This year has finished strong, with a number of large product releases and new generation hardware launched. Perhaps one of the biggest releases this year was the launch of AMDs new AM5 chipset and new Ryzen processors.
This new generation of CPU provides gamers with performance like never before, perfect for both gaming and productivity. These new releases from AMD saw the introduction of the AM5 socket which meant a heap of new motherboards were also launched to support the latest generation CPUs.
These new X670 and B650 motherboards come packed with PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 support, making AMD the perfect platform to opt for when building a new gaming PC. Gaming builds used to be heavily dominated by team blue, but with the performance provided by the new Ryzen CPUs and the X670 and B650 motherboards, team red has come out swinging.
AM5 and Ryzen 7000 CPUs
The newly launched Ryzen 7000 CPUs means that AMD has also upgraded the socket that is being used. The previous generation AM4 socket has been and offers a number of benefits from its new design.
AMD finally got rid of the old Pin Grid Array (PGA) socket layout that they have used in the past and took a leaf out of Intel’s book and made the switch over to a Land Grid Array (LGA) design instead.
The move over to an LGA layout was necessary to be able to deliver a higher power output than that of previous generation Ryzen CPUs. The new AM5 socket provides a higher power output than AM5, with up to 230w of power delivery. This increased power output means that you will be able to get even more power and performance out of your computer.
This is great news for those that want some of the most powerful CPUs available and also for those enthusiasts out there that like to indulge in some overclocking to push performance limits even further.
One fantastic feature of this new generation of hardware is that it supports Microsoft’s DirectStorage feature. DirectStorage allows for gamers to get the most out of their NVMe 4.0 SSDs when it comes to gaming, enabling incredibly fast loading times and greater gaming performance.
In order to account for faster loading times, the new DirectStorage API from Microsoft moves decompression from the CPU across to the GPU. As a result, this speeds up the entire decompression process and ensures that the files are exactly where they need to be when it comes time to render them. In addition this also frees up the CPU to focus on other tasks, further improving performance.
If you have an Xbox Series X console at home, this is technology that you will already be familiar with as this is the same technology used by Microsoft for their console.
Another feature of the new AM5 socket is what is called AMD EXPO. AMD EXPO (Extended Profiles for Overclocking) is AMDs answer to one-click memory overclocking and offers an incredibly easy way to overclock your memory to get even better performance out of it.
This new feature is designed to allow users to achieve high-end memory overclocks when paired with Ryzen 7000 series CPUs. AMD EXPO is AMDs answer to Intel’s Extreme Memory Profiles (XMP) and it provides a safe and proven way to overclock your RAM.
PCIe 5.0 and DDR5
As we mentioned earlier, the new generation of AMD CPUs along with X670 and B650 motherboards sees the introduction of PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 memory for the first time in an AMD system.
PCIe 5.0 is the new kid in town that will be replacing PCIe 4.0. PCIe 5.0 offers a host of improvements that should pique the interest of gamers and computer enthusiasts out there.
The most immediate improvement that PCIe 5.0 brings is its vast speed improvements over 4.0. PCIe 5.0 essentially doubles the speed of PCIe 4.0 by supporting 128GB/s of bandwidth, 32GT/s of gigatransfer, and a frequency of 32GHz.
PCIe 5.0 offers double the data transfer speeds with PCIe 5.0 NVMe storage when compared to current NVMe Gen 4 drives. This means insanely fast data transfer that will not only provide improved storage performance but will help improve performance of the games that you play.
All of these increased speeds mean that you have a motherboard that is future proof and will be able to make use of future hardware that is developed.
DDR5 provides twice the bandwidth than that of DDR4 whilst also reducing the power consumption required. The improved bandwidth means that RAM is able to process things much faster which is especially important for more memory-intensive applications such as gaming and content creation.
If you are someone that requires a lot of memory, DDR5 provides you with all the memory that you could possibly need. Unlike DDr4 that supports up to 128GB of RAM across 4 DIMM slots, DDR5 supports up to a whopping 512GB of RAM.
DDR5 memory not only provides increased gaming performance but it is also perfect for content creators.
As a content creator, you are likely going to be performing demanding memory intensive tasks with applications such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and Unity etc. DDR5 memory helps to ensure that your workflow is fast and fluid with no slowdowns or interruptions due to memory limitations.
The ability to add substantially more memory to your computer means that your computer can scale as your work scales by simply adding larger memory modules to it.
