The AMD Threadripper needs no introduction. Just by the name itself, it’s already considered as one of the best and most powerful processors in the market right now.
The Threadripper CPU is a masterpiece that showcases AMD’s ability to balance performance, value, and extensibility. Even with a massive price tag, the sheer power you get with any Threadripper CPU makes every penny spent worth it.
But with such a powerful processor, you need a powerful motherboard. Other motherboards won’t just cut it because Threadripper CPUs need a TRX40 motherboard socket.
In this article, we’re listing down the best Threadripper motherboards that money can buy. These are not arranged in any particular order, but take note of the pros and cons as they’ll be a huge deciding factor as to whether or not it’s worth buying for you.
What’s In A TRX40 Motherboard?
Threadripper CPUs are particular about their motherboards, mostly because of the socket they use. AMD Threadripper needs a TRX40 socket, so you’ll need a motherboard with that socket.
But even if you don’t have a Threadripper CPU, there are still benefits to buying a TRX40 motherboard.
- TRX40 motherboards have optimized power solution, ensuring that it powers not just a Threadripper 3990X easily but other CPUs as well.
- In terms of form factor, A TRX40 motherboard is a new type of size: an XL ATX motherboard. This means you’ll need a beefy casing to house this beast.
- Incredible PCIe slot spacing is great, especially if you’re using those gigantic RTX graphics cards.
- 10G LAN and WiFi6 connectivity options are part and parcel of any TRX40 motherboard.
Now, an entry level TRX40 motherboard will cost you about $600, but at this point, that doesn’t really matter seeing as how you’ve easily gotten your hands on a Threadripper CPU.
What’s The Best Threadripper Motherboard In The Market Right Now?
Listed below are some of the best Threadripper motherboards that money can buy. Every one of them is capable of guaranteeing optimum performance, optimized power delivery, and more.
ASUS ROG Zenith II sTRX4 EATX Motherboard
ASUS is a brand that needs no introduction. They’ve always been at the forefront of the motherboard market for many years now because of their high-performing motherboards and now, they’re breaking into other markets such as gaming laptops, paraphernalia, and more.
On this list, we have the ASUS ROG Zenith II sTRX4 as one of two contenders from their brand. At a glance you get 4 PCIe x 16 slots for your graphics cards, a total of 8 RAM slots, and at least five M.2 PCIe storage slots. It’s literally one of the most robust TRX40 motherboards out there.
For connectivity, you’re getting Bluetooth 5, WiFi 6 port, an Aquantia ACQ-107 Ethernet port, and 1Gbps LAN port. You also get a 16-phase VRM, guaranteeing optimal power delivery to the new Threadripper CPU. And yes, it’s got enough juice to power the up and coming 64 cores 2990x Threadripper (not released yet).
It’s one of the best AMD threadripper motherboards out there in the market right now, but it’s also one of the most expensive motherboards on this list.
Is it worth it? Yes, the ASUS ROG Zenith II sTRX4 is definitely wroth every penny. It’s perfect for quad GPU setups, overclocking, and more.
ASUS Rog Zenith Extreme Alpha X399
If you’re planning on getting a 70X Threadripper or Ryzen 3960, the ASUS ROG Zenith Extreme Alpha X399 is the perfect motherboard for that.
Like its big brother, the Zenith II, the ASUS ROG Zenith Extreme Alpha X399 is a high-end gaming motherboard. It comes with the Gamefirst V Network control software, which gives you full control over which applications to prioritize when they’re running at the same time.
You also get a fancy built-in color OLED LiveDash display that shows you BIOS status updates, CPU temperatures, fan speeds, and more. The lighting effects can be controlled via the Aura Sync Application.
Enough talk about aesthetics, let’s move on to the boring parts. For slots and VRM, the ASUS ROG Zenith Extreme Alpha X399 couldn’t get any better. Like its big brother, the ASUS ROG Zenith Extreme Alpha X399 comes packed with five PCIe 4.0 M.2 sockets, 8 SATA 6Gbps slots, and 16-phase configuration with TDA21490 A power stages. You get nice connectivity options as well with 802.11ax WiFi 6 and 10GBps LAN speeds thanks to the Aquantia AQC-107C chipset.
The ASUS ROG Zenith Extreme Alpha X399 is one of the best Threadripper motherboards out there, or if you’re just looking for something to use your Ryzen 3960 processor with.
ASRock MB TRX40 Taichi
Similar to ASUS, ASRock is one of the most reliable and trusted brands for motherboards. For their TRX4o motherboard entry, we have the ASRock MB TRX40 Taichi and is a solid pick when it comes to housing a Threadripper.
