BEST MOTHERBOARD UNDER 100$

Since we already know that motherboards are the most critical for CPUs, we’re here to help you select the finest motherboard under $100 for gaming since it’s the only component that adds value or makes the experience worse.

The central processing unit (CPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU) are both housed on the motherboard, so picking the right one is crucial for a high-quality gaming experience.

There are hundreds of different brands of motherboards available today, each with its own set of pros and cons in terms of price, CPU support, and overall performance. If you want to buy a gaming motherboard but don’t want to spend more than $100, this 2021 update will be quite helpful.

You need a motherboard that guarantees high-end capability to get this level of subtle performance. You’ll need to double-check that it has everything from ports and RAM to PCI Express expansion slots and extreme overclocking capabilities.

In addition, you should look at the costs and sizes available. We’ve compiled a list of everything you need for maximum productivity with little effort.

GIGABYTE B550M DS3H

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If you’re looking for a budget-friendly motherboard that won’t skimp on performance, the GIGABYTE B550M DS3H is a fantastic option. The third-generation CPU onboard this motherboard is what gives it its exceptional performance.

The use of a Micro ATX form factor in the manufacturing process sets this out as a top-tier motherboard that costs less than $100. It’s a good buy since it’s compatible with the latest PCIe standard, version 4.0. PCI-e 4.0 provides high speed for the fastest feasible connection.

You won’t have any issues with add-on hardware thanks to PCI-E 4.0’s support. In case you are unfamiliar with PCI Express, version 4.0 (PCIe 4.0) guarantees the same bandwidth as PCI Express version x8.

In addition, it has a plethora of ports for various connections (including DVI, HDMI, USB, and audio jacks). Slots for expansion cards like PCI-E x16 may be found on the inside.

Those in need of storage will be pleased to know that the PCI-E system now supports not one, but two M.2 slots. Is there anything else about this system that makes it so remarkable? Due to the increased bandwidth, it operates at lightning speed.

And there are plenty of I/O ports, so you can upgrade your headers and do much more. In addition, this guarantees the highest possible standard for the money you spend on the finest motherboard available.

MSI B365M PRO-VDH

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The MSI ProSeries Intel B365 LGA ATX Motherboard is powered by 8th and 9th gen processors. Since it is providing an LGA 1151 socket guarantees a CPU configuration that provides more value for the cost. It has 4 DDR4 memory slots that are capable of overclocking to 2666MHz.

The rear panel may also have onboard graphics. The rear panel has several connectors for connecting peripherals, such as a keyboard, mouse, monitor (through VGA or HDMI), network cable(s), storage devices, and more (via USB and USB Type C).

Internal I/O connectors are also supported, including the ATX main power connector, the Pin ATX 12V power connector, the USB connector, and more. M.2 SATA interface is available for storage. You’ll have access to plenty of extra space thanks to the six SATA cables running at 3.6 Gbps.

Furthermore, this motherboard has a three-year guarantee. This system also includes a cooling system to ensure consistent operation. In addition, the unit’s cooling system is given more command by a strong and substantial heatsink.

It comes with a single PCI Express x16 slot, so you may install the most powerful graphics card possible at no extra cost. The motherboards are made with a ton of new capabilities and are meant to be user-friendly for those who want to tinker with their computers.

The simple structure it permits ensures that your gaming experience will endure for as long as possible, unlike more involved systems.

ASRock B450M Steel Legend

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ASRock’s Steel Legend series has consistently been a top pick among midrange motherboards, regardless of the chipset. This series aims to strike a reasonable price-to-performance balance by providing steady power delivery and sufficient features without going overboard.

The ASRock B450M Steel Legend is no different, being the most highly recommended B450 motherboard for under $100. You can get the ASRock B450M Steel Legend for close to $90 on a variety of retail websites, making it an incredible bargain.

The Steel Legend has a reliable VRM setup that should work with any Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 CPU on the market. Indeed, the B450M Steel Legend’s power supply mechanism should be able to handle a standard Ryzen 9 CPU.

