MSI B550-A PRO ProSeries
MSI B550-A PRO ProSeries Specifications Review
MSI B550-A PRO ProSeries by MSI is a Standard-ATX form factor motherboard based on the mid-range B550-A chipset and AM4 socket, providing a balanced set of features and connectivity. It is designed to support DDR4 memory, with 4 slots, a maximum capacity of 128 GB, and an overclocking speed of up to 4800 MHz.
VRM Quality
The MSI B550-A PRO ProSeries comes with an entry-level VRM setup, delivering 60 A across 10 phases. Works best with CPUs in the ~65–105 W TDP range. Can technically run higher-TDP processors at stock, but will likely experience thermal throttling under sustained heavy loads. Suited for budget gaming, office PCs, and home builds without heavy CPU demands.
See the VRM Appropriate CPU Specification Table at the bottom of this page for recommended CPU options.
Expansion and Storage Overview
The MSI B550-A PRO ProSeries offers a balanced expansion and storage configuration with PCIe 4.0 support, meaning it uses PCI Express 4.0, fast enough for modern GPUs and high-speed NVMe SSDs. It also includes 2 x16 slots , and 2 x1 slots. These PCIe slots are used to connect expansion cards — with the x16 slots typically reserved for graphics cards, while x8, x4, and x1 slots are used for devices like capture cards, sound cards, or network adapters.
For storage, this motherboard provides 2 M.2 slots (PCIe 4.0 x4, PCIe 3.0 x4) and 6 SATA ports. M.2 slots are high-speed connectors for modern NVMe SSDs, which are much faster than older storage, while SATA ports are used for traditional hard drives and 2.5-inch SSDs. Together, they allow you to mix fast primary storage with larger, more affordable drives for bulk data.
Connectivity Overview
This motherboard has essential connectivity features with wired 1x Realtek® 8111H Gigabit LAN controller Ethernet . USB connectivity covers basic needs. Please refer to the specification table for details.
For video output, this motherboard includes HDMI version 2.1 , DisplayPort . These video outputs are intended for integrated graphics and will only function if your CPU includes integrated GPU capabilities.
Audio Quality
The motherboard includes a standard audio chipset (Realtek® ALC892/ALC897 Codec) that covers basic needs for casual listening. While adequate for everyday use with mainstream headphones or desktop speakers, discerning users may want to add a USB DAC or sound card for improved fidelity, especially for music production or high-end headphones.
Overall Quality and Value
MSI B550-A PRO ProSeries is basic and functional, carrying an overall quality score of 49.40. It is designed for budget-conscious builds or office setups where advanced features are not required, handling standard tasks effectively but lacking the polish or expandability of higher-tier models.
This motherboard offers an impressive 74.0% performance-to-price ratio, delivering excellent value by combining strong performance with reasonable cost, making it a smart choice for budget-conscious buyers who don’t want to sacrifice quality.
General Information
| Manufacturer | MSI |
|---|---|
| Motherboard Name | MSI B550-A PRO ProSeries |
| Current Price Amazon | $127 |
| Amazon Price Updated | 11 hours, 23 minutes ago. |
| Motherboard Available | True |
| Chipset / Socket | B550-A / AM4 |
| Form Factor | Standard-ATX |
VRM Configuration
| CPU Power Phases (Amps) | 10 (60 A) |
|---|---|
| Power Design | 10+2+1 |
Memory Information
| Type / Slots | DDR4 / 4 slots |
|---|---|
| Max Capacity / Max OC | 128 GB / 4800 MHz |
PCIe Slot Configuration
