Buying Guide
The Best Micro-ATX Motherboards
From the B760M-AYW D4 to the TUF B850M-PLUS: five motherboards ranked on M.2 slot count and wired network speed, with who should skip each one.
By The PC Journal editorial team
12 min read5 products evaluated
Micro-ATX boards fit smaller cases while keeping four RAM slots on most models. Every pick is Micro-ATX, ordered by M.2 slot count.
Our comparison rests on published figures for M.2 slots, wired LAN and wi-Fi; nothing here was tested in-house, and where a maker leaves out wi-Fi, we say so.
Quick Picks
Our 5 recommendations at a glance. Tap a pick for the full verdict.
Also Consider
ASRock B850M Pro RS WiFi
A PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot.
Best for: Buyers who want PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot.
Our take Check price for ASRock B850M Pro RS WiFi (opens in a new tab)
Strong Alternative
ASRock B850M Steel Legend WiFi
A PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot.
Best for: Buyers who want PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot.
Our take Check price for ASRock B850M Steel Legend WiFi (opens in a new tab)
Premium Pick
ASUS TUF Gaming B850M-PLUS WIFI7
The top of this price range, adding 80A DrMOS power stages.
Best for: Spending more for the fullest feature set.
Our take Check price for ASUS TUF Gaming B850M-PLUS WIFI7 (opens in a new tab)
Lowest Price Here
ASUS B760M-AYW WiFi D4 II
The cheapest way into this group, below the B760M Pro-A D4.
Best for: Spending as little as possible.
Our take Check price for ASUS B760M-AYW WiFi D4 II (opens in a new tab)
Worth a Look
ASRock B760M Pro-A D4
Memory support to DDR4-5333 (OC).
Best for: Buyers who want memory support to DDR4-5333 (OC).
Our take Check price for ASRock B760M Pro-A D4 (opens in a new tab)
| Pick | Why it’s here | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| A PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot. | Buyers who want PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot. | Check price for ASRock B850M Pro RS WiFi (opens in a new tab) |
| A PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot. | Buyers who want PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot. | Check price for ASRock B850M Steel Legend WiFi (opens in a new tab) |
| The top of this price range, adding 80A DrMOS power stages. | Spending more for the fullest feature set. | Check price for ASUS TUF Gaming B850M-PLUS WIFI7 (opens in a new tab) |
| The cheapest way into this group, below the B760M Pro-A D4. | Spending as little as possible. | Check price for ASUS B760M-AYW WiFi D4 II (opens in a new tab) |
| Memory support to DDR4-5333 (OC). | Buyers who want memory support to DDR4-5333 (OC). | Check price for ASRock B760M Pro-A D4 (opens in a new tab) |
Our Picks
Also Consider1 of 5
ASRock B850M Pro RS WiFi on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The B850M Pro RS WiFi is a Micro-ATX board with three M.2 slots, one of them PCIe 5.0, and BIOS Flashback.
Best for
- Buyers who want PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot.
Skip if
- Worth skipping when wi-Fi 6E rather than Wi-Fi is a problem.
Why we like it
Its 8+2+1 layout suits six- and eight-core chips. On M.2 slot count it ties with the B850M Steel Legend and the TUF B850M-PLUS at 3. A wi-Fi 6E is unique to it among these picks, while the B760M-AYW D4 uses a wi-Fi 6.
You get 8+2+1 power stages here, which sets it apart from the B850M Steel Legend and its 12+2+1 power stages. It shares an AM5 socket with the B850M Steel Legend and TUF B850M-PLUS; the B760M Pro-A D4 goes with an LGA1700 socket. It uses AMD's AM5 socket, so it takes Ryzen 7000, 8000 and 9000 chips; a board built before a CPU's launch may need a BIOS update first, so check whether it supports BIOS Flashback. On price it sat third of 5, between the cheaper B760M Pro-A D4 and the pricier B850M Steel Legend, at the time of writing.
