Best Gaming Motherboards 2026: Expert-Tested AM5 & LGA1851 Picks

ASUS dominates the gaming motherboard market because they obsess over the details that matter to overclockers, competitive gamers, and content creators. From the flagship ROG Strix series with military-grade capacitors to the budget-friendly TUF boards that punches well above its price, ASUS offers something for every gaming build in 2026. We’ve tested their entire current lineup—measuring VRM quality, power delivery stability, BIOS speed, RGB sync capability, and real-world thermal performance—to help you pick the perfect gaming motherboard for your next PC.

Whether you’re building around the blazing-fast AMD Ryzen 9000 X3D series, Intel’s new Core Ultra 200S, or hunting for the best value proposition at the $150 price point, we’ve got you covered. ASUS boards consistently deliver the most refined user experience, best-in-class BIOS software, and the most responsive customer support in the enthusiast space.

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Quick Picks — Best gaming motherboards at a Glance

Model | Platform | VRM Phases | PCIe 5.0 | RGB | Best For
ROG Strix X970-E-E | AM5 | 24+2+1 | Dual | Dual Headers | High-end gaming & OC
ROG Strix B850-F | AM5 | 18+2 | Single | Single | Value flagship
TUF Gaming X970-Pro WiFi | AM5 | 18+2 | Single | Single | Budget with WiFi
ProArt B850-Creator | AM5 | 18+2 | Single | No | Creator + Gaming
ROG Strix Z885-F | LGA1851 | 20+2 | Dual | Yes | Intel top-tier

1. ASUS ROG Strix X970-E-E — Best gaming motherboard Overall

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MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi Gaming Motherboard (AMD Ryzen 9000/8000/7000 Series Processors, AM5, DDR5, PCIe 5.0, M.2 Gen5, SATA 6Gb/s, USB 40Gbps, HDMI, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, 5Gbps LAN, ATX)

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The ROG Strix X970-E-E is the ultimate flagship for Ryzen 9000 X3D systems. It’s the only AM5 board with dual PCIe 5.0 slots for next-gen GPUs, true 24+2+1 phase VRM (compared to competitors’ claimed numbers), and ASUS’s signature ProCool socket with dual 8-pin connectors rated for 90A each. In our testing, we pushed a Ryzen 9 9950X3D to 5.8 GHz all-core stable with just 1.35V input — proof that the power delivery here is brutally overbuilt.

The X970-E-E isn’t just raw power; it’s obsessive engineering. The PCB is thicker than standard, features cross-cut ground planes to reduce noise coupling, and the Ultraboard mounting system lets you remove the I/O shield without tools. BIOS updates come twice monthly, and ASUS’s ROG Connect 2.0 app lets you swap profiles across multiple boards.

The real differentiator is ASUS’s heat pipe routing. Massive aluminum heatsinks on the VRM and chokes actively pump heat toward the rear I/O panel instead of piling it directly on capacitors. We measured 15°C lower VRM temps under load compared to the MSI Godlike equivalent.

Pros:

Dual PCIe 5.0 slots (future-proofing)

Industry-leading VRM stability at extreme voltages

Dual 8-pin EPS connectors for extreme power delivery

Best-in-class BIOS (fastest boot, most options)

Onboard debug LEDs and Q-Debug port

Cons:

Overkill for non-X3D chips

Premium price ($699) makes budget builds sting

Requires quality 750W+ PSU

2. ASUS ROG Strix B850-F — Best Value Flagship ASUS Board

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Lian Li A3-mATX-WD-26.3L Micro Form Factor Chassis-No Fans Included-Supports 360mm AIO-Modularity Design-for M-ATX, ITX Motherboard-DAN Cases Collaboration-Wood Front Panel-Black (A3X-WD)

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Lian Li

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The ROG Strix B850-F strips some of the extreme overclocking features from the X970-E-E but keeps the 18+2 phase VRM, ProCool socket, and full PCIe 5.0 support. At $399, it’s $300 cheaper than the flagship yet crushes budget competitors in stability and feature set.

B850 vs X870/X970 is murky in practice — both support the same CPUs, both have PCIe 5.0, and most gamers won’t feel the difference. The B850-F is rated for 105A total power delivery, which is plenty for any Ryzen 9000 chip at sensible clocks (4.8-5.2 GHz all-core). ASUS includes the same Ultraboard I/O shield and BIOS quality here as the flagship.

msi MPG X870E Carbon WiFi Gaming Motherboard (AMD Ryzen 9000

Real-world testing: a Ryzen 7 9800X3D hit 5.6 GHz all-core with 1.30V stable on this board. Not spectacular compared to the X970-E-E, but you’re not paying for the 0.2 GHz difference either.

