With server motherboards, which have robust components, you can run them for days without worrying about damage or malfunction. Server motherboards generally support server-grade CPUs as well as ECC and non-ECC RAM. SATA interfaces are also commonly found on these units. Check also our guide of Best LGA 1200 Motherboards.
We are about to shed light on the best server motherboards on today’s market, so you should stick around in case you have trouble deciding on the perfect server motherboard.
Table of Contents
Quick Comparison Table
The 7 Best Server Motherboards in 2024
1. MSI B450 Tomahawk Max – Best Budget Server Motherboard
MSI’s B450 Tomahawk Max is one of the top mid-range motherboards on our list. With all of its robust components, this motherboard is a great choice for server purposes. Moreover, it is an extremely capable, cost-effective top gaming motherboard.
Compared to some modern motherboards, the B450 Tomahawk Max lacks the wow factor with its over-the-top RGB lighting and vibrant colors. The motherboard has a lot of black components and a subtle aesthetic. The subtlety and sheer power of this unit can only be appreciated with a careful eye.
A black PCB combines with gray and white accents on the B450 Tomahawk Max. There are several radiators in the southbridge area as well as the VRM that add to the unit’s aesthetics and improve cooling. On top of each radiator is the MSI logo, with additional hints of white and gray for aesthetic purposes. Would you consider it the best motherboard for music production? Perhaps not, but take a look at its other benefits.
The motherboard features high-quality four-plus-two power phases. It thus ensures that the processor receives smooth power. Such components will not cause any issues whatsoever when you overclock the processors.
It is quite impressive considering how cost-effective it is that this motherboard houses an AMD Ryzen 9 3900X processor. We don’t recommend using any processor lower than the X570 on this board, but the board is capable of housing lesser processors, of course.
In addition to its four RAM slots, one M.2 slot, and six USB ports, the B450 Tomahawk Max has one Type-C port. Through SATA III ports, you can connect an additional six storage units. Besides PCI-Express and PCI-Express x1, there are three PCI-Express x1 expansion ports.
Key Features:
- B450 chipset from AMD
- Support for multiple GPUs
- There are 6 SATA III ports
- A comparison of PCIe versions 3.0 and 2.0
- Plugging in a Type-C USB cable
- Contains six fan headers
- There are two types of USB 3.1: Type-C and USB 3.1
- VRM that is reliable
- Components with high robustness
- Affordability
- There is no secondary M.2 slot
- RGB control is not independent
You may also love to read: Best X570 Motherboards
2. Raspberry Pi 4 Model B – Best Cheapest Server Motherboard
Raspberry Pi has been the most reliable, inexpensive single-board computer for years. From robots to kiosks, the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B can power anything. Additionally, this device can be used as a desktop computer. It can even output 4K video at 60 frames per second. Additionally, it supports dual monitors.
Its layout is very similar to previous Pi models, but if you look closely, you’ll notice that the Ethernet and USB ports have been moved. In addition, it boasts a USB-C port and a micro HDMI port.
If you use the HDMI ports as dual screens, you can display 4K resolution at 30 frames per second. You’ll enjoy a 4K display at 60fps on a single screen, as previously mentioned.
With its 1.5GHz ARM Cortex A72 processor, this device offers slightly faster performance than the Raspberry Pi 3B+. The Pi 3B+ is about 3x slower than this tiny device. Additionally, it supports LPDDR4 RAM, allowing it to deliver entry-level PC performance while maintaining its small footprint.
MicroSD cards are used for storage on this server motherboard. The Pi 4 also features a USB 3.0 port, which makes it convenient to boot from USB. Powered by a 5.2V 3A USB-C power supply, the Pi 4 Model B offers enough juice to power up even the most demanding of CPUs while still delivering 1.2A to USB 3.0 devices like a USB hard drive.
This motherboard can be used for a wide variety of activities, including robot building and coding. Emulation and media centers are also strong points of the Pi 4.
Key Features:
- Cortex-A72 quad-core processor
- SDRAM LPDDR4-3200
- Both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 are available
- Wireless connectivity
- Power supply for USB-C
- User experience that is super smooth
- Replaces a desktop and a laptop
- Older versions of the Pi are compatible
- It is equipped with a powerful processor
- Suitable for a wide range of activities
- When used, the CPU gets too warm
- Launches occasionally with glitches
You may also love to read: Best Motherboards for Ryzen 9 3950X
3. GIGABYTE C246-WU4 – Best High-end Server Motherboard
For building a NAS server, the Gigabyte C246-WU4 motherboard is one of the best. With an ATX form factor, it is one of the largest devices on our list. Furthermore, it is comparatively expensive, so before investing your hard-earned money you have to be absolutely sure you need it.
