The Core i9 – 9900K was a beast and, even to this date, holds up against the top CPUs. The eight-core Core i9 is robust, thanks to engineers at Intel. It is the refreshed Skylake architecture but still performs strongly in 2020. The Core i9 uses the same old 14nm fabrication and has a lot of power draw to produces a lot of heat. But if you can set aside those factors, this is the right CPU for the price.
A high-end CPU will need a better motherboard. Using a cheap or knockoff motherboard isn’t going to bode well with the processor. So we have accumulated a list of the best motherboards for your Core i9 – 9900K. Each motherboard on the list is specifically handpicked, looking at the price point and functionality.
9th Generation Core i9 CPU and its SKUs:
The Core i9 is Intel’s top of the line processor. Intel provides the highest number of cores with aggressive clock speed timing. The Core i9 is the highest of the bunch but has tons of SKUs, confusing to average consumers.
The Core i9 comes in 7 different SKUs, but we are focusing on the Desktop variants. There are four desktop processor SKUs in the market. All the processors have the same Core i9 – 9900 naming. But the suffix on the name distinguishes each of the Core i9 lineups.
Suffix
“K” – Unlocked, the processor is overclockable.
“F” – Comes with no integrated GPU
“S” – Special CPU with higher clock speed “Hand Picked Faster CPUs.”
Core i9 SKUs:
| Processor | Base Frequency | Boost Frequency | Cache |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core i9 – 9900KS | 5.00 GHz | 4.00 GHz | 16MB Intel Cache |
| Core i9 – 9900K | 5.00 GHz | 3.60 GHz | 16MB Intel Cache |
| Core i9 – 9900KF | 5.00 GHz | 3.60 GHz | 16MB Intel Cache |
| Core i9 – 9900 | 5.00 GHz | 3.60 GHz | 16MB Intel Cache |
Is it wise to get i9-9900K in 2020?
It is a tough decision to take on the Core i9 in 2020; there are many options in the market ranging from AMD’s Ryzen 9 3900X to the Ryzen 9 3950X.
i9-9900k’s direct competitor, Ryzen 9 3900X comes with 12 cores and 24 threads. AMD has an upper edge on the multi-core workloads, but Intel has the upper hand on the single-core performance. Intel beats the Ryzen 3900X with exceptional gaming performance to score high FPS in 1080p and 1440p gaming scenario.
| Intel Core i9 9900K | AMD Ryzen 9 3900X |
|
|---|---|---|
| Process node | 14nm | 7nm |
| Cores | 8 | 12 |
| Threads | 16 | 24 |
| L2/L3 cache | 2MB/16MB | 6MB/64MB |
| Base clock speed | 3.6GHz | 3.8GHz |
| Boost clock speed | 4.7GHz (all cores) 5GHz (one core) | 4.1GHz+ (all cores) 4.6GHz (one core) |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 630 | No |
| TDP | 95w | 105w |
But the Ryzen 9 3900X has more cores better for content creator work. Prices have come down a lot, and the Core i9 – 9900K comes for around $500, a lot cheaper than Ryzen 9 3900X. But if gaming is your main task, the Core i9 is fitting. Or whether you are upgrading from a Core i7 on a Z390 motherboard, it is a good bet. Plus, it has more cores than Core i7, which might come in handy.
But there are stock issues on both Ryzen and Intel front. Intel looks to discontinue the Core i9 9th gen soon, and there isn’t a fair upgrade path. So buying a new system doesn’t fit the choice. But if you don’t look to update your system in the next 6 years and solely look at gaming, the Core i9 – 9900K is a great CPU.
But if you want more performance, longevity with an upgrade path, the Ryzen 9 3900X is looking good on all fronts.
So here is our list of the best Z390 Motherboard for Core i9 – 9900K.
