7 Best AM3+ Motherboards: Tested & Reviewed

Are you looking for the best AM3+ motherboard for your new rig? You don’t need to go all-out with an incredibly expensive motherboard for AM3+. It doesn’t require an overkill power delivery design, but it can take advantage of high-quality components and RAM support. This guide will find a list of the best motherboards for AMD socket AM3+.

While the CPU, GPU, and RAM are critical components for a reliable gaming PC build, the motherboard holds everything together and forms the foundation of the rig. Getting the best motherboard is not as easy as it sounds. There are a lot of variables and factors to consider. So we’ve rounded the best to help you make the right choice.

This AM3+ benchmark hierarchy ranks all current and previous generation motherboards by performance. Whether it is playing games or doing high-end creative works, your motherboard will play a vital role in determining performance. While the motherboard ultimately takes a secondary role to the graphic card, you might as well make your investment count. If you’re looking to buy a AM3+ CPU, you can read up on the best AM3+ CPU as well.

The following table sorts out everything if you are looking for a quick walk-through of the motherboard reviewed here. It features motherboards from tier-1 manufacturers such as Asus, MSI, ASRock, and Gigabyte. You will be able also to see why a particular product was considered and earned a mention on this guide.

7 Best Motherboards for AMD Ryzen 3 3200G

1. ASUS Crosshair V Formula-Z – Best Overall AM3+ Motherboard
2. Asus M5A99FX PRO R2.0 – Best Overclocking AM3+ Motherboard
3. Asus M5A97 AM3+ – Best Budget AM3+ Motherboard
4. Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3 – Best Value AM3+ Motherboard
5. Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD7 – Best Beginner AM3+ Motherboard
6. Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3 – Best Premium AM3+ Motherboard
7. ASRock 990FX Professional – Best Compact AM3+ Motherboard

Quick Summary

Before we jump into further details, let’s take a quick look at the summary of features.

Image	Motherboard	Features	Price
Best Overall AM3+Motherboard	ASUS Crosshair V Formula-Z Maximum Capacity: 32 GB Maximum Speed: 2400 MHz 2x PCI-E 2.0 x16 @ x16 8x USB 2 Type-A 4x USB 3 Gen 1 Type-A 8 SATA Ports	9.8	Check Price
Best Overclocking AM3+ Motherboard	Asus M5A99FX PRO R2.0 Maximum Capacity: 32GB Maximum Speed: 1866 MHz AM3+ 32 nm CPU CPU up to 8 cores, 140 W Eight USB 2.0 Ports AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet Technology	9.6	Check Price
Best Budget AM3+ Motherboard	Asus M5A97 Maximum Capacity: 32GB Maximum Speed: 2133 MHz Four Memory Slots Six PCI Slots Six SATA ports 4 +2 Phase Power Design	9.4	Check Price
Best Value AM3+ Motherboard	Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3 Memory Capacity: 32 GB Memory Speed: 1333 MHz Four pin power connector type Three audio jacks Eight USB ports total Expansion Slots: 1 x PCI Express x16 slot	9.2	Check Price
Best Beginner AM3+ Motherboard	Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD7 Maximum Memory: 32GB Maximum Speed: 1333 MHz 4 x 1.5V DDR3 DIMM sockets Chipset Type: AMD 990FX Seven PCI ports total Main Power Connector Type: 8-pin	8.8	Check Price
Best Premium AM3+ Motherboard	Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3 Memory Capacity: 32 GB Memory Speed: 1333 MHz Primary Power Connector Type: 4-pin Graphics Card Interface: PCI, PCI-E Eight USB ports Memory Slots Available: 4	8.7	Check Price
Best Compact AM3+ Motherboard	ASRock 990FX Professional Memory Capacity: 32 GB Memory Speed: 1333 MHz Two power connectors Fast data transfer speeds Main Power Connector Type: 8-pin Graphics Card Interface: PCI, PCI-E	8.5	Check Price

Fitted with the best components, quality heatsinks, and the best chipset, the ASUS Crosshair V Formula Z is one of the best AM3+ motherboards available in value. Even though Formula Z does not deliver all the features and glitz you would find, this motherboard is pretty good.

The ASUS Crosshair V Formula Z strikes a perfect balance between performance and price for AM3+. It isn’t the best motherboard on the market, but you likely won’t require extra features to popular premium boards. This board is in every way a perfect match.

