Best Gaming Motherboard for Ryzen 7 3700x

Ryzen 7 3700X and 3800X are two powerful CPUs. They are great for gamers who also perform demanding work on their PCs. They are both 8-core/16-thread CPUs with the main difference being their TDP. The 3800X has a 105W TDP and works at a 3.9 GHz base while the 3700X has a 65W TDP and 3.6GHz base frequency.

Real-life differences are minimal. Games work virtually the same on both processors. Heavy workloads (rendering, compression, encoding) can benefit from the 300 MHz higher base clock of the Ryzen 7 3800X, but not much.

At the moment there's no point in getting the 3800X. It's expensive for what it offers and instead of getting that one, you should buy the 3700X if you need lots of cores for work and either don't play games or play them rarely. If you're a gamer and you don't use your PC for heavy multithreaded workloads (rendering, video editing), the 5600X is a better choice than both the 3700X and the 3800X. It costs the same as the 3700X but has noticeably better gaming performance.

If you do end up with either the 3700X or the 3800X, remember that these are powerful CPUs that require quality motherboards. The good thing is that most motherboards capable of running the 3700X have quality enough VRM to run 3800X. In the end, we've created a list containing boards suited for both CPUs.

You have a couple of budget choices, two mainstream X570 boards, two high-end X570 boards, and two choices in mATX and Mini-ITX categories. Remember that these are all quality boards. If you are on a budget, even the cheapest one among them (the MSI Tomahawk Max) will be more than enough to run these CPUs.

Before we begin, remember that many B450 and X470 boards need a BIOS update to work with 3rd gen Ryzen CPUs. Remember to ask the seller to update the board for you, in case you end up getting a B450 or X470 motherboard.

1. MSI B450 Tomahawk Max & X470 Gaming Pro Carbon: Best budget motherboards for Ryzen 7 3700X and 3800X

Here we have one mainstream B450 board and one affordable X470 board. Overall, they both are great with the main difference being the price and feature set.

The best B450 board on the market. The MSI B450 Tomahawk Max features excellent VRM that should be enough to run any 3rd gen Ryzen CPU. No matter whether you have a 3700X or 3800X this board will provide excellent performance for both CPUs. The best part is that the board supports 3rd gen Ryzen CPUs out of the box. There's no need for a BIOS update.

The design is pretty good. Minimalistic, with two colors and not aggressive. Features-wise you get support for up to 4133MHz DDR4 memory, 6 SATAIII connectors, and one M.2 slot. The back panel hosts two video outputs (DVI and HDMI) for multimonitor support in case you run an iGPU.

The sound department is pretty good, powered by Realtek ALC892 Codec. One PCIe x16 3.0 port works at x16 and the other works at x4. The board also has 3 PCIe x1 slots for expansion cards. You also get four 4-pin fan connectors.

The MSI X470 Gaming Pro Carbon is a budget board with excellent VRM and a slew of extra features. The design is cool, black with a hint of grey and a bit of RGB LEDs. Despite the fact it's based on the last-gen chipset, this board will run both 3700X and 3800X without a single issue.

The only downside is a slightly slower max memory speed set at 3466MHz. Everything else is pretty good. Two M.2 slots and eight SATAIII connectors. 7.1 audio powered by Realtek ALC1220 Codec. Intel Gigabit LAN. HDMI and DisplayPort supporting multimonitor setup with iGPU.

Two PCIe x16 slots can work in x8/x8 mode when in Crossfire. The third PCIe x16 slot works in x4 mode. If you want a B450 alternative to this board, get the MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon AC. Completely the same (minus SLI support) with the added Wi-Fi support.

2. ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus & Gigabyte X570 Aorus Elite WiFi: Best mid-range motherboards for Ryzen 7 3700X and 3800X

Check our previous article featuring the best motherboards for Ryzen 5 3600 for an explanation of why PCIe 4.0 supported by X570 chipset isn't something that will give you any benefit right now or soon. But if you want an X570 board you don't have to get super expensive models in case you have the Ryzen 7 3700X or 3800X. The two models shown below are budget X570 boards with amazing value and a solid set of features.

Both the ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus and Gigabyte X570 Aorus Elite Wi-Fi have superb VRM solutions taken from high-end models. They both come with an attractive design with our favorite being the ASUS model. We like its color choices more and the board looks sleeker than the AORUS board.

Features-wise the two are pretty much the same. TUF has support for 4400MHz memory while AORUS supports DDR4 memory up to 4000MHz. Both boards have 2 M.2 slots. The ASUS model offers 8 SATAIII connectors while Gigabyte comes with 6 SATA connectors.

The two PCIe 4.0 slots found on both models work at full x16 and x4. You also get Gigabit LAN (Realtek on ASUS, Intel on Gigabyte) and solid 7.1 sound support. One of the main differences is that the Gigabyte model comes with an HDMI port and 2 fan headers. ASUS model comes with 4 fan headers and iGPU multimonitor support since it features both HDMI and DisplayPort ports on the back panel.

On the other side, Aorus Elite comes with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 modules, which can be a big plus for those looking for Wi-Fi support. But you can get the ASUS X570 TUF with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 support if you want, and for a lower price than the Gigabyte X570 AORUS Elite. If you're a fan of Gigabyte go for that one but we would pick the ASUS X570 TUF Gaming.

3. ASUS ROG X570 Crosshair VIII Hero & MSI MEG X570 Ace: Best high-end motherboards for Ryzen 7 3700X and 3800X

If you want the absolute best X570 board on the market get the Gigabyte X570 Aorus Xtreme. That one has the best VRM around and a slew of additional features. It also costs like the two boards featured below combined. If you want an excellent X570 board for an acceptable price, check out the two picks below.

