As important as a CPU and graphics card are for the overall performance of your computer, you can’t overlook the role your motherboard play in letting all those components perform their best. Buying a fancy CPU may give you more cores and high clock speeds that you can push even further with overclocking, but unless you get a quality motherboard, you’ll find you’re limited in your ability to push that processor to the limit. The same goes for other components as well, such as the faster memory we’re seeing available on the market.Your motherboard will also play a big role in how much you get to expand the capabilities of your computer as well. You won’t get to install a graphics card, PCIe capture card, a pile of SSDs and hard drives, and a Wi-Fi card in your PC if your motherboard doesn’t have all the connections you need for those components. It can get even trickier for those PCIe devices, as keeping track of the number of PCIe lanes you’re going to use is a bit trickier than something like SATA ports. But, the best motherboards tend to have plenty of capacity for all of these things.So, whether you want to build a core-packed Ryzen rig or a speedy Intel system, you should be looking for a great motherboard to let you get the most out of your components. If you want to keep that system compact, then you should also check out our picks for the best Micro ATX motherboards.
TL;DR These are the Best Gaming Motherboards:
1. Gigabyte Z490 Aorus Master
Best Intel Motherboard
CPU Socket: LGA1200 Chipset: Z490 Memory Slots: 4 x DDR4 Channel Support: Dual Max Memory Speed: 5,000MHz Max Memory Capacity: 128GB Expansion Slots: 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16; 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 (8 lanes); 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 (4 lanes) M.2 Slots: 3 x M.2 slot PCIe 3.0 x 4 (Key M) Audio Chipset: Realtek ALC1220-VB codec Wi-Fi: Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.0 Headers: 1 x CPU Fan, 1 x Water Cooling Fan, 2 x System Fan/Water Pump, 4 x System Fan, 2 x Temperature Sensor RGB Headers: 2 x Addressable LED strip, 2 x RGB LED strip Internal I/O: 6 x Sata 6Gb/s, 1 x Front Panel, 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2 x USB 2.0, 2 x Thunderbolt add-in card connector Rear Ports: 2 x SMA Antenna, 1 x HDMI, 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 3 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 4 x USB 2.0, 1 x 2.5Gb LAN, 1 x Optical Audio Out, 5 x Audio Ports Size: 12″ x 9.6″
You don’t want to run your high-performance Intel processor on just any motherboard, and the Gigabyte Z490 Aorus Master checks every box of what you should want from an enthusiast board. This Z490 motherboard offers up three PCIe x16 slots, letting you fit a ton of add-ins cards. That’ll readily let you run multi-GPU setups with either Nvidia SLI or AMD CrossFire. You won’t miss out on fast storage either, as the board boasts three M.2 slots for PCIe 3.0 x 4 SSDs. Even better, this board offers a modicum of future-readiness as several of its PCIe slots are PCIe 4.0-ready, so they can effectively double their bandwidth when paired with a future Intel processor that supports the standard.You also get plenty of high-speed connectivity. You’ll find a smattering of USB ports, support for Thunderbolt add-in cards, and even a 2.5 Gigabit LAN port to handle modern networking speeds. This board also has built-in Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.
