What you need to know
- NZXT launches its first AMD motherboard with the N7 B550.
- This is a premium motherboard with a 12+2 power phase design, Wi-Fi 6, and support for up to 4733MHz RAM.
- The new N7 B550 is available now for $229.99.
Today marks the day NZXT launched its first AMD motherboard. Like other PC hardware vendors, the company has been slowly growing its catalog of products, as well as the categories it covers. Motherboards are still a relatively new category for NZXT, but AMD fans have continued to be on the sideline while NZXT Intel motherboards kept rolling out.
| Category | NZXT N7 B550 |
|---|---|
| CPU Phases | 12+2 |
| PCB Layers | 6 |
| Fan headers | 1x CPU (2A)1x AIO (2A)5x Case (2A) |
| M.2 | 1x PCIe 4.01x PCIe/SATA |
| RGB headers | 2x NZXT RGB1x 5V 3-pin ARGB1x 12V 4-pin RGB |
| Internal ports | 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 22x USB-A 3.2 Gen 16x USB-A 2.0 |
| Rear I/O | 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 21x USB-C 3.2 Gen 24x USB-A 3.2 Gen 12x USB-A 2.0 |
| Connectivity | Intel Wi-Fi 6EBluetooth V5.2 |
NZXT is bringing its sleek design to the B550 chipset and AMD platform. I noted in our NZXT N7 Z490 review that the design of NZXT's N7 motherboards is among the best I've seen, especially for PC case modders. It's priced high, but NZXT promises optimally placed ports, PCIe 4.0, Wi-Fi 6, and plenty of power for more powerful enthusiast builds.
Compatible with Ryzen 3000, Ryzen 4000, and Ryzen 5000 processors, the N7 B550 is a versatile motherboard. To power everything is a 12+2 DrMOS power phase design atop a 6-layer PCB. There are two M.2 slots for expansive NMVe storage, and support for overclocked RAM at speeds of up to 4733MHz with XMP.
Finally, the best part for personalized builds is the metal shroud that covers most of the motherboard. This not only covers all the electronics on the PCB, but can also be customized to match the rest of your PC build. Once everything is built, NZXT's CAM software will allow you to manage RGB lighting, fan controls, and other connected components.
The new NZXT N7 B550 motherboard is available now for $229.99. We'll be sure to review the N7 B550 shortly to see if it warrants a spot on our best motherboards list.
B550 is a great chipset from AMD that brings with it PCIe 4.0 support. NZXT took this chipset and fused it with its excellent motherboard design and experience from making Intel motherboards with ASRock.
