– Advertisement –
With Intel offering price-cuts on their existing line-up of products, this is not a bad time to go for an Intel-based build. That said, a motherboard is extremely important for your system. While it won’t have a huge impact on performance, it is required to keep all the other components functioning properly. More importantly, if you’re planning to overclock, you need to be careful. You can get away with a fairly cheap motherboard for AMD processors. However, you need to opt for a more robust solution when it comes to Intel motherboards. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Make sure your processor is supported by the motherboard. The mainstream processors require an LGA 1151 socket while the HEDT X-Series chips require an LGA 2066 motherboard.
- The most important when it comes to a motherboard is the VRM setup. A VRM acts as a power supply for your processor. A cheap motherboard will have a lower VRM which may lead to unusual system behavior, crashes and damage other expensive components. So, it is always important to get a motherboard with a robust VRM setup. Moreover, overclocking requires a pretty good VRM setup as well.
- The Z370 chipset will work for the most budget to mid-range builds. If you’re using the newer i9 processors, you’ll need the Z390 motherboards. If you want to save some money, however, you can go for the H370, Q370, B360, or H310 boards. But keep in mind that they won’t support overclocking.
- The bigger the board, the more ports, and features it will have. A mini-ITX and micro-ITX boards will have fewer features and lesser I/O while a full-sized will generally have a nice selection of I/O and extra features.
Best Intel Motherboard for 8th Gen Processors: ASUS TUF Z370 PLUS GAMING
- Price: Rs. 15,540 (Link)
- Recommended for 8400, 8600K, 8700K Processors
- Chipset: Intel Z370
- Form Factor: ATX
- RAM: 4 x DIMM Up to 64GB DDR4
- Storage: 2 x M.2 Socket, 6 x SATA 6Gb/s
- I/O: 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 2, 6 x USB 3.0 Gen 2 , 6x USB 2.0
- Display: 1 x HDMI, 1 x DVI-D
The ASUS TUF Z370 is a very well rounded motherboard. It will support pretty much all processors from the 8400 all the way up to the 8700K. You can also use this for the 9th generation processors, including the 9400, 9700K and the 9900K but it requires a BIOS flash to work. That said, it includes an extremely robust VRM cooling solution along with a great selection of I/O. It also includes support for up to 64GB of DDR4 RAM with speeds up to 4000MHz with OC.
Best Intel Motherboard for 9th Gen Processors: ASUS TUF Z390 PLUS GAMING
- Price: Rs. 15,469 (Link)
- Recommended for 9400, 9600K, 9700K Processors
- Chipset: Intel Z390
- Form Factor: ATX
- RAM: 4 x DIMM Up to 64GB DDR4
- Storage: 2 x M.2 Socket, 6 x SATA 6Gb/s
- I/O: 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 2, 6 x USB 3.0 Gen 2 , 6x USB 2.0
- Display: 1 x HDMI, 1 x DVI-D
– Advertisement –
The ASUS TUF Z390 is probably the best-valued motherboard around for 9th Gen processors and overclocking enthusiasts. It works out-the-box and doesn’t require a BIOS flash. It features all the positives about its Z370 predecessor and adds an even better VRM cooling solution. Moreover, it also includes RGB and support for the 9900K as well. If you will be overclocking, and don’t want a flagship board, the ASUS TUF is your best option and will do the job just as well.
Best Budget Motherboard: Asus PRIME H310M-E
- Price: Rs. 4,475 (Link)
- Recommended for 9100, 8400 and 9400 processors
- Chipset: Intel H310
- Form Factor: mATX
- RAM: 2x DIMM DDR4 2666/2400/2133 MHz
- Storage: 1 x M.2 Socket 3, 4 x SATA 6Gb/s
- I/O: 4 x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 6 x USB 2.0/1.1 port(s), 3 x Audio jack(s), 1 x LAN
- Display: 1 x HDMI, 1 x D-Sub
The ASUS Prime H310 is the best pick for a budget motherboard. While overclocking is a strict no-no and it doesn’t have the best VRM setup, it is still a solid board. It supports pretty much all 8th and 9th Gen processors from the i3 all the way up to the i7. While you shouldn’t opt for this you’re using a higher-end chip, it is the perfect pick for budget builds. At under 5K, it offers unbeatable value.
Best High-End Motherboards for Enthusiasts: ASRock Taichi Z390
- Price: Rs. 19,200 (Link)
- Recommended for 8700K, 9700K and 9900K
- Chipset: Intel Z390
- Form Factor: ATX
- RAM: 4x DIMM 64GB DDR4 up to 4200MHz
- Storage: 3x M.2 Socket 3, 8x SATA 6Gb/s
- I/O: 9x USB 3.1, 1x USB 3.1 Type-C, 2x Gigabit LAN ports, Realtek HD Audio Codec
- Display: 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x Display Port 1.4,
The ASRock Taichi Z390 is the undisputable best motherboard that you can get for an Intel-based build. It offers all the flagship features and is aimed at enthusiast builds with multi-GPU setups. It offers best-in-class VRM cooling and some of the best I/O available on the market. With 2 Intel Gigabit LAN ports and a Realtek HD Audio Codec, it has no compromises. For overclocking, it is undoubtedly the best board available. Moreover, compared to the ROG Crosshair flagship, it is around 10K cheaper, and you can find it on sale for around 20K a lot of times. Even at its 31.5K MRP, it is a solid recommendation. Try this Amazon link if it is unavailable.
Further Reading:
– Advertisement –