8 Best PCIe 4.0 Motherboards [Reviewed and Compared]

PCIe 4.0 is the latest version of the PCI Express standard that lets you connect various expansion cards to your motherboard. These include M.2 storage drives and graphics cards. 

PCIe 4.0 doubles PCIe 3.0’s bandwidth to 64GB/s, enabling better performance of your graphics card and NVMe storage drives. 

If you’re seeking the finest motherboards with PCIe 4.0 slots, we got you!

This article will review and compare the 8 best PCIe 4.0 motherboards to help you find the right one for your needs. A detailed buying guide is also in place for your help.

That said, let’s dive in.

Quick Picks

If you’re in a hurry, here are our top picks for PCIe 4.0 motherboards:

Best Overall: Gigabyte B550 Aorus Pro

This motherboard has 10 USB ports, a Gigabyte LAN port, amazing audio quality, and various premium features to make it the best PCIe 4.0 motherboard. 

Runner-Up: MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk

This full-size AMD Ryzen AM4 motherboard stands out by offering Gen 4 PCIe solution with 2.5 Gbps LAN, 10 digital power phases for the CPU, and a unique M.2 shield for efficient M.2 cooling.

Budget Option: MSI H510I Pro

This budget-friendly motherboard is great for everyday users as it packs Intel’s entry-level H510 chipset, six USB ports, and WiFi 6 at a low price. 

Reviewing the Best PCIe 4.0 Motherboards

Here are some of the best PCIe 4.0 motherboards that we suggest:

1. GIGABYTE B550 AORUS PRO – Best Overall 

This motherboard features a fast gigabit LAN port, 4 SATA ports, 2 M.2 sockets (one with a heatsink) for blazing-fast connectivity and data transfer. Plus, you also get a VRM to keep your hardware parts cool. 

It has an ultra-durable PCIe 4.0 x16 Slot, dual ultra-fast NVMe PCIe 4.0/3.0 x4 with thermal guards, and a USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C port. So, you get all the connectivity options you need. 

Compared to gigabyte’s previous boards this one has more USB ports, better audio, and greater robust power delivery making it a well-rounded board for the most recent AMD processors. Most importantly, it’s a fit for overclocking.

If you need a balance between performance and appearance, this Gigabyte motherboard might be a great fit for you. The brushed aluminum finish of its VRMs and the black PCB give it a premium look.

However, it has no WiFi. Yet, this is a fantastic pick for those seeking a powerful VRM and a general feature set without going over budget. 

But overall, we believe it’s the best PCIe 4.0 motherboard as it offers fast speed PCIe 4.0 slots with multiple M.2 slots at an affordable price. 

Pros 

• Lots of USB ports
• Looks premium
• Includes USB type-C ports

Cons

• Single M.2 slot
• Lacks built-in WiFi

2. MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk – Runner Up

If you’re seeking a full-size AMD Ryzen AM4 motherboard with high-end features at a low price, consider this one.

This motherboard features a 2.5 Gbps NIC, PCI Express 4.0, and two 10Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports for fast networking and data transfer. 

This motherboard packs 10 digital power phases for the CPU, and three more for other hardware parts. Plus, they’re cooled by two effective heatsinks that keep the motherboard cool and allow for overclocking. 

This motherboard offers a single PCI-E 4.0 x16 slot to connect x16 expansion cards for fast data transfer. Plus, it offers an M.2 shield with its M.2 slot to ensure longevity and sustained performance of your high-speed M.2 drives. 

Further, its BIOS interface is simple and easy to use. 

Unfortunately, this motherboard doesn’t have an integrated Wi-Fi system. If you need WiFi, look for a Wifi expansion card or Wifi adapter. Alternatively, use an ethernet cable to enable Internet on your computer. 

Furthermore, it can’t operate DDR4 RAM at 4,266MHz and is limited to support only Ryzen 3000 and 5000 CPUs. 

