While AMD has jumped into its 4th generation of Ryzen CPUs with its Ryzen 7000 series, the AM4 socket still offers those on a budget a more affordable option. AM4 may not be the best motherboard pick for gamers any more thanks to the introduction of AM5 but still offers more than enough for those who don’t care about PCIe 5 or DDR5 support. The AM4 socket supports a plethora of Ryzen CPUs, spanning a total of three generations. This cross-support makes AM4 still relevant in 2023.
But that’s not all, AM4 will continue to receive support for years to come, as purported by AMD itself. With the extensive versatility across multiple CPUs, the AM4 socket is expected to tag along. But with all the AM4 options out there, you’ll need to pick the right motherboard for your needs. So, here are our top AM4 motherboard picks.
- 03Best Budget-Friendly AM4 Motherboard
AM4 motherboard or AM5?
AM4 is fantastic when it comes down to cross-generation CPU support. AM5 currently only supports Ryzen 7000 series CPUs. This limited support makes AM5 a less desirable option for gamers who can’t afford to upgrade their CPU. Still, the new AM5 socket and everything else that goes with it is the next generation of computing which will come with significant performance gains, at a cost of course. While AM4 still supports DDR4 in contrast to the AM5 socket’s DDR5 support, there are no key benefits or advantages to switching to DDR5 for your average gamer.
While DDR5 is faster on paper, both memory modules operate with similar performance in many real-world scenarios. The last contrast is AM5’s PCIe 5.0 support compared to AM4’s PCIe gen 4.0 support. While PCIe 5.0 is faster than its last-generation counterpart, whether or not it is worth it depends on your budget and future plans for your gaming PC.
We fully advise going for a next-gen rig with an AM5 motherboard if you can afford it but it not, AM4 still has plenty to offer.
Best AM4 Motherboard: Asus ROG Strix X570-F Gaming
ASUS ROG STRIX X570-F Gaming Motherboard
Form Factor
ATX
Overclocking Support
Yes
Socket
AM4
Chipset
X570
- Great Audio; Supreme FX S1220A codec
- Support for Aura Sync RGB
- Excellent aesthetics
- Expensive
While this motherboard is on the pricier end, the Asus ROG Strix X570-F is top-notch when it comes down to its robust 12+2 digital power phase VRM design. And to cool these beefy VRMs, we get some equally competent heat sinks. Connectivity is a key factor; you get an M.2 expansion card and Intel Gigabit connectivity. In addition, you get dual M.2 slots, USB 3.2 support, and Type-C connectors.
Next best AM4 motherboard: Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master
GIGABYTE X570 AORUS Master
Intended Build
High-end
Form Factor
ATX
Overclock Support
Yes
Socket
AM4
Chipset
X570
- high performance
- Dual Ethernet Connectivity
- 3x PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots
- Steel back makes it pretty heavy
The X570 Aorus master pretty much pushes your PC to the limits. This AM4 motherboard offers many premium features missing in many other competitor boards. For seamless power delivery, you get a 14 direct phase 12+2 VRM design supplemented by Infineon IR3556 MOSFETS and topped off with a traditional fin-type heat sink. For storage, you get a competent assortment of 3x PCIe 4.0 slots.
Best budget AM4 motherboard: Asus TUF Gaming Plus X570
ASUS TUF GAMING X570-PLUS (WI-FI)
Intended Build
Mid/High Builds
Form Factor
ATX
Socket
AM4
Chipset
X570
- PCIe 4.0 support
- Brilliant for the price
- On board WiFi
The Asus TUF X570 Gaming Plus is a competent, yet budget-friendly AM4 option. It features all the bells and whistles of your standard AM4 motherboard, without putting a hole in your wallet. You get enhanced CPU performance paired with DDR4 4,133MHz bus speed support. You get a generous assortment of PCIe 4.0 slots along with the addition of a decent on-board WiFi card. All-in-all, you can’t go wrong with the Asus TUF X570–that is, if you’re operating on a tight budget.
What Makes a Good AM4 Motherboard?
Motherboards are all about compatibility. Motherboards have different chipsets, but AMD’s are way more forgiving than Intel’s. You also want to check it supports your RAM and it’s got enough PCIe slots, memory slots and ports, taking into account any extras you might want to add later. Finally, think about casing; make sure it can actually fit into your case.
There are 3 main sizes (or to use the more technical term, form factors) of motherboard: ATX is the largest and most ‘standard’ size, Micro-ATX is smaller and Mini-ITX is the smallest. (I know, you would think Micro would be the smallest but it isn’t). Generally, the bigger the board, the better; it will have more features and connectors, heatsinks, card expansion slots, and RAM slots.
Micro and Mini have to inevitably make some sacrifices, and you’re never going to get as good value as an ATX board, so we recommend ATX if you can swing it.
How We Choose AM4 Motherboards
Although specs are important, real-life testing is even better. For example, gaming benchmarks, overclocking testing, and efficiency all paint a much better picture of performance.
We always bear the user purpose in mind, instead of just going for the highest specs. You don’t want to overspend for nothing. The price has to be reasonable, but even more importantly, can you get more for your money elsewhere?
In Summary
It’s 2023, and AM4 is still relevant to this day. This stance is only strengthened by the fact that AMD stated that they’re going to continue support for the AM4 platforms for years to come. Paired with cross-generation support, you can’t go wrong with any of our top AM4 motherboard picks.
