AMD's Ryzen 9 5900X was released in late 2020 as a flagship processor (CPU) for PC gamers and enthusiasts craving tons of power from 12 cores and 24 threads. Although it's showing its age with several generations ahead of it — including the latest Zen 5 Ryzen 9000 chips expected to launch this year — it remains a relatively affordable option that pairs well with NVIDIA's RTX 30- and 40-series graphics cards (GPU) as well as modern Radeon options from AMD.
The Ryzen 9 5900X requires the AM4 socket (AMD has since moved on to AM5) in its motherboard, and thankfully there are still plenty of great options on the market despite the CPU's age. I've rounded up the best X570 and B550 boards available at various prices to help you get the most out of your Ryzen 9 CPU.
Premium X570
To make the most of your Ryzen 5900X, it's best to use an X570 motherboard. The ASUS ROG Strix X570-E has great power delivery for stable overclocking, PCIe 4.0 support, high-quality components, Wi-Fi 6, Gen 4 M.2 slots capable of unidirectional transfer speeds up to 64GB/s, rapid LAN ports, and plenty of RGB lighting options to boot. Its performance doesn't come cheap; you can find it for about $279 at Newegg.
Budget pick
This GIGABYTE motherboard isn't quite as advanced as our other X570 recommendations, but it's still worth considering if you're on a tight budget. The B550 AORUS Elite V2 supports PCIe 4.0 and DDR4 RAM, and it comes with a decent VRM setup, 2.5GbE LAN, and other highlight features. It's available these days for about $149 at Amazon.
Compact board
For those of you who prefer to build more compact PCs, a Mini-ITX motherboard is ideal. The ASUS ROG Strix X570-I is a solid foundation for the Ryzen 9 5900X processor. It has an 8+2 phase delivery with active VRM cooling alongside active chipset cooling. There's also PCIe 4.0, DDR4, Wi-Fi 6, and plenty of other features. Pick it up for about $429 at Newegg.
Mid-range X570
With a 12+2 Dr. MOS power stages, active heatsink for the chipset passive heatsinks all over for M.2 slots and VRMs, and some RG lighting, the TUF Gaming X570-Plus is a great option for those who don't want to overspend. It supports PCIe 4.0 and DDR4, and it has USB-C and Wi-Fi 5 connectivity. Find it for about $182 at Amazon.
White accents
If you want X570 without overspending (and want some nice white highlights), there's always the ASUS Prime X570-P. It has 8+4 Dr. MOS power stages, active chipset cooling and heatsinks for the VRMs, plus a bit of RGB lighting. Dual M.2 PCIe 4.0 slots handle storage, there are four DDR4 RAM slots, and it has Gigabit LAN support. Get it for about $259 at Newegg.
Enthusiast X570
The ASUS ROG X570 Crosshair VIII Formula sounds like a monstrous motherboard, and that's because it is. Highlight features include high-quality components for stable overclocking, as well as a heatsink block that can be connected to your custom water-cooling loop. It's well worth the $510 price for any enthusiasts who only want the best.
Choosing the best motherboard for your Ryzen 9 5900X
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The motherboard is the heart of your PC, connecting all your components and providing power to the processor, GPU, and beyond. It also determines what CPU you can use. The Ryzen 9 5900X isn't a super-demanding CPU, which allows you to use an A520, B550, or X570 chipset-touting motherboard.
Our top pick for the Ryzen 9 5900X is the ASUS ROG Strix X570-E, which comes with super-fast LAN ports and PCIe 4.0, thanks to the X570 chipset from AMD. It's not the most affordable, but will easily handle the Ryzen 9 5900X processor.
In our ASUS ROG Strix X570-E review, former Windows Central Senior Editor Rich Edmonds said, "a brilliant motherboard choice for anyone wanting one of the best UEFI BIOS interfaces around for overclocking an AMD Ryzen processor with high levels of stability." The X570-E is still available for about $279 at Newegg, but it's a refurbished model. If you want to shop new, the ASUS ROG Strix X570-E WIFI II is a great alternative available for about $415.
If you're looking to spend less — say around $150 — the GIGABYTE Aorus B550 Elite V2 is a great choice. There's also the ASUS TUF Gaming X570-PLUS for about $182 at Amazon. Check out our roundup of the best motherboards for more.
Is the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X good for gaming?
Despite its age, AMD's Ryzen 9 5900X remains a solid CPU for gaming purposes. Its 12 cores and 24 threads top out at a 4.8GHz boost clock speed, and it runs at a tidy 105W TDP. You might want to add a liquid cooler for optimal performance, but a chunky enough air cooler can get the job done.
AMD has released newer Ryzen 9 chips, but at about $263 the Ryzen 9 5900X remains a great option for builders looking to save some serious money.
