Mainboard für i9 9900k: The 7 Best Motherboards for i9 9900K In 2022- Appuals.com

Best Motherboards for Intel Core i9-9900K in 2022

Intel’s Core i9-9900K is a serious processor for serious tasks like advanced gaming and editing. To get the most out of the CPU, you need one of the best motherboards capable of supporting the chip and packing many features you can rely on. Here are some options you should consider.

ASUS ROG Strix Z390-E Gaming

Top Pick

This isn’t an affordable motherboard, but does come with many features that work well with the Core i9-9900K processor. You’ve got high-quality components, support for advanced overclocking, and a rock-solid BIOS. There’s even built-in Wi-Fi, just in case you can’t wire up your PC.

Gigabyte B365M DS3H

Budget-friendly

When you’re on a tighter budget and simply cannot afford a motherboard with a Z390 chipset, you’ll want to choose something like this Gigabyte DS3H option. It’s not quite as advanced as our other picks and you won’t be able to push the system to as high limits, but this board is a stable foundation for a quality PC build.

ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero

Premium Board

You probably don’t need the ROG Maximus XI Hero from ASUS, but if your budget can stretch it, it’s a worthwhile upgrade for premium PC builds with the Core i9 processor. This board rocks amazing quality components, speedy dual M.2 slots, USB 3.1 Gen 2, and other high-end features.

ASUS ROG Strix Z390-I Gaming

Small & Mighty

This is a mini-ITX board, allowing you to install the incredibly capable Core i9 processor inside a small compact chassis, but ASUS managed to work in the Z390 chipset, meaning you don’t lose out too much on choosing a smaller board. This ROG board has high-quality components, dual M.2 slots, overclocking stability enhancements, and Wi-Fi.

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Our top pick goes to the excellent ASUS ROG Strix Z390-E Gaming. Not only is this a great value motherboard for all the features you get, but it’s also a solid option for the Intel Core i9-9900K with high-quality components, stable overclocking enhancements, a great and easy BIOS, as well as some other handy benefits like dual M.2 slots.

If you’re after a small, but mighty motherboard for a more compact build, you’ll need a mini-ITX size motherboard. We found that the ASUS ROG Strix Z390-I Gaming offers a surprising amount of potential in such a small package. ASUS managed to work with some high-quality components and VRMs to even support some degree of overclocking.

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Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He’s been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.

Best Motherboards for i9 9900k, i7 9700k [Intel 9th Gen CPUs]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1

Intel’s consumer CPUs have always remained a step ahead of their AMD counterparts when it comes to single-thread performance.

Although AMD has closed that gap to a negligible level with its 3rd Generation Ryzen lineup, Intel still has something to offer content creators who want the best viewport and active work experience possible.

Moreover, Intel’s QuickSync support for specific plugins in applications like Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects does speed up certain tasks considerably.

Navigating the motherboard landscape can be quite confusing, especially for those who aren’t immediately familiar with chipsets, popular features, and other factors you need to know before you pick a board.

I’ll help you dissect all the different chipsets and pick the best motherboards for your Intel Core i9 9900k and other 9th Gen Intel CPUs.

Note: If you’re looking on a quick primer on what Intel processor to get, you can find more details in the FAQ section below!

Here’s a short and sweet list for those who need a quick rundown on what motherboard is the best at every price point. Before I do that, these are the factors I considered before picking them:

  1. Price
  2. VRM Quality
  3. I/O Ports
  4. Expandability (PCI-E, M.2, etc.)

Best Motherboards for i9 9900k, i7 9700k – Overview

Here’s an overview for those of you looking for some quick recommendations before diving into the details:

Price Tier Motherboard Form Factor Link
Best Budget
Z390 Motherboard		 Gigabyte Z390 UD ATX Info / Buy
Best Value
Z390 Motherboard		 ASRock Z390 Taichi Ultimate
OR
Gigabyte Z390 Designare		 ATX

ATX

 Info / Buy

Info / Buy
Best Workstation
Z390 Motherboard		 ASUS WS Z390 PRO ATX Info / Buy
Best Budget Workstation
Z390 Motherboard		 SuperMicro C9Z390-PGW ATX Info / Buy
Best M-ATX
Z390 Motherboard		 Gigabyte Z390 M Gaming M-ATX Info / Buy

Factors to Consider

If you’ve read through our motherboards for Ryzen 3000 guide, you’ll be familiar with some of the factors you find here. However, there are a few critical differences because of the variation in Intel’s and AMD’s CPU architecture.

What are you willing to spend on a good Motherboard?

  • < 100$

  • 100 — 150$

  • 150 — 250$

  • 250 — 400$

  • 400 — 600$

  • 600$+

Poll Options are limited because JavaScript is disabled in your browser.

