When deciding on a motherboard on your newly bought Ryzen CPU, you’ll encounter many choices: X870, X670, B650, A620, and the most recent additions, B850 and B840. However what do these names imply? How do X870E, X670E and B650E boards differ from their non-E counterparts? Which do you have to select on your system? This information will present all of the solutions and extra.
The most important distinction between motherboard sorts is the chipset – the chip (or two chips) that connects the CPU to different parts within the system. Previously, the chipset consisted of a northbridge chip, which related the CPU to the RAM and graphics card, and a southbridge chip, which related the northbridge to the remainder of the parts. These days, nonetheless, the performance previously attributed to the northbridge is built-in into the CPU, which connects on to many parts.
| Chipset | Processor PCIe lanes | Graphics card | NVMe SSD & further GPP lanes | Whole PCIe lanes | Max usable PCIe 5 lanes | USB 5 Gbps | USB 10 Gbps | USB 20 Gbps | USB4 | Max PCIe 3.0 or SATA ports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X870E | PCIe 5.0 (1×16 slot or 2×8 slots) | PCIe 5.0 | 1 x4 PCIe 5.0 4x PCIe GPP | 44 | 24 | 2 | 12 | 2 | Sure | 8 |
| X870 | PCIe 5.0 (1×16 slot or 2×8 slots) | PCIe 5.0 | 1 x4 PCIe 5.0 4x PCIe GPP | 36 | 24 | 1 | 6 | 1 | Sure | 4 |
| B850 | PCIe 4.0 (1×16 slot or 2×8 slots) | PCIe 4.0 | 1 x4 PCIe 5.0 | 36 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 1 | decide | 4 |
| B840 | PCIe 4.0 (1×16 slot) | PCIe 4.0 | 1 x4 PCIe 4.0 | 34 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | decide | 4 |
| X670E | PCIe 5.0 (1×16 slot or 2×8 slots) | PCIe 5.0 | 1 x4 PCIe 5.0 4x PCIe GPP | 44 | 24 | 2 | 12 | 2 | decide | 8 |
| X670 | PCIe 4.0 (1×16 slot or 2×8 slots) | PCIe 4.0 | 1 x4 PCIe 5.0 4x PCIe GPP | 44 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 2 | decide | 8 |
| B650E | PCIe 5.0 (1×16 slot or 2×8 slots) | PCIe 5.0 | 1 x4 PCIe 5.0 4x PCIe GPP | 36 | 24 | 1 | 6 | 1 | decide | 4 |
| B650 | PCIe 4.0 (1×16 slot or 2×8 slots) | PCIe 4.0 | 1 x4 PCIe 4.0 [PCIe 5.0 opt] | 36 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | decide | 4 |
| A620 / A620A | PCIe 4.0 (1×16 slot) | PCIe 4.0 | 1 x4 PCIe 4.0 | 32 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | decide | 4 |
Ryzen 7000 and 9000 processors connect with high-bandwidth parts by 28 PCIe lanes and assist PCIe 5.0 speeds. Of those lanes, 16 are reserved for a graphics card (or two, with every using eight lanes), and 4 are designated for an M.2 drive. One other 4 lanes are used to connect with the chipset. The remaining 4 lanes might be employed for parts reminiscent of one other M.2 slot or a USB4 adapter that additionally connects to the CPU’s built-in graphics to allow DisplayPort tunneling.
Ryzen 8000G processors solely have eight PCIe lanes for a graphics card (20 in whole), and assist PCIe 4.0 speeds. Moreover, Ryzen CPUs assist 4 USB 3.1 (or “3.2 Gen 2”) ports and a single USB 2.0 connector.
Take a shortcut to your subsequent Ryzen construct…
The present chipsets on the AM5 platform assist both PCIe 4.0 speeds, which limits the overall bandwidth of the units related to them at roughly 7GB/s, or PCIe 3.0 speeds, which units the bandwidth at about 3.5GB/s. These units might comprise storage drives using both the NVMe or SATA interface, USB units, community playing cards, and different inner parts reminiscent of soundcards.
Some motherboards characteristic extra connectors than their CPU and chipset assist, both to let you select between a few of them or as a result of they make use of splitters to share their bandwidth. With the fundamentals lined, let’s transfer on to the chipsets themselves…
Previous Is New Once more: B840
AMD B840 motherboards use the identical Promontory 19 chip that was beforehand used on B550 motherboards with AM4 processors. In contrast to the Promontory 21 utilized in different AM5 motherboards, it solely helps PCIe 3.0 speeds, however it provides 10 PCIe lanes, and helps 4 SATA, two USB 3.1, two USB 3.0 (or “3.2 Gen 1”), and 6 USB 2.0 ports.
Along with the slower chipset, B840 motherboards omit a number of enthusiast-oriented options. They do not assist PCIe 5.0 speeds, even for units related on to the CPU. They do not enable CPU overclocking, though with right now’s CPUs it is extra of an fanatic passion than a beneficial apply. Additionally they solely assist a single graphics card, however the period of multi-GPU gaming has primarily come to an finish in order that’s not a giant one.
