The Best Motherboards For AMD Ryzen 7 2700X Processors
We find the best motherboard for AMD's Ryzen 7 2700X
Share this article...
When it comes to building a new PC from scratch or simply upgrading a couple of components, knowing what to buy is a difficult choice. It can be both an exciting and daunting process. With so many different components out there to choose from, how do you know which ones to pick? Even if you pick something you like the look of, you need to make sure it’s compatible on top of that. If not, then you have to start the search all over again.
When shopping around for motherboards, compatibility is one of the most important things to look at. If your motherboard is not compatible with your CPU, you’ll have the sad job of choosing which component to return.
If you’ve chosen an AMD Ryzen 7 2700X processor, you’ll need to focus on specific motherboards that offer an AM4 socket. If you were to choose an Intel processor, you’d need to focus on different sockets depending on what generation the CPU is. For example, 9th generation CPUs require an LGA 1151 socket whereas 10th generation ones need a new LGA 1200 socket.
The Ryzen 7 2700X may be a long way away from brand new, but it still has plenty to give especially as a budget CPU. You can pick one of these bad boys up for next to pennies now, and it’ll serve you fairly well in 1080p and some 1440p scenarios.
As you can see, it can be a bit of a hassle trying to find the right motherboard. That’s why we’ve put this guide together to help you choose the best motherboard for you.
With that in mind, let’s first take a quick look at the motherboards we’ll be covering. Then we’ll move on to explaining some of the key things to consider when buying a new motherboard.
Our Top Picks
How We Choose
Choosing any component for your gaming PC is hard enough. There’s so much choice out there that it’s hard to know where to start. That’s why we put together guides like this to help you narrow down your choice and find the perfect motherboard.
We put a lot of research into any components we recommend. Where possible, we like to test them out ourselves. If that’s not possible, we conduct thorough research and read countless reviews, benchmarks, specification lists, and comparison tests. That way, we can confidently recommend components that we know will offer great performance.
If you’re already tired of doing research, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll help you focus on just a few recommended motherboards to consider to save you wasting any more time.
Things To Consider
What Budget Should I Set For An AMD Ryzen 7 2700X Motherboard?
If you’re looking for an idea of budget, the good news is that there are motherboards at various price points. You’re bound to find something that suits your budget and needs. The type of motherboards you’ll need to look at are B350, B450, X370, and X470 chipset boards. B450 boards can cost anywhere between $200 to $400 although you can find cheaper and higher-end ones, of course.
Of course, the price determines how many features you end up with. Those motherboards on the lower end of the scale will compromise by offering fewer USB slots, PCIe lanes, or SATA ports. Higher-end boards will usually offer plenty of ports and the latest technology such as high-speed USB slots and RGB lighting.
Socket Type
Once you’ve got a budget in mind, the next most important thing to look at is compatibility. The main thing we’re looking at here is the socket type before anything else. The socket on a motherboard is the bit you plug your CPU into. Naturally, it needs to fit!
With a Ryzen 7 2700X, like most AMD processors these days, you’ll need an AM4 socket. If you were to pick up an Intel processor, on the other hand, you’d need to look at different sockets entirely. 9th generation Intel processors require an LGA 1151 but if you were to upgrade to one of the latest 10th generation processors, you’d need a completely different motherboard with an LGA 1200 socket instead.
This is one of the key things to check before you purchase a motherboard. It can lead to a lot of disappointment if you end up with an incompatible board.
Form Factor
Simply put, the form factor is the size of the motherboard. It may surprise you to learn that there are several different motherboard sizes, which we’ve outlined below.
- Mini-ITX – 6.7” x 6.7”
- Mini-ATX – 5.9” x 5.9”
- microATX – 9.6” x 9.6”
- ATX – 12” x 9.6”
- eATX – 12” x 13”
This means you’ll need to be careful that you’re picking a motherboard that actually fits in your PC case. The last thing you want to do is fork out for a giant eATX only to find out you can’t get it into your case at all. You’ll end up having to start the search for the perfect motherboard all over again. So, spend some time checking what size your PC case will handle before you buy.
Chipset
Once you’ve looked at socket compatibility and form factor, the next big consideration is the chipset. You may have noticed that different motherboards have different chipsets. As we mentioned in the budget section, the main ones to focus on for this CPU are the B350 and B450.
The chipset mostly determines how many devices you’ll be able to connect to your motherboard as well as the type of features it’ll offer.
Ports
Nowadays, with so many devices and peripherals on the average desk, you need somewhere to plug them all in. Not having enough ports for this can be pretty frustrating and you may end up needing to invest in a hub. However, if you can pick a motherboard that has it all, this will save you some money and hassle.
Be on the lookout for motherboards that have a good number and variety of ports – especially high-speed ports.
Here’s a list of ports to check for when shopping for a new motherboard:
- USB 3.1 Gen2
- USB 3 / USB 3.1 Gen1
- USB Type-C
- DisplayPort
- HDMI
- Thunderbolt 3
- Audio Ports
- PS/2 Ports
Expandability
On a similar note, the expandability of your motherboard is another key factor to take into account. You need to make sure you can fit all the components you want into the motherboard so be on the lookout for expansion slots.
