In this article, we offer an overview of the best motherboards for the latest Intel and AMD CPUs. We'll also look at boards for older systems.
Contents:
- Introduction
- Tips for buying motherboards
- The best Intel motherboards for gaming: Z690, V660, N610
- The best AMD motherboards for gaming: X570, X670, B550
- Where to buy the best motherboards for gaming in 2023
Introduction
The correct choice of a motherboard for computer games directly affects the power of the system and its performance when solving computing tasks. This is a very important feature when assembling a computer, although users often pay more attention to the optimal selection of a video card and CPU. It is important to remember that all parts of the computer interact with the motherboard. These products have several form factors, such as ATX, Mini ITX, E-ATX, and others. This parameter determines the size of the computer case. Compatibility with certain central processing units depends on the chip set and even the socket.
If you are not familiar with the chipsets of the boards or don't know which option is best for gaming, you will need to study the relevant user manuals. We will start our review with new motherboards for Intel, and then move on to AMD motherboards.
This article will contain the best products for gaming that are designed for the 12th and 13th generation of Intel CPUs. We have also carefully analyzed boards for the older 11th generation. Particular attention will be paid to the Z590, Z690, B660, and H610 models. The Z790 is expected to be released in the near future.
Then we will take a look at the best motherboards designed for AMD CPUs. The review will include products that support Ryzen 5000 and 7000 series. If you're interested in older products for AM4, you'll have to look for instructions for B550 and X570 boards.
Nowadays, many users continue to stay on the AM4 socket, as the new 7000 series Ryzen boards are less affordable compared to the previous generation. The situation is similar for Intel CPUs. At the same time, Ryzen 5000 series CPUs and their corresponding AM4 boards are still relevant in the market and show excellent efficiency in terms of cost and power.
At the same time, users should keep in mind that by choosing an AM4 model, they are getting an outdated platform that will not be further developed. All subsequent AMD processors will be produced for the AM5 socket, along with support for DDR5 memory. For a more affordable and older version of DDR4 RAM, you need to choose boards Intel Z690, Z790. This will reduce the cost of the system and allow the existing kit to be transferred to the new assembly.
Tips for buying motherboards
You can trust the information offered because our experts spend a lot of time comparing and testing different products. This will allow you to choose the best option. When buying a motherboard, you should pay attention to the following features:
- If you use small boards, the user will get fewer features and slots. Basically, motherboards are divided into 3 categories, starting with the largest and ending with the smallest, respectively: ATX, Micro ATX, Mini-ITX. All options have cases of the appropriate size. If you choose a mini or micro product, they will have fewer slots, RAM, and other interfaces.
- Choose the board according to the socket of your CPU. It is important to remember that AMD and Intel CPUs use separate sockets, so you need to double-check everything several times before buying. The new AMD socket supports processors with the AM5 socket. For 12th and 13th generation Intel processors, the LGA 1700 interface is used.
- Boards with built-in high-end slots and Wi-Fi are only worth buying if you use these features. You don't need to pay extra money if you connect to the network via Ethernet instead of wireless. To protect your computer in the future, you can choose a board with modern interfaces, such as Thunderbolt. Nowadays, Thunderbolt interfaces are quite rare in AMD motherboards.
The best Intel motherboards for gaming Z690 B660 H610
Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Pro
This board supports the LGA1700 socket. Aorus Pro is a great mid-range product for Alder Lake CPUs. Users have many options for connecting drives, for example, there are four M.2 interfaces. We can also note the beautiful appearance and updated sound card. During the full testing of the product, the thermal performance and performance were at the level of other Z690 series boards. The board features 13 USB interfaces
ASRock Z690 Extreme WiFi 6E
This board option can be considered by users who want to get a budget product for LGA 1700. It is chosen by users who are building a system on Alder Lake CPUs. At the same time, they get the opportunity to save money to redirect it to the purchase of other components. In practice, we have seen that the standard performance of the board in multi-threaded programs was below average. In low-threaded tests, the board handled the workloads well.
In terms of hardware, the product performs well and has many useful interfaces: Wi-Fi 6E, 2 Ethernet connectors for 1 and 2 GbE, 8 SATA slots, and 3 M.2 connectors. The motherboard has a good appearance and is designed in a dark color. The product has special RGB cutouts. Compared to competitors, only ASRock Extreme has 8 SATA ports and a 6E Wi-Fi interface. The device can be chosen by users who want to get a lot of USB-A connectors.
Gigabyte Z690I Aorus Ultra Plus
This is the best product in the Mini-ITX category from the Z690 series. This product from Gigabyte offers a beautiful and productive motherboard. The model has the following features: MOSFETs capable of powering any CPU, premium audio codec, 2 M.2 connectors. The product also has a cool RGB.
We chose the new board from Gigabyte because it fixes the PCIe interface issue that was observed in the previous generation. It's also the only Z690 variant in the ITX form factor that has built-in RGB LEDs, which gives it a nice look. Apart from the small number of SATA slots, there are no significant drawbacks. For users, this will be a great product at a great price.
