Do Motherboards Have Integrated Graphics?
Do motherboards have integrated graphics or do you need a integrated graphics chip or a dedicated GPU? This article will tell you all about it.
Best Motherboard for Ryzen 9 3950x in 2023
AMD took the tech world by storm when they released their Zen 2 architecture-based processors in 2019. The processors were such a huge success that Intel was caught unaware and lost a huge market share. Due to processors like the Ryzen 9 3950X, AMD was able to pull the rug from beneath Intel’s feet. The processor boasts 16 cores 32 threads and is an absolute powerhouse when it comes to productivity and content creation. Although, the Ryzen 9 3950X does lag behind the Intel processors in terms of gaming but not by a lot. Overall, Intel had no answer to this maneuver by AMD, and all of us came to love this Consumer GPU that was well beyond its time and will not go obsolete any time soon. Since it’s a beast in terms of performance you need the right motherboard if you’re considering featuring it as the processor in your main build.
How do you know which motherboard is the right motherboard when there are a ton of options in the market. Don’t worry I am writing this article to serve as a guide when making your selection for the best motherboard for the Ryzen 9 3950x.
Quick Motherboard Recommendations for Ryzen 9 3950x
| Award | Model | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Best Motherboard Overall for Ryzen 9 3950x |
ASUS ROG STRIX X570-E GAMING
|
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| Best Premium Motherboard for Ryzen 9 3950x |
MSI MEG X570 GODLIKE
|
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| Best High Mid-range X570 Motherboard for Ryzen 9 3950x |
Asus ROG X570 Crosshair VIII
|
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| Best Value for Money Motherboard for Ryzen 9 3950x |
GIGABYTE X570 AORUS Elite Wi-Fi
|
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| Best Budget Motherboard for Ryzen 9 3950x |
Asus Prime X570-P Ryzen 3
|
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| Best MicroATX Budget Motherboard for Ryzen 9 3950x |
ASRock B450M Steel Legend
|
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Factors to consider
Budget
Make sure you have a chunk of budget put aside for a reliable and robust motherboard that can let you draw out the max potential of your processor. This is not a place to cheap out so don’t.
Form Factor
Motherboards come in all shapes in sizes. However, a simple rule of thumb is that the bigger the motherboard, the bigger the form factor and more features. The smaller the motherboard, the number of features starts to lessen.
Thermal design
Motherboards with good heat dissipation features such as heat sinks and good quality voltage regulator modules determine how quickly the motherboard will be able to discard the generated heat when the pc components are performing intensive workloads. The 3950X tends to generate a lot of heat so make sure you choose a motherboard with a good thermal design so it can keep performing at peak efficiency and you can draw out its full potential. Information about what is a safe motherboard temperature can be read here.
Socket support
Different motherboards are designed to host different processors and hence have different sockets integrated into them. Processor sockets are the contact between the processor and the motherboard and all these motherboards are differentiated based on sockets that have a different configuration of pins and holes where the processor comes into contact with the board. These sockets also determine how much current is supplied to the processor so choosing the right socket is of the utmost importance.
Expansion slots
Motherboards have got slots such as PCI-E X1 slots on them that determine how much hardware can be fit into a single board so that it forms a good synergy between the components and give you peak performance of the components. The more the expansion slots, the better the motherboard.
Overclocking
Different motherboards are designed keeping in mind that the processor running on them will be made to be run on an increased frequency than its default one. This means that the motherboard needs to be designed in a way to handle these stressful conditions without making the system unstable.
Learn how to check if CPU is overclocked here.
Installation
While there are motherboards that are difficult to install, installing the majority of these motherboards is an easy process. They come with an integrated I/O panel which makes your work easy. However, if you choose a motherboard that doesn’t come with an I/O panel then make sure to check the manual for the installation details.
