8 Best Motherboards for Ryzen 5 3600X 2024 – Review and Buying Guide

Ryzen 5 3600X is one of the top choices in the mid-range CPU segment, and it is for a good reason.

With its six-core chip, 12-threads, and a boost frequency of 4.4GHZ, it quickly became one of the most popular CPUs on the market, as it offers high-end specs and performances for a reasonable price.

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Best Motherboards for Ryzen 5 3600X

1. ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero X570S

Our top pick for today had to be Crosshair VIII Dark Hero. ASUS has released its most advanced ATX motherboard to date, which will satisfy even the most demanding users. It is part of the ROG (Republic of Gamers) line of products, which are known for their quality and longevity.

This motherboard has all of the features you could think of. It’s based on the AM4 socket, and it supports every CPU from the Ryzen 2/3/4/5 series. As far as connectivity is concerned, it features an onboard WiFi 6 chip, which can deliver speeds up to 9.6 Gbps. It supports Gigabit Ethernet, with transfer speeds up to 2.5 Gbps.

The motherboard is easy to install, it comes with a pre-mounted I/O shield. If you ever built a PC, you know that installing the I/O shield can be a pretty daunting task, especially for beginners, so it’s nice to see a motherboard with the shield already installed.

X570S is the latest AMD chipset, and it guarantees top performances while offering the best overclocking capabilities, which makes it one of the best motherboards for Ryzen 5 3600X. ASUS offers 5-way optimization, a great overclocking feature that will automatically determine the highest clock speed for your rig.

There are four DIIM slots, which support up to 128 GB of DDR4 memory. Optimem III will help you get the most out of your RAM. It allows your memory to run at lower latencies and higher clock speeds, which can drastically improve your performance in some games and applications.

2. GIGABYTE X570 AORUS Xtreme

For those who want the best of the best, GIGABYTE X570 AORUS Xtreme is a perfect choice. It is most renowned for its power delivery system, as this is the first motherboard to feature the Infineon controller. It has 16 phases, and it can deliver a staggering 70 Amps of power, which opens up a whole new world of overclocking possibilities.

All X570 based motherboards have a cooling system, but AORUS Xtreme is one of the few ones that have fan-less, passive cooling. It utilizes a smart, interconnected series of heatsinks that resemble one giant heatsink, which allows this motherboard and its components to stay cool, even without a fan.

To get the most out of overclocking, you need to have complete control over the temperature of your components, and this motherboard gives you just that. With nine temperature sensors, which are spread evenly along the surface of the motherboard, you will be able to quickly identify any problematic hotspots within the case.

Expandability is great, as there are four PCI-E 4.0 slots, as well as three M2 slots. All of the M2 slots are passively cooled, which prevents them from thermal throttling. Wi-Fi 6 is also included on this motherboard, and there are two AORUS antenna connectors, so you can connect an external antenna to improve the range and performance.

3. ASRock B550 Taichi

ASRock has made some interesting design choices with the B550 Taichi, as they opted out for the more premium-looking X570 design that is usually reserved for higher-end boards. The metal backplate gives it a unique look, and it makes the motherboard more durable and rigid.

Thanks to its beefy 16 phase power delivery, this motherboard can house even the most powerful CPUs available on the market, and it will most certainly support the next-generation CPUs with a BIOS update. It supports up to four sticks of DDR4 RAM, with speeds up to 5000 MHz. It’s fully PCIe 4.0 compatible, so you can take advantage of the improved data transfer speeds.

Connectivity is another area in which this motherboard excels. It has a pre-installed M2 WiFi 6 module with transfer speeds of up to 2.5 Gbps. If you prefer to go wired, there is a 2.5 Gbps Intel LAN Controller. This motherboard also sports a high-fidelity sound card, which supports surround sound and digital output.

Back I/O has fully loaded with four USB 3.0 ports, with two additional 3.2 and Type-C ports. There are two USB 2.0 ports. For those who prefer to go wireless, there are two external WiFi antenna connectors. The addition of Clear CMOS and BIOS flashback buttons is always appreciated. BIOS flashback allows you to install the latest firmware without the need for a CPU. CMOS button is useful for overclocking, as it allows you to reset your motherboard settings to default.