| Supported Version | PCIe 4.0 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slot Size | Physical Slots | Gen4 | Gen3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| x16 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| x1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Storage Configuration
| M.2 Slot Count | 2 slots |
|---|---|
| M.2 Supported Lengths | 22110, 2280, 2260, 2242 |
| M.2 PCIe Modes | PCIe 4.0 x4, PCIe 3.0 x4 |
| SATA Ports | 6 |
Onboard Audio Features
| Audio Chipset | Realtek® ALC892/ALC897 Codec |
|---|
Motherboard Display Outputs
| HDMI Output | HDMI - Version 2.1 (Max: 4096x2160 @60Hz) |
|---|---|
| DisplayPort Output | DisplayPort (Max: 4096x2160 @60Hz) |
USB and Thunderbolt Connectivity
Rear USB Ports
| USB 2.0 Type-A (480 Mbps) | 4 |
|---|---|
| USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5 Gbps) | 2 |
| USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (10 Gbps) | 1 |
| USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (10 Gbps) | 1 |
Front USB Ports
| USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C (5 Gbps) | 1 |
|---|
Internal USB Headers
| USB 2.0 Header (480 Mbps) | 4 |
|---|---|
| USB 3.2 Gen 1 Header (5 Gbps) | 2 |
Networking Information
| Ethernet | Chipset: 1x Realtek® 8111H Gigabit LAN controller LAN Ports: 1 |
|---|---|
| Wi-Fi |
Module: Not Included |
| Bluetooth | Supported: No |
Button Features
| Buttons |
BIOS Flashback |
|---|
Quality & Features
Additional Information
| RAM | Supports DDR4. JEDEC speeds: 1866/ 2133/ 2400/ 2667/ 2800/ 2933/ 3000/ 3066/ 3200 MHz. A-XMP OC MODE speeds: 2667/ 2800 /2933 /3000 /3066 /3200 /3466 /3600/ 3733 /3866 /4000 /4133 /4266 /4400+ MHz. Max speed varies by configuration: 1DPC 1R up to 4800 MHz, 1DPC 2R up to 3866 MHz, 2DPC 1R up to 4000 MHz, 2DPC 2R up to 3600 MHz. Supports un-buffered UDIMM memory. ECC UDIMM memory is supported but operates in non-ECC mode. |
|---|---|
| Display | Supports HDCP 1.4 & 2.3. Maximum shared memory of 16 GB. |
| Expansion | PCI_E3 slot supports x4 speed. The supported specification depends on installed processor. When installing PCIe SSD in M.2_2, PCI_E3 slot will be unavailable. |
| Storage |
M.2 Slot Details:
|
| Audio | 7.1-Channel High Definition Audio |
| Buttons | The text lists a 'Flash BIOS Button'. It also mentions a 'Clear CMOS jumper', which is not a button. |
| Dimensions | 30.5 cm x 24.4 cm |
Note: The specifications and descriptions above are extracted by AI to present the official manufacturer data in a clearer and more natural way for easier understanding. However, this AI-processed information may contain inaccuracies. Please verify all details by consulting the official manufacturer's information provided below.
MSI B550-A PRO ProSeries Compared to Motherboards with Similar Performance and Features
Motherboard Quality & Features per Price Table
| Motherboard (Desc) | Price (Desc) | Overall_Q (Desc) | VRM_Q (Desc) | Chipset (Desc) | Exp_Str (Desc) | Connect (Desc) | Audio (Desc) | Q&F/Price (Desc) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$189
|
↓
-0.5%
|
57.2%
|
34.0%
|
80.0%
|
45.0%
|
49.0%
|
78.0%
|
57.5%
|
|
|
$169❗
|
0.0%
|
53.4%
|
25.0%
|
84.0%
|
60.0%
|
52.0%
|
46.0%
|
60.0%
|
|
|
$170
|
0.0%
|
53.4%
|
31.0%
|
80.0%
|
60.0%
|
50.0%
|
46.0%
|
59.7%
|
|
|
$120
|
0.0%
|
51.8%
|
39.0%
|
81.0%
|
58.0%
|
33.0%
|
48.0%
|
82.0%
|
|
|
$95
|
0.0%
|
50.8%
|
13.0%
|
81.0%
|
70.0%
|
45.0%
|
45.0%
|
101.6%
|
|
|
$127
|
↓
-2.4%
|
49.4%
|
30.0%
|
81.0%
|
58.0%
|
33.0%
|
45.0%
|
74.0%
|
|
|
$90
|
0.0%
|
48.0%
|
30.0%
|
75.0%
|
60.0%
|
30.0%
|
45.0%
|
101.3%
|
|
|
$80
|
0.0%
|
42.4%
|
13.0%
|
81.0%
|
