It is never easy to determine what motherboard is the best for your gaming rig. There are so many factors to consider. But, fortunately, the B550 chipset is very capable, which makes it one of the better choices for gaming motherboards.
The BAWKS Motherboard buyer’s guide is a work in progress and we will update it regularly to provide our customers with the most detailed and accurate information we can.
I’ve never posted here before, but I have used this site to browse the boards. So I thought I would give it a shot. I am not a gamer, but I am more of a gamer nerd. I think the B551 boards are the best option for the money for gaming. At this point, I am fully satisfied with that choice, but it is nice to see some other opinions. I also have a more general gaming computer that I use for some games, but I do not run some of the games it can run. I dual boot Windows 10 and Ubuntu. I have the LGA 1150 socket and I chose this socket because I feel that it is the best for gaming.
Following the success of the B450 chipset, the B550 appeared for the first time in June 2020, turning the tables on Intel. B550 is essentially a reconditioned and outstanding entity that outperforms B450 in every aspect, including PCIe 4.0. Yes, you get PCIe 4.0 with the B550 motherboard, which is a vital expansion port for all high-end components.
Despite its higher position in the genealogy, the B550 chipset provides the same budget-friendly recipe to consumers. As a result, you won’t have to worry about missing out on the B550 chipset’s amazing features. The price-to-performance ratio is a good example of this. In layman’s terms, you’re getting double the performance of the B450 chipset for the same price.
Not to add, before going on to the tier list, I’d want to go over the B550 motherboard’s main characteristics. This will ensure that you stay on the same page and are aware of the critical components that go into the creation of a motherboard.
The B550 Motherboard’s Basic Components
To begin with, the B550 chipset has 20-lane PCIe 4.0 expansion slots. You get 4 uplink lanes and 16 storage lanes in general. It’s also worth noting that the B550 chipset supports PCIe 3.0, which is intended for universal slotting. In addition, the chipset has two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, six USB 3.1 Gen 1 connections, six USB 2.0 ports, and up to eight SATA ports [inclusive of other ports as well].
What is it about the B550 chipset that surprises you? You may start your gaming setup with a dual GPU configuration using this chipset. This implies that if you want to do animations or play games at high settings, the B550 chipset will be the one to help you out. I understand that dual GPU setups are only available on chipsets with the “X” version [for example, the X570], but you won’t find them on the “B” series. What an incredible game-changer!
So, in conclusion, the B550 motherboard is a watered-down version of the X570 chipset that has almost all of the capabilities needed for high-end gaming.
Tier List for the B550 Motherboard
Tier 1: Platinum
Because this post will concentrate on top-tier entities, I’ll divide them into tier lists ranging from platinum to bronze. First and foremost, the platinum tier is found in all of the most opulent and costly B550 motherboards to date. Not to add, the platinum tier is designed for gamers, so if you’re one of them and want to maximize the performance of your PC, choose any motherboard from this tier list. For what it’s worth, the platinum tier list also prioritizes motherboards that serve as all-rounders and have necessary value-added capabilities for smooth gaming. To be honest, you won’t be disappointed if you choose any motherboard from the tier list by accident.