The Formula Z lets you install up to 32GB memory at 2400 MHz (OC) and has support for 8 SATA 6 GB/s Devices. Crosshair V Formula Z rear selection is pretty solid with 8 USB 2.0 and 4 USB 3.0. The likelihood that you would require more than 32GB for gaming or any other intense workload is less, even for intensive workstations that can handle huge files.

The best part about the Crosshair V Formula Z is the high-quality components used throughout. This board delivers the best in everything, including capacitors and other performance-enhancing qualities. The premium package offers supercharged reliability and greater potential for overclocking. It is not a superior board, but you get a lot of premium feel here.

Working with the latest generation of processors to provide a superb gaming experience, the Asus M5A99FX PRO R2.0 is the best AM3+ motherboard. It features the design and builds qualities of a top pick board and the base features of a standard motherboard. In addition, the motherboard includes support for up to 32 GB of RAM.

M5A99FX PRO R2.0 has the same premium features and all the rooms you will need to enhance its abilities in the future. The power delivery system is rock solid. You can push the M5A99FX PRO R2.0 beyond its prescribed limits and still have a working system tomorrow. Among the other products in this list, the M5A99FX PRO R2.0 from Asus offers one of the best overclocking options.

Throw in the fast PCI-E 2.0 x16 and enough RAM, and you can run the latest titles without any issues. Port-wise, you are looking at two USB 3.0 ports, eight USB 2.0 ports, and the standard audio and network capabilities. There is also Wi-Fi support which is almost a prerequisite nowadays in any motherboard.

Internally, the M5A99FX PRO R2.0 board has provided enough headers for additional components that need a USB interface. In addition, the cooling setup can keep your rig in check even when you push it to its limits. With its unmatched overclocking potential, this M5A99FX PRO R2.0 board from Asus is an AM3+ winner.

For budget-conscious PC builders, Asus M5A97 is a value motherboard to consider for your next build seriously. It is a top pick with a focus on saving every penny. Of course, you get slightly undesirable specs, but this module as a whole is good enough for the best AM3+ motherboard. This motherboard is also the perfect example of an overclocking-suited motherboard.

You can easily install the M5A97 motherboard without friction, and it would run just fine. In addition, there is more room for testing the limits of your machine since it is designed for that. Moreover, you can run a professional-grade system here, even with budget-friendly components and foundations.

Besides supporting the best processors in the business, Asus delivers support for fast data transfer and the VRMs for adequate cooling. The M5A97 motherboard might be the budget-conscious board, but you still get a perfectly capable 4+2 power phase design to accommodate the power-hungry CPUs and more overclocking.

Port-wise, you are looking at DisplayPort, four USB 3.0/2.0 ports, and 12 US 2.0/1.1. Also, you have a single RJ45 LAN connection. All in all, this board is a great way to move from less capable motherboards to play in the big league. Asus delivers a powerful AM3+ motherboard for a great build.

The Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3 is a unique, affordable motherboard since it comes with one of the best chipset selections. Unlocking many features to leverage in your machine, this build is easy on the UD3. It is the cheapest motherboard on this list, but you can get plenty, combined with the power of the AM3+ socket.

With this entry, we are moving away from the range-topping options but standing firm on the performance front. The GA-970A-UD3 chipset cuts a few more advanced features and a bunch of other emissions that result in the low memory speed and the affordable platform. Still, this motherboard is a strong recommendation.

The best thing about this Gigabyte motherboard is the number of customizations you can pull off. Port-wise, the GA-970A-UD3 is packed with six USB 2.0/1.1 ports, two USB 3.0/2.0 ports, one RJ-45 LAN port, three audio jacks, a 24-pin ATX main power connector, and more components working together to deliver a value-packed experience.

The Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3 is easily the best AM3+ motherboard at a reasonable price. It is an easy sell. It still features high-quality components, and all base features are supercharged to deliver the kind of performance you would expect from an enthusiast-grade build. However, there isn’t much to support overclocking on this board.

The Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD7 board comes at the price of a base-level PC. It offers support for the best components and multiple physical cores. There is also enough RAM support to supercharge gameplay with plenty of other useful features.

With the right amount of money to spend on this motherboard, you can seriously end up with something powerful enough to rival any high-end build. This model is a great choice if you are running in deep pockets. The Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD7 has everything you would need to create a sound gaming console.

You’ve got support for up to 32 GB of memory, which we have already established as the best possible RAM for a powerful gaming experience. The board also delivers all the hallmarks of the best AM3+ motherboard, including expansion for Two PCI Express x16 slots running at x16, two PCI Express x16 slots running at x8, two PCI Express x4 slots, and one PCI slot.

