Best X470 Motherboard to Build the Perfect Ryzen-based PC
AMD’s X470 chipset is a new entry that supports Ryzen 2 chips without the need for a BIOS update. But that’s not all. It offers higher RAM speeds, next level customization, and the ability to stretch stock speeds a little further.
Each chipset brings its character to play, opening different functionalities that improve performance in your final build. Whether you are an avid overclocker or a gamer, it’s crucial to figure out the tiny details that make all the difference.
Top Pick - ASUS Crosshair VII Hero
It comes complete with two M.2 slots and two PCI-e slots, one running at 8x and the second running at 4x. It can handle multiple graphics cards which qualifies it for intense gaming. The motherboard also includes two PCI-E x1 slots. It’s ideal for fast-speed storage as it also supports up to 64GB RAM of 3600MHz in four slots.
Powerful rigs don’t come easy. And with all the tech jargon being thrown around, ASUS Crosshair VII Hero takes the win of the best X470 motherboard. It is a gamer’s choice as it can handle multiple graphics cards and features two M.2 sockets to handle storage, 64GB of 3600MHz memory, and metallic heatsinks to protect your investment from overheating.
For those looking to upgrade other components and save on the motherboard, you will be pleased to find an equal performer in the likes of MSI Gaming Plus X470. For the price, you get two M.2 slots, 4 + 2 phase power design, six fans, and 8-channel audio. It is the kind you pick and run with when you don’t want to deal with additional features that rack up your budget.
Best AMD X470 Motherboards for 2021
1. ASUS Crosshair VII Hero (Wi-Fi): Favorite X470 Motherboard for Gaming
Looking for a motherboard with all the bells and whistles to build a PC worth your while? ASUS Crosshair VII Hero (Wi-Fi) is probably the only motherboard you will need for a long time. Powered by AMD’s Ryzen 2 of the AM4 chipset, this model is destined for the best gaming performance.
It comes complete with two M.2 slots and two PCI-e slots, one running at 8x and the second running at 4x. It can handle multiple graphics cards which qualifies it for intense gaming. The motherboard also includes two PCI-E x1 slots. It’s ideal for fast-speed storage as it also supports up to 64GB RAM of 3600MHz in four slots.
This board is designed with ease of setup in mind. It boasts its renowned UEFI BIOS to provide simple and smooth, mouse-controlled graphical BIOS. It has drag and drop menu giving you one-click performance. It also has an advanced UEFI mode that allows you to explore more options to customize your rig.
As a multitasking guru, ASUS is keen to cater to heating needs. It comes with gigantic heatsinks that protect the audio circuits and also cover the I/O. It has a water-cooling zone which brings the temperatures down thus supporting hardcore gaming. And to balance cooling and performance it boasts a new 10 + 2 phase power design.
Networking is enabled through Intel’s 1211-AT Gigabit LAN controller. It supports dual-band Wi-Fi, MU-MIMO, and Bluetooth V4.2. You also get a collection of ports including nine USB 3.1, a type C connector, two USB 2.0, a PS/2 connector, five audio jacks, and two buttons; one to reload BIOS and the other to clear CMOS.
It is much simpler to troubleshoot your system when there are BIOS malfunctions. This is especially important when you can’t open a cabinet to access the motherboard every time you need to know the problems.
ASUS Crosshair VII Hero (Wi-Fi) also features RGB LED strips that add life to your system. When synced to the Aura-capable ASUS hardware, it gives you over eight lighting effects.
Flaws but not Dealbreakers
ASUS Crosshair VII Hero (Wi-Fi) is perhaps the most expensive motherboard for gaming. It competes with other lower-priced models on the same level differing only in the number of ports and cooling.
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2. MSI Gaming Plus X470: Top X470 Motherboard on a Budget
MSI Gaming Plus X470 is an entry-level motherboard designed to please those who need a decent performer without ruining a PC building budget. It offers most of the specs found in more expensive brands like ASUS Crosshair VII Hero.
This board is compatible with 1st and 2nd gen Ryzen processors, Ryzen 2000 series APUs, Ryzen 3 2200G, and Ryzen 5 2400G. It’s easy to pair it with powerful CPUs that ensure you get flawless performance from your build.
