Best Next-Gen Gaming Motherboards (Intel & AMD)

We rated, reviewed, & compared some of the best gaming motherboards across various budgets, including the best Intel motherboards and the best AMD motherboards.

The motherboard is the central communication center for your computer. It’s where all of your components plug into and are able to communicate with each other. The motherboard you choose for your gaming computer will have a huge impact on the quality of your build. If you choose a low-end cheap motherboard, you will be limited to what kind of hardware you can get.

However, if you choose a feature-rich and powerful motherboard, you will not only experience the benefits now, but you will also set yourself up with plenty of options to upgrade in the future.

While a motherboard isn’t going to have a direct impact on your gaming experience, it does play a huge role in your computer. Therefore, you need to consider allocating a decent portion of your budget towards your motherboard.

In this post, we’ve taken a look at the best motherboards for gaming across a handful of categories and price ranges. So, whether you’re looking for an affordable gaming motherboard or a high-end overclocking motherboard, there will be a motherboard option for you on this list.

*NOTE: If you’re looking to build a smaller form-factor gaming PC check out our guide on the Best Mini-ITX Motherboards to find options that will work for your mini system.

Quick Look: Motherboard Comparison

The table below showcases our top picks for the best Z790 motherboard, the best X670 motherboard, two solid mini-ITX motherboards (for Intel and AMD), the best B760 motherboard, the best B650 motherboard, and two budget-friendly options.

		NAME	SPECS
Z790		ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero	Standard ATX PCIe 5.0 LGA 1700 192GB DDR5	Check Price Read Review »
X670		GIGABYTE X670E AORUS Xtreme	E-ATX PCIe 5.0 AM5 192GB DDR5	Check Price Read Review »
Intel ITX		ASUS ROG Strix B760-I Gaming	Mini-ITX PCIe 5.0 LGA 1700 96GB DDR5	Check Price Read Review »
AMD ITX		ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming	Mini-ITX PCIe 5.0 AM5 96GB DDR5	Check Price Read Review »
B760		MSI MAG B760 Tomahawk	Standard ATX PCIe 5.0 LGA 1700 192GB DDR5	Check Price Read Review »
B650		ASUS TUF Gaming B650-PLUS	Standard ATX PCIe 5.0 AM5 128GB DDR5	Check Price Read Review »
H610		MSI PRO H610M-G	Micro-ATX PCIe 4.0 LGA 1700 64GB DDR4	Check Price Read Review »
A620		GIGABYTE A620M S2H	Micro-ATX PCIe 4.0 AM5 96GB DDR5	Check Price Read Review »

*For more information on the motherboards listed above, just click the “Read Review »” link to jump down to read our overview on that motherboard.

1. ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero

The best Z790 motherboard

There are a handful of excellent high-end Z790 chipset motherboards currently available. And, for the most part, at similar price points you can expect similar quality. One extreme option that will be sure to suit you well is ASUS’ ROG Maximus Z790 Hero.

This Z790 chipset board isn’t cheap. It will set you back ~$550. However, it is a feature-packed motherboard that won’t limit you on the type of system you can build.

This motherboard can support up to 192GB of DDR5 RAM across its four dimm slots (48GB per DIMM) and can hit memory clock speeds as high as 7800MHz.

With 20+1 teamed power stages rated for 90A per stage, the Maximus Z790 Hero will provide you with enough power to attempt massive overclocks. And, with PCIe 5.0 support you’ll be able to get the most out of your graphics card, as well as utilize a newer and faster PCIe 5.0 NVME SSD.

Ultimately, if you’re looking for a motherboard for a 13th- or 14th-Gen CPU that will offer you an ample amount of connectivity, support for next-gen technology (DDR5, PCIe 5.0, etc.), and a robust power design for extreme overclocking, you should put the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero at the top of your list.

2. GIGABYTE X670E AORUS Xtreme

The best X670 motherboard

If you’re looking to build a new AMD Ryzen-based gaming PC and you have an unlimited budget, the GIGABYTE X670E AORUS Xtreme is a motherboard option you’ll want to consider.

