How Do We Select?
The ‘We’ in WePC are a workforce with solely two objectives in thoughts – testing laptop elements until they squeak, and giving our prospects the very best part ideas for his or her PC builds. We’ll fortunately debate the deserves of 1 CPU versus one other until the cows come dwelling, get bored and put themselves to mattress. You need to hear our Thanksgiving arguments.
Or presumably not.
The purpose is, this isn’t our first tech revolution. We’ve got years of expertise in terms of testing and benchmarking elements, and a dedication to giving builders trusted, dependable details about what’s on the market, what’s good, what’s unhealthy, why it really works or doesn’t. We all know our stuff, and we all know you already know yours too – so we select the merchandise we function based mostly on arduous information and the metrics that matter to you.
All of the motherboards we function listed here are price your time – they must be. No one wins if we offer you ineffective info, proper? Now, the reality is at all times going to be that Your Mileage Could Range – there are different motherboards on the market you may pair with the Ryzen 9 5950X, however with our years of benchmarking expertise, these are the 5 we’re most desirous to let you know about as a result of they’re the 5 we expect will provide you with the very best expertise for those who pair them with the 5950X* (*Right at time of writing).
Issues To Take into account
So if we’re satisfied we’ve the highest 5 greatest motherboards for the Ryzen 9 5950X, what standards are we taking a look at? What must you take into accounts earlier than you hand over your hard-earned money?
Kind Issue
Undoubtedly, in terms of motherboards, it’s worthwhile to take a look at the shape issue. Some folks consider that because the skeleton of the board, however that’s slightly simplistic. The shape issue is extra just like the genome of the board. It’s the blueprint, the main points of what’s doable for the board. It units the boundaries of what the board can ship, together with what number of ports it has, the place its mounting holes are, and so forth. It additionally covers the fundamentals like the general board dimensions, so realizing the shape issue offers you the genetic map of the board. If the shape issue doesn’t suit your construct, toss the board you’re contemplating and go along with one thing else that does meet your wants.
Usually, you’d be checking the small print on the shape issue of a board, to ensure it was suitable along with your CPU. We’re delighted to save lots of you all that squinting. To get within the door of this evaluation, all of the boards must be suitable with the Ryzen 9 5950X.
You’re welcome. These items is our ardour too, bear in mind?
The enjoyment of motherboards in comparison with…nicely, nearly each different part of your construct (besides mmmaybe, at a pinch, cooling techniques), is that they develop previous gracefully. The place yearly will in all probability deliver no less than a few new CPUs and GPUs that can make you need to promote your grandma to afford, for those who purchase a motherboard that’s as much as present expectations, you may count on to maintain it round a great whereas. Which…y’know…frees you as much as purchase all the most recent GPUs and cooling system add-ons…
The usual type issue throughout all producers lately – as you’ll in all probability already know for those who’re studying this – is the Superior Know-how Prolonged (ATX). That are nice for those who’re doing tower builds.
For those who’re not doing tower builds, numerous folks go along with the helpful micro ATX choices, that are handily smaller in dimension, however maddeningly additionally function fewer growth slots. ITX motherboards are particularly helpful – we hesitate to make use of the phrase cute – for those who’re seeking to construct a small PC.
Processor Socket
The processor socket and the chipset are often like an previous married couple when folks discuss their builds. They go collectively as a result of they describe a number of the most important items of your construct, and so they decide what CPU you may add to your board.
Once more, right here, we’ve saved you some steps of looking and squinting. Whereas AMD processors often require both an AM3 or AM4 processor socket, the 5950X actually wants an AM4. We’ve chased all AM3-socketed boards out of the workplace in your behalf, so that you will be positive of a great match for those who select any of the boards we function right here.
Chipset and PCI Slots
You need to minimize slightly to the chase? On the subject of chipsets and PCI slots, go PCle 4.0. Settle for no substitutes. Positive, proper now you would possibly be capable to get by with a PCle 3.0, however proper now isn’t going to remain proper now very lengthy. The PCle 4.0 is coming, and by switching to it now, you guarantee your self a motherboard that might be working with enhanced high-speed gaming PCUs for years to return.
The chipset in a motherboard helps completely different elements change information. Going for something lower than a PCle 4.0 at this level is a false financial system in the long term when PCle 4.0 is obtainable.
Naturally, all of the motherboards reviewed right here have a PCle 4.0 chipset, so that they’ll all offer you future-proofed information change speeds.
RAM
To assist RAM, a motherboard wants RAM slots. The quantity and sort of RAM slots your board has decide how RAMmed the board will be. Motherboard RAM is listed as DIMM, and while you’re seeking to purchase a motherboard for a CPU as extremely spec’d because the 5950X, you may have choices at DDR3 or DDR4.
As we realized with PCle chipsets although, proper now 4 is the magic quantity. DDR4 is newer (and due to this fact extra future-proof) and affords you a greater specification of motherboard all spherical. Go 4. You’ll thank us as video games get sooner and extra RAM-hungry. You received’t be stunned to study that every one the boards that made it to our winners’ circle are packing DDR4 RAM. We’d like to let you know that’s as a result of we love you and we’re simply beneficiant, however actually it’s as a result of we take these items significantly, and DDR4 performs the socks off all different choices.
SATA and NVMe
The SATA 3 ports that function on a motherboard are the board’s home windows to exterior worlds. HDDs, and more and more, SSDs join this fashion. What does that imply? Storage, storage, and extra storage. You want storage. Everybody wants storage. Even for those who don’t suppose you want storage proper now, imagine us – we’ve sensible heads on younger shoulders – you’re gonna want the storage.
In addition to SATA ports, in case your board has NVMe slots, you’re in a complete different league. NVMe is what SSDs dream of being once they develop up and get inventory choices. It hundreds and responds at charges which even SSDs – which nonetheless suppose they’re the brand new child on the block, with speeds that make HDDs really feel unhappy and unloved – can solely dream of. SATA 3 ports and NVMe collectively make for a candy, speedy set-up, so all different issues being equal, nab your self a board with NVMe. Not all of the boards on our record offer you NVMe know-how – however no less than a few them do, together with our list-leader.
Options
Lastly, while you’re shopping for a motherboard, try its feature-list to see what further profit it brings you. That’s recommendation that works each methods. On the one hand, if it consists of some built-in capacities, it means you don’t must pay out for added elements, like on-board audio. However, you’re builders, so the probabilities of you essentially being content material with something that comes built-in, when there are add-on choices that may be purchased and are higher-spec might be pretty restricted. So purchase a board that offers you extras you want – however don’t pay additional for built-ins you’re going to need to get spherical or supersede in any case.