46.0%
|
27.0%
|
45.0%
|
100.7%
|
|
|
$70
|
0.0%
|
42.2%
|
12.0%
|
75.0%
|
48.0%
|
31.0%
|
45.0%
|
114.6%
|
Motherboard Comparison and Detail Specifications Table
| Specification | Perf Chart | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price |
$189
|
↓
-0.5%
|
$169❗
|
0.0%
|
$170
|
0.0%
|
$120
|
0.0%
|
$95
|
0.0%
|
$127
|
↓
-2.4%
|
$90
|
0.0%
|
$80
|
0.0%
|
$70
|
0.0%
|
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| Manufacturer | GIGABYTE | ASUS | GIGABYTE | MSI | MSI | MSI | GIGABYTE | MSI | GIGABYTE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chip/Socket | B550I / AM4 | B550M / AM4 | B550 / AM4 | B550 / AM4 | B550M / AM4 | B550-A / AM4 | B550 / AM4 | B550M / AM4 | B550M / AM4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Form | Mini-ITX | Micro-ATX | Standard-ATX | Standard-ATX | Micro-ATX | Standard-ATX | Standard-ATX | Micro-ATX | Micro-ATX | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CPU Phases | 8 (90 A) | 8 (60 A) | 12 (50 A) | 10 (80 A) | 5 (50 A) | 10 (60 A) | 10 (60 A) | 5 (50 A) | 5 (50 A) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PWR Design | 8+1 | 8+2 | 12+2 | 10+2+1 | 5+1 | 10+2+1 | 10+3 | 5+1 | 5+1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mem Slots | 2 / DDR4 | 4 / DDR4 | 4 / DDR4 | 4 / DDR4 | 4 / DDR4 | 4 / DDR4 | 4 / DDR4 | 4 / DDR4 | 4 / DDR4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Max Mem | 64 GB / 5300 MHz | 128 GB / 4866 MHz | 128 GB / 4733 MHz | 128 GB / 4400 MHz | 128 GB / 4400 MHz | 128 GB / 4800 MHz | 128 GB / 4733 MHz | 128 GB / 4400 MHz | 128 GB / 4733 MHz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PCIe | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 4.0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PCIe Slots | 1x16 Gen4 | 1x16 Gen4 | 2x16 Gen3 | 1x1 Gen3 | 1x16 Gen4 | 2x16 Gen3 | 1x1 Gen3 | 1x16 Gen4 | 1x16 Gen3 | 2x1 Gen3 | 1x16 Gen4 | 3x16 Gen3 | 1x16 Gen4 | 1x16 Gen3 | 2x1 Gen3 | 1x16 Gen4 | 1x16 Gen3 | 3x1 Gen3 | 1x16 Gen4 | 2x1 Gen3 | 1x16 Gen4 | 1x1 Gen3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| M.2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATA | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Audio | Realtek® ALC1220-VB codec | Realtek ALC S1200A | Realtek® Audio CODEC | Realtek® ALC892/ALC897 Codec | Realtek® ALC892/ALC897 Codec | Realtek® ALC892/ALC897 Codec | Realtek® ALC892/ALC897 | Realtek® ALC892/ALC897 Codec | Realtek® ALC892/ALC897 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S/PDIF | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HDMI | ✔️ (2.1) | ✔️ (2.1) | ✔️ (2.1) | ✔️ (2.1) | ✔️ (2.1) | ✔️ (2.1) | ✔️ (2.1) | ✔️ (2.1) | ✔️ (2.1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DP | ✔️ (1.4) | ✔️ (1.2) | ✔️ (1.4) | ✔️ (None) | ✔️ (None) | ✔️ (None) | ❌ | ✔️ (None) | ✔️ (1.4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LAN | Realtek® 2.5GbE LAN chip… (1 ports) | 1 x Realtek 1Gb Ethernet… (2 ports) | Realtek® 2.5GbE LAN chip… (1 ports) | 1x Realtek® 8111H Gigabi… (1 ports) | 1x Realtek® 8RTL8111GN /… (1 ports) | 1x Realtek® 8111H Gigabi… (1 ports) | Realtek® GbE LAN chip (1… (1 ports) | Realtek® 8111HN Gigabit (1 ports) | Realtek® GbE LAN chip (1… (1 ports) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 | ❌ | Wi-Fi 6 | ❌ | Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6E | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BT | v5 | ❌ | v5.3 | ❌ | v5.2 | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | Rear USB |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| USB Headers |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Front USB |