This motherboard offers an advanced 18+2+2 power design, which make it a perfect option for anyone who wants to go for big overclocks. It can also support up to a total of 192GB of DDR5 memory (48GB per DIMM slot), comes with PCIe 5.0 support, 4x M.2 socket 3 connectors, plenty of RGB connection options, a USB Type-C port, and plenty of USB 3.2 ports and headers.

The downside of this motherboard is that its extreme design comes with a hefty premium. This motherboard comes in at nearly $700. There are excellent X670 motherboard options for ~$200. And, while they may not allow you to chase overclocking records, they will still be good enough to run a high-end Ryzen CPU.

So, like with the Intel-based Z790 motherboard listed above, if you aren’t planning on doing serious overclocking, you could save a lot of money without losing too much functionality if you opted for a more tempered X670 board. But, if you need to accommodate extreme performance for Ryzen system and you don’t care about how much you spend, then the GIGABYTE X670E AORUS Xtreme is probably the motherboard for you.

3. ASUS ROG Strix B760-I Gaming

The best Intel mini-ITX motherboard

For the best Intel-based next-gen mini-ITX motherboard, we chose ASUS’ ROG Strix B760-I Gaming. I use this motherboard in my own system and highly recommend it for anyone who is looking to build a new SFF system.

Of course, there are a handful of Z790 chipset mini-ITX motherboards available as well. However, given that mini systems will naturally restrict the kind of system tuning you can perform due to limited space (and, therefore limited airflow and cooling support), a B760 chipset seemed like the option that would suit the widest range of SFF builders’ needs.

Of the B760 mini-ITX motherboards out there, the ASUS’ ROG Strix B760-I Gaming is as good of an option as any.

It supports 14th-, 13th-, and 12th-Gen Intel CPUs, supports DDR5 memory, features PCIe 5.0 technology, and comes with two M.2 slots. For RAM, you can fit up to 96GB on the board’s two DIMM slots (48GB per slot) and hit memory clock speeds as high as 7600MHz.

In the end, this ASUS mini-ITX motherboard will provide not only all of the connection options possible for a mini-ITX motherboard, but it also comes with all of the next-generation features you’ll need to get the most performance out of your SFF build.

4. ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming

The best AMD mini-ITX motherboard

For an AMD-based mini-ITX PC build, the ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming is an excellent choice. Again, there are X670 chipset mini-ITX motherboards available, so if you want to build a SFF system that can accommodate extreme overclocking, that would be the better route.

However, the majority of users building a mini system likely won’t be looking to hit huge overclocks and, as such, a B650 chipset motherboard will likely make more sense.

The ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming comes with everything you need in order to build a high-end SFF gaming PC. It can hold up to 48GB of DDR5 RAM per DIMM slot for a total of 96GB max. This motherboard supports overclocking memroy up to speeds of 8000MHz.

It also comes with one PCIe 5.0 x16 lane to accommodate next-gen graphics cards and supports PCIe 5.0 on one of its two M.2 slots so you can utilize one of the latest NVME SSDs.

The bottom line is that, if you’re looking to build a powerful mini AMD-based system and you need a motherboard that won’t limit the kinds of components you can use, then the ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming is an option worth checking out.

5. MSI MAG B760 Tomahawk

The best B760 motherboard

Not everyone wants to (or needs to) overclock their system. With most modern games being heavily GPU-bound, overclocking has less of an impact on gaming performance. So, one route builders go to save money (either to keep, or to allocate to other components) is to opt for a locked CPU and a motherboard that isn’t designed for overclocking.

Right now, Intel’s B760 chipset is the perfect option for such builders. And, of the B760 chipset motherboards currently available, MSI’s MAG B760 Tomahawk is one of the better options.

The MSI MAG B760 Tomahawk is a standard-ATX LGA 1700 socket motherboard that can hold up to 192GB of DDR5 RAM across its four DIMM slots. Memory can be overclocked to hit speeds as high as 7000MHz.

The Tomahawk features one PCIe 5.0 x16 lane to maximize the performance from your graphics card. It also comes with three PCIe 4.0 M.2 ports to hold multiple NVME drives. This motherboard also comes with a USB 3.2 Type C port and Type A ports on the I/O panel.

