Affordable and high-quality budget motherboards.
When gamers are putting together a new computer, the motherboard is a hardware component that is often neglected and isn’t selected with the same diligent care that is given to the GPU or the processor. However, that can often be a drastic mistake since the motherboard plays an equally important role, being responsible for combining all components and securing stable and smooth performance.
A gaming motherboard isn’t the same thing as a standard one. The former typically comes with bonus features like overclocking support, extra USB inputs, space for spare fans and lights, as well as expanded GPU slots. A quality gaming model provides the environment necessary for other hardware elements to fully realize their potential and is an irreplaceable part of any gaming PC.
The market offers plenty of reasonably priced motherboards so it can be difficult to choose the optimal option for your machine. Not only does the price between each model vary greatly, but they can also be compatible with different CPU brands and designed for various case sizes. If you need help finding the best budget motherboard that is compatible with Intel and AMD processor chipsets, then this is the post for you.
CPU support: Intel Celeron, Intel Pentium Gold | Form Factor: E-ATX | Socket: LGA 1200 | Memory support: DDR4
MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE motherboard is one of the first models that has many features packed into one small package. A high number of people who have been looking at this particular motherboard review have been impressed by the sound quality that they have been able to get from this unit. It is easy to see why people who like to make use of a surround sound system when gaming would be quite pleased with the features that come with this model. There are plenty of different speakers that you can hook up to the motherboard using the Jack slots.
The pros of this motherboard are stability and easy-to-use BIOS but the cons includes facts that extended ATX size reduces chassis candidates and high price. If you looking for high quality budget motherboard then the MSI MEG Z490 motherboard is right choice for you.
CPU support: AMD 3rd Generation Ryzen | Form Factor: ATX | Socket: AM4 | Memory support: DDR4
The new ASUS ROG Strix B550-F motherboard is one of the best budget devices out there. For those who are unfamiliar with the brand, it is the main stream companies that produces a number of different motherboards for both the consumer and business sector. Many of the features that you will find on these motherboards are ones that will not be available on a standard consumer model, but as a result the price of the motherboard is a bit higher than other models.
This is because these products use the same components that a normal consumer model would.The pros of this motherboard are abundance of USB 3.2 at your disposal and strong onboard audio solution but the cons includes facts that no front USB 3.2 and it steps on the toes of X570 boards with pricing. If you looking for best budget motherboard then the ASUS ROG Strix B550-F is right choice for you.
CPU support: AMD 3rd Generation Ryzen | Form Factor: microATX | Socket: AM4 | Memory support: DDR4
For a budget motherboard, the ASUS TUF Gaming B550M-PLUS might not be very impressive but that doesn't mean it's a bad product. It provide decent sound quality, has all the features you need and don't have many cons either. This is a usual release by ASUS though and features the same excellent components such as DVI support, USB ports, LAN interface, full sized PCI slot, audio output and so forth.
The only cons with this model is that it doesn't have any PCI-E slots, it does have an eight-lane PCI Express slot however and that can't support dual graphics on one board to the board does have two built in AMD Firewire ports. It runs stable with the built in graphics card but that the sound quality can will a little lacking.
CPU support: AMD 3rd Generation Ryzen | Form Factor: ATX | Socket: AM4 | Memory support: DDR4
MSI MPG X570G Gaming Pro is an all-in-one motherboard with a good number of built in devices. It is an affordable and sleek looking unit. These all-in-one motherboards can support up AMD 3rd Generation Ryzenprocessors, up to four graphics cards, eight gigs worth of memory, and even four drives which can be USB ports or solid state drives depending on what the user needs.
The motherboard is fairly durable given its build quality and features, but there are certain cons to the unit. One of the cons to the MSI MPG X570G Gaming Pro is the fact that it has only one PCI Express slot. PCI Express is very useful on today's graphics card based systems as many of the modern cards are produced to work with more modern systems. If you looking for best budget motherboard then the MSI MPG X570G is right choice for you.
CPU support: AMD 3rd Generation Ryzen | Form Factor: microATX | Socket: AM4 | Memory support: DDR4
MSI MAG B550M Mortar WiFi is one of the latest high-end motherboard designs from this company. The main features of this model are its premium design and great features. One of the best features that it has is the fact that it supports up to two USB ports, which can be used to attach various external devices such as a mouse or a keyboard. It is great if you want to perform multiple functions at once, but it may not be so great for people who need to use a mouse and keyboard simultaneously.
This is one of the better models in this particular range of MSI motherboards. What it has to offer is a good overall build quality, decent amount of speed, good audio output and nice video outputs. Howewer, it has only one PCI Express slot and limited documentation, especially for troubleshooting.