On the other hand, it should be perfectly matched with an overclocked Ryzen 5 or a Ryzen 7 in its default settings. If you care about convenience, the Steel Legend doesn’t skimp there, either. You’re getting a lot for your money with this $90 motherboard.

It has 4 SATA connections and 2 PCIe NVMe M.2 slots for storage expansion. The presence of two M.2 slots is very welcome at this price point since many high-end motherboards only provide a single M.2 slot.

The Steel Legend just features a single 1GbE Ethernet port, but that’s more than plenty for a router in this price range. There are eight USB ports on the back, with an additional four accessible through internal connections.

If you’re on a strict budget, though, don’t assume that you have to settle with an ugly motherboard. In terms of visual appeal, the B450M Steel Legend is outstanding. It stands out because of its unusual PCB color and camouflage design.

With the VRM heatsink and chipset heatsink also being white, ASRock has included a large white I/O cover to tie everything together. The chipset heatsink and the I/O cover both have extensive RGB lighting zones. When the board is put within a case, it looks fantastic thanks to these lighting zones.

MSI B450M Bazooka MAX Wi-Fi

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MSI’s B450 Arsenal Gaming portfolio, which includes the renowned B450 Tomahawk and B450 Mortar, is spot-on. The boards’ low cost and high performance have made them a hot commodity among budget builders.

Even though the B450 Tomahawk is a fantastic bargain, at about $110 it is priced outside of our $100 limit. But the B450M Bazooka, a Micro-ATX model from the same family, is within our price range.

MSI’s B450M Bazooka is likewise, for the price, a very strong product. The B450M Wi-Fi Bazooka MAX is our top recommendation and can be purchased for roughly $90 at most retailers.

The MAX moniker indicates that it can store microcodes for a greater number of processors thanks to its larger BIOS ROM chip. Wi-Fi is the icing on the cake.

The Bazooka has a reliable power supply system that’s remarkably similar to the one found in the B450M Steel Legend. It may not be as strong as the one found on the B450 Tomahawk, but it surely has enough oomph to support overclocked Ryzen 5 CPUs or even Ryzen 7 CPUs in stock.

The inbuilt VRM heatsinks on a Ryzen 7 processor aren’t very large by today’s standards but provided your case has good ventilation, you shouldn’t have any problems. Along with its Wi-Fi connection and lone 1GbE Ethernet connector, the B450M Bazooka has a host of other convenient features.

There is a single M.2 slot and four SATA connectors on the board for installing hard discs. MSI has given 8 USB ports on the back I/O and 6 more may be attached utilizing the internal connections.

The B450M Bazooka is an unremarkable-looking processor, but its design language may appeal to people who want to construct a covert blackout PC. Some RGB fans may be dissatisfied with the lack of special lighting effects. The Bazooka is not a bad-looking board, and it offers everything you need for the price.

The B450M Bazooka is an excellent choice for a balanced mid-range system using a Ryzen 5 CPU. It’s unusual to get Wi-Fi at this pricing range, and you’re not giving up much in exchange for it.

ASUS TUF A520M-PLUS

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An ASUS TUF gaming A520 motherboard is required for online play. With Ryzen 3rd generation, it performs well. It was well worth the money that one of my pals spent to have it installed on his computer.

Online games like Call of Duty and Starcraft 2 provided him with valuable expertise. This best gaming motherboard under 100 features WiFi and generation 2 headers.

This top-rated inexpensive gaming motherboard offers everything you need for exciting MMO experiences. A WiFi connection is possible, and security measures such as TUF and LAN firewalls are installed. This motherboard’s turbo LAN technology allows for top-tier gaming performance.

The motherboard’s RGB illumination, which can be modified with its RGB headers, provides an outstanding connection and enhances the user experience. The SATA data transfer rate on this motherboard is up to 6 Gb/s thanks to the USB 3.2 interface.

The greatest gaming motherboard money can buy. This motherboard’s four-layer heatsink protects your CPU and adds to its stiffness, making it ideal for overclocking while also providing great dependability.

You may find Ryzen 5000 series, 4000 G series, and 3000 G series desktop CPUs on the motherboard. The motherboard’s robust cooling mechanism prevents overheating and keeps the device running quietly.