Now that you know what factors to consider when buying a motherboard let’s dive into the list of the best options that are available in the market right now:
The Best Motherboard for Ryzen 9 3950x
Starting off this list the motherboard that I am recommending is the Asus ROG Strix X570-E Gaming. The motherboard has an ATX form factor and it can feature both the 2nd and 3rd gen of AMD processors, has dual M.2 drive slots, with USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (Type A and Type C). The motherboard supports up to 128 GB DDR4 RAM which can be OCed to 5100 MHz, spread across 4 DIMM slots. While these are attractive features but don’t stop to make your choice just yet, read on to find out how the rest of the features on the motherboard make it an attractive choice for anyone willing to pair it with a 3950X.
The PCIe slots are of the latest Gen 4 and have 16 lanes capability giving you 2 Way SLI Nvidia support as well as 2 way and 3 way AMD CrossFire support too. The connectivity on this motherboard is top-notch as it has a 2.5 Gbps LAN module along with a Wi-Fi 6 module so you can enjoy high-speed internet without any issues. Moreover, the RGB lighting effects of the motherboard add to the aesthetic beauty of your pc build making it visually appealing to look at.
Every gamer wants to experiment with overclocking and drawing out the maximum potential of the processor and the 3950X has got plenty of OC headroom provided that the motherboard can handle that. The good news is that the Asus ROG Strix X570-E Gaming has a hefty 12+4 power configuration with a ProCool II power connector along with multiple heat sinks making it an excellent candidate for overclocking even the most high-end processors with maximum stability. The motherboard has got one of the best thermal solutions which makes it the best motherboard overall as it has all the necessary features that you would need to run your processor, a 3950X, and it doesn’t blow that big of a hole in your pocket.
If you’re looking for the best motherboard for your 3950X and you are not afraid to empty your pockets then this is the board for you as it’s the best motherboard that is available right now that can run a 3950X and draw out its full potential without breaking a sweat. The motherboard is a powerhouse as it should be considering its price and gives you the best performance and aesthetics.
The specs are pretty high end. It features the latest PCIe 4.0 slots which are 4 in number and has got both Crossfire and SLI support. So, no matter what GPU you plugin it will run it at its max potential. There are multiple USB ports as well of the latest gen of both Type A and Type C and it supports up to 5000+ MHz of 128 GB DDR4 RAM. There are 3 M.2 slots with extended heatsinks as well and dual Ethernet ports and a WIFI 6 module which will give your build amazing connectivity capabilities.
The OC capabilities of this motherboard are the best the market has to offer with the 14+4+1 power configuration and the thermal dissipation design known as the Frozr technology designed by MSI to keep the system running in OC conditions with maximum stability. The Extended heat sinks designs are also top-notch making the MSI MEG X570 GODLIKE the best motherboard option if you want the most premium experience.
Next up on the list is the High mid-ranger by Asus which is the ATX form factor Asus ROG X570 Crosshair VIII. It is one of the best quality motherboards that you will find in the market that is capable of drawing out the full potential of the 3950X. Asus is famous for designing high-quality products that are quite durable and give you a good experience as well. This motherboard is no different as Asus has made tuning your PC easy with the optimization options that come included from the factory.
The board is no slouch in aesthetics either and you can customize the light effects with the presence of Aura Sync that is an Asus exclusive technology. The heat sinks are of great quality as well and the cross chill EKIII makes sure that cooling is distributed evenly throughout the board so that it doesn’t heat up. Moreover, combined with the ROG cooling zone, the ProCool II Power connectors and microfine alloy chokes make it the ideal motherboard. You can easily overclock your processor without a hitch.
Asus ROG X570 Crosshair VIII is a motherboard that has been designed to give you great connectivity speeds. The board features two m.2 slots and multiple USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports to maximise your connectivity. A pre-mounted I/O shield has also been included which is easy to set up and makes it one of the boards that support easy DIY. The board supports up to 128 GB of DDR4 RAM which can be OCed to 5100 MHz over 4 DIMM slots making it a complete package that you can pair with any high-end Ryzen processor.