4. ASUS ROG Strix X570-F Gaming

ASUS has released many great AM4 based motherboards, and ROG Strix X570-F is no exception. It’s one of the best picks in the mid-range segment, and even though it is one of the more affordable X570 based motherboards, it doesn’t skimp on features and expandability.

There are four DIIM slots, which can support up to 128 GB of RAM, with a maximum memory speed of 4400 Mhz. It supports both the Crossfire and SLI, which is why this motherboard is popular in multi-GPU builds.

You won’t have to worry about running out of SATA ports, as this motherboard has eight of them, which is much more than other competing models. Using the ASUS Aura, you will be able to control and customize the RGB lighting. RGB can also be controlled within the BIOS, although it offers only basic controls.

5. MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk

MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk is one of the better budget picks. It doesn’t compromise on features, it offers solid overclocking capabilities, while still maintaining a fair and accessible price.

Since it has a B550 chipset, this motherboard is a good pick if you plan on overclocking. Thanks to the capable 10+2+1 power delivery system, it outperforms most other motherboards in its price segment.

It has two full-speed PCIe 4 ports for added expandability. It supports up to 128 GB of DDR4 memory, with maximum speeds of up to 4866 MHz. DDR4 boost will help you get tighter timings and faster speeds out of your memory.  It has dual-LAN, a 2.5 Gbit, and a 1 Gbit port.

Another interesting feature is the “PCI-E Steel Armor”. It is an addition of extra solder points to the PCI-E slots, which helps the motherboard support the weight of heavier graphic cards. There is a high-quality audio card that supports surround sound and digital audio, which is pretty rare for budget motherboards.

6. ASUS ROG Strix B550-F Gaming

For those who are looking for a capable motherboard that won’t break the bank, ASUS ROG Strix B550-F Gaming is a perfect choice. This model still incorporates a lot of useful features that come with higher-end models, and it offers great expandability.

Based on the B550 chipset, it is a good alternative to the more expensive X570 based motherboards, while still having much greater capabilities than the B450 chipset. It houses a high-end power delivery system, which has 12+2 phases, ensuring it can run even the most power-hungry CPUs on the market.

Thanks to its passive cooling, you won’t have to worry about extra noise. This model has heatsinks on the VRM and the chipset, which prevents thermal throttling. It is PCIe 4.0 compatible, which lets it achieve high data transfer speeds that are available on the Ryzen 3000 series. Great sound quality is achieved thanks to the well-known SupremeFX S1220A codec, which supports surround sound and digital audio.

7. ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming 4

ASRock has always had a fine selection of low-to-mid level selection of motherboards, and this time it is no different. Even though this motherboard supports overclocking, don’t expect to break any records, as the power delivery system and cooling are not on par with the task. But if you don’t plan on overclocking, this motherboard could be the perfect addition to your build.

Its eight power phase is more than capable of delivering enough power for the current generation of CPUs. With four DIIM slots, you will be able to install up to 128 GB of RAM. Although the max supported RAM speed is listed at 2400 MHz, using the overclock mode you can run memories at speeds as fast as 4733 MHz

As far expandability is concerned, it features eight SATA ports, which is more than plenty, but there is only one M2 slot, which may not be enough for some users. The back I/O has six USB 3.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, an HDMI port, and a basic sound card, with no surround sound or digital audio capabilities.

8. MSI B450M Bazooka MAX WiFi

If you are building an office or casual set-up, chances are you don’t need all the extra premium features offered on the higher-end motherboards. That’s where MSI B450M Bazooka comes in handy, as it offers an affordable entry point into the world of personal computers.

Since this is a B450 based board, you can’t overclock the CPU, and there is a lack of PCI-E 4.0 support. But that doesn’t mean this board is stripped of all the premium features. There is an included WiFi and Bluetooth module, which makes this motherboard unique in its price range. With speeds of up to 480 Mbps, it will be more than enough for your everyday tasks and browsing. If you need faster transfer speeds, there is an onboard ethernet controller, which supports speeds of up to 1 Gbps.

