Best AMD Zen 3 (Ryzen 5000) Mini-ITX Motherboards
The last quarter of 2020 has been an exciting time for AMD enthusiasts around the world. Supply shortages aside, the anticipation to build their own updated Zen 3 systems went sky-high after a showcase of its performance and technological potential in AMDs online keynote event.
For those who were lucky enough to find one in stock, the wait was more than worthwhile. Since compatible motherboards already exist, long before the CPUs ever arrived, it was just a matter of finding the right AM4 motherboard for your needs. And when it comes to smaller form factor selections, there are a few of these out there, which we will cover in our updated best AMD Mini-ITX motherboards list, Zen 3 edition.
AMD Zen 3 (Ryzen 5000) Mini-ITX Motherboards Overview
(in no particular order)
- ASRock B550M-ITX/AC
- Gigabyte B550I Aorus Pro AX
- MSI MPG B550I Gaming Edge
- ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming-ITX/TB3
Priorities, Choice Methodology, and Testing
The Ryzen 5000-compatible mini-ITX motherboards for this list will be chosen primarily using collated data from various reviews. This will then be combined with our preliminary analysis of the motherboard’s base performance, and a look into every entry’s specification packages.
Moreover, this list will heavily prioritize price-to-performance/stability ratio. A competing mini-ITX model should provide all the bells and whistles and give the best performance it can offer, all that while being introduced at a fairly reasonable cost. We understand that Zen 3 CPUs are mostly for higher-end enthusiasts desktops, but being able to economize the entire build allows for budgeting wiggle room. We can then set some money aside for other components which may extend the build’s performance even longer.
As such, this list will deliberately exclude the Asus ROG Strix X570-I Gaming, which would have otherwise been a very, very excellent Ryzen 5000-optimized mini-ITX motherboard, despite its (relatively) exorbitant premium price.
Notable Specifications
Here are some of the specifications that we especially took note of with each entry:
- Price – not exactly a spec per se, but as mentioned earlier, it is one of the top priorities for our choices in this list.
- VRM Configuration – the heart of every Ryzen CPU is its boosting and overclocking capability. As such, reviewing the quality and setup of its power delivery system is the first priority for each entry. That being said, bigger compromises are acceptable, so long as price-to-performance (NOT price-to-maximum-performance) ratio is preserved.
- BIOS Setup and Update Features – There are no motherboards at the moment that are natively compatible with Ryzen 5000 CPUs. Therefore, the ease of updating the BIOS of the motherboard is also taken into account.
- Headers/Connectors – configuring mini-ITX builds are inherently more challenging than standard tower builds. Having more header or connector options, or making them more accessible to a specific spot on the motherboard is also a priority.
- Rear I/O – the more connections possible at its base, the better. ‘Nuff said.
- If you are interested in a Ryzen 5000-based mini-ITX build, you’ve come at the right place.
Honorable Mention: Gigabyte A520I AC
Search Gigabyte A520I on Amazon
You read that correctly, we are absolutely serious about this honorable mention. If you want the absolute cheapest Mini-ITX motherboard for your Ryzen 5 5600X, then the Gigabyte A520I AC is actually not a bad option. Yes, yes, no overclocking. But for standard level performance, it can stand on its own, while giving away a chunk of your budget for, let’s say, raising your GPU tier at least one level higher. Plus, it has Q-Flash! Besides, the next step up, the ASRock B550M-ITX/AC, isn’t a particularly stellar overclocker anyway. Just remember not to go beyond the 5600X for this, okay?
ASRock B550M-ITX/AC
Primary Specs:
| Tier Rating | Entry-level |
| Audio | 7.1 Channel HD Audio (Realtek ALC887) |
| Connectivity | 1219-V, Intel 802.11ac, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (dual band), BT 4.2 + HS II |
| Storage | x4 SATA 6Gbps, x1 M.2 PCI-E 3.0 x4 |
| Extra Connectors | x1 RGB, x1 LED, x2 Fan/Pump, 1x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.2 Gen1 |
| Rear I/O | x1 PS/2, x1 HDMI, x1 DisplayPort, x2 USB 2.0, 3x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type A x1 1 USB 3.2 Gen1 Type C, x1 RJ-45, x3 Audio |
PROS: Best price-to-performance ratio, Good header availability (for a lower-end mobo)
CONS: Weird BIOS update system
We begin with our top budget pick, the Asrock B550M-ITX/AC. Spec-wise it doesn’t offer anything too special or exclusive, but it has every single feature to get your build up and running. The VRMs are not exactly bad. Good for pushing Precision Boost, but not the top performer when overclocking. Well, it is the budget option, so that’s to be expected. Oh, and be sure to have your Ryzen 5000 CPU already installed by the time it reboots after updating the BIOS. It will revert to the older BIOS if you keep the previous non-Ryzen 5000 CPU inside.