Key dimensions & specs
- M.2 slots: 3
- Wired LAN: 2.5Gbps
- Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 6E
- Power stages: 8+2+1
- Form factor: Micro-ATX
- Socket: AM5
- Chipset: B850
Pros
- PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot
- BIOS Flashback
- Three M.2 slots in a Micro-ATX size
- M.2 slot count of 3, ahead of the B760M-AYW D4
Cons
- Wi-Fi 6E rather than Wi-Fi 7
- Costs more than the B760M-AYW D4 at the time of writing
Strong Alternative2 of 5
ASRock B850M Steel Legend WiFi on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The B850M Steel Legend fits a 12+2+1 layout, Wi-Fi 7 and three M.2 slots, one of them PCIe 5.0, onto a Micro-ATX board.
Best for
- Buyers who want PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot.
Skip if
- Skip it if price comes first: the B760M-AYW D4 cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
It is the Micro-ATX pick with the most features here. On M.2 slot count it ties with the B850M Pro RS and the TUF B850M-PLUS at 3. It shares a wi-Fi 7 with the TUF B850M-PLUS; the B760M-AYW D4 goes with a wi-Fi 6.
12+2+1 power stages is unique to it among these picks, while the TUF B850M-PLUS uses 14+2+1 power stages. It shares an AM5 socket with the B850M Pro RS and TUF B850M-PLUS; the B760M Pro-A D4 goes with an LGA1700 socket. You also get BIOS Flashback and a white and silver finish.
It uses AMD's AM5 socket, so it takes Ryzen 7000, 8000 and 9000 chips; a board built before a CPU's launch may need a BIOS update first, so check whether it supports BIOS Flashback. Its price falls between the B850M Pro RS and the TUF B850M-PLUS, based on our last check.
Key dimensions & specs
- M.2 slots: 3
- Wired LAN: 2.5Gbps
- Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 7
- Power stages: 12+2+1
- Form factor: Micro-ATX
- Socket: AM5
- Chipset: B850
Pros
- Wi-Fi 7 built in
- PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot
- BIOS Flashback
- White and silver finish
Cons
- Costs more than the B760M-AYW D4 at the time of writing
Premium Pick3 of 5
ASUS TUF Gaming B850M-PLUS WIFI7 on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The TUF B850M-PLUS stands out for 80A DrMOS power stages, and it adds a rear USB 20Gbps Type-C port.
Best for
- Spending more for the fullest feature set.
Skip if
- Price-first buyers should look at the B760M-AYW D4, which cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
It also offers a 3 M.2 slot count and offers a 2.5Gbps wired network speed. On M.2 slot count it ties with the B850M Pro RS and the B850M Steel Legend at 3. It shares a wi-Fi 7 with the B850M Steel Legend; the B760M-AYW D4 goes with a wi-Fi 6.
14+2+1 power stages is unique to it among these picks, while the B850M Steel Legend uses 12+2+1 power stages. It shares an AM5 socket with the B850M Pro RS and B850M Steel Legend; the B760M Pro-A D4 goes with an LGA1700 socket. It also comes with a front USB 10Gbps Type-C header.
It uses AMD's AM5 socket, so it takes Ryzen 7000, 8000 and 9000 chips; a board built before a CPU's launch may need a BIOS update first, so check whether it supports BIOS Flashback. It was the most expensive pick when we checked, so weigh what it adds over the B850M Steel Legend.
Key dimensions & specs
- M.2 slots: 3
- Wired LAN: 2.5Gbps
- Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 7
- Power stages: 14+2+1
- Form factor: Micro-ATX
- Socket: AM5
- Chipset: B850
Pros
- Wi-Fi 7 built in
- 14+2+1 power stage layout
- 80A DrMOS power stages
- Rear USB 20Gbps Type-C port
Cons
- Costs more than the B760M-AYW D4 at the time of writing
Lowest Price Here4 of 5
ASUS B760M-AYW WiFi D4 II on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The B760M-AYW WiFi D4 II is a Micro-ATX DDR4 board with two M.2 slots, Wi-Fi 6 and 2.5Gbps LAN at a low price.