Its RAM support goes as far as 64GB of 3466 DDR on four slots. It has impressive storage options with two M.2 slots and six SATA III ports. The top slot supports PCI-E 3.0 x4 SSDs while the bottom one supports PCI-E 2.0 x4 drives.
The motherboard also includes two PCI-E 3.0 x16 slots that are great for dedicated GPUs. What’s more, it has three PCI-E 2.0 x1 slots and one PCI-E 2.0 x 16. It is capable of using expansion cards in the likes of RAID cards and sound cards.
One 8-pin ATX 12v and an extra 4-pin ATX 12v deliver power to this motherboard. It performs perfectly on the 8-pin connector without the 4-pin even for overclocking needs which it can turbo up to 4.2GHz. Since this model uses the RT8894A Richtek VRM controller, it has a 4+2 phase power delivery system instead of an 8-phase.
Not to say it cannot drive 8-core Ryzen processors because the VRM controller has proved to be effective in excellent handling of current.
Its cooling capacity is by six, 4-pin headers. They are spread between four case fans, a water cooling/AIO pump, and a dedicated CPU fan. It does not have M.2 fans unlike what you see on slightly expensive models like Gigabyte.
MSI Gaming Plus gives you a total of eight USB 3.0 ports (four via headers), two USB 3.1 Type A, six USB 2.0 (4 via headers), a line in, audio out, an S/PIDF out, and one LAN port. It also includes DVI and HDMI ports which extend its capabilities to digital connections.
On top of all these, it delivers an immersive listening experience using 8-channel Realtek ALC892 audio. It gives you a mystic light RGB cover which is easy to customize using MSI software.
Flaws but not Dealbreakers
MSI Gaming Plus X470 lacks USB Type-C port, and it does not also have SLI support for multi-GPU technology. But this is understandable for the price as it comes through for entry-level performance.
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3. ASUS Prime X470-Pro: Best Mid-Range X470 Motherboard
ASUS Prime X470-Pro is a better-looking board with M.2 heatsink and a slick design that is pleasing to the eyes. Featuring ASUS 5-way optimization, it allows you to get intelligent cooling and optimize overclocking for GPU intensive games.
Like others before it, this motherboard offers four DIMM slots. They are color coded and allow dual operation. It can support 64GB of 3466MHz memory out of the box. It has two M.2 slots that support up to 32GBps with the help of x4 PCI-Express 3.0/2.0 bandwidth. You will like it for operating systems when you want quick access to data.
Powered by the X470 chipset, you get six SATA ports running at up to 6GBps. Along with this are multiple headers including an internal USB 3.1 gen 2, COM Port header, HD audio, two USB 3.1 Gen 1, TPM, 4-pin RGB, front panel headers a CMOS jumper.
Expand your possibilities with three PCI-E 3.0 x16, three PCI-E 3.0 x1, and two PCI-E 2.0 x1 slots. It allows you to operate with one or two GPUs running at different speeds.
You’ll notice that it has an I/O cover and silver heatsinks. It has an 8 + 2 VRM and an 8-pin EPS power connector. Its fan configuration includes a water pump, AIO pump, a CPU fan, CPU OPT fan headers, and an M.2 heatsink. It has multiple temperature sources, and each fan head receives onboard circuit protection from over-current and excess temperature.
Its other ports include two USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.1 (backward compatible Gen 2 Type-A), two USB 3.1 Gen1, two USB 3.1Gen 2, combo PS/2, HDMI, DisplayPort, and an Ethernet port.
ASUS Prime X470-Pro comes with RGB lighting. Complemented by Aura Sync or BIOS controls, you can customize the lighting and have cool lights running around the bottom heatsink and on the I/O cover.
Flaws but not Dealbreakers
ASUS Prime X470-Pro does not have integrated Wi-Fi. It cannot connect to a wireless network. Despite its higher markup price, its connectivity is still at the entry-level.