| Design | Best Z390 Motherboard for Core i9 – 9900K | Model | Specification | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Best High-End Z390 Motherboard for i9 – 9900K | Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Extreme | Size Form Factor : E-ATX Max Supported RAM : 128 GB | Check Price |
 | Best Budget Z390 Motherboard i9 – 9900K | ASRock Z390 Taichi Ultimate | Size Form Factor : ATX Max Supported RAM : 128 GB | Check Price |
 | Best Mid-Range ATX Z390 motherboard i9 | Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Pro | Size Form Factor : ATX Max Supported RAM : 128 GB | Check Price |
 | Best mATX Z390 motherboard i9 – 9900K | ASUS ROG Maximus XI Gene | Size Form Factor : mATX Max Supported RAM : 64 GB | Check Price |
 | Best Mini-ITX Z390 Motherboard i9 – 9900K | AsRock z390 Phantom Gaming | Size Form Factor : Mini-ITX Max Supported RAM : 64 GB | Check Price |
 | First Alternative Z390 motherboard i9 – 9900K | GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS Master | Size Form Factor : ATX Max Supported RAM : 128 GB | Check Price |
 | Best RGB Z390 Motherboard i9 – 9900K | MSI MEG Godlike Z390 | Size Form Factor : E-ATX Max Supported RAM : 128 GB | Check Price |
 | Best Z390 Motherboard For Gaming | Asus ROG Strix Z390-E | Size Form Factor : ATX Max Supported RAM : 128 GB | Check Price |
 | Best Entry Level Z390 Motherboard | MSI MAG Z390 Tomahawk | Size Form Factor : ATX Max Supported RAM : 128 GB | Check Price |
 | Barebones Z390 Motherboard | Gigabyte Z390 UD V2 | Size Form Factor : ATX Max Supported RAM : 128 GB | Check Price |
 | Best ATX Z390 Motherboard | Gigabyte Z390 Designare | Size Form Factor : ATX Max Supported RAM : 128 GB | Check Price |
Best High-End Z390 Motherboard for i9-9900K- Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Xtreme
The Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Xtreme is the best High-End Motherboard for the Core i9 – 9900K. The specifications are top-notch, fully unlocking the power of the 8-core CPU. Not only that, the Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Xtreme fits professionals and enthusiasts with its excellent pricing.
The 16 power phase design on the Aorus Xtreme is sufficient for keeping the CPU in check. Gigabyte uses the best capacitors and quality components in its higher-end motherboard, offering better stability and higher overclocking potential. The motherboard’s power phase can keep and stable overclock on the Core i9 – 9900K. Now that is what peak high-end motherboards should sound like.
The 8 layer PCB is backed up with a 4 x DDR4 DIMM slot supporting 128 GB of total RAM in Dual-channel. The motherboard supports DDR4 4400 MHz motherboard maximum when overclocked. The motherboard has three 16x PCIe slots with two 1x PCIe slots. It has tons of storage options from NVMe PCIe SSD to SATA III 6Gbps ports.
The Aquantia GbE Lan adds a 10 GBit connection on the motherboard for better connectivity. Gigabyte included Intel GbE 1GBit as a backup for extra connectivity options. The wireless connectivity on the motherboard 802.11ac with Bluetooth 5 support. It supports both 2.4GHz/5 GHz band connection. The USB connectivity option is endless with a 2 x USB Type-C port with Thunderbolt 3 support. It has 4 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A ports and 4 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports, and the older 2 x USB 2.0 port.
Best Budget Z390 Motherboard i9 – 9900K – AsRock Z390 Taichi Ultimate
AsRock does make some great motherboards, and they have some compelling products from the Taichi series. The AsRock Z390 Taichi Ultimate offers better specifications for its price. Plus, you are getting a lot for its price, 10GB ethernet and 12 phase power supply, and many more.
The 12 power phase design offers better stability for the Core i9 – 9900K. It does support overclocking, but it won’t take you far. On the peak, you can overclock the Core i9 over 5.1 GHz if you time it right. The motherboard has 4 DIMM slots supporting DDR4 4200 MHz maximum. It supports up to 128 GB of system memory.
The motherboard has three 16x PCIe slots and two 1X PCIe slots for expansion. It has three PCIe M.2 SSD with 8 x SATA 3 6GBps port as well. There is endless possibility for storage expansion and supports Raid 0, Raid 1, Raid 5, and Raid 10. The aesthetic might not quite match your suiting with its average looks.
The Aquantia 10 GbE is a savior for the budget section. The 10 GbE ethernet gives a better stable connection and faster transfer speed. The motherboard supports Dual-band wireless connection. AsRock added tons of USB featuring 3 USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports, 8 USB 3.01 Gen 1 ports, and a single USB Type-C port. It is a bummer seeing no Thunderbolt 3 support on the Type-C port. But we are glad to have included a 10 GbE Aquantia port instead of the Thunderbolt 3 support.
Best Mid-Range ATX Z390 motherboard i9 – 9900K – Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Pro
Yes, there are a lot of Gigabyte Z390 motherboards on this list. Gigabyte has created one of the best motherboards for both Intel and AMD platforms and is aesthetically pleasing. The Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Pro is the toned-down version of the Aorus Xtreme. It has similar high-quality components and VRMs.