Overall, it’s a great runner up for PCIe 4.0 motherboards as it offers fast networking, easy BIOS interface, and decent cooling. 

Pros 

• 2.5 Gbps fast-speed LAN 
• M.2 shield to keep M.2 drives cool
• 2 USB Type-C ports

Cons

• No built-in WiFi
• Supports Ryzen 3rd and 5th gen CPUs only

Check out our guide on the best M.2 motherboards to find yourself the finest motherboards that support M.2 drives. 

3. MSI H510I Pro – Budget Pick 

This PCIe 4.0 motherboard is a great budget-friendly option for everyday users and professionals. It’s based on Intel’s entry-level H510 chipset and packs Wi-Fi 6 to let you enjoy fast Internet browsing and streaming speed. It also offers 2.5Gb LAN for users willing to connect their computers to a network through a wired connection. 

Further, this motherboard packs DisplayPort and HDMI as display output ports. Moreover, it comes in the Mini-ITX form factor, making it perfect for small builds. Despite the small design, it has one full-length expansion slot that supports PCIe Gen 4 transfer speed for robust performance. 

But the M.2 slot of this motherboard doesn’t work on the PCIe 4.0 standard. You get just one M.2 slot with PCIe 3.0 support. Anyway, four SATA connectors are in place for connecting traditional SATA storage drives. 

This motherboard also offers a well-equipped rear I/O is as it offers audio connectors, WiFi and Bluetooth antenna ports. Moreover, you get six USB ports (two of which support 5Gbps) for connecting your USB peripherals like mouse and keyboard. 

Overall, if you’re looking for premium features at a low price, then this board is for you! 

Pros 

• Contains a full-size PCIe 4.0 slot
• Wi-Fi 6 for fast-speed wireless networking
• WiFi and Bluetooth antenna

Cons

• M.2 slot doesn’t support PCIe 4.0
• No USB-C ports 

4. ASUS X570-Plus – Gaming Pick

This motherboard features AMD’s premium X570 chipset and offers all essential features to make it a gamer-friendly PCIe 4.0 motherboard for AMD builds. 

It packs two PCIe 4.0 x16 slots for graphics cards and two PCIe 4.0 x1 slots for smaller add-in cards. Further, you get two PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots to connect your NVMe SSDs for an incredible performance boost. 

Moreover, this motherboard also packs a strong cooling system with active chipset heatsink and M.2 heatsink. Plus, the 14-Phase Power Delivery system is designed to maintain the temperature under load. 

It also includes six SATA ports to connect older storage drives. When it comes to RAM, it supports up to 128GB to ensure your gaming build is future-proof and runs demanding games like a charm.

You also get decent networking features like fast-speed Gigabit Ethernet and WiFi 5 to let you send or receive data faster when connected to a network.

But note that this motherboard doesn’t come with a pre-installed /O shield, but it shouldn’t be an issue since it’s easy to install it. We also missed support for newer-generation WiFi 6 and BIOS flash function that lets you update BIOS without entering BIOS settings on your computer. 

Overall, we believe it’s the best PCIe 4.0 motherboard for gamers as it offers two PCIe 4.0 x16 slots for graphics cards with fast-speed wireless connectivity options. 

Pros 

• Support for multiple GPUs
• Incredible VRM temperatures
• Supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 

Cons

• No BIOS flash function 
• No USB 3.2 (Type-C) ports

See our guide on the best Intel LGA 1151 motherboards to find a decent board for your Intel processor. 

5. ASUS Prime Z590-P – LGA1200 ATX Motherboard

Here we’ve got an incredibly budget-friendly PCIe 4.0 motherboard that provides great value for your money. 

Its highlights include its support for Thunderbolt 4 which offers insanely fast data transfer speeds. Further, it offers an 11-phase VRM to let you overclock your Intel processor on this motherboard (be careful, though!).

Moreover, it includes one M.2 Gen 4 slot for higher startup and storage speeds. You get a combination of PCIe 3.0 and 4.0 slots for connecting your expansion cards. 