While Zen-based processors scale exceptionally well with memory latency and speeds, Intel’s offerings don’t show as much of an improvement. As long as you’re using memory that has a reasonably low CAS latency and clocks to 3000 MHz (MT/s) or higher, you’re good. Since most Z390 motherboards can help a 9th Gen Intel Processor do this easily, I won’t consider memory support a significant factor. (For Motherboard Recommendations for 10th gen Intel CPUs go here)

Instead, here are a few factors you do need to consider before deciding on a motherboard for your 9th Generation Intel CPU:

Pick the Right Chipset

Unlike AMD’s chipsets, Intel’s chipsets lock in certain functionality. For any serious content creator who’s getting a 9th Gen Intel CPU, I wouldn’t recommend anything other than the Z390 chipset.

Why? Well, first and foremost, you need either a motherboard with the Z370 or Z390 chipset to be able to overclock either your CPU or memory. However, since Z390 motherboards are better in every way while being similarly priced, I don’t see any point in considering any Z370 offering at all.

If you’re curious about the differences between all the different chipsets, here’s a quick reference:

Z390 vs. Z370 vs. h470 vs. B360 vs. h410

  Z390 Z370 h470 B360 h410
Overclocking Support (CPU and DDR4) Yes  Yes No  No  No
Max PCI-E 3. 0 Lanes 24 24 20 12 6
Max USB Ports 14 14 14 12 10
Intel Rapid Storage Technology PCI-E RAID 0, 1, 5, 10  Yes  Yes  Yes  No  No
Max USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)  6  0  0  0  0
Integrated WiFi 802.11ac  Yes  No  No  No No

A quick reference about which of those features you should care about:

  • Overclocking: I wouldn’t recommend overclocking to content creators who will be stressing their systems with frequent rendering tasks. However, if you’re looking for a snappy viewport performance or a mix of both, a mild overclock could do wonders for your productivity. Moreover, a memory overclock is a must, really, so this feature is critical.
  • Max PCI-E Lanes: If you’re considering multi-GPU setups, this factor is especially significant.

VRM Quality

Intel’s advantage lies in its high IPC and clock speeds. However, this means achieving boost clocks consistently, without any limitation from the motherboard’s VRM. Of course, this assumes that the cooling solution you chose for your processor is not limiting it in any way.

For most Core i7 and Core i5 CPUs, this isn’t too much of a concern. But since I won’t recommend using something like a 9th Gen Core i5 unless you want to upgrade to something better later, there’s no point in skimping on the motherboard.

Expandability and I/O

It’s quite frustrating when you run out ports to connect peripherals or realize that you’re running short on storage and don’t have any slots left for additional storage. Considering the back panel of the motherboard as well as its extensibility (PCI-E slots, M.2 slots, SATA, etc. )

Note: If you’re wondering why I’m not considering on-board Audio as a vital factor, I’ve found that they’re pretty indistinguishable for most users. More details in the FAQ section below!

Best Workstation Motherboard for 9

th Generation Intel CPUs

ASUS WS Z390 Pro

If there ever was a motherboard that touched bases with the worlds of both HEDT and mainstream desktop computing, it’s this one right here.

This motherboard has excellent VRMs that are capable of dealing with the power requirements of even an overclocked Intel Core i9 9900K.

Image-Credit: Asus

The WS Z390 Pro supports the use of up to 4 Graphics cards, albeit with the help of PLX switches. Unless you’re working on applications that need the bandwidth of all 4 PCI-E slots simultaneously, this shouldn’t be an issue. However, if you do need such a setup without bandwidth limitations, it might be worth considering Threadripper or Intel’s HEDT lineup.

Image-Credit: Asus

In addition to the array of 4 PCI-E 3. 0 (x8/x8/x8/x8) slots, the motherboard comes with dual M.2 sockets for NVMe/SATA SSDs. Both the M.2 slots do come with thermal shields to help them stay well below the operating temperature.

Image-Credit: Asus

Back panel connectivity isn’t what I would term ‘plenty.’ However, it does have a decent amount of I/O options in addition to dual Intel Gigabit LAN as well as a handy BIOS Flashback button.

The absence of even a single Thunderbolt 3 port at this price does sting, though. Those who need it will have to use the built-in Thunderbolt 3 header along with an add-in card. Although you do get dual Intel Gigabit LAN, I’d have preferred a 10 GbE LAN option.

If you’re not interested in all those PCI-E slots, I suggest you shop for a motherboard at a much lower price bracket (check out my value recommendation).

Recommended for: 9th Gen Intel Core i9 9900K, even overclocked and running sustained workloads.  

Best Budget Workstation Motherboard for 9

th Generation Intel CPUs

SuperMicro C9Z390-PGW

If you’re looking for a more budget-oriented option for a Z390 workstation setup, SuperMicro offers an excellent motherboard for professionals.

Image-Source: Supermicro

In addition to solid VRMs that will ensure stability for any 9th Generation Intel processor you throw into this board, SuperMicro’s Z390 motherboard also comes with dual M.2 slots for ample storage expansion.

Image-Source: Supermicro

This Z390 motherboard, much like its ASUS counterpart, offers four x16 PCI-E slots (x8/x8/x8/x8).

