While AMD has jumped into its 4th generation of Ryzen CPUs with the Ryzen 7000 series, the AM4 socket still offers those on a budget a more affordable option. With that, you might be wondering what the best AM4 motherboard is. AM4 may not be the best motherboard pick for gamers any more thanks to the introduction of AM5 but still offers more than enough life for those who don’t need 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 very relevant in 2024.
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 best CPUs, the AM4 socket is expected to live for much longer. 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
Just in case you don’t have time to read the full article, we have selected the ASUS ROG STRIX X570-F Gaming as the best AM4 motherboard, why? Because it offers some of the best power delivery and connectivity of any AM4 motherboard out there. it may be a little pricey, but you get what you pay for.
AM4 motherboard or AM5?
AM4 is fantastic when it comes 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, or justify upgrading their CPU. Still, the new AM5 socket and all the advancements that come 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 plans for your gaming PC.
We fully advise going for a next-gen rig with an AM5 motherboard if you can afford it but if not, AM4 still has plenty to offer. Here are the best AM4 motherboards.
Best AM4 Motherboard: Asus ROG Strix X570-F Gaming
- 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.
The motherboard stands as one of the best motherboards ever manufactured, not just the best AM4 motherboard, it is a personal favorite of ours and that is why we couldn’t resist recommending the Strix.
Next best AM4 motherboard: Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master
- 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.
X570 is the chipset you should be aiming for if you can, and the Aorus Master provides. AM4 might be a little outdated by this point, but this motherboard still has plenty to offer an AM4 CPU.
Best budget AM4 motherboard: Asus TUF Gaming Plus 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.
The ASUS TUF is always a great option when sticking to a strict budget, there is an ASUS Prime X570 motherboard you can opt for should you need to adhere to a tighter budget. However, we feel the ASUS TUF gives you much more bang for the buck, and it looks great too.
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 the 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.
FAQs
Yes, AM4 and all of the compatibility it has with even the latest hardware makes it a very compelling but limited option. It’s not fully seen just how limited AM4 is in contrast to AM5, as we’ve only seen 1 real desktop generation on the AM5 platform. AM5 still has a lot to prove.
If you’re on a tighter budget, AM4 offers plenty in the way of performance, and should still compete in gaming workloads for a couple of years to come.
Yes, AM4 and the performance-compatible components bring is still plenty enough power for 2024. Ther isn’t a game out there that a top-shelf GPU and a Ryzen 7 5800X3D, or a 5950X couldn’t handle in high settings. And that’s how it will stay for at least another 2 to 4 years, by our reckoning.
In Summary
It’s 2024, and AM4 is still relevant to this day. This stance is only strengthened by the fact that AMD promised that they’re going to continue to support 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.
All of the compatible hardware that AM4 supports comes together to make for one heck of a machine, and there isn’t a lot that AM4 can’t handle. We think you’ll be just fine opting for an AM4-based system in 2024. Any of the best AM4 motherboard picks here will serve you, and any AM4 CPU you have well for years to come.