AMD’s high-performance chipsets include the B450 and X470 chipset motherboards. One of the hottest subjects among PC users is these two categories. What’s the difference between the AMD b450 vs x470 motherboards? Or What am I supposed to purchase? – These kinds of queries, such as B450 or X470, may be found throughout. Now that AMD has released Zen, will those CPUs be compatible with these motherboards? It works with all of the most recent Ryzen processors, particularly the Ryzen 5. Even though AMD has said that they would be compatible, it is up to us to select the best one.
B450 Motherboard
AMD’s AM4 socket motherboard is the B450 motherboard. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest mid-range motherboards by many PC builders and users. The B450 motherboard has a lot of good features. That is why it is referred to be a versatile motherboard, and it is compatible with all of AMD’s most recent CPU releases. It’s a good value and one of AMD Ryzen’s best budget motherboards. It is compatible with AMD Zen 2 and 3 CPUs. It includes 4 PCIe 3.0 lanes and 6 PCIe zen2 slots that may be used. Despite the fact that it only has two SATA3 ports, it is more than enough to keep your PC running smoothly. It has an excellent overclocking capability and decent performance.
X470 Motherboard
AMD’s most powerful motherboard, the X470, is now in the lead with its amazing features. Like a B450 motherboard, this one has an AM4 socket. It’s currently AMD’s most powerful chipset. There are additionally 4 PCIe 3.0 lanes and 8 PCIe Zen2 slots that may be used. It does, however, have two SATA3 ports more than the B450. Although it supports SLI, it does not considerably improve performance. Yes, it allows for overclocking and provides excellent overall performance. Given all of the features and capabilities, the pricing is a touch excessive. AMD Zen 2 and 3 CPUs are also supported on the X470.
Let’s Compare x470 vs b450 Motherboards
| Model | Brand | Design | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASUS ROG Strix X470-F | ASUS |  | Check Price |
| GIGABYTE B450 AORUS PRO WIFI | Gigabyte |  | Check Price |
Both the B450 and X470 are AMD AM4 processors with their own fan bases. However, the topic of which one is superior and has more worth than the other is always raised. Although most aficionados are unconcerned about it, there is a slight variation in their characteristics. The greater the concern for performance, durability, and the capacity to give certain performances. Both of these motherboards remain among the top mid-range motherboards, despite recent introductions. The newer models include PCIe Gen 4.0, which many older and decent CPUs do not, and this is another reason why you should consider purchasing these motherboards.
Both the B450 and X470 accept AMD Zen 2 CPUs and Zen 3, provided the BIOS is updated. Both of them have four PCIe 3.0 lanes, which is the same functionality. The main difference between the two is that the X470 has four SATA III ports while the B450 only has two. The X470 also supports SLI, which joins several GPUs, albeit this does not significantly narrow the gap between the two chipsets. Both of them permit overclocking, which is not available on most motherboard chipsets. Though the B450 is less expensive than the X470, it is still a good deal.
Features of Motherboards
B450 Motherboard:
- The cost is reasonable.
- Has a large heat sink that helps to cool the device.
- Compatibility is available right out of the box
- BIOS is stable.
- There is no support for multiple graphics cards.
- Overclocking potential is reduced.
- Best for gamers on a tight budget who want to play high-end games on their PCs.
X470 Motherboard:
- Has a greater number of features than the B450.
- SLI support is available.
- The power supply is adequate.
- Improved VRM solutions.
- There is no out-of-the-box compatibility with third-generation consoles.
- To flash Bios, you’ll need a suitable CPU.
- Under load, the temperature is very high.
- For consumers on a tight budget, this is very expensive.
- Greatest for gamers who want the best hardware to play games at their maximum potential.
PCIe Lanes
The usable PCIe Gen 2.0 lanes. For those unfamiliar, PCIe lanes are the connectors that connect expansion devices (such as GPUs, soundcards, SSDs, HDDs, and so on) to your motherboard. Each lane is made up of two pairs of wires, one for data transmission and the other for data reception. Each PCIe slot is divided into lanes of 1, 4, 8, and 16 lanes.
So, as you can see from the graph, the X470 chipset has the advantage in terms of accessible PCIe Gen 2.0 lanes. Despite the difference being only two lanes (B450s have six), it’s enough to allow motherboard makers to equip the X470 with more expansion slots than the B450.
SLI Support
Nvidia and AMD’s multi-GPU technology is known as SLI (Scalable Link Interface) and Crossfire. Two or more GPUs can be joined together at the same time using this technique, resulting in a single, more powerful GPU than the separate parts. Now, SLI/Crossfire compatibility was one of the X470’s biggest selling points. It was a feature that the B450 motherboards lacked. However, the dual-GPU train appears to have left the station in recent years, with modern PC builders and enthusiasts avoiding clear of the technology.
Finally, while it is still a feature that X470 motherboards have over B450 motherboards, it is no longer as beneficial as it previously was.
SATA 3 Availability
The availability of SATA 3. This is another area where X470 motherboards triumph. As you can see in the chart above, the B450 motherboards only offer two SATA III ports. The X470, on the other hand, has four, indicating that it supports faster SATA connectors.
Basically, an X470 will have two more 6Gbps SATA connectors above the B450 for folks who still use SATA SSDs, HDDs, or optical devices. I believe this might be beneficial for certain people; however, it appears to be a little mundane for the most part.
Price
The price difference between the X470 vs B450 motherboards, like other hardware components, is significant. As you can expect, X470 motherboards are more expensive than standard motherboards. Why? Because of the reasons outlined above. They offer extra PCIe lanes, SATA III choices, and can enable dual-GPU configurations.
| Model | Brand | Design | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASUS ROG Strix X470-F | ASUS | | Check Price |
| GIGABYTE B450 AORUS PRO WIFI | Gigabyte | | Check Price |
Conclusion
The letters X and B stand for extreme and basic in the 400 series chipsets. With that in mind, it’s safe to assume that the X470 will outperform the B450 in the vast majority of categories. As a result, the X470 motherboards’ high price is justified.
This should not be the case, as the manufacturers of these models ensured that they had certain commonalities, making them almost identical.
