What to look for when buying the Best Micro ATX Motherboards and Motherboards? (2022)

barbose
15 Min Reading

When choosing a gaming motherboard that will form the backbone of your gaming PC, it's worth considering whether you need all the extras that come with a full-size ATX motherboard. Unless you plan to load up on PCIe add-in cards or do some overclocking, you'll probably find that a Micro-ATX motherboard has everything you need to complete your build and also costs a lot less than an ATX motherboard. The smaller size also gives you the opportunity to build a more compact gaming PC. 

We've selected a variety of Micro ATX motherboards that offer you options for AMD and Intel CPUs. You can find motherboards with multiple PCIe x16 expansion slots ready for dual GPU builds, models with PCIe 5.0, and some even motherboards with truly stunning memory support. From budget builds to high-end hardware, you'll find a compact motherboard to do the job here.

TL; DR – Best Micro ATX Boards:

  • Asus Prime Z690M-Plus D4
  • Asus ROG Strix Z690-G Gaming WiFi 6E
  • ASRock H670M Pro
  • Asus Prime H610M-A D4-CSM
  • ASRock X570M Pro4
  • MSI MAG B550M Bazooka
  • Asus Prime B550M-A AC

Asus Prime Z690M-Plus D4

asus prime z690m plus d4 intel lga1700 ddr4 micro
The best micro ATX motherboards and what to look for when buying a motherboard? (2022) 9

Best Intel Micro ATX Motherboard

CPU Socket: LGA1700 | chipset : Z690 | Memory Support: 4 x DDR4 5,333 MHz, up to 128GB | Expansion Slots: 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16, 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 (4 lanes), 2 x PCIe 3.0 x1 | M.2 Slots: PCIe 3 x 2 (Key M) with 4.0 x M.4 slots | Wi-Fi: M.2 Slot (Switch E)

If you're looking for the latest and greatest Intel motherboard, the Asus Prime Z690M-Plus D4 is for you. This hardware is compatible with Windows 11 and offers the latest LGA1700 socket and PCIe 5.0 interface for next generation connectivity. With this full-speed PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, you can use this high-bandwidth graphics card or you can slide other peripherals. And somehow, this mATX card manages to cram into one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot and two PCIe 3.0 x1 slots for additional add-in cards.

Asus Prime Z690M-Plus D4 also offers other useful features. DDR4 support makes it tons of RAM This means you can pack with and speed it up to 5,333 MHz. All three M.4.0 SSD slots running at PCIe 4 x2 provide fast load times and boot speeds. There are a number of connectivity options available, including higher speed USB 20 Gen3.2x2 Type-C with 2Gbps transfer rates, front panel USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, and Thunderbolt 4 support. To keep everything running smoothly, this motherboard includes several heatsinks and headers for the fans. It even has dual mounting holes, compatible with both Intel LGA1700 and LGA1200 cooling brackets.

Asus ROG Strix Z690-G Gaming WiFi 6E

asus rog strix z690 a gaming wi fi d4 intel lga1700 ddr4
The best micro ATX motherboards and what to look for when buying a motherboard? (2022) 10

Best Premium Intel Micro ATX Motherboard

CPU Socket: LGA1700 | Chipset: Z690 | Memory Support: 4 x DDR5 6,000MHz, up to 128GB | Expansion Slots: 1 x PCIe 5.0 x16, 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 (4 lanes), 1 x PCIe 3.0 x 1 | M.2 Slots: 3 x M.2 slots PCIe 4.0 x 4 (M Key) | Wi-Fi: Intel WiFi 6E

A shrunken motherboard doesn't mean you miss out on the premium features a full-size motherboard can offer. The Asus ROG Strix Z690-G Gaming WiFi 6E is an investment with loads of high-end features and support for the latest 12th Gen Intel Core processors. With PCIe 5.0 support you can take advantage of insane bandwidth, while the additional PCIe 4.0 x16 slot and PCIe 3.0 x1 are perfect for audio, capture or other expansion cards. Beyond that, three M.4.0 slots using PCIe 4 x 2 mean you can free up space for multiple high-capacity SSDs and get fast load times. This hardware comes with DDR5 memory slots so you can overclock the RAM to 6000 MHz using less voltage.

The Asus ROG Strix Z690-G Gaming WiFi 6E brings some advanced connectivity to the table. Asus has installed support for fast internet connections beyond the multiple high-speed USB ports ranging from 5Gbps to 20Gbps. Since it supports Wi-Fi 6E, you can max out over a wired connection or Wi-Fi with 2.5Gb Ethernet. With all these capabilities, Asus was confident it would offer enhanced cooling opportunities, including heatsinks, 4-pin PWM fan headers, and an AIO pump header. And if that's part of your gaming PC, you'll like the addressable RGB headers.

