Almost every motherboard review for the 9800X3D starts in the wrong place — VRM phase counts, copper thickness, peak overclock potential. None of it matters for this chip. The 9800X3D is a 120 W TDP part with a hard 1.45 V Vcore ceiling; even a $130 B650 board overbuilds VRM for it by a factor of two. The questions that do matter are the boring ones: how many M.2 slots, is WiFi 7 included, is USB4 a real port or a labelled USB-C, and does the BIOS ship in a state where EXPO works on first boot. We tested four boards across the AM5 chipset range to answer those — not to find the fastest one, because they're all the same speed.
ASUS ROG Strix X870-A Gaming WiFi
X870 · ATX · 16+2+2 (90 A) · 4× M.2 · WiFi 7 · USB4
The right tier of board for nearly every 9800X3D build. Street pricing has settled around $340. The 16+2+2 VRM is dramatically over-spec for this chip, but the rest of the package is exactly what most buyers actually need.
- Genuinely useful feature set: WiFi 7, USB4, four M.2 slots without weird lane sharing
- Silver-on-cream aesthetic that pairs cleanly with white builds
- ASUS BIOS auto-applies EXPO on first boot · UEFI is the most polished in this tier
- USB4 controller's headers are awkwardly placed for top-front routing
- Premium price for the chipset compared to a B850 board with a similar feature set
The case for this board specifically: it's the lowest-cost X870 board where ASUS didn't cut corners on M.2 slot count or USB connectivity. The X870-F (one tier down on the same chipset) drops to three M.2 slots; the X870-E (one tier up) doubles the price for marginal feature additions over the X870-A. Independent reviewers (TechPowerUp, The FPS Review) consistently land on this exact same conclusion.
ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Hero
X870E · ATX · 18+2+2 (110 A) · 5× M.2 (all PCIe 5.0) · Dual USB4 · 5 G LAN
The board you buy when you don't want to think about features again. Tom's Hardware called it "attractive, with lots of M.2 and 5 GB Ethernet" and rated it among the strongest X870E offerings. The VRM is overkill — Tom's measured 55 °C max VRM temperature during full Cinebench 2024 multi-core load.
- Five PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots is unique at this price tier
- Dual USB4 ports support Thunderbolt 4 dock chains
- 5 G LAN is a real upgrade for anyone with multi-gig internet
- Costs $300–400 more than the Strix X870-A for benefits that don't accelerate gaming
- Dark Hero variant is $50 more for marginal cosmetic differences
If you'll genuinely use the connectivity — a Thunderbolt 4 dock, multi-gig internet, multiple PCIe 5.0 NVMe drives — the X870E Hero is the cleanest implementation of those features at this price tier. If you won't, the Strix X870-A delivers 80% of the experience for half the money.
MSI B650 Gaming Plus WiFi
B650 · ATX · 12+2+1 · 2× M.2 · WiFi 6E · DDR5-7800+ OC
The case for not paying X870 money. The 9800X3D doesn't need a flagship chipset — it needs an AM5 socket, DDR5-6000 EXPO support, a PCIe 5.0 GPU slot, and a sane VRM. The B650 Gaming Plus has all four at sub-$200.
- Saves $150+ vs an equivalent X870 board with no actual gaming-performance penalty
- MSI BIOS is reliable and EXPO works on first boot
- Two M.2 slots cover most users · headroom to spend savings on GPU/RAM
- No USB4
- WiFi 6E (not 7) — most users won't notice
- Two M.2 slots may feel limiting if you're a heavy storage user
This is the right board if your reasoning is "I want a 9800X3D, I'm using one or two SSDs, I have WiFi 6 in my house, I don't have a Thunderbolt dock." That's most people. The savings vs X870 funds either a better GPU or a faster RAM kit, both of which affect actual performance more than a chipset upgrade ever will.
MSI MAG B650M Mortar WiFi
B650 · mATX · 12+2+1 · 2× M.2 · WiFi 6E
The default mATX recommendation in the AM5 era. Same VRM and feature class as the Gaming Plus, in a 24.4 × 24.4 cm footprint that fits compact cases like the Lian Li A3-mATX.
- Compact form factor without sacrificing meaningful features
- MSI Mortar reliability reputation is earned — these boards just work
- Pairs perfectly with Lian Li A3-mATX or NZXT H6 Flow compact builds
- Two M.2 slots only — limit if you're storage-heavy
- mATX cases that fit it are growing scarce as the market drifts to ITX or full ATX
This is the right board for the Compact build in our index — pairs with the Lian Li A3-mATX case for a 26-litre rig that holds an RTX 5070 Ti and the 9800X3D + NH-D15 chromax cooler without compromise.
