Best DDR5 motherboards in 2025

DDR% RAM is the latest generation of system memory for desktop and laptop PCs. To use the fastest modules on the market, you'll need one of the best motherboards with compatible DIMM slots. We've put together a list of only the best DDR5 motherboards for AMD and Intel processors, allowing you to enjoy faster RAM speeds and other new features over DDR4. You'll find a mix of budget-friendly, affordable motherboards as well as some more premium and enthusiast-grade options in this collection.

Our top picks for the best DDR5 motherboards in 2024

The MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi is one of our favorite motherboards for AMD AM5 processors. It has full DDR5 support, PCIe 5.0 support on the main slot, as well as an additional two PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD slots. It's slightly on the expensive side of the motherboard market but it's worth the price if you're able to take advantage of the array of features. An 18+2+1 VRM configuration for power delivery is also superb for overclocking the best AMD CPUs with DDR5 RAM.

In my review, I found the MPG X870E Carbon WiFi to be a compelling foundation for a PC, be it for gaming or running heavier creative software. The VRMs are incredible for running the latest AMD Ryzen processors, including full support for the 9000 series CPUs. So long as you don't mind spending a considerable amount of money, this is one of the better mid-range motherboards for AM5-compatible AMD processors. Just be sure to take full advantage of all the available features.

For Intel processors, we'd recommend the MSI MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi for the Intel Core Ultra 100 and 200 series. The processors support DDR5 RAM only, but we'd go with the latest and greatest in system memory now that the generation has had some time to mature. Performance is superior to DDR4 and the MPG Z890 Carbon WiFi is a solid foundation for a PC. We used this motherboard in our review of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265K. It has PCIe 5.0 support on the main PCI slot and some of the M.2 slots.

Power delivery is handled through a 20+1+1+1 VRM delivery design with beefy thermal pads atop the MOSFETs. The heatsinks atop the VRMs handle heat output (unlike some motherboard designs) and are connected via a single heat pipe. All four M.2 slots are equipped with passive cooling and can be removed without using a screwdriver. There's solid connectivity on the rear and with internal headers. You'll have no trouble connecting all of your peripherals and cooling. The design is sleek without looking too obnoxious, something some "gaming" motherboards tend to fail with.

A great alternative motherboard for AMD Ryzen 7000 series processors is the Gigabyte X670 Aorus Elite AX. It's more affordable than the Asus motherboard we'd recommend as our top pick, but still manages to support lightning-fast DDR5 RAM and even has a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot for SSDs. The power delivery isn't quite as robust as more premium options, including the aforementioned Asus board, but it's more than enough for handling even the most power-hungry AMD chip.

A solid runner-up for Intel fans is the Asus ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero. It's similar to our AMD top pick in that it supports DDR5 RAM, PCIe 5.0 support for the main expansion slot, and a few M.2 slots, and has a reliable 20+1+2 phase power delivery design. This enables the motherboard to be used as a stable overclocking bench for even an Intel Core i9-14900K, taking full advantage of the performance headroom with DDR5 RAM.

We liked the board in our in-depth review, citing its impressive overclocking capabilities. But even if you're not into pushing your system parts beyond their limits, the ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero has plenty to offer. It is an older platform at this point, but there are some issues with Intel's newer Core Ultra 200 series desktop chips.

Spending a lot of money on an AMD motherboard is not required to enjoy DDR5 support. The Asus TUF Gaming B650-Plus is a more affordable foundation for a capable PC build without sacrificing too many features. We wouldn't recommend pushing the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X too hard with this board, but it's more than good enough for a high-end gaming machine with DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 support across the board.

MSI's Pro Z790-A wants you to save money, which is why there's no fancy shroud to cover most of the PCB and the feature set is relatively conservative. Although it's half the price of the top recommended Intel motherboards for 12th and 13th Gen chips, there's plenty to appreciate with this motherboard. We've got DDR5 RAM support, PCIe 5.0 on the main card slot, and a good array of rear I/O ports, but no PCIe 5.0 for M.2 SSDs.

The most compact motherboard we'd recommend for AMD systems is the Asus ROG Strix X870E-I Gaming. This thing has everything you need for a powerful PC built with DDR5 RAM support, a full-size PCie 5.0 slot, and enough ports on the rear for connecting all your devices. There's not enough space on the board itself for multiple M.2 slots, beefier power delivery, and countless headers making it more of a challenge to build a PC in larger cases, but this is one seriously capable motherboard all things considered.

Rounding off our list of recommendations is the small yet mighty Gigabyte Z790I Aorus Ultra. This is a great motherboard for a more compact chassis. It may only have one full-size PCI slot, but it supports PCIe 5.0 speeds. Gigabyte even worked in not one but two M.2 storage slots for NVMe SSDs and a few headers to connect all your internal fans. It'll still be able to handle an Intel Core i9-13900K, so long as you don't do any overclocking. This motherboard is perfect for a smaller system build, but you will be limited by connectivity.

There's only so much Gigabyte can cram on such a small PCB. It's also relatively pricey, compared to full-size ATX motherboards. This is also the case with SFX power supplies, so be prepared to effectively pay more for less to enjoy the luxury of owning a compact board.

How to choose the best DDR5 motherboard

Picking the best DDR5 motherboard for AMD and Intel systems is primarily driven by the socket. So long as it matches up with the processor, you'll be good to go. Our collection of motherboards is superb for building an Intel or AMD PC with full support for memory profiles through XMP and EXPO. Whether you're in the market for something more affordable or a motherboard that will be reliable with heavier overclock profiles, there's something for almost everyone here.

If we had to recommend just one AMD or Intel motherboard, for Team Red we'd use the superb Asus ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming with its reliable UEFI BIOS and great array of features. For Intel, there's nothing better than the MSI MPGZ790 Carbon WiFi without spending ridiculous amounts of money. Both motherboards support PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 and come with plenty of headers and ports for connecting just about anything to the PC. DDR5 isn't a requirement for Intel, however, and you can find some great deals on DDR4 motherboards if you need to save the most money.