AMD’s Ryzen 5 2600 is a worthy competitor for the 8th generation Intel Core i5-8600K. Although this is by no means a high-end CPU (see also what CPU is compatible with my motherboard), the Ryzen 5 2600 is enough for most mid-range gaming PCs. With the 6 cores, 12 threads and a base clock speed of 3.4 GHz, it won’t hold back, especially when coupled with a good mid-range GPU like an RTX 2080-Ti. You can play most AAA games at 1080p with 60+ FPS. This is a perfect combination for getting that 144Hz at 1080p competitive edge.
If you’re no stranger to the B450 and X570 chipsets, then you’re going to love our list of the top 5 motherboards fit for a Ryzen 5 2600 CPU.
Before we get started, you might also be interested with this article about the best CPU GPU combination.
Quick Motherboard Recommendations for Ryzen 5 2600
Saved up half of your allocated budget by getting the Ryzen 5 2600 CPU? Want to get a more-future proof motherboard that will help you easily upgrade for whatever CPU (or APU) AMD manages to cook up next? Look no further, as the ASUS ROG Strix X570-E has got you covered. A perfect investment for the future in both performance and aesthetics.
“Bigger mobo, bigger hole in your wallet” that’s always been my motto when it comes to sizing up motherboards, (except for Mini-ITX) and the ASUS ROG Strix X570-E stands as a testament to this claim. Even though we, peasants, make fun of it’s high price, this is a great future-proof option. It’s got Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and enough storage ports for high-end applications. (like content creation, video editing.etc..) I love the overall aesthetic and the Aura Sync RGB is amazing with the right color schemes. We also highly recommend this motherboard for Ryzen 9 3900X.
What We Like
Performance - You can’t expect anything but greatness from a premium ROG motherboard that has more than enough VRMs to make overclocking a breeze. Coupled with the X570 chipset, there’s nothing more “overkill” for a Ryzen 5 2600 CPU than the ASUS ROG Strix X570-E motherboard, now with Wi-Fi.
Know Before Buying
Price - Something you learn from capitalism is that “premium doesn’t mean affordable”, so if any of you comrades out there are looking to get into these motherboards: you’d best leave this out for the bourgeoisie. There are better alternatives at half the price. i.e: budget gamers, stay away from this mobo.
Well comrade, if you want to seize the means of production, I suppose getting a cheaper motherboard will undoubtedly hurt the upper class. This is where the ASRock ATX - B450 PRO4 comes in. ASRock has a lot of budget options and for the Ryzen 5 2600, this is a good choice. Obviously it’s not as powerful as the ASUS ROG Strix X570-E but at one-third of the price, this is as low as you’re ever going to get.
If you’re on a tight budget, the ASRock ATX B450 PRO4 will be a quick fix. It doesn’t have a lot of future proofing but this will be enough for the Ryzen 5 2600. You can still experiment with overclocking and be able to build a decent mid-range gaming PC, but if you are hoping to go bigger in the future, you should look elsewhere.
The lack of PCIe 4.0 and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth is what made me realize that, despite its lower price tag, this may not be the best option. Only for the truly desperate who know what they are getting into.
What We Like
Price - This is a very affordable motherboard, no doubt about it. Great for somebody who’s looking to build a cheap AMD gaming PC just so they can start gaming as cheap as possible. It’s very tempting because of its price.
Know Before Buying
Performance - Like I mentioned previously, there isn’t a lot of versatility and power in this motherboard. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great for a mid range gaming PC but the problem is that there’s no future-proofing on this bad boy. Depending on your budget, you’re gonna have to stay at this range for a long long time; stuck with no Wi-Fi and only PCIe 3.0.
Keeping expenses to a minimum while trying to squeeze out more features can be a difficult task. If you’re ever facing such a situation, then the GIGABYTE B450 AORUS PRO Wi-Fi can be your best option. Equipped with decent specs, a beautiful design and an affordable price, this is a very good recommendation for most budget gamers. This motherboard gives that premium look, for a cheaper price.
The GIGABYTE B450 AORUS PRO Wi-Fi provides a good set of features at a very reasonable price, if you are looking for a cheap mid range motherboard that will make you feel like you are running a premium motherboard, the AORUS PRO can readily oblige.
