AMD’s Ryzen 5 7600X may be the most affordable processor at launch for the company’s latest range of chips, but one shouldn’t write this off completely. It has six cores and 12 threads, making it incredibly potent for gaming and other intensive tasks. Running a NAS with this processor would also be an incredible experience. Here are the motherboards you should consider using.
ASUS ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming
With an 18+2 power stage design for stable electricity delivery, DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0 support, and Wi-Fi 6E, there’s plenty to love with the ASUS ROG Strix X670-E Gaming. The 2.5Gb networking, multiple PCI slots, and SATA ports make it excellent for a DIY NAS.
GIGABYTE X670 AORUS Elite AX
The GIGABYTE X670 AORUS Elite AX is a little more affordable, allowing you to spend more on the processor and/or other PC components. It also supports DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0, has more M.2 slots than you’ll likely require, and 16+2+2 power phase design.
ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme
Okay, now it’s time for serious business. The ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E Extreme costs more than most home-grade NAS enclosures, but it’s well worth it if you plan on using all the features on offer. We’re talking about a 20+2 power stage design, PCIe 5.0 support, beefy VRM cooling, and 10Gb networking.
ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I GAMING WIFI
If you’re wanting to build a more compact PC, there’s always the ASUS ROG Strix X670E-I Gaming. This motherboard is small and mighty, supports DDR5 and PCIe 5.0, has a 10+2 power phase design, and has two M.2 slots.
When looking to build your own NAS, it’s important to consider what you plan to do with the server. Smaller motherboards like the ASUS ROG Strix X670E-I Gaming WiFi are perfect for more compact PC cases. It may be a little limited with just four SATA ports but it’s more than capable of handling even the most powerful AMD Ryzen 7000 series processor.
Want to go all out? Go for the ASUS ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming. It has plenty of SATA ports, multiple PCIe slots for adding additional expansion cards, and excellent power delivery for some juicy overclocking. Then you’ve got the M.2 SSD slots, Wi-Fi 6E, and 2.5Gb networking.