DDR5 is slowly going mainstream, with both Intel and AMD now supporting it on their latest CPUs and chipsets. Upgrading to these new memory kits means better performance and efficiency for your PC, as DDR5 boasts faster speeds—nearly twice as quick as DDR4—while consuming less power.

Unfortunately, DDR5 isn't backward compatible, meaning you'll need a new DDR5-compatible motherboard to take the new chips for a spin. Intel DDR5 motherboards have been out for a while since the release of the 12th Gen CPUs, and you now have options for AMD, too, with the new AM5 platform.

So, if you want the fastest memory available, here are the best DDR5 motherboards you can get right now.

Our Favorite DDR5 Motherboards in 2023

The ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero is a high-end DDR5 motherboard with everything you need to build a killer PC, whether you're a gamer or content creator. It's not cheap, but you're paying for premium components, PCIe 5.0 support, DDR5 memory speeds that could go up to 7800MHz, and a good range of ports, including Thunderbolt 4.

The board features a 20+1-phase power design rated at 90A, which is powerful enough to overclock any of the recent Intel 12th and 13th Gen CPUs available today. The solid VRMs are only matched by the beefy heatsinks and comprehensive water-cooling abilities, giving you plenty of overclocking headroom even for demanding CPUs like the 13900K.

The rest of the motherboard is nothing short of impressive. It features two PCIe 5.0 x16 slots with x8/x8 capability as well as futureproof PCIe 5.0 and PCIe 4.0 M.2 NVMe slots, Wi-Fi 6E, RGB, and 2.5G Ethernet. In addition, you get plenty of tools for troubleshooting, including a 7-segment display, a BIOS FlashBack button, and an onboard power button.

Plenty of mid-range Alder Lake motherboards support DDR5 memory, but MSI's MPG Z690 CARBON WIFI offers a few features that make it our favorite for building a mainstream gaming PC. It's one of the few Z690 motherboards with two x8/x8 capable PCIe 5.0 x16 slots, making it ideal for multi-GPU setups. It also has a qualified VRM for extreme overclocking.

The Z690 CARBON WIFI is compatible with the 12th Gen and 13th Gen Intel CPUs, but you cannot use DDR4 memory kits on this board, just like with all other DDR5 motherboards. MSI claims excellent memory speeds of over 6666MHz when running one DIMM per channel. There is a 7-segment LED for troubleshooting and a BIOS FlashBack button for updating the BIOS without needing a compatible CPU.

When it comes to connectivity, there isn't much to complain about. You're getting 10 USB ports, including a 20Gbps USB-C connector, 2.5G Ethernet, optical audio output, and both HDMI and DisplayPort for integrated graphics output from the CPU. It has PCIe Gen4 M.2 slots for faster NVMe SSDs and next-gen Wi-Fi 6E support. Overall, the Z690 CARBON WIFI is a great DDR5 motherboard that should please both casual and enthusiast gamers.

Those on a tight budget who still want a motherboard with DDR5 memory support should consider the Pro Z690-A from MSI. It's one of the lowest-cost DDR5 motherboards, supporting DDR5-6400 (OC) memory of up to 128 GB. It's designed for the 12th and 13th generations of Intel CPUs and packs most of the latest features, including PCIe 5.0 and M.2 Gen4 slots.

The 14 + 1 + 1-phase 55A VRM may not be enough for overclocking nerds, but it can handle the majority of CPUs available today at stock speeds. It has decent heatsinks for the VRM and chipset and offers a couple of headers for fans and water cooling. The rear ports are well balanced with seven USB-A ports, a 20Gbps USB-C port, 2.5G Ethernet, and audio connectors.

While not a deal-breaker, MSI did cut some corners to keep the price lower. Only one of the M.2 slots has a heatsink, and the IO shield is not pre-installed. Still, if you want to save money and spend it on other components, the MSI Pro Z690-A is an excellent choice for a DDR5 motherboard.

The ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E Hero is one of the most capable AMD motherboards on the market, with PCIe Gen 5.0 for storage and graphics, DDR5, and an overclocking-ready VRM.

The 18+2 power stages, rated at 110A per stage, can keep up with the insane power demands of the Ryzen 9 7950X flagship processor and other mainstream Ryzen processors. ASUS didn't skimp on cooling either, providing robust heatsinks for the VRMs, chipset, and M.2 slots. You can gain even more cooling headroom with a custom water-cooling setup.

