At a Glance
- If you’re looking for a mid-range motherboard that offers great performance and features, the Gigabyte B550M DS3H and the Aorus Elite are two excellent options.
- The Gigabyte B550M DS3H has a 4+2 phase VRM, while the Aorus Elite has a 12+2 phase VRM.
- The Aorus Elite is more expensive, but it offers a number of advantages over the Gigabyte B550M DS3H, including a better VRM, higher memory speeds, and more rear panel I/O ports.
When it comes to building a gaming PC, the motherboard is one of the most important components. It serves as the backbone of your system, connecting all the other components together. If you’re looking for a mid-range motherboard that offers great performance and features, the Gigabyte B550M DS3H and the Aorus Elite are two excellent options. In this blog post, we’ll compare these two motherboards in detail to help you decide which one is right for you.
Features
Form Factor
The Gigabyte B550M DS3H is a micro-ATX motherboard, while the Aorus Elite is an ATX motherboard. Micro-ATX motherboards are smaller than ATX motherboards, which makes them a good choice for smaller cases. However, ATX motherboards offer more expansion slots and PCIe lanes, which can be beneficial if you plan on adding multiple graphics cards or other expansion cards.
Chipset
Both the Gigabyte B550M DS3H and the Aorus Elite use the AMD B550 chipset. This chipset supports AMD’s Ryzen 5000 series processors, as well as older Ryzen 3000 series processors. The B550 chipset offers a number of features, including support for PCIe 4.0, USB 3.2 Gen 2, and dual M.2 slots.
VRM
The VRM (voltage regulator module) is responsible for supplying power to the CPU. A good VRM is essential for ensuring that your CPU gets the power it needs to perform at its best. The Gigabyte B550M DS3H has a 4+2 phase VRM, while the Aorus Elite has a 12+2 phase VRM. A higher phase count generally indicates a better VRM, so the Aorus Elite has an advantage in this area.
Memory
Both the Gigabyte B550M DS3H and the Aorus Elite support up to 128GB of DDR4 memory. The Gigabyte B550M DS3H supports memory speeds up to 4400MHz, while the Aorus Elite supports memory speeds up to 5333MHz. Faster memory speeds can improve performance in some applications, but the difference is usually not noticeable in real-world usage.
Storage
The Gigabyte B550M DS3H has four SATA III ports and two M.2 slots. The Aorus Elite has six SATA III ports and two M.2 slots. Both motherboards support NVMe SSDs, which offer much faster speeds than traditional SATA SSDs.
Expansion Slots
The Gigabyte B550M DS3H has one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, one PCIe 3.0 x16 slot, and two PCIe 3.0 x1 slots. The Aorus Elite has two PCIe 4.0 x16 slots, one PCIe 3.0 x16 slot, and three PCIe 3.0 x1 slots. The additional PCIe 4.0 x16 slot on the Aorus Elite can be useful if you plan on using multiple graphics cards or other PCIe 4.0 devices.
Rear Panel I/O
The Gigabyte B550M DS3H has a good selection of rear panel I/O ports, including:
- 1x PS/2 port
- 1x HDMI port
- 1x DisplayPort
- 4x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
- 2x USB 2.0 ports
- 1x RJ-45 port
- 3x audio jacks
The Aorus Elite has a more extensive selection of rear panel I/O ports, including:
- 1x PS/2 port
- 1x HDMI port
- 1x DisplayPort
- 6x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports
- 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports
- 1x RJ-45 port
- 5x audio jacks
The Aorus Elite has a clear advantage in terms of rear panel I/O ports, offering more USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports and audio jacks.
Performance
In terms of performance, the Gigabyte B550M DS3H and the Aorus Elite are very similar. Both motherboards offer excellent support for AMD’s Ryzen 5000 series processors, and they both provide stable and reliable performance. However, the Aorus Elite has a slight edge in performance due to its better VRM and higher memory speeds.
Price
The Gigabyte B550M DS3H is priced at around $120, while the Aorus Elite is priced at around $160. The Aorus Elite is more expensive, but it offers a number of advantages over the Gigabyte B550M DS3H, including a better VRM, higher memory speeds, and more rear panel I/O ports.
Which Motherboard Should You Choose?
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly motherboard that offers good performance and features, the Gigabyte B550M DS3H is a great option. However, if you’re looking for a motherboard with the best possible performance and features, the Aorus Elite is the better choice.
The Verdict
Both the Gigabyte B550M DS3H and the Aorus Elite are excellent motherboards. The Gigabyte B550M DS3H is a great choice for budget-minded builders, while the Aorus Elite is the better choice for those who want the best possible performance and features.
Questions We Hear a Lot
Which motherboard is better for gaming?
The Aorus Elite is better for gaming due to its better VRM and higher memory speeds.
Which motherboard has more expansion slots?
The Aorus Elite has more expansion slots, including an additional PCIe 4.0 x16 slot.
Which motherboard has more rear panel I/O ports?
The Aorus Elite has more rear panel I/O ports, including more USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports and audio jacks.