Memory-wise, this motherboard offers four DDR4 RAM slots with a max RAM capacity of 128GB. Four SATA slots are also in place to connect all your storage drives with ease. 

This ATX motherboard packs a beautiful design that’s further enhanced by its Aura Sync RGB lighting.  

But one thing we disliked about this motherboard is it lacks WiFi. Still, it performs well in connectivity options overall, as it includes a USB Type-C port that supports up to 20Gbps data transfer speed. 

Pros 

• Thunderbolt 4 Support
• 11-Phase VRM 
• USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C
• Aura Sync RGB lighting

Cons

• Lacks Wi-Fi

6. ASUS Prime B560M-A – Budget Intel Motherboard 

This motherboard is a decent choice for budget Intel motherboards with PCIe 4.0 slots. 

It packs the B560 chipset. Though it doesn’t allow overclocking, it provides good enough performance for productivity and gaming. 

Moreover, it offers a full-length PCIe 4.0 expansion slot for your GPU. You also get 4 RAM slots that let you connect up to 128GB of RAM. It also supports the latest and fastest PCIe 4.0 NVMe drives. Further, a heatsink is also included to reduce throttling.

Regarding connectivity, this budget PCIe 4.0 motherboard offers a 10Gbps USB-C port and a lot of USB-A ports. Its rear I/O is not particularly amazing as it lacks built-in WiFi. Still, you get fast-speed Gigabit Ethernet for blazing-fast Internet, though alternatives like WiFi adapters and WiFi expansion cards are available. 

But overall, we believe it’s the best budget PCIe 4.0 motherboard for Intel builds. 

Pros 

• Value for money
• Full-length PCIe 4.0 expansion slot 
• 10Gbps USB-C port

Cons 

• Lacks Wi-Fi 
• No Pre-Installed I/O Shield

View our guide on the best gaming motherboards under $200 to find a decent motherboard for gaming on a budget. 

7. ASUS ROG Strix B550-I – Most Premium 

This motherboard comes in the small Mini-ATX form factor to complement small and compact PC builds. 

Though it has a small design, it comes at a big price – thanks to its premium features like 2.5Gb Ethernet for fast-speed Internet and dual M.2 slots for connecting your M.2 drives. Speaking of two M.2 slots, these support PCIe 4.0 to provide lighting-fast data transfer rates. 

Other than that, it offers WiFi 6 with a full-length PCIe 4.0 slot and four USB 10Gbps ports on the back. You also get a USB Type-C port on the rear side for your Type-C peripherals. 

Moreover, it provides decent cooling with effective cooling solutions like Fan Xpert 4. Plus, its advanced UEFI BIOS lets you customize its cooling solutions to fit your thermal needs, such as altering the fan speed. 

Speaking of BIOS, it supports FlashBack feature to let you update BIOS without entering it. Further, this motherboard is also equipped with VRM and M.2 heat sinks, so your PC stays cool under pressure. 

Apart from that, this motherboard features Al noise-canceling microphone software. It uses a deep-learning database to preserve the sound of your voice while removing annoying mouse clicks, keyboard clatter, and other background noises. 

The only drawback is its modest 8+2 VRM power stages. Yet, it offers amazing CPU performance with strong overclocking. 

So, overall, we believe it’s the most premium PCIe 4.0 motherboard overall, thanks to its next-level features like two M.2 slots, USB Type-C port, and Fan Xpert 4. 

Pros

• Supports newer-generation WiFi 6
• Al noise canceling microphone software
• Plenty of 10Gbps USB Ports

Cons

• Modest 8+2 VRM power stages 

8. GIGABYTE Z590 Aorus Elite – Finest Cooling Design

Last but not least, this motherboard packs an updated power solution, an effective cooling system, and powerful networking and connectivity.

It offers two full-length PCIe slots – one runs at PCIe 3.0 x16 while the other runs at PCIe 4.0 x16. There’s also a PCIe 3.0 x1 slot for small expansion cards. 

