The Best Motherboards For Intel Core i7-9700k Processors

How We Choose

At WePC, we know how difficult it can be to choose a new component. That’s why we put together guides and reviews like this to make the decision that little bit easier.

When it comes to choosing which products to recommend, we like to test them out where possible for ourselves. When that’s not possible, we do thorough research into each component and scour online reviews and benchmarks until we’re happy we’ve found the best possible options.

With motherboards, we particularly focus on things like build quality, expandability, the number of ports available, the size, and overclocking support.

Things To Consider

What Budget Should I Set For An Intel Core i7 9700k Motherboard?

One of the most important things to look at is naturally the price. This will determine the type of features you’ll be able to get and what you could potentially compromise on. The good news is that there’s so much variety out there, you’re bound to find a decent motherboard for all types of budget.

With Z390 motherboards, you’ll typically be looking at a price between $200 to $500 but high-end ones could potentially go pricier than that.

Some of the things that will increase the price of your motherboard can include the number of ports and slots available and even the brand.

Socket Type

Perhaps the second most important thing to look for is the socket type. Before you start looking at all the hundreds of different motherboards out there, you will need to check they have the right socket type.

9th generation Intel CPUs will require an LGA 1151 socket so make sure you cross out those with AM4 or LGA 1200 sockets off your list. These sockets are for AMD processors or 10th generation Intel ones and won’t be suitable for an i7-9700K CPU.

The good thing about this is that it can help you narrow down your list to a more manageable size, with only a few motherboards to choose from.

Chipset

The chipset of a motherboard can determine a few different things such as the number of SATA ports, PCIe lanes available, and how well you can overclock your system. Z390 chipsets will generally allow for room in the future for expandability, which of course, makes them some of the best options.

Be sure when you do your research that the chipset in question is compatible with your processor of choice. There’s always deals to be found, especially if you’re not set on a certain brand or chipset. Other options can include H310, B360, H370, and Q370 chipsets if you’re simply looking to create a budget, home, or office build.

Expansion Slots

The number of expansion slots on a motherboard is another important factor that will determine how many components you can install. Most motherboards these days will offer plenty of slots for things like a graphics card, sound card, and hopefully a few M.2 drives for SSDs.

However, if you are planning to run extra components such as an additional graphics card, you will need to look at motherboards with enough expansion slots. It’s also a good idea to look at how many high-speed input/output lanes your motherboard can support.

Available Ports

If you’re going to be plugging multiple devices into your PC at once, the number of ports available is another factor to consider. The last thing you want is to plug the basic peripherals in and find out there’s no room for one more that you need.

It’s a good idea to consider how many you typically use simultaneously so you can focus your attention only on motherboards suitable for your needs.

Some of the most common ports to be on the lookout for are:

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

Form Factor

The form factor simply refers to the size of the motherboard. Most motherboards will come in one of five different form factors listed below. Each of these form-factors will offer a different number of ports and slots depending on their size. For example, the smallest of motherboards will likely have fewer RAM slots whereas the large ones will typically have four.

• 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”

The size of your motherboard is not a decision to overlook, especially if your PC case is on the small side. The last thing you want is a motherboard which is way too big for your case. For each of the motherboards listed below, we have mentioned what form factor it has.

Does motherboard choice affect PC performance?

The motherboard is a crucial component in a PC, as it acts as the central hub and influences the performance and communication of other elements, such as the CPU, memory, storage, and graphics card. The specifications and features of the motherboard, including CPU socket compatibility, RAM support, number of expansion slots, and storage options, can all have an impact on the overall performance of the PC.

For example, a motherboard with higher memory speeds and more RAM slots can boost performance for memory-intensive tasks. Additionally, the number and type of expansion slots on the motherboard can affect the system’s upgrade potential and its ability to support additional components, like a top-performing graphics card. Therefore, it’s important to thoroughly assess the motherboard’s specifications and compatibility with other components to achieve optimal performance for the intended use of the PC.