CPU support: AMD 3rd Generation Ryzen | Form Factor: ATX | Socket: AM4 | Memory support: DDR4
If you are looking for a new motherboard to accompany your new AMD 3rd Generation Ryzen based desktop PC, check out the new ROG Strix B550-E Gaming from ASUS. This is one of the least expensive and most popular ASUS product lines and it is a good for people that want a basic motherboard with all the features they need for basic computing without blowing their budget.
The first pros is around the build quality and the solid build quality of the motherboard. Most of the large corporations all over the world use a solid state hard drive, which means they use less moving parts which tend to last longer. The major problem with these types of hard drives are the heat dissipation. Some of the smallest components on the motherboard can get overheated, which can cause some very real issues if you aren't careful.
CPU support: AMD 3rd Generation Ryzen | Form Factor: microATX | Socket: AM4 | Memory support: DDR4
MSI MAG B550M Mortar is well built budget motherboard. With the amount of abilities the Mortar has it can really handle all the basic programs a CPU has to offer and can even have overclocking features where you can allow your CPU more of the power it needs. This means that you are getting a great performing motherboard without having to sacrifice your budget.
You also don't have to sacrifice a lot of sound, graphics or memory if you don't want to. The pros of this motherboard are plenty of fan headers and built in Bluetooth 5.1 but the cons includes facts that the antennas are pretty weak and can get in the way of accessing the rear I/O and limited documentation. If you looking for best budget motherboard then the MSI MAG B550M Mortar is right choice for you.
CPU support: AMD 3rd Generation Ryzen | Form Factor: microATX | Socket: AM4 | Memory support: DDR4
The ASRock B 550 Phantom is among the budget motherboard series from the company. With its powerful and efficient AMD 3rd Generation Ryzen processor support, four USB ports, and one FireWire port, this desktop motherboard supports a wide variety of computer activities such as gaming, multimedia, office applications and music playback. If you are looking for a motherboard that can perform well in your budget, the B 550 should be one of your choices.
Aside, from its low price tag, the ASRock Phantom has great features that many people are looking for. Howewer, it has a cons like the facts that instruction are a bit lacking and AC Wifi is only 450 Mbs. Compared to other mainstream motherboard brands, the ASRock B 550 Phantom offers a low price of just $130 for its basic model. The Phantom also features a unique technology called phase power delivery.
CPU support: AMD 3rd Generation Ryzen | Form Factor: microATX | Socket: AM4 | Memory support: DDR4
In fact, Gigabyte is one of the best motherboard brands around. However, it doesn't necessarily have to be expensive if you look at the right places to find it. If you are looking for a budget motherboard, Gigabyte A520M AORUS Elite is definitely one to consider. This one has all the features that you need for the price, which is always a bonus. Of course, many people won't go with a budget device because they think that they aren't going to get all the features they need, but this isn't true.
If you compare different products at the same price point, you can see how close the Gigabyte Aorus Elite fits in. You can still get a lot of other features and for a much cheaper price than you would think.The pros of this motherboard are price and good build but the cons includes facts that VRMS aren't the best and I/O can be better.
CPU support: AMD 3rd Generation Ryzen | Form Factor: Mini-ITX | Socket: AM4 | Memory support: DDR4
Gigabyte B 550i Aorus Pro AX is one of the most popular and well-rated ultra compact form factor motherboard available in the market today. The company is a unit oping technology plan, which designs and manufactures motherboards, processors and other consumer products. This company is based in Europe and is mainly interested in high quality motherboards, which fit all budget ranges.
The Gigabyte B 550i Aorus Pro AX will suit any consumer looking for the best price/value out there. You should consider the features, the motherboard has and if it will fit into your budget range. It has two PCI Express slots for slotting in a few PCI cards, one of the fastest slots on a motherboard. It also has two DSI ports, one Firewire port and one USB port. One of the most important features it has is the AMD 3rd Generation Ryzen CPU support, which is the latest technology inside of many top quality computers today.
CPU support: 10th Gen Intel Core Series Processors | Form Factor: ATX | Socket: LGA 1200 | Memory support: DDR4
Gigabyte Z490 Gaming X AX is one of the budget motherboard available in the market today. It has all the features and components that you may find in a high-end gaming motherboard. It is based on a new socket mini PCI Express technology that offers great performance at a low price. However, this motherboard has some lesser features compared to its competitors. As the main video card of the motherboard, Z490 offers great quality graphics.