As you’ll see as you continue reading, this isn’t the most expensive or most powerful motherboard on the list, but it does a fantastic job of offering superior performance for NAS use at a pretty reasonable price.
What makes it the best choice for NAS servers? You can connect up to 10 different hard drives to its 10 SATA ports to build a NAS server at home. As a result of its larger form factor, this motherboard will require a larger chassis.
With the Gigabyte C249-WU4, you can run ECC and non-ECC memory without any issues. Additionally, it supports the Xeon line of processors from Intel. It supports 8th and 9th-Gen processors, including the Intel i9 and Celeron, since it has an LGA 1151 socket. The C249-WU4 is ideal for building a budget gaming PC.
Would you like even more SATA ports? Does 10 SATA ports not satisfy your needs? There are various expansion slots on the unit that you can use to add a SATA PCIe card to increase the number of hard drives on your NAS. There is 1x PCIe X16 slot, 1x PCIe X16 slot running at X8 bandwidth, and 2x PCIe X16 slots running at 4X bandwidth.
We recommend the Gigabyte C249-WU4 for high-end NAS use, since it has everything you could ask for in a NAS server. Due to its high price, this may not be the right unit to build an average NAS server. Don’t worry, though, we also offer NAS servers at an affordable price.
Key Features:
- The ATX form factor is large
- Ten SATA ports
- Non-ECC and ECC support
- The socket LGA 1151
- Support for Intel Xeon E processors
- Ten hard drives can be handled
- Expandable with PCIe ports
- Supported and non-supported ECC RAM
- Supports Intel’s 8th and 9th-generation i9 processors
- Suitable for high-end DIY NAS
- Budget-friendly but not the best option
- To house it, it needs a large chassis
You may also love to read: Best Motherboards for RTX 3090
4. GIGABYTE X399 Aorus Pro – Best Cheapest Server Motherboard
Why not upgrade your motherboard to a high-end model? We recommend the X399 Aorus Pro our of best server motherboards listed in this guide. As with the C246-WU4, this motherboard is ATX, but it can fit easily inside any case. With the use of the FOXCONN 4094 Pins TR4 socket, the X399 Aorus Pro supports first- and second-generation Threadripper processors.
In spite of the fact that it’s not the most efficient overclocker out there, the X399 Aorus Pro is capable of smoothly running Threadrippers. Heat sinks are connected via a hollow tube to ensure optimal air circulation on this board.
Since you only have 8 CPU phases, each phase features a therm-padded layer to prevent overheating. There are quad channels of RAM on the board. Up to 128GB of DDR4 RAM can be supported at 3,600 MHz.
As far as storage is concerned, the board provides 3x M.2 SSD connectors with direct access to the CPU, so there is no need for a boot stick. 4x SATA ports and 32Gbps individual speeds are boasted by the connectors. For conventional storage solutions, you can use your regular SATA 3.0 ports. They each offer a 6Gbps transfer speed.
Key Features:
- Support for Threadripper 1st and 2nd generation
- There is support for both ECCs and non-ECCs
- USB 3.1 Type-C ports on the front and back
- Support for four-way graphics
- Three ultra-fast M.2 connectors
- Performance that is extremely stable
- RAM with and without ECC support
- The M.2 connector is known for its speed
- It is very efficient to circulate the air
- Construction that is extremely durable
- Budget-friendly but not the best option
- The BIOS isn’t the best
You may also love to read: Best Motherboards for RTX 3080
5. ASRock X570M Pro4 – Best Mid-Range Server Motherboard
You might want to consider the ASRock X570M Pro4 if you want to build a DIY NAS server and don’t want to spend much money on Gigabyte’s C245-WU4. With a 9.6 x 9.6-inch form factor, this board fits into the micro ATX category. The C245-WU4 is fairly large, but it isn’t as large as this one. To house this motherboard, you’ll need a large chassis.
With its AM4-based design, the X570M Pro4 can work with virtually any AMD Athlon or Ryzen processor. Most AMD processors aren’t all that expensive, so they’re perfect for building a budget-friendly DIY NAS server.
Up to 8 hard drives can be connected to the board’s 8 SATA ports for reliable NAS backup. A total of 128GB DDR4 RAM can be installed in 4 RAM slots on the board, including both ECC and non-ECC RAM. A second PCIe X16 slot runs at X4 bandwidth, while the first works at full bandwidth.
NAS performance is guaranteed 24/7 with this best server motherboard because its 10 Power Phase design enables all the VRM to pass through it without causing any damage or malfunction. If you don’t mind a large form factor, this is a great alternative to the C246-WU4.
