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Best B650 motherboards – our top picks

Get the most out of your components with these motherboards!
Gloria Coles
Last Updated on

Reviewed By: Kevin Pocock

Best B650 motherboards – our top picks
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Table of Contents

B650 motherboards come in different shapes and sizes, and selecting the right one for your rig can be a big challenge. You need to get a board that is compatible with your processor, supports PCIe 4.0 or 5.0, and offers a robust VRM system that can prevent stability and performance issues.

Here at PC Guide, we’ve reviewed several motherboards and have tested each one in synthetic benchmarks to get an idea about their real-life performance. Based on the results, we’ve selected a board that we think provides excellent value for money. We’ve also included two alternate options that are worth checking out.

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So, without wasting another second, let’s dive in!

How we picked

For this guide, we went through several options from different brands and selected the ones that offered the best value for money. During the selection process, we kept several factors in mind, such as performance, price, compatibility, and features. After all, we don’t want you to end up getting the wrong components for your rig. We also try to test as many components as we can for our guides to better understand their capabilities. You can check out how we test components to learn about our methods.

Our top picks

Best B650 motherboard overall
01
  • MSI Project Zero B650 I/O
  • MSI Project Zero B650 PCie Slot
  • MSI Project Zero B650 logo in corner
  • MSI Project Zero B650 on the test bench with ASUS cooler
  • MSI Project Zero B650 with Ryzen 9 7900X
  • MSI Project Zero B650 VRM heatsink
  • MSI Project Zero B650 on a table
Highly Recommended

MSI B650M PROJECT ZERO

Hands-on Review
4 /5
Editor’s Rating
How We Review
Specifications
  • Socket: AM5 (LGA1718)
  • Chipset: B650
  • Form Factor : Micro-ATX
  • PCIe Version : PCIe Gen 4
  • Memory speed : 6400MHz + OC
  • Memory capacity : 128GB (4 x 32GB)
Reasons to Buy
  • Good value for money
  • Looks good, really like the white
  • Thermal armour keeps VRMs cool
Reasons to Avoid
  • Difficult to install if your case doesn’t accommodate for the rear connections
  • Micro-ATX, so only 1 PCIe slot

If you're looking for a B650 motherboard that offers a great balance between price and performance, then you'd want to check out the MSI Project Zero. This is the cleanest motherboard we've reviewed so far, and it packs a punch in the performance department. In our MSI 650M Project Zero review, it passed with flying colors in all synthetic benchmarks.

To begin with, Project Zero is a micro ATX board. This means that it is small in size and should be compatible with a wider range of cases than a standard ATX board. On top of that, MSI has done a remarkable job with its design, as all of its connectors are on the backside. This makes the motherboard kind of wireless, but make sure your case can support such a board before getting it.

For the VRM system, Project Zero has a 12+2+1 power design and offers three layers of stabilization and filtration. Thanks to this, the board constantly gets clean and stable power, so you won't have to worry about performance-related issues. 

The Project Zero is the cleanest motherboard we’ve reviewed so far and it packs a punch when it comes to performance.

PC Guide

For connectivity, Project Zero offers four DDR5 RAM slots, one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, and five 4-pin headers. There are also nine USB ports and a 2.5G LAN port for high-speed internet.

For our review, we paired Project Zero with Ryzen 9 7900X and launched some tools like Blender Monster, Blender Junkyard, Blender Classroom, CB R23, and Geekbench 6. Overall, the max PPT was 177.67W, while the max package power was 182.04. Throughout the testing, the max power loss was 4.37W, and the motherboard’s temperature also didn't exceed 53.5°C. 

Overall, the MSI B650M Project Zero offers great value for money, and it should work fine with any Ryzen processor that uses the AM5 socket.

Best runner-up
02

GIGABYTE B650 AORUS Elite AX

Specifications
  • Socket: AM5
  • Chipset: B650
  • Form Factor: ATX
  • PCIe Version: PCIe 5.0
  • Memory Speed: 8000 MHz (OC)
  • Memory Capactiy: 256 GB DDR5
Reasons to Buy
  • Features WiFi 6E connectivity
  • Has a high memory capacity
Reasons to Avoid
  • PCIe 5.0 connectivity is only for the M.2 devices

If you're looking for more options to check out, we recommend you give the Gigabyte B650 Aorus Elite AX a shot. 