❌ |
❌ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
❌ |
VRM Appropriate CPU Specification Table
| CPU | Price | App_Performance | Game_Performance | TDP/Max | C/SC/T | L2/L3 Cache | Base/Boost | Code Name | GPU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$215
|
↓
-4.0%
|
36.6%
|
61.4%
|
65 W / 88 W | 8 / 0 / 16 | 512.0 kB / 32.0 MB | 3.40 GHz / 4.60 GHz | Vermeer | None | |
|
$205
|
0.0%
|
35.8%
|
52.8%
|
65 W / 61 W | 8 / 0 / 16 | 512.0 kB / 16.0 MB | 3.80 GHz / 4.60 GHz | Cezanne | Radeon Vega 8 | |
|
$205
|
0.0%
|
34.0%
|
52.0%
|
65 W / 61 W | 8 / 0 / 16 | 512.0 kB / 16.0 MB | 3.70 GHz / 4.60 GHz | Cezanne | None | |
|
$194
|
↓
-3.0%
|
31.1%
|
61.4%
|
65 W / 88 W | 6 / 0 / 12 | 512.0 kB / 32.0 MB | 3.70 GHz / 4.60 GHz | Vermeer | None | |
|
$185
|
0.0%
|
29.8%
|
50.9%
|
65 W / 61 W | 6 / 0 / 12 | 512.0 kB / 16.0 MB | 3.90 GHz / 4.40 GHz | Cezanne | Radeon Vega 7 | |
|
$166
|
↓
-0.6%
|
29.3%
|
59.0%
|
65 W / 88 W | 6 / 0 / 12 | 512.0 kB / 32.0 MB | 3.50 GHz / 4.40 GHz | Vermeer | None | |
|
$82
|
0.0%
|
27.8%
|
48.5%
|
65 W / 65 W | 6 / 0 / 12 | 512.0 kB / 16.0 MB | 3.60 GHz / 4.20 GHz | Cezanne | None |
Official Manufacturer Data
Memory:
Supports DDR4 1866/ 2133/ 2400/ 2667/ 2800/ 2933/ 3000/ 3066/ 3200 MHz by JEDEC
Supports DDR4 2667/ 2800 /2933 /3000 /3066 /3200 /3466 /3600/ 3733 /3866 /4000 /4133 /4266 /4400+ MHz by A-XMP OC MODE
1DPC 1R Max speed 4800 MHz
1DPC 2R max speed 3866 MHZ
2DPC 1R max speed 4000 MHZ
2DPC 2R max speed 3600 MHZ
Dual channel memory architecture
Supports non-ECC UDIMM memory
Supports ECC UDIMM memory (non-ECC mode)
Supports un-buffered memory
Graphics:
Support HDCP 1.4 & 2.3
1x DisplayPort, supports a maximum resolution of 4096x2160 @60Hz 1
Maximum shared memory of 16 GB
Storage:
6x SATA 6Gb/s ports
2x M.2 slots (Key M)
M2_1 slot (from AMD Processor)
Supports PCIe 4.0/ 3.0 x4 1
Supports SATA 6Gb/s
Supports 2242/ 2260/ 2280/ 22110 storage devices
M2_2 slot (from AMD B550 chipset)
Supports PCIe 3.0x4
Supports 2242/ 2260/ 2280 storage devices
Expansion Slots:
1x PCIe 3.0 x16 slot (PCI_E3), supports x4 speed 2
2x PCIe 3.0 x1 slots
The supported specification depends on installed processor.
When installing PCIe SSD in M.2_2, PCI_E3 slot will be unavailable.
USB:
3x USB 3.2 Gen 1 5Gbps ports (1 Type-C internal connector, and 2 ports are available through the internal USB 3.2 Gen 1 5Gbps connector)
8x USB 2.0 ports (4 Type-A ports on the back panel, 4 ports through the internal USB 2.0 connectors)
AMD Processor
2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps ports (1 Type-C port and 1 Type-A port on the back panel)
2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 5Gbps Type-A ports on the back panel
Internal I/O:
1x 8-pin ATX 12V power connector
6x SATA 6Gb/s connectors
2x M.2 slots (M-Key)
1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 5Gbps Type-C port
1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 5Gbps connector (supports additional 2 USB 3.2 Gen 1 5Gbps ports)
2x USB 2.0 connectors (supports additional 4 USB 2.0 ports)
1x 4-pin CPU fan connector
1x 4-pin water-pump fan connector
6x 4-pin system fan connectors
1x Front panel audio connector
2x System panel connectors
1x Chassis Intrusion connector
1x 4-pin RGB LED connector
2x 3-pin RAINBOW LED connectors
1xTPM module connector
1x Clear CMOS jumper
Back Panel I/O:
DisplayPort
LAN
HD Audio Connectors
Flash BIOS Button
USB 2.0
HDMI™
USB 2.0
USB 3.2 Gen 1 5Gbps Type-A
USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps Type-A+C
Audio:
7.1-Channel High Definition Audio
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