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The performance-focused 60-series entry is currently the most popular RTX 30 series GPU, and thus many people are looking for the best motherboards for RTX 3060. There are a zillion motherboards out there and each of these comes with varying feature sets, sizes, and the CPUs they support. For anyone new to PCs, this will get confusing.
Intel and AMD are among the most common CPU manufacturers today. Motherboard manufacturers make boards that support either of their CPUs. After one has chosen between Team Blue or Team Red, it is now time to choose the correct motherboard on which the CPU will sit.
Modern computer architecture involves two major chips to perform the majority of tasks: Northbridge and Southbridge. The Northbridge is the fancy new Core i7 or Ryzen 9 chip, and the Southbridge is the X570 or B660 chip mentioned in the motherboard's name.
Unraveling the ideal motherboards for RTX 3060 GPUs
Navigating through the sea of motherboards to find the perfect match for the RTX 3060 GPUs might seem like a daunting task. The truth is any motherboard featuring a PCIe x16 slot can theoretically support any GPU, be it a humble GT 710 or a behemoth like the RTX 3090 Ti. However, to streamline your selection process for motherboards for RTX 3060 there are some key considerations to bear in mind, once you've ensured that the motherboard is compatible with and will not throttle the performance of your CPU.
Look for a motherboard that boasts at least one PCIe Gen 4 x16 slot. This is a crucial feature for ensuring maximum compatibility and performance with your RTX 3060 GPU. Reinforced PCIe slots are another factor to take into account. Some RTX 3060 GPUs carry significant weight and without proper reinforcement, the PCIe x16 slot may end up damaged over time.
When browsing motherboards for a specific GPU, the primary focus should be on the PCIe x16 slot and its specifications. Nothing else pertaining to the GPU hinges on the motherboard. Remembering this simple rule of thumb will significantly simplify the task of identifying the perfect motherboards for RTX 3060 GPUs.
A list of appropriate motherboards for RTX 3060 GPU
While shopping for applicable motherboards for this series, one has seven variants to choose from. Four of these are from Intel and the remaining three are from AMD; each of them have a separate target audience.
Chips made by Intel
Intel currently has four series of Southbridge chips. These include the flagship Zx90 series, the mid-tier Hx70 series, the low-end Bx60 series, and the entry-level Hx10 series.
Here, the 'x' stands for the generation name. Each generation of Southbridge chips supports two successive generations of Intel Core CPUs.
1) The Zx90 series
The Zx90 series comprises some of the most premium motherboards on the market. The entries in this series include some expensive options, like the latest Z690 Godlike, the ROG Maximus Z690 HERO, and more. Getting a Z series motherboard for an RTX 3060 is overkill provided the GPU is a mid-range option.
2) The Hx70 series
Intel took away some features from the expensive Zx90 chipset, and the Hx70 series is the result. Motherboards sporting one Hx70 chip can be considered perfect for a premium mid-range graphics card like the RTX 3060, but there is a problem.
Demand for the Hx70 chipset is extremely low. Thus, motherboard manufacturers cheap out on a lot of components while designing boards with this chip. Thus, the majority of motherboards in this series are too unattractive for a regular gamer.
3) The Bx60 series
The Bx60 series is a low-end chipset manufactured by Intel. These chips sport some underwhelming specifications. However, the current market conditions mean that this is the best Intel chipset to choose from while shopping for motherboards for RTX 3060 GPUs.
The recent B660 lineup has some decent boards to choose from. Examples include the MSI B660M Mortar, the Gigabyte B660 Gaming X, and the ASRock B660 Steel Legend. The B660 chipset, although underwhelming on paper, is PCIe Gen 4. Thus, the RTX 3060 will not be bottlenecked.
The older B560 lineup has some great motherboards for RTX 3060 to choose from. All of these boards have at least one PCIe Gen 4 x16 slot to plug in your graphics card. However, do not go older than the B560 as earlier standards are PCIe Gen 3. This will take away a chunk of the RTX 3060's performance.
4) The Hx10 series
The Hx10 series is an entry-level chipset from Intel and motherboards sporting it are extremely barebones. They are mostly meant for office use and media PCs. However, you can consider going for the H610 lineup if your budget is a bit tight.
The H610 motherbaords are PCIe Gen 4 and will not bottleneck the RTX 3060 GPU. Thus, this lineup makes the list for the best budget motherboards for this line of graphics cards.
Anything older than H610 is PCIe Gen 3 and getting them will cost the GPU to lose a chunk of its performance. Thus, H510, H410, or the previous entries are not good motherboards for RTX 3060.
Chips made by AMD
AMD has three Southbridge families. These include the high-end Xx70 lineup, the mid-tier Bx50 lineup, and the entry-level A320 and A520 chipsets.
1) The Xx70 series
The Xx70 series has some of the most premium AMD motherboards in it. Examples include the MSI X570 GODLIKE, the ASUS X570 Crosshair VIII HERO, the Gigabyte X570 Aorus Elite, and more.
The X570 and X470 have some of the best-quality motherboards for RTX 3060 GPUs. But, much like Intel's Z690 lineup, choosing X570 or X470 motherboards for RTX 3060 is overkill.
2)The Bx50 series
The Bx50 series is a mid-tier offering from AMD. It can be considered equivalent to the Hx70 lineup in terms of features and the Bx60 lineup in terms of popularity. This makes Bx50 motherboards the best choice for RTX 3060.
However, only the B550 motherboards are PCIe Gen 4. All variants with the B450 or older Southbridge chip have PCIe Gen 3 x16 slots. Thus, users will strictly have to choose a motherboard from the B550 lineup.
3) The A320 and A520 chipsets
The A320 and A520 chipsets are entry-level offerings from the company. While they are extremely affordable, both of them support PCIe Gen 3. Thus, they are viable, but not the best motherboards for RTX 3060 GPUs.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author's opinion.