The 12+1 power phase motherboard is a robust solution offering better stability for the higher-end Core i9 CPU. The 12+1 VRM easily handles the load on the 8 cores CPU but might struggle when getting over 5.1 GHz. But it has a robust cooling heatsink allowing for higher-clock without overheating the VRMs.
It has 4 DIMM slot support maximum of 128 GB system memory rated at 4133 MHz. It supports both ECC and non-ECC memory, all in the dual-channel configuration. As for the expansion, the motherboard has three 16x PCIe slots and three 1x PCIe slots. The storage option is still going strong with two PCIe M.2 slots and eight PCIe SATA III slots for storage expansion.
As for the connectivity, you are cut down to a single Intel 1GbE Lan port. It might not be as fast as the 10GbE, but you are not even getting a 2.5GbE. Yes, the motherboard’s build is excellent, but 2.5GbE Ethernet. You will be missing the Thunderbolt 3 supported Type-C port as well. The back has a single Type-C port, two USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A ports, 3 x USB 3.1 USB Gen 1 port, and an older 4 x USB 2.0.
Best mATX Z390 motherboard i9 – 9900K – ASUS ROG Maximus XI Gene
Asus provides the most top-end motherboard but with a hefty premium price tag. They provide the best motherboard with top of the line components. The Asus ROG Maximus XI Gene is one of the beautiful motherboards on this round-up. It not only pleases aesthetically but has one the best components for an mATX motherboard. It is the best mATX motherboard for the Core i9-9900K.
The motherboard has two DIMM slots with only 64GB of maximum support. It is the smallest memory size support in our round-up. ROG Maximus XI Gene supports 4800MHz DDR4 RAM scattered across in Dual-channel configuration. It has only a single 16x PCIe slot and one 1x expansion slot. There are 2 SSD slots on the motherboard. There is a DIMM slot sized SSD expansion beside RAM slots for easier installation. It is more comfortable compared to the SSD on the side of the motherboard.
The motherboard comes with 1 GbE LAN port enough for gaming purposes and a high-speed connection. As for the wireless connectivity, you are only getting Wifi-5 or 802.11ac modules on the motherboard. The ROG Z390 comes with 3 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports, 1 x USB Type-C port, 6 x USB 3.1 Gen 1. There is no Thunderbolt 3 support on the USB Type-C, kind of a big bummer.
Best Mini-ITX Z390 Motherboard i9 – 9900K – AsRock Z390 Phantom Gaming ITX
AsRock Z390 Phantom Gaming ITX is a cutdown version of the already present Phantom Gaming ATX motherboard. The Z390 motherboard is built like a tank for a Mini-ITX motherboard. IT features robust features and clean black aesthetics, matching any build in particular. It fits an SFF build filled with high-end components.
The mini-ITX motherboard has a weak 7 phase VRM, which supports the Core i9 – 9900K. But when it comes to overclocking, there isn’t much wiggle room for the voltage. Overclocking the Core i9 in the SFF builds already sounds hard. SFF builds are already compact, and overclocking the CPU will choke the thermals on the Core i9. The board supports DDR4 4500MHz RAM. AsRock mini-ITX only supports 64 GB RAM scattered across two DIMM slots.
The 8 layer PCB comes with a single PCIe x16 expansion slot. There is a dual M.2 SSD; the front features a heatsink, whereas another lies behind the motherboard. It has 4 x SATA ports for storage expansion supporting RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10. The connectivity is impressive with its Intel Gigabit Ethernet and Dual Band wifi 802.11ac. As for the USB connectivity, you are limited to 4 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 and 2 x USB 3.1 ports on the back.
First Alternative Z390 motherboard i9 – 9900K – Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Master
Aorus has tons of motherboard lineup and might be confusing for new buyers. Gigabyte’s Aorus Master might be the first alternative to the high-end motherboard. If the Aorus Xtreme is out of stock or hard to find, the Aorus Master is your next bet. The motherboard almost has the same feature and will likely cost less than Xtreme as well.
The motherboard features a weaker 12 power phase VRM. Even though it is weaker than Aorus Xtreme but it still can hold the Core i9 pretty well. The Core i9- 9900K sustains better clock speeds and can be overclocked. The motherboard is pretty strong, featuring 4 x DDR4 DIMM slots with DDR4 4400 MHz’s max speed. It runs a maximum of 128GB memory scattered across Dual-Channel memory.