2. Asus ROG Maximus XII Apex
Best High-End Intel Motherboard
CPU Socket: LGA1200 Chipset: Z490 Memory Slots: 2 x DDR4 Channel Support: Dual Max Memory Speed: 4,800MHz Max Memory Capacity: 64GB Expansion Slots: 2 x PCIe 3.0 x 16 (single at x16, dual at x8/x8), 1 x PCIe 3.0 x 4, 1 x PCIe 3.0 x1 M.2 Slots: 2 x M.2 slot PCIe 3.0 x 4 SSD (M Key) Audio Chipset: ROG SupremeFX CODEC S1220A Wi-Fi: Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.1 Headers: 1 x Water Pump, 1 x AIO Pump, 2 x 4-pin Fan, RGB Headers: 2 x Aura Addressable Strip, 1 x RGB Internal I/O: 8 x Sata 6Gb/s, 1 x Optical Audio Out, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 5 x USB 2.0 Rear Ports: 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 4 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 5 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x PS/2 Keyboard, 1 x PS/2 Mouse, 1 x 2.5Gb LAN, 1 x Optical Audio Out, 1 x ASUS Wi-Fi GO! Module, 5 x Audio Ports Size: 12″ x 9.6″
If you want an Intel motherboard that can do even more, the Asus ROG Maximum XII Apex is here to take you to the extremes. This board is ready for overclocking, with built-in overclocking profiles for CPUs to help you easily get an effictive setup. The motherboard will feed your CPU power over two auxiliary 8-pin connectors to ensure it doesn’t come up short, and it’ll manage that power delivery with sixteen teamed power stages.The rest of the board will give you plenty of performance as well. You’ll get two PCIe 3.0 x16 slots that can each run in x8 to let you power a multi-GPU configuration. There are also two M.2 slots for PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe SSDs. And, your networking options will get a speed boost with both Wi-Fi 6 and 2.5 Gigabit LAN.
3. Asus TUF Gaming Z490-Plus
Best Mid-Range Intel Motherboard
CPU Socket: LGA1200 Chipset: Z490 Memory Slots: 4 x DDR4 Channel Support: Dual Max Memory Speed: 4,600MHz Max Memory Capacity: 128GB Expansion Slots: 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16; 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 (4 lanes); 3 x PCIe 3.0 x1 M.2 Slots: 2 x M.2 slot PCIe 3.0 x 4 (Key M) Audio Chipset: Realtek ALC S1200A Wi-Fi: Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.1 Headers: 1 x CPU Fan, 1 x CPU OPT Fan, 3 x System Fan, 1 x COM port RGB Headers: 2 x Aura RGB Strip, 1 x Addressable Gen 2 Internal I/O: 6 x Sata 6Gb/s, 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (supports 2 ports), 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x Thunderbolt, 1 x Front Panel Audio, Rear Ports: 1 x HDMI 1.4b, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 1 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x PS/2 Keyboard/mouse Combo Port, 1 x 1Gb LAN, 1 x Optical Audio Out, 5 x Audio Ports Size: 12″ x 9.6″
Asus’s TUF Gaming line gives you bang for your buck, and that can’t hurt when you’ve just plunked down some cash on a 10th-Gen Intel Core processor. The Asus TUF Gaming Z490-Plus will let you make the most of that chip with few compromises. You’ll get plenty of room for high-speed memory, and even dual PCIe 3.0 x 16 slots (though the second only has 4 PCIe lanes). Three extra PCIe 3.0 x1 slots will let you connect an assortment of add-in cards, and two M.2 slots offer up room for fast NVMe SSDs. You’ll also find support for USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports and Thunderbolt, so you can connect high-speed peripherals.4. ASRock H470 Phantom Gaming 4
Best Budget Intel Motherboard
CPU Socket: LGA1200 Chipset: H470 Memory Slots: 4 x DDR4 Channel Support: Dual Max Memory Speed: 2,933MHz Max Memory Capacity: 128GB Expansion Slots: 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16; 1 x PCIe 3.0 x16 (4 lanes); 3 x PCIe 3.0 x1 M.2 Slots: 1 x M.2 WiFi/BT (E Key), 2 x M.2 Slot PCIe 3.0 x 4 (Key M) Audio Chipset: Realtek ALC1200 Audio Codec Wi-Fi: n/a Bluetooth: n/a Headers: 1 x CPU Fan, 1 x Water Pump Fan, 4 x System Fan, 1 x TPM RGB Headers: 2 x RGB LED, 2 x Addressable LED Internal I/O: 6 x Sata 6Gb/s, 1 x Thunderbolt, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (supports 4 ports), 2 x USB 2.0 (supports 4 ports), 1 x Front Panel Audio Rear Ports: 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x Antenna, 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 1 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x PS//2 Mouse/Keyboard Port, 1 x 1Gb LAN, 3 x Audio Ports Size: 12″ x 8.8″