Moreover, you get two M.2 slots for connecting fast-speed M.2 drives. Again, one runs on the PCIe 3.0 standard, whereas the other one uses the PCIe 4 standard. The latter also offers a heatsink, so your main storage drive runs with maximum efficiency. 

Apart from that, this motherboard uses a 12+1 phase CPU power design to provide precise power delivery to the hardware parts. 

Moreover, its design is optimized for overclocking with an effective thermal solution to make it a fit for gamers and content creators. Apart from that, it offers newer-generation network and storage capabilities. 

But one thing we disliked about this motherboard is it lacks HDMI output. Still, you get a Display Port to connect your monitor to it. 

Overall, we believe this PCIe 4.0 motherboard has the best cooling design, thanks to its multiple heatsinks and efficiently designed power system. 

Pros

• Two fast-speed M.2 slots 
• 8+4 solid pin CPU power connectors 
• Effective heatsinks to maintain a low temperature
• Decent connectivity options

Cons

• Lacks HDMI display output

Things to Consider When Buying a Motherboard That Supports PCIe 4.0 

Socket and Chipset Compatibility

The motherboard you consider must be compatible with your processor. Otherwise, what’s the use?

Every motherboard has a particular socket, whereas every processor has a particular chipset. When deciding on a motherboard, be sure its socket is compatible with the chipset of your processor. Otherwise, you cannot install your CPU on the motherboard. 

Form Factor

The shape and size of a motherboard are identified by its form factor. Motherboards come in multiple form factors, but the common ones include ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX. Most motherboards come in the ATX form factor, the largest of all. 

When deciding on a motherboard, see if its form factor matches your PC case. Most PC cases support ATX and Micro-ATX form factors. But if you have a special PC case, it may only support a particular motherboard form factor. If that’s the case, go for a PCIe 4.0 motherboard with the right form factor. 

Support for Overclocking

Overclocking your computer boosts its performance though it comes at the risk of temperature increase. 

But some motherboards have locked multipliers that keep you from overclocking your CPU or GPU. So, if you want to overclock your computer, opt for a motherboard with overclocking capabilities.

Before overclocking your processor, manage proper cooling, as overclocking leads to excessive heat production, which could result in physical damage to your computer hardware. 

With that at hand, consider a PCIe 4.0 motherboard with effective cooling, multiple fan headers, and good heatsinks to maintain its temperature when overclocking. 

Ports

When deciding on a motherboard for your computer, ensure it has the required connectivity options so you can connect the important peripherals and devices. 

The two main types of ports on motherboards are data transfer and display ports. Speaking of data transfer ports, USB Type-A and USB Type-C ports are the most important ones to look for. 

Most motherboards include USB Type-A ports. But since USB Type-C ports are modern and more advanced, not many motherboards include it. 

Regarding display ports, VGA, DisplayPort, HDMI, and Thunderbolt are some important ones to look for. But if you install a graphics card on your motherboard, you can get away with whatever display ports are available. 

Storage Support 

When choosing a PCIe 4.0 motherboard, you should see what type of storage types it supports. 

Most motherboards support traditional SATA drives, but not all support the modern-day M.2 storage drives. These M.2 drives are faster, smaller, and more reliable, making them a preferable solution for most users. 

So, when choosing a PCIe 4.0 motherboard, it’s recommendable to go for motherboards with M.2 slots. 

BIOS

BIOS is an important part of any motherboard. It stands for Basic Input/Output System and is a program that starts the hardware on the motherboard once you power on the computer. The Setup Utility in BIOS is simple to use, but you’ll need to check if it has customizable options.

There are several advantages to having a custom BIOS, but the main ones are that it may be used to fine-tune an existing solution. Also, a custom BIOS will change how the system boots up to improve security and make the system more manageable. Further, it will support expensive co-processing hardware to enhance system performance.

