Best Motherboard for Ryzen 5 2600
If you have an AMD Ryzen 5 2600 core processor, you may be wondering which motherboard is the best option for you
When it comes to choosing a motherboard, the option you choose is vital, especially if you already own a CPU or if you have a specific CPU you want to purchase in mind.
As only certain motherboards are compatible with certain CPUs, you will need to wisely. If you own a Ryzen 5 2600, you may be wondering which is the best compatible motherboard. To help you with your decision we have tested and carefully chosen the best possible components for you.
We have focused on specifications such as the form factor, RAM, PCIe, and chipset to help you with your decision.
If you need to check out our best AM4 motherboards then look no further. If you want information on AMD’s up and coming Zen 4 CPUs or AM5 motherboards, we have you covered there too.
Our Top Picks
How Do We Choose?
Here at WePC, we carefully consider and choose every product that we recommend to our readers and customers. Our team is dedicated to providing you with the best possible options and the most up-to-date and relevant specification information.
We always ensure to research and test the products featured thoroughly. We have many years of experience within the gaming field and have extensive knowledge of both PC components and also gaming accessories.
We take into consideration the price, quality, and customer experiences with the products chosen to ensure we are catering to a wide range of readers.
The motherboards we have featured within this article should appeal to a wide variety of gamers. They range in price to suit as many budgets as possible and they are all compatible with the Ryzen 5 2600.
Things To Consider
Before you purchase a new motherboard there are important factors you will need to take into consideration in addition to it being compatible with your Ryzen 5 2600 core processing unit.
Form Factor
When you are choosing a motherboard, it must have the correct form factor. It is the form factor that will enable compatibility and will determine whether or not it is suitable for your build.
The form factor is a fairly broad term and covers a handful of different specifications. The main being the type of motherboard it is. As with many other PC components, motherboards can vary in size. There are three main types to be aware of. The most common motherboard is the Advanced Extended Technology, it is a standard size, and is used in most tower builds.
If you are looking for a larger motherboard, the E-ATX is available. If you have a smaller PC build, an ITX motherboard that is smaller than the ATX can be purchased. While ITX motherboards are useful, they tend to have lower specifications overall in comparison to an ATX, such as fewer expansion slots.
In addition to the type of motherboard, you will also need to take into consideration the architecture used, and what types of expansion slots and ports it features.
Processor Socket
The processor socket is important to take into consideration as this socket is what will determine if the Ryzen 5 2600 is compatible with the motherboard. The processor socket needed for this CPU compatibility is the AM4 socket.
When choosing a motherboard for AMD CPUs, it will need some form of AM socket. In contrast to this, an Intel CPU uses a form of LGA socket. Both are not compatible with the opposing CPU, which is important to remember.
Chipset and PCI Slots
The chipset is important as this will enable the compatibility of the motherboard to your CPU. In addition to this, both must use compatible PCI sockets.
The chipset allows the transfer of data from the motherboard to your CPU, and the PCIe slots are what connects the motherboard to various components, including the CPU.
When looking at the PCIe interface, the newest form is PCIe 4.0. While PCIe 3.0 is still commonly used, PCIe 3.0 is the less futureproof of the two. The PCIe of the motherboard will need to match that of the CPU.
However, it is worth noting that these components can often be backward compatible with older models, which is useful and worth checking for. In addition to the interface, the number of PCIe busses is also worth noting. The more lines that are available, the faster the connection will be.
RAM
The RAM slots are key aspects to consider as this is the type of memory that your motherboard supports. Motherboards use a type of memory called DIMM. A good motherboard for gaming should have at least DDR3 to run smoothly. Ideally, it will use DDR4.
DDR4 is the newest form of DIMM and is far better than the older specifications. Its overall performance is great. While the RAM type is important, the amount of RAM featured should be considered too. For gaming, you will want to have 16GB RAM at a minimum.
SATA and NVMe
When looking at a motherboard, you should take into consideration the SATA and NVMe ports. These are what will connect your motherboard to external memory, such as SSDs.
There are two types of ports your motherboard should have: SATA and NVMe. The NVMe ports are also known as M.2 sockets.
Features
There are several additional features that you will want to take into consideration. These features will enhance your overall gaming experience and can help you to save money in the long run if they are already integrated into your motherboard.
One of the main additional features you will want to take into consideration is onboard Wi-Fi. This will save you money in having to purchase this separately, and it helps to speed up the desktop.
Ideally, you will want to choose a motherboard that has Wi-Fi 6 as this is the best available. However, Wi-Fi 5 is still acceptable and some cheaper motherboards do not feature any Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
Onboard audio is another aspect to consider as this will improve the sound in-game. Bluetooth, GB LAN, and overclocking capabilities are important to consider too.
You will want to ensure that the memory speed is good for gaming and take into consideration whether or not the motherboard features clear CMOS or flash bios buttons too.
The Best Motherboard for Ryzen 5 2600
In-depth Review
- Onboard audio with a boost which enhances sound in-game
- PCIe steel armor which is durable
- Good RAM storage
- Does not feature onboard Wi-Fi
The MSI B450 is a fantastic option for your Ryzen 5 2600. It uses a Windows 10 platform and DDR4 memory. The RAM storage capacity is 64GB which is great for gaming. It has memory speeds of up to 2133 MHz. There are 4 memory slots available and the memory performance is very high.