The design on this mobo is really nice and I didn’t expect such a cool-looking design at such a lower price tier. The integrated RGB Fusion 2.0 is really nice and it’s customization provides a lot of good features.
There’s also a variety of connectivity options along with multi-GPU support for AMD GPUs (Crossfire only). You could tell that this motherboard is a little old, because of the lack of PCIe 4.0 and the introduction of Crossfire. (Multi-GPU setups are on their way out, apparently)
What We Like
Price - A very affordable motherboard, I highly recommend you look for this one if you wouldn’t mind coughing up a few extra dollars. Highly recommended for budget gamers.
Know Before Buying
Performance - Just like the Ryzen 5 2600 CPU, this motherboard is old yet reliable. The specs are good, but not good enough, especially for the future. So it won’t be a future-proof investment but it will serve you very well in the present.
The MSI B450I Gaming Plus Wi-Fi is a great Mini-ITX motherboard to set up your Ryzen 5 2600 in a tight little compact case. Build it once and keep it in your pocket forever. Now with Wi-Fi and a messier layout. It’s perfect if you want to build a wacky PC or just want to save up some space, not too bad for a mid-range gaming PC.
Everything packed in a neat little package, the versatility on the MSI B450I Gaming Plus Wi-Fi is amazing. It perfectly supports the Ryzen 5 2600 and will continue to support whatever Ryzen processor you choose to buy next. Because of its compact size and utility, you can use this motherboard very creatively.
The specs are not too bad, just enough for gaming at 1080p without any issues. Couple the Ryzen 5 2600 with a Zotac 1650 Super and you’ve got yourself a portable PC, don’t forget the mouse and keyboard though.
What We Like
Price - A decent price, for a good B450 motherboard. Not cheap like the ASRock B450 but it’s good enough. I won’t recommend this for beginners, but for a seasoned veteran, this is a good choice, they will know what to do with it.
Know Before Buying
Performance - You won’t be upgrading to high-end status anytime soon, not without 2 extra DIMM slots and PCIe 4.0. So in terms of raw performance and upgradability it won’t be very reliable.
The MSI MPG X570 GAMING PLUS delivers some red hot performance, and I’m not talking about thermal throttling, despite looking like the depths of hell this motherboard is actually cool; the heatsinks and the active fan on the chipset make sure of it. A great mid-range motherboard for a mid-range CPU.
Built for raw performance, the MSI MPG X570 GAMING PRO stands as a beast of a machine. It doesn’t have any fancy bells and whistles but what it provides is more than enough. The fully unlocked memory and CPU along with dual GPU setup allows this motherboard to pump out raw performance whenever called upon, the Z590 chipset makes sure of it.
So far the specs have been great, not very future proof but good enough to make the most out of your CPU and GPU. Something that I would love to address is the design, it’s very messy but I love it. Somebody looking from afar might mistake this for a cheap motherboard but when taken a gander up close, they start to feel the power of this design. A great motherboard for a mid-range motherboard.
What We Like
Price - For an X570 chipset, the price is not too bad. There’s Crossfire support and the ability to push your hardware to the limits with the overclocking features. The heatsinks and chipset fan provide adequate cooling, and with the support of a good case with either air cooling or water cooling. You can squeeze some extra frames without any worry.
Know Before Buying
Versatility - No Wi-Fi and bluetooth, along with no mention of PCIe 4.0. This makes the MSI MPG X570 less than ideal in terms of versatility and future-proofing. If you aren’t worried about those, I suppose this is a good mid-range motherboard that will give you some rock hard performance.
The Ryzen 5 2600 is slowly starting to retire as AMD has already deployed their 5000 series i.e 5th generation CPUs. However, the Ryzen 5 2600 can still keep up with modern AAA games at 1080p. Coupled with a good GPU and one of these motherboards it is bound to provide you with a solid mid-range gaming PC that is decent enough for most present-day video games.
If you are new to building a PC, PCIe slot might be one of the things that is new to you. In this article, we will tell you what does a PCIe slot look like.