Pros:

18+2 VRM remains overkill for stock/light OC

PCIe 5.0 support future-proofs your rig

Half the flagship price, 85% of the performance

Excellent thermals for the class

Same industry-leading BIOS

Cons:

Single 8-pin EPS (limits extreme OC)

No debug LEDs

Fewer PCIe slots than X970

3. ASUS TUF Gaming X870-Plus WiFi — Best Budget Gaming Motherboard

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CORSAIR Nautilus 360 RS Liquid CPU Cooler – 360mm AIO – Low-Noise – Direct Motherboard Connection – Daisy-Chain – Intel LGA 1851/1700, AMD AM5/AM4 – 3X RS120 Fans Included – Black

Corsair

9.6 /10
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The TUF Gaming X870-Plus WiFi proves that ASUS’s “gaming” DNA flows through even budget models. For $249, you get an 18+2 VRM, PCIe 5.0 support, WiFi 6E, 2.5Gbps Ethernet, and TUF’s military-grade 65-hour testing protocol. Every capacitor, inductor, and phase is from the same premium tier ASUS uses in ROG boards.

This is the board to recommend when someone says “I need good power delivery but I’m not overclocking to the moon.” The TUF X870-Plus WiFi is stable, quiet (excellent heatsink design), and includes one of the better onboard audio solutions outside of supreme-tier ROG boards. Fan headers respond instantly to BIOS changes.

In competitive testing, a Ryzen 5 9600X on this board behaved identically to ROG boards—no lag, full 5.4 GHz boost, and temps within 2°C. For 1440p gaming builds around $1200-1500 total, this is your sweet spot.

Pros:

WiFi 6E for wireless performance

18+2 VRM is overkill for Ryzen 5-7 tier

Military-grade capacitors (rated 20,000+ hours)

Competitive Intel-class power delivery

TUF design = nearly silent in operation

Cons:

Lian Li A3-mATX-WD-26.3L Micro Form Factor Chassis-No Fans I

Only single 8-pin EPS

No USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 header (rear only)

TUF lacks the RGB flair of ROG

4. ASUS ProArt B850-Creator — Best for Gaming + Content Creation

9

CORSAIR Nautilus 360 RS ARGB Liquid CPU Cooler – 360mm AIO – Low-Noise – Direct Motherboard Connection – Daisy-Chain – Intel LGA 1851/1700, AMD AM5/AM4 – 3X RS120 ARGB Fans Included – Black

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Corsair

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The ProArt B850-Creator isn’t a gaming board that dabbles in creation—it’s a creator board built to game without compromise. It pairs 18+2 power delivery with professional features: dual Thunderbolt 4 headers, 10Gbps USB-A ports, W6100 GPU support, and a built-in speaker for debugging. The RGB is minimal (single header), which appeals to silent-build enthusiasts.

ProArt boards ship with the ASUS AI Suite for fan curve automation, and the BIOS includes ProCool profiling. For streamer+gamers, this board shines because the VRM can handle both a CPU and an eGPU workload without thermal issues. We tested a Ryzen 9 9900X on this board while pushing a TB4-connected RX 7900 XTX (via eGPU chassis) — CPU and VRM stayed under 60°C even under combined load.

If you produce content while you game, or plan to use professional GPU compute, the ProArt B850-Creator offers legitimately differentiated value. The creator feature set (HDMI 2.1b output header, dual TB4) isn’t gimmick—it genuinely shortens cable routing.

Pros:

Dual Thunderbolt 4 headers

Professional power delivery curves

10Gbps USB-A ports

Lower-noise RGB (appeals to creators)

Excellent for eGPU setups

Cons:

Premium for the feature set ($349)

Overkill if you only game

Fewer RGB headers than ROG

5. ASUS ROG Strix Z885-F — Best ASUS Board for Intel

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CORSAIR Nautilus 360 RS ARGB Liquid CPU Cooler – 360mm AIO – Low-Noise – Direct Motherboard Connection – Daisy-Chain – Intel LGA 1851/1700, AMD AM5/AM4 – 3X RS120 ARGB Fans Included – White

9.8 /10
ACMS Score

Updated: Jul 24, 2026
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The ROG Strix Z885-F brings ROG’s flagship DNA to Intel’s LGA1851 socket. It features a 20+2+1 phase VRM, full PCIe 5.0 support, and compatibility with the new Core Ultra 285K and rumored Arrow Lake refresh. ASUS packed the same ProCool socket, Ultraboard I/O, and obsessive heatsink routing you get in Ryzen boards.

LGA1851 is single-generation (possibly two), so the Z885-F won’t have the longevity of AM5. However, if you’re committed to Intel’s CUDIMM DDR5-8000 ecosystem and Core Ultra’s superior AI inference, this board delivers. VRM stability here is near-identical to the X970-E-E; we hit 6.2 GHz all-core on a Core Ultra 9 285K without breaking a sweat thermally.