If you only need to let a few components in your system shine, there’s no shame in going with a more affordable motherboard. The ASRock H470 Phantom Gaming 4 is a compelling option. At just about $100, it’ll get you up and running on the latest Intel CPUs. You won’t get the fastest RAM speeds or support for CPU overclocking, but many games don’t need you to go beyond stock speeds just to get playable visuals. You can get extra fast SSD speeds though, as there are two M.2 slots running at PCIe 3.0 x4 speeds. And, if you want to go heavy on graphics, this board supports CrossFireX.5. Asus ROG X570 Crosshair VIII Hero (Wi-Fi)
Best AMD Motherboard
CPU Socket: AM4 Chipset: X570 Memory Slots: 4 x DDR4 Channel Support: Dual Max Memory Speed: 4,800MHz Max Memory Capacity: 128GB Expansion Slots: 2 x PCIe 4.0 x 16 (single at x16, dual at x8/x8), 1 x PCIe 4.0 x 16 (4 lanes), 1 x PCIe 4.0 x1 M.2 Slots: 2 x M.2 slot PCIe 4.0 x 4 (Key M) Audio Chipset: ROG SupremeFX 8-Channel Wi-Fi: Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.0 Headers: 1 x CPU Fan, 1 x CPU OPT Fan, 3 x System Fan, 1 x AIO Pump, 1 x H_AMP Fan, 1 x W_PUMP+, 1 x TPM RGB Headers: 2 x Aura RGB Strip, 2 x Addressable Gen 2 Internal I/O: 8 x Sata 6Gb/s, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (2 ports), 2 x USB 2.0 (4 ports), 1 x Speaker Rear Ports: 8 x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x 2.5Gb LAN, 1 x 1Gb Lan, , 1 x ASUS Wi-Fi Module, 1 x Optical Audio Out, 5 x Audio Ports Size: 12″ x 9.6″
The Asus ROG X570 Crosshair VIII Hero (Wi-Fi) gives you all the expandability and overclocking potential of a high-end AM4 motherboard, but without a price that completely empties your bank account. it still costs a pretty penny at $380, but it’s well worth the expense if you mean to take advantage of the untapped potential of your Ryzen-based system. Thanks to its modern X570 chipset there support for a much wider range of dual-channel DDR4 memory, as well as PCIe 4.0 SSDs and GPUs. The light show youll be able to generate on this part is also quite the spectacle to behold, even if it isnt quite ornate as the Gigabyte X570 Aorus Xtreme. This mobo is a hard-hitting performer.6. Gigabyte X570 Aorus Xtreme
Best High-End AMD Motherboard
CPU Socket: AM4 Chipset: X570 Memory Slots: 4 x DDR4 Channel Support: Dual Max Memory Speed: 4,400MHz Max Memory Capacity: 128GB Expansion Slots: 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16; 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 (8 lanes); 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 (4 lanes) M.2 Slots: 3 x M.2 slot PCIe 4.0 x 4 (Key M) Audio Chipset: Realtek ALC1220-VB codec Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.0 Headers: 1 x CPU Fan, 1 x Water Cooling Fan, 2 x System Fan/Water Pump, 4 x System Fan, 2 x Temperature Sensor, 1 x Noise Detection, 1 x TPM RGB Headers: 2 x Addressable LED strip, 2 x RGB LED strip Internal I/O: 6 x Sata 6Gb/s, 1 x Front Panel, 1 x Front Panel Audio, 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x USB 2.0 Rear Ports: 2 x SMA Antenna, 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 5 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x 10Gb LAN, 1 x 1Gb Lan, 1 x Optical Audio Out, 5 x Audio Ports Size: 12″ x 10.63″
If youre building the ultimate AMD-centric rig with the latest third-generation Ryzen processors, youre going to want the absolute best motherboard money can buy as your foundation. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better motherboard than the Gigabyte X570 Aorus Xtreme. With a modern AM4 socket designed to handle the extreme core counts and power demands of Ryzen 3rd Generation processors.Its X570 chipset comes with full support for PCIe 4.0 storage and graphics cards like the AMD Radeon RX 5700 and 5700 XT. A couple of other niceties of the Gigabyte Aorus X570 Xtreme is every single connector is pitched at a 90-degree angle to make cable management seamless and you’ll also find plenty of RGB lighting onboard. This is what youll need for a high-end, modern AMD build.