The ASUS ROG X570 Crosshair VIII Hero is among the best X570 boards on the market. Its VRM doesn't have a ton of phases as it does in other high-end X570 boards but it works just as well. Then we have a superb design with black and grey colors and a ton of heatsinks. ASUS ROG SupremeFX codec is behind the sound department. It should enable studio-level sound quality.

The board can run DDR4 memory up to 4800MHz. There are 2 M.2 slots along with eight SATAIII ports. Pretty good but we would like to see 3 M.2 slots at this price range. Two PCIe 4.0 slots can work in x8/x8 mode when in Crossfire or SLI configuration with the third running at x4 mode. The board also has one PCIe 4.0 x1 slot.

You get dual Gigabit LAN from Intel and Realtek (running a 2.5 GB LAN module), which is enough for anyone except those running demanding home media servers. The board also has a ton of additional features such as ASUS Aura RGB lighting effects, BIOS flash support, and clear CMOS button, and lots of LEDs used for diagnostic.

The MSI MEG X570 Ace is the second high-end X570 choice. This one has a bit better VRM for those who want to overclock (although the ASUS board will also overclock 3700X and 3800X without issues) to the extreme.

The board has 3 M.2 slots but only four SATAIII ports. This may look like not enough but it should be. 2 high capacity HDDs and SSDs with 3 M.2 slots is more than enough for everyone sans data hoarders.

Memory support goes to 5000MHz DDR4. Expansion slots include two PCIe 4.0 x16 slots capable of working in x8/x8 mode along with a third PCIe 4.0 slot working at x4 and 2 PCIe 4.0 x1 slots. Realtek ALC1220 Codec found on the board supports 7.1 high def audio and should offer great sound.

MSI MEG X570 ACE features the same LAN design as the ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Hero X570. Gigabit Intel LAN accompanied by 2.5GB Realtek LAN. But here you also get a Wi-Fi 6-supported wireless module along with Bluetooth 5.1 module. And of course, the board has lots of extra features. RGB support, excellent cooling for the VRM and chipset, Flash BIOS and Clear CMOS button, diagnostic LEDs, and more.

4. ASRock B450M Steel Legend: Best micro-ATX motherboard for 7 3700X and 3800X

If you want a solid mATX board your choices are extremely limited. If you have a 3700X just get the MSI B450M Gaming Plus and save some money. If you want an mATX board for the Ryzen 3800X, get the one featured below.

The ASRock B450M Steel Legend is the best mATX board for Ryzen CPUs at the moment. It has excellent VRM and a slew of features found on higher-tier B450 boards. First off, the design hits the bullseye. It isn't aggressive and it excellently combines details found on the PCB with heatsink design. There's also a small drop of RGB effects, nothing too tacky.

ASRock B450M Steel Legend comes with two M.2 slots (just one is PCIe enabled) and four SATAIII connectors. LAN is gigabit by Realtek. The board supports 7.1 surround sound and is powered by Realtek ALC892 Audio Codec. Memory speed can reach 3466 MHz.

Next, we have two PCIe x16 slots out of which one can work at x16 and the other in x4 mode. There's also one PCIe x1 slot for expansion cards. The back panel hosts HDMI and DisplayPort connectors for a multimonitor setup in case you run an iGPU. It's worth noting that the board has 3 fan connectors, which should be enough for most setups.

5. MSI B450I Gaming Plus AC: Best mini-ITX motherboard for Ryzen 7 3700X and 3800X

The situation with Mini-ITX X570 boards is not great. You have the excellent ASUS ROG Strix X570-I Gaming but that board is often unavailable for purchase. If you find one, get it. Next, the ASUS ROG X570 Crosshair VIII Impact is not a Mini-ITX board. Its form factor is DTX, 30mm longer than mITX meaning this one can't fit into every Mini-ITX case. Also, its selling price is ludicrous. But it's an amazing board. If you can swallow the price and if your case can fit the board, go for it.

ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming-ITX/TB3 looks great on paper and has a competitive price, but no matter where you look you'll see lots of negative user reviews. We would avoid this one if we were in your place. Finally, the Gigabyte X570 Aorus Pro WIFI is a solid board and has a competitive price. It seems like a great deal but, if you need a board capable of running 3700X or 3800X CPUs at stock speeds, the MSI B450I Gaming Plus AC is a better choice. Get the Gigabyte model only if you need two M.2 slots.

The MSI B450I Gaming Plus AC is the best Mini-ITX board for Ryzen 3700X and 3800X for those who don't want to overclock, who need only one M.2 slot, and who are looking for an affordable but quality Mini-ITX board for their CPU. Its VRM is excellent for the price and can run even the Ryzen 3800X without issues.

The design is okay. Not great but not too aggressive, like on other Gaming Plus models. Memory support goes up to 3466MHz but you shouldn't run memory at max frequencies. The storage situation is okay for a Mini-ITX board. There's one M.2 slot along with four SATAIII ports.

The board features HDMI and DisplayPort connectors on the back, allowing for a multimonitor setup for iGPU builds. There's one PCIe x16 slot and that's all when it comes to expansion slots. The audio department supports 7.1 surround sound and is powered by Realtek ALC887 Codec. Finally, there's also Gigabit LAN by Realtek.

The MSI B450I Gaming Plus AC is an excellent board for Ryzen 3700X and 3800X. Again, if you need the second M.2 slot, get the Gigabyte X570 AORUS Pro WIFI. And if you want the best and are ready to pay for it, the Asus ROG (X570) Crosshair VIII Impact is the best choice.

Best Gaming Motherboard for Ryzen 7 3700x

Source: https://levvvel.com/best-motherboard-for-ryzen-7-3700x-and-3800x/

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