The Best Motherboards For Intel Core i9-9900k Processors

How We Choose

At WePC, we know how hard it can be to choose the best components for your PC. You always want to get it right, but there are so many things to consider. It’s hard to know where to start. That’s where we come in. We put together a range of components we recommend to help you make the best possible decision for you.

But how do we choose? We explore countless reviews, comparison videos, benchmarks, and specifications so we can layout all that information for you in a way that’s easy to understand. Where possible, we like to test out the motherboards ourselves and post reviews for more in-depth details.

So, if you’re tired of crawling through hundreds of reviews and articles, you’re in the right place. We’ll give you the rundown on what to expect with each motherboard so you can make a decision without the hassle.

Things To Consider

What Budget Should I Set For An Intel Core i9-9900k Motherboard?

The first thing to consider is often the price of the component. With so many options out there, it means you should be able to find budget to mid or high-level options. Clarifying your budget will help you narrow down your choice.

However, if you’re looking for an idea of how much a Z390 motherboard will cost, they can range between $200 to $500 and sometimes above for the high-end motherboards.

This cost will be determined by a range of factors such as the number of ports available, PCIe support, form factor, and other features such as RGB lighting.

Form Factor

Once you have an idea of budget, the next thing to look at is the size of the motherboard. Motherboards typically come in a range of sizes, as do PC cases. If your case is on the smaller side, you may need to rethink looking at standard sized motherboards and go for a mini-ITX instead.

The last thing you want is to purchase a motherboard which leads your case to feel a bit crammed in – or worse – doesn’t fit in at all. This will also affect the size of some of the components you can install as well. With less space, you’ll struggle to fit in a large graphics card.

Most motherboards will come in one of the following form factors:

• Mini-ITX – 6.7” x 6.7”
• Mini-ATX – 5.9” x 5.9”
• microATX – 9.6” x 9.6”
• ATX – 12” x 9.6”
• eATX – 12” x 13”

Socket Type

The type of socket your motherboard has is also another important factor to consider. A socket is the part of the motherboard that holds your processor so it’s important that it fits. Different CPUs have different socket needs. For example, one of the newer 10th generation processors will require an LGA 1200 socket.

However, if you are using an Intel Core i9-9900K, then you will need a motherboard with an LGA 1151 socket. If not, it simply won’t fit and you’ll be left with an expensive motherboard and CPU and you’ll need to decide which one to send back.

If you end up choosing an AMD processor, you’ll need a motherboard that can support an entirely different socket. In AMD’s case, it’s an AM4 socket that you would need in most cases.

Chipset

Another important thing to consider is the chipset of the motherboard. The chipset on a motherboard determines a few things including the number of PCIe lanes available, the SATA ports, and the ability to overclock your system.

For Intel Core i9-9900K CPUs, the Z390 chipset is recommended which is what we’ll be covering in this article. The Z390 chipset should allow room for expandability in the future so that’s one of the reasons it’s recommended for 9th generation Intel processors.

Available Ports

Another thing you should do while comparing motherboards is to look at the number of ports available and where they’re situated. These will be needed to plug things like your mouse and keyboard but also any headphones and USB devices. It’s important to have a good number of ports so you’re not stuck without anywhere to plug your devices into.

Some of the common ports to look for are:

• USB Type-C
• USB 3 / USB 3.1 Gen1
• USB 3.1 Gen2
• HDMI
• DisplayPort
• Thunderbolt 3
• Audio Ports
• PS/2 Ports

Expansion Slots

Expansion slots can be used to slot in a number of PC components so the number of them you have is also important. Most standard motherboards will have enough slots for a graphics card, sound card, and a few M.2 drives. However, if you’re planning to run additional components like another graphics card or a video capture card, you’ll need to check you have the slots available.

Another thing to look at is how many high-speed input/output lanes your motherboard can support. Sometimes motherboards will disable some connections in order to support multiple components. For example, SATA ports can be disabled if you’re plugging something into the M.2 slot which can lead to all sorts of confusion when something doesn’t work.

Does motherboard choice impact PC performance?

The motherboard serves as the central hub of the PC and is integral to the performance and communication of the other components, including the CPU, memory, storage, and graphics card. The motherboard’s specifications and features, such as CPU socket compatibility, RAM support, expansion slots, and storage options, can all have an impact on the PC’s performance.

For instance, a motherboard with a greater number of RAM slots and higher memory speeds can enhance performance in memory-intensive tasks. Furthermore, the number and type of expansion slots available on the motherboard can impact the system’s upgrade potential and its ability to accommodate additional components, such as a powerful graphics card. Hence, it is important to carefully evaluate the motherboard’s specifications and compatibility with other components to attain the optimal performance for the desired usage of the PC.