I/O is pretty straightforward, with four USB 2.0 ports, which you will most likely use for peripherals. There are also four USB 3.0 ports, along with two WiFi antenna connectors. There is a basic audio card with three inputs, for the microphone, line-in, and line-out.

Buying Guide

Chipset

When trying to pick the best motherboards for Ryzen 5 3600X, it’s important to consider which chipset will best suit your needs. X570 and X570s are great for enthusiasts and power-users, who need top performances. X570/X570s chipsets offer the best overclocking capabilities, and they support the latest PCIe 4.0 standard.

While the B550 also offers PCIe 4.0 support, it can run only one PCIe lane in full x16 speed, whilst the X570/X570s boards don’t have this limitation, they can run multiple lanes at full speed. B550 chipset also comes with overclocking capabilities, but X570/X570s boards have much more overclocking options and are thus able to achieve higher clock speeds.

Networking capabilities

While most motherboards will have at least an ethernet controller, this can be one of those places where the manufacturer cheaps out, and it can hurt the end user a lot. While most motherboards today feature at least a 2,5 Gbit port, many budget ones will carry an outdated 1 Gbit port, which can bottleneck your internet speed. If you plan on going wireless, consider a model with onboard WiFi, as they have much greater range and transfer speeds compared to the external WiFi cards and dongles.

Number of USB ports

USB is likely the most popular format for proprietary devices, so always choose a motherboard with lots of ports. Everyone uses a keyboard and a mouse, add to that a webcam and a phone USB, and you already used up four slots, which is the standard number of ports on the back I/O. Most of the premium motherboards have extra ports, so consider spending more if you plan to connect a lot of devices and periapical to your PC.

Form factor

This is often an overlooked factor, especially for beginner PC builders, but it’s a really important one to consider. While the smaller factor ITX and mini-ATX motherboards can be useful for smaller builds, they face some limitations compared to the ATX boards. Smaller motherboards will have at most one PCIe expansion slot, which can be quite limiting if you decide to install an expansion card later on. Due to their small size, they can be a bad choice for gaming builds, as high-end GPUs surpass the length of the mini-ATX boards, and they also struggle to support the weight of a heavier GPU.

FAQ

Is B450 good for Ryzen 5 3600X?

It depends on what you’re looking for to get out of your build. B450 comes with some limitations compared to the B550 and X570. The main ones are lack of overclocking capabilities and lack of PCIe 4.0 support. Since the Ryzen 5 3600X is a PCIe 4.0 compatible CPU, you should go with at least B550 to get the most performance out of your Ryzen CPU.

How much RAM do I need for Ryzen 5 3600X?

For office builds, 16 GB will be plenty. If you are going for a higher-end or gaming build, consider getting at least 32 GB. For futureproofing, get at least 64GB.

Is Ryzen 5 3600X better than 3600?

The short answer is yes. Ryzen 5 3600 is clocked at 4.2 GHz (boost), while the X version is clocked at 4.4 GHz (boosted). Also, the 3600X supports overclocking, unlike the 3600 which has no overclocking capabilities.

What is the best ram speed for Ryzen 5 3600X?

Most applications and games today require fast ram speeds, so it’s best to pair up your Ryzen CPU with 4000 MHz or faster RAM.

Can I use AMD Ryzen 5 3600X without GPU?

No, AMD Ryzen 5 3600X doesn’t have an internal graphics unit, which means you will need to add a GPU to your build.

Can a Ryzen 5 3600X run 4k?

Ryzen 5 3600X is a high-end CPU, so it won’t have any troubles when running the latest games in 4K resolution. Do have in mind that 4K requires a high-end GPU, at least a 2070 Super.

Conclusion

There are a lot of great AM4 boards on the market, but we reviewed only the best motherboards for Ryzen 5 3600X. Each motherboard presented here will be a good pick, depending on your needs. Gamers and power users should pick one of the higher-end motherboards, as they offer better features and better overclocking potential. If you are building a PC for lightweight tasks, you could save some money by going for one of the budget picks, but they may lack some important features such as WiFi.

If these weren’t enough, check out some other picks from Amazon also:

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