Best AM4 Motherboards for Gaming, Overclocking and Work

AMD is in fashion, we cannot doubt that. And it is based on a platform that, not without problems along the way, has withstood the passage of time, has been updated, adding value, new processors and new features, also allowing the sought-after upgrades. For this reason and since all brands have released their AM4 refresh motherboards, it is a great time to recommend the best models for three completely different scenarios that can be complementary: overclock, work and gaming.

AM4 as a platform is perhaps at its best. Without new chipsets other than those presented in the mid-range and B series, with now mature BIOSes, fewer compatibility problems and more advanced motherboards, it is the sweet moment to acquire a motherboard to face the future with guarantees, even if we are in the final stage of the socket as such.

Best AM4 Motherboards

But to recommend something we have to understand the why, the reasons to reach the final decision with each model or models. Therefore, we are going to emphasize the different fields and their needs, since they are different.

What do we have to look for in an AM4 motherboard for overclocking?

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Although we take for granted what overclocking is as a technique, it is true that there are different levels of it. An ordinary user with a mid-range or high-end heatsink is not the same as the one with custom liquid cooling than the one looking to break records. Therefore, it is difficult to adapt the options to each type of user.

In any case, the most expensive and most complete options acquire the compromises of the users with less demands by pure logic. To determine what we should look for, firstly we have to take into account the number of total phases destined for CPU and RAM memory, secondly the number of layers of the PCB as well as its construction and finally other details such as complete BIOS, characteristics exclusive to LN2, real-time voltage measurement options and cooling system, among many others.

For this reason, the options are not too varied in this sector, but they are not scarce either.

ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Impact

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The ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Impact is the living example that more is not always better. Not in vain is it taking overclock records little by little, but we are talking about a motherboard made, manufactured and designed for overclocking.

It is a rare board, since it is designed in the DTX or Mini-DTX format if we are very purists of the term. It integrates a single 8-pin EPS connector, an Infineon IR35201-based ASP 1405I PWM controller to control up to 8 power phases.

It actually has 6 individual power phases, but they work in parallel mode on some of them, making us virtually 10 phases in total. It has the peculiarity of having only two slots for DRAM and the cooling system in the I / O panel, so it is really a very peculiar motherboard, but possibly the most suitable for overclocking.

GIGABYTE x570 AORUS Xtreme

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This board is a unicorn, extremely hard to find, but on the X570 it’s a crazy model and possibly the most complete on the market. There are two models that differ by version; 1.0 and 1.1 where the only difference between them is that the most advanced version gets Thunderbolt.

This is not relevant for overclocking, but it is possible that given what it is worth, you do not want to waste this feature. We are facing the motherboard with the highest number of power phases (16) where 14 are destined to the CPU and two to the RAM memories, where for this they integrate Infineon TDA21472 capable of withstanding 70 amps per unit.

For such amount of current it integrates two EPS connectors, so GIGABYTE decided to create it in an E-ATX format, so it would not fit in all chassis.

ASRock X570 Aqua

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We are talking about the unicorn par excellence, since only 999 units have been created, all numbered. It has the peculiarity of being one of the few plates that includes a water block as standard and it is also white.

Despite all this, its real phase system rises to 8, which in total and adding the VRMs shared by the Infineon IR3555 controllers gives a total of 14 virtual ones, divided into 6 + 6 + 2. To power this system, it includes an 8-pin EPS and an additional 4-pin EPS.

We see again an E-ATX board with the peculiarity that it is the X570 motherboard with the highest standard support for DDR, specifically, it is capable of officially supporting DDR4-5000, largely thanks to a UPI uP1674P capable of support 3 phases of digital power supply and the Daisy Chain / Fly-By memory system, something that all high-end models integrate today, but not at the level of this standard ASRock.

A gaming motherboard, what features should it have?

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A gaming motherboard should have a number of other features, such as a good number of ports available, be it USB, SATA or M.2. In addition, the best connectivity, the best network card and the fastest ports are always sought in order to maximize each FPS of the graphics card.

Therefore, the requirements are different from the overclocking board, although some combine many of these characteristics as they are high-end, although it may not seem like it. That said, let’s see which models are the most interesting:

GIGABYTE X570 AORUS PRO

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A model that has earned high praise for its ratio of features and price. Dual M.2 both cooled, good dissipation system, 12 + 2 digital phases, ALC1220-VB audio, supports DDR4-4400 MHz, HDMI 2.0, USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C and much more.

Among this, we have reinforcement and clamping systems for PCIe and DRAM, multiple internal ports, SATAs everywhere, integrated I / O shield …

ASUS ROG STRIX X570-E GAMING web

It is one of our fetish plates, to the point that we have it on several teams. Complete board where they exist, with a BIOS that is possibly one of the most complete for its price range.

Great heatsink, good cooling system for its two M.2, Q-LED display, SupremeFX audio, dual Lan, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0, physical buttons for BIOS flashing with pendrive … All for just over 300 euros for a High-end chipset, one of the best motherboards for AM4.

ASUS ROG Strix B550-XE Gaming Wi-Fi

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Within the AMD mid-range chipset there are great options if what we want is a gaming board with all the guarantees of the best performance for both our graphics card and our processor.

To be theoretically medium-high range within the mid-range chipset, we find surprising features: 14 + 2 power phases, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.2, heat pipe on its heatsinks, BIOS Flashback, Q-Code, FlexKey, USB- C, DDR4-5100 MHz, Wi-Fi 6 with Bluetooth 5.1, and more.

We are really facing a motherboard that, although we do not need the requirements of the X570 chipset, it is going to squeeze the team based on good, which is what we are interested in.

If we talk about AM4 motherboards to work with, are they as special as they are painted?

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The problem with motherboards to work in AM4 is that it depends a lot on the sector where we are going to put the equipment. There are a series of boards that have more than interesting characteristics for certain fields, but as a rule, any motherboard with a chipset that suits our needs could be used for a common office automation job.

If instead we want to edit video, audio or carry out intensive work with the CPU or RAM by virtualization, or even networks, there we enter a field where AM4 as a platform was not designed for such performance, since that is what TR4 is for.

Therefore, we are going to focus on a specific model, which is intended for Workstation:

ASUS PRO WS X570-ACE

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Not for being a plate destined to Workstation does not leave behind key characteristics, far from it. Contains 4 PCIe 4.0 X16, 14 power phases, GIGABIT LAN, support for ECC memory, M.2 and U.2, USB 3.2 Gen 2 in Type A and Type C …

It has a state-of-the-art VRM system with heat pipes, a fan in the PCH to keep it at bay and its temperatures, a patented fin dissipation system, ASUS Node etc …

And so far the best AM4 motherboards to work, overclock and gaming of the moment, surely they will not disappoint you!