The use of a PLX switch to achieve this on a mainstream platform does limit the total bandwidth available simultaneously. Unfortunately, a necessary trade-off. You can find more details about this in the FAQ section below!

Image-Source: Supermicro

My real gripe with this motherboard starts with the back-panel I/O. When compared to other motherboards in its price range, it has a relatively sparse back panel. However, the saving grace is dual LAN – both Gigabit, as well as 10G options, are available. If you want access to 10G LAN in addition to 4 PCI-E slots, this is the motherboard I’d recommend.

Recommended for: Intel Core i9 9900K, even overclocked and running sustained workloads.

Best M-ATX Motherboard for 9

th Generation Intel Processors

Gigabyte Z390 M Gaming Motherboard

It’s not often that we get great motherboards for smaller form factor builds. If you’re planning to build a compact PC, the Gigabyte Z390 M Gaming motherboard manages to offer a solution without compromising on features and performance too much.

Image-Source: Gigabyte

In addition to being one of the only Z390 motherboards in an M-ATX form factor that comes with dual x16 sized PCI-E slots, this Gigabyte offering also comes with a decent 5-phase VRM. Although it should be able to support even the mighty Intel Core i9 9900K, I won’t recommend any extreme overclocking over extended work sessions.

Image-Source: Gigabyte

As expected from an M-ATX motherboard with dual x16 PCI-E slots, it does come with a few compromises. While the bottom slot is x16, the bandwidth available to it is only x4, i. e., any graphics card installed there will have access to only 1/4th the bandwidth available to the top card.

Nonetheless, this can be a great budget solution for those who aren’t too concerned about bandwidth. Once data is loaded onto the GPU’s memory, it won’t affect processing. However, if your workload is bandwidth-intensive, i.e., information needs to flow to and fro the GPU frequently (or all of it is too big to fit onto the VRAM in one go).

Image-Source: Gigabyte

Well, you can’t expect too much back-connectivity when we’re talking about M-ATX motherboards. For many people, this most definitely means investing in USB hubs as needed. Thankfully, unlike other motherboards in this price range, Gigabyte has equipped the Z390 M Gaming with Intel Gigabit LAN instead of the standard Realtek controller.

Recommended for: Intel Core i9 9900K on stock. Ideally, something like a Core i7 only.

Best Budget Motherboard for 9

th Generation Intel CPUs

Gigabyte Z390 UD

When it comes to offering value-for-money, Gigabyte seems to have it down. The Gigabyte Z390 UD comes equipped with a surprisingly okay VRM that I could trust even with something like a Core i9 9900K. In fact, for buyers on a budget who need a reliable performer, this is the motherboard I’d recommend.

Please note that it IS still a budget motherboard. Hence, I don’t recommend overclocking a Core i9 CPU on this motherboard at all. However, unlike other motherboards in its weight class, it can handle the 9900K even overclocked, I don’t recommend it for sustained workloads.

Image-Source: Gigabyte

Although the motherboard does support triple-GPU setups, when all three slots are populated, the bottom two slots operate at x4 instead of x8. It’s not a massive loss in performance with something like a 2080 Ti on relatively smaller workloads. But when we’re talking about heavy workloads, you’re going to want the best performance you can get.

Image-Source: Gigabyte

Storage is an issue if you plan to use multiple M.2 devices. Although there is an ample number of SATA ports, it may not be enough, especially when building a PC for CG work. I suggest using PCI-E M.2 Expander cards if you find yourself requiring access to more high-speed storage.

Image-Source: Gigabyte

The UD’s back panel isn’t too great, but at this price range, it’s pretty standard. Can’t complain.

Recommended for: Intel Core i9 and Core i7 processors on stock only. Could handle them overclocked, but I won’t recommend it.

Best Value Motherboard for 9

th Generation Intel CPUs

Gigabyte Z390 Designare

Image-Source: Gigabyte

I had an awful time trying to pick the best motherboard for this category, and it was a toss-up between the ASRock Z390 Taichi Ultimate and Gigabyte’s Z390 Designare. Overall, they have a similar price point, and I ended up picking the Designare as my choice due to the availability of Thunderbolt 3.

Update: There seems to be an issue when connecting legacy Thunderbolt devices using the ports on this motherboard. However, some users seem to have sorted it out by downloading Gigabyte’s Thunderbolt driver manually. Here’s a link to that driver, in case you’re running into the same issue.

Image-Source: Gigabyte

The motherboard comes equipped with 3 PCI-E slots (x8/x8/x4), giving those who need multi-GPU setups ample flexibility. There’s a caveat, though. If you’re running triple-GPU setups, you’ll ideally want to run all 3 PCI-E slots through the PCI-E controller. In its default state, the last slot is routed through the PCH (Platform Controller Hub). Thankfully, you can switch that slot to x4 CPU lanes by borrowing 4 lanes from the second slot, making the configuration x8/x4/x4.

Using x4 PCI-E 3.0 slots isn’t ideal, but that’s the trade-off when using a mainstream consumer platform like the Z390 instead of an HEDT/workstation platform.

