Joe Shields

One of the only Mini-ITX boards with 2x PCIe 5.0 M.2, Asus offers a well-equipped, good-performing motherboard, but you will pay more for the privilege.

This sub-$300 board gives you five M.2 slots, but be aware of the consequences.

Budget board offers ample USB and expansion options for streaming and other tasks.

B850 Steel Legend offers a silver appearance and all-around value

Sub-$400 X870E board packs in all the features

MSI’s Z890 Godlike offers next-level flagship-class features and a high-end aesthetic, but the price will be a turnoff for most.

Asus’ ROG Strix X870E-E Gaming Wifi is a premium board with loads of USB ports, five M.2 sockets, robust power delivery, high-quality audio, and a high-end appearance.

ASRock’s budget Mini-ITX B860I Lighting offers good value and is well-rounded, but it lacks Wi-Fi 7, which its peers do not.

Budget-class B850 Tomahawk offers fast LAN and dual PCIe 5.0 M.2 sockets

Budget mini-ITX offers a well-rounded solution for the money.

Sub $230 board offers big value compared to Z890, but not against its peers.

Made to be a cheaper option for AM5, the Aorus Elite is a well-balanced board with Wi-Fi 7, several DIY-friendly features, and more for under $230.

The X870E Godlike offers the most M.2 connectivity and USB Type-C ports for the platform, plus an LED screen and lavish looks, but it costs a pretty penny.

ASRock’s Z890 Taichi OCF is a $599 overclocker-focused board for Intel’s latest platform. It’s also mostly great for daily use, though there aren’t a lot of USB-A ports.

The Asus ROG Strix Z890-A Gaming WiFi is a solid motherboard option in the upper-midrange space. It offers several other AI and DIY-friendly features and an impressive list of specifications.

ASRock’s Z890 Taichi Lite offers users high-end hardware at a more reasonable price point. You get a lot of storage connectivity, Dual LAN ports, and a flagship-class audio solution for $399.99.

Updated X870E Valkyrie is improved but still lags behind the ‘Big Four’

Loads of USB ports, ultra-fast memory support, and all lots of AI/Easy features

The Crosshair X870E Hero gets a sleek new design and more features without a price increase over last-gen.

Z890 motherboards hit the scene with improved looks, more PCIe lanes, and added features

The updated Taichi offers a new look, DIY-friendly functionality, loads of features and costs less than the X670E Taichi!

Priced at $499.99, the X870E Aorus Master gets a slight facelift, a lot more USB ports (including USB 4.0), and fast storage with three PCIe 5.0 x4 M.2 sockets.

MSI’s X870E Carbon is a premium motherboard with robust power delivery, several “EZ” features, solid performance, and four USB Type-C ports on the rear IO.

This sub-$200 white Micro ATX board has an anime theme, ample connectivity, and solid gaming performance, but it lacks in several areas.