The chipset is the controller on the motherboard that handles most of the ports and slots the processor does not run itself. Its name tells you the tier of the board: on AMD, X is the top, B the mainstream and A the entry level; on Intel, Z is the top and the only tier that overclocks the CPU, B is the mainstream and H is mostly entry level. For most builds, a B-series board is the right answer on either side.
What a chipset actually does
A modern processor does a lot of the work that used to belong to the motherboard. It contains the memory controller, and it supplies the PCIe lanes for the graphics slot and for at least one M.2 SSD slot directly. Those connections are the fastest on the board, and they depend on the CPU and the socket more than on the chipset.
The chipset hangs off the processor by a dedicated link and fans that link out into everything else: additional M.2 slots, the smaller PCIe slots, SATA ports, most of the USB ports, and the connections for networking and audio chips. A higher-tier chipset provides more of these lanes and ports, and sometimes faster ones, so the board maker can fit more M.2 slots and more fast USB without sharing bandwidth between them.
The chipset also acts as a gatekeeper. AMD and Intel use it to decide which boards may overclock the CPU, and to set minimum standards such as PCIe 5.0 or USB4 that a board must meet to carry the name. That second role is why the letters matter when you are shopping.
What the chipset does not do is make the PC faster. With the same processor, memory and graphics card, a basic chipset and a flagship one perform almost identically in games and everyday work.
How to read the name
A chipset name is a letter followed by three digits, sometimes with a suffix. The letter is the tier. The first digit is the generation, so B850 is newer than B650, and Z890 is newer than Z790. The remaining digits place the chipset within its generation and carry no meaning you need to decode.
The generation tells you the socket. AMD's 600- and 800-series are AM5; its 400- and 500-series are AM4. Intel's 800-series is LGA1851, the 600- and 700-series are LGA1700, and the 400- and 500-series are LGA1200.
One trap: AMD and Intel use the same letters and similar numbers. B650 is AMD and B660 is Intel; B550 is AMD and B560 is Intel; X670 is AMD and Z690 is Intel. They are unrelated and take different processors. If a listing does not make the socket obvious, check it before buying.
AMD chipsets: X, B and A
| Tier | AM5 chipsets | AM4 chipsets | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| X | X870E, X870, X670E, X670 | X570 | Top tier: the most lanes and ports, CPU overclocking |
| B | B850, B840, B650E, B650 | B550, B450 | Mainstream: CPU overclocking (not B840), fewer lanes than X |
| A | A620 | A520 | Entry level: no CPU overclocking, fewest ports |
The E suffix stands for Extreme and is about PCIe 5.0. X670E and B650E guarantee PCIe 5.0 for both the graphics slot and an M.2 slot. Plain X670 and B650 guarantee it at most for an M.2 slot, and on B650 even that depends on the board. In the 800-series, X870E and X870 both guarantee PCIe 5.0 for graphics and M.2 and both require USB4; X870E adds more chipset connectivity. B850 guarantees PCIe 5.0 for M.2 but leaves PCIe 5.0 graphics and USB4 to the board maker.
B840 is the odd one out. Despite the B, it does not allow CPU overclocking and its chipset lanes run at PCIe 3.0. Treat it as an entry-level chipset closer to A620 than to B850. The comparisons that matter most are in B850 vs B650 and X870E vs X870 vs B850.
Intel chipsets: Z, B and H
| Tier | LGA1851 | LGA1700 | LGA1200 (500-series) | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Z | Z890 | Z790, Z690 | Z590 | The only tier that overclocks the CPU; the most lanes and ports |
| H (70-class) | H770 | Between Z and B: no CPU overclocking, more connectivity than B. Few boards are made | ||
| B | B860 | B760, B660 | B560 | Mainstream: no CPU overclocking; memory overclocking and XMP allowed from B560 onwards |
| H (10-class) | H810 | H610 | H510 | Entry level: fewest lanes and ports, usually two memory slots |
Intel's rule is simple: to overclock the processor you need a Z-series board and an unlocked K-series chip. Everything else runs the CPU at stock. From B560 onwards, Intel has allowed memory overclocking below the Z-series, so XMP memory profiles work on a B760 or B860 board. The entry-level H boards are the most restricted in every respect, so check the supported memory speeds on the board's specification page and do not assume a fast kit will run at its rated speed. Z790 vs B760 covers the LGA1700 choice, including where H770 and H610 fit.
The letter H is confusing because Intel uses it at two levels. H770 and its predecessors sit above the B-series; H610, H810 and H510 sit below it. Go by the digits: a 70 is mid-range and a 10 is basic.
What the chipset does not tell you
The chipset sets the rules and the ceiling. The board maker decides what to build within them. The number of M.2 slots, the quality of the power delivery, WiFi, the number and speed of rear USB ports, audio and, where the chipset leaves it optional, PCIe 5.0 and USB4 all vary by board. Two B650 boards can differ more from each other than a good B650 does from a basic X670. Read the listing, and use our guides to VRMs, WiFi and PCIe 5.0 to judge what you need.
Which tier to buy
- Most gaming and general builds: B-series. B650 or B850 on AM5, B860 on LGA1851, B760 on LGA1700, B550 on AM4.
- Intel overclockers: Z-series, with a K-series processor.
- Several fast SSDs, lots of USB devices, USB4 or capture and network cards: X870E or X870 on AMD, Z-series on Intel.
- Basic office or family PC with a modest processor: A620, H610 or H810 will do, but check the memory slots and ports, and compare the price with the cheapest B-series board before deciding.
Browse every chipset we track on the chipsets page, or follow the whole decision from the start in how to choose a motherboard.
Questions people ask
Does the chipset affect performance?
Barely. With the same CPU, memory and graphics card, performance on an entry-level and a flagship chipset is close to identical. The chipset affects features: overclocking, the number of lanes and ports, and guaranteed standards such as PCIe 5.0 and USB4.
What does the E mean in X870E or B650E?
Extreme. On X670E and B650E it guarantees PCIe 5.0 for both the graphics slot and an M.2 slot. In the 800-series, X870 already guarantees both, and X870E adds more chipset connectivity on top.
Can I overclock on a B-series motherboard?
On AMD, yes: B-series chipsets allow CPU overclocking, with B840 the exception. On Intel, no: only Z-series chipsets overclock the CPU. Intel B-series boards from B560 onwards do allow memory overclocking and XMP.
Is B650 an AMD or Intel chipset?
AMD, for the AM5 socket. Intel’s similarly named chipsets are B660 and B760, for LGA1700. The two are unrelated and take different processors, so confirm the socket on the listing.
Is a newer chipset always better?
Not necessarily. A newer chipset raises the guaranteed minimums, but a well-equipped board on the older chipset can match or beat a basic board on the newer one. On the same socket both run the same processors, sometimes after a BIOS update.