X670 and B650 Motherboards
As we briefly talked about earlier, the launch of brand new socket architecture such as the new AM5 socket is going to mean that you will need a new motherboard.
These new motherboards are the X670 and B650 motherboards. GIGABYTE is one of the leading manufacturers of motherboards, offering incredibly durable and feature rich motherboards, and once again they have you covered for the latest generation of CPUs.
There are 4 chipset options available for the latest iteration of motherboards, namely X670E, X670, B650E, and B650.
X670E
The E in X670E stands for Extreme, and this means the X670E motherboards are the biggest and baddest motherboards available for AM5.
With support for PCIe 5.0 for graphics and storage, and DDR5, X670E motherboards are the enthusiast boards for those looking to get the best performance possible. These boards will often have the most connectivity options available.
If you are someone that wants to squeeze every FPS out of their games and take overclocking to the extreme, the X670E motherboards are exactly what you need.
X670E AORUS XTREME
If you want the best motherboard available, period, then look no further than the X670E AORUS XTREME. This thing is an absolute monster.
Loaded with an insane direct 18+2+2 Digital VRM Design, the power management on this motherboard is incredible. If you are someone that loves to overlock, then this board gives you a whole heap of overclocking headroom and more.
This motherboard comes packed with the following:
- 18+2+2 Digital VRM Design
- 8-Layer 2X Copper PCB
- 105A Smart Power Stage
- Dual Channel DDR5
- PCIe 5.0
- 4* PCIe 5.0 x4 M.2 with M.2 Thermal Guard III & II
- 1*SMD PCIe 5.0 x16 with Ultra Durable™ Armor
- 1*PCIe 4.0 x4 & 1*PCIe 3.0 x2
- 4*USB 2.0
- 1*USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C
- 1*USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C
- 6*USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A
X670E AORUS MASTER
The X670E AORUS MASTER is the perfect example of an AM5 motherboard that is overflowing with features and packs in some of the best performance around. Whilst not the overlocking powerhouse of the X670E AORUS XTREME, the 16+2+2 phase digital VRM still allows you to push overclocking to its limits.
This motherboard comes packed with the following:
- 16+2+2 Phase Digital VRM
- 8-Layer 2X Copper PCB
- 105A Smart Power Stage
- Dual channel DDR5
- PCIe 5.0
- Next-generation 2*PCIe 5.0 x4 and 2*PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 connectors for storage
- Enhanced VRM power stability thanks to Fins-Array III & M.2 Thermal Guard III
- 4*USB 2.0.
- 1*USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C.
- 1*USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C.
- 6*USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A
The X670E AORUS MASTER truly is the master when it comes to computing performance.
X670
The X670 chipset motherboards offer enthusiast level overclocking options with PCIe 5.0 support for storage and optional graphics support. This is a great choice for those that want incredible performance but don’t need all of the bells and whistles.
Providing you with all the connectivity options you could need, X670 is a great choice for gamers that want most of the features of the X670E boards but not to the extreme levels that X670E is praised for.
X670 AORUS ELITE AX
The AORUS X670 Elite AX is one of the X670 AM5 motherboards that GIGABYTE is offering. It offers 16+2+2 phases digital VRM configuration and SPS 70A and SPS70A for its power design.
Packed with dual channel DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0 support this is a great option for those looking for a high performing PC build.
This motherboard comes packed with the following:
- 16+2+2 Phase Digital VRM
- 70A Smart Power Stage.
- Fully Covered MOSFET Heatsinks.
- 1* PCIe 5.0 x4 M.2 & 3* PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 with M.2 Thermal Guard
- 1*PCIe 4.0 x16 with Ultra Durable™ Armor
- 1*PCIe 4.0 x4 & 1*PCIe 3.0 x2
- 4*USB 2.0
- 6*USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A
- 1*USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C
- 2*USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A
- WiFi
B650E
The B650E motherboard offering delivers amazing performance and features without breaking the bank. It is targeted at users that want fantastic performance that want their PC to perform at its peak but are not too concerned with the ability to get strong overclocks.
With PCIe 5.0 support for storage and optional graphics support, B650E motherboards are an incredibly popular option for gamers. They are the perfect boards for those that don’t want to spend all their money for a build solely on the motherboard but still want incredible performance and connectivity options with the ability to do some minor overclocking.