Even with all that expansion space, this motherboard offers support for the most number of GPUs of any board considered in this review. The only downside is the price to performance ratio. With today’s astronomical pricing for gaming PC components, the UD7 can be more affordable than other insanely powered AM3+ picks.

If you are aiming for overclocking your rig, the Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3 is the pick for you. This platform has plenty going for it. You get integrated cooling support and the best data transfer connection, a lot of ports, and a rock-solid build to support enthusiast-grade gaming with premium components.

Like the UD7, a DS3 motherboard is an excellent option for the pro-level PC building project for those with deep pockets. This motherboard is ideal for designing a machine to last for a decade, rocking a reliable chipset. If you are fancy rigging up your PC with the latest and the best components, you can customize this board highly.

The DS3 is one of the best A3+ motherboards and an impressive kit, reflecting the price. You get the best cooling support, and these are premium parts and world-class elements. All this allows you to overclose your processor and system to get even greater performance from your PC without feeling the pinch on system stability.

Port-wise, the rear has six USB 2.0/1.1 ports, two USB 3.0/2.0 ports, an RJ-45 LAN port, and three audio jacks. It has all the ports you will ever need. Besides, the board has support for AMD CrossFireX technology. It doesn’t deliver all the premium features you would find in an enthusiast-grade board, but this is about as good as an AM3+ motherboard can get.

For a compact gaming rig build on the best AM3+ motherboard, you will want to use the ASRock 990FX professional motherboard. The professional-centered 990FX has a lot of potential. The 990FX Pro is built for resilience, designed to give the best performance imaginable.

The 990X professional motherboard is somewhat tiny compared to other entries on this list. Still, ASRock packed a lot of goodies into the 990X, such as plenty of memory capacity and ports for expansion and basic use. It is a small motherboard but comes with support for the latest generation in processors as well.

Don’t let the compact size fool you into thinking. You can turn it into a serious gaming PC out of the 990X. The PCIe slot enables you to equip your favorite GPU and add up to 32GB of memory size. The 990X is ready to take on any latest titles. You should only expect to pay a fair chunk for the liberty to do more with this board.

ASRock made available nine USB 2.0 Ports (5 rear, 4 headers), size USB 3.0 Ports (2 rear, 4 headers), two IEEE 1394 Ports, as well as two power connectors: the 1x 24pin main power and 1x 8pin CPU power ports. That’s a lot of expansion space. On the other hand, the IEEE 1394 port that facilitates faster data traffic transfer on supported networks is a plus – 990X is simply amazing.

Here at OvrClock, we are committed to keeping our editorial and product recommendation processes completely independent from our monetization — so, you can always be sure we are recommending the best PC Parts for you without any partiality.

The OvrClock team has been reviewing all parts of a PC build for years now, and we use our expert opinion and experiences when making recommendations. We try to get our hands on and actually test all of the products we recommend, in addition to the dozens of alternatives that are not on the final list. This allows us to provide insights beyond what you can find from reading other online reviews, and get a true and more clear understanding of the best options. Our diverse team and vast experience also allow us to highlight each product’s ideal use cases, as well as the perfect customer profile for any given product.

For Motherboards, we test things including but not limited to: power delivery setup, base and overclocking speeds, ports, audio and Wi-Fi connectivity, and RGB customizability, among many other factors. Our experience allows us to translate these insights into actionable conclusions and purchase recommendations for you, without you having to test all the products, or having to sift through piles and piles of data from our motherboard testing. All of the recommended AM3+ motherboards and dozens of other AM3+ motherboards not in this roundup have been tested with a wide variety of processors, and the aforementioned motherboards have been shortlisted based on their stellar performance.

For any questions about our product selection and recommendation process, feel free to contact us.

Best AM3+ Motherboards – Final Call

Using the best motherboard with the AM3+ is a sure way to get as much performance from your gaming PC build – this fact is well established so far. The AM3+ is a unique PC component with a spot in the best components for the ultimate gaming rig. It is an AMD processor coupled with a powerful GPU.

Speaking of which, Asus Crosshair V Formula Z is the sweet spot for AM3+ with the ports, features, and performance to match the AM3+. For a premium build, the Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3 is complete overkill for the AM3+. You don’t have to settle for less if you are looking to save some pennies, where the Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD7 is worth considering.

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