You get a high-performance cooling system, so overclocking is possible with the ASRock MB TRX40 Taichi. You get four M.2 slots and support for up to six M.2 key-M solid state drives (SSD).
But the downside to the ASRock MB TRX40 Taichi is that the fan headers and CPU-power are poorly-placed, so it might be stressful when it comes to building up the entire PC.
Other than that, the ASRock MB TRX40 Taichi is robust and solid for what it has to offer.
GIGABYTE TRX40 AORUS Xtreme
Gigabyte TRX40 AORUS Xtreme is a powerful TRX40 motherboard since it can accommodate a 3rd generation Threadripper CPU for excellent gaming performance. But the price is very steep.
Gigabyte TRX40 AORUS Xtreme is equipped with a powerful cooling system that helps keep temperatures in check. The massive heatsink is aesthetically pleasing to look at.
But you don’t really get the Gigabyte TRX40 AORUS Xtreme for its cooling system. You’re getting it for what it has to offer.
First, the Gigabyte TRX40 AORUS Xtreme gets you Gen4 A/C Adaptor, four M.2 NVMe slots with thermal guard, and 10 SATA 6GB/s connectors. You also get four PCIe x16 slots for your graphics cards. For audio, you’re getting the Realtek ALC4050H codec that gives you high-quality analog and digital sound.
Connectivity-wise, you get two Aurois antenna and Bluetooth 5. Other ports also include seven Type-A back panel, and rear and front USB 3.2 Gen2 Type C ports.
Now, is the Gigabyte TRX40 AORUS Xtreme worth every penny? Yes it is.
Is it the best Threadripper motherboard? It’s one of the stronger contenders on this list for sure. But we’re not done yet.
MSI Creator TRX40
The MSI Creator TRX40 is a solid gaming motherboard that not only appeases to gamers, but also to custom rig builders. Aesthetics-wise, the MSI Creator TRX40 features Mystic Light, providing support for up to 29 lighting effects and 16.8 million colors. If RGB lighting is your thing, look no further than the MSI Creator TRX40.
But that’s not the only good thing about this motherboard. You get the enhanced thermal solutions including extended heatsink, Heatpipe, and a frozr heatsink.
You also get some decent number of USB 3.2 Gen2x2 ports, 8 RAM slots, 6 SATA ports, four PCIe x16 slots with 3-way SLI support, and WiFi 6 connectivity. The MSI Creator TRX40 is fast, packed, and more than capable of being equipped with the latest gaming hardware.
If you want a solid backbone for your gaming rig, look no further than the MSI Creator TRX40.
GIGABYTE TRX40 AORUS PRO WiFi
Another entry from the Gigabyte brand is the Gigabyte TRX40 Aorus Pro WiFi. It’s not as aesthetically pleasing as the MSI motherboards, but the Gigabyte TRX40 Aorus Pro WiFi is a high end motherboard with all the right features necessary to support a Threadripper CPU.
The Gigabyte TRX40 Aorus Pro WiFi comes with a 16+3 power for robust power delivery for the newest line of Threadrippers. You also get 10 SATA 6Gbps ports, 4 M.2 slots, 4 PCIe x 16 slots, and 8 RAM slots, making it the perfect motherboard for dual GPUs and other extreme gaming rig setups.
MSI TRX40 PRO 10G
Now, we couldn’t really complete this list without a budget option. And by budget option, we mean something that doesn’t really hurt your wallet as much as the other contenders.
If you’re tight on the budget, then you should secure the MSI TRX40 PRO 10G. It’s a solid budget alternative for supporting AMD Threadripper CPUs. But don’t be fooled by its price. It’s still got a lot of features.
But what do we like the most about the MSI TRX40 PRO 10G? Well, the heatsink is more powerful than any of the motherboards out there, that’s why the MSI TRX40 PRO 10G is a sought-after motherboard for the AMD Threadripper CPUs.
The MSI TRX40 PRO 10G uses a 3-phase SOC and 6×2 phase 90A ISL99390 power stages, making it possible to power 3rd generation AMD Threadripper CPUs. Overclocking won’t even be a problem at all.
The only thing that doesn’t really make the MSI TRX40 PRO 10G stand out from the rest is that it doesn’t have a built-in wireless connection. If it did have wireless connectivity, this would be on top of our list.
The Wrap Up
If you want our recommendation for the best threadripper motherboard, we’re torn between the ASUS ROG Zenith II and the Gigabyte TRX40 Aorus PRO Xtreme. Both are great choices and equally expensive, but the features are well worth it. They’ll easily last you at least five to ten years.