The motherboard has three PCIe X16 expansion slots and two PCIe x1 slots. As for the storage, it comes with three PCIe M.2 Slots for SSD expansion. The storage is expandable through the 6 x SATA port on the motherboard. It supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10 for better storage configuration and supports Intel Optane Memory.
The connectivity on the motherboard is weak, featuring a single 1 GbE. That is good enough for gaming and working in a network. It has an 802.11ac wifi module with Dual-Band support and Bluetooth 5. Gigabyte includes 1 x USB Type-C supporting Thunderbolt 3 support. It has 3 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A port, 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 and 4 x USB 2.0 port.
Best RGB Z390 Motherboard i9 – 9900K – MSI MEG Godlike Z390
MSI Godlike motherboard is their high-end motherboard packing a lot of features. It looks premium and has a premium price tag on it. But you are getting a lot for its price, and comes with tons of expansion cards. Plus, there are a lot of RGB elements on the motherboard able to match your overall build.
The MSI is known for its budget-friendly motherboard, but this Z390 motherboard is a class above all. But the Godlike motherboard is on the next level. It has 18 power phase VRM providing stable power and better overclocking results. The VRM on the motherboard is powerful enough to push 5+ GHz on all cores. The MSI Z390 Godlike comes with 4 X DDR4 DIMM slot scatter across Dual-Channel configuration. It supports a maximum of 128 GB DDR4 with a max of 4600 MHz.
The MSI Z390 Godlike has four 16x PCIe expansion slots and a single 1x PCIe expansion slot. As for the memory, the motherboard comes with three M.2 slots and a single U.2 slot for storage expansion. There is 6 SATA III port on the motherboard supporting RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10 configuration. You are getting an extra SSD expansion PCIe card, adding more in the mix.
The connectivity is not that good; the Godlike comes with 1 GbE Killer LAN port. Other than there is a Killer wifi module on the motherboard supporting Dual-band wireless connection and Bluetooth 5. As for connectivity, there is a single USB Type-C port, 2 x USB Type-A 3.1 Gen 1 port, 3 x USB Type-A 3.1 Gen 2 port.
Best Z390 Motherboard For Gaming – Asus ROG Strix Z390-E
Asus has the best motherboard featuring premium components and tons of aesthetic baked into it. Asus ROG Strix Z390-E motherboard is an ATX motherboard featuring gaming-grade components and fitting for any gamer wanting RGB features. As always, the ROG always attracts gamers thanks to its aesthetic.
The ROG Strix Z390-E comes with a 10 phase power design perfectly fitting the Core i9 – 9900K. The Asus ROG Strix Z390 easily handles the Core i9 – 9900K, but it doesn’t fully support heavy overclocking. It has 4 x DDR4 DIMM Slot supporting a maximum of 4266 MHz RAM. It has a maximum of 128 GB on Dual-Channel configuration memory.
There are three 16x expansion slots with PCIe Gen 3.0 slots and three 1x expansion slots. It has a 2 x M.2 socket for the SSD supporting the PCIe 3.0 lanes. The Strix Z390-E has a 6 x RAID SATA port configured in Raid 0, Raid 1, Raid 5, and Raid 10. It also supports Intel Optane Memory for boosting the storage speed.
As for the connectivity, you get only 1 GbE Ethernet LAN, which is enough for gaming. Asus adds a Dual-Band wireless modem featuring 802.11ac. It has Bluetooth 5.0 additional wireless connectivity. The motherboard features tons of USB from the 3 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 port, 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 2 x USB 2.0, and a Single USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C with no thunderbolt support.
Best Entry Level Z390 Motherboard – MSI MAG Z390 Tomahawk
The MSI MAG Z390 is the best budget motherboard. Budget system builders are blessed with MMSI’sTomahawk range as it offers functionality and features. It has tons of RGB elements with a black aesthetic.
The MSI Tomahawk MAX comes with a 9 power phase system. It handles the Core i9 – 9900K quite well but doesn’t support well due to its weak power delivery. It supports 128 GB of system memory with DDR4. The MSI MAG Z390 supports 4400Mhz RAM spread across 4 DIMM slots in a Dual-channel configuration.
The Tomahawk is an ATX motherboard with three 16x expansion slots and two 1x expansion slots. It supports SLI and crossfire, but it is now ancient technology. The motherboard has two M.2 slots with 6 SATA ports. The storage supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10 technology.