B650E AORUS MASTER
This is the B650E version of the AORUS MASTER AM5 motherboard. If you are wanting to save a few dollars whilst still having one of the best motherboards on the market today, then this is the kit for you.
The B650 AORUS MASTER makes use of an impressive power management design, ensuring that power is handled efficiently. Want to gain some extra FPS in your games? If so, some mild overclocking might be the way to go. This motherboard gives you lots of options when it comes to tweaking your system’s hardware settings.
This motherboard comes packed with the following:
- Twin 16+2+2 Digital VRM Design
- 105A Smart Power Stage
- Design Ready for PCI Express 5.0
- 4*PCIe 5.0 x4 M.2 with Thermal Guard III & II
- 1*SMD PCIe 5.0 x16 with Ultra Durable Armor
- PCIe EZ-Latch
- 4*USB 2.0
- 1*USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C
- 4*USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
- 4*USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
B650
The B650 chipset is ideal for those gamers that might be on a bit more of a tight budget. Designed more for mainstream users, B650 supports DDR5 and optional PCIe 5.0 support,
B650 motherboards are a great choice for those that would like to put together a very capable gaming rig whilst keeping an eye on their budget.
Whilst not ideal for those out there that want to dabble in overclocking to get the best performance possible out of their hardware, B650 boards offer fantastic performance for their price.
B650 AORUS ELITE AX
This is one of the best value motherboards going. Affordable for most budget conscious builds, the B650 AORUS ELITE AX gives you everything that you need without going over the top. This is perfect for those of you that just want to play games and not worry about getting the top 1% performance numbers.
Offering amazing performance along with fantastic connectivity options, this is the board to beat for average gamers.
- Twin 14+2+1 Digital VRM Design
- 70A Smart Power Stage
- 8-Layer 2X Copper PCB
- 1*PCIe 5.0 x4 M.2 & 2* PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 with M.2 Thermal Guard
- 1*PCIe 4.0 x16 with Ultra Durable Armor
- 2*PCIe 3.0 x1
- 4*USB 2.0
- 1*USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C
- 5*USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A
- 2*USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A
B650 AERO G
Are you looking for something different? Perhaps you’re a content creator that also likes to dabble in some PC gaming? Well, the B650 AERO G is THE motherboard for you.
Boasting a modern, white design, this motherboard looks perfect for a more modern looking PC build. Designed with content creators in mind, the AERO G offers a bunch of great features that makes productivity tasks easier.
The B650 AERO G comes loaded with VisionLink which allows you to simplify your connections. Using a single USB-C cable, connect to the VisionLink port on your motherboard and you can transfer video, data, and power via the one cable.
This motherboard comes packed with the following:
- 1 x M.2 connector (Socket 3, M key, type 25110/2280 PCIe 5.0* x4/x2 SSD support) (M2A_CPU)
- 1 x M.2 connector (Socket 3, M key, type 25110/2280 PCIe 4.0 x4/x2 SSD support) (M2B_CPU)
- 1 x M.2 connector (Socket 3, M key, type 25110/2280 PCIe 4.0 x4/x2 SSD support) (M2C_SB)
- 4 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors
- 2 x SMA antenna connectors (2T2R) 2 x USB 2.0/1.1 ports
- 1 x DisplayPort In port
- 1 x HDMI port
- 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports (red)
- 1 x USB Type-C
- 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
GIGABYTE Active OC Tuner
GIGABYTE motherboards are not only one of the most well made, durable, and high performing motherboards around, but they are loaded with a massive range of features.
One of these awesome features is the GIGABYTE Active OC Tuner.
The GIGABYTE Active OC Tuner is an exclusive BIOS tuning function that allows active switching between AMD Precision Boost Overdrive and OC mode on AMD Ryzen processors.
The CPU overclocking frequency and the number of operating cores can be dynamically switched between the default precise-overclocking function PBO (Precision Boost Overdrive) and manual overclocking according to different requirements of current configuration and characteristics of running applications.
This technology allows the user to execute corresponding applications by frequency and core numbers to enjoy the maximum performance.
Xtreme Memory Design
When it comes to memory design, AORUS motherboards make use of Xtreme Memory technology which makes use of shielded memory routing and optimise daisy-chain routing to reduce all noise and electrical interference.
What does this mean to you? Well, by doing this it allows your memory to reach its highest memory clock. This results in faster and higher performing memory to allow seasoned gamers to get that little extra push in performance.
