MSI B550-A PRO ProSeries Motherboard (AMD AM4, DDR4, PCIe 4.0, SATA 6Gb/s, M.2, USB 3.2 Gen 2, HDMI/DP, ATX)

I’ve been using the MSI B550‑A PRO ProSeries motherboard in my Ryzen AM4 build for the past month, and it’s proven itself as a solid, dependable choice for both productivity and casual gaming. This ATX board supports PCIe 4.0 for the graphics card and one M.2 SSD slot, giving you high-speed storage and expansion options for Ryzen 5000 and upcoming CPUs MSI’s Core Boost technology ensures stable power delivery to the CPU, while the extended heatsinks and 2‑oz thick copper PCB help maintain low temperatures under stress There’s also a handy Flash BIOS button, which made updating the BIOS super easy—even before installing my CPU and RAM Connectivity is generous: dual‑channel DDR4 RAM support (up to 128 GB @ 4400 MHz), multiple SATA 6 Gb/s ports, USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type‑C and Type‑A), HDMI, and DisplayPort outputs In daily use—gaming, video editing, browsing—it’s been rock solid. Temperatures stayed cool during sustained loads, fan noise remained low, and I didn’t run into any BIOS or stability issues. The only drawback is the lack of onboard Wi‑Fi or Bluetooth, which means you’ll need a separate adapter if you need wireless connectivity. But at around CA $180 (as of mid‑2025) with over 3,500 reviews averaging 4.4 stars, you’re getting excellent build quality and reliability for the price

The MSI B550-A PRO is an excellent motherboard for anyone building a Ryzen-based PC, especially if you want solid performance without breaking the bank. Here’s why I’m impressed:

Build Quality: The board feels sturdy with quality components and good cooling solutions, including extended heatsinks on the VRMs. This helps with stable overclocking and long-term reliability.

Performance: It supports Ryzen 3000 and 5000 series CPUs flawlessly, with PCIe 4.0 support for faster NVMe SSDs and next-gen GPUs. I noticed fast boot times and smooth system responsiveness.

Connectivity: Plenty of USB ports, including USB-C, multiple fan headers, and M.2 slots make this board very versatile. The Realtek LAN is reliable for stable wired connections.

BIOS & Software: MSI’s BIOS is user-friendly and offers plenty of tweaking options for beginners and enthusiasts alike. The software suite is helpful for monitoring and system tuning.

Value: Compared to other B550 boards, this one offers great features and solid performance at a competitive price. It’s perfect for midrange gaming rigs or workstations.

Overall, if you want a dependable motherboard that won’t hold back your Ryzen CPU and offers future-proof features like PCIe 4.0, the MSI B550-A PRO is a smart choice. Highly recommended!

Has all the features you might need for gaming without shelling out for a top-of-the-line motherboard. Quality and performance are stellar. Installing components was easy, all clips/headers are pretty firm too. No Wi-Fi unfortunately, but you can get a good PCIe Wi-Fi 6 adapter card for pretty cheap nowadays if you need it.

NOTE: The CMOS battery can be a pain to remove. For some reason, MSI decided to jam a small black rectangular piece of plastic into the metal clip that holds the battery in place, preventing you from compressing said clip to release the battery. You have to flip your motherboard over (CPU socket facing down) and poke at the piece of plastic to get it to fall out. No idea why MSI decided to do this.

I bought the MSI B550-A PRO in February 2024 as my first ever motherboard, since then I have used it nearly every day and it has not let me down. Initially bought it to start a build I could grow into as I learned what I was doing, and also would not have me forced to buy the latest and greatest, but had plenty of headroom to make a Beast of a PC eventually. I believe it has accomplished this goal. I started with a very budget original PC with the Ryzen 5 5500 and AMD RX580 2048s, so a pretty ergonomic build. Though it exceeded my expectations, I have Plenty of headroom and optimization Pathways without being forced to upgrade to AM5. I Especially Like that the MSI B550-A Pro supports PCIe 4.0 for graphics and NVMe. Overall, for a first Build, and being used nearly every day as my gaming system, stereo, and television, this board has exceeded my expectations and then some. I am incredibly happy with my choice to build my PC on this Board. My only annoyance has been with the AMD centre software, not very good if I am going to be honest. My rating is staying 5/5 because the software is not mandatory, and there is a setting to disable the auto install launcher in the bios (that is enabled to begin with. But the installer itself is the best part about it, as it gives a Chance to download and install the network and audio drivers you need, and nothing else from the list of not-so-necessary downloads, and never even need to go to the board’s support page unless you need a BIOS update. 5/5. I am certainly going to be biased in MSI’s favor when I do upgrade to a new socket, as I am very pleased with my experience. one this to keep in mind though but, has not been an issue for me as i keep it hardwired is this board does NOT come with Wi-Fi so if you deicide to go with this board but need that functionality, it will have to be purchased separately, and a few options to choose from PCIe Wi-Fi card, an M.2 Wi-Fi card, or a USB Wi-Fi adapter.

I bought this motherboard for the BIOS flashback alone. I am glad I did because while upgrading the BIOS, I accidentally turned off the powerbar. I was able to use the flashback to update the BIOS and save my setup. Great options and fan header placement.

Worked out of box with Ryzen 5 5600G, no BIOS update required, Processor OC working solid. Lots of options for RGB, Fans, ARGB. Can’t seem to get the board/BIOS to stick or take my Corsair 64Gb DDR4 at 3600MHz, always sits at default, tried all work around and manual clocking and just won’t boot stable if you force it, not sure if limitation of board or BIOS just needs work to handle four 16GB cards (updated to latest BIOS as well, even bricked the BIOS at one point testing clocks on Ram. The flash BIOS USB, while nice feature, did not work and went constant blink which is known issue with this board looking at forums. Luckily removale of BIOS battery on board reset everything and was good to go). Still sick and fast but wish I could get those extra MHz on the Ram.. you know..

Other then that no major issues. I downloaded the pdf manual from Msi website which is a must to learn all the ins and outs of this board. Manual included is minimal quickstart only for some reason.