Best for
- Spending as little as possible.
Skip if
- Choose another pick if you can't accept this: only 2 M.2 slots.
Why we like it
You get a wi-Fi 6 here, which sets it apart from the B850M Steel Legend and its a wi-Fi 7. It shares an LGA1700 socket with the B760M Pro-A D4; the TUF B850M-PLUS goes with an AM5 socket. You also get a PCIe 5.0 x16 graphics slot and a front USB 5Gbps port.
It uses Intel's LGA1700 socket for 12th, 13th and 14th Gen Core processors; check the CPU support list for the BIOS version your chip needs, since early boards shipped before 14th Gen launched. It takes DDR4 memory only, so reuse or buy a DDR4 kit; DDR5 sticks do not fit its slots. It was the cheapest of the group when we checked; the B760M Pro-A D4 was the next step up. The main gap: M.2 slot count of 2, behind the B850M Pro RS (3). If that matters, the B850M Pro RS offers 3.
Key dimensions & specs
- M.2 slots: 2
- Wired LAN: 2.5Gbps
- Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 6
- Form factor: Micro-ATX
- Socket: LGA1700
- Memory type: DDR4
- Chipset: B760
Pros
- PCIe 5.0 x16 graphics slot
- Front USB 5Gbps port
- Wi-Fi 6, the only one here
- The cheapest way into this group, below the B760M Pro-A D4
Cons
- Only 2 M.2 slots
- Takes DDR4 only, not DDR5 kits
- M.2 slot count of 2, behind the B850M Pro RS (3)
Worth a Look5 of 5
ASRock B760M Pro-A D4 on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The B760M Pro-A D4 is the wired version of the Pro-A/D4, with a 7+1+1 layout and two M.2 slots.
Best for
- Buyers who want memory support to DDR4-5333 (OC).
Skip if
- Choose another pick if you can't accept this: only 2 M.2 slots.
Why we like it
It suits a Core i5 on a cable connection. 7+1+1 power stages is unique to it among these picks, while the TUF B850M-PLUS uses 14+2+1 power stages. It shares an LGA1700 socket with the B760M-AYW D4; the TUF B850M-PLUS goes with an AM5 socket.
Like the B760M-AYW D4, it has a B760 chipset, while the B850M Pro RS uses a B850 chipset. It also comes with memory support to DDR4-5333 (OC) and 2.5Gbps Ethernet. It uses Intel's LGA1700 socket for 12th, 13th and 14th Gen Core processors; check the CPU support list for the BIOS version your chip needs, since early boards shipped before 14th Gen launched.
It takes DDR4 memory only, so reuse or buy a DDR4 kit; DDR5 sticks do not fit its slots. Its price falls between the B760M-AYW D4 and the B850M Pro RS, based on our last check. If M.2 slot count is your priority, the B850M Pro RS (3) is the stronger choice.
Key dimensions & specs
- M.2 slots: 2
- Wired LAN: 2.5Gbps
- Power stages: 7+1+1
- Form factor: Micro-ATX
- Socket: LGA1700
- Memory type: DDR4
- Chipset: B760
Pros
- Memory support to DDR4-5333 (OC)
- No Wi-Fi, for wired desks
- 2.5Gbps Ethernet
- 7+1+1 power stages, the only one here
Cons
- Only 2 M.2 slots
- Takes DDR4 only, not DDR5 kits
- M.2 slot count trails the B850M Pro RS (3)
How We Chose These Micro-ATX Motherboards
Each pick was assessed across 4 criteria weighted for real-world use.
- Power delivery
- We noted power stage layouts where the maker lists them.
- Connectivity
- We compared Wi-Fi, wired LAN speed and USB4.