ASRock H670M Pro

Best Mid-Range Intel Micro ATX Motherboard

asrock h670m pro micro atx motherboards
The best micro ATX motherboards and what to look for when buying a motherboard? (2022) 11

CPU Socket: LGA1700 | Chipset: H670 | Memory Support: 4 x DDR4 4800 MHz, up to 128GB | Expansion Slots: 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16, 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16, 1 x PCIe 3.0 x1 | M.2 Slots: PCIe 2 x 2 (Key M) with 4.0 x M.4 slots | Wi-Fi: M.2 Slot (Switch E)

The H670 platform offers modern benefits at a strong value, and the ASRock H670M Pro is a solid example of this. It costs just $120 but supports the latest 1700th Gen Intel Core processors with the LGA12 socket. When you have a processor, you will experience faster and more efficient gaming. This motherboard doesn't have the latest PCIe 5.0 slot, but the PCIe 4.0 x 16 slot provides plenty of bandwidth, so your graphics card will do great there. ASRock has also managed to squeeze in an extra PCIe x16-length slot and a PCIe x1 slot for more add-on cards.

Despite its small size, the ASRock H670M Pro packs tons more. You'll get two fast PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots for SSDs so your hardware has plenty of storage. And even though you don't have DDR5 memory slots, DDR4 support still lets you overclock RAM at an impressive 4800MHz. This motherboard does not have built-in Wi-Fi, making it easy to add a Key E M.2 slot. Also, with glass or mesh panel great  If you have the enclosure, it has built-in RGB lighting along with RGB headers and an addressable RGB header to bring some art to your setup.

Asus Prime H610M-A D4-CSM

Best Budget Intel Micro ATX Motherboard

asus prime h610m-a d4-csm micro atx motherboards
The best micro ATX motherboards and what to look for when buying a motherboard? (2022) 12

CPU Socket: LGA1700 | Chipset: H610 | Memory Support: 64 x DDR4 4MHz up to 3.200GB | Expansion Slots: 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16, 1 x PCIe 3.0 x1 | M.2 Slots: PCIe 1 x 2 with 3.0 x M.4 slot, PCIe 1 x 2 with 3.0 x M.2 slot (Key M) | Wi-Fi: M.2 Slot (Switch E)

If you're building a budget PC, the last thing you want to do is buy a motherboard that's more expensive than your processor. The Asus Prime H610M-A D4-CSM is an affordable Intel hardware option that still comes loaded with the latest technology. It's ready for 12th Gen Intel Core processors, but if you want to keep prices low, the LGA1700 socket still supports Pentium Gold and Celeron. However, you'll probably want to stick with the 12th Gen to get the best gaming experience and take full advantage of all these mATX motherboard offerings.

With the Asus Prime H610M-A D4-CSM, you get a full-bandwidth PCIe 4.0 expansion slot ready to house your graphics card, while an additional PCIe 3.0 x 1 slot leaves room for an add-on card. Unfortunately, you only get these two slots and there's no PCIe 5.0 support, but at this price it's an acceptable understatement. And even if you skip a dedicated graphics card aiming for a smaller, more affordable build, you can still run multiple displays, as the motherboard has an HDMI port and a DisplayPort connection on the back. Beyond add-in cards, two dedicated M.3.0 slots running on PCIe 2 provide a slot for your SSDs, while support for up to 64GB of DDR4 memory means you can build some pretty powerful hardware. It also doesn't come with the Wi-Fi bundle, but you can easily add it with the M.2 Slot on the Key E.

ASRock X570M Pro4

Best AMD Micro ATX Motherboard

asrock x570m pro4 micro atx motherboards
The best micro ATX motherboards and what to look for when buying a motherboard? (2022) 13

CPU Socket: AM4 | Chipset: X570 | Memory Support: 4 x DDR4 4.466MHz, up to 128GB | Expansion Slots: 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16, 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 (4 lanes) | M.2 Slots: PCIe 2 x 2 with 4.0 x M.4 slots (M Key)

Whether you're trying to build a Ryzen 3000 series or a Ryzen 5000 series system, the ASRock X570M Pro4 lets you take full advantage of the latest and greatest AMD circuits along with the PCIe 4.0 capabilities they provide. It has a 10-phase power delivery to provide constant power to your processor, and support for RAM speeds above 4.466 MHz means you can feed your processor with high-speed memory. Add-on cards also get a boost. You'll find a pair of PCIe x4.0 slots, allowing you to run one at full PCIe 16 x4 bandwidth and the second at x16 bandwidth. There is also a PCIe 4.0 x1 slot.