| Gaming motherboard MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK | MSI | ATX | AM4, DDR4, PCIe 4.0/3.0, SATA 6Gb/s, M.2, USB 3.2 Gen 2, HDMI, and DP are among the features available. are among the features available. are among the features available. are among the features available. are among the features available. are among the features available. are among the features available. |
| MSI MPG B550 Gaming Carbon is a gaming laptop by MSI. | MSI | ATX | AM4, DDR4, PCIe 4.0/3.0, SATA 6Gb/s, M.2, USB 3.2 Gen 2, HDMI, and DP |
| Taichi ASRock B550 | ASRock | ATX | AM4, SATA, USB ports of various generations, HDMI, DP, and OC+ DDR4 DIMMs |
| Gaming AMD ASUS ROG Strix B550-F ASUS ROG Strix B550-F ASUS ROG Strix B550- | ASUS | ATX | PCIe 4.0/3.0, 2.5Gb LAN, BIOS flashback, HDMI 2.1, Gen 2 RGB addressable, AURA sync, and AM4 are just a few of the features available. |
| ASUS ROG Strix B550-A Gaming Asus ROG Strix B550-A Gaming Asus ROG Strix B | ASUS | ATX | PCIe 4.0/3.0, 2.5Gb LAN, BIOS flashback, HDMI 2.1, Gen 2 RGB addressable, AURA sync, and AM4 are just a few of the features available. |
| GIGABYTE B550 AORUS Pro GIGABYTE B550 AORUS Pro GIGABYTE B550 | GIGABYTE | ATX | RGB FUSION 2.0, PCIe 4.0/3.0, DDR4 RAM support, Dual M.2, SATA, 6GB/s, M.2, USB 3.2 Gen 2, 2.5 GbE LAN, RGB FUSION 2.0, PCIe 4.0/3.0 |
| B550I AORUS Pro AX Gigabyte | GIGABYTE | Mini-ITX | RGB FUSION 2.0, PCIe 4.0/3.0, DDR4 RAM support, Realtek ALC, Dual M.2, SATA, 6GB/s, M.2, USB 3.2 Gen 2, 2.5 GbE LAN, RGB FUSION 2.0, PCIe 4.0/3.0, DDR4 RAM support |
The top tier
The motherboards in the golden tier are ones that are within your budget. In essence, they are neither costly nor inexpensive, but rather lie somewhere in the between. Not to add, the golden tier goods adhere to the concept of total honesty, ensuring that you will not be dissatisfied if you purchase them. For what it’s worth, they’re as trustworthy as any platinum product and come equipped with all of the necessary capabilities for mid-high-end gaming. Finally, these motherboards are reliable and highly suggested for people who are new to PC gaming.
| WIFI MSI MPG B550 Gaming Edge MSI MPG B550 Gaming Edge MSI MPG B550 Gaming Edge MS | MSI | ATX | AM4, DDR4, PCIe 4.0/3.0, SATA 6Gb/s, M.2, USB 3.2 Gen 2, HDMI, and DP |
| Motherboard MSI B550-A PRO ProSeries | MSI | ATX | AM4, DDR4, PCIe 4.0/3.0, SATA 6Gb/s, M.2, USB 3.2 Gen 2, HDMI, and DP |
| TUF Gaming B550-PLUS by ASUS | ASUS | ATX | PCIe 4.0, 2.5Gb LAN, HDMI 2.1, BIOS flashback, USB 3.2 Gen2, Addressable RGB headers PCIe 4.0, 2.5Gb LAN, HDMI 2.1, BIOS flashback, USB 3.2 Gen2 |
| MPG B550 Gaming Plus by MSI | MSI | ATX | AM4, DDR4, PCIe 4.0/3.0, SATA 6Gb/s, M.2, USB 3.2 Gen 2, HDMI, and DP |
| AORUS Pro-P Gigabyte B550M | GIGABYTE | m-ATX | Thermal guards, USB 3.2 Gen2, DDR4 slots, PCIe 4.0/3.0, Micro-ATX |
| AMD AM4 ASUS ROG Strix B550-E Gaming | ASUS | ATX | Nvidia SLI, PCIe 4.0, WIFI 6, 2.5Gb LAN, 14 + 2 Power phases, USB 3.2 Type-C, HDMI 2.,1, DisplayPort, AI noise-cancellation |
| ASUS ROG Strix B550-I Gaming AMD ASUS ROG Strix B550-I Gaming AMD ASUS ROG Strix B | ASUS | Mini-ITX | PCIe 4.0, WIFI 6, 2.5Gb LAN, DDR4 5100+ OC, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, AURA Sync, and addressable RGB headers are just a few of the features. |
| WIFI ASUS ROG Strix B550-XE Gaming ASUS ROG Strix B550-XE Gaming ASUS ROG Strix B550- | ASUS | ATX | WIFI 6, 2.5Gb LAN, 16 power stages, M.2 slots, PCIe 4.0/3.0, addressable RGB headers, SATA, and PCIe 4.0/3.0. |
Silver Level
This category focuses on entries that are both affordable and accessible, meaning they may be purchased on the open market. These devices also come with all of the necessary extension ports and USB Gen kinds. However, keep in mind that they don’t offer a lot of value-added features. Essentially, it’s a 50/50 chance of obtaining a high-end motherboard at such a cheap price range. To put it another way, it’s totally probabilistic. It’s also worth noting that these products are just as reliable as any other product in the preceding categories, and they may easily endure for two to three years.
