AMD's new Zen 5 processors (CPU) from the Ryzen 9000 series include the Ryzen 9 9950X and 9950X3D, two high-performance chips ideal for enthusiasts who need raw power for gaming and creative work.
The Ryzen 9 9950X and 9950X3D work with many modern motherboard chipsets, including X870 and B850, both of which I've focused on here. My top pick is the Gigabyte X870E Aorus Elite Wi-Fi 7, but there are plenty of alternatives to check out.
August 11, 2025: I've updated this guide to include recommendations for the Ryzen 9 9950X3D as well as the original 9950X. — Cale Hunt
Best overall
With a 16+2+2 VRM power design, four DDR5 DIMM slots, three PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots (plus one more PCIe 4.0 slot), the latest Wi-Fi standard, and chunky heatsinks to keep everything cool, the X870E Aorus Elite Wi-Fi 7 is my top pick for the Ryzen 9 9950X or 9950X3D. You can usually pick it up for about $320.
Affordable alternative
Landing Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, PCIe 5.0 M.2 connectivity, and strong overall performance with ample heatsinks and a 14+2+2 power design doesn't have to break the bank. Gigabyte's X870 Eagle Wi-Fi 7 costs about $230, making it a great alternative to my top pick for both the Ryzen 9 9950X and 9950X3D.
Best for white builds
Need a motherboard to match your all-white build? ASRock's X870 Pro RS WiFi features perks like USB4, Wi-Fi 7, and PCIe 5.0 for your GPU and storage. Its 14+2+1 power phase setup is covered with chunky heatsinks, and it has some underglow RGB lighting along the bottom. Find it for about $250.
Enthusiast option
When you won't settle for anything but the best, the ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Hero should be a top recommendation. Its 18+2+2 power phase design and thick heatsinks allow you to run your Ryzen 9 to its upper overclocked limits, and the full range of cutting-edge features will remain relevant for years to come.
Compact pick
Building a mini ITX PC and need a motherboard to fit? The ASUS ROG Strix X870-I Gaming WiFi is an outstanding board with dual DDR5 slots, PCIe 5.0 support for storage and GPU, and a 10+2+1 power phase setup to handle the Ryzen 9. It's usually available for about $437; you definitely pay a premium for the compact size.
Budget option
Coming in at about $160, the ASUS Prime B650-Plus WiFi remains a great option for budget builders. It features Wi-Fi 6E, PCIe 5.0 support for storage, Thunderbolt 4 header support, and heatsinks for the important bits, including the 12+2 power phase design.
Choosing the best motherboard for your Ryzen 9 9950X or Ryzen 9 9950X3D
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The best motherboards for the Ryzen 9 9950X or Ryzen 9 9950X3D allow these chips to realize their full potential, which includes overclocking. \
Boards with strong overclocking support and high-end features understandably don't come cheap — the Gigabyte X870E Aorus Elite Wi-Fi 7 comes in at around $320. My runner-up pick, the Gigabyte X870 Eagle Wi-Fi 7, is a better bargain at about $230.
You can go even cheaper with the ASUS Prime B650-Plus WiFi for about $160, though you do lose out on some of the more premium features available in the newer X870 boards.
If that just won't do and you have a lot of money to burn, the ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Hero will remain relevant for years to come. It has what it takes to seriously overclock your Ryzen 9 9950X or 9950X3D, and it comes with all of the best X870 features like Wi-Fi 7 and PCIe 5.0 support. It usually costs somewhere around $642.
Do I need a BIOS update for Ryzen 9000 CPUs?
Building or upgrading a PC with a newly released processor sometimes comes with some motherboard compatibility hiccups. If you're buying one of the newer X870 boards that I've highlighted here, you shouldn't really have to do anything to get it going with the Ryzen 9 9950X or 9950X3D.
However, if you opt for an older X670 or B650 board, you might need to update the BIOS to get it to recognize the Zen 5 CPU.
In the past, you needed to have a CPU installed in the board to update the BIOS. And since the latest chips wouldn't work without the update, you needed an older CPU. If you weren't upgrading from something compatible, you were usually left calling some friends or local enthusiasts to help out.
However, with new motherboards, a BIOS flashback function has solved the problem. Instead of requiring an older CPU to update the BIOS, you can now download the update, move it onto a USB flash drive, and plug it into the board. Hit the button on the board, and it performs the update from there on its own.
Is the Ryzen 9 9950X good for gaming?
AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X is the top-tier chip announced in the first run of 9000-series processors. It boasts 16 cores, 32 threads, a 5.7GHz boost clock, and a 170W TDP.
It will absolutely crush gaming to the point that it will probably be overkill for most PC gamers. AMD is targeting creators with extra heavy workloads with its Ryzen 9 9950X, and those who are focusing only on gaming should check out the Ryzen 7 9700X or Ryzen 5 9600X to save some money.
In Windows Central Senior Editor Ben Wilson's Ryzen 9 9950X review, he states:
"It's indisputable that the Ryzen 9 9950X is the world's most powerful consumer CPU, but it comes at a cost, both literally and through hardware requirements. You'll need a capable cooler to keep this 170W beast under control and performing its best, but it'll deliver the best metrics for creative apps."
Is the Ryzen 9 9950X3D good for gaming?
AMD launched the Ryzen 9 9950X3D as a follow-up to the Ryzen 9 9950X, and the inclusion of AMD's proprietary 3D V-Cache technology makes it much better for PC gaming.
As Windows Central Senior Editor Ben Wilson remarks in his Ryzen 9 9950X3D review:
"It's a familiar story with the 9950X3D, sitting atop its Zen 5 range as the all-out option with no compromises. However, AMD admits that gaming performance won't budge much more than 1% in most titles unless developers can utilize the additional cores and threads, so the Ryzen 7 9800X3D remains a smarter pick for gamers. On the productivity and creative side, AMD is crushing benchmarks and dominating the scene entirely, so this multi-function chip has its place, but it's an expensive place to be. Nevertheless, if you can harness all this chip has to offer, there is nothing better to recommend."
Basically, if you want the most creative and gaming power from the same AMD CPU, the 9950X3D is hard to beat.