Examples of components you need expansion slots for include graphics cards, sound cards, hard drives, solid-state drives, and a Wi-Fi module. If your needs are much more specific and you need additional components such as an extra graphics card, then you’ll need a board with extra slots. This will push your budget up considerably though.
You’ll find that one way budget and small form factor boards compromise, is by offering fewer expansion slots. This may be fine for some, but consider how many you need before you go and buy a motherboard.
The The Best Motherboards For AMD Ryzen 7 2700X Processors
In-depth Review
- Doesn’t sacrifice many slots considering its size
- Not the best I/O options
If you’re looking to put your Ryzen 7 2700X inside a compact build, you’ll want to grab a small form-factor motherboard packed full of features. The ASRock AB350M PRO4 definitely fits this description. Despite its small size, you’ll still find four SATA3 ports, two M.2 ports, one PCIe 3.0 x16, one PCIe 2.0 x16, one PCIe 2.0 x1, and four DDR4 DIMM slots.
If you manage to make room to see it in your small build, this isn’t a bad looking motherboard. The white accents found throughout create a simple but sleek look that could easily be paired with other white components as part of a build theme. There isn’t any RGB to be found on this board either – which may put off some RGB fans. You will find an RGB header though if you’d like to install an RGB strip.
On the rear of the motherboard, you’ll find a fairly standard set of ports. There are two PS/2 ports, two USB 2.0 Type-A ports, DVI-D and D-Sub ports, an HDMI port, a USB 3.0 Type-C port, four USB 3.0 Type-A ports, three audio jacks, and a LAN port.
- Great audio
- Good array of ports
- Expensive for a B350 board
If you want to pick up a motherboard that allows for a bit more customization, the ASUS ROG STRIX B350-F is a stylish looking board with an understated design. With the looks giving off more of a military-style feel, this motherboard is mainly black with a bit of brushed metal in places. There is also a small segment of RGB on this board that can be customized to your heart’s content. If you’d like to add your own RGB strips, there are also two Aura RGB strip headers available.
If you’re looking for storage capabilities, you’ll find six SATA 6 Gb/s ports and a single M.2 socket for storage. There are also two PCIe 3.0 x16 slots, a PCIe 2.0 x16 slot, and a single PCIe 2.0 x1 slot.
For the audio buffs, there is a SupremeFX audio chip on this motherboard that has some pretty impressive stats. There is a 113dB signal-to-noise ratio, a low-dropout regulator, and Texas Instruments RC4580 and OPA1688 op-amps. As well as the standard audio ports, the rear of the motherboard also has an optical S/PDIF out port.
- Affordable
- Limited overclocking ability
This is a fairly budget range motherboard that won’t cost you a fortune. For the price, you get great value so it’s ideal for those who are looking for a simple and reliable performer.
This motherboard comes with a good amount of RGB lighting which is great to see for a budget board. In terms of ports, we can see two USB 2.0 headers and one USB 3.1 Gen 1. There are four-angled SATA3 headers and 2 vertical SATA headers. It also comes with a couple of handy M.2 slots that support PCIe Gen3 x4 and x2 – only the top slot supports PCIe Gen3x16 though.
Gigabyte has held back on some features, but for the price, it’s hard to argue with. For example, the fan header could do with moving to a different position for greater cooling options.
The performance on this board stands up with equivalent X470 models but just falls short when performing certain tasks and running demanding software such as After Effects. However, if you are not planning to push this board to the limit, it could be a great choice for you.
- Great aesthetics
- Good overclocking power
- Expensive
Finishing off our list is a strong contender – the ASUS ROG Crosshair VI Extreme. This is part of the powerful Crosshair family and is perfect for those looking for a high-end motherboard. It’s our only X370 chipset board on the list, which usually means it’s a higher-end model.
With great water cooling support and a good range of features and ports, this should fare well in most tasks. Like most ASUS ROG components, it looks great, with specks of RGB lighting throughout in strips and on the logos.
The design supports 5-way optimization which features a one-click system-wide overclocking ability. With the ASUS Safeslot and premium components, this motherboard has durable components that will stand up to demanding tasks and gaming.
In terms of connectivity, you have six SATA ports, dual M.2 slots plus USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A, and Type-C connectors. There are three PCIe 3.0 x 16 slots. To keep things cool, there’s a range of fan headers and compatibility with water coolers.
Naturally, with all these features and ports, this motherboard does rack up a big price. It typically sells for around $400 so that may be enough to put some people off.
Final Word
We hope that this buyer’s guide has helped solve any of the questions you might have had about picking a new motherboard. We’ve tried to list a small variety of AMD Ryzen 7 2700X motherboards today, but we simply couldn’t list them all.
Did we miss a great motherboard from our list today? Do you have any questions that we didn’t quite manage to answer? Drop us a comment below or head over to our Community Hub for a chat. It’s full of people who love talking about tech and you’ll easily be able to find the help you need.
WePC is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices subject to change. Learn more