| WIFI ASUS Prime B550M-A | ASUS | ATX | 4K @ 60Hz, PCIe 4.0, WIFI 6, ECC Memory, 1Gb LAN, HDMI 2.1, addressable RGB headers |
| B550 Gaming X V2 by Gigabyte | GIGABYTE | ATX | M.2, HDMI, DP, DVI, USB 3.1 Gen 2, DDR4, RGB, M.2, M.2, M.2, M.2, M.2, M.2, M.2, M.2, M.2, M.2, |
| B550M DS3H Gigabyte | GIGABYTE | m-ATX | Dual M.2, SATA 6Gb/s, USB 3.2 Gen1, PCIe 4.0/3.0, HDMI, DVI, DDR4, PCIe 4.0/3.0, HDMI, DVI, DDR4 |
| Velocita ASRock B550 PG | ASRock | ATX | PCIe 4.0/3.0, M.2 Key E, WIFI, addressable RGB headers, DDR4 [4733+ OC], PCIe 4.0/3.0 |
| Steel Legend by ASRock | ASRock | ATX | PCIe 4.0/3.0, M.2 Key E, WIFI, addressable RGB headers, DDR4 [4733+ OC], PCIe 4.0/3.0 |
| ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming 4 is a gaming motherboard by ASRock. | ASRock | ATX | PCIe 4.0/3.0, M.2 Key E, WIFI, addressable RGB headers, DDR4 [4733+ OC], PCIe 4.0/3.0 |
| WIFI MSI B550M PRO-VDH MSI B550M PRO-VDH MSI B550M PRO-VDH | MSI | m-ATX | WIFI, D-SUB, HDMI, DP, PCIe 4.0, SATA 6Gb/s, M.2 USB 3.2 Gen 1, PCIe 4.0, SATA 6Gb/s, M.2 USB 3.2 Gen 1, PCIe 4.0, SATA 6Gb/s, M.2 USB 3.2 |
Tier 1: Bronze
Well, I don’t want to scare away prospective customers by lowering the product’s performance ratio. These items are 90% functional, but they do have the potential to malfunction at times. Aside from that, you can count on these motherboards to last a couple of years at most, if not longer, since you will eventually need to change to a more polished and functioning motherboard. Last but not least, there is no need to be concerned about credibility. Regardless, these MOBOs are incredible.
| Motherboard MSI MAG B550M Bazooka Gaming | MSI | m-ATX | AM4, DDR4, PCIe 4.0/3.0, SATA 6Gb/s, M.2, USB 3.2 Gen 2, HDMI, and DP |
| Gaming motherboard MSI MAG B550M Mortar | MSI | ATX | AM4, DDR4, PCIe 4.0/3.0, SATA 6Gb/s, M.2, USB 3.2 Gen 2, HDMI, and DP |
| B550 Phantom Gaming-ITX ASRock ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming-ITX ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming- | ASRock | Mini-ITX | AM4, DDR4 5400+ on OC, 90A Dr.MOS, 7.1 CH HD Audio, and an eight-phase power architecture |
| ASRock B550M-ITX is an ITX motherboard by ASRock. | ASRock | Mini-ITX | AM4, DDR4 5400+ on OC, 90A Dr.MOS, 7.1 CH HD Audio, and an eight-phase power architecture |
| ASRock | ASRock | Micro-ATX | PCIe 4.0/3.0, M.2 Key E, WIFI, addressable RGB headers, DDR4 [4733+ OC], PCIe 4.0/3.0 |
last thoughts
I really hope that the tier list was crystal clear and that it provided you with a better understanding of the vast array of choices available with the B550 chipset. Nonetheless, I would advise you to support the X570 chipset over the B550 since it is considerably quicker, cleaner, and better. Anyway, that’s a topic for another discussion. Let us know if you have any queries in the comments section!
Today, we’re going to take a look at the B550 chipset. While it was only announced last year, the B550 chipset is still very relevant today. The B550 supports both SLI and Crossfire, but has less PCIe lanes than the B250 chipset. The B550 also supports GDDR5X memory, which was not common on motherboards prior to the B350 chipset. The B550 supports up to 64 GB of DDR4 memory, which is more than the B250 chipset.. Read more about b550 comparison chart and let us know what you think.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is B550 good for RTX 3070?
The B550 is a good graphics card for RTX 3070.
What is the best motherboard 2021?
The best motherboard for 2021 is the ASUS Prime Z390-A.
Which motherboard is best for gaming?
There are many different types of motherboards that are used for gaming. Some motherboards have more features than others, but all motherboards will be able to handle the demands of a game like Beat Saber.
Leah Johnson