Bluetooth Support

Most users nowadays prefer Bluetooth-enabled motherboards to wirelessly share data with their other devices, like smartphones. If you want to connect your computer to your peripherals, like a wireless keyboard, mic, speaker, or headset, go for a motherboard with Bluetooth support. 

Note that most desktop motherboards have two versions – one with Bluetooth and one without it. The Bluetooth-enabled version costs more but is worthwhile. 

Audio Quality

Generally speaking, motherboards offer decent audio quality. It’s good enough for most users. So, you don’t need an expensive motherboard for good-quality audio. 

Still, go for a newer motherboard to ensure it has the latest audio technology. This optimized sound technology will ensure you hear less static noise and distortion at high sound levels. 

Also, audio processors and audio capacitors are close to the graphics card in newer motherboards to provide high-quality audio. 

Networking Capabilities

It’s likely you’ll be connecting your computer to one or more wireless or wired networks, such as the Internet. Your motherboard’s networking capabilities will determine how much flexibility you get when doing so. They will also impact its data transfer speed when networking. 

So, when choosing a motherboard see if it has a high-speed Ethernet port to provide a fast-speed wired connection. 

If you prefer wireless connections, opt for a motherboard with built-in WiFi. Further, it’s preferable to go for a motherboard with newer-generation WiFi for blazing-fast data transfer rates. 

Memory (RAM) Limit 

RAM plays a significant role in the performance of your computer. Your programs and games may lag or even crash if you don’t have enough RAM on your motherboard. 

So, when choosing a motherboard, see how much RAM it supports. Most motherboards support up to 128GB, which is sufficient for most users and reliable in the long run. 

Aesthetics

Aesthetics are not an important thing to consider when choosing a PCIe 4.0 motherboard. But if you want to build a good-looking setup, it’s worth opting for an aesthetically pleasing motherboard. 

When it comes to motherboard aesthetics, RGB lighting is the first thing that comes to mind. It gives your motherboard a fancy look and complements your overall setup. Motherboards with RGB lighting are particularly for gamers who want a gamer vibe from their gaming setup. 

What is PCIe 4.0? 

PCIe 4.0 is the newer-generation and fastest version of PCIe slots that connect graphics cards and other expansion cards with high data transfer speed. These cards include WiFi cards, Bluetooth cards, and SSDs. 

PCIe 4.0 is backward compatible, so you can connect PCIe 4.0 expansion cards to PCIe 3.0 slots.

The table below contains information about the bandwidths of PCIe 4.0 slots.

PCIe 4.0 Bandwidths

x1 slot	x2 slot	x4 slot	x8 slot	x16 slot
1.969 GB/s	3.938 GB/s	7.877 GB/s	15.754 GB/s	31.508 GB/s

Why Go for a PCIe 4.0 Motherboard?

PCIe 4.0 motherboards offer faster data transfer speeds for PCIe-enabled devices like graphics cards and solid-state drives because compared to the previous PCIe slots i.e.: PCIe 3.0, a PCIe 4.0 slot can enable 16 GT/s per lane of data transfer, which is twice as fast as a PCIe 3.0.

As a result, the performance improves for tasks such as data transfer, gaming, and video editing. 

Although x1, x2, x4, x8, and x16 lanes can be set in PCIe 3.0 and 4.0 slots, PCIe 4.0 slots have a better bandwidth throughput. A PCIe 4.0 motherboard also lets you upgrade to the latest expansion cards, including GPUs and NVMe SSDs. 

Further, If you are creating a new system, then greater bandwidth will become increasingly crucial as the best gaming displays bring in a high refresh rate of 4K HD as the new standard.

People Also Asked

Click here to read more on PCIe slots and their uses. 

Final Words

PCIe 4.0 can be worth your money considering its amazing features. We hope our reviews for the 8 best PCIe 4.0 motherboards helped you determine which one to pick. If you want faster data transfer with better graphics power, get a PCIe 4.0 motherboard today!