- Platform
- We checked socket, chipset and form factor from each listing.
- Storage
- We counted listed M.2 slots and PCIe 5.0 support.
What to Look for in a Micro-ATX Motherboard
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
Match the chipset to your plans
On AM5, B850 covers most gaming builds with PCIe 5.0 for at least one slot. X870E adds more PCIe 5.0 lanes and USB4 for heavy expansion.
Features, not frame rates, separate the chipsets.
Check BIOS support and Flashback
A board may need a BIOS update before it runs a newer CPU. BIOS Flashback lets you update without a working CPU installed.
Power delivery for high-end CPUs
Boards with more and stronger power stages run hot 16-core chips more comfortably. For eight-core gaming CPUs, most current boards are enough.
Networking matters for daily use
Wi-Fi 7 and 5Gbps Ethernet help only if your router supports them, but built-in Wi-Fi saves a PCIe card.
Check the rear and front I/O
Count USB ports you use every day and confirm a front USB-C header if your case has a USB-C port.
Count M.2 slots
Most games now install to NVMe drives. Count how many M.2 slots you need now and later, and check which ones share lanes with other ports.
How to Choose a Micro-ATX Motherboard
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Buyers who want PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot | B850M Pro RS | A PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot |
| Buyers who want PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot | B850M Steel Legend | A PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot |
| Spending more for the fullest feature set | TUF B850M-PLUS | The top of this price range, adding 80A DrMOS power stages |
| Spending as little as possible | B760M-AYW D4 | The cheapest way into this group, below the B760M Pro-A D4 |
| Buyers who want memory support to DDR4-5333 (OC) | B760M Pro-A D4 | Memory support to DDR4-5333 (OC) |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
Figures as each maker states them.
| Board | M.2 slots | Wired LAN | Wi-Fi | Power stages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B850M Pro RS | 3 | 2.5Gbps | Wi-Fi 6E | 8+2+1 |
| B850M Steel Legend | 3 | 2.5Gbps | Wi-Fi 7 | 12+2+1 |
| TUF B850M-PLUS | 3 | 2.5Gbps | Wi-Fi 7 | 14+2+1 |
| B760M-AYW D4 | 2 | 2.5Gbps | Wi-Fi 6 | Not listed |
| B760M Pro-A D4 | 2 | 2.5Gbps | Not listed | 7+1+1 |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
By price at the time of writing
Prices change often; these tiers reflect Amazon prices when this guide was updated.
| Price tier | Boards |
|---|---|
| About $100 to $150 | B760M-AYW D4, B760M Pro-A D4, B850M Pro RS, B850M Steel Legend |
| About $150 to $250 | TUF B850M-PLUS |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of these motherboards has the most M.2 slot count?
The B850M Pro RS leads at 3, ahead of the B850M Steel Legend at 3; the B760M Pro-A D4 sits at the other end with 2.
What is the least I can spend on one of these motherboards?
The B760M-AYW D4. It undercut the B760M Pro-A D4 when we checked, while the TUF B850M-PLUS cost the most of the group.
Do I need X870E for gaming?
No. A B850 board runs the same CPUs at the same speed; X870E adds more PCIe 5.0 lanes, USB4 and expansion.
Will a new board work with my CPU out of the box?
Usually, but check the board's CPU support list. If your chip needs a newer BIOS, BIOS Flashback updates it from a USB drive.
Do I need PCIe 5.0?
Current graphics cards barely benefit. PCIe 5.0 matters more for the fastest SSDs.
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the B850M Pro RS, chosen for a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot. Look at the B850M Steel Legend for a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot, the TUF B850M-PLUS for the top of this price range, adding 80A DrMOS power stages and the B760M-AYW D4 for the cheapest way into this group, below the B760M Pro-A D4 if those matter more to you.
Check PCIe slot spacing if you plan a thick GPU plus an expansion card.