Intel and AMD are the two main brands in the computer processor segment. Intel has most of the market share in the segment, but AMD is rapidly increasing its market share. AMD is coming up with processors in different price ranges so that it can compete with Intel. AMD is offering three tiers of chipsets for its Ryzen processors to satisfy the budget of different users. Depending on the chipsets, the motherboards are sold in the mother.
AMD X670 motherboard belongs to the top-end, while AMD B650 motherboard belongs to the mid-range category. There is also an AMD A620 motherboard that belongs to the entry-level tier. Different motherboards support CPU generation, PCIe, ports, memory, and more. Therefore, it is important to understand the differences between AMD X670 and AMD B650 motherboards so that you can decide which one is perfect for you.
What is AMD X670 Motherboard?
AMD X670 motherboard is a high-end product that is designed for AM5 CPU sockets. It is considered to be a predecessor of the AMD X670E motherboard, which is more powerful. The motherboard has wider overclocking capability and a higher number of PCIe lanes. If you are willing to build a future-proof computer and budget is not a constraint for you, the AMD X670 motherboard is a great choice.
What is AMD B650 Motherboard?
AMD B650 motherboard is a mid-range product that is designed for AM5 CPU sockets. It is considered to be a predecessor of the AMD B650E motherboard, which is a premium version. In fact, it is considered to be a standard motherboard for Ryzen 7000 system. The motherboard has an amazing performance-to-cost ratio because the specifications are comparable to high-end motherboards with certain limitations only.
What are the Main Differences Between X670 and B650 Motherboards?
We need to understand the differences between the two motherboards in terms of the important specifications. This will help you understand if B650 motherboard will be enough for you or you should opt for the X670 motherboard.
1. CPU Socket
Both X670 and B650 motherboards support only AM5 sockets. They do not support older versions. This is because AMD5 needs LGA, while the older versions are based on PGA. LGA helps in driving more power to the socket. In fact, the AM5 socket has more pins than the latest Intel LGA 1700. This ensures higher bandwidth for data transfer from memory and PCIe slots.
2. PCIe
X670 and B650 motherboards have a mixture of PCIe 5.0 and PCIe 4.0 lanes. There are 44 PCIe lanes on the X670 motherboard, while the B650 motherboard has 36 PCIe lanes. Coming specifically to PCIe 5.0 lanes, there are 4 PCIe 5.0 lanes in the X670 motherboard. On the contrary, the B650 motherboard can have one PCIe 5.0 lane, but it is optional. This means the PCIe 5.0 may or may not be there depending on the brand that is manufacturing the motherboard.
The X670 motherboard has 1×16 or 2×8 PCIe 4.0 lanes for graphics cards and 1×4 PCIe 5.0 lanes for NVMe storage. The B650 motherboard has 1×16 or 2×8 PCIe 4.0 lanes for graphics cards and 1×4 PCIe 4.0/5.0 lanes for NVMe storage.
3. CPU Generation
X670 and X650 motherboard supports AMD Ryzen™ 7000 Series processors. Both motherboards support Ryzen 5, Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 9.
Ryzen 7 is designed for gamers having 8 cores for smooth performance. On the contrary, Ryzen 9 is perfect for building a more powerful computer with up to 16 cores. Such a computer is going to be suitable for heavy-duty work such as video editing and graphics designing,
4. DMI 4.0 Lanes
DMI lanes connect the CPU with the chipset, and different versions of DMI lanes are available. DMI 4.0 lane is the latest version where you get double bandwidth and speed compared to DMI 3.0 lane. Both X670 and B650 motherboards have 4 DMI 4.0 lanes.
5. Integrated Graphics Card
Both X670 and the B650 motherboards offer support for CPUs with integrated graphics cards. You can also install an external graphics card using the PCIe 4.0 expansion slots. Even though PCIe 5.0 is available in the X670 motherboard, it is strictly for storage devices.
6. RAID Support and Modes
When you are building a powerful computer, RAID is a feature that is a must-have. RAID allows you to store the same data in different spots on the storage devices. When it comes to the X670 motherboard, it supports both NVMe RAID 0/1/10 and SATA RAID 0/1/10. For the B650 motherboard, it supports both NVMe RAID 0/1 and SATA RAID 0/1. Therefore, the B650 motherboard does not support RAID 10 mode for NVMe and SATA.
7. Max No. of SATA 3.0 Ports
When we talk about the third generation of SATA ports, we are talking about 6 gbps speed. SATA 3.0 port is the latest version, and hence, when you are building a powerful PC, SATA 3.0 port is a must. But the number of SATA 3.0 ports differs from one motherboard to another. In the X670 motherboard, you will find 6 SATA 3.0 ports, while the B650 motherboard sports 4 SATA 3.0 ports.