ASRock B460M PRO4

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The ASRock B460M PRO4 motherboard is based on the Intel 1200 socket and is compatible with Intel’s latest 10-generation Core CPUs. Memory speeds of up to 128 GB at 2933 MHz are supported by Intel 10th Generation CPUs.

The onboard graphics can drive up to three 4k x 2k displays at 30 fps each through the HDMI connector, and a single 4k x 2k display at 60 fps via the DisplayPort.

The B460M PRO4 features Nahimic audio built in, which greatly helps in shaping the sound, particularly when attempting to achieve precise audio in games, and the audio will support 7.1 channel audio.

The 802.3az energy-efficient wireless protocol is supported by the board’s built-in Wi-Fi, which is a definite plus. Two PCI Express 3.0 x16 slots and one PCI Express 3.0 x1 slot provide expansion options on the motherboard.

One further perk of a bigger board like this is that it supports 1 Ultra m.2 SSD with speeds up to Gen 3 x4 and 32 Gb/s, and it has another m.2 slot that supports speeds up to the same level. The use of both of these slots, however, will prevent the third PCIe slot from being used, making it impossible to install two graphics cards.

This is unfortunate, but, in all honesty, two graphics cards aren’t strictly necessary in modern computers, as many applications aren’t designed to take advantage of multiple GPUs.

To supplement the m.2 storage, you have access to six SATA 6 Gb/s connections. An antenna bracket, a D-Sub port, an HDMI port, a DisplayPort 1.4 port, four USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A ports, two USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C ports, one RJ-45 LAN port, and three HD Audio Jacks (Line-in, Front Speaker, and Microphone) can all be found on the device’s back.

One SPI TPM header, one Chassis Intrusion, and Speaker header, two RGB LED headers, two addressable LED headers, one 24-pin ATX power connector, one 8-pin 12V power connector, one Front Panel audio connector, one Thunderbolt AIC connector, two USB 2.0 headers (Support) are just some of the I/O connectors on the Micro ATX board.

The ASRock B460M PRO4 is one of the greatest motherboards you can get your hands on, particularly at this price point, if you’re looking for a truly good budget alternative for your new 10th gen Intel CPU.

ASUS Prime B450M-A

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ASUS’s Prime line-up is aimed at cost-conscious gamers, and it includes several appealing options for less than $100. The Micro-ATX AM4 B450 ASUS Prime B450M-A Motherboard is the one we recommend. It typically retails for about $75 at the most popular online stores.

There are no frills on this board since it was designed with a low budget in mind. The ASUS Prime B450M-power A’s supply is below average. It has very mediocre VRM components and doesn’t even provide heatsinks for them.

When it comes to passively cooling the VRM components, ASUS is taking the wrong approach by depending on direct case airflow. To save costs in this way is not a good idea. The Ryzen 3 or 5 CPUs in their factory default settings work well with this board.

True to its pricing, the Prime B450M-A has most of the bells and whistles one would want to see in a device of this caliber. It features more storage device ports (six SATA 6Gbps) than most other boards in its price range, thanks to its single M.2 slot.

Predictably, there is just a single 1GbE Ethernet connector for connections, and no Wi-Fi support either. The Prime B450M-lack A’s of rear I/O expansion and single PCIe 16x slot is both significant drawbacks.

The B450M-A is not very striking visually. To my eyes, it’s just fine at the price range it’s aiming for. The PCB is grey and black with an unusual design, but otherwise, it is somewhat unremarkable visually.

In addition to not having a VRM heatsink, the chipset heatsink is also rather little. Also, as would be expected at this budget point, there is no RGB support on the board.

The Prime B450M-A is one of the most compromised options on our list today, and you should only consider it if you have a strict $75 budget for a motherboard. If you save $5 or $10 a week by not buying coffee at Starbucks, you’ll have more money to spend on other, more beneficial things.

If you can afford to spend another $10 or so, you may upgrade to a better motherboard with a stable power supply and more features. In such a case, the Prime B450M-A is a no-frills choice that would keep your system working smoothly and reliably until a more advanced solution can be implemented.