Image-Source: Gigabyte

Trade-offs remind me – there’s a limitation to using the Thunderbolt 3 ports on this motherboard as well. Due to the limited number of I/O lanes available, populating all PCI-E slots will limit the number of Thunderbolt devices you can daisy-chain.

The Designare’s back panel is quite populated, and I have absolutely no complaints here. You’ll have access to dual Intel Gigabit LAN as well as built-in Wi-Fi 6 Support.

The absence of 10 GbE LAN might be a dealbreaker for some, and for them, I highly recommend the ASRock Taichi Ultimate instead of the Designare.

Recommended for: Intel Core i9 9900K, even overclocked and running on load for sustained workloads.

FAQs – Addressing Some Common Concerns

Would you recommend a rendering workstation with an Intel CPU that needs a Z390 motherboard?

Absolutely not, unless you already have a motherboard and want to upgrade it to the best CPU possible without a platform change. AMD’s Ryzen and Threadripper CPUs offer way better value than Intel’s consumer platform when it comes to 3D rendering and similar workloads. You can find more information about such questions in our Intel vs AMD post!

What about Adobe CC Products Like Premiere Pro? Will an Intel System be Better?

Unfortunately, Intel’s core count woes do hurt it here. An AMD Ryzen 9 3900X costs the same and performs pretty similar to the very best CPU you can use with these motherboards, Intel Core i9 9900K. Now when we consider the upgrade path on the AMD’s AM4 platform, there’s no way I can recommend an Intel (mainstream) build for any productivity workload.

Here’s a benchmark chart to illustrate:

Source: Puget Systems

What Kind of Workloads Would Go Well with these 9

th Generation Intel CPUs then?

For content creators, CG Artists, and other professionals, these processors can offer the very best timeline and viewport performance. AMD’s 3rd Generation Ryzen processors aren’t that far behind, but if you want the very best experience for a workstation PC, Intel retains the crown for now. If you want the best, this is it.

Here’s a quick preview of Viewport Benchmarks:

You can find the full list of benchmarks here.

Gaming is another task where Intel holds its own. Again, it’s a slight margin in certain edge cases, but it certainly does exist.

Of course, another place where these processors make sense involve workloads that aren’t CPU-focused, and rather rely on the GPU(s) instead.

What 9

th Generation Intel Processor Should I be Buying?

For our kind of work, I’d go with only one of two products in the 9th Gen Intel CPU stack – Core i9 9900K and Core i7 9700K.

When Using Multi-GPU Setups on a Motherboard with a PLX Switch (ASUS and SuperMicro above), What’s the Performance Loss Exactly?

Well, it depends. A PLX switch limits the simultaneous bandwidth available to GPUs considerably. So, this could mean a good drop in performance if your workload involves throwing things in and out of your graphics cards’ VRAM at a furious pace.

For workloads that can mostly be handled within the GPU VRAM, without too much data movement, you won’t notice that much of a loss of performance.

Isn’t On-Board Audio Quality a Necessary Consideration?

I’ve encountered this question quite often, and that’s why I thought I’ll address it. Most manufacturers include decent audio chips within motherboards these days, especially at the higher price brackets. If you do need professional audio equipment, you’ll have to buy external devices anyway. The electrical interference alone is enough to keep most audio professionals away from internal audio components.

What about the Core i9 9900KS? Will it work with the motherboards you’ve recommended here?

Well, an i9 9900KS is basically an overclocked 9900K. If a board I listed doesn’t recommend overclocking for sustained workloads, avoid them. Others will do just fine!

 

Are you planning an Intel build and have a few more questions? Do leave a comment below and I’ll make sure to help out best I can!

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5 GHz for all cores!

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Intel Core i9-9900KS: 5.0 GHz for all cores!

With the release of its latest Core i9-9900KS processor, Intel aims to reaffirm its market leadership position. This model, which is a special version of a very decent Core i9-9900K offers even more speed but will be available in limited quantities.

The following table lists the key features and differences between the Special Edition and Standard Edition processors. The i9-9900KS supports 5.0GHz Turbo for all eight cores capable of running 16 threads simultaneously, which means great performance. It also has a higher base frequency — 4.0 GHz, but the TDP reaches 127 watts. In this article, we will explain why i9-9900KS deserves your attention, and we will also give advice on choosing the best motherboard.

Why is the i9-9900KS good?

The i9-9900KS processor is the best choice for DIY gamers and enthusiasts who want to get their hands on Intel’s most powerful gaming processor at the highest frequency. An added bonus is the pleasure of getting an exclusive product in a very limited edition. Compared to AMD’s very aggressive Ryzen 3000 series competitors, the i9’s biggest advantage is-9900KS is the frequency and single thread performance. This is exactly what gamers need.

