Is B550 Compatible with Ryzen 5 3600 Processor? | Compatibility of Motherboard

Even since the release of the B550 series motherboards, the market is saturated with options. With its mid-range pricing and well-rounded performance, B550 is a good choice if you lack the budget for the mighty X570 series.

The Ryzen 5 3600, on the other hand, is still the best all-around CPU in the market. From heavy gaming to multitasking or video editing, it can handle them all. However, due to its newness, many of us wonder, which chipset to pair with the 3600 and if the newly-launched B550 is a good choice to pair with it.

Yes, the B550 is compatible with Ryzen 5 3600. It’s compatible with all current-gen AMD Ryzen 3000 series processors except the 3400G and the 3200G CPUs. Some premium B550 boards can even support the flagship Ryzen 9 series CPUs.

Ryzen CPUs Compatibility List for the B550 Series Chipsets

If you were wondering what Ryzen CPUs are compatible with B550, here’s a list.

The 500 series chipsets (like the B550 or X570) are designed for both the Zen 2 and the Zen 3 CPUs of the Ryzen series. What this means is that the B550 chipset can support both the 3000 series as well as the 4000 series CPUs.

Do note that the Ryzen G series APUs (Processors with integrated graphics chips) are a generation behind what their corresponding number suggests. So, both the Ryzen 3400G and 3200G are actually 2000 series CPUs. Hence, they are not supported by the B550 or any other 500 series motherboards for that matter.

You may find some people claiming on the internet that they are rocking some older generation of AMD CPUs like the Zen 1 series, however, take that with a pinch of salt. Pairing newer chipsets with older and more importantly not recommended CPUs doesn’t yield the best results. Also, you will run into many compatibility issues.

List of Compatible Motherboards for the Ryzen 5 3600

With high-performance chipsets like the 3600, you should always pair them with the best motherboards to gain optimal performance. Here’s a full list of motherboards compatible with Ryzen 5 3600.

• B450 motherboards like the ASRock B450 or the Gigabyte B450 Aorus.
• B550 motherboards like the MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk and the ASRock B550m.
• The old, but still superior X570 series motherboards like the Asus TUF X570 Plus.
• X470 motherboards like the Asus Prime X470, MSI X470 Gaming Plus Max RGB, etc.

Some older chipsets are also supported. But the safest choice is to pick one among these four, for better upgradability and features available. Also, keep the size of your casing in mind when choosing a motherboard. If gaming is your primary purpose, we recommend looking into the motherboards’ thermal capability as well.

Our Verdict

If you are on a budget, the B550 series of motherboards is still a rock-solid option for you. It offers reliable performance with the added flexibility of upgrading to Ryzen 400 series processors, should you decide so in the future. For a more budget-friendly choice, we recommend the B450 series, although they lack the support for dual GPU, which is present in the B550 series.

If you can spare some extra money, and want the absolute best out of your Ryzen 5 3600, the X570 is still the best around. With more high-speed slots and lanes, they offer better future-proofing than the B550 series.

However, if you are someone who wants to overclock the CPU but the money is tight for you, we’d recommend the X470 over the B450, as it has better voltage regulation modulators. This gives the X470 better and safer overclocking abilities.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the best B550 motherboard for Ryzen 5 3600?

You can go with either Asus ROG Strix B550-F Gaming Wi-Fi or the Gigabyte B550 Aorus Master.

What’s best, B550 or X570?

If pricing doesn’t concern you, X570 is still the best buy.

Can B550 handle 3600 MHz RAM?
Yes, it can. Beware though, Ryzen officially supports up to 3200 MHz RAMs. Using anything above 3200 MHz is considered CPU overclocking since the memory controller chip is located in the CPU.

Can I overclock the CPU in B550?

Yes, B550 offers excelling CPU overclocking capability. Some premium B550 motherboards offer options like automatic overclocking.

Conclusion

Both the Ryzen 5 3600 and B550 offer excellent performance for their respective prices. From better stability to future-proofing, they tick all the right boxes. For a mid-range gaming rig or video editing PC, we highly recommend it.