BUYING GUIDE

If you’re looking to purchase a motherboard, be sure you have all the facts. A person should be aware of the kind of motherboard currently installed in his computer, as well as the type of motherboard that will operate well with it. Using a few easy procedures, he can determine what kind of motherboard he has.

In addition, you should be aware of what kind of motherboard is compatible with your CPU. It’s important to check the motherboard’s specs before purchasing it since various form factors aren’t always compatible with all CPUs.

The following is a checklist of things to consider when purchasing a low-cost motherboard.

FORM FACTOR:

The shape component of a factor describes the overall outline and physical makeup of the factor. Products that function as shape elements are usually adaptable in terms of both size and form factor.

Engineers constructing a computer may use any of many well-known forms of factors for power supply units (PSUs), create their own, or combine elements from several different designs. If you choose the first route, you’ll have access to an endless supply of low-cost substitutes that may be of varying quality and power.

The specialized route exceeds typical development time and money. Furthermore, the power supply is device-specific and can only be obtained from the original manufacturer. The ATX form factor is the greatest option, therefore seek out the most capable ATX motherboards you can.

BIOS 

The BIOS loads the operating system and any other software necessary to get the machine up and running. It also provides a software user interface for controlling certain hardware features.

The basic input/output system (BIOS) is the link between the hardware and the operating system. In addition, it gives you access to a variety of features, such as overclocking and adjusting the speed of your computer’s fans.

PCL-E 

Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCI Express or PCI-e) is a fast interface often used to link graphics processing units (GPUs), LAN ports, NVME solid-state drives (SSDs), USB ports, and other devices to a computer’s motherboard.

CARD SIZE

When shopping for a new motherboard, make sure you pay attention to the maximum amount of RAM it supports. If you plan on playing a demanding game, the available RAM should reflect that.

The flawless operation of modern video games sometimes needs a dedicated graphics card. The speed of VRAM used to be sufficient with 128 to 256 MB. However, as technology improves year, games get upgrades, resulting in larger file sizes.

All graphics cards should have at least 512 MB of memory, with high-end graphics cards having 1024 MB of video RAM (VRAM).

Way to Improve

If you are shopping for a B450 motherboard in 2023, this is a crucial factor to think about. It seems that a B450 motherboard and a Ryzen 3600 CPU are the preferred midrange components at the moment. It also provides an excellent upgrading route.

You may choose a Ryzen 5000 series CPU if you require more cores for professional tasks or just want more power. You should carefully consider the upgrade route before settling on a platform.

FAQs:

Does a Bad Motherboard Decrease Performance?

A low price isn’t necessarily the most important factor. You need to take into account a wide range of variables. You should first determine what you need, then prioritize those features. You may find motherboards for less money than you would think possible.

With a limited budget, what is the best motherboard that you can buy?

• The form factor is the first thing to look at.
• Then a processor socket is what you need to investigate further.
• Following that, you should think about things like RAM, expansion slots, and USB ports.
• Lastly, headers, SATA, aesthetics, and affordability are vital.

Do you think your best motherboard should cost more than your processor?

The motherboard does cost more than the central processing unit, but you may still find bargains. You may see our alternatives for the best motherboard under 100 by scrolling up.

Does having more memory boost the frame rate?

You may get higher FPS when you add additional RAM under specific situations and if you have appropriate RAM. Several popular video games are memory-based. The amount of RAM a given game needs is up to the developer.

Conclusion and Judgment

When examining these motherboards, the selection might be a challenging one. Those boards don’t include any defective motherboards. Many of my picks in this hierarchy are examples of “newer is better.”

Not that there’s anything intrinsically wrong with the earlier versions; they just can’t keep up with today’s lightning-fast hardware and software. Why did I choose the AMD form factor board as my number one pick? That’s easy to answer: thanks to its PCIe Generation 4 architecture, this board provides the quickest possible data transfer between its many components.

While an Intel CPU may have a faster performance in some circumstances, no one can truly disagree that PCIe 4 is the quickest thing out there right now, and the Gigabyte B550M DS3H provides top speeds simply because of the latest technology.