This year, AMD introduced the stunning Ryzen 3000 series, featuring 16 core processors capable of running 32 threads simultaneously. These models offer unparalleled multitasking performance, but fall short of Intel processors when it comes to single-core speed. Another issue is frequency. The Ryzen 3000 series models are struggling to reach 4. 5 GHz, while Intel has already pushed to 5 GHz. Games do not actively use a large number of processor cores, but are much more sensitive to their frequency. nine0011

Battlefield 5 uses only 6 processor cores

8 cores, each at 5GHz, ideal for gaming. In addition, the 9900KS looks better than the 9900K (4.7 GHz with all cores enabled). Of course, you can overclock a regular 9900K or even a 9700K to 5 GHz on all cores, but this will require increasing the voltage, and this will not have a good effect on the life of the processor and the stability of the entire computer. That’s why exactly i9-9900KS is best suited for maximum gaming performance.

Recommended Motherboards for Intel® Core™ i9-9900KS

It’s not easy to keep a 5 GHz processor running at 127 W TDP under sustained heavy loads. To do this, you need a motherboard that can provide proper cooling and power supply, and even support overclocking if necessary.

Therefore, if you decide to purchase an Intel® Core™ i9 processor-9900KS, we recommend that you pay attention to the following boards. Below we will explain why.

  • MEG Z390 GODLIKE
  • MEG Z390 ACE
  • MPG Z390 GAMING PRO CARBON (AC)
  • MPG Z390 GAMING EDGE AC

Digital Power System

MSI motherboards are equipped with a digital power system that provides accurate and stable power to the Intel® Core™ i9 processor-9900KS, which is necessary for its proper operation. The flagship models of the MEG series — MEG Z390 GODLIKE and MEG Z390 ACE — use two 8-pin power connectors and dual IR power modules, so both of them are ready to set world overclocking records!

Core Boost Technology

In addition to premium components and optimized circuitry, Core Boost technology covers a range of solutions to improve overall power efficiency and improve processor power stability. Combined with software optimizations, MSI Z39 series motherboards0 offer ideal conditions for using modern multi-core processors not only in normal mode, but also in overclocked state.

Large Power Heat Sink

As processors become more complex and include more cores, the demands on their power and cooling systems increase. Innovative engineering solutions, such as a large heatsink on the power elements and optimized wiring, will allow you to fully realize the full speed potential of the i9 processor-9900KS.

Custom BIOS Version

In addition to hardware enhancements, some MSI motherboards are software-optimized for the Intel® Core™ i9-9900KS processor using a custom BIOS version. You can download it from the official MSI website.

Real power — with the right motherboards

The 5 GHz Intel® Core™ i9-9900KS processor is impressively powerful, but its performance and power consumption (127 W TDP) means more heat. That’s why it needs a motherboard with the right power and cooling system to work properly.

The below MSI Z390 series motherboards not only have an improved power system, but also a modern cooling system. This allows them to provide the ideal environment for the powerful Intel® Core™ i9 processor.-9900KS.

  • MEG Z390 GODLIKE
  • MEG Z390 ACE
  • MPG Z390 GAMING PRO CARBON (AC)
  • MPG Z390 GAMING EDGE AC

GODLIKE Model: Overclock i9-9900KS to 7478MHz!

5 GHz for all cores — still too little for you? Then choose MEG Z390 GODLIKE board, the flagship model from MSI, which is equipped with an 18-phase power system and a powerful cooling system, including a massive heatsink with a heat pipe. It is the ideal platform for gaming and extreme overclocking. It was with this board that the speed record was achieved — the liquid nitrogen-cooled i9 processor-9900KS reached 7478 MHz on it for all cores!

More information about MSI Z390 series motherboards can be found here.

Top 5 Gaming Motherboards for Intel Core i9 9900K

When the Intel Core i9 9900K was released, it took the market by storm with 8-core quality and unparalleled clock speeds that easily outshine its rival Ryzen 2700X. It wasn’t the first time Intel had a high core count, however it was the first time it had happened with a consumer-grade processor that many extreme overclockers liked. nine0003

Significant improvements over previous 8th Gen Intel Core processors; such as a stable clock speed of 5GHz across all cores and soldered to the IHS dye for superior temperature control maintaining 80 degrees Celsius even when overclocked, the Intel Core i9 9900K didn’t take long to find itself in some of the most demanding processors. However, the i9 9900K is a very expensive processor. And after so much investment, who wants to have a motherboard that limits their processor and prevents them from using the full potential of a powerful i99900K?

Now there are million dollar questions. Which motherboard is best for your build? Which chipset is truly worthy of meeting all the requirements of the most powerful processor in the world? All your questions will be answered by our detailed list of top 5 motherboards (Z390 chipset) that you should add to your short list for your dream system.

nine0211 Model

nine0016 Excellent performance VRM

table >

# Preview Award Details
1 ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Best overall Check price
2 MSI MEG GODLIKE Z390 Great aesthetics Check price
3 GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS Ultra Check price
4 ASRock Phantom Gaming 9 Value for money Check price
5 EVGA Z390 Dark Ideal for overclocking Check price

nine0018

# 1
preview
Model Formula ASUS ROG Maximus XI
Award Best overall
Details Check price
# 2
preview
Model MSI MEG GODLIKE Z390
Award Great aesthetics
Details Check price
# 3
preview
Model GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS Ultra
Award Excellent performance VRM
Details Check price
# 4
preview
Model ASRock Phantom Gaming 9
Premium Value for money
Details Check price
# 5
Preview
Model EVGA Z390 Dark
Award Ideal for overclocking
Read more Check price

Last updated 02/18/2021 03:11 AM/Affiliate Links/Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

1.

