Best Motherboard 2021: Great Selections for Intel or AMD Processors


When building a PC, the motherboard connects all the components together, which means getting the best motherboard possible for your budget or use case should be a high priority! 

Motherboards are specific to each processor manufacturer and have a variety of sockets, which support various processors. The latest sockets are the Intel LGA 1200 socket and the AMD AM4 socket, the AM4 socket can support nearly any Ryzen processor while the Intel LGA 1200 socket can support the 10th generation and 9th generation processors. 

If you're looking to upgrade more than just your motherboard, you may want to check out our Best PC Cases 2021 or Best Ram 2021, which have some fantastic deals for crucial gaming components.

So whether you're looking for a cracking AMD motherboard for the B550 chipset in the ASUS ROG Strix B550-F or more of a gaming-oriented pick for Intel CPUs with the MSI MEG Z490, we've got you covered right here.

Overclockers read on! We've found what may be a good motherboard for your next system. 

Best Motherboard 2021

Best AMD Motherboard B550 Chipset - ASUS ROG Strix B550-F Gaming

Image Credit: Asus
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Image Credit: Asus

The B550 chipset has been designed with the latest Ryzen processors series in mind, In addition to being built for the newest Ryzen processors, this motherboard features support for PCIe 4.0. 

Using PCIe 4.0 graphics cards get a larger amount of bandwidth allowing for better performance from low-end to high-end graphics cards. 

Anyone looking to future-proof their system and has no plans to change to an Intel platform, then the ROG Strix B550-F may be a perfect addition to your setup!

Best Intel Motherboard Design - NZXT N7 Z490

NZXT Motherboard
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Image Credit: NZXT

NZXT is well known to create some of the most stylish PC cases and peripherals, But the N7 Z490 Gaming motherboard follows NZXT's style pattern, perfectly.

This motherboard has a matte black or white finish that covers the PCB only allowing the needed ports and slots to be shown. 

In addition to this style, it can support the latest Intel Processors (10th Generation) and features support for Bluetooth 5.1. This style and features do significantly raise the cost of this motherboard. 

Best Intel Motherboard Gaming - MSI MEG Z490 Unify

Image Credit: MSI
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Image Credit: MSI

Getting the best of the best can be tough, especially when it comes to PC components, this is due to the complexity of each part. 

The MSI MEG Z490 Unify features a maximum RAM speed of 4,800 MHz with a maximum RAM capacity of 128 GB, this allows content creators or video editors to have the best PC possible. 

Alongside the expanded RAM storage, It features the Triple Turbo M.2 slots. These slots allow for a massive amount of storage to be easily installed without taking up any extra space inside the PC case. 

Best Budget Intel Motherboard - ASROCK H410M-HDV

Image Credit: ASROCK
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Image Credit: ASROCK

Getting a motherboard can be expensive, but if your next PC is on a tight budget then this motherboard may be a perfect choice! 

The ASROCK H410M-HDV has a maximum RAM speed of 2,933 MHz and it only has two RAM slots, this does limit the maximum RAM capacity. 

This motherboard features a microATX size, which means that it only has a single full-sized PCIe slot. 

Best AMD Motherboard Gaming - Gigabyte X570 AORUS Elite

Image Credit: Gigabyte
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Image Credit: Gigabyte

Having a motherboard that supports the latest AMD processors (Ryzen 5000 CPU Series) while still providing support for the previous AMD processors is easy, this is due to the Ryzen processor series using the same socket, the AM4 socket. 

This motherboard features true 12 Phase digital VRM and an extended VRM heatsink, This design makes it perfect for overclockers. 

For storage, the X570 AORUS Elite has Dual Ultra-fast NVMe PCIe 4.0/3.0 slots, which allows for faster data transfer and more storage for a PC without taking up space within the PC case. 

Best Budget AMD Motherboard - AsRock B550M-HDV

Image Credit: ASRock
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Image Credit: ASRock

BUDGET AMD: Latest Ryzen processor support at a lowered cost!

This motherboard is the AMD version of the ASROCK H410M-HDV, this version has a variety of changes including the full-sized PCIe slot being closer to the CPU socket while the smaller PCIe slot is closer to the edge. 

The full-sized PCIe slot can support PCIe 4.0 specifications, while the smaller PCIe slot can support PCIe 3.0 specifications. 

With the ASRock B550M-HDV, you'll find it features a six-power phase design, which makes it focused on the budget PC builders rather than overclockers. 

Looking to use your new motherboard, but don't have any RAM? Then check out the Best RAM 2021 article! 

Don't forget to check back in with us, as we'll be updating this list with the latest and greatest. 

READ MORE:Best Monitors for Competitive Gaming 

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