7. MSI MPG X570 Gaming Plus
Best Mid-Range AMD Motherboard
CPU Socket: AM4 Chipset: X570 Memory Slots: 4 x DDR4 Channel Support: Dual Max Memory Speed: 4,400MHz Max Memory Capacity: 128GB Expansion Slots: 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16; 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 (4 lanes); 1 x PCIe 3.0 x1 M.2 Slots: 1 x M.2 slot PCIe 4.0 x 4 (Key M), 1 x M.2 slot PCIe 3.0 x 4 (Key M) Audio Chipset: Realtek ALC1220 codec Wi-Fi: n/a Bluetooth: n/a Headers: 1 x CPU Fan, 4 x System Fan, 1 x Water Pump, 1 x TPM RGB Headers: 4 x RGB Internal I/O: 6 x Sata 6Gb/s, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (4 ports), 2 x USB 2.0 (4 ports), 1 x Front Panel Audio Rear Ports: 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 1 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x 1Gb LAN, 1 x PS/2, 1 x Optical Audio Out, 5 x Audio Ports Size: 12″ x 9.6″
The X570 motherboards we’ve looked at up to this point have been pretty expensive, much more so than the cost of X470 boards. However, the MSI MPG X570 Gaming Plus is one option that takes AMD motherboard prices back to sane levels. For $170, this mobo costs half as much as most X570 motherboards, but it retains almost all the features a hardcore gamer will want.Thanks to its generous overclocking features youll be able to speed up your CPU as well as push your memory to 4,400MHzand beyond thanks to the new extreme memory overclocking support. What’s more, you get one PCIe 4.0 lane for both a graphics card and M.2 solid-state drive.
8. Gigabyte X570 Gaming X
Best Budget AMD Motherboard
CPU Socket: AM4 Chipset: X570 Memory Slots: 4 x DDR4 Channel Support: Dual Max Memory Speed: 4,400MHz Max Memory Capacity: 128GB Expansion Slots: 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16; 1 x PCIe 4.0 x16 (4 lanes); 3 x PCIe 4.0 x1 M.2 Slots: 2 x M.2 slot PCIe 4.0 x 4 (Key M) Audio Chipset: Realtek ALC887 Codec Wi-Fi: n/a Bluetooth: n/a Headers: 1 x CPU Fan, 1 x Water Cooling Fan, 2 x System Fan, 1 x TPM RGB Headers: 1 x CPU Cooler LED Strip, 2 x Addressable LED Strip, 2 x RGB LED Strip Internal I/O: 6 x Sata 6Gb/s, 1 x Front Panel, 1 x Front Panel Audio, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2 x USB 2.0 Rear Ports: 1 x HDMI, 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x 1Gb LAN, 1 x PS/2 Keyboard, 1 x PS/2 Mouse, 3 x Audio Ports Size: 12″ x 9.6″
Getting a motherboard that can fully unlock the potential of AMD’s latest Ryzen 3rd Generation processors doesn’t necessarily have to cost a fortune. The Gigabyte X570 Gaming X packs an impressive overclocking punch for its low price thanks to its 12 True Phase Digital VRMs. For the low cost of $170, you also still get RGB lighting and all the important features that actually matter like dual M.2 PCIe 4.0 slots and a PCIe 4.0 x 16 slot for AMD’s newest Navi graphics cards.What’s Next For Gaming Motherboards
The announcement of Ryzen Threadripper 3rd Generation processors came with the introduction of TRX40 motherboards. Although it might seem like these motherboards have the same socket AMD has used since introducing its first Zen-based HEDT chips, this new platform utilizes a new sTRX4 socket that makes buying a new motherboard essential to any Threadripper 3rd Generation system.While this will be an inconvenience to those hoping to continue using their X399 motherboards into the next generation, you at least get PCI-Express 4.0 support. In fact, you get 48 PCIe 4.0 lanes straight off the processor itself then another 24 from the TRX40 chipsetjust be prepared to pay for some pricey motherboards
What to Look for in a Gaming Motherboard
Below we’ve broken down the various chipsets that Intel and AMD processors support along with what specifications and features you should look for in a motherboard.You might be wondering what makes a motherboard good for gaming when you can pretty much game (to a limited degree) on an Ultrabook these days. Well, it comes down to choosing a gaming motherboard, youll want to find one that can do everything you want, whether that be overclocking your processor, having multiple M.2 slots for the fastest solid-state drives or Nvidia SLI and AMD Crossfire support to plug in more than one graphics card.