Formula ASUS ROG Maximus XI

Extreme performance

  • Aura Sync RGB lighting
  • Reliable thermostat with 8 + 4-phase VRM.
  • Temperature spikes stay in optimal range during overclocking
  • Overtightened screws in any of the M.2 slots

Connector: 1151 | Chipset: Z390 | Graphic output: HDMI/VGA | Audio: SupremeFX S1220 | Wireless: Intel® Wireless-AC 9560 Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac | nine0478 Form factor: ATX

Check Price

ASUS’ solid presence in the market can’t be overstated when it comes to the best motherboards. This time they intend to light their bright spark in the Z390 chipset line with their ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Formula XI, the name alone makes you want a piece of it. splendor and be the coolest boy in the room. nine0011 It comes with three PCIe slots and two M. 2 ports. The important point here is that one of the M.2 drive screws is over tightened off the ASUS assembly line, so be sure to carefully loosen them beforehand with the proper screwing tools. Be sure to ground yourself when handling the board as it does not come with an anti-static bag. Now let’s move on to the critical aspect — VRM. It has an excellent 4-phase design using two-stage Vishay Silicon X 50A MOSFETs. It delivered stellar performance at overclocked speeds, consuming less power and achieving remarkable water and air acceleration rates. nine0003

It has 8+4 pins for adequate power, which should be more than enough for any overclocking needs. It’s not overkill, but we found the 8+4 phase setup to be quite ideal. In addition, it has a clear CMOS button and a dual BIOS button, respectively. Impressively, the VRM’s advanced thermal design has allowed it to maintain optimal heat levels in the 40-50 degree Celsius range at overclocked speeds with great efficiency. You want the temperature to stay between 50-60 degrees Celsius so that there is enough tolerance for a hot environment. It is equipped with a DDR4 memory clock supporting up to 4400MHz. nine0003

Now let’s talk about its sound system and cooling system. It uses an excellent audio FX solution that has shown amazing test results based on observations of the frequency response curves. Proper microphone noise cancellation will play an important role for gamers in helping them hear the voices of teammates clearly. It should be noted that if you are getting a motherboard for audio, make sure the volume is set below 90 in the settings. It has 8 PWM fan headers that are easily configurable using Fan Xpert 4 or UEFI BIOS. Each header can be configured to monitor and respond to up to three user-configurable thermal sensors for cooling based on workload. nine0003

Speaking of BIOS, ASUS has all the necessary features for overclocking, LLC levels, well-tuned memory overclocking and overclocking to 5 GHz or higher. Of course, it also has a power button and a Dr Debug LED for LN2 overclockers. On top of that, all of the ASUS-only features like OptiMem 2 and Supreme FX only fuel the board’s excellence.

The

ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula is not cheap at all. But, if you really want only the very best, then you simply can’t go wrong with this board. Easy to navigate and understand BIOS, 8 PWM fan headers, efficient VRM design to keep the temperature at an acceptable level, and much more. You can only use the full power of the ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula if you know exactly what you need in the overclocking department. So if you don’t have a lot to spare and don’t worry about not having the best of the best, you should look for cheaper options. nine0003

2. MSI MEG GODLIKE Z390

Multifunctional

  • Cooling LN2
  • Highest achievable acceleration rates
  • 16-phase VRM
  • No PLX chips
  • High price

Socket: 1151 | Chipset: Z390 | Graphic Output: N/A | Audio: 8ch (7.1) HD Audio | Wireless: killer Wi-Fi AC 1550 | Form factor: E-ATX

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The

MSI MEG Z390 is the perfect home for your new 9900K, this mammoth motherboard is the way to unparalleled gaming. I mean, you only live once, so price shouldn’t be an issue for you when you’re pursuing your passion! With «Godlike» in the name, the MSI MEG Z390 lives up to a very high standard, especially in a competitive motherboard market. Also, MEG is one of the most advanced motherboards from MSI, so it’s there too. But how good is this motherboard that we gave it 2nd place in our lineup? Read on to find out. nine0003

It remains a mystery why MSI didn’t add PLX chips to the board. We have three built-in M.2 connectors (supporting NVMe, SATA and PCIe) named «Shield Frozer». The secret behind this name is the newly introduced thermal pads on both sides of the M.2. In addition, it has a Turbo U.2 SSD slot, which is truly «divine» with their huge transfer rates. This board has a zip code so that’s a big plus. It supports 2-way SLI, but you can run 4-way crossfire on it as it’s not hindered by bandwidth. Also, the board has a BIOS switch, which means you can use dual BIOS on it. If you break one, you will still have another BIOS to open the first one. There are many other useful OC features at the bottom of the board. nine0003