Now that we have covered some of the high-end motherboards, let’s look into a motherboard that offers you good value for money. The Aorus series motherboards are famous for providing motherboards that give you great value for money. The GIGABYTE X570 AORUS Elite Wi-Fi fits the description as it’s not that pricey but offers features and durability that are not found in higher-end boards.
The aesthetics are on the simplistic side but that doesn’t mean it is not visually appealing. It comes with the RGB FUSION 2.0 with Multi-Zone Addressable LED Light Show Design, which Supports Addressable LED & RGB LED Strips so if you want to personalize the colors then you can do that. It has an integrated I/O shield Armor which is a plus in any motherboard, multiple USB 3.2 Gen 2 front ports options are there along with 3.2 Gen 2 USB ports on the back taking care of all your connectivity and peripheral needs. Dual PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 connectors are also included on the board with a thermal guard present. 4 DIMM slots are present which can support 128GB of RAM which can be OCed to 4733 MHz. The Intel GbE LAN chip combined with the 2.4/5 GHz Dual-Band Wifi module gives you great networking capabilities with a Bluetooth 4.2 module present as well. The High-end Audio codecs are also present such as the Realtek® ALC1200 codec and High Definition Audio with multiple PCIe slots as well as giving you Crossfire GPU capability too.
The DrMOS 12+2 VRM design along with extended and enlarged heatsinks makes the board an attractive choice for Overclockers who can experiment with different frequencies. Moreover, Voltage detection temperature detection, fan fail warning modules are also present along with other Hardware monitor sensors making it one of the best value for money motherboards that you can pair with a Ryzen 9 3950X.
If you intend to get a Ryzen 9 3950X as the processor for your PC build then you shouldn’t cheap out on the motherboard, but I understand that at times your budget is limiting you and you just don’t have the wiggle room to fit in a motherboard that will work well with the processor. So, I am including a budget option the Asus Prime X570-P.
The board is included in the list due to its specs and features. The board features PCIe 4.0 slots, USB 3.2 Gen 2 and to sweeten the deal, dual M.2 slots as well. Getting these features is a good thing when you’re on a tight budget. The board even supports 128 GB of DDR4 Ram as well and along with the 8+4 DrMOS power stages it gives you decent OC ability.
When you’re on a budget people usually end up sacrificing the aesthetics of the build but that is not the case with this board as it gives you addressable RGB strips which you can customize to your liking. The ASUS OptiMem feature allows you to OC your RAM with ease through trace routing and inter-layer electrical connection making it a great budget option.
If and you’re a person who doesn’t have a lot of space available for their PC then obviously you’re looking for a small board that can support a monster like a 3950X then the Asus’s ASRock B450M Steel Legend is your best bet. It’s one of the budget range motherboards that give you a large number of features. Asus knows what its consumers want and it always delivers and it has delivered with this motherboard
You get 3 PCIe 3.0 16x ports and multiple PCIe 2.0 16 x and 1x slots. That means that if you’re working with multiple AMD GPUs, then you can utilize the motherboard’s CrossFire capabilities. The Ethernet port belongs to Realtek and the audio port belongs to Realtek as well which allows you a 7.1 surround sound experience.
The supported RAM is a tad low as compared to other options on the list but then again it’s a budget option and all things considered 64 GB of DDR4 RAM is more than capable of handling all the memory tasks that you will be running on this PC. Don’t be afraid to consider this board as AMD is pretty considerate of PC enthusiasts as even the newer gen of processors are built on the same socket so whether you’re running a 1st AMD gen processor or a 3rd gen one you can pair it with this motherboard.
Conclusion
With all being said this concludes the list of the motherboards that you can pair up with a 3950X. I am hopeful now that even though choosing a motherboard from so many options available in the market is a difficult decision but this article will serve as a guide as I have tried to include motherboards from all budgets, from the high budget ones to the mid-rangers to the lower budget ones while not compromising on the quality of performance of your other PC components so that whichever motherboard you end up buying you get the optimal experience.
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