The MSI has a Dual Intel GbE Ethernet LAN port for connectivity. It has a 1GbE connection better for gaming and high-speed data transfer. There is no WIFI module, but there is an expansion slot for the wireless card. As for the USB port, there is 2 x USB 2.0, 2 x USB Gen 3.1 Gen 1 port, 1 x USB Gen 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A and Type-C port.
Barebones Z390 Motherboard – Gigabyte Z390 UD V2 Motherboard
You are tight on the budget and need a basic motherboard to support the Core i9 – 9900K? The Gigabyte Z390 UD V2 motherboard is the basic stripped down version. There isn’t much feature and kind of limits the feature of the CPU.
The 9 phase power design of the handles the Core i9 – 9900K. The VRM isn’t that powerful and struggles to keep up with the Core i9. DDon’teven thinks to overclock the CPU using this motherboard. As for the system, it supports 128 GB system memory with maximum 4266MHz memory speed support.
The Gigabyte Z390 UD has three 16x PCIe expansion slots and three 1x PCIe expansion slots. It has a single M.2 connector with an additional 6 x SATA port for storage expansion. As for the RAID configuration, the motherboard supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10.
The connection on the motherboard is weak, with only a single Intel GbE port on the back. There is no wireless connectivity on the motherboard, but it can be added through one expansion slot. It has 6 X USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports on the back with no USB Type-C port. As the title shows, it only runs the Core i9 – 9900K with no problem but minimizes the feature set.
Best ATX Z390 Motherboard – Gigabyte Z390 Designare
Gigabyte Z390 Designare is one for multimedia creators. The Gigabyte strictly made the product for the heavy creators. Gigabyte Z390 Designare uses top-quality capacitors and components backed up with longevity in mind.
The Gigabyte Z390 Designare comes with a powerful 12+1 power phase with overclocking potential. The Z390 Designare holds up the Core i9 9900K with a lot of extra power. The VRM does support overclocking but doesn’t push 5 GHz on all cores. IIt’sVRM is weak compared to the others, but it will squeeze a lit bit more out of the 8 core CPU. As for the memory, the motherboard supports DDR4 4266 MHz and a total of 128 GB system memory scattered across 4 DIMM slots.
The Z390 Designare has three PCIe 16x expansion slots and two 1x expansion slots. It has two M.2 slots with an extra six SATA III slots for storage expansion. The storage supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10 storage configuration. The board is Intel Optane Memory ready for boosting the storage speed.
The motherboard comes with two Intel GbE LAN for connectivity. Gigabyte outfitted the board with wifi 802.11ac supporting Dual-Band connection with additional Bluetooth 5 support. The USB ports have two full USB Type-C with USB 3.1 Gen 2 with Thunderbolt 3 support. It has 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 and 2 x USB 2.0 ports on the motherboard’s back.
Buyer’s Guide
So the Core i9 – 9900K is expensive hardware, but now it has lowered its price. The Core i9 – 9900K requires a powerful motherboard with a stable VRM configuration. Plus, there are tons of options on the market as it uses the normalized LGA 1151 socket.
Chipset and Socket:
The Core i9 – 9900K uses the standard LGA 1151 socket, standard across 8th gen and 9th gen platforms. Usually, the 9th gen processor is supported on the B360, B365M, and Z390 motherboard.
B360 Motherboard and B365 Motherboard:
The B360 motherboard and B365 motherboard are similar in specification, with minor changes here and there. The B360 and B365 motherboard is based on the 300 series chipset. They have the same LGA 1151 socket, same power draw. But the B360 has fewer PCIe lanes than the B365 motherboard. The B360 comes with 12 lanes, whereas the B365 comes with 20 PCIe lanes.
They do not support overclocking as they are the basic motherboard supporting the Core i9 – 9900K CPU. There are only a handful of motherboards that support the Core i9 processors. They have an exorbitant price tag making the Z390 motherboard more viable. So please avoid the B360 and B365 motherboard when building a Core i9 system.
H370 Motherboard:
So there is a middle-man between the B360 and Z390 motherboards. The H370 is the mid-range level motherboard in the 300 series platform. They offer similar features like the Z390 motherboard lacking overclocking features. The H370 motherboard uses the LGA 1151 socket.
It doesn’t support overclocking, making it a cutdown version of the Z390 motherboard. The H370 comes with 24 PCIe lanes and VRM powerful enough to handle the Core i9 – 9900K. If you are not looking to overclock the motherboard, then this is the best bet for you.