The brightest spot you’ll notice on the motherboard is the 16-phase Vcore VRM array, which is powerful enough to keep up with 9th generation processors. This has been done very efficiently by MSI, and it boasts a level of performance that can actually be compared to a GPU VRM. We all know that GPU VRM is much better than motherboard VRM. Remarkably, it is equipped with an excellent LN2 system for extreme overclocking, which is fully consistent with its VRM. There are four shielded DDR4 memory slots supported which will support up to 64GB and 4600MHz when overclocked.0003

Are you turning away from overclocking because you think it’s too hard? Don’t worry, MSI has provided you with an overclocking dial/knob so you can tweak various settings in the BIOS, allowing you to adjust the overclocking speed/performance levels (within the safe perimeter) without having to go there manually. In terms of aesthetics, it looks amazingly cool with its «mystical light infinity» having 16. 8 million colors and 27 effects. You know what to do by connecting RGB or rainbow-colored LED strips with addressable connectors to create an RGB-emitting gaming PC. Its cooling system isn’t far behind either, it has 6 fan headers, all located at the top, which is good as it can give you access to things like coolers and AIO fans. nine0003

This motherboard is in the e-ATX form factor, so you should research your case first before you decide to invest in one. With MSI MEG Z390′ Turbo U.2 SSD slots, additional PCI-E x16 slots, and an amazing audio chip, this board becomes truly amazing. Although overpriced, this board’s amazing overclocking performance and LN2 cooling system should convince you of its excellence.

3. GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS Ultra

Best RGB lighting

  • Very stable VRM
  • Direct touch heat pipes on

    • chipset

  • Primitive BIOS
  • Retaining clip of some PCI-E slots seems to have quality issues
  • VRM Coil Whine

Connector: 1151 | Chipset: Z390 | Graphics output: HDMI | Audio: ALC 1220-VB | nine0478 Wireless: Intel CNVi 2×2 802. 11ac | Form factor: ATX

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Despite the heat of the competition, GIGABYTE is also joining the fray. In the last few generations of chipsets, GIGABYTE seemed to fall behind in the race for the best motherboards, mainly because of their base BIOS that other manufacturers used. This time they’ve hit the ground running to turn the tables on the AORUS Z390 series with their bold 12+ phase VRM design. For this list, we have chosen the middle and most balanced board of the series, the GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS Ultra.

It has fins for the VRM heatsink and is the only board that does this. In addition, it provides better thermal contact between the board and the thermal padded backplate due to the larger contact area. This board has a high quality VRM, 12 phase 6 with doublers and includes all the features of all the other boards. And if that’s not enough, real tests show the best thermal performance at a normal price for a quality motherboard. nine0003

So GIGABYTE caught up? That would be a resounding yes. Triple ultra-fast NVMe PCIe Gen3 x4 M.2 with triple thermal shrouds further enhances the user experience. Also, an increase in download speed over Wi-Fi by 2 Mbps at a connection speed of 50 Mbps through the use of an on-board antenna.

It uses a digital processor power supply circuit that includes both a digital PWM controller and a DrMOS. This 100% digital controller and optional 8+4 CPU solid state power connectors provide incredible power delivery accuracy to the most power-hungry and power-sensitive high-end motherboard components, allowing hungry enthusiasts to get as much power as they need for their 9900K. It provides proper compatibility with DDR4 at 4266MHz.

It has an excellent audio system that accurately detects the impedance of your head audio device and prevents problems such as low volume and distortion. In terms of cooling, it comes with a Smart Fan that allows users to swap their fan headers to display different thermal sensors in different places on the motherboard and gives users up-to-date flow rate and temperature information. nine0003

As for the BIOS, this is the Gigabyte UEFI BIOS user interface. Looks dated but quality control is great! However, there is significant room for improvement in the BIOS so that it can actually keep up with the BIOS of the other boards on this list. Last but not least, the aesthetics have been given a major makeover with a new neutral look with RGB lighting allowing the boar, with its subtle yet eye-catching visuals, to blend into any type of system. nine0011 The bottom line is, if you’re not too keen on BIOS setup and don’t have major BIOS issues, then this board can give you a lot more in the form of possibly one of the best VRM systems on this list and to top it all off, reassuringly investment in terms of cost-per-performance.

4. ASRock Phantom Gaming 9

Low price

  • 2.5Gbps LAN ports
  • Additional PCIe x1 slots
  • High price
  • Temperature may rise slightly
  • High power consumption in overclocking mode

Connector: 1151 | Chipset: Z390 | Graphic output: HDMI/DP | Audio: Realtek ALC1220 Audio Codec | Wireless: Intel 802. 11ac WiFi module | Form factor: ATX

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ASRock’s Fatal1ty board range is out of the picture with their new Phantom Gaming series, which has caused some serious buzz. in the country of motherboards. ASRock has come a long way with their motherboards and this time they’ve taken the stage with their Phantom 9, which has a range of features that really beat the MSI Godlike (the most expensive on our list) in terms of price/performance ratio. Performance and price, it definitely can’t be called «cheap».