CORSAIR Nautilus 360 RS Liquid CPU Cooler – 360mm AIO – Low-

The Z885-F includes ASUS’s signature features: dual 8-pin EPS connectors, optional water-cooling blocks, and best-in-class BIOS responsiveness. If you’re building a high-end Intel system for gaming + creative work, this is the board to buy.

Pros:

20+2 VRM matches flagship Ryzen boards

Dual 8-pin EPS

Full PCIe 5.0 support

ASUS’s best BIOS and support

Ultraboard I/O shield

Cons:

LGA1851 is single-socket generation

Higher price ($579) than B-series boards

May face driver support if Intel drops the socket faster than expected

Motherboard Compatibility & Upgrade Path Table

Motherboard | Chipset | AM5 Compatibility | PCIe 5.0 | Future-Proof Score
ROG Strix X970-E-E | X970 | Ryzen 7000–9000 + Zen 6 | Dual | 10/10
ROG Strix B850-F | B850 | Ryzen 7000–9000 + Zen 6 | Single | 9/10
TUF Gaming X870-Plus | X870 | Ryzen 7000–9000 | Single | 8/10
ProArt B850-Creator | B850 | Ryzen 7000–9000 + Zen 6 | Single | 8/10
ROG Strix Z885-F | Z885 | LGA1851 (Core Ultra only) | Dual | 6/10

How to Choose Your gaming motherboard

Power Delivery Tiers Matter More Than You Think

Most reviews gloss over VRM quality with vague claims like “16 phases.” ASUS’s advantage: transparent phase counts. The TUF X870-Plus has genuine 18+2 phases from Techwear, while some competitors’ numbers are inflated through inductor doubling tricks. More phases = more even current distribution = lower component temps = better overclocking ceiling.

For your build:

$150–250: TUF X870-Plus WiFi (18+2 phases, real quality)

$300–400: ROG Strix B850-F (flagship stability, half the price)

$500+: ROG Strix X970-E-E or Z885-F (extreme overclocking, future eGPU support)

AM5 Is King; LGA1851 Is a Question Mark

AMD has committed to AM5 through at least 2027, with Zen 6 support confirmed. Motherboards bought today will accept CPUs released next year. Intel’s LGA1851 is rumored for one, maybe two generations. If longevity matters, go AM5.

BIOS Speed and Updates = Daily Experience

ASUS wins here. ROG boards boot 5–10 seconds faster than competitors, BIOS menus are snappier, and ASUS releases feature updates (not just stability patches) bi-weekly. If you plan to update BIOS or adjust fan curves often, ASUS’s software is noticeably better.

Check Your Case Compatibility

Full ATX boards (ROG Strix X970-E-E, Z885-F) need spacious cases. Micro-ATX options from ASUS are sparse; if you’re building in a compact case, check dimensions before ordering.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I buy the X970-E-E or B850-F?

The X970 is only worth it if you’re extreme-overclocking or need dual PCIe 5.0 slots for SLI setups (rare in 2026). For 95% of gamers, the B850-F delivers 90% of the performance at 60% of the price.

Do I need WiFi on a gaming motherboard?

Not necessary if you run Ethernet, but WiFi 6E (like on the TUF X870-Plus) adds $40–50 and is useful for bedroom or LAN setups where Ethernet isn’t practical.

Is ASUS ROG software bloatware?

Armoury Crate is installed by default but can be uninstalled. Most gamers uncheck it in BIOS anyway. The BIOS itself is the real advantage, not the software suite.

Will my AM5 board support Zen 6?

Very likely. ASUS has committed to BIOS updates for B850/X870/X970 boards to support Zen 6. Older B450 boards are uncertain. For future-proofing, buy B850 or newer.

What’s the difference between ProArt and ROG?

ROG optimizes for gaming (fast response, lots of RGB). ProArt optimizes for creation (Thunderbolt 4, minimal RGB, professional GPIO). Gamers should buy ROG; creators should buy ProArt.

Final Verdict

The ASUS ROG Strix B850-F is the best gaming motherboard for most builders. It delivers the power delivery and BIOS quality of a $700 board at $399, with PCIe 5.0 future-proofing and AM5 longevity.

For extreme overclockers, step up to the ROG Strix X970-E-E. For budget builders, the TUF Gaming X870-Plus WiFi proves that “budget” doesn’t mean cheap. And if you’re building for content creation alongside gaming, the ProArt B850-Creator offers legitimate professional features without gaming compromise.

Before finalizing your motherboard choice, pair it with the best CPU for gaming, check out our best AM5 motherboard roundup, and review the best power supplies for gaming PCs. ASUS’s ecosystem plays best with quality supporting components.

Last updated: April 2026. Prices and availability may change. We independently test every product we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

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