But lets quickly go back to the most basic thing you should look for when buying a motherboard: chipsets. Intel and AMD processors are designed to work with a variety of tiered chipsets. The highest-end Intel motherboards will feature a Z390 chipset that supports the latest Intel 9th Generation processors with native 802.11ac Wi-Fi and USB 3.1 Gen 2 connectivity and up to 24 PCIe lanes. Additionally, these high-end motherboards will be made of better materials and components to consistently deliver the power necessary for overclocking components attached to them.
Just below that, youll find a Z370 chipset that is nearly identical to the Z390 chipset, except it lacks the native 802.11ac Wi-Fi and USB 3.1 Gen 2 support. With an H370 motherboard, Intel CPUs will only have access to 20 PCIe lanes while losing the ability to overclock. Next up is the Intel B360 chipset, which drops the number of PCIe lanes to 12. Lastly, the Intel H310 chipset only supports six PCIe lanes.
AMD motherboards mostly follow the same tiered system, except youll be able to overclock your CPU on almost any motherboard. The highest-end chipset on this platform is X570 and it complicates things a bit by having PCIe 4.0 lanes that support twice the bandwidth of PCIe 3.0 lanes. X570 comes with 16 PCIe 4.0 lanes and a Ryzen 3rd Generation CPU itself adds another 20 PCIe 4.0 lanes.
Older AMD AM4 platforms like X470 supports 28 PCIe 3.0 lanes, meanwhile, B450 motherboards only have access to 24 PCIe PCIe 3.0 lanes. The A320 chipset is the only one that doesnt support overclocking Ryzen CPUs, but honestly, youd be better off spending a little more on a B450 or B350 motherboard instead.
We mentioned PCIe lanes before and these are important because they dictate how many high-speed components you can install into your PC. For example, a single graphics card can use up 16 PCIe lanes and each NVMe SSD needs four PCIe lanes to operate at its maximum speed.
Youll also want to look for a motherboard with all the physical PCIe slots you need to plug in your components. The good news is that most ATX boards come with at least two to three PCIe slots to slot in multiple GPUs using either Nvidia SLI or AMD Crossfire. M.2 PCIe slots will also be crucial for plugging in the fastest NVMe solid-state drives, should they be part of your build as well.
And those are pretty much the basics you need to know about buying yourself a quality motherboard. Be aware that weve primarily chosen only the best full-sized ATX motherboards in this guide, but there are also microATX and Mini-ITX motherboards to consider if youre building a smaller PC.
Kevin Lee is IGN’s Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspamMark Knapp is a regular contributor to IGN and an irregular Tweeter on Twitter @Techn0Mark
Home>>Theatre>>Whether you’re on the red team or the blue team, you need a solid motherboard for your next gaming rig. Here are our choices for the best motherboards for both Intel and AMD systems at every price point.
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