislike. The only real downside is the price, which is a bit higher than you would expect. However, if you’re looking for the perfect Mini-ITX motherboard to pair with your Ryzen 7 3700X, this is the one to get.
Related reading: Best 280mm AIO CPU coolers
7. Asus ROG Strix B450-F Gaming
Form Factor: ATX | Socket: AM4 | Chipset: AMD B450 | DIMM Slots: 4 | Memory: Max. 128GB, DDR4, Up to 3600MHz (O.C) | Storage: 2x M.2 Ports, 6x SATA 6Gb/s Ports | Expansion Slots: 2x PCIe 3.0 x16, 1x PCIe 2.0 x16, 3x PCIe 2.0 x1 | Warranty: 3-year manufacturer’s warranty
REASONS TO BUY
- High-quality build
- Beautiful looks with RGB
- Stable performance
- High-end audio
- Rich I/O panel
REASONS TO AVOID
- No Wi-Fi
- No heatsinks for M.2 drives
- PCIe 3.0 limitations
Our Rating: 9.4/10
Coming at a reasonable price, the Asus ROG Strix B450-F Gaming provides amazing value at a low price point. With an eye towards gaming and flashier features, this motherboard hits its mark perfectly and is one of the best budget ATX motherboards available for the Ryzen 7 3700X.
Before we get further into the review, note that the B450 chipset does not feature PCIe 4.0 support. That makes this board a bad choice in terms of future-proofing, as PCIe 4.0 protocol is slowly becoming the standard in the industry. If, however, you’re not concerned about the bandwidth, this board represents a great value at the current time.
The Asus ROG Strix B450-F Gaming boasts the usual connectivity ports. It offers two M.2 ports like many other motherboards, but unfortunately, they don’t have a heatsink like the more expensive options. Its six SATA ports are up to the usual standards and the board also features plenty of USB ports, including the 3.1 gen2 ports and a type-C port.
As far as looks go, the Asus ROG Strix B450-F Gaming is about what you’d expect from a gaming-focused board. It’s painted in matte black and decorated with customizable RGB LEDs, an industry standard in this day and age. It won’t catch too many eyes, but it’s got an appealing space-age sort of look and feel. Gamers and enthusiasts will appreciate the ability to color-match with the rest of their build.
Another welcome feature of this motherboard is its LED debug panel. With this panel, you’ll be able to quickly diagnose any issues with your machine. This is super helpful when you’re pressed for time or just can’t seem to figure out what’s gone wrong with your build.
The performance of this board is also really good, especially considering its price tag. You will be able to overclock your CPU with ease. Like other ASUS’ motherboards, it features AI Suite 3, which allows you to customize your CPU’s performance level and cooling capabilities, all in an incredibly easy-to-use dashboard interface.
You’ll be able to tailor the performance of this motherboard to your specific use case. It’s incredibly intuitive software and gives you a lot of control over your system. Its inclusion is a big win for the Asus ROG Strix B450-F Gaming.
One downside of the Asus ROG Strix B450-F Gaming is its lack of WI-FI support. It does feature an Intel Gigabit LAN network conection, but the lack of Wi-Fi is a curious omission on what’s marketed as a mid-level board. Maybe it’s because this is a gaming-centric board and most gamers prefer a wired connection for stability.
Altogether, the Asus ROG Strix B450-F Gaming is the best option available for gamers on a budget. It offers incredible value when compared to other mid-range motherboards in its class, and blows them out of the water with its overclocking prowess.
It looks high-end as well, with all of its RGB LEDs and matte black finish. Additionally, it’s easy to manage your system with ASUS’ Ai Suite 3. Overall, this motherboard is highly recommended and you won’t find a better ATX motherboard than the Asus ROG Strix B450-F Gaming at a budget price, especially if the lack of Wi-Fi and PCIe 4.0 doesn’t concern you.
8. MSI B450M PRO-M2 Max
Form Factor: MicroATX | Socket: AM4 | Chipset: AMD B450 | DIMM Slots: 2 | Memory: Max. 64GB, DDR4, Up to 4133MHz (O.C) | Storage: 1x M.2 Ports, 4x SATA 6Gb/s Ports | Expansion Slots: 1x PCIe 3.0 x16, 2x PCIe 3.0 x1 | Warranty: 3 year manufacturer’s warranty
REASONS TO BUY
- Budget-friendly
- Perfect for inexperienced builders
- Great performance
- 3-year warranty
- Good build quality
REASONS TO AVOID
- Not the best for overclocking
- Only 1 M.2 slot
- No Wi-Fi support
Our Rating: 9.3/10
Smaller form factor motherboards that are packing big power make ideal budget motherboards, and in that, the MSI B450M PRO-M2 Max is no different. It’s the top choice for a budget MicroATX motherboard for your Ryzen 7 3700X.
Before the power is discussed, though, the absolute best thing about the MSI B450M PRO-M2 Max is the ease of which you can build with it. MSI makes it easy for even novices to build thanks to its unique pin header keep-out zone and the location of its easily accessible SATA and USB ports. Building with this motherboard is a dream and keeps you headache-free when it’s time to attach your components.
The quality of the board is also really good, so rest assured you’re getting a quality product. It features great VRM and will provide good performance for your 3700X.
Connectivity with this motherboard is a little bit limited when compared with some of the more expensive options. It only features 4 SATA slots, but that shouldn’t be a big deal for most people.
Additionally, it only has one M.2 slot for high-speed storage, unlike other motherboards that have two. All of this should be expected because you’re opting for a smaller form factor budget motherboard. Additionally, it only offers two DIMM slots, so gamers and folks with higher memory requirements will be slightly disappointed. However, the board supports memory speeds up to a respectable 4133MHz.
As far as aesthetics goes, the MSI B450M PRO-M2 Max is rather plain in appearance. It’s all black and gray, with only a silver MSI decal providing a pop of color. This isn’t the magnificent RGB bedecked show-piece other boards are, but once again, this is a budget board so more concessions must be made.
One last surprising feature of this MSI board is the steel-plated PCIe slots. The steel slots are to protect against bending and warping of your graphics card. It might seem like an unnecessary feature, but GPU bending and sagging is an issue as components get heavier. This protects you for the long haul and is a welcome solution to an increasingly common issue.
All in all, the MSI B450M PRO-M2 Max is the best budget MicroATX motherboard available for your Ryzen 7 3700X. It’s incredibly easy to build with, as this motherboard easily fits into many cases due to its smaller form factor. The board also makes a great starter board for a novice PC builder, since they’ll likely have excess room in the tower and the keep-out zone to prevent any rookie mistakes. It lacks slightly when comparing connectivity features, with only 4 SATA and one M.2 port, but you will be hard pressed to find a better value at this price.
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