Only some B840 motherboards can be found on the time of writing, and fairly surprisingly, they are not low-cost. Regardless of their limitations, they’re high quality boards with a number of heatsinks and plenty of slots. That raises the query: whom are they meant for?
If you wish to improve an outdated system with PCIe 3.0 units, then B840 motherboards might supply a great worth, as they’re cheaper than in any other case comparable B850 boards. In any other case, be happy to disregard them.
A Useless Compromise: A620
A620 motherboards use the identical Promontory 21 chip utilized in B650, B850 and X870 motherboards, however with a few of its connectors disabled or restricted. Just like the Promontory 19, it provides assist for 2 USB 3.1, two USB 3.0 (or “3.2 Gen 1”), and 6 USB 2.0 ports. It additionally incorporates eight PCIe 3.0 lanes, of which two or 4 might be employed for SATA ports.
The true subject with A620 motherboards is not the chipset itself; slightly, it is that they’re designed to be reasonably priced boards with cheap voltage regulator modules (VRM) and like B840 boards, don’t assist PCIe 5.0 speeds. Worse, A620 boards not solely disallow CPU overclocking, however they could additionally formally assist CPUs with a TDP of as much as solely 120W, and even 65W.
On paper, A620 motherboards are a great match for Ryzen 8000G processors, that are meant for compact programs with fewer parts and decrease energy consumption. In apply, first rate A620 boards price about the identical as B650 ones, so we will solely suggest them when they’re on sale.
The Greatest Worth: X870 vs. B650E vs. B850 vs. B650
B650, B650E, B850 and X870 motherboards all use a single, absolutely enabled Promontory 21 chip. It provides eight PCIe 4.0 lanes, permitting an M.2 drive to totally make the most of the chipset’s bandwidth by itself. Like in A620 boards, it additionally contains 4 PCIe 3.0 lanes that can be utilized for as much as 4 SATA ports.
The chipset gives assist for six USB 2.0 and 4 USB 3.1 ports, in addition to bandwidth that may be allotted for an extra two USB 3.1 ports or a single USB 3.2 (“Gen 2 x 2”).
Learn our evaluate: Most Reasonably priced AMD B650 Boards Examined
In the event you had been questioning in regards to the distinction between B650 and B650E motherboards, the reply is that B650E boards (E = brief for “Excessive”) assist PCIe 5.0 for each the graphics card and at the least one M.2 drive. X870 motherboards are mainly the identical as B650E, besides they’re required to make use of 4 PCIe lanes for USB4. Nonetheless, as a result of they’re newer, the Wi-Fi playing cards they arrive with assist Wi-Fi 7 slightly than 6E.
Whereas B850 motherboards are required to assist PCIe 5.0 on at the least one M.2 drive, common B650 boards should have a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot. Aside from that, these boards do not restrict the CPU in any method and can assist any Ryzen processor till 2027.
We suggest B650, B850, B650E and X870 motherboards for players and others who wish to get all the things that AM5 motherboards have to supply, however need not join many drives to their PC concurrently. One other benefit of those boards is their capacity to suit all connectors right into a compact micro-ATX type issue, which is beneficial if you happen to’re in search of a compact case to position in your desk.
Extra is Extra: X870E vs. X670E vs. X670
X670, X670E and X870E motherboards characteristic a Promontory 21 chip related to a different one by 4 PCIe 4.0 lanes, offering the second chip with the identical bandwidth because the one related to the CPU.
Mixed, the chipset provides twelve PCIe 4.0 lanes, permitting every M.2 drive to saturate the chipset’s bandwidth individually, and eight PCIe 3.0 lanes for as much as eight SATA ports. With SATA now changing into a legacy connector, it’s normal for a few of these lanes to be allotted to community playing cards, liberating up all PCIe 4.0 lanes for quicker interfaces.
The chipset additionally provides assist for twelve USB 2.0 ports and one in every of three choices: twelve USB 3.1 ports; ten USB 3.1 ports and one USB 3.2 port, or eight USB 3.1 ports and two USB 3.2 ports.
Learn our full opinions: The Greatest AMD X670E Motherboards: 22 Board Roundup & AMD X870/X870E Motherboard Roundup: 21 Motherboards Examined
In contrast to B650, all X670 motherboards characteristic a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot, and naturally, X670E boards assist PCIe 5.0 graphics playing cards. If you are going to buy such a card once they develop into obtainable, it most likely will not even require all 16 lanes. So, in case your board has one other 16-lane PCIe 5.0 slot, you’ll use it for as much as two M.2 drives with an adapter (some boards truly include one). With X870E you might be positive you may get USB4 and Wi-Fi 7.
X670, X670E and X870E motherboards are the best selection for content material creators who continuously really feel the necessity to add one other drive to their system. With quite a few methods to make the most of the twin chipset, notably, you should not purchase a motherboard primarily based solely on its identify; as an alternative, ensure that it has all of the connectors you require.