Ultimately, for just under ~$200, the MSI MAG B760 Tomahawk is an excellent mid-range motherboard option. It’s a great option for non-overclockers as it will support a high-end system without costing an arm and a leg.

6. ASUS TUF Gaming B650-PLUS

The best B650 motherboard

A nice mid-range option for AMD-based systems is the B650 chipset. Unlike Intel’s mid-range chipset options, AMD’s middle-tier chipsets do allow overclocking.

Obviously, the B650 chipset motherboards won’t have the robust VRMs found on their X670 boards that are necessary for extreme overclocking. However, some of the B650 motherboards are strong enough to support mild overclocking.

Of the B650 motherboards currently available, we’ve chosen ASUS TUF Gaming B650-PLUS as our pick for the best B650 board. ASUS’ TUF lineup is known for its excellent build quality and the same is true for this motherboard. Its 12+2 power design will let you achieve decent overclocks without the extreme cost of the X670 chipset.

The standard-ATX board can support up to 128GB of DDR5 RAM and can achieve memory clock speeds of up to 7600MHz. It doesn’t come with a PCIe 5.0 x16 lane for your graphics card, but it does support PCIe 5.0 on on of the three M.2 slots.

Overall, the ASUS TUF Gaming B650-PLUS is a solid alternative choice for gamers who are looking to build a high-end AMD-based gaming PC, but who either don’t want to overclock at all, or who aren’t trying to achieve record-breaking overclocks.

7. MSI PRO H610M-G

The best H610 motherboard

Intel has now released their 14th generation CPUs, but they still haven’t released an H710 chipset motherboard to pair with their 13th generation chips. So, if you’re looking for a budget-friendly motherboard option for either the 12th, 13th, or 14th gen Intel CPUs, your best bet is the older H610 chipset.

The H610 chipset is limited a bit in the kind of system you can build on it. It doesn’t have DDR5 memory support and you won’t find any H610 boards with PCIe 5.0. You’ll also be limited on the amount of RAM you can utilize.

Still, though, for anyone who is looking to build a basic budget or mid-range gaming PC an H610 motherboard can work just fine. And, of the H610 motherboards out there, MSI’s PRO H610M-G is worth considering.

At just under $80 this micro-ATX motherboard will allow you to allocate more money to your GPU and CPU, while still offering the basic connection options to build your system. It can support up to 64GB of DDR4 memory across its two DIMM slots, has a PCIe 4.0 x 16 lane, offers PCIe 3.0 support on its M.2 slot, and comes with plenty of USB 3.2 ports and headers.

8. GIGABYTE A620M S2H

The best A620 motherboard

If you’re working with a tight budget and you want to build an affordable AMD-based gaming PC, depending on how limited your budget is, you might want to consider an A620 chipset motherboard.

Like Intel’s H610 chipset, AMD’s A620 is a stripped down chipset. It won’t allow you to house an extreme system or overclock your CPU to insane levels. However, if all you want to do is build a 1080P gaming PC, it will allow you to do so.

Right now, GIGABYTE’s A620M S2H is a solid A620 chipset option. It supports DDR5 memory technology and can hold up to 96GB of RAM across its two DIMM slots. This motherboard also features one PCIe 4.0 x16 lane and offers one M.2 connector (also PCIe 4.0.)

In the end, the GIGABYTE’s A620M S2H isn’t going to blow anyone away with an advanced set of features. It’s a basic motherboard that offers a cost-efficient way to build a PC.

Which Motherboard is Right for You?

While your motherboard isn’t going to have any kind of direct impact on your in-game experience, it will play a large role in determining what components you can put into your build. The cheaper the motherboard you choose, the more limited you will be.

However, if you are working with a tight budget, you can definitely choose a less-expensive motherboard. And, if all you are planning on doing is building a single video card setup then you don’t necessarily have to spend hundreds of dollars on an extreme motherboard.

Ultimately, though, your motherboard is an important part of your computer and you should definitely take the time to choose one that will serve your needs and even will give you upgrade options in the future.