It has over one hundred million colors support, four quad-core Intel core processors, two memory slots that can support random access memory, two terabytes of hard drive that will support booting of OS, and one hundred and eight gigabytes of USB that will support multipurpose tasks like music playing, web browsing, video playing and instant messaging among others. This motherboard also has three gigabytes of audio adapter that will support stereo sound system.
CPU support: Intel Celeron, Intel Pentium | Form Factor: microATX | Socket: LGA 1200 | Memory support: DDR4
The MSI MAG B460M Mortar WiFi is a budget motherboard which makes use of the latest technology and does not compromise on any of the features or the quality of the product. The best features of this MSI motherboard are a USB port, an audio sound card as well as a PCI Express slot for adding a further layer of flexibility to the motherboard and cooling to your CPU.
For the amount of money that you have to pay for this motherboard the only other thing that differs from others is that it has a built in slot for your USB drive. If you are looking for a good quality yet reasonably priced gaming peripheral then the best option is to opt for the MAG B 460M. Although, some consumers received that it is not reliable, it has all the features of any high end gaming keyboard but at a much lower price.
CPU support: 8th Generation Intel Core | Form Factor: ATX | Socket: LGA 1151 | Memory support: DDR4
GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS ULTRA motherboard is one of the newest and modern models that will definitely meet your needs as a gamer. With features such as quad-core processor support, PCI Express slots, gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0, RCA connections and much more, this motherboard is perfect for all computer enthusiasts.
When you are shopping for a motherboard, you need to look at features and the prices to determine which one is the best for you. With Gigabyte Z390, you will get plenty of features, but at a very reasonable price tag.The pros of this motherboard are price and solid design but the cons includes fact that its a little expensive compared to other Z390 boards . If you looking for best budget motherboard then the Gigabyte Z390 Aorus is right choice for you.
CPU support: AMD 3rd Generation Ryzen, AMD 2nd Gerenration Ryzen, AMD Athlon | Form Factor: ATX | Socket: AM4 | Memory support: DDR4
The MSI B450 GAMING PLUS Max is professional budget motherboard features an 8-layer magnetic IC layer, a squared PCB, plenty of USB ports including three front ports and two ports on the rear. There are also a couple of I/O ports, but the con is the fact that there's only one m.2 slot, so it can support only 1 Nvme ssd. This motherboard is very compact and comes in a standard sized box. There are no flimsy accessories or components on this board and it comes with warranty.
This gives the buyer some peace of mind when purchasing a computer product. When talking about the internal architecture of this motherboard, one of the pros is that the MSI B 450GG comes with a PCI express slot. This slot is able to support the latest cards and graphics cards that are out today.
CPU support: AMD 3rd Generation Ryzen | Form Factor: ATX | Socket: AM4 | Memory support: DDR4
ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero is a new full sized motherboard from the long time partner of the legendary overclocking brand. The new model features some new features that were not present in the previous models like the new X-Supreme cooling system, which allows a cooler and much more stable operation in extreme heat conditions. This is made possible due to the overclockable Thermal cooling technology incorporated into the mainboard.
The other highlight of this motherboard review is the many features that this model comes with. The biggest highlight is probably the two extra USB ports. This will be very useful for a lot of different PC users such as gamers or those who use multiple computers at the office. In addition to this you also get a PCI Express slot, USB port and headphone jack. Although Wifi Antenna doesn’t have a magnet this will be perfect for anyone.
IMAGE | NAME | FEATURES | |
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MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE
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ASUS ROG Strix B550-F
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ASUS TUF Gaming B550M-PLUS
Affordable
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The choice of the best budget motherboard for your specific computer depends primarily on what CPU you plan to get. Intel CPUs demand a motherboard with Intel ports and chipsets, while AMD models can only work with motherboards supplied with AMD sockets. Once you’ve picked between the two brands, you have to look at the price of each model and its main features.
You have to consider multiple crucial aspects when picking the best budget motherboard. That said, as long you don’t fall for the trap of purchasing the cheapest motherboard on the market, you should be typically fine when pairing it with any recent Intel or AMD CPU. Here are some features you have to be mindful of:
Reliable VRM cooling is extremely important, as it’s responsible for ensuring that the power transferred to the processor is controlled and stable, which is particularly relevant if you want to overclock your system. Multi-phase power transmission is an even better option, but it’s nearly impossible to find such a solution when looking for a budget motherboard.
As mentioned previously, a motherboard designed for Intel processors won’t work with AMD CPUs and vice-versa. Another component that isn’t equally well-suited for different motherboards is RAM. Meanwhile, extra features such as M.2 slots aren’t mandatory so their absence shouldn’t stop you from your purchase as long as all other characteristics of the motherboard are fully in line with the rest of the hardware you’ll be putting into your gaming rig.