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AMD launched the Ryzen 5000 CPU lineup with the Ryzen 5 5600X as the most affordable of the bunch. Despite being the entry-level Ryzen 5000 CPU, the 5600X is one of the best gaming CPUs you can get right now. While being a gaming beast, the 5600X is extremely power efficient. You can get this CPU working at its full power on virtually every motherboard that supports it. The only motherboards that won’t run the 5600X are the ones that don’t come with the AM4 CPU socket.
This means you can pair the CPU with pretty much any B550 and X570 board around, potentially saving cash and spending it on a better GPU or more memory. As for answering the question of which models are the best motherboards for Ryzen 5 5600X, all we can say is that if you want to get the CPU now, you should get a B550 or an X570 board. If you already own an AM4 motherboard, you should check whether your motherboard has received the BIOS update that adds Zen 3 support.
Below you’ll find the best motherboards for the Ryzen 5 5600X. These are mostly budget and mid-range models, but we included a couple of high-end boards just for the sake of having a few high-end options. Now, if you’re planning on getting the 5600X, you should read our guides for the best CPU coolers for Ryzen 5 5600X as well as the best graphics cards for Ryzen 5 5600X. And since the 5600X is a perfect choice for high-refresh-rate gaming, do visit our list of the best 1440p 240Hz monitors.
1. MSI B550-A Pro: Best budget B550 motherboard for Ryzen 5 5600X
The Ryzen 5 5600X is an extremely efficient CPU, especially if we take into account its gaming performance. So, in theory, any B550 motherboard, even the cheapest ones, will run the 5600X just fine. The thing is, low-end B550 offerings usually include a secondary (PCIe 3.0) M.2 slot that works at x2 speed, not at full x4 speed. This can throttle the performance of even mid-range PCIe 3.0 NVMe drives.
The cheapest B550 board without hidden limitations and the best budget B550 motherboard for the 5600X is the B550-A Pro from MSI. The board has excellent VRM for the price, capable of running even the 5950X. The memory support is also pretty good, with the B550-A Pro supporting up to 4400 MT/s DDR4 memory.
You’ve got two PCIe slots (one is PCIe 4.0 at x16, the secondary a PCIe 3.0 at x4) and two PCIe 3.0 slots. Storage options include six SATA III and two M.2 slots. The audio section is pretty limited since it’s based on the entry-level Realtek ALC892 codec. As for the connectivity, you get a gigabit LAN, and that’s about it. The rear I/O features two USB 3.2 Gen2 ports (one is USB-C), two USB 3.2 Gen1 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, audio jacks, and a Flash BIOS button.
If you ask us, the B550-A Pro is all you need for the 5600X. The VRM is great for the price, and the board is the cheapest one to come with the Flash BIOS button, allowing you to update BIOS in case the board doesn’t come with Ryzen 5000 support out of the box. Other boards might offer more USB ports, more internal connectors, or better audio. But performance-wise, this is all you need to get the full performance out of the R5 5600X.
2. ASUS Prime X570-P: Best budget X570 motherboard for Ryzen 5 5600X
As for the best budget X570 board for the 5600X, the award goes to the ASUS Prime X570-P. The Prime X570-P is one of the cheapest X570 models around. However, this board’s all you need for the 5600X. The board has a low-quality VRM that is more than enough for the 5600X, along with a pretty basic spec sheet.
The ASUS model supports memory up to 5100 MT/s DDR4. It comes with four USB 3.2 gen2 ports along with two USB 3.2 gen1 and two USB 2.0 ports on the rear. Other specs include three M.2 slots accompanied with six SATA III ports.
The LAN chip is made by Realtek, and it supports speeds up to 1Gbps. The audio section is based on the Realtek S1200A audio codec; this is an excellent solution for a board this cheap, miles ahead of what’s offered in most other budget X570 boards.
Expansion ports include one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot working at x16 mode along with one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot working at x4 speed. The two PCIe x16 slots are accompanied by three PCIe 4.0 x1 slots. The rear I/O, aside from the aforementioned USB ports, also hosts one PS/2 port, one HDMI connector, an RJ-45 port, and a selection of audio jacks.
3. MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk: Best mid-range B550 motherboard for 5600X
The B550 mid-range market is positioned around the price of the MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk, which is just about in the middle of it. This is a great all-around motherboard and the best overall mid-range motherboard for the R5 5600X.
The MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk has a great VRM; it supports fast, 4800 MT/s DDR4 memory and comes with six SATA III and two M.2 slots, both of which have heatsinks. There are two PCIe x16 slots, the secondary working at x4. You also get two PCIe x1 slots.
The rear I/O hosts two USB 3.2 gen2 ports (one is USB-C), two USB 3.2 gen1, and two USB 2.0 ports. There’s also the BIOS flashback button and dual (2.5Gb + 1Gb) LAN ports. Finally, the audio section is pretty solid, with the Realtek ALC1200 audio codec at its helm. Overall, an excellent board that also looks rather slick.
4. ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus: Best mid-range X570 motherboard for 5600X
Back on the X570 mid-range market, the ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus (also available in the Wi-Fi flavor) is all you need for the 5600X. This is the best X570 board for the 5600X. With that said, our mid-range B550 pick is a cheaper solution.
Anyway, the X570-Plus doesn’t have the best VRM in the class. However, its VRM is good enough even for an overclocked 5950X, so that’s fine. The board supports DDR4 memory up to 4400 MT/sDDR4 and comes with six SATA III and two M.2 slots.
You also get three PCIe x16 slots (primary running at x16, secondary at x8, and tertiary at x4) and two PCIe x1 slots. Connectivity options include just the gigabit LAN on the regular version and that plus Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5 connectivity on the AC version of the board.
The audio section is solid, based on the Realtek ALC S1200A audio codec. Finally, the rear I/O features two USB 3.2 gen2 ports, five USB 3.2 gen1 ports (one of those is USB-C), along with a selection of audio ports. The board doesn’t have the BIOS flashback button on the back so make sure to ask the seller to update the BIOS for you if needed.
5. Gigabyte B550 Vision D: Best high-end B550 motherboard for Ryzen 5 5600X
We don’t really recommend getting a high-end B550 board for a 5600X, but if you want to spend some extra cash, the Gigabyte B550 Vision D is one of the most attractive boards around and probably the prettiest white motherboard you can find at the moment. It’s also the only B550 board with Thunderbolt 3 support.
Now, if you like the white design of this board, you’ll probably love our list of the best white graphics cards and best white PC cases. Check them out; they contain a ton of cool, all-white components.
The B550 Vision D is packed with features, and it has an excellent VRM as well. You have support for ultra-fast DDR4 5200, 4 SATA III, and two M.2 slots. Then there’s a dual gigabit LAN (1Gb+1Gb), Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5 connectivity.
Expansion slots include three PCIe x16 slots (x16, x8, and x4). The rear I/O features two USB 3.2 gen2 ports, two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt support, four USB 3.2 gen1 ports, and two USB 2.0 ports. The audio section is based on the Realtek ALC1220-VB codec. Finally, the board comes with a Qflash button and POST code installed on the PCB.
6. MSI MEG X570 Unify: Best high-end X570 motherboard for Ryzen 5 5600X
The high-end X570 market has a fair share of excellent boards, but today, we’re focusing on X570 motherboards that cost about the same as the RX5600. The best overall high-end X570 motherboard for the Ryzen 5 5600X is the MSI MEG X570 Unify.
The board has everything you need except Thunderbolt 3 support. It can run DDR4 memory up to 4600 MT/s; it features three PCIe x16 slots (x16, x8, and x4), two PCIe x1 slots, four SATA III ports, and two M.2 slots.
Audio quality is pretty good, with the Realtek ALC1220 responsible for the sound. As for the connectivity options, you have Wi-Fi 6, 2.5Gb LAN, and Bluetooth 5. The rear panel hosts four USB 3.2 gen2 ports (one is USB-C), two USB 3.2 ge1 ports, and two USB 2.0 ports.
