While the AMD mainboards always stood for the high-end chipsets with an X, the launch of the AM5 socket has now also added the suffix E for extremes. So there are two versions of both chipsets: X670E and X670, but also B650E and B650.
The Extreme chipset brings some additional features with it. Among other things, there is PCIe 5.0 support for GPU and SSD lanes, although the number of lanes can vary by model and manufacturer.
Higher native clocks for DDR5 are supported for RAM-OC, there is an improved voltage supply for the CPU, faster LAN, WiFi, and Bluetooth, and support for upcoming USB 4.0 ports.
Furthermore, the setting options for overclocking the CPU and RAM are more diverse. In direct comparison to B650 mainboards, there are also more connections and ports for M.2 SSD and USB peripherals.
The start of the AM5 socket was some time ago and the model selection for the B650E mainboards is still relatively small. In terms of price, the price screw has been turned significantly compared to the previous models.
The currently cheapest B650E mainboard goes for just under 300 euros over the virtual counter – mind you for the budget chipset. For more information on the new AM5 socket and the Zen 4 processors and their performance, see our article.
The HardwareSchotte editorial team has clearly compared the currently best models in a table and, thanks to our price comparison, always shows you the cheapest prices.
The best AMD B650E motherboards
What is the difference between a B650E and X670E motherboard?
The differences between the two chipsets are quite small. Both offer basically the same features, but motherboards with the X670E chipset offer a bit more of everything.
With the X670E chipset, more PCIe lanes, more USB and SATA ports are available, and the USB ports mostly have more with higher speeds. The X670E models are also better in terms of power supply (important for ambitious overclocking). However, those who do not need this will be completely satisfied with a B650E mainboard.
Which power supply is best for a B650E motherboard?
In principle, you do not need a special power supply for the new AMD mainboards with AM5 socket. But you should make sure that it is a halfway up-to-date model that supports current power-saving mechanisms.
If you want to overclock, you should not only connect the 8-pin CPU power connector but also connect the second 4-pin or 8-pin CPU power supply to ensure a more stable voltage. Not all power supplies come with a second CPU power plug from the factory. Matching power supplies in our purchase advice
Which CPUs can be operated with a B650E mainboard?
Only the new AMD Ryzen CPUs of the 7000 series are compatible with the B650E mainboards with AM5 sockets. However, one can also assume that future AMD CPU generations will be compatible via Bios update. Older Ryzen generations do not work due to the socket change.
What are the advantages of PCI-Express 5.0?
M.2 SSDs can read through PCIe 5.0 at up to 15000 MB/s, which is twice the performance of PCIe 4.0 x4. However, there is currently no M.2 SSD on the market that achieves this.
The bandwidth of the PCIe 5.0 slot for the graphics card is also significantly higher than that of PCIe 4.0. Again, however, there is still no graphics card model that can use this bandwidth.
AMD B650E vs B650.
B650 motherboard – which one is better? As far as performance is concerned, the two chipsets don’t actually take anything. However, if you want to be prepared for the latest graphics card, you should rather use a B650E mainboard, since PCIe 5.0 is also on board for the PCIe slot and not just for M.2 SSDs. This is also the biggest difference between the B650E and B650 chipsets.
Can you also overclock with a B650E motherboard?
Yes, all current Ryzen CPUs of the 7000 series that have a free multiplier can be overclocked with a B650E motherboard. The RAM can also be overclocked. Only the voltage supply of the CPU is usually a bit lower compared to an X670E mainboard.
Which CPU cooler for socket AM5 should I buy?
There is no general answer to this since the choice of the right CPU air cooler depends on several factors. If you want to get the maximum out of the CPU, the cooling must be as good as possible.
Then water cooling would make sense, which is usually quite expensive. If you want to be as quiet as possible and still have good CPU cooling, then we recommend a powerful air cooler.
But whether air or water cooling: The right choice also depends on the existing PC case. The maximum CPU cooler height that can be installed or the space for possible radiators limits the selection.
Here are our recommendations for CPU air coolers for the AM5 socket. Can’t find the right motherboard in our recommendations? All mainboards with B650E chipset in our price comparison