The

comes with three PCIe slots that support two-way SLI, as well as additional x1 PCIe slots to fit longer graphics cards in them, so it’s a neat feature. It has two M.2 slots that are only trimmed to their NVMe and do not support SATA, however there are additional SATA compatible M.2 slots located underneath. It has a powerful 12-phase VRM cooling system keeping the VRM at 67 degrees. nine0011 In addition, it is a powerful tool for using graphics cards, it supports AMD Quad CrossFireX, 3-Way CrossFireX, CrossFireX and NVIDIA Quad SLI, SLI technologies. In addition, it supports high-level memory, and DDR4-4200 is only a small part of what is possible.

The

board also features LED debugging and offers a total of 6 (4-pin) fan headers. . This is one of the few boards that has three 2.5Gb/s LAN interface ports instead of the usual 1Gb/s Ethernet LAN switch found on other boards at the time of release among consumer grade boards. nine0003

We have done various jobs. Performance test on this board, such as 3D mark time spy test, 3D mark fire strike, Blender, Cinebench R15, Handbrake, etc. and compare it with other Z390 boards. The results were a bit disturbing. Sometimes the temperature rose to 70 degrees, and the NVMe slots showed less than ideal read / write speeds. While the ASRock Phantom Gaming 9 is loaded with features, the benchmark results were a bit disappointing, especially considering the price. nine0003

The full feature set for this motherboard, such as the Realtek ALC1220 audio codec, a ton of USB ports including 3. 1 (Gen 1/Gen 2), two M.2 ports, and one with an M.2 heatsink, is all there ever was. or required by the user. In short, ASRock wanted a motherboard with high-end features and a reasonable price to fill the empty slot for the «ASRock exclusive gaming board», and their goal clearly hit the bull’s-eye.

The

ASRock Phantom Gaming 9 loses some marks in overclocking and benchmark results, but the extra features you get might be a plus for those who need them. Additional network cards (NICs), plenty of connectivity ports, and generous SSD slots are a step in the right direction. However, it takes a few bumps in the performance department, which is why the ASRock Phantom Gaming 9becomes a kind of double-edged sword.

5. EVGA Z390 Dark

Overclockers

  • Heavy VRM design
  • Overclocking Layout
  • CMOS battery quality control problems.
  • High voltage in standard settings makes it very hot.
  • Lacks RGB flair despite being so expensive.

Connector: 1151 | nine0478 Chipset: Z390 | Graphics output: 1x mDP | Audio: Creative Core3D quad audio | Wireless: n/a | Form factor: E-ATX

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EVGA’s Dark line of motherboards has been at the forefront of EVGA’s best motherboards. The Z390, true to its name, comes in black with small gold accents here and there. However, its aesthetic is only limited to the black PCB. EVGA intended the Z39 motherboard0 will focus on performance, not appearance. Unfortunately, the Z390 Dark is getting quite a few hits despite being a very expensive motherboard.

Stylish black and beautiful EVGA looks mean business when it comes to rich performance and high quality overclocking. You’ll understand what we mean when you look at the specifications of the seven USB ports, including 3.1 Gen 2 ports (five type A, one type C, one type C header), two M. 2 dongles. M 110mm up to 32Gb/s and finally three PCIe (16x, 4x, 16x). slots. Not to mention, it’s a boss when it comes to the hard work to deal with the multi-core Intel 9 processors.th generation. It has a very bulky 17-phase VRM cooled by a passive heatsink, which may seem like overkill to some, but you have what you need to power any game on earth. This board has a 24-pin power connector and an 8-pin CPU power connector next to it.

The board has only two dual-channel DIMM slots that can accommodate up to 32 GB of RAM. up to 4600+ MHz. The reason for this is that for overclocking, more DIMM slots put more stress on memory management, which ultimately limits overclocking capabilities. So you miss out on 64 GB of RAM due to stable overclocking results. nine0003

Well, there’s a good reason for this: for overclocking, higher DIMM slots increase the load on memory control. which will eventually hinder your overclocking. There are plenty of PWM fan headers on the board so you can dress them up with fans to your heart’s content. To provide more flawless and passive cooling, it is designed to allow case airflow to flow unhindered through the board, through the CPU and memory, power connectors, and through the heatsink on the rear panel. You can switch between the three BIOSes installed on the system, each for overclocking , testing and 24/7 using the select switch, switch between them and try what works best for you. nine0003

Vibrant list of bells and whistles is far from complete, it includes many other useful features such as PCIe disable switches, external BCLK/clock generators, 150% higher gold content in CPU sockets, 10-layer PCB design, slow switch SW mode, Probeit connectors, Secure boot button and more. In addition, its sound setup consists of Creative Core3D Audio, which is Creative’s 5.1-channel audio with output amplifiers accessible via a header on the front panel for consistent sound power and quality for stereo headphones or speakers. nine0003

In conclusion, this is a pretty good weapon for overclocking enthusiasts who are looking for the highest of peaks.

On By alexxlab