The board is excellent for overclockers. It features BIOS flash and clear CMOS buttons as well as debug LEDs and a POST code, both found on the PCB alongside power and reset buttons.
7. ASUS TUF Gaming B550M-Plus: Best mATX motherboard for Ryzen 5 5600X
The B550 chipset can be found on a solid number of pretty good mATX boards. And since every mATX board can run the 5600X without issues, getting a micro ATX B550 board can save you additional money to spend on other components.
The ASUS TUF Gaming B550M-Plus is a great entry-level board that comes with a pretty solid VRM, support for DDR4 4600 memory, two M.2 slots, four SATA III ports, two PCIe x16 slots (x16, x4), and one PCIe 3.0 slot.
The board also features a 2.5Gb LAN chip. You could also get a Wi-Fi version of the board that comes with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5 connectivity. On the back, you can find two USB 3.2 gen2 ports, four USB 3.2 gen1 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, a BIOS flashback button, and a selection of audio jacks.
8. ASRock B550M-ITX/AC: Best Mini ITX B550 motherboard for Ryzen 5 5600X
Considering the fact that the 5600X is better optimized than even the 3300X, you don’t need anything more powerful than the ASRock B550M-ITX/AC in case you’re building a Mini-ITX PC around the 5600X. This is the best value ITX motherboard for the 5600X.
The board has pretty solid VRM for its price and the only major thing lacking compared to pricier alternatives is the second M.2 slot. Other improvements seen on higher tier B550 ITX boards include better audio, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5 connectivity, and faster LAN.
Other than that, the ASRock B550M-ITX/AC is a pretty good bang for the buck for every future 5600X owner. You have support for 4600 MT/s DDR4 memory, one M.2 slot with PCIe 4.0×4 speeds along with four SATA III ports, and one PCIe x16 slot.
Connectivity options include gigabit (1Gb) LAN, Wi-Fi 5, and Bluetooth 4.2. And on the rear I/O, you can find two USB 3.2 gen2, two USB 3.2 gen1, and two USB 2.0 ports.
9. Gigabyte X570 I Aorus Pro Wi-Fi: Best mini ITX X570 motherboard for Ryzen 5 5600X
The best X570 Mini-ITX board for the Ryzen 5 5600X is the Gigabyte X570 I Aorus Pro Wi-Fi. It’s more expensive than any of the B550 choices, but if you really want the X570 chipset and two PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots, this is the board to get.
Specs are pretty solid and include support for DDR4 4400 MT/s memory, one PCIe x16 slot, four SATA III ports, and two PCIex4 M.2 slots. The audio is also pretty solid, powered by the Realtek ALC1220-VB codec.
When it comes to connectivity, you have a gigabit LAN (1Gb), Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5. On the rear, there are two USB 3.2 gen2 ports (one being USB-C), four USB 3.2 gen1 ports, and a selection of audio ports.
Why buy Ryzen 5 5600X?
The gaming performance of this 6-core/12-thread CPU is pretty much on par with the Ryzen 7 5800X, 9 5900X, and 9 5950X, making the Ryzen 5 5600X a great bang for the buck for gamers, despite the slightly higher launch price compared to the Ryzen 5 3600X.
What increases the value of the 5600X even further is the fact that, on top of being a gaming beast, it actually uses less power than even the Ryzen 3 3300X, even though it packs 50 percent more cores, which is incredible.
This means you can pair the CPU with pretty much any B550 and X570 board around, potentially saving cash and spending it on a better GPU or more memory. The same stands for the cooler. You can use the stock cooler, but if you want something quieter (the stock cooler is loud as hell), get any $20 heat-sink, and you’re set.
Of course, you can get a pricier board with more features or a high-end cooling solution, just don’t go overboard. Don’t spend a ton of money since the Zen 3 lineup is probably the end of the line for the AM4 socket. This means that the fantastic upgrade potential of the B450 and X470 platforms is gone. Also, the 5600X can net you just a couple of frames more when overclocked, so we don’t recommend getting a pricier board just to OC the CPU.
Purchases through our links may earn LEVVVEL a commission.