Gigabyte Aorus Z690 Tachyon
If you want to overclock your components, you can choose this option. The product is characterized by high-quality power distribution. Therefore, it supports Alder Lake overclocking. A powerful SPS MOSFET radiator is built into the board, which provides overclocking to the highest possible frequency. When we tested it, we were able to achieve much better results in Cinebench R23, Blender, and games than other Z690 manufacturers.
The Gigabyte board has several options that make overclocking much easier. It uses tantalum capacitors, many ways to configure the BIOS, idle modes, and a cooling option. Buttons have also been added to increase or decrease the CPU utilization rate.
This board is great not only for overclocking. It can be used to effectively solve other tasks. The product has a flagship Realtek sound card, 6 SATA slots, and 4 M.2 interfaces. For content creation and other professional work with 64 GB of RAM, you need to choose another product.
MSI MAG B660M Mortar WIFI DDR4
This card is the best choice in the B660 series. The product is suitable for users who work with PCIe 5.0 devices and do not pay attention to CPU overclocking. It supports DDR4 components.
This device could use some RGB or aesthetic design, but it has everything you need to maximize the performance of Alder Lake CPUs. Mortar is equipped with a premium sound card, 6 SATA, VRM, 4 and other interfaces. This board can utilize all the features of the i9-12900K CPU.
Asus ROG Strix B660-I Gaming WIFI
The Asus ROG is the best option in the B660 series for the mini-ITX format. We have tested the product and all its features in detail. As a result, we can say that this board from Asus is a decent model in the budget category. It has a small size, but it uses a premium sound card, 2 M.2 connectors, a PCIe 5.0 port, and built-in Wi-Fi 6. We encountered only one problem while working with the product, when the VRM temperatures were elevated. This happened during a stress test. In all kinds of tests, we got good performance. Therefore, this ROG Strix can successfully compete with DDR5-based products.
Asus Prime H610M-A D4
We have tested many boards based on Intel H610. Only Asus Prime has support for M.2 SSDs. They also have a Key-E M.2 port. This chipset will allow you to buy a cheap board to work with Alder Lake. It cannot overclock the CPU and has only 6 USB interfaces. There is no better option for saving money.
The best AMD motherboards for gaming X570 X670 B550
Currently, AMD's X670/X670E chipset allows you to work with the PCIe 5.0 interface. So far, there are no cards on the market that have gained advantages in this connector compared to PCIe 4.0. SSDs for higher speeds have just been announced.
To save money, you can use a B650 motherboard that has fewer PCIe 5.0 lines. For most users, one such connector for a graphics card and one for a drive is sufficient. Many of the B650 series products are priced close to or even ahead of the X670 alternatives. All purchases should be made carefully to ensure that you only use the features you need.
Older processors based on the AM4 chipset are of great value from AMD. They demonstrate good performance on cheaper boards. However, such products will not support USB 4 and PCIe 5.0.
Gigabyte B650E Aorus Master
This is a multifunctional and high-quality board that has a lower cost than the alternative X607E variant. It offers users many interfaces. The product consists of reliable VRMs, a large number of USB ports and 4 M.2 PCIe 5.0 connectors. In the tests, B650E Aorus Master showed good results. The motherboard has a beautiful design that is suitable for aesthetic assembly. Users have the opportunity to create a PC based on Ryzen 7000.
ASRock X670E Taichi
The product based on the AM5 chipset is attractive from all sides. The product costs $500, for which users get access to the following functionality: USB 4 Type-C, 4 M.2 ports, and 8 SATA connectors. Users don't have to worry about overclocking or performance. The main disadvantage of the board is the price. New technologies are not cheap in production, and there is no tendency to reduce the cost.
Asus X570 ROG Crosshair VIII Hero Wi-Fi
The product is equipped with 12 different USB interfaces, Wi-Fi 6, 8 SATA connectors, and 2.5G LAN. This motherboard will be an excellent base to build a high-performance computer.
Gigabyte X570 Aorus Ultra
This is the best product if you pay attention only to the average price. The manufacturer offers a product that perfectly fulfills the basic options. The board uses 12 MOSFETs. The product has 3 M.2 PCIe 4.0 connectors.
Asus ROG Strix B550 Gaming Wi-Fi
The motherboard has premium options, such as power supply and Wi-Fi. Its use is relevant if you don't need a wireless card.
NZXT N7 B550
For a long time, the manufacturer did not offer an up-to-date version of the boards, but after the release of the N7 B550, it was able to gain leadership. It uses 10 USB ports. Additional options include the presence of a Wi-Fi 6E wireless interface. Unlike other boards, NZXT has added RGB backlighting.
Where to buy the best motherboards for gaming in 2023
You can choose the best option for your motherboard in the Artline online store. The company's catalog offers all the models discussed in this article. By choosing a product according to our recommendations, you will be able to build a reliable computer.