8. No. of USB Ports
There are different USB ports available in any motherboard. For example, USB 3.2 ports can have different speeds, from 20gbps to 10gbps. The X670 motherboard has 22 USB ports, while the B650 motherboard has 11 USB ports.
The X670 motherboard has 2 USB 3.2 (20gbps) ports, 8 USB 3.2 (10gbps) ports, and 12 USB 2.0 ports. Additionally, you can find two USB 4.0 ports, but they are optional. The X670 motherboard has 1 USB 3.2 (20gbps) port, 4 USB 3.2 (10gbps) ports, and 6 USB 2.0 ports.
9. Memory
There are different parameters we need to look at when it comes to the memory specification of the motherboard. We generally look for the generation of RAM the motherboard supports. But we also have to look for the number of memory channels and slots available so that you can accommodate the RAM capacity we need for our tasks in the future.
a. Generation
Both X670 and B650 motherboards support DDR5 RAM only. This means none of them supports DDR4 RAM, and this is primarily because AMD5 supports only DDR5 RAM.
b. Channels
Both X670 and B650 motherboards support dual memory channels.
c. Slots
Both X670 and B650 motherboards have four memory slots.
10. Number of Display Supported
The X670 motherboard supports up to 4 displays through HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4. On the contrary, the B650 motherboard supports up to 3 displays through HDMI HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4 and DisplayPort Alt Mode. Therefore, the B650 motherboard has fewer displays and a slightly lower version of the HDMI port.
11. Number of DIMMs Per Channel
Both motherboards have two DIMMs per channel; hence, you can install 4 DIMMs RAMs in the dual channels available. Since both of them support DDR5 RAM, there is no difference in performance that you will notice in the motherboards in this aspect.
12. Thermal Design Power
Thermal design power is the maximum heat generated in the motherboard by its components. Thermal design point(TDP) is its measuring standard and is represented in watts. The golden rule is that the heat generated will be more when you have higher processing power. Therefore, considering their processing power, the X670 motherboard has a higher TDP than the B650 motherboard. Specifically, the X670 motherboard has 14W, and the B650 motherboard has 7W thermal design power.
13. Overclocking
Both motherboards support CPU and memory overclocking. However, the extent of overclocking depends directly on VRMs as well as MOSFETs. The X670 motherboard is better on both parameters than the B650 motherboard. Therefore, if overclocking is your prime objective, the X670 motherboard should be an automatic choice.
14. Integrated Wi-Fi
Both the X670 motherboard and the B650 motherboard have integrated Wi-Fi. Both of them have Wi-Fi 6E, which happens to be the latest Wi-Fi in the market. Wi-Fi 6E supports 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands and the new 6GHz frequency band.
15. VRM Power Phase
VRM is directly related to the stable voltage supply. Since VRM works in power phases, the more power phases you can have in your motherboard, the more stable the voltage supply can get. The more the voltage supply gets, the higher can be the overclocking.
You get 20 power phases in the X670 motherboard and 16 power phases in the B650 motherboard. If you are going to use Ryzen 9 model, 20 VRM is always a better option to get the best out of the CPU and even RAM. Therefore, the X670 motherboard’s higher VRM is better from an overclocking perspective.
Comparison Table for X670 vs B650 Motherboard
| Key Parameters | AMD X670 Motherboard | AMD B650 Motherboard |
| CPU Socket | AMD5 | AMD5 |
| PCIe | 44 PCIe lanes(PCIe 5.0 is mandatory) | 36 PCIe lanes(PCIe 5.0 is optional) |
| CPU Generation | Ryzen 7000 Series | Ryzen 7000 Series |
| DMI 4.0 Lanes | 4 | 4 |
| Supports CPU’s with Integrated Graphic Card and External Graphics Card | Yes | Yes |
| RAID Support and Modes | NVMe RAID 0/1/10 and SATA RAID 0/1/10 NVMe RAID 0/1/10 and SATA RAID 0/1/10 | NVMe RAID 0/1 and SATA RAID 0/1 |
| Max No of SATA 3.0 Ports | 6 | 4 |
| No. of USB Ports | 22 | 11 |
| Memory | DDR5 | DDR5 |
| No. of Display Supported | 4 | 3 |
| No. of DIMMs Per Channel | 2 | 2 |
| Thermal Design Power | 14W | 7W |
| Overclocking | Better | Good |
| Integrated Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 6E |
| VRM Power Phase | 20 | 16 |
Conclusion – Which One to Choose – AMD X670 or B650?
B650 is the most affordable motherboard for AM5 CPU and DD5 memory, even though a low-end motherboard is available. This is because the specifications are well-balanced and very much comparable to the high-end motherboard with certain limitations. However, if budget is not a constraint, the AMD X670 motherboard should be an automatic choice as it has high-end specifications for building a future-proof computer.