When looking at the connectivity and sockets, these are very fast, both the M.2 and USB 3.2 are turbo. In addition to this, the motherboard features Storemi technology. There is a DDR4 boost which helps to provide better data signals. These improve connectivity and the overall gaming experience.
The B450 has PCIe steel armor and a steel slot which are both particularly durable. While this motherboard is not PCIe 4.0, it is 3.0 and features 16 lanes. As this is an ATX motherboard it is suitable for regular towers. The motherboard features an audio boost which will enhance the quality of the sounds in-game. It does this through its dedicated amplifier and HD audio processor. While it features onboard audio, it does not have onboard Wi-Fi. However, it does feature cross-gen Ryzen support and enhanced BIOS
- Military-grade TUF components
- Fast 2400 MHz memory speeds
- Onboard Bluetooth
- It does not feature onboard Wi-Fi, this will need to be purchased separately
The ASUS TUF B450-PLUS Motherboard is one of the more expensive components we have featured. However, it is fantastic value for the money. It has an ATX form factor which is suitable for most towers. Its full dimensions are 10.4 x 13 x 2.1 inches.
It features 4 DIMM memory slots and has DDR4 technology. The connectivity speeds are particularly fast and provide an impressive performance overall. The memory speed is 2400 MHz.
The TUF protection helps to prevent overvoltage and keeps the slots and motherboard safe. The TUF components are military-grade and are particularly durable. It also has LANGuard.
It has a good cooling system with a Fan Xpert 4 Core and UEFI BIOS. While it does not feature Wi-Fi, it does have Bluetooth. This motherboard uses full RGB lighting and strips that can be customized. The motherboard uses a PCIe 3.0 interface and has one M.2 slot. There are 16 available PCIe lanes. The maximum memory capacity is 64 GB. The audio technology used is Realtek ALC887.
- M.2 slot provides speeds of up to 32 GB/s
- PCIe slots are steel armor and durable
- Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
- As this is a Micro ATX, it is better suited to smaller builds
The MSI Arsenal B450M Motherboard is the cheapest component we have featured. However, it is not lacking in its specifications. This motherboard is a Micro ATX. Given this, it is more suited to smaller towers. Its full dimensions are 9.6 x 9.6 x 1.5 inches.
The RAM technology it uses is DDR4 and there are 4 available memory slots. The memory speeds support up to 4133 MHz, and the DDR4 improves the motherboard’s connectivity and speed. In addition to this, the core boost helps to improve performance and is a fully digital power design.
The motherboard features 1 Turbo M.2 slot, and USB 3.2. The M.2 provides speeds of up to 32 GB/s. It has built-in wifi and Bluetooth which is useful. The PCIe slots are steel armor and the motherboard supports 2-Way AMD Crossfire. The heatsinks are heavy-duty and provide great cooling.
- Fantastic heatsink and cooling system
- Onboard audio and noise-canceling AI technology
- BIOS Flashback included
- As this is the most affordable motherboard featured, it does not feature Bluetooth or Wi-Fi
The ASUS B450-F is the most expensive motherboard featured, but it is still great value for the money. It has an ATX form factor and its full dimensions are 12 x 9.6 x 2 inches.
As explained by ASUS, the specifications included with this motherboard are not typically found on higher-end models. The RAM technology featured is DDR4 and there are 4 available slots. In addition to this, there are 6 SATA ports, 1 M.2 slot, BIOS flashback, and 4 USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports.
The heatsinks and cooling system provided are fantastic and there are multiple PWM fan headers featured. The audio featured is fantastic, and it features noise-cancelling AI technology. The onboard audio supports Sonic Studio III.
The motherboard features a dual PCIe 3.0 with 4 slots. It uses BIOS FlashBack and AI Networking. The only downside to this motherboard is that it does not feature onboard Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, which is understandable, given the price.
- RAM size of 64GB
- 2-Way AMD Crossfire
- The onboard audio is boosted by a dedicated amplifier
- As this is an inexpensive motherboard, it does not feature Bluetooth or Wi-Fi
The MSI B450-A Motherboard is another great choice if you are looking for a reasonably priced option. It has an ATX form factor, and its overall dimensions are 12 x 9.6 x 2 inches.
The RAM technology used is DDR4 and it has 4 memory slots available. In addition to this, the maximum RAM size is 64 GB. The overall memory speed is 2133 MHz.
It features a Flash BIOS button and supports 2-Way AMD Crossfire. The PCIe slots are steel armor which allows them to be particularly durable. It uses a PCIe 3.0 interface. It also features multi GPU support.
The motherboard has a core boost to increase overall gameplay and it is efficient and powerful overall. When looking at the memory performance, for a motherboard of this price, it is impressive.
While the motherboard does not feature Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, it does have onboard audio which is boosted by a dedicated amplifier. The audio signal is fantastic.
Final Word
To conclude, all five of the motherboards we have featured are fantastic value for the money. While some are more expensive than others, they are all affordable and a great option if you are shopping on a budget.
They are all compatible with the Ryzen 5 2600 CPU and provide some excellent specifications. They all have a good performance overall. As these are fairly inexpensive, some of the options do require additional Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to be purchased.
The most important thing to remember when purchasing a motherboard is to ensure that it is compatible with the components in your build and that it has all of the specifications you require.
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