Gigabyte resurrects 8-year-old B450 chipset with new motherboards — AM4 budget king returns as another DDR4 solution to exorbitant RAM prices

The ongoing memory crunch has turned the best RAM, specifically DDR5, into halo-tier hardware. In response to the crisis, chipmakers and motherboard vendors have restarted production of hardware compatible with more budget-friendly DDR4. Recently, as reported by VideoCardz, Gigabyte has quietly launched the B450M D3HP and B450M D3HP WIFI6E motherboards, built around AMD’s immortal B450 chipset, which launched eight years ago.

Revitalizing older platforms that support more affordable memory options is one way manufacturers are helping consumers cope with the memory shortage. Going as far back as the AMD 400-series chipset may come as a shock to some, but if you look at it, the B450 chipset has been the de facto budget king for the AM4 platform for as long as we can remember.

The B450M D3HP and B450M D3HP WIFI6E have a humble 4+2-phase power delivery subsystem. Although the design is limited compared to more premium offerings, these motherboards support multiple generations of AMD Ryzen processors (Ryzen 3000 to Ryzen 5000) and APUs (Ryzen 3000G to Ryzen 5000G). Similarly, these microATX motherboards accommodate SKUs ranging from energy-efficient 35W processors to the flagship 105W parts. The versatility means you can pair the B450M D3HP or B450M D3HP WIFI6E with anything from an entry-level Athlon 200GE to the premium Ryzen 9 5950X.

The B450M D3HP and B450M D3HP WIFI6E are cut from the same cloth. As its name suggests, the B450M D3HP WIFI6E stands out for including Wi-Fi 6E connectivity. The Realtek RTL8852CE controller provides wireless connectivity and supports the latest Bluetooth 5.4 standard.

Equipped with four DDR4 memory slots, these motherboards support up to 128GB of memory at DDR4-2667 data rates. Storage flexibility is another highlight of these Gigabyte motherboards, with two M.2 2280 slots. One slot operates at PCIe 3.0 x4 speeds, and the other at PCIe 2.0 x2 speeds. For users with legacy storage devices, the motherboards also feature four SATA III connectors.

Expansion options are somewhat limited, though. You receive only one PCIe 3.0 x16 expansion slot, ideal for installing a dedicated graphics card, and one PCIe 2.0 x1 expansion slot for other add-in cards. For those who prefer integrated graphics, the motherboards are equipped with a range of display outputs, including one DisplayPort 1.2 and two HDMI 2.0b ports.

When it comes to connectivity, the motherboards offer seven USB ports: four USB 3.2 Gen 1 and three USB 2.0. A single Gigabit Ethernet port is available and leverages an unspecified Realtek controller. The inclusion of a Q-Flash Plus button is a plus, as it enables seamless BIOS updates, even without a processor, memory, or graphics card installed.

At this stage, Gigabyte has yet to announce official pricing for the B450M D3HP and B450M D3HP WIFI6E. We have not seen either model at major U.S. retailers, either. Gigabyte’s B450 motherboards have disappeared from the market ages ago. When these motherboards were available, entry-level and mid-range models typically started at around $50 and $80, respectively. The high-end models, on the other hand, had a starting price of $100.

The B450M D3HP and B450M D3HP WIFI6E should fall under the entry-level category. However, given the current market conditions, it remains to be seen whether Gigabyte will stick to similar price points.