The ASRock X570M Pro4 offers a lot when it comes to adding peripherals. For flashy lighting, you get two RGB headers and one addressable RGB header, while keeping your hardware safe from overheating with a powerful heatsink alongside headers and ports for fans or heatsinks. There are even multiple 10Gbps USB ports on the rear I/O to add more. ASRock is complemented by a pair of PCIe 4.0 x4 capable M.2 slots for fastest storage support. You can't ask for more from a Micro ATX board.

MSI MAG B550M Bazooka

Best Mid-Range AMD Micro ATX Motherboard

msi mag b550m bazooka micro atx motherboards
The best micro ATX motherboards and what to look for when buying a motherboard? (2022) 14

CPU Socket: AM4 | Chipset: B550 | Memory Slots: 4 x DDR4 4400 MHz, up to 128GB | Expansion Slots: 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16, 2 x PCIe 3.0 x1 | M.2 Slots: 1 x PCIe 2 x 4.0 with M.4 slot (Key M), 1 x PCIe 2 x 3.0 with M.4 slot (Key M)

If you want support for the latest AMD processors on a slightly more affordable motherboard, get the MSI MAG B550M Bazooka. Sure, you lose a few PCI lanes, but mATX motherboards are generally less focused on offering a bunch of expansion lanes. You still get a PCIe 4.0 x 16 slot, which provides a lot of bandwidth for your graphics card, and you can put other add-ons on the two PCIe 3.0 x 1 lanes. It also supports four RAM sticks and even lets you run them above 4.000 MHz. You also get one high-bandwidth PCIe 4.0 slot for a fast SSD. This motherboard really provides a solid foundation for your Ryzen hardware.

The MSI MAG B550M Bazooka has much more to offer your build. Several headers are included to support RGB lighting, a PWM heatsink and advanced circuit design ensure your system continues to run smoothly even in harsh conditions. You get several high-speed USB 3.2 ports and USB 2.0 ports for other peripherals, as well as a DisplayPort and HDMI for monitors.

Asus Prime B550M-A AC

Best Budget AMD Micro ATX Motherboard

asus prime b550m-a ac micro atx motherboards
The best micro ATX motherboards and what to look for when buying a motherboard? (2022) 15

CPU Socket: AM4 | Chipset: B550 | Memory Slots: 4 x DDR4 4.866 MHz, up to 128GB | Expansion Slots: 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16, 2 x PCIe 3.0 x1 | M.2 Slots: 1 x PCIe 2 x 4.0 with M.4 slot (Key M), 2 x PCIe 2 x 3.0 with M.2 slot (Key M)

Looking to pair the latest Ryzen 5000 processor with a motherboard on the cheap? You can choose Asus Prime B550M-A AC. You can snag this motherboard for just over $100, but it won't let you down by much. The B550 set allows you to get PCIe 16 support in the x4.0 slot for a quality add-in card, while you can insert cards that require less bandwidth into the PCIe 3.0 slots, such as a Wi-Fi adapter or an extra fast network card. . You also get an M.4.0 slot with PCIe 4 x2 speeds for a fast SSD, and the other two M.2 PCIe 3.0 slots should be pretty fast as well. You can also give your processor high-speed memory with support for RAM speeds well above 4.000 MHz.

Surprisingly, the Asus Prime B550M-A AC assists you with even more connectivity. You won't have a shortage of USB ports on the rear or headers to the front panel ports, and the HDMI port is handy too. When it comes to RGB lighting, there isn't any built-in, but you can get different things to take advantage of it. A heatsink and fan ports also keep your entire system running smoothly.

What to Look for in a Micro ATX Motherboard

Micro-ATX motherboards can be great for saving you some space and are generally less expensive than full-size ATX motherboards, but you should know that you will have to make a few sacrifices. Essentially, these smaller cards often come with fewer PCIe slots, or even just one on certain models. Therefore, when deciding which mATX motherboard is right for you, you should consider how many graphics cards, sound cards, capture cards, and other PCIe cards you want to install. Also, make sure you get a motherboard with at least one PCIe 4.0 x 16 slot so you can take advantage of this high bandwidth. Some of the Intel motherboards even provide support for PCIe 5.0.

The smaller printed circuit board you get with mATX motherboards means you'll likely have fewer M.2 slots for NVMe and SATA SSDs. The good news is that most motherboards this size have at least two M.2 slots, but don't expect to have four or five on some of the most premium ATX parts.

Other important factors to consider are the same as what you're looking for in traditional motherboards. You want CPU sockets that support the latest processors. For Intel cards, you should look for LGA1700 sockets. While on AMD motherboards you should look for AM4. Also, be sure to look for fast memory support. You want a card that can support your RAM.

You may be interested in: How to Use NVIDIA Image Scaling Technology

TAGGED:
exit mobile version