There’s a fine line between making the right choices and the wrong ones when building a PC. The first choice being: do you go for Intel motherboards or AMD motherboards? It mostly depends on what kind of CPU you want to run with. Then you’ll have other choices to consider before you purchase a motherboard:
- Connectivity issues
- Design and build
- Number of available slots
And the list goes on…
From more than half a dozen brands in the market right now, we’re going to help pick out the best motherboards for your workstation needs.
What Are The Best Work Station Motherboards?
Gamers and creative professionals need robust motherboards with great reliability. Gaming, rendering, animation tasks, and other heavy workloads need a powerful CPU-GPU combo. But that’s only made possible if the motherboard can hold these two together.
With that being said, what are the best workstation motherboards and what can we recommend?
Gigabyte X570 Aorus Ultra
A Solid All-Around AMD X570 Motherboard
Up first, we have the Gigabyte X570 Aorus Ultra, it’s a high-end motherboard for gaming and creative work. The Gigabyte X570 Aorus Ultra is based on the AMD X570 chipset and is compatible with AMD Ryzen processors.
The Gigabyte X570 Aorus Ultra has a sleek black PCB with silver accents and a heatsink covering the IO shield. It has a standard ATX form factor, which means it will fit into most cases that support ATX motherboards. The Gigabyte X570 Aorus Ultra is known for its excellent build quality with solid capacitors and robust heat sinks on the VRM.
The Gigabyte X570 Aorus Ultra supports AMD processors, including AMD Ryzen 5000, 4000 G-Series, and Ryzen 3000 processors. It has an AM4 socket, which means it can accommodate any processor with an AM4 socket.
The motherboard has four DDR4 DIMM slots supporting up to 128GB of memory as well as supporting memory speeds up to 4400 MHz in overclocking mode, which is expected for a high-end motherboard.
The Gigabyte X570 Aorus Ultra has three PCIe 4.0 x16 slots, two PCIe 4.0 x1 slots, and two M.2 slots. The PCIe 4.0 x16 slots can accommodate two graphics cards in CrossFireX or SLI mode for maximum gaming performance.
The Gigabyte X570 Aorus Ultra has six SATA III ports, accommodating up to six SATA III storage drives. It also has two M.2 slots that support NVMe SSDs for faster data transfer speeds.
The Gigabyte X570 Aorus Ultra has Gigabit Ethernet and 7.1-channel HD audio. It also has built-in Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless connectivity. It has six USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, four USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and two USB 2.0 ports.
MSI MAG Z490 Tomahawk
Best Intel Z490 Motherboard
The MSI MAG Z490 Tomahawk is a high-end ATX motherboard for gaming and high-performance computing. It is based on the Intel Z490 chipset and is compatible with the latest 10th-generation Intel processors. Here is a detailed review of the MSI MAG Z490 Tomahawk motherboard.
The MSI MAG Z490 Tomahawk supports Intel processors, including 10th-generation Comet Lake processors. It has an LGA 1200 socket, which means it can accommodate any processor with an LGA 1200 socket.
The MSI MAG Z490 Tomahawk has four DDR4 DIMM slots that support up to 128GB of memory and up to 4800 MHz in overclocking mode. You’re also getting two PCIe 3.0 x16 slots, two PCIe 3.0 x1 slots, and a single M.2 slot. The PCIe 3.0 x16 slots can handle two graphics cards in CrossFireX or SLI mode for maximum gaming performance.
The MSI MAG Z490 Tomahawk has six SATA III ports, accommodating up to six storage drives. It also has two M.2 slots that support NVMe SSDs for faster data transfer speeds.
The motherboard has Gigabit Ethernet and 7.1-channel HD audio. It has six USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and two USB 2.0 ports. It also has built-in Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 for wireless connectivity.
MSI MAG B660 Tomahawk Wi-Fi
Best Pick For Intel B660 Motherboards
The MSI MAG B660 Tomahawk Wi-Fi is a high-end ATX motherboard for gamers and creative professionals. It uses the B660 chipset and is compatible with the latest Intel Core processors. Here is a detailed review of the MSI MAG B660 Tomahawk Wi-Fi motherboard:
The MSI MAG B660 Tomahawk Wi-Fi dons a black PCB with silver and gray accents. Because it has a standard ATX form factor, it fits most cases supporting ATX motherboards.
The MSI MAG B660 Tomahawk Wi-Fi supports Intel Core processors, including 12th-generation Alder Lake processors. It has an LGA 1700 socket, which means it can accommodate any processor with an LGA 1700 socket.
The motherboard has four DDR5 DIMM slots that support up to 128GB of memory with memory speeds up to 4800 MHz in overclocking mode. The MSI MAG B660 Tomahawk Wi-Fi has two PCIe 5.0 x16 slots, one PCIe 4.0 x4 slot, and two PCIe 3.0 x1 slots.