This motherboard has a 128GB DDR5 RAM capacity, and you can overclock its frequency to operate at 7,600+ MHz. This should keep your system running efficiently, but realistically, even 32GB should be more than enough. 

Besides that, it does offer PCIe 5.0 connectivity but only for one M.2 connection, which is great because it means you can use the best Gen 5 SSDs with it for fast boot and load times. In addition, you also get WiFi 6E, 2.5G LAN port, a USB-C 20 Gbps port, and other connections that should help deliver a seamless gaming and working experience. 

This mainboard also has a 14+2+1 power delivery system with a 70A smart power stage. What this means is that it should deliver a clean and stable power supply to the CPU enabling it to perform at its best. 

There is also a good amount of thermal protection on M.2 slot, VRMs, and other elements that help keep its temperature low. Overall, this motherboard is feature rich and has a pocket-friendly price tag, making it a strong contender for the title of the best B650 motherboard.

Best high-end B650 motherboard
03
ASUS ROG Strix B650E-F Gaming WiFi

ASUS ROG Strix B650E-F Gaming WiFi

Specifications
  • Socket: AM5 (LGA1718)
  • Chipset: B650
  • Form Factor : ATX
  • PCIe Version : PCIe 5.0
  • Memory speed : 6400MHz + OC
  • Memory capacity : 128 GB
Reasons to Buy
  • Designed for gamers
  • RGB
  • ATX form factor
  • 12+2 power system
Reasons to Avoid
  • Expensive
  • Not recommended if you don’t have high-end hardware

If you want a high-end B650 board that comes packed with features, then we'd recommend the ASUS ROG Strix B650E-F Gaming WiFi. This board offers a robust VRM system, several connectivity options, and some elements that can help improve the overall aesthetics of your build.

For starters, the Strix B650E-F is an ATX board, so it won't fit inside a small case. Other than that, just by looking at the board, you'll be able to tell that it’s designed while keeping gamers in mind. It offers an all-black theme, but you can find some RGB on the I/O cover. However, this can be kept turned off if you're not a fan of lights glowing inside your rig.

The B650E-F also comes with a solid power solution in the form of a 12+2 system paired with 8+4 ProCool power connectors, high-quality alloy chokes, and durable capacitors for multi-core processors. There are also four LED power indicators on the top right corner of the board, which can help identify problems with CPU, memory, GPU, or boot device. 

The B650E-F is a solid option for those who want a top-tier motherboard for their rig with this chipset.

PC Guide

As far as connectivity is concerned, you can connect up to four DDR5 6400 MHz RAMs on the board. On top of that, it offers PCIe 5.0 and two PCIe 4.0 slots for GPU and storage. On the left side, you'll find an HDMI port, DisplayPort, 10 USB ports, five Audio Jacks, and connectors for WiFi 6E. 

Overall, the ASUS ROG Strix B650E-F Gaming WiFi is a solid option for AM5 processors. It offers plenty of connectivity options, and its VRM system should help prevent performance and stability issues.

Best mid-range
04

ASUS TUF Gaming B650-Plus WiFi

Specifications
  • Socket: AM5
  • Chipset: B650
  • Form Factor: ATX
  • PCIe Version: PCIe 5.0
  • Memory Speed: 7600+ MHz (OC)
  • Memory Capacity: 128GB DDR5
Reasons to Buy
  • Good VRM design
  • Great I/O connectivitiy
Reasons to Avoid
  • Limited to WiFi 6
  • PCIe 5.0 support is for the GPU only

If you're looking for a mid-range B650 motherboard, we recommend you check out the ASUS TUF Gaming B650-Plus WiFi. 

This is an AM5 motherboard with the mid–range B650 chipset and comes with an affordable price tag. Since the B650 chipset can only offer PCIe 5.0 connectivity for the storage device or the graphics cards, this board went with storage devices which is better.

PCIe version are backward compatible and even modern GPUs should work well but the 4.0 x16 connection has enough bandwidth that even the high-end graphics cards should have a difficult time fully saturating it. 

Besides this, you can slap a maximum of 128GB DDR5 RAM on this board, which is a decent amount and is more than enough for gaming or professional workflows. This board also supports AMD Expo, through which you can easily overclock the memory to run faster, delivering better output. 

There is one USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20 Gbps), 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 port, and plenty more options with this mainboard. What this means is that you can easily connect a handful of peripheral without compromising on speed, performance, or latency. 

Overall, the ASUS TUF B650-Plus WiFi is an excellent board that offers good value for money and sports great features.

