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The B450 chipset and motherboards based on it are still a solid budget choice, even for Ryzen 5000 CPUs, as long as you’re able to find a board you want at its regular retail price. The combination of affordable price, solid set of features, and lots of models with VRMs quality enough to run some of the most powerful Ryzen CPUs makes B450 a sound choice for users on a budget, even in 2021. They aren’t as packed as newer motherboards, made for the latest and greatest CPUs, but many B450 boards can still get the job done.
Today, we’re listing the best B450 motherboards in multiple categories. You have the best overall board, the best board with Wi-Fi connectivity, as well as the best boards in different form factor categories. No matter your preferences, you should be able to find a perfect B450 motherboard for your needs.
If you want to learn more about motherboard form factors, do visit our ATX vs micro ATX vs mini ITX motherboards guide. If you’re interested in newer chipsets, we have lists of the best B550 motherboards and the best X570 motherboards you can visit.
MSI B450 Tomahawk Max: Best B450 motherboard for most users
The MSI B450 Tomahawk Max is a top B450 motherboard choice for the average user, offering good value. It’s ideal for those who don’t require extensive USB ports, multiple M.2 slots, multi GPU support, or advanced RGB lighting. The board’s VRM, though modest by current standards, can handle the 3950X, though overclocking may heat it up. It features six SATA III ports, one M.2 slot, DDR4 support up to 4133 MT/s, two PCIe x16 slots, three PCIe x1 slots, and Crossfire support. Connectivity includes a gigabit LAN port, Realtek ALC892 audio, four USB 3.2 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, audio jacks, DVI and HDMI ports, and a BIOS flash button. Its cost-effective performance has made it a popular pick.
MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon AC: Best B450 motherboard with Wi-Fi
While the B450 Tomahawk Max is the best B450 motherboard for most users, the B450 Gaming Pro Carbon trumps it in terms of specs. This is the best B450 motherboard for users needing built-in Wi-Fi support.
If you need stuff like two M.2 slots or nice RGB lighting, take a look at this board. But the most important feature coming with this board is the Wi-Fi connectivity. The Wi-Fi chip found on this board supports Wi-Fi 5 along with Bluetooth 5.0. When it comes to connectivity, you also get one gigabit LAN port on top of Wi-Fi connectivity.
Aside from dual M.2 slots, this board also packs six SATA III ports. Expansion slots include two PCIe x16 slots, one of which runs at x4 along with three PCIe x1 ports. The board supports two-way Crossfire.
Memory support includes DDR4 3466 MT/s. And on the rear panel, you can find four USB 3.2 ports (one is USB-C), two USB 2.0 ports, HDMI and DisplayPort connectors, as well as a Flash BIOS button.
The MSI B450 Gaming Carbon can host any Ryzen CPU since its VRM is slightly better than the one found on the B450 Tomahawk Max. Overall, this is a great board and one of the rare B450 models that come with dual M.2 slots.
Gigabyte B450M DS3H: Best budget B450 motherboard
If you need a cheap B450 board that can host something like the 3300X or the Ryzen 5 3600, check out the B450M DS3H from Gigabyte. This is our pick for the best budget B450 board. The B450M DS3H is a simple and very affordable board that’s perfect for users looking for some basic board to host their Ryzen CPU.
This board can be a great cornerstone for a budget gaming build. It supports DDR4 3600 MT/s memory, packs a single M.2 slot, and offers four SATA III ports. You also get two PCIe x16 slots, one of which is running at x4 mode, along with one PCIe x1 slot.
Surprisingly, the board does support AMD Crossfire. The B450M DS3H also comes with one gigabit LAN port and an average audio section headlined by the Realtek ALC887 audio codec. On the rear panel, you’ll find four USB 3.1 ports, four USB 2.0 ports, and a combination of HDMI and DVI video outputs.
ASRock B450M Steel Legend: Best micro-ATX B450 motherboard
The mATX B450 motherboard offering isn’t great. You have a lot of dirt-cheap models that pack humble VRM units and a slim feature set. If you want a quality mATX board for your next Ryzen processor, we’re advising you to check out B550 mATX boards.
They aren’t perfect, but you can find a couple of models with great specs and excellent VRM for the price. If you want a B450 mATX board, you’ll have to get something like the B450 Steel Legend from ASRock. This is the best mATX B450 motherboard, but it’s far from being an excellent buy.
The board itself isn’t bad. It features the usual set of features you can find on a budget B450 motherboard. Stuff like a single M.2 slot and four SATA III ports. Two PCIe x16 slots, out of which one works at x16 while the other runs at x4 coupled with one PCIe x1 slot.
You also get a single gigabit LAN port alongside a pretty nice RGB placed on the backplate armor and around the edges of the chipset heat sink. This board supports DDR4 memory up to 3466 MT/s. On the rear panel, you can find six USB 3.1 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, a DisplayPort output, and one HDMI port.
Overall, this board’s pretty fine for regular users. Its VRM should be good enough even for something like the 3900X (just don’t even think about overclocking it), and there are enough features to satisfy those who don’t need a ton of connectivity options, Wi-Fi, or multiple M.2 slots.
MSI B450I Gaming Plus AC: Best mini-ITX B450 motherboard
The B450I Gaming Plus AC took the throne of the best B450 Mini-ITX board solely for its VRM unit. It’s more powerful than on other B450 ITX models, thus allowing this board to host virtually any Ryzen CPU as long as it runs at stock clocks.
This board, aside from the solid VRM, also offers support for DDR4 memory up to 3466 MT/s, one M.2 slot, and four SATA III ports. You can also find a single PCIe x16 slot without multi GPU support. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 5 chip with Bluetooth 4.2 support and a single gigabit LAN port on the rear panel.
The rear panel also includes four USB 3.1 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, an HMDI and DisplayPort, and a combination of audio jacks. Finally, the Realtek ALC887 Audio Codec supports 7.1-channel audio. However, this is a low-end solution that isn’t greatest for users who plan on using this board with high-def headphones.
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