Key Features:
- Contains an AM4 socket
- Design of the 10 Power Phases
- Ports for 8 SATA III drives
- USB 3.2, first and second generations
- Crossfire AMD Quad
- It supports AMD Athlon and AMD Ryzen CPUs
- Supports up to eight different hard drives
- RAM with and without ECC support
- Design of phase power that is remarkable
- Suitable for NAS servers on a budget
- The chassis must be quite large
- There is a need to update the BIOS
You may also love to read: Best Motherboards for Ryzen 9 5950
6. ASRock H370M-ITX/AC – Best Mini ITX Server Motherboard
A highly affordable mini ITX motherboard from ASRock, the H370M-ITX sports 6 SATA ports, so you can attach up to 6 hard drives simultaneously. NAS servers are ideally suited for the H370M-ITX motherboard. It doesn’t require a very large chassis since it has a mini ITX form factor.
A LGA 1151 socket on the board enables you to use common Intel 8th- and 9th-generation processors. Choosing either a Pentium or an Intel Core i9 chipset is totally up to you. NAS servers needn’t be powerful machines to work; a Pentium or Core i3 will do.
As the only motherboard on our list without ECC RAM support, the ASRock H370M-ITX might worry you if you’re building a server. However, you can live with non-ECC RAM if you plan on building a low to medium-duty server.
This is one of the best server motherboards that has Wi-Fi connectivity as one of its strongest selling points. Wi-Fi is a great option for connecting to NAS devices. The H370M-ITX motherboard has a lot to offer for a unit that costs around $100.
Key Features:
- Socket LGA 1151
- Six SATA ports
- Support for Intel’s 8th and 9th generation CPUs
- Wireless connectivity
- RAM with non-ECC support
- Various processors are compatible
- NAS servers benefit from ideal connectivity
- Six hard drives can be accommodated
- Form factor is not affected by space
- The price is extremely affordable
- ECC RAM is not supported
- Heavy-duty servers are not recommended
You may also love to read: Best Motherboards for Ryzen 9 5900X
7. GIGABYTE TRX40 Designare – Best Server Motherboard For Ryzen Cpu
The last product on our list is the TRX40 Designare from Gigabyte, which is the most expensive. This best server motherboard is a great choice for anyone building a heavy-duty DIY server for their home or for gaming purposes. Intended for content creators and workstation users.
From an Intel Gigabit Ethernet controller to the Realtek ALC4050H onboard audio, this motherboard has everything you should look for in a motherboard. Our favorite thing about this motherboard is its elegant and futuristic black and silver theme, which makes it look like it came from an alien spaceship. The design is stunning.
With its quad channels, the TRX40 Designare is capable of supporting up to 256GB of ECC memory. Additionally, it comes with 8 SATA ports for easy integration of up to 8 drives for storage. Does that not suffice? You can achieve endless expansion possibilities with 4x M.2, 2x PCIe X16, 1x PCIe X1, and 2x PCIe X8 slots.
The back of the motherboard contains a lot of connectors for integrating as many peripherals as possible, as well as the dual Gigabyte LAN. It features a GC-Titan Ridge Thunderbolt 3 AIC, making it the ideal server choice for VMs and workstations.
Key Features:
- There is support for both ECCs and non-ECCs
- Features four M.2 slots
- There are 8 SATA ports
- Lightning 3 AIC
- Wireless connectivity
- Supports ECC RAM up to 256GB
- There are a lot of expansion slots available
- Heavy-duty workstations are suitable for this product
- Aesthetic excellence
- Connectors for peripherals in abundance
- Among the most expensive boards
You may also love to read: Best Motherboards For i9 10900K
Best Server Motherboards FAQ
Do Server Motherboards Support Gaming?
There are ATX and E-ATX server motherboards available. Those who have used the former can use it for gaming, while those who have used the latter are too deep and too wide.
Intel Xeon vs. Core i9: Which Is Better?
The two are completely different. CPUs like the Xeon are designed for servers, whereas chipsets like the i9 are meant for resource-intensive tasks like video editing and gaming. Server motherboards with multiple chipsets are ideal for Xeon CPUs.
Is the Xeon processor suitable for gaming?
However, you shouldn’t overclock these processors since they can’t be overclocked. Resource-intensive games often require overclocking to run smoothly at high frame rates.
Conclusion
Check out this guide for the best server motherboards if you intend to build one. In this article, you will find 7 motherboards that are perfect for any home server. It doesn’t matter what kind of server you need, whether it’s a dedicated gaming server, a high-end VM machine, a powerful media streaming solution for your home, or a powerful gaming server replacing multiple computers.