Best budget B650 motherboard
05
MSI PRO B650-S WiFi ProSeries Motherboard

MSI PRO B650-S WiFi ProSeries

Specifications
  • Socket: AM5 (LGA1718)
  • Chipset: B650
  • Form Factor : ATX
  • PCIe Version : PCIe 4.0
  • Memory speed : 7200MHz + OC
  • Memory capacity : 64 GB
Reasons to Buy
  • Great budget option
  • Bluetooth 5.3 and WiFi 6E
Reasons to Avoid
  • Standard design
  • No fancy features
  • Lacks PCIe 5.0

If you're looking for something that comes with an affordable price tag but still offers decent performance, then you may want to opt for the MSI PRO B650-S WiFi Pro Series. This one is compatible with Ryzen 7000, 8000, and 9000 series processors and offers plenty of features while remaining in the budget category.

Just like the second option on our list, this one is also an ATX board, so you need to make sure your case can support it before placing an order. Other than that, there's nothing special about its design. Its a pretty standard-looking board with no signs of RGB or anything fancy. However, this is what you'd already expect from a budget motherboard.

For connectivity, the B650-S WiFi Pro comes with a PCIe 4.0 slot for your GPU, M.2 slots for SSDs, and SATA ports to help you connect HDDs. On top of that, can place up to four DDR5 RAMs on the board with a maximum clock speed of 7200 MHz. 

The MSI PRO B650-S WiFi may offer a basic design, but it can still help get the job done.

PC Guide

The board also offers Bluetooth 5.3 and WiFi 6E, and the left side has plenty of ports for peripherals. The 2.5 GB LAN port is especially useful for high-speed internet plans. 

Overall, the MSI PRO B650-S WiFi Pro Series is a great option for those on a tight budget. It may not come with PCIe 5.0, RGB, or anything fancy, but these features would have thrown it out of the budget category.

How to pick the best motherboard with this chipset

The motherboard is a crucial component, as it connects everything. So, you shouldn’t rush the selection process and take your time to find the right one. Here are a few points to keep in mind before making a final purchase.

Compatibility

Before getting a motherboard, make sure it is compatible with your processor and case. B650 motherboards only work with AMD processors, so don’t get one if you own an Intel CPU. On top of that, these motherboards come in different shapes and sizes, so make sure the one you’re getting can fit inside your case. For instance, if you have a small case, it will only support a micro ATX board.

Budget

B650 motherboards are considered affordable options for AM5 processors, but some can still cost around $250. If you have a high budget, you can opt for options like the ROG Strix B650E-F or something similar that has the latest features and looks stunning. But if you’re tight on a budget, then you’ll need to stick to something basic like the MSI PRO B650-S WiFi Pro.

Size 

ATX is the most common motherboard size and generally measures 12 inches x 9.6 inches. This is enough space to house various expansion slots for storage devices and RAM. However, there are larger boards available, such as E-ATX, that measure 12 × 13 inches and have more VRMs, thermal pads, and better cooling. 

On the other hand, mATX or ITX boards are much smaller, measuring 9.6 × 9.6 and 6.7 in × 6.7 inches, respectively. So, there are fewer RAM and M.2 slots, there aren't a lot of VRMs, there isn't space for robust onboard cooling solutions, but they cost less. 

So, it is a trade-off between performance and value, so take this aspect into consideration and think about what is more important for you.

Should I get B650 or B650E?

The main difference between the B650 and B650E chipset is that the latter features PCIe 5.0 for the graphics card and the storage device but the B650 chipset can only offer it for one. That being said, if you're opting for a B650 motherboard, it is better to go for an option that offers PCIe 5.0 for M.2 connections as that means you can use Gen 5 SSDs that have exceptional read and write speeds.

Will B650 support DDR4?

Since the B650 chipset is part of the AM5 platform, it doesn't support DDR4, and only DDR5 RAM is compatible with this chipset or any AM5 chipset.

Verdict

After taking a look at all the B650 boards, we chose the MSI B650M Project Zero as the best option due to its build quality, design, performance, features, and hardware. It displayed great performance and efficiency when we tested it in-house, and the back-connect design gives it a very clean look. The only aspect that might be a deal breaker for some is that the connections go on the back, and you’ll need a compatible PC case for that.

About the Author

Gloria Coles

As a tech and AI writer for PC Guide, Gloria is interested in what new technology means for the future of consumer electronics and digital and broadcast journalism.