Z390 Motherboard:
The Z390 motherboard is the flagship tire of the 300 series Intel Chipset. It supports all the high-end processors from the unlocked Core i9 to the Core i3 CPUs. It offers more lanes for expansion slots and fully supports overclocking.
The Z390 motherboard has 24 PCIe lanes supporting a wide range of the expansion cards like GPU and wifi. But the motherboard tends to be more expensive as it opens all the tentative features of the Core i9 processors.
Plus, you are getting a hefty VRM and MOSFETs arrangement allowing you to attain higher clock speed when overclocking. The power delivery can stabilize the voltage to the CPU, increasing the components’ longevity—the best choice for enthusiasts.
Overclocking Capacity:
Overclocking, in general, is pushing your hardware with additional power to boost its performance beyond their intended limitations. In the case of CPU overclocking, the CPU is introduced to additional power from the motherboard increasing its clock speed. The higher the clock speed, the faster and better the CPU’s performance.
But not all motherboards are made for overclocking. Overclocking a CPU isn’t suggested as it degrades the component’s lifespan, and overvolting the CPU might cause the part to fail. So expert advice is needed to overclock the CPU.
Talking about the overclocking capacity depends on the VRM and the MOSFETs present on the motherboard. The VRM and MOSFETs feed voltage to the CPU regulating voltage. A good VRM can provide stable voltage to overclock the CPU.
As for overclocking, anything above 10 phases VRM can push the 9900K over 5 GHz (single-core), but if you want to attain higher levels, please consider anything above 16 phase VRM. Overclocking needs precise power management. Consult experts before performing any sort of overclocking.
Expandability and Ports:
The expandability and the ports on the system wholly depend on the user and the type of work. Gamers might need just a few expansion ports and USB ports, whereas Creators frequently change or add components so that they might need a better motherboard.
If you are a gamer, you might not need a lot of expansion slots. A motherboard with two 16x PCIe slots does the job. Previously SLI on consumer graphics cards was the talk of the town, but now SLI is entirely dead. It is great to have 3 – 4 expansion slots, but two 16x expansion slots are sufficient for now. Plus, you don’t need much high-speed USB Type-A port, 6 ports are enough for gamers, plus the front panel USB is connected to the motherboard.
Creators and streamers require a lot of PCIe lanes. A graphics card is mandatory in the system, and additional cards like Streaming cards, storage expansion cards, wireless cards, etc. Adding all those ain’t viable in two 16x slots. A motherboard with four 16x expansion slots and two 1x expansion slots is needed for content creators and streamers alike.
Plus, higher-end Quadro cards support SLI boosting performance in 3D/ Animation work. So a creator looks for boards with more PCIe lanes rather than gaming-centric boards. A creator might need to work with many peripherals, so a board with a lot of USB suits them a lot. The Thunderbolt 3 support is excellent, but only power users take advantage. To an average user, it is just a luxury feature.
Size / Form Factor:
Every motherboard comes in different shapes allowing more or fewer features in it. The overall build also dictates which you are going to use. It comes in various form factors, e.g., E-ATX, ATX, MATX, ITX, MiniITX, etc. The ATX is taken as the standard form factor motherboard.
For the mid-tower cases, the ATX and EATX form factor is the best. They have a fair amount of PCIe Lanes and better I/O selection. ITX and MiniITX are for compact builds, so fair enough to make it portable. So for each build, there are sized boards.
FAQs:
What’s the difference between a normal and a gaming motherboard?
There isn’t much difference between a normal and a gaming motherboard. Looking at the specifications, there is much to none difference between a normal and gaming motherboard. They feature the same VRMs, similar performance, and power draw.
Most of the difference comes in aesthetic, RGB lighting, and eccentric gaming features like extra RGB Fan header or fancy gaming gimmick.
How much should I spend on a motherboard for an i9 9900K?
Every line of work has its caveat. As for everyday usage, a standard Z390 motherboard from $150 to $300 is enough. But for the professional and enthusiast, shilling more than $500 is excellent as it offers better VRMs and PCIe expansion slots. Get what you need; expending $700 for a gaming system isn’t great.
What is the relation between VRM and heatsinks?
The VRM is the Voltage Regulation Module, which regulates the voltage to the CPU. A VRM constantly regulates the voltage to the CPU, causing the production of heat. The heatsink comes into play to regulate the temperature on the VRMs. The heat sink dissipates heat from the VRM, preventing it from failure.