The rear IO is just as impressive, with eight 10Gbps USB-A ports, two 40Gbps USB4 ports, an additional 20Gbps USB-C port, 2.5G Ethernet, optical audio output, and HDMI 2.1 for integrated RDNA2 graphics on the Ryzen 7000 Series CPUs. It's an excellent motherboard for overclockers, and the presence of onboard power and reset buttons, a BIOS flashback, and a 7-segment display make it ideal for extreme tweaks.

The GIGABYTE X670 AORUS Elite AX is an excellent alternative to the ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E Hero if you don't want to spend everything you have on a motherboard. At less than half the price, you get a decent board with a flagship X670 chipset and all of the latest features, including PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 memory support.

The motherboard comes with PCIe 4.0 expansion slots only instead of PCIe 5.0, but that's not really a dealbreaker since most of the graphics cards available today find it difficult to saturate a full PCIe 3.0 x16 slot, let alone a PCIe 4.0 x16 slot. Fortunately, you do get a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot, along with three PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots for faster NVMe SSD storage.

DDR5 memory speeds can go up to 6666MT/s when overclocked, and the 16-phase 70A Vcore VRM can handle the flagship and mainstream Ryzen 7000 Series processors without any issues. You don't get any Thunderbolt 4 or USB4 ports with this motherboard, but the 20Gbps USB-C port and 12 USB-A ports should be more than enough for most people.

The ASUS ROG STRIX Z690-G GAMING WIFI is much smaller than standard ATX motherboards and offers the same number of DDR5 memory slots along with full-size PCIe 5.0 x16 and PCIe 4.0 x16 expansion slots.

The VRMs on this motherboard are nothing to write home about but can run most of the available 12th and 13th Gen Intel processors at stock and offer some headroom for entry-level overclocking. The board is mostly covered by heatsinks and designed for water cooling to get the most out of your PC with good thermals.

The rear IO has almost every port you'd need for work and gaming. You'll also find Clear CMOS and BIOS Flashback buttons, which come in handy if you want to update the BIOS for 13th Gen CPU compatibility. Overall, the ASUS ROG STRIX Z690-G GAMING WIFI is a well-balanced and well-priced motherboard for building a capable, future-proof compact PC.

The MSI MEG Z690I UNIFY is a solid Mini-ITX motherboard that beats all other offerings in a few key specs. It has three M.2 slots, two of which are PCI Express 4.0 compatible, and four SATA ports, the most you can get on a Mini ITX motherboard. It also has onboard Thunderbolt 4 ports, 2.5G Ethernet, and faster Wi-Fi 6E.

It's an amazing motherboard for small form-factor builds. The high-quality 105A MOSFETs can handle the latest processors from Intel, and it gets even better with the solid heatsinks that do an incredible job on their own. The rest of the feature set is pretty much standard across ITX boards. You get a single full-size PCIe x16 slot and two DDR5 DIMM slots.

If you're on "team red," only one microATX motherboard can fully take advantage of the latest Ryzen 7000 Series processors, and it's the ROG Crosshair X670E Gene from ASUS. It's a steep price to pay for a microATX motherboard, but you get the best of the best from AMD's latest offerings.

It comes equipped with PCIe 5.0 for graphics and storage and supports DDR5-6400 (OC) memory up to 64GB. In addition, the board features 16 phases of Vcore VRM rated at 110A per stage, making it one of the most capable motherboards. ASUS also did a great job in the thermal department, with beefy heatsinks, multiple temperature points, and headers for fans and water-cooling setups.

Overall, the ROG Crosshair X670E Gene is an impressive motherboard that should please most hardcore tweakers and gamers. It includes a 7-segment display, BIOS flashback button, and onboard power button for troubleshooting, wrapping up an excellent offering for hardcore gamers and extreme overclockers.

Finding the Best DDR5 Motherboard For You

When it comes to searching for a DDR5-capable motherboard, there are a few factors to consider before committing to a purchase. First, you should know if the motherboard and the rest of your PC parts are compatible. It doesn't matter if you can achieve flagship performance from your CPU if it won't fit in the socket on your motherboard. Next, you'll want to scan the board for any features you're after, such as a BIOS flashback button or a 2.5G Ethernet port. Lastly, you'll want to make sure the price tag fits your budget.

If you're after the best of the best for most situations, the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero is the pick for you. Not only does it support DDR5 memory beautifully, but it also provides Thunderbolt 4 ports for fast charging from your PC, two PCIe 5.0 x16 slots, Wi-Fi 6e, a BIOS flashback button, and a slack all-black design with RGB trim.