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4. ASUS ROG Strix X470-F Gaming: Best for Multiple Graphics Cards
If you are not yet on the AM4 platform, ASUS ROG Strix X470-F provides the perfect motherboard to start enjoying high-speed performance. You don’t need to invest in a high-end Intel processor because AMD has their set of equally powerful, Ryzen CPUs.
ASUS ROG Strix X470-F is aimed towards gaming with RGB lighting and optional RGB headers. The board enjoys intense cooling which also covers one M.2 slot using an integrated heat sink. It goes all in matching the specs found on higher-end ROG motherboards.
With this board, you get durable gaming components. These include two M.2 storage slots that support PCI-E modes. They deliver speedy performance thanks to its fast read and write speeds. One of its M.2 slots supports PCI-E 3.0 x4 mode aimed at faster speeds.
ASUS ROG Strix X470-F offers six SATA III ports. For memory, it follows through with four DDR4 slots that support 64GB of 3600MHz. It can take advantage of high-bandwidth memory which comes with being able to tweak the settings thanks to its very intuitive BIOS interface.
When it comes to graphics cards and PCI-E based connections, it features three PCI-E 2.0 x1 slots, two 3.0 x 16 slots, and a PCI-E 2.0 x16 slot. You will like that it is SLI and CrossFire compatible. You can dramatically increase the graphical power of your GPUs. It is all about choosing the right kind of graphics cards and giving your PC amazing power when pushing graphics-heavy games.
Cooling is achieved through seven fan headers. They support DC and PWM such that you can automatically or manually adjust fan speeds. The headers are placed all around the motherboard where they are protected from overcurrent and overheating.
ASUS ROG Strix X470-F invests in a row of LEDs. It is not as exciting as on more expensive boards since the bottom heatsink is not illuminated. But it packs a punch with seven USB 3.1 and a type-C connector.
Flaws but not Dealbreakers
This is another motherboard that lacks Gigabit Ethernet capabilities. It supports lots of features such that the lack of wireless connectivity can put off avid gamers.
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5. Gigabyte X470 AORUS Gaming 7 Wi-Fi: Best Gigabyte X470 Motherboard
From the style to its performance, building a gaming PC based on an AM4 chipset is going to be a breeze with this motherboard. Gigabyte X470 AORUS Gaming 7 Wi-Fi is stylish, stable, and bears an extensive feature set to give you well-rounded performance.
This model uses real heatsinks with genuine fins to dissipate as much heat as possible. It provides, perhaps the best real-world cooling experience as the rear I/O and bottom chipset are all covered by heatsinks.
It’s an eye-catching board with RGB LED running all through the main heatsink and the audio circuitry’s cover. It has four memory slots and two PCI-E x 16 slots. Instead of messing with the CPU core ratio, it has a button that allows you to overclock the system. It also has two buttons to swipe between the two BIOS and a sideways POST display.
Its memory runs on the much faster DDR4 and can reach up to 3600MHz with a capacity of 64GB. Moreover, it has wireless connectivity powered by Intel I211-AT GbE LAN chip. It supports ECC memory for un-buffered modules.
With two M.2 slots that support NVMe PCI-E x4, you can crank speeds by using fast-speed storage. It M.2 slots also support SATA SSDs, and they each come with dedicated heatsinks. It allows cold booting to be as fast as 16 seconds which is much faster than most gaming motherboards in its price range.
Looking at its Wi-Fi performance, you’ll be dealing with a model that has invested in Internet Accelerator Networking. It improves network latency while maintaining low ping times. It results in better responsiveness while surfing in crowded LAN environments.
Flaws but not Dealbreakers
Gigabyte X470 AORUS does not beat more expensive boards in gaming performance. It ranks a couple of frames behind which may be a no-no for hardcore gamers.
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6. ASROCK AMD X470 Taichi: Best for Nvidia GeForce 1080 and 1070 GPUs
ASROCK AMD X470 Taichi will push high-end graphics. Its memory and storage provide a sweet balance that will be the envy of others in a gaming room setting. It may look all grey and uninviting, but this motherboard has onboard RGB headers and inbuilt RGB illumination.