Gigabyte B550I Aorus Pro AX
Search Gigabyte B550I Aorus Pro AX on Amazon
Primary Specs:
| Tier Rating | Mid-range |
| Audio | 2/4/5.1/7.1 Channel HD Audio (Realtek ALC1220-VB) |
| Connectivity | 1219-V, AX200, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (dual band), BT 5 |
| Storage | x4 SATA 6Gbps, x2 M.2 PCI-E 3.0 x4 |
| Extra Connectors | x1 RGB, x1 LED, x2 Fan, 1x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.2 Gen1, x1 TPM, x1 CMOS |
| Rear I/O | x2 HDMI, x1 DisplayPort, 4x USB 3.2 Gen1, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type A x1 1 USB 3.2 Gen2 Type C, x1 RJ-45, x3 Audio, x1 Q-Flash |
PROS: Cheapest ITX with updated connectivity and audio, Q-Flash BIOS update feature
CONS: Tricky M.2 installation (on one slot)
If you want a slightly higher step up from ASRock’s offer but with more decent overclocking headroom, updated media and connectivity features, then the equivalent Aorus series board from Gigabyte is your choice. Most convenient of all, you can buy this motherboard fresh with just your Ryzen 5000 CPU on-hand, since it has the Q-Flash Plus feature. No need to use that awkward BIOS update chip, or even previously own a Ryzen 3000 series CPU. Just follow the specific instructions for Gigabyte Q-Flash BIOS updating, and you’re set to go.
MSI MPG B550I Gaming Edge
Search MSI MPG B550I on Amazon
Primary Specs:
| Tier Rating | Mid-range, High-end |
| Audio | 7.1 Channel HD Audio (Realtek ALC1200), S/PDIF Support |
| Connectivity | 1219-V, AX200, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (dual band), MU-MIMO TX/RX, BT 5.1 |
| Storage | x4 SATA 6Gbps, x2 M.2 PCI-E 3.0 x4 |
| Extra Connectors | x1 RGB, x1 LED, x2 Fan/Pump, x1 CMOS, 1x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.2 Gen1, 1x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type C |
| Rear I/O | x1 PS/2, x1 HDMI, x1 USB 2.0, x1 USB 2.0 (Flash BIOS), 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type A , x2 USB 3.2 Gen1 Type A, x1 USB 3.2 Gen2 Type C, x1 RJ-45, x1 S/PDIF, x6 Audio, x1 Flash BIOS Button |
PROS: Excellent VRM configuration and heat management, Hefty connectivity, Flash BIOS
CONS: Tricky M.2 installation (on one slot)
While MSI is already well known for its heavy-duty feature offerings in the mid-range categories, this particular B550 mini-ITX board pumps all the features that can be squeezed for what should most likely be an X570 unit. Couple this with high-end media and connectivity options, and you have a very densely packed model that fits perfectly for its price. Oh yeah, and it has a Flash BIOS as well.
ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming-ITX/TB3
Search ASRock X570 Phantom on Amazon
Primary Specs:
| Tier Rating | Mid-range, High-end |
| Audio | 7.1 Channel HD Audio (Realtek ALC1220) |
| Connectivity | 1211AT, 802.11a/b/g/n/ax (dual band), MU-MIMO, BT 5.1 + HS II |
| Storage | x4 SATA 6Gbps, x1 M.2 PCI-E 3.0 x4 |
| Extra Connectors | x1 RGB, x1 LED, x2 Fan/Pump, x1 SPI TPM, 1x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.2 Gen1 |
| Rear I/O | x1 PS/2, x1 HDMI, x1 DisplayPort, x1 USB 3.2 Gen2 Type C Thunderbolt,
2x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type A , x2 USB 3.2 Gen1, x1 USB 3.2 Gen2 Type C, x1 RJ-45, x1 CMOS, x1 S/PDIF, x6 Audio |
PROS: Powers up Ryzen 7 5000 builds well, Very budget-friendly X570
CONS: Chipset heat sink fan can get very loud.
As an X570 motherboard that sits at the edge between high-end and mid-range, the ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming-ITX/TB3 certainly has its own ups and downs. But as we have mentioned earlier, if it is a compromise worth exchanging for an advantage, then it’s all for the better. For this board, the very peculiar choice to use Intel-based cooling mount holes makes cooler selections very weird. Then again, this actually offsets the inconvenience of heaving to deal with the very tall heat sinks surrounding the CPU socket. Still, it is a very unusual design for an AMD motherboard.
Had a good experience with a Mini-ITX motherboard and AMD Zen 3 processor and would like to recommend them here, leave your comment below.
10th December 2021 @ 10:43 pm
I purchased an MSI b550 gaming edge, and the bios flash feature doesn’t work. You can insert the drive with the bios and press the button, but it will never complete the flash and your CPU will still be incompatible. I RMA’d the board, and the replacement has the same issue. Probably best not to recommend that one.