The numbers.
| Strix X870-A | Crosshair X870E Hero | MSI B650 Gaming Plus | MSI B650M Mortar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chipset | X870 | X870E | B650 | B650 |
| Form factor | ATX | ATX | ATX | mATX |
| VRM | 16+2+2 (90 A) | 18+2+2 (110 A) | 12+2+1 | 12+2+1 |
| M.2 slots | 4 | 5 (all PCIe 5.0) | 2 | 2 |
| PCIe 5.0 GPU | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 6E |
| USB4 | 1 | 2 | — | — |
| LAN | 2.5 G | 5 G + 2.5 G | 2.5 G | 2.5 G |
| Street price | ~$340 | ~$700 | ~$190 | ~$190 |
Other strong options.
Gigabyte B650 AORUS Elite AX
The Gigabyte alternative to the MSI Gaming Plus. Slightly better VRM heatsink, comparable M.2 layout, similar pricing. Pick on aesthetic preference; both reach the same outcome.
ASRock B650 Pro RS
Even cheaper than the MSI option, often hitting $130–150. Genuine budget pick. Lacks Wi-Fi (you'd add a card), but if you're hardwired Ethernet it's the cheapest credible AM5 option for the 9800X3D.
MSI MAG B850 Tomahawk Max WiFi
The newer B850 chipset alternative. Mandates PCIe 5.0 GPU slot and one PCIe 5.0 M.2. ~$220–280. If launching today and not bound to existing inventory, this is the actual smart middle-tier pick — better connectivity than B650, much cheaper than X870.
The buying guide.
Pick the chipset by features, not VRM
Every modern AM5 board overbuilds VRM for the 9800X3D. Pay attention to: M.2 slot count (2 minimum, 4+ for futureproofing), WiFi version (6E is fine for most; 7 only matters with a WiFi 7 router), USB4 (only if you have a Thunderbolt dock), LAN speed (2.5 G is standard; 5 G/10 G if you've got fiber).
Match the form factor to the case before buying
This sounds obvious but trips people up. mATX boards fit ATX cases (just don't fill the holes), but ATX boards do not fit mATX cases. Confirm your case spec before buying; the Lian Li Lancool 217 fits ATX, the Lian Li A3-mATX fits mATX/ITX. Returning a motherboard for size is a long, painful process.
Don't pay X870E unless you'll use the features
The premium chipset adds $300–500 to the build budget. The 9800X3D doesn't benefit from any of it. If you're not running multiple PCIe 5.0 SSDs, USB4 docks, or 5 G/10 G internet, you're paying for marketing.
BIOS quality is mostly a tie
ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, and ASRock all ship boards where EXPO memory profiles auto-apply on first boot. Differences in interface polish exist but don't affect the build experience. Don't pick by BIOS reputation alone — pick by feature set and price.
FAQ.
Yes. Every modern B650 board (any from 2022+) supports the 9800X3D after a BIOS update. Most major retailers ship boards with current BIOS already flashed; if yours doesn't, the B650 chipset typically supports BIOS Flashback (no CPU required to update).
No. The 9800X3D supports PCIe 5.0 for both the GPU slot and an M.2 slot, but neither current GPUs (RTX 50-series, RX 9000-series) nor the vast majority of NVMe drives saturate PCIe 4.0 yet. PCIe 5.0 is futureproofing, not current performance.
Almost certainly, with a BIOS update. AMD has confirmed AM5 socket support through 2027+, meaning older X670, B650, X670E boards all support the 9800X3D once flashed to current BIOS. Most boards from 2023+ shipped with 9000-series support already loaded.
No. Same AM5 socket, same chipsets supported. The 9950X3D's higher TDP (170 W) does prefer boards with stronger VRMs, but even mid-tier B650/B850 boards handle it.
DDR5-6000 CL30 is the AMD sweet spot. Going faster means dropping out of 1:1 Infinity Fabric mode, which gives back most of the bandwidth gain. For the 9800X3D specifically, DDR5-6000 EXPO is the right answer — and every modern AM5 board supports it.
For most buyers: the B650 Gaming Plus.
For X870 features: the Strix X870-A.
For futureproofing: the X870E Hero.
You're not bottlenecked by the chipset; you're bottlenecked by where you put the savings. Anything else is paying for VRM headroom you'll never use.