Not only that, it has an addressable RGB header that can connect to compatible LED devices like coolers, CPU fans, and chassis. Its heatsink offers full M.2 coverage with the bottom heatsink being based on cogs.
It’s not a surprise to find four DIMM sockets with 64GB capacity and up to 3466 memory speeds. The board offers two M.2 slots that support NVMe standards. It can support up to four graphics cards. It uses a PCI-E steel slot to prevent graphics cards signal interference. It features two PCI-E x 16 slots, a PCI-E x16 slot that is slower than the steel PCI-Es and two PCI-E x 1 slots.
Instead of six, this one has eight SATA slots. It also comes with dual-band Wi-Fi on the 802.11ac protocol. It runs on the Intel I1211AT Gigabit LAN which allows for seamless network performance in crowded areas.
ASROCK AMD X470 Taichi has a nice setup of ports including a USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type A+C at the front. It can deliver up to 10Gbps data transfer rates. On the rear, you have dual USB 3.1 Gen 2 to support similar data rates of up to 10Gbps.
If you are an avid gamer building a high-end gaming PC, support for Nvidia GeForce 1080 and 1070 graphics cards should be a no brainer. That’s why this motherboard has an SLI HB Bridge free bundled to drive high-end graphics cards to the edge.
Flaws but not Dealbreakers
Compared to other models, ASROCK AMD X470 Taichi is not spotless in handling real data streams. This happens when the system is overheated. It seems like something you could avoid.
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7. ASUS ROG Strix X470-I: Best Mini-ITX Motherboard
Gaming on a mini-ITX form factor just became possible on the ASUS ROG Strix X470-I. This is the only mini motherboard with USB 3.1, Gigabit Ethernet, and a full-sized PCI-E slot. You’ll notice that it does not have silver heat sinks like on the X370 rather it comes with dark heatsinks.
Its other impressive features include two M.2 slots both capable of PCI-E 3.0 x4. It offers data speeds of up to 32Gbps because of its NVM-E protocol. With two RAM slots of DDR4, it supports up to 32GB memory of 2.9933GHz. And it can overclock up to 3.466GHz.
Like its ASUS cousins, this motherboard also offers 5-way optimization with FanExpert 4 and Auto-tuning to automatically give you the perfect overclocking profiles matching maximum PC capabilities.
ASUS ROG Strix X470-I has four SATA connections owing to the size. You also get an M.2 heatsink, USB 3.1 Gen1 of native 5Gbps and 16PCI-E 3.0/2.0 to support superior performance. Seeing that it is made for gaming, this motherboard can support multiple graphics cards since it is SLI and CrossFireX compatible.
We like that it has utilized distinct technologies among them Sonic III studio which supports HRTF-based virtual surround sound for Virtual Reality (VR) headsets. Not to mention, it enjoys shielded SupremeFX audio for immersive sound.
Another talk of town technology is per-core tuning. You can now assign apps to specific cores using the ASUS Turbo Core app. It comes in handy to prioritize computing power hence speeding up tasks. We are also impressed by the ASUS AI Suite 3 Utility and improved energy saving thanks to the Energy Processing Unit.
Flaws but not Dealbreakers
We find the second M.2 slot stacked on the PCB’s underside may be prone to overheating. And if you use it with a PCI-E SSD, it will slash the x16 PCI-E connection back to x8 version. It’s something to consider if you will be working with only one M.2 SSD.
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Choosing the perfect motherboard can be tricky. But once you know you want a Ryzen based PC, it becomes easier. Not many models offer MU-MIMO capabilities, but ASUS Crosshair VII Hero (Wi-Fi) is all in as part of its dual-band Wi-Fi.
And with many ATX form factor boards offering only six SATA connectors, ASROCK AMD X470 Taichi has eight. Together with ASUS Prime X470-Pro, they have up to 10Gbps data transfer speeds on their USB 3.1 ports.
Finally, we also recognize the gaming capabilities offered on a mini-ITX. ASUS ROG Strix X470-I can support multiple graphics cards while offering two M.2 slots and an oversized heatsink; features not seen in many compact-sized motherboards.
Originally posted 2021-01-19 11:54:12.