For storage, you’re getting six SATA III ports, accommodating up to six SATA III storage drives. It also has three M.2 slots that support NVMe SSDs for faster data transfer speeds.
The motherboard has Gigabit Ethernet and 7.1-channel HD audio. It has six USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and two USB 2.0 ports. It also has built-in Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 for wireless connectivity.
ASUS ROG Strix B450-F
High Performance Motherboard
The ASUS ROG Strix B450-F Gaming is a high-end ATX motherboard for gaming enthusiasts. It is based on the AMD B450 chipset and is compatible with the latest AMD Ryzen processors.
The B450-F supports AMD Ryzen series processors, including the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generations of Ryzen CPUs. This makes it a versatile option for a workstation motherboard, as Ryzen processors are known for their strong performance in multitasking and workstation applications.
The B450-F supports up to 64GB of DDR4 memory, with speeds of up to 3200MHz, so powering through various applications shouldn’t be a problem.
The B450-F offers different expansion options, including two PCIe x16 slots for graphics cards, one PCIe x1 slot, and six SATA 3.0 ports for storage devices. This allows you to configure your workstation with multiple graphics cards or storage devices, depending on your specific needs.
The B450-F features Gigabit Ethernet support, which provides fast and reliable networking for workstation applications requiring data transfer. It also includes Wi-Fi connectivity, which is especially useful for remote workers or those needing to connect to a wireless network.
The B450-F also features high-quality audio, thanks to the inclusion of the Realtek S1220A audio codec. This provides 7.1-channel surround sound, making it a good choice for multimedia workstations that require high-quality audio output. The B450-F features ASUS’s 5-Way Optimization technology, allowing easy and safe overclocking of the CPU and memory. This can boost performance for workstation applications requiring high processing power.
Gigabyte B450M DS3H
Best Budget Alternative
The Gigabyte B450M DS3H is a Micro ATX motherboard and supports AMD Ryzen series processors, including the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generations of Ryzen CPUs. This makes it a versatile option for a workstation motherboard, as Ryzen processors are known for their strong performance in multitasking and workstation applications.
The B450M DS3H supports up to 64GB of DDR4 memory, with speeds of up to 3200MHz. Accommodating high-speed and high-capacity RAM modules makes it a good choice for even the most demanding workstation applications or games, which often require large amounts of memory for smooth operation.
The B450M DS3H offers many expansion options, including two PCIe x16 slots for graphics cards, one PCIe x1 slot, and four SATA 3.0 ports for storage devices. If you want to set up multiple graphics cards or storage devices, this motherboard can do it.
The B450M DS3H also features high-quality audio, thanks to the inclusion of the Realtek ALC887 audio codec. This provides 7.1-channel surround sound, making it a good choice for multimedia workstations that require high-quality audio output.
Overall, the Gigabyte B450M DS3H is a solid choice for a workstation motherboard, offering compatibility with powerful CPUs, high memory capacity and speeds, expansion options, networking support, and high-quality audio.
How Did We Pick These Boards?
If you’re looking to build a workstation computer, a motherboard is one of the most critical components you’ll need. A workstation motherboard is designed for high-performance tasks such as video editing, 3D modeling, and other demanding applications. In this guide, we’ll cover the key features you should look for when shopping for a workstation motherboard.
Compatibility with Processor
The first thing to consider when choosing a motherboard for your workstation is its compatibility with your processor. You’ll need to ensure that the motherboard is compatible with the processor you plan to use, whether an Intel or AMD chip. This information is usually included in the motherboard’s specifications, so check before purchasing.
Expansion Slots
The number and type of expansion slots on a workstation motherboard can significantly affect its capabilities. You’ll want to ensure that the motherboard has enough slots for your needs, whether for additional storage drives, graphics cards, or other peripherals. The most common expansion slots are PCI-Express (PCIe) and M.2 for NVMe SSDs.
RAM Slots
Workstations need plenty of RAM to handle the demands of large files and complex programs. When choosing a motherboard, ensure it has enough RAM slots to accommodate the memory you need. Most motherboards will have at least four slots, but some higher-end models may have more.
Form Factor
The form factor of a motherboard determines its size and shape, which can affect its compatibility with your case and other components. The most common form factors are ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX. ATX motherboards are the largest and offer the most expansion slots, while Mini-ITX motherboards are the smallest and are ideal for compact builds.
James Stephenson
James is a gaming and tech enthusiast. He has been playing computer games since the Commodore 64 days in the 80s. He has worked as a Broadcast Engineer with BBC News and knows a thing or two about building, fixing, and playing with PCs.